About Hiroshima

Hi again! We are planning a short touch-and-go trip to Hiroshima from Osaka, but need to be back in Tokyo by the night, so it would be a really short day for us.

What I would like to ask, based on your experiences, is the following:

1) How long will the ferry from Miyajimaguchi to the Miyajima islands?

2) How much time may be needed for Peace Park Memorial?

3) If we are just visiting the Itsukushima Shrine, is three hours enough?

Thanks in advance, and yes, we are aware of how much we would be missing, but we hadn't thought to add Hiroshima into our trip until the very last minute! Probably be back next year or so, but for now, gotta make do.

1) How long will the ferry from Miyajimaguchi to the Miyajima islands?

10 minutes. The access basics are explained here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3454.html

2) How much time may be needed for Peace Park Memorial?

Typically 1-4 hours depending on the person.

If we are just visiting the Itsukushima Shrine, is three hours enough?

Walking through the shrine typically takes 10-30 minutes. Access from the ferry pier about 10-15 minutes. So, yes, three hours are enough for the shrine alone.

Consider taking the last train to Hiroshima the night before, this will maximise the time you have available the next day. Considering it's dark between 5-7pm every day it's always a good idea to travel after dark so not to waste daylight hours.