Staying in Miyajima or Hiroshima

6 comments

1. Most Miyajima shops cater to day trippers and/or people staying in ryokans which provide dinner. If you want to experience ryokan/minshuku stay on Miyajima and book somewhere with half board, if you want to stay in a regular hotel and choose your own dinner then definitely stay in Hiroshima.

2. I would say it depends on what you want to experience. I spended a night in Miyajima in 2016 and it was nice to see the sunset there. Most tourist are gone at night. My hotel was a traditional house (no dinner service) but we really enjoyed that vibe and specially the traditional ofuro bad.
   I would say if you want peace, and you are planning to stay at a nice location, miyajima is nice, but if you prefer people and choice of restaurants, I would chose Hiroshima.
   At that time I appreciated a break from big cities, I must admit.

3. If you have money for the ryokan stay on the island then do that.

   Otherwise its not a long trip from Hiroshima.

   I did a day in the city and a day on the island including a hike to up and down the mountain

4. when we were there a few years ago, there was like one place still open after 8pm. we ate there and it was much better than I expected. if you are into nightlife, don’t stay there.

   Tbh I never regretted it (on the contrary), the night on the almost empty island is great and the early morning too. We bought coffee and watched a young initiate cleaned the temple… we were like the only people around.

   +1: this was the only time we stayed in a ryokan, if we can avoid those in the future, we will, it’s just not for us. but at least that’s another thing checked on our list…

5. We stayed in Hiroshima and did the day trip to Miyahima.

   Also – okonomimura.

6. Stay at Iwaso on Miyajima. Take the cable car to the top of Mt Misen if it’s open.