Miyajima Ferry Fares: Why the Outbound Costs More Than the Return
The ferry to Miyajima costs 300 yen out and 200 yen back. The difference is the visitor tax introduced in 2023, which most English guides still do not mention. What you pay, who is exempt, and which ferry your JR Pass covers.
Illustration — not a photograph of this location.
What you actually pay
| Direction | Fare | Visitor tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miyajimaguchi → Miyajima | 200 yen | 100 yen | 300 yen |
| Miyajima → Miyajimaguchi | 200 yen | — | 200 yen |
The asymmetry confuses people at the gate, because it looks like a mistake. It is not. The tax is levied on visiting the island, not on each crossing, so it is collected once, when you go over.
If you are visiting more than once
There is a flat annual option: 500 yen covers unlimited visits for a year, instead of 100 yen per trip. It only makes sense from the sixth visit onward, so for almost every traveller the per-trip charge is the right choice.
Paying with an IC card
You do not need cash. The gates at Miyajimaguchi accept eleven of Japan’s transport IC cards — Suica, PASMO, ICOCA and the rest of the national network — and the fare and the tax are deducted together as you tap through.
Who does not pay
The exemptions are narrow, and none of them will apply to a visiting tourist:
- Residents of Miyajima
- People commuting to work or school on the island
- Pre-school children
- School groups on an official school trip
Two ferry companies run the same route
Two operators cross from Miyajimaguchi, on near-identical schedules and for the same fare. The practical difference is which one your rail pass covers — one is run by JR West and the other is not. If you are travelling on a JR pass, check the operator before you tap in, or you will pay for a crossing you had already covered.
Booking tours and tickets
Attraction tickets and guided tours are worth arranging before you arrive, especially in autumn and during cherry blossom season.
Book Miyajima tickets and tours
Staying nearby
Most visitors treat Miyajima as a day trip from Hiroshima city, which is why hotel demand concentrates there.
Sources
Checked against Japanese-language official sources on 2026-08-25. Prices and timetables change — if something here is out of date, please tell us.