Hiroshima and Matsuyama 5-Day Itinerary: Day Five

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

The entire day 5 of our journey was spent trying to get back to Hyogo Prefecture (???). We knew that it would take at least several hours so we went to JR Matsuyama Station (??) by 10am to catch the 10:15am highway bus to Kobe (??). When we got there, we were told that every single highway bus to Kobe for that day was sold out! We should have known better to book ahead of time since it was Silver Week.

Fortunately we could still take the train. We bought the tickets in a rush 3 minutes before the train departed and we were on our way to Okayama (??). I could barely understand what the staff at the gate said but I believe she said that our tickets weren't for the express train so we would have to pay more on board. We did not want to wait an hour for the next train so we nodded and rushed onto the train.

Sure enough the train conductor came to check our tickets and notified us that we had to pay a fee. In total, the trip from Matsuyama to Okayama cost 6310 yen for the non-reserved seat option. The journey was 3 hours long and a bit shakey in the beginning since it was going so fast along the curvy coastline but the view was excellent. We were by the water most of the time and it was a sunny day.

Late lunch pho in Himeji

At Okayama, the normal JR trains to Himeji (??) were sold out. We weren't sure whether the JR staff was trying to say that it was sold out for the next few hours or the whole day but we opted to buy the Shinkansen tickets instead. The Shinkansen ticket from Okayama to Himeji for non-reserved seats cost 3220 yen each. The journey was a quick 21 minutes.

Although it cost more than the highway bus option, we were fortunate to have found a way back and be able to find seats in the non-reserved carts during such a busy holiday when everyone was returning to his or her respective cities on the same day.

That is all for my first Silver Week in Japan! We had a packed schedule and visited various places without overtiring ourselves.

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

Hiroshima and Matsuyama 5-Day Itinerary: Day Four

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

Today was a full day city tour of Matsuyama (??) and we purchased a one-day tram pass (500 yen). Our first stop was the Matsuyama Castle which was on top of Mount Katsuyama at 132 metres above sea level. There is a ropeway that takes you up for 2000 yen roundtrip but we opted to walk. There were a lot of stairs and some parts were steep but it wasn't a long walk (around 15 minutes).

Matsuyama Castle

The castle area is free to walk around in but the castle itself cost 510 yen to enter. There were three floors and at the top we could see a panoramic view of the city. No shoes are allowed inside and they provide slippers to wear but you may want to bring/wear socks. The stairs inside the castle were steep but not as steep and narrow as the Himeji Castle ones.

View from Matsuyama Castle

After descending the mountain we found lunch at Ehime Kitchen which was delicious. We took the tram back to the Dogo Onsen (????) area and went to the Dogo Onsen Hanko's tour of where past imperial families have used their facilities 10 times. It cost 260 yen and was a short tour. We opted for the tour instead of bathing at the onsen because it was very crowded during Silver Week.

Dogo Onsen

Next on the agenda was walking from a back route to the Ishiteji Temple (???). We were recommended this path by the person at our hostel and she gave a chuckle when she said there were some strange statues on the trail. The path can be reached going past Dogo Onsen and walking away and uphill from the shopping streets.

On the way you will see a sign that says Youth Hostel. You can follow that sign uphill until another Youth Hostel sign points for you to turn right. Instead of turning right, keep going straight. This part was completely empty unlike the busy Dogo Onsen Arcade a block back.

Entrance to the cave

On the way, there is a kindergarten and graveyard. On the right is an entrance to a cave which is 200 metres long and leads to Ishiteji temple. The large stone on the front roughly resembled a skull. Across the street from the cave further down the road was a broken sign which read "Welcome" in English and another word I did not recognize. There was a scary looking figure carved above the wooden sign. Beyond the wooden sign was a very large dome shaped bronze structure called the Mandala that looked like a space ship behind the gnarly trees that obstructed my vision of it. I was honestly a bit jumpy at this point from all the weird sights.

Walking along the trail, you will see a very large statue of a Buddhist monk named Kobo Daishi. I found out the names of all the strange things I saw in a brochure at the temple but before knowing what they were, it all seemed a bit strange. The land on the sides of the trail were a bit forlorn with an abandoned looking building and stone and colourful crumbling statues watching those who approached on the trail.

