A day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island is one of the best options out of any of the day trips from Osaka that you can choose from and this is what to do and where to go when there.
Going from Osaka to Hiroshima on a day trip is also easy with the excellent rail network that connects the two and in this article, I will show you how to do it and where to go.
I spent several weeks living in Osaka and I day-tripped all over the place from there. The day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima is one of my favourite options and that I recommend to others.
Day Trip From Osaka To Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a city in Japan that should be visited as a poignant reminder of the horrors of war and how through hell a city can come back and flourish in the modern age.
Nearby Miyajima Island is an excellent side trip from Hiroshima for shrines/temples and mountain hiking with a view.
Getting To Hiroshima From Osaka
The Osaka to Hiroshima bullet train (Shinkansen train) makes longer-distance day trips so much easier and you can get from Osaka to Hiroshima, depending on the specific Shinkansen train taken, in one and a half to two hours.
The journey by local train will take around six hours so is not practical for a Hiroshima day trip from Osaka. Buses from Osaka to Hiroshima take around five hours, so again, are not practical for a day trip.
It is an essential part of your Japan travel plans to get a Japan Rail Pass (get one with that link) if you plan to move around a lot for these kinds of trips as it will save you money.
Also, travelling by Shinkansen train in Japan is the best option for getting to places faster like this day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima.
Main Places To See In Hiroshima
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
The simple (and sad) truth is there isn’t a ‘lot’ of traditional stuff to do in Hiroshima and that’s because the whole city was wiped out in World War 2 when the first atom bomb ever used was dropped on the city at 8.15 am on 6th August 1945.
That is one of the main things to do in Hiroshima: visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
I started at the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome. The dome was very close to where the atomic bomb exploded in Hiroshima but its structure survived and is still standing today (with renovation works).
It is a symbol of destruction and yet endurance for world peace today.
Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome.
After seeing the Atomic Bomb Dome walk across through the Peace Park and to the Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims.
Walking in Hiroshima Peace Park.
The Hiroshima Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims lies in the park as you walk through the park towards the Peace Memorial Museum.
All the names of people killed in the atomic bomb explosion are inscribed in the stone vault. The whole area is a poignant reminder of the hours of war and the horrors of nuclear warfare.
Hiroshima Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims.
Through the cenotaph, you can see the Atomic Bomb Dome.
After the dome, park, and cenotaph head to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and learn the horrifying history of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
I didn’t take any photos inside the museum. It was very emotional to visit.
The Peace Memorial Park is a sombre yet hopeful place, with monuments, statues, and memorials that convey messages of peace and anti-nuclear sentiments. It serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of nuclear warfare and the importance of working towards a world without such weapons.
A must-visit.
Hiroshima Castle
To be honest, I didn’t make it to Hiroshima Castle myself (the pic is a stock photo for the post), mainly due to my time limit, but also because I had seen so many castles by then.
However, I have heard it is a beautifully reconstructed (like everything in Hiroshima it was destroyed by the atomic bomb) castle and has a wooden exterior.
If you are short on time, want to get to Miyajima Island, and plan to see or have seen other castles in Japan, then I would say to skip the castle as I did.
But if you get to Hiroshima early enough and love castles or won’t have the opportunity to see many other castles in Japan then try and get to it.
If you do want to visit you can find more information on Hiroshima Castle here.
Miyajima Island
On your day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima I highly recommend you take the time to visit Miyajima Island (also known as Itsukushima Island) as it’s not that far away and a beautiful place to visit.
It also has one of the most famous torii gates in all of Japan. I’m sure you will recognise the image from tourist adverts etc about Japan.
Getting From Hiroshima To Miyajima
Every 15 minutes or so a train leaves Hiroshima for Miyajima mainland station which takes roughly 25 minutes. At the station, you then take a ten-minute ferry ride to Miyajima Island.
The Japan Rail Pass covers part of the journey.
What to do on Miyajima Island
The Itsukushima Floating Torii Gate is a famous photo to get on Miyajima Island and is one of the most famous places for a photo in Japan.
When the tide is high it appears to be floating on the water (hence the name). When I arrived it was low tide but at least then one could walk out close to it. On the way out at the end of the day the sea had come up and submerged the base of it.
The gate is about a ten-minute walk from where the ferry will drop you off.
Itsukushima Floating Torii Gate.
Head to the nearby Itsukushima Shrine after taking a look at the Torii gate. It’s a small complex and the view across to the Torii Gate is superb, especially when it’s high tide and the water is under them.
Itsukushima Shrine.
Praying with monks inside the shrine.
Miyajima Ropeway
The best way to get to the top of Miyajima Island is to take the ropeway (cable car). It’s a several-minute walk from Itsukushima Shrine to the ropeway station.
On the way up the cable cars go close to the forest canopy and offer stunning views.
Miyajima ropeway.
At the top of Miyajima, you can walk around some short trails which take only several minutes or so to do, and enjoy the scenery.
There are two observatories for great views of the surrounding area, the Shishiwa Observatory and the Mount Misen Observatory.
There are a few temples and shrines to see on the top as well. Spend a bit of time up there to take in the peace of the place.
View from the top of Miyajima.
If you are feeling up to it you can also hike back down the mountain on a trail that doesn’t take too long to go down. But if you’re short on time by this point then take the cable car to be safe.
But if you hike down you may be able to see a deer or two.
A deer is seen while hiking on Miyajima.
Back at the bottom check to see what the water is doing around the Floating Tori Gate as it may by now be different from when you came in, allowing for different styles of photos.
Myself at the Itsukushima Floating Torii Gate with the water up.
Depending on how late you plan to go back to Osaka, you could see some of Hiroshima at night and enjoy the city’s buzzing energy, like most Japanese cities have.
Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome at night.
Take a walk around the streets a bit and soak up the modern vibe that can be found in all of Japan’s big cities.
There are plenty of shopping malls to visit as well as the usual food centres and gaming areas.
Naturally, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to enjoy food and a drink to relax after all your exploring.
Hiroshima is famous for its okonomiyaki so try and grab one for dinner before going from Hiroshima to Osaka.
Hell, I would do a day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima for one of the okonomiyaki there! Yes, they’re that good.
Hiroshima okonomiyaki.
One of the main streets in Hiroshima.
Hiroshima Day Trip
That all makes for a great day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima. If you plan more day trips from Osaka then my article about the best day trips from Osaka will give you plenty of good ideas.
If you are in the stages of planning your trip to Osaka then you can find and book accommodation in Osaka here on Agoda. Agoda is my favourite hotel booking site for travel in Asia as I often find better deals there than other booking sites.
These are the best things to do in Osaka when you are there.
If you end up choosing to stay in the Hiroshima area instead of doing a day trip from Osaka then be sure to take the ferry and visit Matsuyama to see the historic Matsuyama Castle and Dogo Onsen.
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