Next February i'm joining a homestay program in Hiroshima, i'll stay with a host family from the 6th to the 16th but i'm arriving a couple of days earlier to visit other stuff by myself and i wanted some advise cause it's my first time travelling alone and i'm a bit nervous, specially cause i'm a girl and i'm from a very sexist country so, yeah…
A couple of things before starting. I’ve been studying Japanese for a few years (got the N4 in 2023) so I know a little bit of language and this will be my second time in Japan (did the golden route with a little group) but first time alone.
My Ideal Itinerary for now is this:
- 1st day – I’m arriving on the 3rd around noon. Checking in to the hotel (near memorial) and then I’m free to visit. I went to the memorial last year but it was a bit rushed so I would like to do it again but I don’t think the first day may be a good idea cause I think I’ll be free after 3pm and the museum close at 6pm so I’m wondering if there other niche things that I could visit? I definitely want to see Shukkei-en park.
- 2nd day – Daytrip to Takehara. I know that you can scroll through the Takehara Townscape Preservation Area and see a few of the temples, but it’s enough to last for a day? This daytrip is the one that I have more trouble with.
- 3rd day – Daytrip to Iwakuni. I have almost everything planned for this, hopefully nothing will go wrong… if my calculations are correct, I can easily visit all of the following in a day. Kintaikyo bridge, Kiko Park and the three museums around the area, then Iwakuni castle and while I’m going back to the station, a little bit of shopping plus the shirohebi shrine. Then back to Hiroshima.
- 4th day – Check out, leave the luggage in a locker and then go and visit Hiroshima Castle. Afternoon nothing planned cause I’ll have to be in Fukuyama by 5pm. I checked the transportation and I have to take the Sanyo Shinkansen. (I have a question about it!)
From the 6th to the 16th morning I’m with the host Family and I know already that we will visit Onomichi and Tomonoura. I’ll be by myself again from the 16th and my plane will leave on the 18th evening. So I was thinking about visiting the Memorial the 16th but I have no clue on what to do next?
About the Shinkansen:
Last year i traveled with an agency that had has buy the 1 Week Train Pass to use the shinkansen, but I won’t need it now cause I’ll only take Sanyo Shinkansen once. I checked the price for the route and they don’t look too expensive which is making me wonder if I’m missing something. Do have I to buy something more? Is the Sanyo Shinkansen not the same Tokyo-Kyoto one so it’s less expensive? I looked on this website. Price apperently is Basic 1980Y, Reserved 3060Y, on the Shinkansen Sakura (for SHIN-OSAKA).
by erzamj