One autumn day…
Friend: Hey, I’m so stressed at work. Wanna hang out somewhere this weekend?
Me: Sure!
Friend: Let’s go to Hiroshima! We just have to ride the Marine Liner and the shinkansen.
Me: Hiroshima on a day trip? Let’s do an overnight trip instead!
Friend: Okay! See you on Saturday!
So because of our stress, my friend and I have decided to visit Hiroshima for the weekend. It’s such a short trip, but I think we were able to cover the basics at least.
Here’s our itinerary:
Highlights:
- It was my first time riding the shinkansen. It was an expensive yet a comfortable way to travel.
- Itsukushima Shrine was amazing! The red color is prominent throughout the shrine especially since it’s built on the water. The floating torii gate is also seen from a distance.
- There is so much more to Miyajima Island than Itsukushima Shrine and its floating torii gate. Just exploring the streets, eating, and window shopping was an experience on its own.
- I wasn’t expecting to see lots of deer in Miyajima Island. If you haven’t been to Nara Prefecture yet, then I suggest visiting this place instead.
- There was a solemn atmosphere throughout the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Also, if you stand right in the middle of the sculpture, you can see the Atomic Bomb Dome right in the middle.
- Speaking of Atomic Bomb Dome, it is also a great place to visit because it’s an important part of history. The Dome also looked gorgeous during late afternoon to early evening.
- There were street food stalls near the Dome, and my friend and I enjoyed eating our delicious gelato on a chilly autumn evening.
- Hiroshima Castle was gorgeous and worth the time to visit. Too bad, photos weren’t allowed inside the castle for the most part.
- I didn’t realize that Hiroshima City was a huge city. I loved their wide walkways and bridges. There were buses, trams, trains, and shinkansen in Hiroshima.
- Speaking of trams, it was also my first time seeing a tram. It’s fascinating because the tram tracks (?) are in the middle of the road and cars could pass by those tracks, too.
Not so Highlights:
- The floating torii gate was covered in blanket because it’s under renovation. According to further research, the renovation would end sometime in December 2022.
- I felt kind of ripped off at Miyajima Public Aquarium. It’s quite expensive considering it’s not that big and there’s nothing really special about it. Kids would love to be there though.
- We got on the wrong shinkansen on our way home. Instead of going back to Okayama, we traveled further south going to Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture. Our original plan was to get back to Kagawa by 6pm, but instead, we got there at around 10pm. Welp.
Hyphenized Changjo 