Best Restaurants in Miyajima: Where to Eat on the Sacred Island

Miyajima’s food identity centres on two ingredients: Hiroshima oysters and conger eel (anago) from the Inland Sea. Both are genuinely excellent, and both are available in forms ranging from quick street-stall snacks to multi-course sit-down meals. The island’s main dining corridor is Omotesando, the covered shopping street running from the ferry terminal to Itsukushima Shrine.

1. Ueno (anago-meshi)

Price: Approximately ¥2,100–¥2,500 for a full set | Hours: 10:30am–7pm (or sell-out) | Location: Near Miyajima ferry terminal

Ueno has been serving anago-meshi since 1901 and is the most consistently cited restaurant in Miyajima for the dish. Conger eel (anago, a saltwater relative of freshwater unagi) is braised in a sweet soy tare sauce until soft, then laid over rice in a lacquer box. The eel is mild, delicately fatty, and less sweet than the unagi preparations common in central Japan — the flavour is lighter and more restrained.

A full set includes the eel rice box, clear soup, pickles, and a small dessert. The eel used is sourced locally from the Seto Inland Sea. Arrive early: the restaurant sells out by mid-afternoon on busy days and does not reopen for the evening once the eel stock is exhausted.

2. Grilled Oyster Stalls (Omotesando)

Price: ¥300–¥500 per shell | Hours: Approximately 9am–5pm (varies by stall) | Location: Omotesando shopping street

This is not one restaurant but a row of charcoal grills along the main shopping street, where fresh Hiroshima Bay oysters are placed directly on the grate, grilled until their shells open, and served immediately. No seasoning beyond the oyster’s own brine is needed — the flavour is intensely oceanic, the texture firm but giving.

The oysters from Miyajima Bay area are notable for their size — a single shell often holds a 5–7cm oyster, significantly larger than oysters served elsewhere. Eat them directly at the stall with the provided plastic gloves. Soy sauce is sometimes offered on request.

Three or four shells make a satisfying snack; six to eight shells make a light lunch. This is the single best value food experience on the island.

3. Kakiya (oyster restaurant)

Price: From approximately ¥1,800 for a set meal | Hours: 11am–4pm | Location: Near Itsukushima Shrine on Omotesando

Kakiya serves a fuller oyster experience in a sit-down format: oysters in multiple preparations — raw on ice, grilled in the shell, deep-fried kaki fry with tartare sauce, and oyster miso soup in a single set (approximately ¥3,500). The restaurant is the most oyster-focused on the island in terms of menu breadth.

The kaki fry (deep-fried oyster) set at approximately ¥1,800 is the most accessible option — crisp coating, hot creamy interior, served with rice and shredded cabbage. Less atmospheric than eating from street stalls but the most complete oyster-only meal on the island.

4. Miyajima Craft Beer & Oyster Bar

Price: From approximately ¥600 per beer, ¥2,000–¥3,500 for food | Hours: 11am–9pm | Location: Near Omotesando, 5 minutes from the torii gate

A casual bar serving local craft beers (Hiroshima Prefecture craft ales, Miyajima-branded wheat beer) with oysters and light pub food. The pairing of a cold craft beer with grilled oysters is straightforward and satisfying, particularly in summer. The terrace seating fills up on fine afternoons.

Useful as an afternoon option between the shrine visit and the last ferry — the beer and oyster combination costs approximately ¥1,200–¥1,600 per person.

5. Miyajima Sarasvati (vegetarian-friendly)

Price: From approximately ¥1,500 for lunch | Hours: 11am–4pm | Location: Near Daisho-in temple approach

One of the few restaurants on Miyajima that makes a genuine effort for non-seafood eaters. The menu includes tofu-based set meals, mountain vegetable tempura, and rice dishes using Hiroshima rice — the prefecture produces good short-grain varieties. The vegetable tempura teishoku (approximately ¥1,800) includes seasonal vegetables from the mainland market with dashi broth on the side.

6. Momiji Manju Stalls

Price: ¥130–¥200 each | Hours: All day, most shops | Location: Throughout Omotesando

Momiji manju — maple-leaf shaped cakes filled with red bean paste (or other fillings) — are Miyajima’s most famous souvenir food. They are baked continuously in shops along the street and best eaten warm.

The best versions use simple, high-quality red bean paste; the traditional version remains the most reliable. Custard cream is the second-best filling. Avoid the flavoured novelty versions (matcha, strawberry) which tend to taste artificial.

Price per piece approximately ¥130–¥200. Small boxes for souvenirs (12 pieces, approximately ¥1,200–¥1,500) are available everywhere. Buy single pieces to taste before committing to a box.

See Miyajima through its food: Food and cultural tours in Miyajima often include market visits, tastings, and dishes you’d never find independently.

Practical Notes

• The ferry terminal building has a small café selling sandwiches and drinks — useful as a backup for early ferry arrivals before the island restaurants open.
• Most restaurants on Omotesando close by 5–6pm as day-trippers leave on ferries. If staying overnight, the ryokan dinner (usually included in room rates from ¥20,000 per person) is the most refined dining option on the island.
• No genuine budget-priced restaurants exist on Miyajima outside of street stalls and the oysters. The minimum for a sit-down meal is approximately ¥1,500–¥1,800.

For context on the island’s sights, see our Miyajima travel guide. For day trips from the island, see our day trips from Miyajima guide.

See also: Food to try in Miyajima · Things to do in Miyajima · Where to stay in Miyajima · Hiroshima travel guide · Chugoku-Hiroshima region guide