Day 7: Exploring the Magic of Miyajima

Today was another gorgeous spring day—the sun shining brightly on a crisp fall morning, with minimal crowds since the day-trippers had yet to arrive. As we strolled through the peaceful streets, Nancy commented that Miyajima Island reminded her of Mackinac Island—beautiful, quaint, quiet, and wonderfully simple.  

We started the morning with a traditional Japanese-style continental breakfast, then set out to explore more of this enchanting island. Our first adventure took us up Mount Misen, the island’s highest peak. We rode the Miyajima Ropeway two-thirds of the way up, gliding over lush forests and taking in spectacular views. From there, we hiked another 30 minutes to the summit, passing Reikado Eternal Flame Hall along the way. Inside, we saw the legendary fire that has been burning for over 1,200 years—amazingly, this same flame was used to light the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park’s eternal flame.  

At the summit, we were rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea, its many islands, and the Japanese mainland in the distance. 

On the way back down, we hiked the whole way down following a scenic trail, encountering serene temples, ancient stone markers, and picturesque viewpoints.  

Once back in town, we stumbled upon a quiet, off-the-beaten-path restaurant and finally tried okonomiyaki, a famous Hiroshima-style savory pancake. Made with a thin batter, shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, egg, and various toppings, it was both hearty and delicious. Since Miyajima is renowned for its oysters, I couldn’t resist ordering mine topped with five plump, juicy, freshly grilled oysters!  

Before heading back to our ryokan, we stopped for some gelato. I decided to try sakura (cherry blossom) flavored gelato—delicate and subtly floral, a perfect light treat. The shop invited us upstairs, where we removed our shoes and enjoyed our dessert while sitting on traditional floor cushions in a cozy tatami-matted room.  

After our rigorous hike, a few of us returned to the ryokan to nap and soak in the onsen, while others headed to the beach to play and watch the sunset over the "floating" Torii gate—a truly magical sight.  

Later in the evening, Nancy and I enjoyed a quiet dinner, while the rest of the crew went ahead of us, wrapping up yet another wonderful day on this picturesque island.