What To Do With One Day In Hiroshima
Nothing prepared me for the beauty Hiroshima had to offer — whether it was the people, the breathtaking views or the food. If you’re planning a trip to Japan, I’d highly recommend including Hiroshima as part of your trip.
Most of us associate Hiroshima with being one of the places that was most affected by the nuclear bombings. In spite of all the hardships this city has faced, the compassion and the warmth this city exudes is the one thing that stands out. I hope you discover more than what I have to offer in this post because this wonderful city will always hold a special place in my heart.
Starting Point: We’ll begin the day with Miyajima 宮島— a small island less than an hour away from Hiroshima. Deemed to be one of the top scenic spots in Japan and home to the famous 厳島神社 Itsukushima shrine, this little island absolutely has to make it to your list when you’re in Hiroshima even if all you have are 24 hours!
Miyajima Island
How To Get There: From Hiroshima station, take the JR Sanyo line to Miyajimaguchi station. It should take you about half an hour to get there and will cost approximately ¥410 (Rs. 235) one way but if you get the Japan Rail Pass, it’s free(I had written about how amazing this rail pass is, I’d highly recommend getting it if you’re visiting multiple cities in Japan. Read more about it here). A short walk from the station, you’ll find yourself at the Miyajimaguchi-Sanbashi ferry terminal. The ferry ride is a 10 minute journey- it’s gorgeous as you part from the shore and witness the turquoise water against the city of Hiroshima. This will cost you about ¥180 (Rs. 103) but if you have the amazing JR pass, it’s free!
Wind in my hair, boyfriend by my side, 10 minutes of that ferry ride was everything I hoped it would be but nothing prepared me for the beauty of the island. There are deer roaming freely and they’re extremely friendly (a little too friendly, might I add). You can pet them, hang with them, squeeze in a selfie or two and they’ll be super cooperative and cool about it — unless they spot food. That’s all they’re interested in, really.
What people associate with the most when they visit Miyajima is the Itsukushima Shrine that is identified with the iconic vermilion torii (gate) “floating” on water. It makes for an amazing picture especially during high tide — that’s what gives it the magical floating effect!
Operation Hours: 6:30 am to 6:00 pm (closing time varies on season)
Price: Entry to the island is free
Street Food Snackin’ and Lunch At Yosakoi on Miyajima Island
As you walk around in Miyajima, there are multiple food stalls you’ll encounter on the street. It’s not mind blowing, but they look so intriguing, I couldn’t help but try at least some! I’d highly recommend experimenting just for the experience!
After taking in the pristine water and the serene atmosphere that is all pervasive, there are lots of restaurants on the island where you can grab a quick bite. We chanced upon よさこい Yosakoi but here’s a heads up — this isn’t the best place you’ll visit in Miyajima and the ambience won’t impress you that much. If the owner is around, he occasionally smokes indoors but the food is something I can vouch for. Yosakoi has some of the most delicious oysters you’ll eat. The fried oyster set meal, the えび そば (ebi soba — shrimp and buckwheat noodles) and the 牛丼 (gyūdon — beef bowl) hit the spot; we were incredibly grateful to have stumbled upon this place. But what the restaurant lacks in indoor charm, the big glass windows, streaming in sunlight as it overlooks the ocean and the Itsukushima torii make up for it.
Operation Hours: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm (this is one of the very few places in Miyajima that’s open during dinner!)
Price: Approximately ¥2,000 to ¥3,000 (Rs. 1500–2000)
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
How To Get There: Take tram line 2 or 6 to Genbaku-Dōmu Mae station from Hiroshima station. The ride takes around 15 minutes and costs approximately ¥160 (Rs. 90)
From being a bustling castle town for centuries, everything changed for Hiroshima on 16th August, 1945. All that remains (after partial restoration) is the 原爆ドーム (Genbaku Dōmu — Atomic Bomb Dome), in spite of this area being the hypo center. The remains are a grim reminder of what transpired against humanity on that fateful day. After a lot of debate, the decision to continue restoring the structure, prevailed. Let me tell you, visiting the Peace Memorial Park was one of the most emotional days I’ve ever had. When it dawns on you, the extent of destruction the atomic bomb caused, the souls it crushed and the after effects it left, you realise how peace must never again, be taken for granted. The Memorial Cenotaph holds all the names of the people killed killed by the Hiroshima bombing. The inscription to date reads,
“Please rest in peace for we shall not repeat this error.”
If you’re interested in more details of the Hiroshima bombing, I’d strongly recommend visiting the Peace Memorial Museum. It takes you through the timeline of the bombing and the effect it had — it is incredibly sad and I’d advise you to brace yourself. Towards the end, there’s a guest book at the museum where thousands of visitors from around the world have left heartwarming messages about unity — we left one too and it was cathartic to say the least.
Operation Hours: 8:30 am to 6:00 pm (until 7:00 pm in August and until 5:00 pm from December to February); admission ends 30 minutes before closing.
Price: ¥200 (Rs. 115) to enter the Peace Memorial Museum.
Okonomiyaki at Okonomimura
How To Get There: Five minute tram ride by tram lines 1, 2 or 6, or a 20 minute walk west of Hiroshima Station.
お好み村 Okonomimura literally translated, means ‘Okonomiyaki Village’ which is a Japanese pancake themed park. I would consider it blasphemy to go to Hiroshima and not try the お好み焼きOkonomiyaki! This was a very popular meal during the pre-war period and was called 一銭洋食(issen yoshoku — western cooking for a dime). It’s a savoury pancake which has multiple layers of ingredients. It was only after the war that more wholesome additions like cabbage, egg and shrimp came into being. I picked udon noodles with squid and prawn as a filling. It begins with a layer of eggs, followed by cabbage (which is the main ingredient), further layered with うどん(udon) noodles and meat, then flipped over and drizzled with Okonomiyaki sauce, dried bonito flakes and 青海苔 (aonori — a shredded seaweed powder) sprinkled on top. To relish the famous Hiroshima Okonomiyaki, it doesn’t get more authentic than a trip to Okonomimura. Imagine this — a four storey building filled with nothing but Okonomiyaki restaurants! Needless to say, you will incredibly spoilt for choice.
There you go! A short, sweet and memorable day in Hiroshima all charted out for you. End the night with a stroll along the 天満川 (Tenma kawa — Tenma river) and a huge bag of wasabi Kitkat.
P.S. — Here’s the Airbnb we stayed at. The hosts were an old Japanese couple and they were the most delightful people I’ve ever met. There were goodie bags waiting for us on our bed filled with assorted Japanese candy and snacks. The apartment overlooks the river and is perfect for a couple.
Definitely consider Hiroshima as part of your trip to Japan. You won’t regret it. #24HoursInHiroshima
Disclaimer: All images in this post belong to Michelle Varghese
