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.
Tour Itinerary
- 9:20a.m. Meet at the Shinkansen gate, Hiroshima Station
- 10:30a.m. Arrive in Miyajima Island
- 10:45a.m. Visit Itsukushima Shrine
- 11:20a.m. Visit Daishoin Temple
- 12:30p.m. Lunch and Explore Shopping Street
- 2:20p.m. Take a direct ferry to Peace Park
- 3:05p.m. Visit Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum
- 5:00p.m. Take a taxi to Hiroshima station
- 5:30p.m. End of the tour at Hiroshima station.
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 09:20 at Shinkansen gate, Hiroshima Station and ended at 17:30. The day ran to 8 hours and 10 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch and Explore Shopping Street at 12:30.
Over the course of the day the route took in Miyajima Island at 10:30, Itsukushima Shrine at 10:45, Daishoin Temple at 11:20, Take a direct ferry to Peace Park at 14:20, Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum at 15:05 and Take a taxi to Hiroshima station at 17:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi by train (420JPY); Miyajima to Peace Park (1,200JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 1,620JPY per person.
Title: What's a Private Miyajima and Hiroshima Peace Park Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group of friends visiting from North America. One member of the group preferred to walk at a slower pace, while another walked very quickly, so at the start we were slightly adjusting to the difference in pace. At Itsukushima Shrine, they took many photos, saying how beautiful the torii gate looked floating on the sea. Because it was a public holiday, Itsukushima Shrine was very crowded. Since the guests had already seen shrines in Kyoto and were not especially fond of crowds, we moved through the shrine grounds a little quickly and enjoyed the scenery slowly in the less crowded areas. All of them loved taking photos and took a great many.
At Daisho-in, one member of the group waited on a bench at Daigan-ji while I toured with the rest of the guests. They were very delighted by the corridor walk and the Henjokutsu cave.
For lunch, since one of the guests was not fond of seafood, we went to a restaurant in the shopping street with a wide variety of menu options. This place was also very crowded, so while I waited in line for a table, the guests strolled around the shopping street. Everyone loved cooking, and during lunch we had a lively conversation about food, with the guests even showing me photos of a cooking tour they had joined in Japan and dishes they had made at home. They also took a liking to lemosco in the shopping street and all purchased some.
When we traveled to the Peace Park via the World Heritage Sea Route, the guests were very pleased to have a direct route where they could sit and rest, saying that traveling can be tiring for them. At the Peace Park, they listened very earnestly to the stories about the atomic bombing. Because the museum was very crowded, we went through it a little quickly and returned to Hiroshima Station by taxi. Since the guests wanted to sit and have a beer before their bullet train, I guided them to a shop and ended the tour.
At the end, each of them warmly thanked me, which made me very happy.
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 | Hiroshima～Miyajimaguchi | 420JPY |
| Section 2 | Other | Miyajima～Peace Park | 1,200JPY |
| Total | 1,620JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Hiroshima tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Shinkansen gate, Hiroshima Station at 09:20, and the tour finished at of the tour at Hiroshima station. at 17:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 8 hours and 10 minutes in total, from 09:20 to 17:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Miyajima Island, Itsukushima Shrine, Daishoin Temple, Take a direct ferry to Peace Park, Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum and Take a taxi to Hiroshima station.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,620JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Mari is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Hiroshima itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hello. My name is Mari.
I am a certified local tour guide in Hiroshima.
I was born and grew up in Hiroshima until I entered in a university in Tokyo.
After 6 years in Tokyo, I came back to Hiroshima because I really love my hometown and wanted to spend the rest of my life here.
Hiroshima is very comfortable city to live in and rich in nature.
I am so happy that I have been able to raise my kids here.
Hiroshima is absolutely full of beautiful and historically important places and also the great food.
I am so excited to introduce the wonderful experiences here in Hiroshima and hope you will come to love this place, too.
Look forward to meeting you.
Sep 26, 2026
F1357GRpaulg
Hiroshima and Miyajima.
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
Mari was a delightful guide. We…
Sep 26, 2026
F1357GRpaulg
Hiroshima and Miyajima.
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
Mari was a delightful guide. We had such a lovely day with her. We would thoroughly recommend a day in Miyajima and Hiroshima with Mari.
Sep 29, 2026
Matthew_T
Do not miss this tour of Hiroshima
Viator review: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
This was fantastic. Mari…
Sep 29, 2026
Matthew_T
Do not miss this tour of Hiroshima
Viator review: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
This was fantastic. Mari was a phenomenal guide. She has a personal family connection to the atomic bombing and she’s lived in Hiroshima all her life. She was knowledgable; funny, and respectful of my goals (sites, time spent, photo taking). And lunch was great afterwards!
Sep 28, 2026
Passport734191
As good as it gets in Hiroshima!
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
Mari was a very…
Sep 28, 2026
Passport734191
As good as it gets in Hiroshima!
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
Mari was a very good tour guide with a personal family connection to Hiroshima (her grandfather was a survivor of the bombing). She was filled with local and historical knowledge, and was very respectful of the subject matter. She was great in giving me space for my own personal moments as well as flexible with taking photos. She’s got a great sense of humor and we had a wonderful few h
Jul 27, 2026
Jen_S21
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
The highlight of our trip!
Mari was an excellent…
Jul 27, 2026
Jen_S21
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
The highlight of our trip!
Mari was an excellent guide and really was the highlight of our 17 day Japan trip. She had great information about Hiroshima, the history and culture. I had selected a start time for the tour but she reached out to recommend a slightly earlier start so we could hit the tide schedule just right for Miyajima Island, which I really appreciated. She also had recommendations for stuff to see and foods to eat. As we took a short break from all the walking, she told us the story of Sadako and the paper cranes, then showed us how to fold our own paper crane and had a bag we could put it in to take it home. It made for a wonderful souvenir. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour, especially if you are lucky enough to get Mari as your guide!