Hiroshima, Japan, is unquestionably well-known around the world for the events that occurred on August 6, 1945 at 8:15 AM, the second nuclear weapons ever used in a world war. During our visit to Japan we had not skip over the opportunity to explore the solemn places of Hiroshima as another warning of what the calamities of war may bring.
We made the decision to travel to Hiroshima for a day from Kyoto because we had planned to spend more days in Kyoto as part of a long journey through Japan. We did n’t have to pack and move all of our luggage because it only took one day to see the main highlights of Hiroshima. It is definitely a longer time trip, but definitely worth it.
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How to travel from Kyoto to Hiroshima Castle and the Atomic Bomb Dome to Miyajima Afternoon
How to get to Hiroshima from Kyoto
On the west part of Honshu, Japan’s major island, is located about 225 miles north of Kyoto, which is the city of Hiroshima.
The Shinkansen shot train has a journey time of about 2 time, making it the quickest and easiest to get from Kyoto to Hiroshima. Reserved seat cards cost 11, 300 japanese each way, and you can expect to keep about 500 japanese for non- reserved seating. We never had any problems finding seats in the non-reserved train vehicles when we traveled on the gun train without reserved seats, but the customer support at the coach station informed us that this was not always the case.
The train trip is already included in the Japan Rail Pass, so this is the best choice. Just make sure not to get the Nozomi or Mizuho Shinkansen, as those communicate carriages are not included in the JR go.
The cheapest way to travel from Kyoto to Hiroshima is by vehicle or car without a Japan Rail Pass; it takes 4.5 to 6 hours. Depending on availability and vehicle organization, the bridge bus starts at 3, 500 yen each method. Your round trip excursion on the vehicle will cost less than one approach on the Shinkansen, but you will spend a great part of your day on the vehicle.
A late-night van from Kyoto has the option of arriving to Hiroshima the first thing in the morning. This might be a wise decision if you want to save some money by not staying at a resort for the day and making the most of your day trip to Hiroshima. Just realize, the bridge night bus has reclined and comfortable seats, but do not throw straight but the quality of your sleep may be limited.
Morning in Hiroshima
Hiroshima Castle
Walking from the Hiroshima train station towards the center of village, our initial stop was the Hiroshima Castle. It is a stunning mansion from the 16th century that almost completely disappeared with the atomic bomb and has since been rebuilt. It is a nice little sanctuary in the middle of the city, surrounded by a moat.
For us the best thing is the Hiroshima Castle is home to three plants that survived the atomic bomb, called Hibakujumoku, where you can visually observe the pain caused on the trees and the challenges it has been going through since.
Atomic Bomb Dome
The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima is one of the most recognizable images from Japan and World War II. Built as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, it all changed on August 6, 1945. The United States dropped its first atomic bomb on Hiroshima at 8:15 AM on August 6th, with only 150 meters of horizontal and 600 meters vertical blasts from the Dome.
While those inside were instantly killed, the stone and steel structure was only partially destroyed, in contrast to the nearby leveled area caused by the explosion. The building was ultimately preserved as both a memorial of the bombing and a symbol of peace. It is now a centerpiece of the building’s surrounding Peace Memorial Park.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is a massive memorial park in the center of Hiroshima with many notable monuments and museums to visit.
We started at the Children’s Peace Monument to honor the many children who had been the victims of the atomic bombing, including Sadako Sasaki. A girl is depicted in the statue with a folded paper crane perched above her head. To this day thousands of paper cranes are donated to honor this young girls dying wish.
The Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound, a plain, yet moving memorial made up of the remains of 70, 000 unidentified bombing victims, is next door.
We made our way down the Memorial Cenotaph, a mountain-shaped monument with the names of each and every person who had been killed by the bomb. Looking through the empty space in the Cenotaph it perfectly frames the Peace Flame right behind it, which will continue to burn until all nuclear bombs are dismantled, and the Atomic Bomb Dome in the background.
The Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall, which is accessible for all, made its first stop. When you descend the hill to the Hall of Remembrance, you can find a timeline of the events that led to the atomic bombing as well as information on the history that led to the bombing. In The Hall of Remembrance is a 360 degree tiled image of what Hiroshima looked like after the bombing, with a small central monument displaying 8: 15 am, the exact time of the bombing.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was our final destination. Expect a line to enter the museum for 200 yen per person. Here a main focus is showing victim’s belongings to highlight the absolute horrors that happened.
Afternoon in Miyajima
The island of Miyajima, known for its waterfront shrine and torii gate, which appear to be floating in the sea during high tide, is about 25 minutes west of Hiroshima. It is best to check the weather and tide charts to make sure you will get the experience you are looking for in Miyajima.
Decided to take a more leisurely day trip to Hiroshima because it was consistently raining the entire day. For us to spend the extra time traveling, standing in the rain, and other places was n’t worthwhile.
How to get to Miyajima from Hiroshima
The fastest way to get from Hiroshima Station to Miyajima is to take the JR San- Yo Line, which takes about 30 minutes. then take the quick ferry from Miyajima to Guchi Pier and Miyajima. The best part is both the ferry and train are included with the JR Pass.
Optional: Dinner in Kobe
In the afternoon, we finished our explorations of Hiroshima and made the decision to board an earlier train back to Kyoto so we could stop in Kobe for dinner and sample its famous Kobe beef. With the Japan Rail Pass there is no additional cost, so we figured why not!
When we arrived in Kobe, we made an effort to find last-minute availability at the best beef restaurants there. Reservations typically fill up days, if not weeks, before arriving. Make the same error as us; otherwise, you’ll have to find another meal to eat. However, here are the top recommended restaurants in Kobe.
You must prepay and reserve your multi-course meal at Kobe Beef Steak Ishida, which is available for both lunch and dinner. You can choose between the various cuts, grams, and Kobe beef in your meal. Dinner prices range from 6, 670 to 20, 125 yen depending on the quality of the meat.
Because there are only 8 seats available, Tor Road Steak Aoyama, a family-run restaurant, offers a private dining experience. The classic Aoyama Special Maya Course for dinner, which is available for both lunch and dinner, costs 9, 900 yen. You can book a reservation by messaging them directly on Facebook, which we got a response to in less than 2 hours.
Biftek Kawamura Sannomiya: This is the best place to buy beef because it has the best selection. The kobe beef courses range in price from 13 to 35 and cost 640 yen. Reservations are required and can be made online.
Meriken Park
The Kobe Maritime Museum and the red Kobe Port Tower are Meriken Park’s most notable landmarks. This waterfront park is the perfect place to see the Kobe skyline and watch the sunset over the harbor.
Kobe Harborland
The Umie, a massive commercial complex for both locals and visitors, is located across the harbor from Meriken Park. Here you will find a supermarket, global retail stores, restaurants, and even the Mosaic Big Ferris Wheel. The ferris wheel is colorfully lit at night and costs 800 yen per person to ride.
Kobe’s Chinatown
Nankinmachi is the small Chinatown in the center of Kobe where you will find countless Chinese restaurants, shops, and a Chinese temple. To simply stroll down the few blocks and fully enjoy the entire experience is a great experience.
Return to Kyoto
After finishing your evening in Kobe it is time to head back to Kyoto on the Shinkansen bullet train. Just make sure to reserve a return ticket in advance so you do n’t miss the last trains in the evening as well. This will ensure you have a seat. When we made the last-minute decision to take the Hiroshima-Kobe train to add another stop to our day trip, we purchased our Kobe-Korea train ticket.
We arrived back in Kyoto around 9: 30 PM after a nearly 14 hour day trip to Hiroshima and Kobe. If you do n’t want to travel any further south in Japan, Hiroshima is the ideal day trip from Kyoto. Kobe and Miyajima can also be included in this day trip, but it would be best to do so in the summer when there is more time to explore.
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