🌏 Travel Guide to Hiroshima, Onomichi, Kurashiki, and Okayama

🗓️ September trip to the lesser-known Chinese region of Japan, highly recommended for a visit. 🚄 Itinerary: 🔹 Day 1: Land in Osaka, take the Shinkansen to Hiroshima, visit Peace Memorial Park. 🔹 Day 2: Take a ferry from Miyajimaguchi to Itsukushima Island, home to the famous Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii gate, one of Japan's three scenic spots. 🔹 Day 3: Onomichi, cycle 70km along the Shimanami Kaido in the Seto Inland Sea. 🔹 Day 4: Morning at Onomichi's Senkoji Temple, Neko Hairado, and Onomichi City Museum of Art, all close together. Afternoon in Kurashiki, explore the Kurashiki Art District, Ohashi Museum, and Momotaro Museum. 🔹 Day 5: Morning shopping at Mitsui Outlet Park, afternoon in Okayama, visit Okayama Korakuen Garden and Okayama Castle. 🚆 Transportation: Purchase the Kansai Hiroshima 5-Day Pass on the JR Pass website for over 700 RMB, covering Shinkansen, local trains, and the ferry from Miyajimaguchi to Itsukushima Island. Reserve seats for the Shinkansen in advance on the official website, and use the JR Pass for regular trains. 🏰 Hiroshima: Visit Peace Memorial Park if you have time. Mainly explore Itsukushima Island with its massive sea Torii gate, accessible for photos during low tide. The island is filled with deer and temples. Take the cable car to the Misha Mountain Observatory for a panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea. Itsukushima Island is worth spending a whole day. 🌄 Onomichi: A coastal town with a strong artistic vibe. The main attraction is Senkoji Temple, with a Cat Alley on the way filled with many cats, and the Onomichi City Museum of Art nearby. Onomichi is also the starting point of the 70km Shimanami Kaido, perfect for cycling, crossing several bridges over the Seto Inland Sea, ending in Imabari. Reserve a bike on the official website, choose your pick-up and drop-off points. I picked up in Onomichi and dropped off in Imabari, then took the bus back. It's recommended to rent an e-assist bike for easier uphill climbs. Rental fee is about 200 RMB per day. Official rental website: Shimanami Cycle Rental. After booking, download the official app "Shimanami jpn" for cycling routes. 🏡 Kurashiki: A clean and comfortable small city, the Art District is worth a visit, reminiscent of China's Jiangnan area, take a ride on a traditional boat. Nearby is the famous Ohashi Museum and the interesting Momotaro Museum, where JR Pass holders get a discount on admission. Next to Kurashiki Station is a Mitsui Outlet Park, where you can shop if you have time, with an additional 5% discount for JR Pass holders. 🏰 Okayama: Main attractions are Okayama Korakuen Garden and Okayama Castle. Okayama Korakuen Garden is a famous Japanese-style garden with beautiful scenery. Okayama Castle is just across the river from the garden. For shopping, there's Takashimaya and Don Quijote, much less crowded than Osaka. #Cycling #Hiroshima #Kurashiki #ItsukushimaShrine #Travel #Onomichi #ShimanamiKaido #Japan #JapanTravel #JapanTravelGuide