Day Trip from Kyoto
Day Trip from Kyoto to Hiroshima & Miyajima
Travel Time
1 hr 40 min by Nozomi Shinkansen from Kyoto Station
Round Trip Cost
¥18,440 (Shinkansen round trip, covered by JR Pass)
Hiroshima and Miyajima Island are Japan's most emotionally resonant day trip — accessible from Kyoto in just 1h40m by Nozomi Shinkansen. The Peace Memorial Park delivers a profound historical experience, while a 10-minute ferry brings you to Miyajima's iconic floating torii gate and wild deer roaming the island.
Highlights
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum
- A-Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome) — UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Miyajima Island's Itsukushima Shrine and floating torii gate
- Mount Misen ropeway — panoramic Seto Inland Sea views
- Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki — distinct from Osaka style
Model Day Trip Itinerary
Depart Kyoto Station on Nozomi Shinkansen to Hiroshima (1h40m) — book tickets in advance or use JR Pass
Arrive Hiroshima Station — take tram #2 or #6 to Genbaku Dome-mae stop (15 min)
A-Bomb Dome — stand at the preserved ruin opposite the epicenter. Entry free to grounds
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park — Children's Peace Monument, Peace Bell, Flame of Peace (free)
Peace Memorial Museum (¥200) — essential context for the 1945 atomic bombing; allow 60–90 minutes
Lunch: Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki near Hondori arcade (Okonomimura building has 25 restaurants)
Take tram to Hiroshima Port, ferry to Miyajima Island (10 min, ¥220; JR Pass covers JR Miyajima Ferry)
Itsukushima Shrine (¥300) and the iconic O-torii gate — at high tide it appears to float; check tide times in advance
Wild deer encounter on the island — more deer than in Nara and less crowded
Mount Misen ropeway (¥1,100 one way) for panoramic Seto Inland Sea views and 7th-century temple ruins
Return ferry to Hiroshima Port, then tram to Hiroshima Station
Depart Hiroshima on Nozomi Shinkansen, arriving Kyoto approximately 19:30
Stay Overnight? — Highly Recommended
Staying overnight in Hiroshima lets you visit Miyajima at low tide (when the torii gate rises from sand), spend a full morning at the Peace Museum, and experience the island's quieter evening atmosphere after day-trippers leave.
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