Welcome to Hiroshima and Miyajima

Hiroshima and Miyajima go together like sushi and wasabi. Most people that visit Hiroshima will combine it with a visit to the beautiful island of Miyajima. Most people will stay in Hiroshima and visit Miyajima as a day trip. There are hotels and guesthouses on Miyajima, however they are very expensive, and you it is possible to see everything in a day. 

Hiroshima is very well connected to the rest of Japan with direct trains from Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka. Most people are will come by train, and we have a handy section on JR passes in our article on budgeting in Japan.  However if like us you flew in, we flew down from Sapporo having spent two weeks in beautiful Hokkaido, do be aware that the airport is a 40 minute bus trip from Hiroshima. Buses are very regular and they will drop you at the SOGO shopping centre in the middle of Hiroshima. From here you can walk or take a tram to your accommodation.

Our budgeting in Japan article has some helpful info on booking internal flights for $100 USD, which is considerably cheaper than sites like skyscanner and kayak. These deals allow you to make the most of you time without spending a fortune. 

Hiroshima

Hiroshimas tragic past is clearly evident. A visit to peace park, the peace museum and the a-bomb dome are a must in order to understand the tragic events of August 1945. It is impossible not to be moved by the horrors suffered by millions of Japanese civilians. However Hiroshima has proudly risen from the tragedy of 1945 to become one of Japans most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities.   

Getting Around

Hiroshimas extensive tram network provides excellent transport around the city centre. Hiroshima station has excellent connections to the surrounding regions as well as further afield destinations such as Tokyo and Fukuoka. Day passes can be purchased for 600 yen and for 840 yen you can include a return ferry trip to Miyajima. The city centre itself is quite small and it’s very easy to navigate on foot. 

Where to stay

Hiroshima is a compact city with excellent public transport, as a result so long as you reasonably close to peace park you’re going to be close to the centre of the city. We ended up staying in two different locations due to limited availability. Our first place was close to Hon-Dori arcade, to the east of peace park, but still comfortably within walking distance. The second place was across the bridge, just north east of peace park, and once again was within walking distance of peace park itself. Another advantage to being in the area surrounding peace park is the vast majority of trams pass through this portion of this city, making the already excellent public transport system, even more convenient.

What to see and do

Peace Park, the peace museum and the a-bomb dome

These three important sites make up the central area of Hiroshima. As you would expect there is a certain sombre mood in some parts and respectful attire is advised. 

Hiroshima Castle

Set north of the centre this beautiful castle has an excellent museum on Hiroshima’s shogun past.

Shukkei-en

To the east of Hiroshima castle you will find these beautiful gardens. The majority of the time this place is relatively quiet. Come by late afternoon for the best light for photos.

Eating and Drinking

Hiroshima is famous for okonomiyaki, so naturally you can expect this to be found all over the city. However there is still plenty of fantastic food to be had across the city. Hon-dori arcade is a great to place to hunt down excellent restaurants and bars. Head north or south from the arcade onto the thin winding streets and you will have your pick of excellent eateries. Alternatively, the area around the station is crammed full of restaurants and arcades and is interesting place to have a wander. 

Miyajima

The location of one of Japans most photographed sites; the Grand Tori Gate, the island of Miyajima is approximately an hour from downtown Hiroshima. Many travellers will visit Miyajima as a day trip from Hiroshima, which is exactly what we did. It is possible to stay on the island itself, however be warned that accommodation is very expensive.

To get to Miyajima take the tram to Miyajima Guchi and then take the ferry across to Miyajima itself. It is possible to use your JR pass on the ferry to Miyajima, however since its only 400 yen per person its not worth activating your JR pass just for that. Alternatively you can purchase a tram day pass combined with a return ferry to Miyajima for 840 yen. 

What to see and do

Beautiful Japanese temples

Some of our favourites (in no particular order) were the Hokoku Shrine and Five Storied Pagoda which are located next to the stunning Itsukushima Shrine. Heading up into the hills will take you to immaculate Daishoin temple. From here stunning views over the Itsukushima Shrine as well as areas of quiet solitude can be found. 

Unsurprisingly the area around the Itsukushima shrine can get very busy as it’s directly opposite the Grand Tori gate. However the crowds are far fewer on the western side in comparison to the eastern side. 

Tori Gate

Miyajima’s most iconic image is that of the Grand Tori gate standing proudly in the bay. Naturally the areas on the waters edge can be quite crowded. However if you head round to the opposite side of the bay, towards the Daishoin Temple the crowds are smaller and there’s plenty of space to just relax and admire. 

Mount Misen

Offering beautiful views over the inland sea, surrounding islands and back towards Hiroshima itself. You can walk up or take a cable car. We ended up taking the cable car as our time was limited. Be warned that once you get to the top cable car station its another 30-40 minute walk to  Mount Misen proper. Most of that walk is steps, but the views at the top are well worth it.

Deer

Miyajima’s deer are on the lookout for food and they are definitely not afraid of humans. As a result keep any food you have tucked safely in your bag. If not then they will go for it and will probably win. We saw many unfortunate travelers trying to get deers heads out of their bags. There are stands selling food that you can give to them as they obviously should not be fed human food.