Moopon

1. Once visitors exit immigration and customs at Kansai Airport, visitors will be on the 1st floor. Follow the signs for “Railways”, taking one of the 4 escalators or 3 elevators to arrive at the 2nd floor.

2. Once on the 2nd floor, follow the signs to one of several walkways and walk across the road to Kansai-airport Station. Visitors need to exit the air terminal building to arrive at the JR Station (two separate buildings connected by a walkway). Two train companies use Kansai-airport Station: JR (blue/green) and Nankai (orange). Only JR can take visitor to the platform Haruka departing from. DO NOT use Nankai.

3. Before entering tickets gate, find JR Ticket Office where visitors can purchase ticket or reserved ticket for JR train.(there is a huge sign in English above their head).JR ticket office staff may or may not speak English, but they can read place names and train types written in the Roman alphabet. 

4. With one’s tickets, go through JR ticket gate and take an escalator to get to Platform 4.

The Mazda Motor Corporation　was founded in Hiroshima in 1920. It still keeps its corporate headquarters in the city of its birth place. Besides the headquarters, Mazda possesses a large plot of coastal land which accommodates R&D (research and development) laboratories, factories, and shipping facilities. The company museum and part of a factory are made available to visitors.

Although Mazda is not as large as Toyota, Mazda plays a large role in Hiroshima's economy, like Toyota dose to Nagoya.  Producing over a million cars a year, It is an innovative player in the Japanese auto industry. For instance, in 1991 Mazda became the first and only Japanese company to win the Le Mans Grand Prix with 787B. Mazda continues efforts to create more efficient vehicles include improving its version of rotary engines.

Reservations are required for the Mazda Museum tour and can be made by telephone or via its website, the URL is below. Reservations can be made up to a year beforehand. Tours for individual travelers are offered once a day in English and Japanese.

Visitors to the museum are first gathered at the Mazda head office building. When the tour is scheduled to begin, a Mazda tour guide leads visitors onto a bus to take them to the museum building on the close to grounds of Mazda's Hiroshima Plant.

The museum offers a　digest of Mazda's history, such as a look into the expectancy for its future developments and the technology of its automobiles. The tour then goes through an actual vehicle assembly line, where a variety of different car models being produced. Final location is a shop where Mazda goods are sold. The tour takes a total of 90 minutes.

Access Information

From the JR Hiroshima Station, board a local train to Mukainada（向洋） Station. The one-way journey takes about 5minutes with a cost of 190yen. From arrival station the Mazda Head Office can be reached in a five minute walk.

Facility Information

Tours of the Mazda Museum and Factory are held daily, except weekends and company holidays. The starting time of the English tour is at 10:00 and the Japanese tour at 13:30. The full-length of the tours is around 90 minutes. The tour is free of charge, but a reservation must be made in advance by phone or e-mail.

Mazda official site for reservation http://www.mazda.com/en/about/museum/reservations/

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (広島平和記念公園 ), located in downtown Hiroshima, is the site of where the first atomic bomb was dropped at 8:15 am on August 6, 1945.  The park is dedicated to the victims of the atomic bomb. The park promotes peace while reiterating the horrors of nuclear war.

Within this spacious park visitors will find many structures reflecting peace.  On Peace Boulevard, behind the fountain is the Peace Memorial Museum. Here visitors can witness and learn about Hiroshima’s history and struggle after the attack.

Visitors will see an arched structure, the Memorial Cenotaph, located in the middle of the park. The names of all of the victims of the bomb are written here with the inscription “Let all the souls here rest in peace for we shall not repeat the evil." The structure was constructed on August 6, 1952, with the arch shape reflecting the souls of the victims.

The Peace Flame behind the Cenotaph has been continuously lit since 1964. With a prayer of internal peace, the flame will remain lit until all nuclear weapons have been destroyed and the world is free from the threat of a nuclear war.

