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
- 9:15 a.m. Meet at Hotel
- 9:45 a.m. Take the ferry to Miyajima Island
- 10:30 a.m. Arrive on Miyajima Island
- 10:45 a.m. Visit Itsukushima Shrine
- 11:30 a.m. Visit Daishoin Temple
- 1:15 p.m. Take a short ferry ride to Miyajimaguchi terminal
- 1:30 p.m. Lunch at an Okonomiyaki restaurant
- 2:30 p.m. Take JR train to Hiroshima Station (¥420 per person)
- 2:50 p.m. Visit a beautiful Japanese Garden, Shukkeien
- 3:50 p.m. Visit Hiroshima Castle
- 4:30 p.m. Visit Peace Memorial Park
- 5:30 p.m. End of the tour at the entrance of Peace Memorial Museum
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Hiroshima began at 09:15, when the guide met the guests at Hotel, and finished at 17:30. The day ran to 8 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch at an Okonomiyaki restaurant at 13:30.
From there the group visited Take the ferry to Miyajima Island at 09:45, on Miyajima Island at 10:30, Itsukushima Shrine at 10:45, Daishoin Temple at 11:30, Take a short ferry ride to Miyajimaguchi terminal at 13:15, Take JR train to Hiroshima Station (¥420 per person) at 14:30, a beautiful Japanese Garden, Shukkeien at 14:50, Hiroshima Castle at 15:50 and Peace Memorial Park at 16:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Peace Memorial Park to Miyajima (1,200JPY); Miyajimaguchi to Hiroshima by train (420JPY); Hiroshima to Shukkeien-mae by bus (240JPY). Across 3 sections the fare came to 1,860JPY per person.
What Is a Private Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from Europe. From our correspondence beforehand, they replied politely, which put me at ease, and we were able to talk openly from the very beginning, chatting about all sorts of things throughout the tour.
When we met in the morning, they mentioned that they had already visited the Peace Park a little the previous day, so I adjusted the plan and slightly extended our time on Miyajima.
On the World Heritage sea route ferry on the way there, we folded paper cranes together, and the guests were delighted, saying it was a wonderful experience.
The weather was fine, and on Miyajima the guests took a great many photos. I also took some photos of the guests, which they were very happy about.
They also greatly enjoyed the okonomiyaki restaurant we went to for lunch, and even asked how it was made.
Since I had asked about their wishes in advance and planned to end the tour at the Peace Memorial Museum, where the guests would visit on their own using an online ticket for the less crowded 5:30 time slot, after Miyajima we visited Shukkeien Garden and Hiroshima Castle instead of the museum, and then went to the Peace Park.
At Shukkeien Garden, there were people having pre-wedding photos taken, and the guests were delighted by the beautiful kimono. When I mentioned that I myself had once taken pre-wedding photos at the same spot, they were happy to look at the old photo.
They were also very moved by the A-bombed trees, taking photos at both Shukkeien Garden and Hiroshima Castle.
Although they had visited the Peace Park the day before, they had only seen the area around the Dome, so we went around the hypocenter, the Children's Peace Monument, and the Rest House together before I saw them off at the museum to end the tour.
At the end, the guests very courteously thanked me, saying that thanks to having a guide they were able to visit so many wonderful places in a single day without any trouble, and that it had been a special day. I was truly honored.
Click here for more details: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Other | Peace Memorial Park～Miyajima | 1,200JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Miyajimaguchi～Hiroshima | 420JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Hiroshima～Shukkeien-mae | 240JPY |
| Total | 1,860JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Hiroshima tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Hotel at 09:15, and the tour finished at of the tour at the entrance of Peace Memorial Museum at 17:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 8 hours and 15 minutes in total, from 09:15 to 17:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Take the ferry to Miyajima Island, on Miyajima Island, Itsukushima Shrine, Daishoin Temple, Take a short ferry ride to Miyajimaguchi terminal, Take JR train to Hiroshima Station (¥420 per person), a beautiful Japanese Garden, Shukkeien, Hiroshima Castle and Peace Memorial Park.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,860JPY per person across 3 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!