Hiroshima & Miyajima Holidays
Hiroshima & Miyajima
Holidays
A city of extraordinary resilience and beauty — the Peace Memorial, the floating torii gate of Miyajima, Hiroshima oysters and one of the most moving and important destinations in the world
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Flight Time
12–13h to Tokyo or Osaka, then 1h40m by Shinkansen from Osaka
Best Time
March to May (cherry blossom, mild weather); October to November (autumn foliage on Miyajima); April (cherry blossom in Peace Memorial Park)
Country
Japan
Suppliers
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Hiroshima & Miyajima Holiday Guide
Hiroshima is an essential stop on any Japan itinerary — a city of profound historical significance, extraordinary food and genuine warmth, paired with the natural beauty of Miyajima Island just 30 minutes away. It is most commonly visited as a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, but deserves at least one overnight stay to experience the city properly.
Getting there: The Shinkansen from Osaka takes 1 hour 40 minutes (Nozomi) or 2 hours (Hikari, covered by JR Pass) to Hiroshima Station. From Kyoto, add 15 minutes. From Tokyo, the Nozomi takes 4 hours. Hiroshima is an easy and logical stop between Osaka/Kyoto and the western tip of Honshu or Kyushu.
Getting around: Hiroshima has an excellent tram (streetcar) network — the most useful in Japan for tourists, with flat fares and routes connecting the station, Peace Memorial Park and the Miyajima ferry terminal. The one-day tram pass (approximately £4) is good value. For Miyajima, take tram line 2 or 6 to Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi, then the JR ferry (10 minutes, covered by JR Pass) or the Matsudai ferry to the island.
Timing: Allow a full day for Hiroshima city (Peace Memorial Museum in the morning, castle and okonomiyaki lunch, Shukkeien garden in the afternoon) and a full day for Miyajima (morning ferry, torii gate at high tide, Mount Misen ropeway and hike, oyster lunch, evening ferry back). Two nights in Hiroshima is ideal.
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Popular Areas in Hiroshima & Miyajima
Average Temperatures
Jan
6°C
Feb
7°C
Mar
11°C
Apr
17°C
May
22°C
Jun
26°C
Jul
30°C
Aug
32°C
Sep
27°C
Oct
21°C
Nov
15°C
Dec
8°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Hiroshima & Miyajima
The peace memorials, floating shrines, mountain hikes, extraordinary food and island deer that make Hiroshima and Miyajima one of the most rewarding and unforgettable stops on any Japan itinerary.
Peace Memorial Park & Atomic Bomb Dome
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park occupies the hypocenter area of the 1945 atomic bomb blast — a 12-hectare park of memorials, monuments and gardens on the banks of the Motoyasu River, dedicated to the memory of the victims and the pursuit of world peace. The Genbaku Dome (Atomic Bomb Dome) — the skeletal ruins of the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, the only structure left standing near the hypocenter — is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most powerful symbol of nuclear destruction in the world. The Children's Peace Monument (inspired by Sadako Sasaki, who folded 1,000 paper cranes before dying of leukaemia caused by radiation) is surrounded by millions of paper cranes sent by children from around the world. The Flame of Peace has burned continuously since 1964 and will be extinguished only when all nuclear weapons are abolished.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is one of the most important and affecting museums in the world — a deeply moving account of the atomic bombing of 6 August 1945 (8:15am, 580m above the city), its immediate and long-term effects on the people of Hiroshima, and the ongoing global campaign for nuclear disarmament. The museum's exhibits include personal belongings of victims, photographs, scale models of the destroyed city, medical records of radiation sickness and the testimonies of hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors). The experience is sobering, essential and unforgettable. Allow at least 2-3 hours. The museum is open daily; book timed entry tickets online in advance during peak season.
