Hiroshima and Miyajima is a must-do on any Japan itinerary, especially if it’s your first time. It’s an important stop to learn about a monumental moment in Japanese history and although the stop can carry an emotional weight to it, you also get to experience the beauty and resilience of this beautiful spot in Japan.
Most peoples itinerary for their first visit in Japan includes Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, and Hiroshima is an easy stop on this route when traveling between Kyoto and Osaka (or vice versa). You don’t need a ton of time here to check off the main attractions so it’s a nice stop over to add onto your itinerary. Here is how you can make the most of the 2(ish) days.
Day One: Miyajima
Just a short ferry ride from Hiroshima is the beautiful island of Miyajima. When we were creating our itinerary for Japan I wondered if we could really make time for a stop at Miyajima on top of exploring the city of Hiroshima, and let me tell you, you’re not going to want to skip this beautiful spot! Miyajima is famously known for its “floating” torii gate you see on post cards and books for Japan but there is so much more the island offers as well. You’ll find wild deer wandering the streets, forested trails, coastal views, and great food to try. It truly is such a magical spot!
Getting There
To get to Hiroshima, you can easily book a train from Kyoto or Osaka. The ride is about an hour and half ride from whichever city you are coming from.
I’d recommend taking a morning train so you arrive in Hiroshima with almost a full day. Your first stop should be to drop your bags at your hotel, or alternatively you can head right to Miyajimaguchi Station which is home to the main ferry terminal to Miyajima where you’re going to spend most of your day.
It’s important to note that there are a few different ferry terminals that can take you to the island so choose which option is closest to your hotel or most convenient for you. For example, we stayed at Hotel Kuretakeso which was closest to the departure point at Motoyasubashi-Bridge. However, departures from here depend on the tides so make sure to check their website before heading over. You can buy tickets there but depending on time of year it can get busy and sell out so arrive in advance to the ferry you want to take.
What to Do in Miyajima
Once you arrive on the island of Miyajima after a short ferry ride, you’ll be greeted by the cutest stop that has so much to do. Since you may not have time to do it all, I’m giving you a list of the must-do’s for you to choose from. I’ve made note of what we included during our day.
- Itsukushima Shrine (open 6:30am-6pm) & Grand Torii Gate: This is home to the notable “floating” gate when the tide is up and when the tide is out you can walk all the way out to it. This Torii Gate is a World Heritage Site and so dreamy along the beautiful blue water. You can catch the best view of the Grand Torii Gate from Itsukushima Shrine.
- Miyajima Ropeway (open 9am-4pm): The Miyajima Ropeway is a scenic cable car ride that takes you up Mount Misen, the tallest mountain on the island. It’s the prettiest (and easiest) way to get the amazing, panoramic views without committing to a hike. Especially if you are short on time!
- Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street: This is the islands main street that stretches from the ferry terminal toward the Itsukushima Shrine. It’s lined with souvenir shops, sweet treats like the famous momiji manju (the maple leaf cookie that is famous to the island), and other great spots to eat. In this area you’ll also find Miyajima Brewery (open 10:30am-5pm) where you can try lemon beer, and you should also look for the Miyajima-style eel or a grilled oyster to try. Both must-try foods of the island!
- Hiking Mount Misen: Remember how I mentioned skipping the hike for the ropeway above? If you are ambitious and have the time, you can hike up Mount Misen instead. It takes about 1.5-2 hours to reach the summit via three main trails (Momijidani, Daishoin, and Omoto). Make sure to start early to beat the heat, and wear proper footwear. AllTrails is a great app to download to read more about the trails.
- Other Temples & Shrines: Like anywhere in Japan, there are lots of other temples and/or shrines to visit like Senjōkaku Hall (open 8:30am-4:30pm), Daisho-In Temple (open 8am-5pm).
Our priorities when we visited since we had an afternoon by the time we got to the island were Grand Torii Gate and Itsukushima Temple, and Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street and the streets around it where we went to the brewery, tried the famous momiji manju at Momijido Main Store, and some fried oysters which were massive and so good. But pick what interests you the most!
Head Back to Hiroshima & Enjoy the Evening
Once you’re done, catch the ferry back to the mainland to explore some of Hiroshima. Since it’s likely almost dinner time, you may want to head to Hondori Walking Street which is lined with restaurants and shops. You can also make a stop at Raku Brewery to sample some local craft beers but the absolute must-do is find a spot for Okonomiyaki. This was probably one of the top things we ate on our whole trip in Japan.
Okonomiyaki is a savoury pancake that’s so comforting. It is made out of a batter of flour, eggs, and shredded cabbage then cooked on a hot griddle (usually in front of you) then finished with a sweet-savory sauce, mayo and bonita flakes. They usually have several different options of things you can also add in. What makes Hiroshima-style different than getting the dish in other areas like Osaka is that layered approach instead of mixing everything together. They stack the ingredients and the result gives a lighter, taller, and more structured pancake. It’s honestly SO delicious. There are lots of spots you can get it but we went to Nagataya which is one of the more well-known spots. We did have to wait in line but the end result was so worth it.
Day Two: Hiroshima
Day two can be a full day if you decide to spend 2 nights in Hiroshima or you can spend part of your day in the city of Hiroshima then head to your next stop in Kyoto or Osaka like we did. What we did on day two was woke up really early to do the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (open 7:30am-7pm). Since the museum opens early, we bought tickets in advance online and went for opening. This is unnecessary if you plan to stay for the whole day but in order to make the most of our time we wanted to leave for Osaka around 1pm.
The museum is obviously a must-do to really learn about the history of Hiroshima. I recommend getting the audio guide with your ticket to really help you get the most out of the museum. Afterwards, take a walk through Memorial Park that surrounds the museum and visit the Atomic Bomb Dome. Once you go through the museum it really puts into perspective where you’re standing and how amazing it is how the city has rebuilt itself.
We headed back to the train station at this point in our day but you could continue on exploring Hiroshima if time allows. Some other must-do activities in the city are:
- Hiroshima Castle (opens 9am-6pm)
- Shukkei-en Garden (opens 9am-5pm)
We really enjoyed our short stopover in Miyajima and Hiroshima. It was both educational and beautiful and I would highly recommend this as a must-do stop on your itinerary through Japan.
No Comments