Climb to Mitaki-dera

A couple of people have recommended visiting Mitaki-dera in Hiroshima but I'm having problems working out how much of a climb it is to the temple. One post suggested 15 mins but steep, another 45 mins fine for amateur hikers.

I'm not in the worst shape but am a casual walker at best and the same day I'm looking at adding this to my itinerary I intend to head to the top of Mt Misen which sounds like a bit of a hike, I think I read half an hour from the ropeway to the peak?

While I'm keen to do both I don't want to know how much my legs will hate me if it's 2 hikes in one day. Also if it is a 45 min climb, add in viewing the temple and the hike back it might just take too long.

I'm in terrible shape. I can walk on flat level for miles, but up-hill I have many issues. I stop every now and then to take a rest. (Don't ask me why I love Onomichi so much, lol).

I went to Mitaki-dera in December. The walk to the entrance of the grounds in mostly up-hill. The walk took me about 25 minutes to get to the parking lot outside the temple grounds. Once you get to the grounds, use the left path to get to Mitakidera. It is just past one of the 3 waterfalls the temple is named for (Mitaki means 3 falls). I didn't have much issues getting to it, but there are some groups of steps to get there. Some of the steps can be high. Once I visited the first of the three falls and the temple, I wished to do the whole route and visit the other two falls, but the paths were getting to be a bit too rough and the steps to high and narrow, so I turned around and headed back the way I came. I explained to the lady who filled my goshuin page that it was too difficult for me and she told me she totally understood. It wasn't for me.

What I saw was quite nice, and being so close to Hiroshima Station (2 stops away), I definitely would try it if I were you.

from the station to the beginning of the temple a normal sporty person might take about 15-25 minutes. it is uphill, but on a normal small street.
to explore the temple grounds you can take another 20 minutes (but those are amazing). monstly on stairs.

afterwards, if you are looking for a sporty challenge, you can go up to the top of the mountain (but most people dont do, cause there is not much to see beside a good view and paths are often slippery and wet) or even make a round trip over the top of the hill (about 1h)

You are basically walking uphill on normal paved roads from the station - about 20 minutes. You are making it sound like climbing to the mountaintop, as some hikers do behind the temple. But the temple itself is not on the summit at all. Anyone who doesn't have severe physical issues or isn't too elderly can do it easily.
As for the temple itself, it is breathtaking, as you can see here:
https://youtu.be/J2PxquwlKJo
There are some stairs to climb, but it is nothing to really be concerned about.
If you do have some mobility issues, then there is also Shukkeien Garden, which is also very beautiful.
https://youtu.be/6Qe6rp0dJXA

Thank you all for the information :) I'll definitely add this to my list then.

@Ken the reason I was asking about it as though it was a hike up a mountain is because 3 of the 4 blogs I read about it seemed to describe it that way and the 4th didn't mention the path so I wasn't sure if it was or not.