17 October 2026
The only whole day in Hiroshima. A visit to Itsukushima island, close to Hiroshima.
To get there we first have to walk up to the tram. A stop at 7-Eleven for breakfast. Line 2 takes us all the way there in 1 hour 10 minutes (34 stops). First the car is full, but most people leave at the Atomic Dome. They use a lot of people everywhere. The trams do not only have a driver, but also a person standing at a back exit. He makes sure people pay cash, helps with problems and looks out the window to check if the tram is clear to leave. And at intervals he walks up and down the aisle.
We left earlier than planned. We are at the harbour at Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi Station at 10:10. Directly outside is the ferry to the island and the main village, Miyajima. There are large groups of people here. It is Saturday and this is a tour destination. The ferry fills up fast. The crossing takes between 10 and 15 minutes, and in this direction the ferry passes the big torii gate in the water. You can nearly feel the ferry leaning to that side with everybody taking pictures.
We have marked a few things on the map. And seeing most of the groups going towards the shrine and the temple, the best strategic choice is the way to the ropeway up Mount Misen. This means a short walk of 15 minutes, and then there is a shuttle with room for 20 persons three times an hour. Otherwise you have to walk.
We are early enough to be at the front of the line. The bus is small and nothing for western legs. They end up more in the aisle than behind the seat. Two ladies smile with a friendly konnichiwa.
The ride is only three minutes, but it saves us a lot of uphill walking. Then we are at the end of a line in front of a staircase going up to the station. You have to take two rides on two different cable cars. One like in Hakone with many small cars circling to get up the mountain, and then a bigger one for a 4 minute ride from top to top.
All in all we had to wait about 50 minutes in the queue, including the stairs, before we got up there. On the way you buy a 2,000 yen ticket for a return trip. The last return is at 16:30, otherwise you must hike down the mountain.
The cable cars are for up to 8 persons, but not more than 6 fit in. Maybe Japanese people fit better. It is cramped and small. Little headroom and more shaky than liked. The view is amazing over the world heritage forest. You hear the birds, you brush some trees 😁, and then you are up after 15 to 20 minutes. Then you have to go up some stairs again (not possible for strollers and wheelchairs, a sign said something about 130 stairs in the stations).
The second ride is short and again a spectacular view over the bay, the water and the islands. Then we are at Shishiiwa Station. This is not the top of the mountain. But it has a viewpoint where there is a geocache. Amazing weather, warm.
The geocache took some time. Tim had the right idea. I heard a Swedish couple talking and asked them in Swedish for a picture of us. Had to show off a little. They were a little perplexed to hear Swedish up there. 😁
Then the walk to the top of Mount Misen. 535 meters above sea level. First we have to go down 35 meters from the station and then climb up 124 meters in total to the summit. That means stairs and steep walking. Good that I have water and a motivating friend with me. I can set the pace. Take breaks when needed. After some time we make it to the Misen Main Hall, a Buddhist temple. Some benches in the shade, no goshuin stamp here, just a ready-made paper. And of course the vending machines, with prices double those in town.
It is 49 meters more up to the top if I trust OSM. And all of those are stairs. But we are here, I can do it. And we made it. There is an observatory with a platform for a 360 degree view. Pictures on top were taken. And there is a stamp for our books, both for the place and one with a date.
Now down again. Less demanding for the fitness, but the stairs are uneven, and that is nice for our knees. Feeding the vending machine with the horrendous 400 yen for a drink (2.25 € is still cheap compared to Norway or Europe).
And when you are down, you have to get back up to the station. In the queue for the cable car we talk to a guy from Calgary who regretted walking all the way up. That must have been some terrible stairs. He took the cable car down. And so did we. A nice ride later we made it down to the station. And then we got lucky and are number 21 and 22 for the shuttle to town, which has a capacity of 20. Tim counted 24 seats. So it is possible. Minus the legroom again.
Now we need some food. We had just a sandwich for breakfast and small ice cream cones from a vending machine, and we did some physical work. A small café on a side street, run by older women. Very cosy, combined with a shop for handicrafts, some made by disabled people. Tim got a curry that he liked, and I took a pizza toast on bread they baked themselves.
Now to the Itsukushima shrine with the famous great torii gate in the water. Just follow the way to where all the people come from. We do not go into the shrine. I get my last goshuin for the trip, and then we do the beach thing for taking pictures of the torii gate and us. For free.
Walking back to look for a bar and dinner later. As long as we get the last ferry, we are good. We find not a real bar but a place doing everything with Hiroshima lemons. According to Google Maps it is called Gebura Herman. Gin tonic with lemon, a 500 ml drink for 1,000 yen (5.65 €). I have enough after a little over half of the drink, and Tim takes the rest.
Dinner on the island, after a toilet break at the harbour and eki stamps for our books.
Tim’s restaurant radar finds a place called Rokumeikan. A place specialised in one dish, sukiyaki. Sukiyaki is a Japanese hot pot (nabemono). Thinly sliced beef is cooked at the table together with vegetables and other ingredients in a pot with a sweet soy-based sauce. We get two seats but have to share one cooking station. 100 g of superb thinly sliced beef per person. This is nice, and doing it together is very communicative and fun. Even the miso soup was great. I have had bad luck with miso soup before and did not like it, but this one was really good.
Now it is time to get back to Hiroshima. The ferry is much emptier now that it is dark. So is the tram for our 70 minute ride back to the hotel. Just some more people close to the city centre.
Now we see that the Smile Hotel is in the nightlife area of the city. Colourful signs, a lot of people and many offers that we do not have the energy and time for. We fill up on drinks at 7-Eleven, and then a much needed shower, packing and bed.
