Day Trip From Osaka to Hiroshima and Miyajima - How I Spent A Rainy Day in Hiroshima During the Golden Week Period in May
Have only one more day to spare in Japan and wondering if you can squeeze in a day at Hiroshima? I feel you. Japan has too many beautiful places!
But if one day is all you have to spare for Hiroshima, then follow this one-day itinerary to Hiroshima and Miyajima to plan your trip.
Unfortunately, it rained rather heavily the entire day I spent there with my partner, which might have slowed us down a little. You probably could cover a bit more than we did if the weather is kinder to you. Here is a brief summary of what we did. Do read the rest of the post for more details and pictures!
Half Day at Miyajima Island
- Stroll along the Omotesando Shopping Arcade
- Try some boiled or fried oysters and Momiji manju
- Visit the Itsukushima Shrine
- Click a picture with the giant, floating O-torii Gate
Half Day in Hiroshima City
- Have a bowl of eel rice at Anagomeshi Ueno
- Visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park including
- Genbaku Dome-mae (Atomic Bomb Dome)
- Cenotaph for A-bomb Victims
- Peace Memorial Museum
- Visit Hiroshima Castle (we didn't manage to cover this)
- Okonomiyaki for Dinner
Getting to Hiroshima from Osaka
For this trip, we used our JR Pass, which we had bought before flying to Japan, as well as the rechargeable, prepaid IC card like Icoca, Suica, Paso, etc. that we got from the ticket machine at a train station.
We were based in Osaka (for more details on what to do or where to stay in Osaka, do watch out for my upcoming posts) and had to catch the 8.53 a.m. Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka station to Hiroshima station.
As we were travelling during the busy Golden Week period, we reserved our 2-way tickets at the JR pass office the moment we reached Osaka station, two days prior. If your travel period falls during Japan's Golden Week, I highly recommend reserving your tickets beforehand as the trains can get quite packed during this period.
You could also try your luck at getting seats in the non-reserved carriages on the day of your trip. Should you not manage to snag seats, it is likely going to be an uncomfortable hour and a half journey.
Off to Miyajima Island
Reaching Hiroshima station at around 10.20 a.m., we then took the rapid train service to Miyajimaguchi station. It was a short 15-20 minutes journey. This line is also covered with the JR Pass and is actually a little faster than taking the JR Sanyo line (takes around 30 minutes), as it skips some stops along the way. Make sure to check with the station's staff to ensure you catch the correct rapid service line to Miyajimaguchi station.
From Miyajimaguchi station, a short walk will get you to the Miyajimaguchi Ferry Port where you can hop onto the ferry to get to Miyajima island. The ferry is also covered by the JR Pass. There is no need to book tickets in advance as the ferries run every 15 minutes.
Watch out for the view of the grand torii gate (O-torii) from the ferry. The gate towers over 16.6. meters in height and weighs about 60 tons.
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| View of O-torii from the ferry on a downcast day |
Ten minutes of ferry ride later, you should find yourself at the Miyajima Ferry Terminal. From the terminal, the Itsukushima Shrine is only a short walk away.
Stroll along Omotesando Shopping Arcade
Be sure to explore Omotesando Shopping Street on your way to the shrine. Interestingly, the term "omotesando" means front/main approach to a shrine.
The street is filled with a myriad of shops selling food and souvenirs. It's not a long street, extending only 350 metres and is readily recognisable by the red lanterns situated in front of the many shops lining the street.
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| The many shops lining the street of Omotesando, with a view of the five story pagoda in the distance |
Try some Snacks
With the many eateries spread across the street, you might be spoilt for choice about what to try. These are a few things we tried and enjoyed.
Momiji Manju
Right at the beginning of our stroll, we saw stores selling Miyajima's iconic snack, Momiji Manju. These are maple-shaped cakes that come with fillings. There are different fillings you could try like red bean, which is the classic filling or chocolate, cream cheese, matcha to name a few.
The chocolate, red bean, custard cream ones are priced at ¥120 while the cream cheese cost ¥130.
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| Machines making the momiji manju in one of the stores |
Fried or Boiled Oysters
Further along, you might come across some stores selling fried and boiled oyster. We tried the fried ones and it was not bad. You could eat it with some sauce for better flavours. Cost us ¥500 for 3.
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| Fried Oyster |
Momiji Croissant
What I really found delicious was the flavoured Momiji Croissant. There are several flavours you could chose from, quite similar to the flavours you might find in the momiji manju like chocolate, red bean, custard cream.
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| Different Flavours of Momiji Croissant |
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| The apple-flavoured croissant was a favourite! |
Deep-fried Momiji Manji
For another variation on the momiji manju, you could try some deep-fried momiji manju on a skewer. We didn't get to try those but have seen some rave reviews for them!
Visit the Itsukushima Shrine
At the end of the Omotesando Street, you will find yourself at the path leading to the shrine. The Itsukushima Shrine was built in 593 and is dedicated to 3 Munakata goddesses - Ichikishima-hime, Tagitsu-hime and Togori-hime, who are worshipped as deities of the sea, traffic safety, fortune and accomplishment.
Entrance Fee: ¥300 for the shrine, ¥300 for the treasury hall and ¥500 for the combined ticket
Opening hours: 6.30 a.m. to 5/5.30/6/6.30 p.m. depending on the time of the year
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| The path to Itsukushima Shrine |
An interesting aspect of the shrine is that it has been built entirely above water, much like the O-torii gate. This was done because Miyajima is considered sacred land and was not to be damaged or walked upon.
The vermillion colour of the shrine and the gate is believed to keep evil spirits away. The building is also coated with vermillion lacquer which also serves to protect from corrosion.
