Hiroshima in Half a Day: Miyajimaguchi Station & Hiroshima Station

June, 2025

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

  • 14:30 Meet at the Hotel
  • 14:45 Take the JR to Miyajimaguchi Station
  • 15:15 Arrive at Miyajimaguchi Station
  • 15:25 Take the ferry from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima
  • 16:35 Arrive at Miyajima
  • Shrine, Omotesando
  • 17:40 Finish sightseeing in Miyajima and take the ferry to Miyajimaguchi
  • 17:50 Arrive at Miyajimaguchi
  • 18:03 Take the JR to Hiroshima Station
  • 18:35 Arrive at Hiroshima Station
  • 18:40 Disband

Tour Itinerary in Detail

Meeting at Hotel at 14:30, the group explored Hiroshima until the tour ended at 18:40. The day ran to 4 hours and 10 minutes from start to finish.

The itinerary covered Take the JR to Miyajimaguchi Station at 14:45, Miyajimaguchi Station at 15:15, Take the ferry from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima at 15:25, Miyajima at 16:35, Miyajimaguchi at 17:50, Take the JR to Hiroshima Station at 18:03 and Hiroshima Station at 18:35.

Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi Station by train (420JPY); Miyajimaguchi Station to Hiroshima Station by train (420JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 840JPY per person.

Title: What Is a Private Miyajima and Hiroshima Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

I had the pleasure of guiding a group visiting from North America. As they did not have IC cards, all transportation fares were paid in cash.

At Hiroshima Station, there was a minor mishap when one of the guests forgot to collect a ticket, but I explained the situation to a station staff member and asked for the ticket to be retrieved, which resolved the matter.

The group had come directly to Hiroshima from Tokyo and still seemed to be experiencing some jet lag, dozing off a little during the journey.

At Miyajima, the guests became absorbed in taking photographs, capturing many beautiful natural landscapes with their cameras. One of the guests attached a telephoto lens to a high-end Canon camera and thoroughly enjoyed serious photography.

During the tour, I explained the history and characteristics of momiji manju. Since it was late in the day, unfortunately they were not able to try freshly baked momiji manju, but they enjoyed the standard version and seemed quite satisfied.

As they planned to visit central Hiroshima the following day, I also shared a little about my own experience as a second-generation atomic bomb survivor.

Since the guests were originally from Asia and could read kanji to some extent, I pointed out at the corridor of Itsukushima Shrine that exactly eight floorboards are laid between each pair of pillars, illustrating this with the kanji character for "eight."

I explained that in Japan the number "8" is considered auspicious as a symbol of "spreading prosperity" (suehiro-gari), and is said to be one of the thoughtful touches befitting such a sacred place.

I also mentioned that in China, "8" is highly favored because its pronunciation resembles "fa," associated with wealth and glory.

When I looked it up later, I found that the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics was held on August 8, 2008 at 8:08 p.m., which is said to be another reflection of "8" being regarded as an auspicious number.

Click here for more details: Miyajima Half-Day Customized Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1TrainHiroshima Station～Miyajimaguchi Station420JPY
Section 2TrainMiyajimaguchi Station～Hiroshima Station420JPY
Total840JPY

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does this Hiroshima tour start and finish?

The guide met the guests at Hotel at 14:30, and the tour finished at at 18:40.

How long does the tour last?

About 4 hours and 10 minutes in total, from 14:30 to 18:40.

Which places does this itinerary cover?

This tour visited Take the JR to Miyajimaguchi Station, Miyajimaguchi Station, Take the ferry from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima, Miyajima, Miyajimaguchi, Take the JR to Hiroshima Station and Hiroshima Station.

How much did transport cost on this tour?

Public transport came to 840JPY 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?

The guide 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.

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