Ishiteji Temple

Finally we reached the Ishiteji Temple and the inside was more "normal." There were elements that were common to other Japanese temples but the trail that led to this temple made it feel special. We didn't go into the cave nor the Mandala because they were closed but read this blog post on the entire experience. It was definitely the most adventurous day of our trip.

Since the bathhouse in Spirited Away was inspired by Dogo Onsen, we joked that the unique sights that we saw in Matsuyama must have helped with ideas in the movie as well.

After the goosebump inducing hike, we went to Tsubaki no Yu down the road from Dogo Onsen for a bath. It was a more modern onsen than Dogo and less crowded. It cost 400 yen and you must bring your own towel and soap. Though if you forget, those are available for rental. Using the hair dryer cost 10 yen and the locker also cost 10 yen.

Dogo Onsen and Tsubaki no Yu are known to have really hot water. This was my first public bathhouse experience in Japan so I cannot compare to other public baths but it was certainly much hotter than the baths I have tried in ryokans and hotels. The relaxing onsen soaked away all the tiredness from traveling the last few days and I felt so refreshed despite a bit sleepy.

We ended the night with a nice bowl of udon and re-watched Spirited Away with snacks back at the hostel.

Free public foot bath outside Dogo Onsen Station

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

Hiroshima and Matsuyama 5-Day Itinerary: Day Three

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

We purchased a one-day tram pass (600 yen) and rode it from Miyajimaguchi to the Hondori (??) area which took almost an hour. We roamed around the area and had lunch at Coco Ichi before taking the tram to Hiroshima Port Ujina Terminal.

At the terminal we bought our ferry tickets to Matsuyama (??). There are two types of ferries: car ferry and super jet. The former takes 2.5 hours to reach Matsuyama and the latter takes 1 hour at double the price. There is currently a promotion for foreign visitors to Japan for the ferries. We were able to save 1600 yen for the car ferry option by showing our passports and paid 2000 yen for the one-way ticket.

Car ferry from Hiroshima to Matsuyama

The car ferry is not very frequent so please check the schedule ahead of time here. Although 2.5 hours sounds long, it didn't feel like a burden at all. We sat in the comfortable boat which sold snacks at convenience store prices and enjoyed the view. I really enjoyed the scenery of the ride because there were mountains, islands and blue water in every direction. The port towns that I have seen in Japanese animated movies came to life as we passed by different islands lined with little houses at the base.

Matsuyama Kanko Port

We finally arrived at the Matsuyama Kanko Port by 6pm. The sun was setting and the view was gorgeous. Initially we were going to visit the Mitsuhama Port (???) so we took the train instead of the limousine bus to leave the ferry terminal. It is easier to just take the Iyotetsu limousine bus that will take you straight to the Dogo Onsen (????) area for 620 yen.

We walked about 10 minutes to Takahama Station and rode the Iyotetsu train to Mitsuhama Station (160 yen). It is a one kilometre walk from the station to Mitsuhama Port. We were hungry by that time so we ate dinner at an Italian restaurant across the street from the station. After dinner we figured everything would be closed at the port anyways so we did not walk to the port and instead walked to the JR station.

Not realizing that trains were very infrequent at the Mitsuhama JR station (1 train per hour), we just missed our train and had to wait an hour for the next one. Mitsuhama JR is only 1 stop and about a 5 minute ride from Matsuyama JR station but we had to wait an hour for it. It cost 210 yen.

Dogo Onsen

When the train finally came at 9pm, we were elated and quickly arrived in Matsuyama. From Matsuyama, we took the tram line 5 (160 yen) to Dogo Onsen Station. Our hostel for the next two nights, Sen Guesthouse, was less than 10 minutes walk away. The Dogo Onsen area was still crowded with people in yukata at 10pm. Perhaps this was due to the holiday because the next night at 10:20pm, all the shops were closed and there were much fewer people walking around.

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

Hiroshima and Matsuyama 5-Day Itinerary: Day Two

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

Our hostel, Backpackers Miyajima, was right next to the Miyajimaguchi (???) ferry terminal which was great for going in the morning to avoid the crowds. We took the ferry around 9:30am (180 yen) and although the ferry seemed pretty full, it was not as crowded as what we saw later in the day. I could pay with my ICOCA card when alighting the ferry.

