Momijidani Park Autumn Leaves (Miyajima) 2026 Confirmed
宮島・紅葉谷公園の紅葉 — Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima (Chugoku)
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- Typical peak
- Tue, Nov 10 – Mon, Nov 30, 2026
- Time
- 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Venue
- Momijidani Park, Miyajima Island
- Illumination
- Momijidani Park light-up (in 2025: Nov 8–30, sunset until 9:00pm). It runs most years but is confirmed season by season.
- Scale
- ~700 maple trees
- Tickets
- Momijidani Park itself is free to walk. The Miyajima Ropeway up to Shishiiwa runs 9:00am–4:00pm going up and until 4:30pm coming down; check the operator for fares. Note that the ferry to the island and the Itsukushima Shrine admission are separate.
- Official site
- www.miyajima.or.jp
Momijidani Park — literally "maple valley" — climbs the lower slopes of Mount Misen on Miyajima, a five-minute walk behind Itsukushima Shrine's famous floating torii. About 700 maples, mostly delicate iroha momiji, peak from mid- to late November over a boulder-strewn stream crossed by red bridges, with wild deer wandering through. Entry is free, and an evening illumination has become a near-annual fixture (in 2025 it ran November 8-30, sunset to 9:00pm).
Background
The valley's maples were planted from the Edo period onward as erosion control along the Momijidani River, gradually becoming a strolling ground for pilgrims to Itsukushima Shrine, itself built in its present over-water form by Taira no Kiyomori in 1168. The momiji manju maple-leaf cake was invented here around 1906.
Getting there
From Hiroshima Station, take the JR Sanyo Line about 30 minutes to Miyajimaguchi, then the 10-minute ferry across (the JR ferry is covered by the Japan Rail Pass). The park is a 15-minute walk from the pier, five minutes past Itsukushima Shrine, at the base of the Mount Misen ropeway.
Tips
- Stay overnight on the island if you can — day-trippers leave by late afternoon, and the illumination plus the lit torii make evenings the best part.
- The park is free; if you're continuing up Mount Misen, the ropeway boards right at the top of Momijidani.
- Morning light filters down the valley's east-facing slope — shoot the red bridges before 10am, ahead of the midday crowds.
- Buy momiji manju warm off the griddle on Omotesando street on your way back; this island is where the cake was born.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the best time to see Momijidani Park Autumn Leaves (Miyajima)?
- Autumn color here usually peaks Nov 10 – Nov 30. Color depends on how cold the nights have been, and peak can land a week either side of the usual window, so check a foliage forecast about a week out.
Maintained by Tetsu Yamamoto · Last verified against the official source: Sat, September 12, 2026