Hiroshima Memorial, or commonly known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, lies at the end of park, near the streetcar street (Aioi Street). Known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall at the time, this is the only remaining building near the bomb’s epicenter. Though there was some controversy whether the building should be torn down or preserved, it was decided the Atomic Bomb Dome is an important part of local as well as world history. Though the Dome has been reconstructed a few times, the original architecture was always been preserved in remembrance of the victims.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is the site of the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony held on August 6. There are peace exhibits throughout the park as well as narratives from the survivors of the atomic bomb, storytelling activities for children. Near the Peace Memorial Museum, visitors can find information about experiences translated in English.

On that day, i the evening, paper lanterns illuminated by candles are floated down the river next to the park. For a nominal fee, visitors can create their own paper lantern, with their own message of peace, to be floated down the river. Once the lantern is created, the volunteers will assemble the lantern and assist visitors in floating the lantern. Please be aware, as many people wish to participate in this tradition, there is usually a long line to float the lantern. Whether involved in the creation or not, all visitors to the park can view the paper lanterns floating down the river, the candlelight illuminating the black water.
 

Located near Hiroshima Station, visitors to Hiroshima’s mini-Kyoto garden, Shukkeien (縮景園) are able to view Japan’s seasonal beauty, reflected through nature. A popular spot for tea ceremonies, cherry blossom/autumn foliage viewing, this tranquil garden is visited by locals and tourists.

The name Shukkeien is loosely translated as "shrunken-scenery garden," which is also a good description of the garden. Visitors will find mini-valleys, mini-mountains, even mini-forests within the garden's landscapes. Through carefully cultivated land and vegetation, the garden mimics a variety of natural formations and scenic views.

Shukkeien has a long history dating back to 1620, just after the completion of Hiroshima Castle. The garden displays many features of the traditional aesthetics of Japanese gardens. Around the garden's main pond there are a number of tea houses which offer visitors ideal views of the surrounding scenery.

The entire garden is connected by a recommended path which leads visitors around the pond at the center of the garden. The path passes through all of Shukkeien's various miniaturized sceneries. Following this path around the garden is the best way to enjoy Shukkeien.

Shukkeien is a 15 minute walk from Hiroshima Station. Alternatively, it is a few steps from "Shukkeien-mae" tram stop along tram line 9. From Hiroshima Station, take tram line 1, 2 or 6 to Hacchobori and transfer to tram line 9. The entire journey takes about 15 minutes and costs 160 yen.

The garden has Japanese-style café, offering green tea, sweets, and so on.

Facility Information: 
Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from October to March) 
Closed: December 29th to 31st
Admission: 260 yen

An old fashioned town located along the Seto Inland Sea in the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture, Onomichi (尾道) has many interesting sites and places for locals and tourists to explore. In addition to the temples, museums, parks and gardens, Onomichi is the “Honshu” mainland point for the Shimanami Kaido Bridge.  And is the major port for the small islands within the Seto Inland Sea.

Onomichi is the home to many temples. In the past, rich merchants donated money to build temples within the port town to ensure prosperity. Visitors may choose to explore Onomichi’s famous “Temple Walk” which leads visitors to 25 temples. However, as Onomichi is also famous for its steep slopes, proper footwear is recommended. 

Onomichi is the home to many respected authors, such as Fumiko Hayashi, author of “Horoki” (“Vagabond’s Song” in English) which was adapted into the anime “Wandering Days.” Artists will enjoy looking the museums such as the Hirayama Museum, famous for Artist Hirayama’s Silk Road desert landscapes paintings of Iran, Iraq and China. Many movies have been filmed here, including Yasujiro Ozu’s globally famous film “Tokyo Monogatari.” 

Cyclists love Onomichi and its access to the Shimanami Kaido Bridge, the bridge which connects Honshu to Shikoku. The Shimanami Kaido Bridge has exits and entrances for drivers and cyclists to visit the small islands lying in the Seto Inland Sea. Onomichi, being the Honshu home of the bridge, has cycle rental stores, repair stores, even bicycle storage for those who opt the island hopping via ship.

Yet, there is more to the city of Onomichi. From the old-fashioned family owned business in the covered shopping arcade near the train station, to the modern U2 cycling support facility, there is something for everyone here. Traditional Japan meets Modern Japan with family fun festivals such as the summer fireworks festival or autumn Betcha Matsuri (where local “demons” run around hitting children on the head to knock some sense into them). Beautiful cherry blossom parks in the spring, artwork and history, cycling and temple touring…all available in the small, port city of Onomichi.

