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 Meet at Ujina port
- 11:00 Get on a shuttle bus to Hiroshima Station
- 11:30 Arrive at Miyajima-guchi station
- 11:50 Take a ferry to Miyajima island
- 12:00 Arrive at Miyajima island
- 12:00~Stroll around Miyajima
- -Itsukushima Shrine
- -Omotesando shopping arcade
- 13:30 Lunch at Yamaichi Bekkan
- 15:00 Take a ferry to Miyajima-guchi
- 15:10 Arrive at Miyajima-guchi station
- 15:30 Take a JR train to Yokogawa Station
- 16:00 Arrive at Peace Park
- -Atomic Bomb Dome
- -Children's Monument
- -Flame of Peace
- -Cenotaph
- -Peace Memorial Museum
- 17:30 Take a taxi to the Hiroshima Castle
- 15:45 Head to the port by taxi
Title: What's a Private Day Tour of Miyajima and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a very close-knit group. In mid-April, it happened to be the middle day of the Momote Festival, and a sacred Noh performance was being dedicated at Itsukushima Shrine. On a wonderfully mild spring day, we were very lucky to be able to watch an authentic performance on the Noh stage set over the sea.
Since one of the guests had a gluten allergy, I made a reservation at a ryokan on Miyajima that accommodates all kinds of dietary restrictions, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. One of the guests, who said they had not been able to eat at any restaurants in Japan during the trip, was delighted and enthusiastically ordered all sorts of dishes (more than the group could finish) and was very pleased. The oysters, which are usually past their prime at this time of year, were at their absolute best this year because the season had started late, and the guests thoroughly enjoyed grilled oysters. (They had brought gluten-free soy sauce, but at the restaurant they enjoyed them with lemon juice.) The vegetable tempura was also gluten-free, made with rice flour rather than wheat flour, and gluten-free sake was enjoyed both chilled and warm. The guests ordered an anagomeshi set as well as futomaki and a sushi set, wanting to try many things, and even became friendly with the owner, spending a very enjoyable time. (We canceled the World Heritage Sea Route we had reserved by phone, deciding instead to fully enjoy our lunch time here.)
For the next destination, Peace Memorial Park, we traveled by JR and taxi. We visited the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Cenotaph, and the museum, and finally I took them to Hiroshima Castle, which had been requested. The weather was fine throughout, both guests were in great spirits, and I had the most wonderful time joining them!
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～Miyajima-guchi | 420JPY |
| Section 2 | Ferry | Miyajima-guchi～Miyajima | 300JPY |
| Section 3 | Ferry | Miyajima～Miyajima-guchi | 200JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Miyajima-guchi～Yokogawa | 330JPY |
| Total | 1,250JPY | ||
Hi, this is Mami! I am a qualified regional interpreter guide for Hiroshima Prefecture. I love guiding guests in Onomichi, a town with many Japanese heritage shrines and temples. Strolling through town is a lot of fun, as many of the renovated shops and restaurants each has its own character and design!
The breath-taking view from Mt. Takami, is a picture-perfect scene, encompassing the many islands surrounded by the tranquility of the Seto Inland Sea. The highest mountain in Mukaishima surely is a must-see spot! Many attractive outdoor activities await, including cycling along the Shimanami Kaido, sea kayaking, or stand-up paddle boarding. For a more relaxing experience, Zen meditation is offered at the temples in Onomichi-city.
According to your interest, I will prepare a special itinerary for you!
May 10, 2025
TheBrowns1000
Hurry book this tour and request marvelous Mami Mukai for an amazing day!
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour…
May 10, 2025
TheBrowns1000
Hurry book this tour and request marvelous Mami Mukai for an amazing day!
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Sweet Mami Mukai was definitely one of our very favorite tour guides when we were in Japan for 3 weeks in April! (We had several.) She lived in the states one year which makes her English easier to understand, thankfully! Also Mami (sounds like mommy) was on time and waiting for us when we walked off the ship at the cruise port near Hiroshima. She was excellent at communicating through emails before we ever met up, too. On our tour she knew when to take a taxi and when to use a subway/train/ferry and which side to be on. We went to Miyajima to the floating gate and little town and then on to the museum in Hiroshima and castle. Before our tour she researched and found us an amazing Japanese restaurant for lunch that had a brilliant chef that could cook gluten free Japanese meals for my sister with celiac!! So kind of her to do so and care! It was one of the best meals she had as not everyone in Japan is aware of this food intolerance. Our meals were excellent there, too! Mami is a Hiroshima Prefectural Government Licensed Guide Interpreter, and one you really want to ask for!! She is so cute, knowledgeable, and fun to be around! She made sure we were seeing and doing what we wanted to -for as long as we wanted to. She made it an incredible experience!
Apr 20, 2025
Passport548066
Sehr guter Tag in Hiroshima
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Mami war eine super…
Apr 20, 2025
Passport548066
Sehr guter Tag in Hiroshima
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Mami war eine super Reiseleiterin, die uns viel über Hiroshima erzählt hat und auch gut
organisiert war, was die Zeiten an den einzelnen Punkten und die Nutzung der öffentlichen
Verkehrsmittel betroffen hat.
2025年4月20日
Passport548066
広島でのとても良い一日
Tripadvisorレビュー：
マミさんは素晴らしいガイドでした。広島についてたくさんのことを教えてくれて、 各観光地での滞在時間や公共交通機関の利用についてもとてもよく計画されていました。
Apr 10, 2025
K
K6047IAjenniferv
Incredible
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Mami was amazing! She meet us at…
Apr 10, 2025
K
K6047IAjenniferv
Incredible
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Mami was amazing! She meet us at the train station. Had everything seamlessly planned. We round the train to Hiroshima for one day and she helped us see everything! She was so accommodating and informative. I am so glad we did a private tour because she guided us through everything. From helping us leave our luggage at the train station to booking our train pass back to Tokyo. Telling us what did of the ferry to get on for the best view, getting us in the best restaurant and sharing the history o Hiroshima. Best tour we had in Japan!
Apr 4, 2025
Hansu24
An Extraordinary Experience of Onomichi
Tripadvisor review: Onomichi Half-Day Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I spent 2 days…
Apr 4, 2025
Hansu24
An Extraordinary Experience of Onomichi
Tripadvisor review: Onomichi Half-Day Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I spent 2 days based in Onomichi. It’s a place absolutely not to be missed if you are in the area.
Our guide, Mami, truly enhanced our experience. From helping arrange our luggage storage/delivery to our accommodation when we arrived on the etSetora train, to taking us to a super yummy ramen spot, to checking out the local market and delightfully hidden away places, to leading us on a lovely walk on the hilltop (after taking the cute cabelcar!).
It was a pleasure to spend time with Mami. I doubt anyone would regret taking this tour. It remains a highlight of our trip – also thanks to the glorious weather we had and sakura being close to full bloom, to be fair!