Hiroshima and the JR Pass
I took a day trip to Hiroshima!
Hey everyone! I’m writing this from my hostel in Kyoto (Shiori An, super friendly and super clean! If you need a quiet place to stay, this is your place) but I haven’t actually been in Kyoto all day. Instead, I took a day trip to Hiroshima. It was one of the best trips I’ve had so far while in Japan and I was able to travel to, from, and around Hiroshima all without having to pay for a single ticket and I want to share how.
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The JR Pass. Super convenient!
JAPAN RAIL PASS:
The Japan Rail is an extensive transit system that stretches out all over the country. If you plan on traveling to Japan and know for a fact that you will need to take the Shinkansen and local train lines many times, the Japan Rail Pass (aka JR Pass) is for you! With this pass, you can ride any JR transportation vehicle without having to purchase a new ticket each time – those tickets add up!
JR TRANSIT OPTIONS:
Today, I took the Hikari Shinkansen from Kyoto station to Shin-Kobe station then quickly transferred to the Sakura Shinkansen to get to Hiroshima station. Though this might sound like a huge hassle (it definitely did to me at first) it turned out to be super easy. The Sakura train picked me up at the same place the Hikari dropped me off so I didn’t have to leave my spot. This trip might have cost almost 10,000 yen (~100 USD) but I didn’t have to open my wallet at all when getting my ticket.
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The cutest mascot!
Of course, the Shinkansen is a huge factor in why people purchase the JR Pass but the pass can be used for other JR transit systems! When I arrived at Hiroshima station, I wanted to go to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum but didn’t know how. When I asked at the information booth, I was surprised to learn that there is a local sightseeing bus that goes to all of Hiroshima’s top locations and even better, it is run by JR! The bus is called Hiroshima Meipuru~pu and it has the cutest mascot ever.
The bus has several routes: Green, Orange, and Lemon. Orange and Lemon follow a similar path and Green goes through downtown Hiroshima but all three start at Hiroshima station and will take you to the top sightseeing locations. You can get to the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum (and the stunning, Studio Ghibli-eque Shukkeien Garden), the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum using any of those buses. I was able to visit those three locations using the wonderful bus system but fair warning, they don’t seem to really follow the schedule to be prepared to wait for a while after the scheduled bus arrival time.
I highly recommend all three of those sites. The first place I visited was the Shukkeien Garden and its beauty shocked me speechless. The koi fish also know how to beg for the 100 yen (~1 USD) snacks that visitors can purchase at the entrance. The garden is huge and despite spending an hour there, I left feeling like I didn’t quite see all of it. Entry is only 200 yen (~2 USD) but if you have a university ID, it is 150 yen. Next, I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. It’s a sad place to visit and the video of the survivors’ testimonies is a grim reminder of how awful nuclear weapons are but it is most definitely a place to visit. Entry is only 200 yen (~2 USD). The Atomic Bomb Dome is also a sad place to visit and while I did see it, I did not stay long because of the heartache I felt.
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“Hiroshima, May Peace Prevail on Earth!” -Wanagari Maathai
[image error]The last place I wanted to visit was the Itsukushima Shrine. First, I had to take the local JR San-yo line from Hiroshima station to Miyajimaguchi station (free, of course!). Then I took the JR ferry to Miyajima where the shrine is (once again, free!). Miyajima has a stunning ocean view and because I went in the evening time, it was low tide. While I unfortunately missed seeing the “floating” torii during high tide, it was great to be able to walk under the giant historical landmark and see the bright orange color up close. I also missed the chance to walk into the shrine because I went too late so my advice would be to go earlier in the day! There are also deer that populate the area. They are completely comfortable with people, to a point where they will shove their noses at you to ask for food, and they do not mind being pet.
In short, I used my JR Pass to travel on several Shinkansens, local trains, buses, and a ferry so it was definitely worth getting.
PURCHASING A JR PASS:
Depending on how long you are planning to travel in Japan, you can choose different JR Pass durations. There are 7, 14, and 21 day options. Since I’m only traveling for a week in Kyoto and surrounding areas, I purchased the 7-day pass for 33,000 yen (~296 USD) and considering all the traveling I’ve done so far in just 2 days, I would definitely say this pass is worth it. And if you haven’t yet arrived in Japan, unlike me, it’s even cheaper! It costs 267 USD to purchase the 7-day pass online and have it shipped to your home. Whether you are buying online in advance or you are already in Japan and want to buy one now, head over to the JR Pass website and you will find all the information you need!
Good luck to all you current and future Japan travelers!
