Hiroshima, Japan Travel Guide: Miyajima Island, Peace Park & the BEST Okonomiyaki!

Hiroshima, Japan Travel Guide: Miyajima Island, Peace Park & the BEST Okonomiyaki!

After three months of exploring Japan, I have found one of my new favorite cities, Hiroshima. We took a day trip to the beautiful Miima Island, home of the Itsukushima Ginga. We also enjoyed fresh oysters and made friends with some of the locals on the island. We tasted the unforgettable Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, a savory pancake made fresh to order. Lastly, we paid our respects at the Atomic Bomb Museum, learning about this city’s profound history. Join us in this video as we experience the flavors and sights of Hiroshima. We began our journey by traveling from Fukuoka to Hiroshima on the Shinkansen. Of course, we got some food to enjoy during the [Music] ride. After an hour of travel time, we arrived at Hiroshima station. We’re in Hiroshima. First up on the itinerary was a visit to Miaima Island. This island is located near Hiroshima and is known for fresh oysters, roaming deer, and the famous Itsukushima Ginga. To get to the island, we took a 30-minute train ride from Hiroshima station to the port. After the train ride, it was a short walk to the ferry port where the fairies depart every 10 minutes. Once on board, it was very calming to be on the water surrounded by the green mountain side. The fresh air and cool breeze felt refreshing during this humid Japan summer. The ferry ride was very quick and we caught our first glimpse of the toriate. Taking our first steps on the island, we are greeted by some of the local deer. Roaming free around the island, the deer interact with locals and tourists similar to Nara Deer Park. Very impressed with the beach here. Soft sand, warm water. Didn’t expect to find this here. Very nice. After a short walk, we arrived to the Itsukushima Ginga. Considered one of the three scenic views of [Music] Japan. This tori gate appears to be floating over the water during high tide and can be accessed on foot during low tide. During our visit, the tide was receding, allowing for closer access to the torigate and exposing thousands of hermit crabs along the shoreline. When we first arrived, we came here at high tide. Now, it’s almost low tide. At 1600, it’s currently 1500. Quite a different vibe here. On low tide, you can walk over to the shrine, but on high tide, you get the nice water background. All right, having a great time here. As always, we sampled some of the local food delicacies special to the area. Along the Miaima and Mottoando, there are many food and drink vendors. Miaima is known for their oysters that are collected from the nearby shore. Every morning div. The popular way to enjoy these oysters are grilled with added flavors such as butter, soy sauce, cheese or miso butter. Show you oyster. Salty, buttery. It’s great. These oysters were tender and sweet with complimenting flavors from the butter and soy sauce. The next food item we tried was mumiji mangju. We watched as the dessert was being freshly made on the automatic assembly lines. This pastry is typically filled with red bean or cream. This is mumiji mangju. It’s the dessert here. It’s shaped in the maple leaf. We got the cream version. Here we go. Wow. The cream is very thick. It’s warm. We make it right back here. Next, we boarded the ferry and headed back to the city of Hiroshima for a much anticipated culinary adventure. For dinner, we went to Okonomi Mura. This is a four-story building with local vendors specializing in only one thing, Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. Osaka style okonomiyaki is made by mixing the ingredients in a batter that is then cooked on a griddle. The Hiroshima style is unique because of the layering of different ingredients such as noodles, egg, meat, and seafood. We were so surprised to see the different okonamiyaki flavors served at each of the stalls. This dish starts with a thin crispy base made of batter and cabbage. On top of that, you’ll find a wide variety of ingredients from shrimp, squid, octopus, and pork belly. This mountain of ingredients are then flipped and steamed on the griddle. At the same time, the noodles are prepared for the base. It was very exciting to watch the chef interact with the customers while constructing each dish so quickly and efficiently. The final product was finished with the okonamiyaki sauce, onions, and a poached egg. We were so impressed by the size of each okonomiyaki and doubted our ability to finish it. Before coming to Japan, this was one of my top dishes that I wanted to try. After trying, I can say that this is one of my favorite Japanese foods. The flavor is so complex with the sweetness of the okonamiyaki sauce to the saltiness of the meat and noodles. Each ingredient comes together to make, in my opinion, the perfect dish. We just finished eating some okonamiyaki. It was so delicious. To me, it’s the perfect meal. You got your vegetables, you got all the meat, the seafood, and the noodles. They load it up here okonom Hiroshima style. Mhm. The place we went to, the ambiance was so fun. The chef was so nice and so friendly. Amazing. Yes. 10 out of 10. 10 out of 10. I’m so full. Let’s go again. The next morning, we headed to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. This memorial was built to remember and honor the victims of the atomic bombing in 1945. The Genbaku Dome was the Hiroshima Prefectural Promotion Hall and was used for exhibition and events. Despite the bomb detonating directly above the dome, it is one of the few buildings that remained. Today, the dome is a UNESCO World Heritage site for world peace and nuclear disarmament. The children’s peace monument stands for all the children impacted by the atomic bomb. Beneath are thousands of paper cranes that are folded from all over the world. Next, we pass the senotap for victims of the atomic bomb which aligns perfectly with the peace flame in Genbaku. Entering the Hiroshima Peace Museum, we are met with panoramic images of the city pre-bombing. Then, after passing the sign dated August 6th, 1945, we viewed the same area as a barren landscape with a frame of the dome still intact. Touring the museum took about 2 hours and contained artifacts, photos, testimonials, and artist depictions of the time. As we progress, we learned about the immediate and long-term impact of this attack. In contrast to the destruction, the museum ends calling for world peace. The museum highlights international efforts for nuclear disarmament, Pope Francis call for peace, and the recent G7 international summit. Overall, this museum offers a time for reflection, remembrance, and a hope for a peaceful future. On our final morning in Hiroshima, I stumbled across this shop serving okonomiyaki tayyaki. Typically filled with cream or red bean, this was unique to the Hiroshima area. Tayyaki. Oh my gosh. The noodles are in here. The cabbage is in here. Here you go. That good. You got it all. Oh my god. Oh my god. Right. The mayo. So much sauce. This tayyaki had the same amazing flavors of okonamiyaki between a sweet crust. Departing from Hiroshima. It was a great time. See you again. We had so much fun exploring Hiroshima and I know that we will be visiting again in the future. Thank you for watching and we’ll see you in the next Japan video.

🗾 After 3 months in Japan, I finally visited one of my favorite cities: Hiroshima. From the beauty of Miyajima Island to the powerful history of the Peace Memorial Park, this video takes you through unforgettable sights, flavors, and reflections.

We tried Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki at Okonomimura, tasted fresh grilled oysters on Miyajima, and explored the iconic floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine.

🕊️ Our journey ends with a powerful visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum — a deeply moving experience every visitor to Japan should see.

📍 Highlights in this video:
00:00 – Intro + Shinkansen to Hiroshima
00:48 – Ferry to Miyajima Island
01:53 – Floating Torii Gate + Shrine
02:32 – Grilled Oysters + Momiji Manju
03:43 – Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki at Okonomimura
05:30 – Peace Memorial Park + Museum Tour
06:51 – Final Impressions