Miyajimaguchi Pier

Soon after exiting the ferry terminal on the Miyajima (??)side, we saw deer. They were tame and allowed people to pet them but they did seem to be seeking food as well. We walked straight to the great Torii (??) and it was relatively low tide in the morning so we could step onto the beach and be a little closer to it. The Torii was pretty standing in the water but it was not nearly as red or clean as it looked in tourism photos.

Cute children playing with tame deer

The Great Torii

After snapping a few photos, we walked through Momijidani Park (?????) to Momijidani Station to take the ropeway up Mount Misen (??), the highest mountain on Miyajima at 535 metres above sea level. If you do not want to walk up to the station, there is a shuttle bus near the Itsukushima Shrine (????) but it is infrequent.

Mount Misen Ropeway

At the station, we had to wait around 40 minutes after buying our tickets before we could board. Roundtrip tickets for the ropeway cost 1800 yen. The ropeway has two segments. The first comes every minute and we got off less than halfway to transfer to the second one which comes every 15 minutes.

Shishiiwa Station Observatory

At the top of the ropeway is Shishiiwa Station and its observatory. The view was already magnificent from the observatory with the blue sky and sea coupled by the beautiful clusters of islands and a broad view of Hiroshima city. However, a 30 minute hike up to the Mount Misen Observatory offered an even more beautiful view. There is no ropeway up to the Mount Misen Observatory so you must hike. It can be done in less than 30 minutes but the trail was pretty crowded so we took our time.

Hike up Mount Misen

There is nothing sold at the top which they warn you about at Shishiiwa Station so please bring enough water! There is a relaxing and shaded rest house where many Japanese families brought bentos to eat and enjoy the view. I wish we had known to do that!

Panoramic view at the top of Mount Misen

It didn't seem so crowded up in the mountain but when we came down from the ropeway and exited Momijidani Park to the main street again, we saw that it was significantly more crowded than it was in the morning. The food stalls were all opened up and the delicious smell of grilled goods wafted over in the air. All the stores and restaurants were filled with people and this was at 2pm.

We walked to Daisho-in temple (???)and it was noticeably quieter than the main strip area near the pier. There were a few flights of stairs up to the temple and it was great to get away from the crowds.

We went back to see the great Torii because it was higher tide than this morning and boats were going through the gates. We left soon after that and made our way to the ferry and back to the Hiroshima side.

This was a great day trip from the city of Hiroshima with gorgeous scenery, roaming deer, quiet temples and delicious food.

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

Hiroshima and Matsuyama 5-Day Itinerary: Day One

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

Silver Week happens every few years when three public holidays follow a weekend making a five day holiday. We were able to take advantage of these five days to explore Hiroshima (??), Miyajima (??)and Matsuyama (??). Keep in mind that Silver Week is one of the busiest holidays after Golden Week in Japan so book your accommodations and transport tickets ahead of time! Many hostels in popular cities like Kyoto (??)may be booked out weeks ahead of time.

Hiroshima Station

This trip was done without the Japan Rail Pass because I did not qualify for one so the prices and budgets may vary if you are using one. We pre-booked our hostels in Hiroshima and Matsuyama about a month before the trip and bought Shinakansen tickets from Himeji (??) to Hiroshima about two weeks ahead. This may not be necessary but there was a long queue at the station so it is best to be prepared if it can be pre-booked.

We started off our journey in Himeji and took the Shinkansen to Hiroshima which took about one hour (7770 yen). We arrived in Hiroshima in the afternoon and proceeded to find lunch. There was a tourist booth outside the JR Hiroshima Station and I asked the person for recommendations to eat the famous okonomiyaki. He pointed us to Ekimae Hiroshima Okonimi-hiroba which was just across the street from the station.

Oyster okonomiyaki

Taking the elevator up to the 6th floor, we found many okonomiyaki shops. We didn't really know how to choose among them so we chose one with enough seats for the three of us and assumed they all tasted good. I ordered the oyster okonomiyaki because oyster is another thing Hiroshima is famous for. For 1500 yen, the okonomiyaki had six plump oysters and I was happily full.