Visitors to Hiroshima will find the downtown area of the city located in the center of the city, unlike other Japanese cities. In most Japanese cities, the downtown area is located near the train station. However, in Hiroshima, though the station area has shopping, dining facilities, the commercial and entertainment center, Hiroshima downtown is located in central Hiroshima.

About 10 to 15 minutes away by streetcar from Hiroshima Station, visitors can find many things to do in this area. Visitors looking to purchase electronic items are recommended to visit Tax Free havens Edion or Yamada Denki. Another popular Tax Free store is Don Quixote, located along Chuo Dori near Okonomiyaki Mura (okonomiyaki village).

Hiroshima’s soul food, okonomiyaki is a layered cabbage/pork pancake, containing soba or udon noodles. Though okonomiyaki restaurants are located throughout Hiroshima, there is a high concentration of okonomiyaki stores in the downtown area. Located behind Parco Department Store is “Okonomiyaki Mura”, a building with only okonomiyaki shops.

In addition to the departments stores, SOGO, Fukuya and Mitsukoshi located in the downtown area, visitors will find a pedestrian only, shopping arcade street “Hondori”.  The covered arcade begins near Peace Park, the mini bridge located near the middle of the park, and stretches about one and half kilometers.  Visitors will find stores such as Daiso (100 yen store), convenience store (Lawson), clothing stores and more. Chain coffee shops such as Tully’s and Starbucks are located along Hondori as well as the main branch of the Danish bakery “Anderson’s.”

Hondori is an interesting area. There are chain stores as well as small family owned shops. Visitors can wander the small streets emerging from the main Hondori street to find treasures (such as a vintage Japanese toy shop) or more chain stores (such as the convenience store 7-11). At night, once the stores close, there are street performers. As the performances are not organized, it is difficult to what visitors may encounter. However, common examples of street performers in the Hondori area include guitar/singer performers, fortune tellers, and so on.

Japan and its people are very proud of Shimanami Kaido Bridge, the world’s longest series of suspension bridges, which connects Honshu (Japan’s main island) with Shikoku. Visitors can enter or exit the bridge from either Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture on the Honshu side or from Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku side. This 60 kilometer long bridge-toll road can be utilized by motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Visitors can use Shimanami Kaido to visit Mukaishima, Innoshima, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima, and Oshima islands as the bridge has exits for its users to stop along the Seto Inland Islands on their way to Honshu or Shikoku. Some areas of attractions on the islands include:
**Innoshima Suigun Castle on Innoshima Island. Though not the original castle, the recreated naval castle is modeled after the original castle from the 14th to 15th centuries. Visitors will find a museum about the Japanese navy within the castle.
**Kosanji Temple on Ikuchijima Island. Dedicated to the founder’s mother, the buildings within the temple grounds are modeled after famous Japanese historic structures. This temple has a museum as well displaying rare, high quality antique art pieces.
**Oyamazumi Jinja (Shrine) on Omishima Island.  The deity enshrined at this shrine is the protector of the sailors and soldiers. The shrine is also famous for its collection of historic armor and swords.
**Kirosan Observatory Park on Oshima Island.  Visitors can view Kurushima-kaiyo Strait Bridge, the first three consecutive suspension bridges in the world! In addition, Kurshima-kaiyo Strait, one of the three fastest currents in Japan can be seen here.

In addition to the tourist attractions, visitors can enjoy the fresh sea air, cool sea breeze as well as sunshine on this island hopping bridge.  Visitors will find beautiful beaches on the islands.  There are campgrounds as well as hot spring inns (ryokan) for those who wish to spend the night.

Visitors are recommended to try the local fruits and vegetables these islands are proud of. Citrus is especially popular in this area. The seafood, caught from the surrounding Seto Inland Sea, is delicious as well. Sea bream. Octopus, Shellfish (including short-neck clams and freshwater clams) are but a few of the popular seafood in this area.

