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
- 8:00 a.m. Meet at the lobby of the Hotel Hiroshima
- 8:20 a.m. Visit the Peace Memorial Park and the Peace Memorial Museum
- 10:40 a.m. Take a direct ferry to Miyajima
- 11:25 a.m. Arrive at Miyajima Island
- 11:40 a.m. Lunch
- 12:20 p.m. Visit Itsukushima Shrine
- 1:00 p.m. Visit Daishoin Temple
- 2:45 p.m. Take a ferry and JR train to Hiroshima station
- 3:30p.m. Arrive at Hiroshima station and escort to ticket counter
- 4:00p.m. End of the tour at Hiroshima station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Meeting at lobby of the Hotel Hiroshima at 08:00, the group explored Hiroshima until the tour ended at 16:00. The day ran to 8 hours from start to finish. It included lunch at 11:40.
The itinerary covered Peace Memorial Park and the Peace Memorial Museum at 08:20, Take a direct ferry to Miyajima at 10:40, Miyajima Island at 11:25, Itsukushima Shrine at 12:20, Daishoin Temple at 13:00, Take a ferry and JR train to Hiroshima station at 14:45 and Hiroshima station and escort to ticket counter at 15:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Miyajimaguchi to Hiroshima by train (420JPY); Peace Memorial Park to Miyajima (1,200JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 1,620JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from Oceania. One of them was visiting Hiroshima for the second time, having come previously with another member of the family.
The tour started early in the morning and it was very cold, but the guests were deeply interested in history and listened intently to the stories of the atomic bombing and reconstruction of Hiroshima, asking many questions. We entered the Peace Memorial Museum around 9:00, and since it was very uncrowded, they were able to view the exhibits at a relaxed pace.
The World Heritage Sea Route from the Peace Park also had plenty of open seats today, and the seats were arranged facing the windows, so the guests could sit comfortably and enjoy the scenery.
They were also very interested in paper cranes, so we folded paper cranes together while traveling on the World Heritage Sea Route. One of the guests wanted to learn how to fold them to make them together with a grandchild, and folded three cranes while working hard to memorize the technique.
Since the guests wished to have oysters for lunch, we went to an oyster restaurant in the Miyajima shopping street and then visited Itsukushima Shrine. It happened to be high tide, and the guests were delighted by how beautiful it was. At Daishoin Temple, the corridor tour and the Henjokutsu Cave were a very interesting experience, and the guests kindly thanked me, saying that they would never have gone there without a guide and were grateful that I had brought them. It made me very happy.
We had planned to return via the World Heritage Sea Route, but the guests asked for help reserving Shinkansen tickets to Osaka for the next day, so we changed the plan and took the JR together to Hiroshima Station, where we reserved the tickets and ended the tour.
Even after the tour, the guests sent me a photo saying they had folded paper cranes at the hotel, and told me they would send photos from their next destination as well. It was a truly heartwarming tour.
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 | Miyajimaguchi～Hiroshima | 420JPY |
| Section 2 | Other | Peace Memorial Park～Miyajima | 1,200JPY |
| Total | 1,620JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Hiroshima tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at lobby of the Hotel Hiroshima at 08:00, and the tour finished at of the tour at Hiroshima station at 16:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 8 hours in total, from 08:00 to 16:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Peace Memorial Park and the Peace Memorial Museum, Take a direct ferry to Miyajima, Miyajima Island, Itsukushima Shrine, Daishoin Temple, Take a ferry and JR train to Hiroshima station and Hiroshima station and escort to ticket counter.
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!