Next we walked back to the JR station to the Shinkansen-guchi exit where the Hotel Granvia was to find the Hiroshima Meipuru-pu (sightseeing loop bus). A one-day pass cost 400 yen and it took us to various sightseeing spots without having to look up directions. However, the bus is not as frequent as other modes of public transport so you may not want to opt for the loop bus if you are tight on time.

Atomic Bomb Dome

We first went to the Atomic Bomb Dome and walked toward the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Although there were a lot of tourists, the Peace Park was big so we did not feel crowded. As well, everyone was respectfully reading the plaques and moving along.

On the way to the museum we past by the Children's Peace Monument and the Cenotaph for the A-bomb victims. The Fountain of Prayer is on the other side of the museum coming from the A-bomb Dome.

Children's Peace Monument

Cenotaph

The museum cost 50 yen and lockers were free to use with a 100 yen coin that was refunded when unlocked. At the entrance of the museum were photographs of the mushroom cloud caused by the bomb and the inside talked more in detail about the bomb itself and the aftermath. In addition to the model of the city to show where the bomb was dropped and how much it destroyed, one of the most powerful pieces for me were the roof tiles that were warped into unrecognizable shapes from the extreme heat. If sturdy roof tiles could be changed like this, I cannot even begin to imagine what the people felt at the time.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

A meipuru-pu bus stop is near the Fountain of Prayer and the museum so we boarded that and went to Hiyajima Koen where the public Manga Library is. I personally don't read manga but it was pretty interesting to see this public library filled with manga when I usually associate public libraries with different types of books not exclusive to manga.

For dinner we tried another famous Hiroshima dish called Tsukemen which are cold noodles served with a dipping sauce on the side. We could choose the spiciness level and the sauce had many sesame seeds.

We walked back to the JR station and took the Sanyo Line to Miyajimaguchi Station to find our hostel for two nights called Backpackers Miyajima. The train ride was about 30 minutes and cost 410 yen. The staff was very friendly and I was surprised they even knew me by name after the first night!

View from rooftop of Backpackers Miyajima

Read Day 1 here - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Manga Library
Read Day 2 here - Miyajima, Mount Misen
Read Day 3 here - Ferry to Matsuyama
Read Day 4 here - Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Onsen, Ishiteji Temple
Read Day 5 here - Return journey

Nagoya and Kyoto: 4-Day Itinerary

Since moving to Japan, I have been looking forward to seeing more of the country. For the first weekend getaway, I chose to visit Nagoya and Kyoto. I took a Friday and Monday off work but this itinerary is possible in two days if you don't opt for the slow train.

I traveled with the Seishun 18 pass (??18???) by JR which allows unlimited rides on local and rapid JR trains for 5 days for 11,850 yen. It is only offered during specific times of the year. I wasn't eligible for the tourist JR pass so I tried this one instead. I used HyperDia to search for the train times and it was immensely helpful because it is in English and tells you which track the train departs from.

When using the Seishun 18 pass, walk to the gate attendant and show him or her your ticket. If it is your first time using it that day, he or she will put a date stamp. Every time afterward, just show the attendant the date and he or she will wave you to pass.

Day 1 - Kyoto (??) and Nagoya (???)

Toji Temple

It happened to be the 21st of the month and the Toji Temple area (??) in Kyoto had its monthly outdoor market. We stopped in Kyoto on our way to Nagoya. The Special Rapid Train from Kobe - Sannomiya Station (??) to Kyoto Station took about an hour. From Kyoto Station, it was a short bus ride and walk to Toji Temple. A single bus ride is 230 yen for adults and an all day bus pass costs 500 yen.

Toji Temple Market

Japanese food handmade craft

The market was crowded with locals and tourists. An assortment of foods, crafts, clothing and more were sold there. It's worth going if you happen to be in town on the 21st but I don't think it is a must-see like some articles claim.

After our brief stop at Toji Temple, we took the train again to Nagoya which required a transfer in Maibara (??) and took two hours. The ride was long and luckily we got seats but the Seishun 18 pass only allowed non-reserved seat trains so you may have to stand for a long time to reach your destination.

When we finally arrived in Nagoya, we headed straight for our accommodation which was Kyoya Ryokan. If you're looking for a budget option, I highly recommend this place! For the price it was clean, hospitable and comfortable. Nagoya Castle and Nagoya Station were both about 15 minutes walk away.

