How I Spent 6 Nights In and Around Hiroshima
There have definitely been times in my life when I have wanted to visit a region with a lot to do, but have ended up feeling overwhelmed and just picking a few of the main highlights. When I've done that though, it can feel like I've just scratched the surface and not really seen the best qualities of the area.
I don't know whether you've ever had that feeling, but if you even just do three days of this seven-day trip, I think you'll feel satisfied that you've gone past the surface and seen some good spots. And if you do all seven, you'll be bursting with knowledge of the area!
The area is called the Setouchi Inland Sea, but for this trip I stayed in central Hiroshima every night except for one, when I stayed in Miyajima to see the famous floating torii gate at a less busy time of day. Of course, the idea of this trip was to squeeze as much into it as possible, while not carrying your luggage all over the place, but feel free to mix and match or add a few days if it feels a bit intense for your travel style!
Day 1: Classic Hiroshima
Today was all about iconic Hiroshima activities. I hitched a ride on Japan's largest tram network on one of the cute older style trams. It brought me to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Peace Memorial Park, where I took a moment to remind myself of the history, before walking around the park. I really appreciate how well thought-out the area is, because you can just walk around and let things sink in, but the resulting message is one of hope and appreciation for community.
After gaining a renewed appreciation for the joys of life, I returned to the station and hotel. As it was already afternoon, I opted for a simple second half of the day by browsing the souvenirs at the station's newest addition, the minamoa shopping complex. Within minamoa there are a lot of restaurants, so of course I had to get some Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki at Kuraya on the sixth floor. There, you can choose to add soba or udon to your okonomiyaki, and I tried a spicy one and the Kuraya special with videographer Aimee. I didn't have to go far for my hotel either, which was the Hotel Granvia Hiroshima South Gate, on the seventh floor. It was so nice to have everything close together!
Tip: If I have one tip from today, it would be to leave your luggage in a locker or at the hotel before exploring, it was so simple and made everything much easier!
Day 2: Trains and Temples in Onomichi
My second day started with a fun ride on the etSETOra train, which gets its name from the Seto Inland Sea that it rides alongside, combined with "et cetera." The tickets go on sale exactly a month before your chosen ride date, and tickets were already disappearing on that very day, so I recommend planning your booking in advance! The train is a comfortable and cozy sightseeing train with some lovely sea views and a cute bar counter for food and drinks.
Once I got to Onomichi Station I walked about 15 minutes to the Senkoji Temple Ropeway, which is a cable car that flies over the temple itself. I stopped for a few pictures at the observation deck which gives great views of Onomichi down below, and then explored Senkoji Temple. Part of the legend behind the temple is Tama no Iwa, or "Jewel Rock" which is said to have shone brightly to light the way for seafarers.
Then I explored Cat Alley and the Temple Walk. Cat Alley is so named for the little cat stone paintings placed there. It's a short walk and a bit of a detour from the way back to the station, but cute if you like quaint cat drawings and something a bit different. Along the Temple Walk, if you set aside the time you can see 25 different temples, but I was happy to just take in the atmosphere and see a couple along the way. It was a lot of walking so I also treated myself to a bit of time at Air Cafe for a muffin and a drink. I made today a bit of an early end to allow time to get back to Hiroshima and rest before a big day in Matsuyama.
If you're interested, here is a map of the walking route I did here!
Day 3: Castles and Baths in Matsuyama
Seeing as there are no trains directly between Onomichi and Matsuyama, I was thankful to start from my base of Hiroshima again. From Hiroshima Station, you can get a tram or taxi to Hiroshima Port, from which Matsuyama takes about 90 minutes on the Superjet ferry. At the other end, it's a 10-minute walk to Takahama Station, followed by about 25 minutes on the train. From there you can walk to the castle, or take the tram to Okaido Station and go up the cable car or chairlift. If that seems like a lot of transport, this could be a good opportunity to stay a night in Matsuyama, too.
Once up the chairlift, it was a short walk around the castle walls to find the dramatic entrance of Matsuyama Castle. This is one of Japan's 12 original castles, meaning it has remained largely intact since its first construction. This was a very fun castle to visit, because a lot of Japan's castles are just a single building to walk up and down, whereas this one has a number of different areas that make it much easier to imagine samurai walking through!
After exploring the keep, I then headed back to the trams to visit Dogo Onsen Honkan. This famous hot spring bath facility is known for being part of the inspiration for the bath house in Spirited Away, and from the front I could certainly see the resemblance. Inside I relaxed in the baths then double relaxed in a private rest area that I had rented just for me, where I was brought tea and a small local sweet. After all that relaxation I was ready to fall right to sleep on the ferry back to Hiroshima!
