Mount Misen Observatory — Attraction in Hatsukaichi

“Long track, Tired but worth it!”

The highest point of the sacred island of Miyajima is Mount Misen (弥山) at 535 meters (1755 ft.). At the very top of the mountain is an observatory, called Mount Misen Observatory, with a stunning view over Hiroshima Bay.

This modern observatory at the very top of Mount Misen, which provides amazing views over Hiroshima bay and it’s many islands. The observatory really gives a unique perspective on the area around Miyajima, and is worth a trip up the mountain.

The observatory can be reached either by hiking (1.5-2 hours) one of the three paths leading up the mountain, or by a combination of ropeway and hiking (20 + 20 minutes). Even if you take the ropeway, there is a steep hike on an unpaved path to make it all the way to the observatory. There are no vending machines at the top, however there are vending machines at the ropeway station and a small, well-hidden vending machine at the temple buildings near the observatory. In the basement of the observatory is a small tourist information, which also sells small souvenirs – but no drinks.

Getting there

Hiking: There are great possibilities to hike up to Mount Misen Observatory. Please read the article on Hiking Mount Misen for details. Calculate for around 1.5 – 2 hours to hike up from Daisho-in temple. It is also possible to book a guided hiking tour to the top of the mountain.

Cable car: the Miyajima Ropeway’s lower station is located on the edge of Miyajima town. It is a 25 minute walk from the ferry port to the ropeway station. There is also a free shuttlebus from Momojidani Park. The ropeway takes you, in two steps, to Shishiiwa Observatory near the top of the mountain. From Shishiiwa Observatory it is a 25 minute, unpaved hike to Mount Misen Observatory.

The ropeway operates up-hill between 9.00 -17.00 and downhill between 9.20 – 17:30. The ride takes between 20-30 minutes total, depending on your timing. Check the official website for more details.

From:...

Interesting trail, spectacular view from the top. I went up the Dasho-in course which takes you through a very interesting temple which is worth a visit even if you are not hiking up the mountain. This particular "trail" is actually a long staircase of over 2,000 steps (if you can read Japanese kanji for numbers, you will see markers on stone pillars telling you how far you have come). I am 45 and only in fair aerobic shape so it took me about 2 hours to get up, including rests. Younger or more athletic folks could easily do it more quickly. I spent over an hour at the top taking in 360 degree views of the Seto Inland Sea. There is a 'ropeway' (aeriel lift) which is about a 20-30 minute hike from the summit which I took back down to spare my knees with pretty nice views.

I would recommend heading out at sunrise so that you can enjoy relative peace and quiet at the top. It does get quite crowded as the day goes on. There is a very small shop which sells souvenirs and toilets at the summit. Bring any food or drink you need with you.

There are those who have suggested heading up before sunrise in order to catch sunrise at the summit. If you are an experienced adventurist with a high tolerance for risk, fine. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it. I almost fell several times in plain daylight. If you injure yourself at 3AM on this trail, there will be no one anywhere...

What a gorgeous hike! Unfortunately we had bad luck with weather, and all we saw from the top was mist. Still, it was well worth it as the trek up the mountain is invigorating and the nature of the woods calms you.

The top observatory has two levels where you can rest and enjoy the view. There are bathrooms available, but no drinking water. There's also a gift shop, which was closed when we arrived. The summit also has a lot of standing stones and little statues.

We took the Deisho-in trail, starting at the Deisho-in temple. There are two other trails, but we were told this one was least steep. And of course you can also take the ropeway up and/or down, though I recommend doing the hike if you're able.

The ascent took us an hour and a half, the path is quite straight forward, mostly stone steps and gravel. But there are a couple of treacherous parts, one passing through a stream with stepping stones. This part is probably fine on a regular day, but as it had been raining very heavily this day the stream had swelled and we had to jump from stone to stone in order not to soak our shoes. There's also a couple narrow stone bridges to cross, but they're very short and shouldn't be an issue. Warnings were posted for venomous snakes, but we never saw any. Main thing to consider is that there are A...