2 days in Hiroshima

Japan › KansaiFebruary 2, 2026
2 days in Hiroshima

I was in Tokyo for work early December. On the 6th, I took the Nozomi 1, the very first train at 6:00am from Tokyo to Hiroshima.

I arrived in Hiroshima really early around 9:30am and went straight to Mitaki-dera, a Buddhist temple located in the south side of the city. The temple ground is huge, well maintained, had multiple waterfalls, and filled with maple trees. However, I barely missed the peak foliage season so the trees were not at their best, and there were a ton of leaves on the ground. I would love to re-visit during the peak season next time. I ended up spending around 2 hours at the temple and took many interesting photos.

After visiting the temple, I recommend having lunch or a cup of coffee at Mitaki Chaya, a traditional Japanese tea house located right outside the temple. The beef bowl and macha soba set with complimentary coffee and soft serve for 1700yen was delicious!

After lunch, I checked into the Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima, a budget hotel located in the heart of the city and within walking distance to main attractions like Peace Park, Hiroshima Castle, and the Atomic Bomb Dome. I went for a walk at the attractions mentioned above, and then walked to Hondori street, which is a pedestrian-only street with lots of shops and restaurants. At sunset, I went up the Orizuru Tower to have an overview of the city, and folded a crane to contribute to the "Hope" project. The city was quiet, peaceful, and really beautiful. I took a ton of photos and these are some of my favorites.

Around dinner hour, a lot the restaurants around Hondori street were packed, I ended up waiting in line for about 20 minutes at Kome Kome Shokudo for a oyakodon and a bottle of Asahi. It was delicious!

The next day, I walked towards the eastern side of the city around Minami Ward. I visited the Museum of Contemporary Art, Hijiyama Park, and very interesting library filled with manga and anime. It was another very sunny day and I took lots of street photos.

I had lunch at Chermside Sandwich and cafe and ordered their flagship Tsukimi Box. The sandwich was gigantic! With over 200g of wagyu beef that melts in your mouth. I initially thought it was too much, but it was so delicious that I ended up finishing it.

I have a whole day planned for Miyajima on day 3, but the island is so distinct from the city that I couldn't wait until tomorrow. I ended up taking the high-speed boat from Peace Park a day early just to get my first look at the island. It was the right move—it's such a whole new experience that it definitely deserved that extra afternoon of exploration.

Miyajima feels like stepping into a living postcard where the boundary between the spirit world and the natural world is intentionally blurred. I had so many amamzing photos of Miyajima, you can check them out in the dedicated Miyajima blog post.

Boat to Miyajima

Places of interest

Restaurant recommendations

Hotel