The bridge can be accessed by car, moped, bus, and bicycle or on foot. There are ferries as well to the islands with the Shimanami Kaido Bridge in the background. Not just a bridge, toll way connecting the islands as well Honshu and Shikoku, Shimanami Kaido is new way to access, discover and experience Japan treasures. 

Located slightly north from the downtown area of Hiroshima city, is Hiroshima Castle or Hiroshima-jo. The castle was built in 1589 by Mori Terumoto, a member of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s council. Hiroshima Castle is a flatland castle.

The castle tower of Hiroshima Castle was designated as a National Treasure in 1931. However, the castle was destroyed by the atomic bomb.  In 1958, the castle was rebuilt. Visitors today will see both the moat as well as the stone fortress traditionally seen at Japanese castles. The entire castle has been designated as a Historic Site.

Visitors are allowed into the castle for a nominal fee. The interior is now a museum displaying local culture as well as samurai history. The museum allows visitors to try on clothing from the past. Samurai armor, kimono for the ladies are available for those who wish to try them on as a special Hiroshima memory. The castle stairs are quite steep but those who do utilize them to arrive at the top floor of the castle are greeted with a beautiful view of the city.

Visitors may see joggers around the moat as Hiroshima Castle is a popular jogging course. Visitors may also see school students drawing the castle in their sketchbooks. In the spring, the grounds surrounding the castle are famous for cherry blossom picnic. And in the autumn, a “food festival” is held on the grounds surrounding the castle. Local vendors as well as from all over Japan serve mouthwatering dishes at the festival.

Hiroshima Castle held an important role in Hiroshima and its surrounding prefectures in Japanese history. Today, this important culture treasure is a place to laugh, enjoy and create new memories.

Access Information
**10 minute walk from Kamiyacho-nishi or Kamiyacho-higashi streetcar station (12 minutes, 160 yen from Hiroshima Station)
**15 minute walk from the Peace Park or a 10 minute walk from Shukkeien.

Facility Information
Hours: Main Keep: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 on weekdays from December to February)
Ninomaru: 9:00 to 17:30 (until 16:30 from October through March)
Note: Last Entry is 30 minutes before closing time.
Closed: December 29th to January 2nd
Admission: 370 yen (main keep), admission to the rest of the castle grounds is free

Visitors to Hiroshima are strongly encouraged to try Hiroshima local delicacy, okonomiyaki.

Sometimes referred to as a Japanese pancake, okonomiyaki consists of meat, egg, cabbage and noodles (soba or udon) layered into a flour based batter, grilled on a large, heated steel plate. Though the contents vary, the meat used is usually pork, though diners may opt for a seafood version which uses shrimp, squid, octopus or oyster, or a combination of the previously mentioned seafood.  Additional toppings of chopped green onions, cheese, corn, seafood, etc., can be added for a nominal fee. After the okonomiyaki is grilled on the steel plate, it is garnished with okonomiyaki sauce, finely grated seaweed, and bonito flakes. There are restaurants which add mayonnaise as well.

There are variations of okonomiyaki throughout Japan, though Hiroshima and Kansai (Osaka) okonomiyaki are the most famous. Whereas Kansai okonomiyaki is more simple, Hiroshima okonomiyaki is more filling as it uses more cabbage (about 3 times the amount of its Kansai counterpart) and has noodles included in the okonomiyaki (Kansai okonomiyaki does not contain noodles).

Okonomiyaki is available throughout Hiroshima prefecture, though there is a larger concentration of okonomiyaki stores near Hiroshima station and in the downtown area. Behind Parco Department Store is Okonomiyaki Mura, a building containing only Okonomiyaki food stalls. As each okonomiyaki stall is independent, the contents, price and taste of okonomiyaki vary from stall to stall.

In most cases, the chef of the okonomiyaki establishment will prepare the okonomiyaki in a location where diners can observe. Diners wishing to watch the cooking process can opt to try this Hiroshima local delicacy at a food stall (as the diners will sit around the heated large steel plate) or at the counter of a restaurant. However, as the steel plate does emit a large amount of heat, it is quite hot near the cooking steeled plate, so please be careful.

