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
- 10:00 Hiroshima Station ticket gate
- 11:30 Miyajima Pier, Great Torii Gate, Itsukushima Shrine, Omotesando
- 15:30 Peace Park, Museum
- 16:50 Hiroshima Station ticket gate (The guest had reserved the Nozomi departing at 17:12)
What Is a Private Day Tour of Miyajima and Hiroshima Peace Park Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America, and I guided them around Miyajima and the Peace Memorial Park under clear skies. Since one of the guests found walking a little difficult, I made sure we walked as slowly as possible. It left an impression on me how one member of the group carefully rephrased my explanations to help others in the group understand. The guests mentioned that they had held a wedding ceremony in Siena in central Italy, and drawing on my own memories of living in Italy, we enjoyed a lively conversation together. The Peace Memorial Museum was extremely crowded, and ticket sales had been temporarily suspended to limit entry. After waiting for about 30 minutes, we entered and I guided them through quickly, weaving between groups of school field-trip students. Since crowding had been anticipated, I explained the history and reality of the atomic bombing during the train ride from Miyajima into central Hiroshima.
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 | Train | Miyajimaguchi～Yokogawa | 330JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Yokogawa Station～Atomic Bomb Dome | 220JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Peace Park～Hiroshima Station | 220JPY |
| Total | 1,190JPY | ||
I have been an English and Italian guide for 10 years in Hiroshima, Miyajima, Okayama, Kurashiki, Iwakuni, Himeji, Osaka, Kochi and Sanin. I used to work for the Japanese trading house in Milan Italy for 9 years, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam for 2 years and Kobe /Osaka for 25 years. I was engaged in the textile and apparel division covering European and Asian market. Moreover, I worked for a food company who produce special sauce for okonomiyaki, famous local food. After retiring, I live in Hiroshima, my hometown, working as a tourist guide mainly, sometimes as an Italian interpreter for A-bomb survivor testimonies and translation. I guide you about history, culture, architecture, art, industry, economy and so on according to your interests and wishes. My hobby is oil painting of the scenery of the Inland Sea of Seto, the first national park of Japan and visiting art museum. I am interested in impressionists and works during renaissance.
Mar 21, 2025
Carol B
Peaceful Tour with Kind Local
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Relaxed tour with…
Mar 21, 2025
Carol B
Peaceful Tour with Kind Local
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Relaxed tour with Hiroshima-native who personalized our tour experience to meet our
interests and expectations. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a peaceful tour of
Hiroshima/Miyajima with a knowledgeable local.
Dec 10, 2024
Catherine_U
Great Half Day with Shin!
Viator review: Miyajima Half-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
We enjoyed our half day tour…
Dec 10, 2024
Catherine_U
Great Half Day with Shin!
Viator review: Miyajima Half-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
We enjoyed our half day tour to Miyajima from Hiroshima with our private guide, Shin, a professional guide with Japan Guide Agency, in November 20. He met us at our hotel, which was next to the train station, then escorted us to the train and then to the ferry over to Miyajima. Lots of wild deer strolling about here but not as tame as those in Nara-avoid feeding them! Our first stop after brief walk from the ferry was the famous Torii gate that stands in the water. We were not there at low tide so we could not walk out to it but were happy just seeing and it (and posing for pictures. Our guide offered to take many photos for us). We also visited the Itsukushima Shrine and learned about the different buildings and uses of the Shrine and observed a bride and other traditions. We also walked through the peaceful and beautiful Momijidani Park and learned how to get to the Miyajima Ropeway to get to the top of the mountain for great views. Our guide showed us around to see the Senjokaku Shrine area, and some of the Omotesando Shopping Arcade, where we had a snack and parted ways at the end of our half day together, as we opted to stay in and explore further. Shin made dure we knew how to get back to the ferry and train. We had an excellent walking tour and appreciated our time together. Thank you Shin! Highly recommended! (Not as part of the tour, we took the Ropeway and spent some time enjoying the ride and views from up high, thanks to Shin’s directions. Worth doing if you have time! It was a beautiful day!
Dec 8, 2024
William W
11/10 Great Guide
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Our guide, Mr. Itaki, is…
Dec 8, 2024
William W
11/10 Great Guide
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Our guide, Mr. Itaki, is very knowledgeable. He was able to answer every question we had. He
has a great way of explaining that kept us engaged and focused.
Oct 7, 2024
Shiv_K
We had a lovely visit of…
Viator review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
We had a…
Oct 7, 2024
Shiv_K
We had a lovely visit of…
Viator review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
We had a lovely visit of Hiroshima and Miyajima. Our guide, Shin-san, was outstanding. He was very knowledgeable and was able to relate cross-culturally to many of our queries. We started off by taking the ferry to Miyajima at high tide. While it was rainy we managed to have a good tour of the Itsukushima shrine. Shin-san then took us to the Daishoin temple where we spent a considerable amount of time. We then did a nature walk and had a brief tour of the town area before hopping on the ferry back to the main land. Shin-san then took us to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum.