Itsukushima Shrine

Embark the bus in the morning at Hiroshima Station and head towards Hiroshima Castle. Pass by the re-built castle and be inspired by its beauty.  Arrive at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and visit the Atomic Bomb Dome. Explore this world heritage site following a visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.  Pass by the former Army Clothing Depot and listen to the background stories coming from the audio guide.  Leaving Hiroshima on a high-speed boat you can marvel at the Seto Inland Sea coastline, Miyajima Port and Miyajima. Depending on the traffic you will have some free time in Miyajima. Enjoy your time and visit Itsukushima Shrine or watch the floating gate. If you are lucky you might be able to walk through it.  Get up close to friendly deer which were considered sacred messengers from the gods.  You will be back at Hiroshima Station in the afternoon around 4:30 PM.

Enter Tokujuji Temple and have a traditional Japanese cultural experience, combining your choice of a tea ceremony, calligraphy lesson, or both, all while wearing traditional Japanese dress. During the calligraphy lesson, you'll learn about the tools used and how to draw the lines with step-by-step instructions. You'll have plenty of time to practice one or more of the Kanji, Chinese Characters, to draw. While you practice, your instructor will make a sample of your name. Once you have practiced the Kanji, practice how to draw your name in Japanese, either in Hiragana or Katakana. Select the best of your work and sign it and stamp it. It will be put into a cylinder to take home. The tea ceremony has 5 steps. First, the tea master will bring in the tools. Then, they will purify the tools, make the tea, clean the tools, and take everything back to the Mizuya, backyard. Enjoy sweets and matcha tea. Learn how to drink the tea in the correct manner and how to make the tea. Take a walk in the beautiful Japanese garden and have pictures taken.

At 10:00 you'll be picked up at your hotel or railway station or sea port. Star your tour with an English-speaking driver. Visit Itsukushma Shine in Miyajima Island by ferry boat. The floating gate on the sea water is a must see. You'll admire food streets stretching from the shrine that are full of fresh and unique local products. The car will take you back to Hiroshima city center. Here you visit the Peace Memorial Park. Hiroshima is the first city suffered from atomic bomb, and the museum shows what happened after the bombing and how the city recovered. The tour continues to Hiroshima Castle, which keeps the original shape of a Japanese warrior castle, once the residence of the leader of samurai. At 16:00 you'll be dropped off at your hotel or railway station or sea port. 

Explore the city with a friendly local who is passionate about his/her city and eager to share all the tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your trip. Meet where you're staying to get familiar with the neighbourhood, find out about the best places to eat and buy groceries, the easiest ways to get around, and the hidden gems you might have missed. By the end of the tour, you'll feel more comfortable in navigating the city and confident that you have all the information you need to make the most of your stay. Once we receive your booking, the supplier get in touch with you to confirm all the details for the tour: meeting place and time, language and your contact information, and also ask you some questions to get to know you better. They will hand-pick the right local for you based on your interests. Each tour is completely customized so you can choose the meeting location, start time and length that you prefer (minimum: 2 hours).  During the walking tour you will have the option of taking public transportation or taxi to get around the city (at your expense). The local guides (Lokafyers) are locals who are passionate about their city and love to meet travellers and share what they love about their city.  They are not professional tour guides and do these tours occasionally, which provides an authentic and personal experience that is like having a friend show you around their home city.  Through conversations with your Lokafyer, you’ll learn what it’s like to live in Hiroshima, learn about cultural differences, local events and politics and also get to know each other on a personal level. With this experience, you won’t be just passing through the city, you’ll be part of it.

Start your tour by meeting your guide at your hotel. You'll be paired with guides that are passionate about the place they call home and who choose to spend their free time sharing it with like-minded travelers matched to them. Begin the tour with a ferry ride to Miyajima Island, which offers great views of the Seto Inland Sea. Once on the island, visit the floating Itsukushima Shrine and the oldest temple in Miyajima, Daisho-in, built by one of Japan’s most famous monks. Cherry blossoms in spring add to the magic of these well-known temple sites. Next, stop for a break at Gallery Miyazato. This local establishment serves up traditional Japanese sweets like the famous Momiji Manju, perfect for a refuel. Momijidani Park and its 200 maple trees await exploring next, and then Mount Misen, the most sacred place in Miyajima.  Next stop is Rekaido, where you can see the home of the eternal flame, said to have been burning for 1200 years. Finally, you’ll head to the most famous Okonomiyaki restaurant in Miyajima, where you can buy lunch or dinner.

Discover Hiroshima and Miyajima Island on a fully customizable private tour. Choose what you would like to experience, what time you would like to start your tour, and the local partner will arrange a tour to suit you. Start your day by meeting your guide at your hotel, then choose to sites you wish to visit depending on your interests. Example 6-hour Itinerary: Meet your guide at your hotel in Hiroshima and first visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. See the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, known today as the Atomic Bomb Dome, which was one of the very few buildings that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Today, the building serves as a memorial to the victims of the bombing, and as a symbol of international peace. Visit the onsite Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and learn more about the bombing. See poignant artifacts from the time of the atomic explosion on display, as well as various educational exhibits. Afterward, take the ferry to Miyajima island. Take a walking tour of the picturesque island and visit Itsukushima Shrine. This shrine is famous for the mysterious floating red torii gate that stands in the middle of the sea.

First stop is a tour through the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Here, you will learn the horrors of the atomic bomb and how the people of Hiroshima coped with the tragedy.  Feel the breeze as you go up to the Orizuru Tower's observatory area. Here you can get a wide view of the city. The Orizuru (paper crane) is considered as a symbol of peace; learn how to make one and make a wish. At the top of the Orizuru Tower, you'll enjoy a lunch of local cuisine.  After lunch, your guide will take you to see the Aorigi Tree, which brought hope after the atomic bomb. Then visit the Atomic Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn more about Japanese life and feel the revival of the city. You will then take a ferry across the water to Miyajima, where you will visit the famous Torii gate and Itsukushima shrine.

Hiroshima oysters are known as some of the best oysters in Japan. On this trip local fisherman will take you to an oyster farm and explain how they are grown. If you visit in the right season, you will be amazed to see lots of oysters growing on suspended ropes. After visiting the oyster farm, the boat will head to Itsukushima island, home to the Itsukushima Shine. The shrine is best known for the iconic red floating Torii gate standing in the sea. Admire the scenic view of the floating Torii gate in front of a background of mountains. You will then head back to the dock. If you are in the right season, you will see fishermen getting the oysters ready to be shipped out.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Itsukushima Shrine on a sea kayaking excursion. With its ‘floating’ torii gate, the shrine is one of Japan’s most photographed landmarks. Your friendly guide will explain how to use the equipment. Take some time to practice moving forward and backward, stopping, and turning the kayak by yourself. Next paddle out into the sea. Get up close to the Itsukushima Shrine to admire the site from a unique perspective. You can take photos with the torii gate in the background, before heading back to the beach. Full instruction will be provided, making this activity suitable for complete beginners as well as for those with previous experience of kayaking.