Hiroshima, Japan: Miyajima

I HIGHLY recommend visiting Miyajima if you're anywhere near it. Miyajima is an island just off the coast of Hiroshima and it's beautiful.It is, in fact, one of the top three scenic spots in all of Japan - the other two being the islands of Matsushima and the sandbar of Amanohasidate.

Miyajima has a wonderful, old-fashioned, historical, mystical feel to it.The day I visited it rained all day long, but the fog created by the rain hung over the mountains and dipped into the valleys and created a world that I had really only ever seen in my head. There is a lot to do on Miyajima and I recommend a full day at least.

To get to the island take the JR line to the Miyajimaguchi Station. From there it's a short walk to the pier to catch the ferry. If you have the JR Rail Pass make sure you take the JR ferry, so you don't have to pay. It's a quick 10 minute ferry ride. You can also catch boats from Hiroshima Peace Park and Hiroshima Port, but you'll have to pay for these whether you have a pass or not.


When you get to the island find a map so you can plan out your route. You'll most likely start with the Itsukushima Shrine and its floating torri gate. You should also be able to get a great view of the gate as your boat nears the island. While the gate doesn't actually float, during high tide it appears that way, and nothing holds it down other than its own weight.

Tour the Shrine buildings and boardwalks, and catch some great views of the torri gate. Check the tide charts to make sure you're around to see it during high tide.At low tide it looks like it's just sitting in mud. By this point you've probably noticed the deer all over the island. They are wild, but extremely calm and tame. They aren't bothered in the least by people and will often stand in front of stores and along sidewalks. Don't feed them, but if one comes up to you feel free to pet it. It'll let you. It might even start chewing on your clothes or bags, so be careful.

Continue along the map route to Daisho-in Temple. It's truly amazing. It sits at the base of Mount Misen and is one of the most important temples in Shingon Buddhism. You'll find many different buildings, and even more statues. Along stairways you'll find small pillars inscribed with scripture. Legend says spinning these or touching them as you walk along provides wisdom and luck.

Hakkaku Manpuku Hall

500 Rakan

At Daisho-in Temple

Along the left side of the main path you'll find the stairways lined with the 500 Rakan Statues, each one with a unique face. The path to walk up the stairs is a little obscured, but search around the side of one of the buildings lining the path and you'll find it. Also along the left is the Hakkaku Manpuku Hall - enshrining the Seven Deities of Good Fortune. A complete list of buildings and meaningful statues can be found here.

The main street of Miyajima and some of the streets off of that one have great dining and shopping. Along one of the shopping streets look for world's largest rice paddle - a symbol seen in many Miyajima souvenirs. If you have time for a hike, take the trail up Mt. Misen where more shrines and temples have been preserved. Take the Ropeway for a great view of the primeval forest, or visit the island's aquarium. There is a plethora of things to do during your visit to Miyajima. A great site of all you can do is this one, here, the official Miyajima site.

Hiroshima, Japan : Peace Memorial Park

Chances are if you're visiting Hiroshima you will be visiting Peace Park. It's an amazing place, but obviously makes for a very sad afternoon as well. But I recommend making the stop. It'll give you some new perspectives.

In front of the Memorial Park is the Peace Memorial Museum. It's only 50 Yen to get in, and that's about 50 cents, so you can certainly afford it.


A room on the bottom floor shows two scale models, one of Hiroshima before the bombing and one after. That visual was astounding. Timelines throughout the museum outline the day of the bombing, and stories from survivors are scattered throughout the museum. There are artifacts from Hiroshima as well, melted glass and roof tiles, watches, clothes.

Sadako's Paper Cranes

Another section focuses on the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who survived the bombing but became sick from the radiation. Believing in the story that folding 1,000 paper cranes would grant the folder one wish, she began creating them one at a time. She reached beyond 1,000 but did pass away shortly after. Along with the story and pictures, many of her paper cranes are in the museum.

Cenotaph with the Atomic Bomb Dome in the distance

The museum is sobering, but amazing. It depends on how much you want to read as to how much time you need in the museum, but I would recommend at least an hour. Once through the museum you can wander the gardens and memorials. The main memorial is the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb victims, a large arched memorial over the cenotaph containing the names of all of the victims. The park also has the Children's Peace Monument, based on the story of Sadako Sasaki and built in remembrance of the victims who were children. The monument stands tall with a girl on top holding onto a large crane. Display cases around the monument display paper cranes that school children have sent in over the years.

Children's Memorial

Paper Cranes - Strands of 1,000

The park also is home to the Peace Flame. The flame was lit in 1964 and will stay burning until all nuclear bombs are destroyed throughout the world. The Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound contains the ashes of unidentified victims. There are many more monuments and special sites of remembrance. Check here for a complete list of all that you may want to see.



After wandering through the park you'll come to the Atomic Bomb Dome. This is the only building that was left standing after the bomb was dropped, and today it is still preserved exactly as it was after the bombing. The floors are still littered with rubble and most of it is just a ruin. It's a stark example, on a small scale, of what the bomb did.

If you need a pick me up after the museum and the park there are plenty of streets full of life nearby. Take a streetcar to just about any stop and you'll find shopping and eating centers. If you stumble upon the Don Quixote you should go in, it's a fascinatingly weird store.

For advice on places to stay, check my accommodations blog, and for transportation advice for Hiroshima, check the transportation blog, here.

Kyoto, Japan: Temples and Geisha

Kyoto is a city rich with history, and temples. I would recommend at least two full days to really see Kyoto, if not more. I had about one and a half. Not quite enough to do everything on the itinerary, but still an amazing time.

