Visiting Miyajima and Hiroshima: questions

We will be arriving from Kyoto and plan to visit Miyajima and Hiroshima. Our initial thought is to explore Miyajima on the first day and stay overnight there. On the second day we plan to visit Hiroshima and then take the Shinkansen train Kanazawa.

Does this plan make sense, or would it be better to add an extra night at Hiroshima?

If we stick to this plan and prefer to walk around both places with light backpacks, is it manageable?
Where should we store our luggage upon arrival to n Miyajima? Should we send our luggage from Miyajima to Kanazawa and carry only light backpacks in Hiroshima?

Thank you in advance for your assistance. We need help planning our first trip to Japan.

What were you planning to do in Hiroshima? If you just want to go to the war memorial sites, you could do that in the morning. It is quite feasible to go to Kanazawa the same day, and then you will be there. You would take a shinkansen from Hiroshima to Osaka, a limited express from Osaka to Tsuruga, and a shinkansen from Tsuruga to Kanazawa. The connections are efficient and easy.

You could send your luggage from Kyoto to Kanazawa. If you send it from Miyajima the morning you check out of your accommodations, it won�ft get to your place in Kanazawa until the next day. If you send it from Kyoto, it should be at your Kanazawa hotel when you check in. If you want to pack a smaller piece to support your overnight in Miyajima, you could leave that at your lodging there when you get to the island. Nearly all hotels and ryokans in Japan will hold bags for you until check-in time.

Oh, then if you do pack a small overnight bag for Miyajima, you could leave it in a coin locker at Hiroshima station while you do your sightseeing there. (If you can make do with just backpacks on Miyajima, that simplifies the luggage management, but I wouldn�ft be able to do that myself. I need a little more stuff if I�fm staying overnight someplace. But I wouldn�ft want to bring a large suitcase to Miyajima.)

Basically, big luggage in the train in Japan is not recommended. There is no big luggage storage in the train (with some exceptions). Instead, you can send your luggage from your hotel to the other hotel, such as a hotel in Kyoto to a hotel in Kanazawa, as Kim stated. It is quite normal, easy, affordable and reliable process. Getting on the train in Japan is quite different from that of the airplane. The boarding process of the airplance is about 10-20 min, but the train stops only 30 seconds in many case.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2274.html

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html

If you are staying on Miyajima, you can bring your luggage and store it at your hotel (if you arrive before check-in time). Most hotels will store your luggage before check-in. That is one option.

I think one problem is to bring big luggage to Miyajima from Kyoto. Probably by Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen which do not have luggage storage except for the backseat of the last row. If many tourists bring their luggage in to the Shinkansen car, this small place will be full. I think sending the luggage is much better option.

Thank you so much for your valuable insights! They have been incredibly helpful.

Following your suggestion, we will send our luggage from Kyoto to Kanazawa and keep a small suitcase for the night at Miyajima. It's good to know that we can store it at the Miyajima hotel on our arrival day and in a storage facility at Hiroshima station the next day.

In such a way, we can spend almost a full day in Miyajima and at least half a day at Hiroshima before heading to Kanazawa.

Thanks again.

You asked if you should another night for Hiroshima. You certainly could. Aside from the city and Miyajima, you could also add in Iwakuni, Kure, or the Sandankyo Gorge. But if you add another night, it means a night less somewhere else - and ultimately it depends on how you'd spend your time elsewhere.
In any case, I hope you do more in Hiroshima City than just see the Peace Park and then leave - you'd be seriously cheating yourself, and Hiroshima is much more than a city that got nuked.

Thank you Ken,

In fact we haven�ft planned spending a night at Hiroshima. But it is doable.

However, I�fm trying to reduce the number of single night stays and favor at least two-night stays whenever possible.

About transportations and luggage in Japan.

As I noted, big luggage in public transportation in Japan is problematic in many cases. Exceptions are:

Domestic flights allow 2 check in baggages per person.

Airport trains such as Haruka from Kansai Airport, NEX and Skyliner from Narita Airport, Tokyo monorail from Haneda airport. Airport limousine bus. These have luggage storage.

Vacant local commuter trains including subway, JR and private railways. The seat is �gbench�h type and they have no storage area in general, but you can stand and hold you luggage.

If you fly into Kansai Airport (KIX) and then move to Kyoto, you can take Haruka express and then Kyoto municipal subway (in the day time, not rush hour) carrying one big luggage per person. Bus in Kyoto with big luggage is a big no though some people are doing this and making troubles

Upon sending luggage, a hotel to another hotel will be smooth. The hotel staff will help you making the delivery slip.
https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/en/send/preparations/invoice/

You can theoretically send if from the airport (yes, most airports have the office), but they can be very crowded.

At this time, about 25% of hotel guests are from abroad, and many foreign people are working at the hotel front. So you don�ft need to speak English. But it the staff looks like Japanese, you may better say �gKon-nichiwa�h or �gKonbanwa�h first to ease her/him.

I definitely agree with your decision to send your luggage from Kyoto to Kanazawa.

For your overnight in Miyajima (and even if you stayed a night in Hiroshima as well), you may not need as much as you are considering taking in your overnight bag. Japanese hotels generally provide a lot of amenities, usually including at least toothbrushes, razors, hairbrushes, body soap, shampoo, and conditioner, as well as yukatas or pajamas you can use for sleeping. However, if you use a shower cap, you should bring one. (But that won't take up much room. : - ) ) You can check with your hotel in Miyajima to see what they provide.

To get to Kanazawa from Hiroshima, you can also transfer trains in Kyoto. You can check the train schedules and fares to see what would be best for you.

Thank you so much for your incredible help!

frog1954, I have saved your post about transportation and luggage. I'm certain it will come in handy.

abc, it's great to know that we don't need to pack much for Miyajima. I didn't realize that providing pajamas is a common practice there...