Even though Hiroshima and Miyajima are a long day trip from Japan it is one worth doing. A day to these places shows amazing history, culture and scenery which is nearly unrivilled in Japan. With a bit of planning and organisation a day trip here is more then doable.
You will need to start your day early with a JR Rail Pass. The cost of Osaka to Hiroshima is about $108 AUD without the pass. We caught a 7:18 train from Shin Osaka station which arrived in hiroshima at around 9.05. If possible reserve a seat on the Shinkasen a day or two before.The train is an easy ride and you can order food on board.
When you arrive at Hiroshima walk out to the bus stops. Take bus number 2 or number 6 for about 13 minutes and get off at Genbaku Dome-Mae Station. The cost of the bus will be ¥180. The first stop is a 3 min walk and is The Atomic Bomb dome. This is where the Atomic Bomb was detonated. There are some signs around the building to explain what you are looking at.
From the Atomic Bomb Dome head across the river. There are some beautiful statues and some great views along the river here. Just before the peace park is a bridge in which you can take great shots of Hiroshima and the Atomic Bomb Dome. Shows the old and new of Hiroshima.
From the end of the bridge is the Hiroshima Peace Park. It is free to look around in here and it has a few memorials. The Kids Peace Park was a symbol of hope and it is where all the cranes that are sent to the park are kept in honor of Sadako Sasaki the little girl who wanted to make 1000 cranes before she died. This area also has the peace flame. You probably can see most of the things here in 30-40 minutes.
Next head over the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The Museum is open from 8:30am to 6pm everyday and costs ¥200. This Museum shows what happened during the bombings and the after effects of Radiation. From a history point of view it is a great museum however some of the things in the museum are hard to see and very upsetting. The Museum represents a very neutral view on the war and the bombings and is worth the visit.
After the Peace park you could head into Hiroshima city. Grab some lunch and have a relax in the town. The town of Hiroshima is pretty cool. A good place to go for lunch would be Okonomi-mura which has heaps of the famous Japanese pancakes. Next you want to take the boat to Miyajima. The closest boat is the one that leaves from the Peace Park. It leaves 1-2 times an hour and takes 45 minutes. It costs ¥2000. The other option for the boat is to use your JR pass and travel back and take the Ferry from Miyajimaguchi Station. This is a little more complicated.
Arriving in Miyajima you will see lots of Deer roaming the beach and streets. These deer will attempt to eat any food, rubbish or cans in your hands. The main shopping strip of Miyajima is on the way to the temple. There are heaps of shops selling snacks, food and souvenirs. It is a lovely place to have a shop around.
After some shopping and deer viewing you want to head along the beach to the actual shrine. Itsukushima Shrine is a beautiful complex. Depending on the time of day and the tide the Torii gate will be 'floating' in the water or you will be able to walk out to the gate. This gate is UNESCO World Heritage listed and one of the top sights in Japan.
Itsukushima Shrine costs ¥300 to enter. It is worth walking around and seeing the Shrine. The buildings are beautiful and you can get a great view of the gate from the shrine. It will be getting late around now so walk around and head back to the gate for sunset.
Take in the beautiful sunset in the area around the shrine. Everything will be closing up now so it is time to head back to Osaka or Kyoto. Take the JR boat from Miyajima Pier across to Miyajimaguchi Station and then jump of the Shinkansen back to your accomodation.
