If you visit Hiroshima, you must include Miyajima island on your itinerary.
How to go
Plane
※ From Haneda Airport, you can ride a plane to Hiroshima Airport.
※ Then ride a bus with this sign (Japanese/ kanji words) leaving for Hiroshima Bus Center or Hiroshima station.
※ Once you arrive to Hiroshima Bus Center, proceed to Hiroshima Tram.
※ Once you arrive to Hiroshima station, proceed to Hiroshima Tram or JR Line.
Hiroshima Tram：about 60minutes（Hiroshima station to Miyajimaguchi station）
※After you arrive at Miyajimaguchi station, you have to ride a ship. You can find the sign for the ship within the station.
There are 2 options, either JR Ship or Matsudai-kisen. The fare is the same for both ship.
※After 10 minutes, you can arrive at Miyajima- island.
Train
You can ride the Tokaido Shinkansen and head to Hiroshima Station.
Then upon arriving at Hiroshima Station, transfer to Sanyo-honsen Line to Miyajimaguchi station.
Sanyo-honsen JR Line：about 25minutes（Hiroshima station to Miyajimaguchi station）
※After you arrive at Miyajimaguchi station, you have to ride a ship. You can find the sign for the ship within the station.
There are 2 options, either JR Ship or Matsudai-kisen. The fare is the same for both ship.
※After 10 minutes, you can arrive at Miyajima- island.
Bus
riding the buss will take you 8 hours, so I do not advise.
Unless you want to sleep longer.
There are many buses going to Hiroshima Prefecture, just choose the bus going to Hiroshima Station.
Afterwards, we ride the Sanyo-honsen Line to Miyajimaguchi station.
※Sanyo-honsen JR Line：about 25minutes
（Hiroshima station to Miyajimaguchi station）
※After you arrive at Miyajimaguchi station, you have to ride a ship. You can find the sign for the ship within the station.
There are 2 options, either JR Ship or Matsudai-kisen. The fare is the same for both ship.
※After 10 minutes, you can arrive at Miyajima- island.
Most of the time, I choose JR Ship, but I recommend to using High-speed boat if you are a tourist.
My experience in riding the high-speed boat was marvelous. If you prefer the same mode of transportation, you need to take the tram from Hiroshima station and hop off at Atomic Bomb Dome（Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.）
Proceed to this place as seen on the photo below.
High-speed boat’s station is next to this bridge.
This boat will take you directly to Miyajima Island.
If you prefer to ride the ship, the ship will take you from Hiroshima Peace Memorial park to Miyajima-island.
It takes 45 minutes to arrive there.
The cost is 2,200 JPY (Adult).
Children’s fare is 1,100 JPY.
What is Itsukushima shrine?
Miyajima is a small island which houses the Itsukushima shrine.
It’s the shrine built on the sea.
Traditionally, people believe that the Gods live on Miyajima island.
Currently, the red TORII（gateway）is under construction.
Itsukushima-shrine was constructed in Year 593.
In 1168, Tairanokiyomori（Japanese famous Samurai）reconstructed it in its present form.
Itsukushima-shrine enshrines three female gods, Ichikishima-hime-no-mikoto, Tagori-hime-no-mikoto and Tagitsu-hime-no-mikoto.
They are gods of seaway safety, road safety and good business.
Next issue, I’ll introduce you to details about it.
Thank you.