Hiroshima Tours

This is Hiroshima Prefecture.  Please click on view larger map to see more of Hiroshima Prefecture and reference its proximity to other locations in this region of Western Japan.


 


Hiroshima, a modern city on Japan’s Honshu Island, was largely destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II. Today, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park commemorates the 1945 event. In the park are the ruins of the Dome, one of the few buildings that was left standing near ground zero, which has now become the symbol of Hiroshima

The other prominent site in Hiroshima is the Itsukushima Shrine, one of Japan's most revered sites. This ancient Shinto Shrine seems to float on water at high tide and is a UNESCO listed Cultural site that must be seen to be believed.  Even when you visit on a day that"s low tide, you can walk out and touch the Torii Gate and throw some coins to see if they will embed. This is sure you make your day, week, year and supposedly life that much better.

These 2 must see sites as well as other amazing attractions will cover all your needs and provide lasting memories on your Shore Excursions and Day Tours of this important historical city in Japan.


Here is a map of the Hiroshima Port.


Hiroshima Cruise Port





Obviously, this is not a part of Kyushu but I have had so many requests to include Hiroshima in my scope of operations that it has become a regular Shore Excursion on our itineraries. I have been to the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum many times (they are not too dissimilar to Nagasaki) so obviously this is the highlight attraction or at least the one that everyone wants to see, no matter how horrific and solemn the sights are.

However, the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island is a  pure contrast. It really is a magical place and one that you can really feel the spirituality of the area and its connection to nature.  You can get up close and personal with the deer that live on the island, they will love you but only if you feed them. They are just far to cute and as a result of this, it has now become one of the most popular attractions in Hiroshima.


SHORE EXCURSIONS:

The following tour has been specifically complied to suit a shore excursion.  It is tailored to the ships arrival and departure time and can be customized to the clients liking. Any requests are taken seriously and if possible will be implemented into the itinerary on the day. Most shore excursions are between 7 to 9 hours in duration.


Hiroshima Cultural and Historical Tour:

This is a tour I have given many times over the years, and it is one that both my guests and I enjoy immensely, yet differently every time. 

There are two centerpieces to Hiroshima that most people include in their first visit to Hiroshima - this holds true for both Japanese and foreign visitors alike.

1) Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum located within Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park. It is only about 15 minutes drive from the port. Generally people spend at least an hour or two going through the museum, followed (or preceded) by 30 minutes to an hour wandering through the Peace Memorial Park. Truly an amazing and moving experience!

2) Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island: We usually take the fast ferry (45 minutes) directly from the Peace Park, however, some people prefer to drive (1 hour 15 minutes) or take the train (45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on the departure time). One of the more beautiful and fascinating places you will ever visit.

If you have never been to Hiroshima before, I highly recommend building your itinerary around these two sites. 

If you have been here before, I will customize your tour to include slightly less travelled sights with a WWII connection, but hopefully equally impressive and enjoyable.

So a few useful questions to begin with: 

i) Would you like to see as many sites as possible? Or do you prefer to go slower and see less?

ii) Did you want to do any shopping while in Hiroshima City?

iii) Besides sites with WWII connections, are you and your group interested in other sites such as traditional gardensJapanese castlesshrines or temples? There's also a Mazda Museum if you have any car lovers in your group. 

iii) Regarding the Peace Memorial Museum (atomic bomb devastation museum) - Are you and your group more on the thoughtful, contemplative side? I now always ask this question beforehand because the range of emotions one experiences can profoundly affect the rest of your day. Would you prefer to begin the tour with this emotional museum experience, or end the day with it?    

iv) There is a fascinating museum (The Kure Maritime Museum) that holds a scale model of Japan's final WWII battleship, "The Yamato" in a neighboring city, Kure. For WWII buffs this is a highlight. However, I seldom include it on a 1 day tour as it usually requires us to leave out either the Peace Park Museum or Itsukushima Shrine, or considerably shorten our time at these two spots. 

If you and your group would like to visit these three locations we can do so but we will be on a tighter schedule than some people are comfortable with (we would need to shorten our time to about an hour at both the Peace Park Museum and Itsukushima Shrine). 

Please let us know exactly what you would like to do on your day in Hiroshima and we will draw up a customized itinerary for you and your party.

Below is a sample itinerary for you to check out.