Hiroshima is about a 2 hour shinkansen bullet train ride away from Osaka. When I was planning my trip, I thought that I should go to Hiroshima so allocated more days in Osaka. I’m glad I just did a day trip from Osaka. Hiroshima is home now to about 2 million people which is a lot less people than the 19 million in Osaka and 37 million in Tokyo.

I joined a day trip which was quite pricey but to have to tour organised and transportation included, to me, was worth it. Up nice and early, I met my tour group at Osaka station and we boarded the bullet train to Hiroshima where we were met on the other side and ushered into a bus.

Hiroshima doesn’t need much of an introduction. It’s the first city that was targeted by a nuclear weapon in the 2nd World War where about 150 000 civilians and soldiers were killed. Most were civilians.

Our first stop was the Atomic Bomb Dome which still stands today and is a reminder of the atrocities that have occurred. We are lucky to have it still remaining as evidence and a site of remembrance as there was much debate after the war whether this reminder should be destroyed. Once a beautiful Industrial Hall, the steel dome skeleton and some concrete walls remains.

Across the river lies the Memorial Peace Park. Throughout this entire area, there are different monuments to remember all those who had lost their lives. There was a Children’s Peace Monument, as during the war, children were mobilised as workers as well with many being in the area at the time the bomb dropped. Paper cranes are folded by current school students and on display here.

Behind the Victims Memorial Cenotaph, a fire burns, said to be extinguished once there are no more nuclear weapons on Earth. But everyone calls it the eternal flame.

We went into the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum which was saddening and a little painful to be in. There were many visitors and it was quite squishy inside to be able to read and see everything on display. People were sniffling around me holding back tears which made me want to hurry through before I started crying too.

After our sombre morning, it was time for lunch and we were treated to a Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. It’s a savoury pancake and Hiroshima style is to have it all layered and not mixed. Egg, noodles and pork and then a delicious sauce on top. I was so hungry, I completely finished the whole thing!

After lunch, we took a bus and then ferry to Miyajima Island which is a huge semi-rural island with hiking mountains. This island is famous for the huge floating Itsukushima torii gates (at high tide). Once you get of the ferry, there is the Miyajima Omotesandō Shopping Street where you can get ice cream, oysters, drinks and the island’s famous maple leaf sweets (Momiji manjū) which is red bean paste inside of a buckwheat type dough. There are many different filling types if you don’t want red bean (I went with a custard one).

Watch out for the deers, they were a little aggressive and not shy about getting up close and personal in your pockets and bags!

At the end of the shopping street is the Itsukushima Main Sanctuary (shinto shrine) which also is “on water” at high tide. It’s a beautiful open shrine which is said to be constructed around 1168. It’s dedicated to the goddesses of the seas and storms.

Miyagima Island would be a beautiful place to stay for a few days to be able to see more of the island and do some walks although I’m not sure how travel friendly the island is.

It was then time to head back to Osaka. Hungry already, I bought a bento box at the station. These bento boxes sold at stations to accommodate shinkasen go-ers are hugely popular. There was a lack of hot food being sold and I suspect this is so you don’t smell the entire carriage with your food choices so all the bento boxes I saw were cold. Mine was an array of vegetable options with some onigiri (rice with seaweed).

Is Hiroshima a place you would like to visit one day? Are there any other places in Hiroshima that we should check out? I would love to know.