Hiroshima in One Day: on Miyajima & Daishoin Temple — Guide Mari
September, 2026
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 Hotel Vista Hiroshima
- 8:30 a.m. Take a train to Miyajima-guchi station
- 9:10 a.m. Take a ferry to Miyajima
- 9:20 a.m. Arrive on Miyajima
- 9:30 a.m. Visit Torii Gate and Itsukushima Shrine
- 10:20 a.m. Visit Daishoin Temple
- 11:20 a.m. Explore shopping street
- 12:00 p.m. Lunch
- 1:00 p.m. Take trains to Peace Park (¥550)
- 2:00 p.m. Visit Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum
- 4:20 p.m. End of the tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Hiroshima began at 08:00, when the guide met the guests at Hotel Vista Hiroshima, and finished at 16:20. The day ran to 8 hours and 20 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch at 12:00.
From there the group visited Take a train to Miyajima-guchi station at 08:30, Take a ferry to Miyajima at 09:10, on Miyajima at 09:20, Torii Gate and Itsukushima Shrine at 09:30, Daishoin Temple at 10:20, shopping street at 11:20, Take trains to Peace Park (¥550) at 13:00 and Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum at 14:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hiroshima to Miyajima-guchi by train (420JPY); Miyajima-guchi to Shin-Hakushima by train (330JPY); Shin-Hakushima to Hondori (220JPY). Across 3 sections the fare came to 970JPY per person.
What Is a Private Miyajima and Hiroshima Peace Park Tour Like on a Rainy Day? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from Europe who knew each other. From the very beginning the atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly, and everyone shared many stories with me. It rained all day, but they cheerfully said it always rains where they come from, so it was no problem at all, which was a great relief to me. Beforehand, I had received a request to visit Miyajima to coincide with high tide, so I arranged the itinerary accordingly. It happened to be a spring tide with a very high water level, and they were delighted that the misty, rainy scenery looked mystical and wonderful. A wedding also happened to be taking place at the shrine, and a newly married person in a kimono and their family passed right in front of us, which the guests were very pleased to see. Since the footing was poor in the rain, I checked on everyone several times along the way, but they always answered with a smile that they liked walking so it was fine. They were taking many photos, so while asking about their preferences, I took group photos of everyone together at scenic spots. They were also very pleased that the okonomiyaki for lunch had a lot of vegetables, and they told me they try to eat healthily and had come to really like Japanese food. They also showed me photos of festive dishes and of cooking at home, and taught me how to make them. At the Peace Park, they listened to the explanations very seriously, and told me politely how, given the current state of the world, they felt it was very important to be able to learn here and to hear from a local person, thanking me sincerely. Finally, since they had expressed a wish to try yakiniku, I introduced a restaurant on the way back to the hotel and ended the tour. It was a very relaxed and warm tour throughout, and I was relieved that they enjoyed it even in the rain, and grateful to have met such wonderful guests.
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 | Train | Miyajima-guchi～Shin-Hakushima | 330JPY |
| Section 3 | Other | Shin-Hakushima～Hondori | 220JPY |
| Total | 970JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Hiroshima tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Hotel Vista Hiroshima at 08:00, and the tour finished at of the tour at 16:20.
How long does the tour last?
About 8 hours and 20 minutes in total, from 08:00 to 16:20.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Take a train to Miyajima-guchi station, Take a ferry to Miyajima, on Miyajima, Torii Gate and Itsukushima Shrine, Daishoin Temple, shopping street, Take trains to Peace Park (¥550) and Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 970JPY 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!