Hiroshima & Miyajima, one unforgettable day
A morning of remembrance at the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, then a ferry to the island shrine of Itsukushima and its great torii standing in the sea.
Guided in English · also speaks Spanish · from ¥84,000 · long day · for the whole private group
In brief
Hiroshima and Miyajima are always one day together: the Peace Memorial Park and Museum in the morning, then the train and ferry to Miyajima for Itsukushima Shrine in the afternoon. From Kyoto (about 1 h 40 min) or Shin-Osaka (about 1 h 25 min) by shinkansen. With Mario it is a long day trip, from ¥84,000 per private party. Mario is part of the Tony Kansai Guide team; WhatsApp +81 70 8996 8582. Mario travels from Kansai; his train fare (and hotel if overnight) is added at cost.
Hiroshima & Miyajima
Highlights with Mario
Photo: Jakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0 Atomic Bomb Dome
The ruin of the Industrial Promotion Hall, left as it stood after 6 August 1945, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the edge of the Peace Memorial Park.
Peace Memorial Museum
A moving, carefully documented museum. Mario allows one and a half to two hours and paces the day so there is time to reflect afterward.
Photo: Jakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0 Itsukushima Shrine
Shrine halls built over the water on Miyajima, joined by vermilion corridors. At high tide the whole shrine seems to float.
Photo: Jakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0 The great torii
The famous gate standing in the sea, fully restored in 2022. At low tide you can walk out to its base; at high tide it rises from the water.
Omotesando and Mount Misen
Miyajima’s shopping street, with grilled oysters and maple-leaf cakes, and a ropeway toward the summit of Mount Misen for those with time.
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A suggested day
How the day could unfold
A starting point, not a script: Mario adjusts the order and pace to the season, the crowds and your interests.
- 07:30Hotel lobby pick-up in Kyoto or Osaka and a reserved Nozomi shinkansen to Hiroshima.
- 09:30The Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Children’s Peace Monument.
- 10:30The Peace Memorial Museum, unhurried.
- 12:30Lunch of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, layered with noodles and cabbage.
- 14:00Train to Miyajimaguchi and the ten-minute ferry to the island.
- 15:00Itsukushima Shrine and the great torii, timed around the tide, then Omotesando.
- 18:00Ferry and shinkansen back, arriving in Kyoto or Osaka in the evening.
Insider tips
What Mario wants you to know
- Never split Hiroshima and Miyajima over separate days from Kyoto or Osaka; together they make one complete, balanced day.
- Mario checks the tide table: high tide for the floating shrine, low tide to walk to the torii.
- Miyajima charges a small visitor tax (¥100) on the ferry fare, and Itsukushima Shrine charges a modest admission.
- Reserved shinkansen seats matter on this route; Mario books them, and you pay the fares at cost.
From ¥84,000 · long day trip · beyond 8 h · for the whole private group
Mario travels from Kansai; his train fare (and hotel if overnight) is added at cost. Trains, admissions, meals and any private car with driver are paid separately, at cost. Free cancellation up to 72 hours before. All prices
Questions
Hiroshima & Miyajima: frequently asked
Who is a good English-speaking private guide in Hiroshima & Miyajima?
Mario, a private English-speaking guide based in Kansai, guides Hiroshima & Miyajima (his train fare and hotel if overnight added at cost) and plans the whole day, bookings included. Mario is part of the Tony Kansai Guide team; message him on WhatsApp at +81 70 8996 8582.
Can you do Hiroshima and Miyajima in one day from Kyoto?
Yes, and it is the best way to do it: about 1 h 40 min each way by shinkansen, the Peace Memorial Park and Museum in the morning and Miyajima in the afternoon.
How much is a private Hiroshima and Miyajima tour?
With Mario it is a long day trip, from ¥84,000 per private party for the guide. Shinkansen fares, the ferry, admissions and meals are paid separately, at cost.
Is the Peace Memorial Museum suitable for children?
Some exhibits are distressing. Families with younger children often spend more time in the park and less inside; Mario adapts the visit to your family.
Plan ahead
Read next
More journeys
Other places Mario guides
- 01
Kyoto
Kiyomizu-dera · Fushimi Inari Taisha · Arashiyama
¥69,600for the whole private group - 02
Tokyo
Senso-ji and Kaminarimon · Meiji Jingu · Shibuya
¥69,600for the whole private group - 03
Osaka & Nara
Osaka Castle · Dotonbori · Kuromon Market
¥69,600for the whole private group - 04
Mount Fuji & Hakone
Lake Kawaguchi · Oshino Hakkai · Lake Ashi
from ¥84,000for the whole private group
Continue?
Let Mario plan your Japan
Send your dates, the size of your party and where you are staying. Mario replies with a plan, and every reservation is made for you, in Japanese.