This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 8:30 Meet the guests in front of Itsukaichi Station
- 9:18 Arrive at JR Miyajimaguchi Station
- 9:35 Board the ferry
- 9:50 Arrive at Miyajima by ferry
- 10:15 Arrive at Itsukushima Shrine
- 11:00 Lunch at Okonomiyaki Kurawanka
- Momiji manju tasting and shopping
- 12:40 Board the ferry
- 12:50 Arrive at Miyajimaguchi by ferry
- 12:55 Depart from Hiroden Miyajimaguchi
- 13:45 Arrive at Hiroden Genbaku Dome-mae
- Peace Park, Peace Memorial Museum
- 15:00 Sogo Department Store, shopping
- 15:40 Depart from Hiroden Kamiyacho-nishi
- 16:00 Arrive at Hiroden Shukkeien-mae
- Shukkeien Garden
- 17:00 Shopping at Hondori
- 18:15 At Hiroden Hatchobori Station, confirm the station to get off and how to return to the ship, then part ways with the guests
What Is a Full-Day Private Tour from a Cruise Ship in Japan Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group of six visitors from North America arriving on a cruise ship. This was my first time guiding cruise ship guests, and I was very worried about whether I would be able to find them among as many as 2,700 passengers. There were many uncertain factors: the ship's port of call could change at the last minute, and the shuttle bus routes and times were not known until just before. Since I had exchanged messages about 30 times before meeting with the group's representative, we had communicated well, and we somehow managed to meet as planned.
All six of the guests were very kind. At first I made a mistake with which train to board, but they were very tolerant and reassured me many times that it was fine. Since we lost about 30 minutes, I extended the tour by about another 2 hours and 30 minutes, but I decided not to charge an extension fee.
Rain had been forecast all day, but it was not so bad, which was a relief. Also, I heard that the Peace Memorial Museum became so crowded that entry was stopped around 15:00, but because the guests had purchased digital tickets in advance, we were able to enter before 14:00 and got in fairly smoothly. It was quite crowded inside.
Along the way, there were many spontaneous requests, such as wanting to buy certain items or needing to be taken to a store for a party dress. Although we went over time, I somehow managed to meet all of their requests.
At the end, they gave me various souvenirs from a place I have fond memories of, and they parted with words of gratitude to me. It was a long day with many unexpected situations, so I was tired, but I experienced many things for the first time and gained a great deal of learning.
Click here for more details: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | JR Itsukaichi Station～JR Miyajimaguchi Station | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Ferry | Miyajimaguchi～Miyajima Ferry Terminal | 300JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Hiroden Miyajimaguchi Station～Hiroden Genbaku Dome-mae | 240JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Hiroden Kamiyacho-nishi Station～Hiroden Shukkeien-mae | 240JPY |
| Total | 1,020JPY | ||
Hi! I am Kazuha from Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture. Please call me Kazu chan. I was a teacher for 37 years, and retired last year. After that, I traveled a lot, and met a guide who made my travel much more interesting than other travel. It has become a life-time memory. So I decided to be an interpreter guide to help foreign tourists. I would love to help you to make your travel more interesting and exciting!
I have guided Onomichi, and two World Cultural Heritage sites :Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and Miyajima. Onomichi is my hometown and the starting point for the Shimanami-kaido to Shikoku Island. It prospered from the 12th century to the 19th century, and was not bombed during the war. So we can still enjoy finding unique Japanese culture while walking. Let’s explore Hiroshima and make your travel special!
Jul 26, 2025
R3976LRjennaw
A+++
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
We absolutely loved our tour in Hiroshima with…
Jul 26, 2025
R3976LRjennaw
A+++
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
We absolutely loved our tour in Hiroshima with Kazuha! She met us promptly and guided us all around the city using public transportation. She knew so many interesting facts that she shared with us and was so sweet to our children. She went above and beyond coordinating a trip to Pokemon Center Hiroshima and got us back to the cruise ship on time. The lunch she booked for us was amazing and will definitely be locked in as a core memory. Thank you for making our trip special Kazuha! I will certainly book more tours through Japan Guide Agency in the future.
Jun 2, 2025
847lachlanc
A gem of a merchants town at the foot of stunning mountains by the sea
Tripadvisor review: Onomichi Half-Day Private Trip…
Jun 2, 2025
847lachlanc
A gem of a merchants town at the foot of stunning mountains by the sea
Tripadvisor review: Onomichi Half-Day Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
Onomichi is such an amazing place. Kazuha was extremely proud to present this lovely place of the world. I truly adore her passion for enriching the moments of travellers coming to this place. I learnt a lot about this merchant town from her, enjoyed the rich history and stunning views. I cannot implore people more to visit and enjoy Onomichi. If you have the pleasure of touring with Kazuha, I know you’ll have the best time. Thank you again!
May 25, 2025
Daniel_M
Religion and Peace
Viator review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Our guide (Kazuha) was lovely! Very…
May 25, 2025
Daniel_M
Religion and Peace
Viator review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Our guide (Kazuha) was lovely! Very knowledgeable and good fun. She took us for lunch in a
lovely family owned restaurant where we watched our food being created and cooked.
MiyaJima is a must and the Peace museum is sobering but important to visit. Great day!
May 22, 2025
Georgina B
Poignant and moving day with helpful guide
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Kazuha…
May 22, 2025
Georgina B
Poignant and moving day with helpful guide
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Kazuha our guide was very accommodating to our limited mobility and energy. She was great with facts and interesting quizzes and emotionally sensitive with such a challenging topic as the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
I found making a paper crane under her guidance to be particularly poignant and enjoyed hearing about her life and sharing with her about Australia in World War II as well.
I didn’t want to say goodbye.