Once the okonomiyaki is prepared, the way it is served varies according to the restaurant.  There are stores which will serve its patrons okonomiyaki on a heated plate, and there are others, which will bring their diners a small skillet containing the warm okonomiyaki. And yet, there are places where diners can eat their okonomiyaki off the large, heated steel plate. Diners have the choice of eating their okonomiyaki with chopsticks or a steel spatula called a hira. Similar to a steel spoon, the hira will preserve the heat the okonomiyaki, making okonomiyaki a great meal during cool/cold weather.  Diners opting to eat okonomiyaki with a hira, please be cautious not to burn the tongue!

A popular food, with healthy vegetables and very reasonable price-wise, visitors to Hiroshima will surely have their stomachs and hearts warmed with this Hiroshima soul food.

Hiroshima most famous and favorite souvenir would have to be Momiji Manju, sweet maple-shaped cakes with various fillings.

Visitors to Hiroshima can find souvenir boxes of momiji manju at department stores, train/airport kiosks and various souvenir stores in the Hondori Shopping Street and Miyajima Island.

There are many tales concerning the origin of the maple leaf shape of these sweets. Among the most famous is that the sweets were created by an observation made by Japan’s first Prime Minister Itoh Hirobumi. Itoh Hirobumi loved Miyajima and would often visit the island and the sacred Misen Mountain. Once during a visit in fall, Hirobumi saw the delicate hands of a young girl serving him tea and exclaimed, “Your hand is like a maple leaf!”  This sparked an idea within the proprietress of an inn, who had her baker create sweets in the maple leaf shape.

In the past, each momiji manju was handmade. However with the onset of technology, they are now produced using machines. Visitors can see the machines in many of the momiji manju stores on Miyajima Island and in some stores in Hiroshima city. Also, there are momiji manju making workshops available for visitors whoh have a desire to create this nationwide favorite Japanese confectionary. One of the places which offers momiji manju making workshops on a regular basis is the Miyajima Traditional Crafts Center. This workshop is offered every day except on Mondays, when the center is closed. Though a small fee will be charged, visitors can create their own momiji manju in about an hour.

Momiji manju has a variety of different fillings.  Traditionally, the sweets were filled with red bean paste, or anko.  However, nowadays the flavors have expanded to additional Japanese flavors of smooth bean paste or koshian, lightly crushed bean paste or tsubuan, white sweet beans or shiroan, chestnuts with bean paste or kurian, green tea or matcha as well as foreign-ish flavors of cheese, chocolate and cream. Hiroshima Seto Inland Sea’s Lemon is new addition as well as various other seasonal flavors.

Though usually baked and eaten solo, the way momiji manju is partaken is expanding. Visitors may wish to try an unbaked “rare” momiji manju. Visitors may find momiji manju in Japanese parfaits in Hiroshima. On Miyajima Island, there are stores which deep-fry momiji manju. The bread like coating is quite crispy with the filling creamy. Be careful not to burn the tongue as cream or cream is quite hot once deep fried.

Whether purchasing a box as a souvenir for friends back home or sampling an individual momiji manju, this small piece of Japanese delight is a delicious symbol of Hiroshima.
 

The Miyajima Museum of History and Folklore (宮島歴史民俗資料館) is located on the island of Miyajima in the Seto Inland Sea. The goal of the museum is to share Miyajima’s colorful history to its visitors.  There are exhibits illustrating Miyajima’s historic significance as well as displays showing visitors about tools residents used in the past. Visitors will also find artwork related to the island’s shrines and its scared ceremonies on display here.

The building in which the museum resides was built over 160 years ago.  It was originally the residence and storage areas of a wealthy soy sauce merchant and his family. Visitors will be able to see this vintage residence as well as the front half of the museum is the preserved residence itself. As common with many traditional homes in Japan, this residence has a traditional Japanese garden which can be viewed from the living quarters of the residence.

Facility Information:
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday) as well as from December 26th to the 31st
Admission: 300 yen

Access Information:
The Miyajima Museum of History and Folklore is a short walk from the exit of Itsukushima Shrine, or about a 15 minute walk from the Miyajima’s Ferry Port.