Miso katsu

It was already evening when we arrived at Kyoya and the castle was closed for the day so we set out to find the famous miso katsu for dinner. We ended up eating at Yabaton (????) at the Nagoya Lucent Tower. I'm not sure if this is the most famous place for miso katsu but they had an English menu and the food tasted good.

Day 2 - Nagoya

Check-out time at Kyoya was 9:30am and we left the place a little before then. We went to  Nagoya Station to lock our baggage in the coin lockers then went to the city bus area. A day pass for the bus costs 500 yen and for the bus and subway costs 600 yen. From Tuesday to Sunday, there is a sightseeing bus (included in day pass fee) that loops around all the tourist spots of Nagoya including Nagoya Castle and the Toyota Museum. There was even a tour guide on board explaining each sightseeing spot in Japanese.

Nagoya Castle

We went to Nagoya Castle first. The area surrounding the castle is pretty large. Inside the main building, there were six floors of exhibitions showing the history and origins of the castle.

Model of castle and surroundings

Hommaru Palace

After the castle, we took the subway to Osu Kannon Temple (????). I believe that dancing occurs here during Obon festivities. Next to the temple is the Osu Shopping Street which housed many food stalls, restaurants, clothing stores, and more. One could easily spend hours here.

Osu Kannon Temple

Osu Shopping Street

We ate a late lunch in the area and went back to Nagoya Station to get to Kyoto. Apparently Nagoya Station is the largest train terminal building in the Guinness World Records. The ride took two hours.

Yasaka-jinja Shrine looking out to glittering traffic of Gion

In Kyoto, we took a bus to Gion Q-beh Ryokan. It was a clean place in a good location. It was a few minutes walk from Yasaka Shrine (????), 10 minutes walk from the Geisha district and 15 minutes walk from Kiyomizudera Temple (???).

We dropped off our things and went to explore the charming streets of Gion (??). We were fortunate enough to see a maiko walking past quickly in the Geisha district. 

Day 3 - Kyoto

We had a very packed day trying to visit as many sightseeing spots as we could. We made a loop around the city starting with Arashiyama (??). We took a bus there which took about an hour from Gion. A bus day pass costs 500 yen and are sold on the bus. The area was crowded with tourists (running theme of this day) and omiyage stores.

Tenryu-ji Temple

Bamboo Forest

We walked past Tenryu-ji Temple (???) which is a World Heritage site but we did not go in. Despite the crowds, the Bamboo Forest was able to give a calming feel when you look up and watch it sway in the wind. No wonder this was a popular spot. Finding a bus to Kinkakuji (???) proved frustrating because the bus stop signs were all in Japanese and there was minimal useful English to be found.

Since it was a weekend, buses did not stop at certain stops and we could not read the signs that instructed where they would stop. It was especially irritating in the hot 30C sun. Finally, we asked a shopkeeper and she directed us in the right direction. In fact, she even had a drawn out map so tourists probably ask her a lot.

Kinkakuji - The Golden Pavilion 

Crowds at Kinkakuji

The bus to Kinkakuji was about another 45 minutes. This was the most crowded of all the places we went to but probably also the most famous. It cost 400 yen to enter. There is a path around and away from the Golden Pavilion, so your photo opportunity is at the beginning.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Passing through the torii gates up the mountain

Next we took a bus and subway to Fushimi Inari Taisha (??????). The subway cost 210 yen one way. You can also take a JR train to get there. We spent about 40 minutes walking up the path under the torii gates and reached less than half way. Though if you have the time, I would recommend walking up higher to avoid the crowds that cluster at the bottom. It was a pleasant walk because it was shaded by the trees. 

Day 4 - Kyoto

For the last day, I only had time to visit Kiyomizudera and Nishiki Market (???) because of the long train ride back to my town. Since the ryokan was so close to Kiyomizudera, I was able to go quite early just as the first tour bus rolled up. This temple offered a view of the city because it is situated higher up.

Kiyomizudera

Kiyomizudera

I was there before 10am and many of the stores at Nishiki Market were not open yet though I can imagine it'd be hustling and bustling when it is fully open. There were many food stores and would probably be a good place to buy souvenirs.

Nishiki Market

Nishiki Market

I look forward to visiting Kyoto again in another season and to eat more matcha things!