Iwaso Miyajima — a historic ryokan in the forest whose kaiseki explains why you need to stay overnight on the island
If there is one special overnight stay you should plan for on Miyajima Island, Iwaso is the name that people who truly know the island name first — a ryokan founded in 1854, set in the quiet maple forest of Momijidani, far from the day-tripping crowds. This is not simply accommodation; it is an authentic Japanese ryokan experience on a sacred island that has preserved its essence across more than a century.
Iwaso sits in Momijidani forest on Miyajima Island — the valley renowned as the most beautiful spot on the island during autumn foliage season in early November. A small stream runs through the grounds, maple trees line both banks, and the silence is deep enough to hear the water clearly. It is about a 15-minute walk from the Miyajima ferry pier, or the ryokan runs a shuttle to meet arriving guests. The torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine is close enough to walk to easily, yet the forest is quiet enough to make you feel you are genuinely on the island — not just passing through to take a photo.
"After staying at Iwaso we walked out to see the torii gate at 8 pm. Not a single other tourist — just silence and the red gate reflected in still water. Many guests say it was the single most memorable moment of their entire Japan trip."
The thing guests talk about most at Iwaso is the kaiseki dinner — a multi-course meal built around local ingredients from the Seto Inland Sea. Hiroshima oysters and anago (sea eel), a Miyajima speciality, appear in preparations that have drawn Michelin-level recognition. The ¥45,000 rate that looks steep at first glance actually includes both the kaiseki dinner and breakfast. Many past guests note that once you factor out the food cost, the room itself is quite reasonably priced — this is standard ryokan pricing logic and it holds true here.
Iwaso's rooms come in two main types. Tatami rooms in the main building preserve the traditional Japanese ryokan form: woven rush-grass flooring, wooden lattice windows, views out to the garden and stream. Then there are the Hanare cottages — separate structures tucked deeper into the forest for guests who want total privacy. Both offer something impossible to find in a city hotel. Some rooms are compact and the walls carry sound between them, as is the nature of an old wooden building — this is part of the ryokan's character, and guests who understand that tend to cherish it rather than complain.
The single greatest advantage of an overnight stay here is what happens after the day visitors leave. Regular ferries run until around 10 pm, and after the last boats depart the island belongs only to overnight guests. The Itsukushima torii gate — surrounded by hundreds of people at 2 pm — becomes a solitary red structure reflected quietly in the inlet water. This moment, impossible for anyone staying on the mainland in Hiroshima, is mentioned in almost every review Iwaso has ever received.
Worth understanding before booking: getting here requires a ferry crossing from Miyajimaguchi (about 10 minutes) and then a 15-minute forest walk or a shuttle from the pier. Guests arriving with heavy luggage should coordinate in advance. The rate of ¥45,000+ per night for two people is at least double what a comparable night in central Hiroshima would cost. If the ryokan experience and the overnight island stay are not the specific things you are seeking, it may not represent the best use of your budget.
Taken together, Iwaso is irreplaceable for anyone seeking an authentic ryokan stay on Miyajima. It is not the most modern or least expensive property — but it offers something nothing else on this island can match: more than a century of history, kaiseki drawn from the Seto Inland Sea, and an evening on the sacred island that is entirely your own.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Oldest ryokan on Miyajima, founded 1854 — genuine historic character
- ✓ Michelin-praised kaiseki with local oysters and anago, breakfast included
- ✓ Momijidani forest setting — stream, maple trees, total quiet
- ✓ Overnight stay grants a private view of the torii gate at dusk
- ! Old building — some rooms are compact and walls are thin
- ! Requires ferry + forest walk to reach, inconvenient with heavy luggage
- ! Rate ¥45,000+ is at least double a comparable city hotel in Hiroshima
- ✓ Hanare forest cottages offer the highest level of privacy on the island
- ✓ Warm, attentive staff in true Omotenashi style
- ✓ Momijidani forest with maple trees and stream on all sides
- ✓ An authentic ryokan experience found nowhere else on the island
- ! Two-stage journey (ferry + walk/shuttle) required to reach the property
- ! Traditional-style rooms — not designed around modern hotel amenities
- ! Limited rooms mean early booking is essential, especially in autumn foliage season
- 💡If you want a modern hotel with full amenities — Iwaso is a traditional ryokan with old buildings and thin walls → for a 5-star resort experience, explore other options in the roundup.
- 💡If you are travelling with a lot of heavy luggage — reaching the ryokan requires a ferry crossing then a forest walk → contact the hotel in advance to arrange the shuttle and plan extra time.
- 💡If budget is a concern or one night feels hard to justify — the ¥45,000+/two people rate includes meals but is still high → best suited to special occasions, not an everyday stay.