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2 days in Hiroshima "Basic itinerary to visit the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites"

Just one day is too short time to spend if you are visiting both two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Itsukushima Shrine. So, we would definitely recommend you to stay in Hiroshima for at least two days!

Day1: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and its surroundings
Day2: Itsukushima Shrine and beautiful nature in Miyajima Island

Day 1

Many people start walking around from the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, but we think that it would be easier for you to understand the history of the Atomic Bomb Dome and places you are standing at if you go around in the order listed below.

  • Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is located in the Peace Memorial Park.
If you come to Hiroshima to learn about its history, we highly recommend you to visit here.



  • Gates of Peace

You may need a little rest to calm your mind after walking through the Peace memorial museum.



This facility is also located in the Peace Memorial Park. You can read and hear the testimony of the A-bombing survivors here.

hiroshima national peace memorial hall, peace memorial park

  • Cenotaph for the Victims of the Atomic Bomb
cenotaph in hiroshima peace memorial park


Let's walk around the park further, to learn what the place you are standing at was like before 1945.

rest house in hirosima peace memorial park

  • 【UNESCO World Heritage】Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku(Atomic Bomb) Dome)
Completed in April, 1915, the Hiroshima Prefectural Commerce Exhibition Hall was an architectural masterpiece of brick and partially-reinforced steel designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel, adorned with a magnificent oval-shaped copper dome. Renowned for its European design, the Exhibition Hall quickly became a Hiroshima landmark used for displaying and selling local goods, art exhibitions, expositions, and more.

At 8:15 am on August 6, 1945, a single atomic bomb instantly rendered the buildings in downtown Hiroshima to rubble and ash. The Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Hall, a mere 160 meters from the hypocenter, was severely impacted by both the initial blast and heat rays, concentrated, high-powered rays of thermal energy, which melted the copper covering the dome and set the entire roof ablaze.

After the end of WWII, the dome, now merely a skeleton of bare steel framework, came to be called the Atomic Bomb Dome, a name born of the citizens of Hiroshima. Residents appealed for the preservation of the Dome as a raw example of the sheer destructive power and horror of nuclear weapons, and in 1967, their voices were heard and preservation of the Dome began.

Quoted from Hiroshima Peace Tourism 

atomic bomb dome, peace memorial park, hiroshima


Fold paper cranes (origami cranes) and see the beautiful view of Hiroshima while being blown by the pleasant breeze.
hiroshima orizuru tower

hiroshima orizuru tower, ovservatory

  • For moving around Hiroshima City

meipuru-pu, hop on hop off, hiroshima
Meipuru-pu

street car, hiroden, hiroshima
Hiroden Streetcar
  • For lunch

Okonomiyaki 

It is impossible to leave Hiroshima without eating Okonomiyaki!
You may know Osaka Okonomiyaki, but this one is completely different.
There are many small Okonomiyaki restaurants in the downtown area.
Some of them have options for vegetarians.

 
okonomiyaki, hiroshima


Day 2

There are various hotels in Hiroshima city, ranging from affordable hotels to resort hotels. In addition, you can reach Miyajima from each hotel in about 40 minutes to 1 hour.

From the hotels near Hiroshima Station or in the central area of the city, you can use JR, Hiroden, and World Heritage Sea Routes. (Refer to: Transport guide between Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima)

If you are staying at Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima, you can get on a high-speed boat bound for Miyajima right there.




  • Machiya Street
Now, let us introduce a street where the old townscape remains.
The width of the house facing the street is very narrow, but it has some depth to it and is vertically long.
* It is difficult to get into a private house, but the Miyajima History and Folklore Museum, which is located in front of Itsukushima Shrine, is a museum that uses an old wealthy merchant's house; you can learn the structure of a typical old house there. (It is not on the Machiya street.)


machiya street, miyajima, hiroshima
Machiya Street


Many of you may have seen the pictures of the Otorii of Itsukushima Shrine as a representative scenery of Japan.
When the tide is high, you can see the beautiful shrine that floats on the sea, and when the tide is low, you can walk close to the Otorii and get overwhelmed by its size.
Each time you visit will you find yourself being impressed each way.
*The Otorii is currently under restoration work, which will last for several years. (As of December, 2020)


grate otorii gate, itsukushima shrine, miyajima, hiroshima

itsukushima shrine, miyajima, hiroshima
Courtesy of Hiroshima Prefecture


  • Momijidani Park
It is a famous spot, photos of which are often introduced during the autumn leaf viewing season, but the greenery season is also very beautiful.
If you walk through a gentle upward slope, you will reach the ropeway station.


momijidani park, miyajima, hiroshima
Courtesy of Hiroshima Prefecture



  • Mt. Misen
From the top of the wooden observatory deck, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the Seto Inland Sea.
The ropeway makes it much easier for you to hike up to the top of Mt. Misen. (Without ropeway, it takes about 1.5 hours to hike)
Since there are some steep slopes and stairs to the top, if you are worried about your physical strength, you can enjoy the scenery from the observation deck at the final station of the ropeway, "Shishiiwa Station".


mt. misen observatory, miyajima,hiroshima


  • Omote-sando Shopping Street
"Sando" is an approach to visit a shrine or temple, and "Omote" is a word stands for the front.

Along Omote-sando in Miyajima, which is about 350 meters, there are many souvenir shops and restaurants.
Out of many wonderful souvenirs, the local sweets "Momiji Manju" is especially recommended.
It is a Manju (cake bun) shaped like Momiji (maple leaves) as often seen in the mountains, and it contains sweet bean paste inside.
As you walk through the approach, you can see how the Momiji Manju are automatically made by machines.
Some stores serve you with fresh baked Momiji Manju in-store.
Also, there are Momiji Manju with cheese, cream and chocolate instead of sweet bean paste.

Omote Sando Street, Miyajima, Hiroshima
Courtesy of Hiroshima Prefecture
maple shaped buns, momiji-manju


  • For lunch

On the island, there are many restaurants to eat inside and food stalls for walk around tasting variety of food.

In addition, some restaurants serve dishes for Muslims and Vegetarians.


traditioanl crafts center, miyajima, hiroshima
Miyajima Traditional Crafts Experience

roaring boat, miyajima, hiroshima
Worship Itsukushima Shrine in an old traditional way


tsubo shozoku, miyajima, hiroshima
Kimono, Tsubo-shozoku





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