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| The entire shrine structure built over the waters |
If you choose to visit the Treasure Hall, you will find over 4000 sculptures, paintings and handcrafts of which 130 of these are designated as national treasures or significant cultural properties.
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| Itsukushima Shrine Treasure Hall |
Click a Photo with the O-torii Gate
Be sure to click a picture with the O-torii gate, even if you went solo. There will likely be a queue for those wanting a picture and people in the line behind you will kindly help you to click one.
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| The queue to take picture with the O-torii |
We got our picture taken with help from the couple behind us after we helped a solo lady in front of us.
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| Getting clicked with the O-torii |
Other Activities to do in Miyajima
Miyajima is a really beautiful place and if you have an additional day to spare, I would suggest to spend at least a full day at Miyajima and another day in Hiroshima rather than squeezing the two together into a day. Below, I have listed a few other activities to partake in should you have more time at Miyajima.
Hike up Mount Misen
Mount Misen is the highest mountain on Miyajima, rising to 535 metres above sea level. The hike up takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours and I have heard that there are spectacular views both at the top and along the way to the top.
Do note that there are different trails like the Daishoin trail or the Momijidani trail and each might offer you a different experience. Might be a good idea to do some research about which trail would suit you best.
Take the Ropeway up to Mount Misen
If hiking is not for you, you could also take the Miyajima Ropeway (cable car) up to Shishiwa Station which is close to the summit of Mount Misen. It would take another 20-30 minutes of climb to reach the summit.
Round-trip fare: ¥2000
Single-trip fare: ¥1100
Visit the Daisho-in Temple
Located five minutes away from the Itsukushima Shrine, Daisho-in Temple is situated at the base of Mount Misen and is an important Buddhist, Japanese temple.
Entrance Fee: Free
Opening hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Momijidani Park
Also located at the base of Mount Misen, Momijidani Park is a beautiful park abundant with maple trees. If you are there during autumn, you will be awed by the view of the scarlet waves of the maple leaves.
Back to Hiroshima
Taking the ferry back to Miyajimaguchi Ferry Port, we bid our farewell to the beautiful island of Miyajima and went in search of some food to satisfy our starving bellies.
Eel Rice for Lunch, Anyone?
Having heard some rave reviews for the eel place, Anagomeshi Ueno, we headed for the restaurant which was located very near Miyajimaguchi station.
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| Entrance of Anagomeshi Ueno near Miyajimaguchi Station |
After being seated, the staff tried communicating to us in Japanese which was a massive fail so they handed us some menus, which we managed to understand with the help of Google translate.
The food was really good! The eel was grilled and came in generous portions.
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| Eel Rice set |
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
With lunch concluded, we began to make our way to the memorial park. For us, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was a must-go given the tragic history of Hiroshima. The park was constructed as a commemorative area and is meant to be a symbol of ever-lasting peace.
The journey to the memorial park wasn't so straightforward. If you are lost, try to get some help from the staff in the area. From Miyajimaguchi station, we took the JR Sanyo Line train to Nishi-Hiroshima station (~20 minutes), then took the streetcar line #2 to Genbaku Dome-mae (~15 minutes).
When you visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, you will find the following.
Genbaku Dome-mae (Atomic Bomb Dome)
The Atomic Bomb Dome was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. This is one of the many buildings that was severely damaged by the atomic bomb on 6th August 1945. Now, it's a symbol of the pledge to illustrate the horrors of atomic bombing and a call for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
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| Atomic Bomb Dome |
Cenotaph for A-bomb Victims
The Cenotaph is an arch-shaped memorial monument holding the names of known, deceased victims of the A-bomb. If you look through the arch, you will be able to see the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Flame of Peace framed perfectly through it.
The Flame of Peace has been 1st August 1964 and is meant to carry on burning until the day nuclear weapons disappear from the world.
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| Cenotaph (photo credit: peace-tourism.com) |
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum showcases the history of Hiroshima, both before and after the atomic bombing. It provides a clear portrayal of the facts and realities of the destruction caused by the atomic bomb.
The museum calls for the abolition of nuclear weapons and eternal world peace. If you feel strongly against the use of nuclear weapons, do sign the official petition for nuclear abolition at the museum.
It is not easy to describe my experience visiting the museum, except to say that it is an important place to visit to understand the true horrors of a nuclear weapon attack.
Entrance Fee: ¥200
Opening hours: 8.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (7 p.m. in Aug and 5 p.m. in Dec to Feb)
Hiroshima Castle
We did not have much time remaining to do the castle but it has been recommended as one of the attractions to visit. Do note that as of March 2026, the main castle's keep is no longer accessible due to earthquake safety standards.
Entrance Fee: Free for the castle grounds and park (main keep no longer accessible)
Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (4.30 p.m. in Oct to Mar)
Have Okonomiyaki for Dinner
Considering you are in Hiroshima, you have got to try the Okonomiyaki. Afterall Hiroshima has its own Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, which consists of distinct layers of ingredients making up a savoury pancake.
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| Okonomiyaki, layered savoury pancake |
Get some Hiroshima Souvenirs
Finally, remember to bring back some memories from your Hiroshima trip! My favourite souvenir from Hiroshima has got to be food-related. I loved the momiji manju and the lemon cake.
For the lemon cake, my favourite was the Hiroshima Lemon Stick Cake. Make sure you grab some before you depart from Hiroshima! I could not find it elsewhere after I returned to Osaka and also in Tokyo.
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| Delicious Lemon Stick Cake! |
** Hope this post has helped you in planning your day trip to Hiroshima! As always, I am available to answer any questions.
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