For some information on transportation I recommend reading my Japan transportation post, here. Buses seemed the best way to go, I thought. And for a Kyoto hotel recommendation, check the Japan accommodation post, here.

While I wanted to visit the Bamboo Forest, and spend more time wandering Gion I spent most of my time visiting the amazing temples of Kyoto. There are many, and then some more. These seem to be the most popular sites to visit.

Kinkaku-ji  (The Golden Pavilion) - 400 Yen - Open 9 am to 5 pm 

It's not hard to imagine the basis for this temple's name - the top two floors are covered in gold leaf. This temple was originally built as a retirement villa (retirement? yes!) for Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, but after his death in 1408 it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai

The structure has been burned down three times, and been rebuilt three times, most recently in 1955 after a fanatical monk set it ablaze. Not very Zen of him. After viewing the temple follow the path around behind it and to the temple gardens. Along the path you'll find a set of stones with a small bowl in the middle. Toss coins at the stones for luck and extra luck I suppose if you can get it in the bowl. You can also purchase prayer candles to light and other souvenirs. Make sure you get your temple book signed (between 300 and 500 Yen to be signed at any temple, while the books range from 1,000-2,000 Yen).  

Ginkaku-ji (The Silver Pavilion) - 500 Yen - Open 8:30 am to 5 pm (9-4:30 Dec-Feb)

In 1482, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, built the Silver Pavilion as his retirement villa, modeling it after his grandfather's Golden Pavilion. (Yoshimitsu, Yoshimasa, not the same name...I know because I read it 4 or 5 times confused). When he died in 1490, this villa was made into a Zen Temple. Despite its name, this temple is not the least bit silver. While it is beautiful, it's just brown. However, they do say when the building was still covered in a black lacquer that the moon's reflection made the temple appear silver. 

Following along the temple's path you'll begin wandering through the gardens. The first thing you'll notice is the sand garden known as the Sea of Silver Sand. And if you're more observant than I am you'll notice the giant cone of sand called the Moon Viewing Platform (I couldn't recall seeing this but inadvertently caught it in a picture just the same). I can't find concrete reason for its existence other than perhaps its likeness to Mt. Fuji.

Sea of Silver Sand, and the Moon Viewing Platform to the far right

Continue on the path through the Moss Garden and up the side of the hill. Quite a few stairs, but worth the little climb. The path at the top overlooks the temple and Kyoto. From there you can also look to a hillside on the right with a red flag marking a Chinese parasol tree. It is the descendant of a tree exposed to radiation during the bombing of Hiroshima.

And don't forget your temple book!

Heian Shrine - Free, 600 Yen for Gardens - 6 am to 5: 30 pm, Gardens 8:30 am to 5 pm

The Heian Shrine may not be as old as the others, built in 1895, but it is just as beautiful. It was built on the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the capital in Kyoto (Kyoto used to be called Heian). Start out on the street and admire the giant torri gate that spans the roadway.

Inside, the main temple grounds are spacious. Take a look around this area for free, then pay the 600 Yen to enter the Garden. I imagine it's magnificent when the cherry trees are in bloom, but the gardens are amazing any day. With streams and ponds scattered throughout, the walk is a nice, relaxing distraction from the bustle of the city. A long bridge spans a large pond where you can grab some bread to feed the ducks and fish. Just drop in 100 Yen.

Get the temple book signed!

Kiyomizu-dera (The Water Temple) - 300 Yen - 6 am to 5 pm

Give yourself plenty of time for this temple. There's lot of paths and hiking, and it's beautifully nestled against the bottom of the mountain. The temple was also added to the UNESCO world heritage site list. Plus there are a few neat things to do around this temple, in addition to getting the temple book signed!

Behind the main hall look for Jishu Shrine, which is dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. In front of the shrine are two stones about 18 meters apart. If you can find your way from one stone to the other with your eyes closed you will have luck in finding love. Or you can have someone guide you between the stones with your eyes closed, but that means you may need an intermediary in your love life as well. When I thought about this for a second and realized 18 meters is about 54 feet and I started to wonder if any of this would be a very good idea. Then I looked up pictures (because I did not have time to look for this when I was there) and it looks like one of the stones is about five feet in front of a flight of stairs. And now I'm sure it's not a good idea. Risk the intermediary in your love life.

Otawa Watefall

After securing your future love, or falling down a flight of stairs, find the Otowa Waterfall.This is much easier. Just take one of the cups on the long pole and hold it under one of the three streams coming from the waterfall. You can then either drink the water or pour it over your hands for fortune in love, longevity, or success. I don't know which is which. But it's greedy to drink from all three, so pick two and take your chances.

Temple book

Several buildings also sit at the temple's entrance, one being Zuigudo Hall, dedicated to the mother of Buddha. You can pay to wander around the pitch black basement (cool?) that symbolizes a mother's womb (not so cool?). Various pagodas also stand around Kiyomizu-dera.

Save time before or after visiting the temple to spend some time on the street leading up to the temple stairs, the Higashiyama District. Lots of stores and places to eat. It is a bit of a hike up through this district and to the temple, as well as within the temple.  

Gion District

If you want to try and spy a Geisha you'll want to spend your evening in the Gion district around the teahouses. You may see a Geisha or a Maiko (Geisha apprentice) on her way to a gathering. Pay attention though, it was just a quick flash when we  may or may not have seen a Maiko escorting someone to a nearby teahouse or restaurant. 

If you don't care about the Geishas, Gion is still a beautiful district with both a new and old feel. Lots of places to eat, several with decks overlooking the city's wide river.

There is so much to be done and seen in Kyoto. The more time you allot yourself the better. For a guide to more temples in the area I recommend checking the website Japan-Guide. They have easy to read, precise information that I've found very helpful.