Miyajima — The Floating Torii Gate
Miyajima (officially Itsukushima) is one of Japan's three most celebrated scenic views — a small island in Hiroshima Bay where the magnificent vermilion O-torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine stands in the sea, appearing to float on the water at high tide and rising from the sand at low tide (when visitors can walk out to touch it). The shrine itself (founded 593 AD, current structure 1168 AD) is built on stilts over the water and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — its covered corridors, noh theatre stage and five-storey pagoda are extraordinarily beautiful. The island is also home to hundreds of freely roaming sika deer (considered sacred messengers) and is reached by a 10-minute ferry from Miyajimaguchi (30 minutes from Hiroshima by tram and JR train).
Mount Misen — Miyajima's Sacred Summit
Mount Misen (535m) is the sacred peak at the heart of Miyajima Island — a forested mountain of ancient cedar trees, Buddhist temples, wild monkeys and extraordinary panoramic views over the Seto Inland Sea, the islands of Hiroshima Bay and (on clear days) the city of Hiroshima itself. The Misen Ropeway (two stages, from Momijidani Park) reaches the upper station at 433m in 15 minutes; a 30-minute walk through ancient forest leads to the summit. The Misen Hondo temple at the summit has a flame that has burned continuously for 1,200 years since Kobo Daishi (the founder of Shingon Buddhism) lit it during his meditation retreat. The three hiking trails to the summit (30-90 minutes each) pass through beautiful forest and offer increasingly dramatic views.
Hiroshima Oysters — The Best in Japan
Hiroshima Prefecture produces approximately 60% of Japan's oysters — the sheltered waters of Hiroshima Bay and the nutrient-rich rivers flowing from the Chugoku Mountains create ideal conditions for oyster cultivation. Hiroshima oysters are larger, plumper and more intensely flavoured than those from other Japanese regions. They are served in every possible way: raw on the half shell, grilled over charcoal (kaki no dotenabe), deep-fried in breadcrumbs (kaki furai), in oyster rice (kaki meshi) and in Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. The best places to eat oysters are the restaurants along the Miyajima waterfront (grilled oysters fresh off the boat), the Onomichi area and the Hiroshima city centre oyster bars. Oyster season peaks from October to March.
Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki
Hiroshima has its own distinct style of okonomiyaki that is quite different from the Osaka version — rather than mixing all the ingredients together, Hiroshima okonomiyaki is built in layers: a thin crepe base, a mountain of shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, pork belly, noodles (yakisoba or udon) and a fried egg on top, all bound together with sweet Worcestershire-style sauce and mayonnaise. The result is a much more substantial and complex dish than its Osaka counterpart. Okonomimura ('Okonomiyaki Village') in central Hiroshima is a five-storey building with 25 okonomiyaki restaurants — the best place to try multiple styles and find your favourite. Each chef has their own recipe developed over decades.
Miyajima Autumn Foliage & Cherry Blossom
Miyajima is one of the most beautiful places in Japan in both cherry blossom season (late March to early April) and autumn foliage season (mid-November). The Momijidani ('Maple Valley') Park at the base of Mount Misen is famous for its hundreds of Japanese maple trees that turn brilliant red, orange and gold in November — the combination of autumn colour, the vermilion shrine buildings and the sea views is extraordinary. In spring, cherry trees throughout the island and along the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park riverbanks bloom simultaneously. The Miyajima Water Lantern Festival (held in late July) is one of the most beautiful festivals in western Japan — hundreds of paper lanterns float on the sea around the torii gate at dusk.
Hiroshima Castle & Shukkeien Garden
Hiroshima Castle (Carp Castle) was originally built in 1589 by the feudal lord Mori Terumoto — destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945 and reconstructed in 1958, the five-storey white castle tower houses an excellent museum of Hiroshima's feudal history and samurai culture. The castle grounds (a moated park) are one of the best cherry blossom spots in the city. Shukkeien ('Shrunken Scenery Garden') is a traditional Japanese strolling garden built in 1620 — a miniature landscape of islands, bridges, teahouses and carefully pruned trees around a central pond, designed to evoke famous scenic spots in China. The garden was severely damaged by the atomic bomb (it was 1.4km from the hypocenter) and has been painstakingly restored.
Explore Hiroshima & Miyajima on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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