Howdy all,
I’m planning an 8 day trip to Japan this September after a 3 week backpacking trip in Thailand and thought I’d perhaps stay on Itsukushima as part of my last day exploring the country before returning to Tokyo for my return flight. Originally I had planned to take the train from Osaka (my previous overnight location) to Himeji and visit Himeji Castle, before forging on to Hiroshima before finally heading towards Itsukushima for the sunset to see the Grand Torii Gate there and staying the night.
However, upon some further research it appears as if nearly ever single restaurant on the island closes before 5 PM? I’m wondering if this is just some odd Google Maps quirk or if this indeed the case? Being a solo traveler with just a backpack I had planned to stay at the Miyajima Guest House Mikuniya but if there are virtually no options for dinner or things to do in the evening, I think keeping my original plan of making Hiroshima/Itsukushima a day trip from my already booked lodging in Osaka might be the best bet. Thank you all in advance for any comments or recommendations!
6 comments
You could just stay in Hiroshima. The ferry ride is very short. I’m not sure how late they run but I’m sure you could catch the sunset at Itsukushima and ferry back to Hiroshima where plenty of places are open at least until 9. There are hostels in Hiroshima. I stayed at Roku hostel, it was very homey and social, a good vibe.
>However, upon some further research it appears as if nearly ever single restaurant on the island closes before 5 PM? I’m wondering if this is just some odd Google Maps quirk or if this indeed the case
Yup, the large majority of shops and restaurants will close in the afternoon. Their customer base is tourists who usually all leave by late afternoon. The large majority of tourists staying overnight on the island will be staying at a hotel which provides food so there is just no customer base for dinner.
The guest house may be able to advise you.
You could always bring something relatively shelf stable from a convenience store in Hiroshima, even though that’s not the most exciting meal.
I did manage to find some okonomiyaki for dinner last time I stayed on island, but overall yes most places shut down pretty early!
The hotel we stayed at provided a list of restaurants open late – I believe there are about 6 or 7 options. Make a reservation though! We had a delicious meal at Mame-tanuki