Day 4: Rabbit Island and Takehara
With the convenience of just heading downstairs to get the train, I had a fairly easy morning today as I made my way to Okunoshima, AKA Rabbit Island. It takes about 2 hours to get to Tadanoumi Station with one train change, followed by a 10-minute ferry. Then, you can explore the island of bunnies! It's an interesting island, because it was actually used for chemical weapons manufacturing, and then many years after, rabbits were released on the island and bred to cover the land completely! Numbers have decreased over the years, but there are still small groups of cute rabbits bouncing around amid the palm trees, beaches, and the island's central hotel.
After I had my fill of fluffy fun, I went back on the ferry and got the train to Takehara. If you're visiting Rabbit Island from Hiroshima I highly recommend at least a short stop in Takehara, as it is a great opportunity to see a lesser-known traditional town. In Takehara, the main point of interest is the Takehara Townscape Conservation Area, where you can walk through the traditional streets and even explore some of the preserved buildings. I love the view and the calm atmosphere from the top of Saihoji Temple, too. I finished my stay with a visit to Apple Mint, where I had their signature omurice (seasoned rice with a soft omelette) and homemade cheesecake. Then I made my way back to Hiroshima.
Tip: Make sure to check the timings of the ferries from Tadanoumi to Okunoshima and back, and of any restaurants you want to visit in Takehara. Many of them have irregular closing days and hours!
Day 5: Iwakuni and Miyajima
Getting towards the latter end of my trip, I thought it would be nice to have a slightly less hectic day today, and mix it up with one night elsewhere. I left my bigger suitcase with Crosta (a luggage service at Hiroshima Station), and just brought some overnight essentials as I headed out to Iwakuni.
Iwakuni is known for the famous Kintaikyo Bridge with its characteristic arches. The bridge was ordered for construction by the lord of Iwakuni, Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, in 1673, and has been maintained and renovated over the years in-keeping with the original design. Once I crossed the bridge, it was just a short walk to the cable car station which took me up to Iwakuni Castle. It has a beautiful view over Iwakuni, and this current renovated version has lasted decades, while the original lasted only seven years!
I then got the bus back to Iwakuni Station, where I got the train to Miyajimaguchi Station, and finally the ferry across to Miyajima. Miyajima is a classic Hiroshima sightseeing spot, but to make things a bit more interesting I decided to stay a night on the island so that I could get some fun night and morning views without many people, as it can be pretty crowded during the day. I felt good about my decision when I was able to walk around without grappling with my heavy bag through the crowds. I'm writing today's entry from the Kikunoya hotel, too, full from a wonderful kaiseki dinner and feeling satisfied after seeing the beautiful sight of the torii gate lit up at night.
Day 6: Miyajima and More Hiroshima
The next morning I woke up and allowed myself a walk back over to the torii, which was a lovely peaceful experience with so few people out and about on the island. Then I went back for breakfast and to grab my stuff before getting the ferry straight to the bridge at the Hiroshima Peace Park.
Tip: The ferry from Miyajima to the Peace Park goes from a different port slightly north of the main ferry terminal, and is a useful way to go straight to the center without taking another tram.
From there I hopped in a taxi (or you can get a bus from Hondori to Kensatsucho-mae) to Shukkeien, a garden dating back to the 16th century. I personally love that the garden is designed around a central pond, because it means even in winter you can get some nice scenes with the reflection on the water. If you head to the eastern end of the garden, you'll also find Geikiho Peak, which is a miniature recreation of Mount Fuji! From there I walked back to Hiroshima Station to grab my luggage and check back into the Hotel Granvia for a bit of a rest.
Recharged and raring to go, I spent my last night in Hiroshima bar hopping in the Ekinishi area. "Ekinishi" means "west of the station", and is a collection of small izakaya bars. There are a lot of different types even in such a small area, so I tried a selection: Baltan for classic grilled food and a refreshing Lemon Sour drink, Shonenba for teppanyaki cooked right on the hotplate in front of me, and Bon Appetit for some French-inspired cuisine and a delicate lemon dessert. This is probably a good time to mention that Hiroshima is known for its lemons!
Tip: A lot of the Ekinishi bars do not have English menus. If you're happy to be adventurous, just ask for the "osusume" (oh-soo-soo-may) or "omakase" (oh-mah-kah-say) to get the recommendations."
Day 7: Shinkansen to Kyushu
On my last day in Hiroshima I made the absolute most of the Granvia's breakfast buffet, loading up on sausages and baked goods before packing up to say goodbye to the prefecture.
Because the hotel is literally above the station, all I had to do was pack my bags and head down the elevator to catch my train onwards to Kyushu on the shinkansen - and I was off to make the most of another region!
