Hiroshima in 5 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
Five days: the city core, Miyajima, and an Onomichi day trip
Five days builds on the 3-day plan with a Saijo sake afternoon and a full day trip to Onomichi. For Iwakuni and a sixth day, see the 6-day itinerary .
| Day | Focus | Rough daily cost |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | A-Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park and Museum | Modest museum fee (verify) + ¥240 tram fares (verify) + food |
| Day 2 | Miyajima: Itsukushima Shrine, Mount Misen | ~¥200 ferry (verify) + ¥100 visitor tax (verify) + food |
| Day 3 | Hiroshima Castle, Shukkeien Garden, Hondori | Modest castle and garden fees (verify) + food |
| Day 4 | Saijo sake district, Hiroshima Museum of Art | Train fare to Saijo (verify) + modest museum fee (verify) |
| Day 5 | Onomichi day trip: temple walk, Shimanami Kaido views | Shinkansen fare varies (verify) |
Day 1: the A-Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park
Start at the A-Bomb Dome, then walk the Peace Memorial Park: the Cenotaph, the Flame of Peace burning since 1964, and the Children’s Peace Monument tied to Sadako Sasaki. The Peace Memorial Museum, Main Building reopened 2019, needs at least an hour and a modest entrance fee (verify). Lunch at Okonomimura, roughly ¥1,000-1,500 a plate for layered okonomiyaki (verify). Buy a Hiroden day pass if today’s plan involves more than three or four tram rides.
Day 2: Miyajima, in full
Tram or JR to Miyajimaguchi, then the roughly 10-minute ferry (around ¥200 one-way, verify, plus a ¥100 visitor tax, verify) to Itsukushima Shrine’s floating torii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Ride the ropeway partway up Mount Misen for the 535m summit view, and try anago-meshi or momiji manju before heading back. Confirm the last ferry time before a late lunch on the island.
Day 3: Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden
Hiroshima Castle is an honest 1958 reconstruction, not the original 16th-century keep the bombing destroyed; confirm current access, since one source flagged possible 2026 closures for structural deterioration. Shukkeien Garden, begun 1620 and reopened in 1951 after sheltering blast victims, is a short tram ride away. Spend the evening at Hondori for shopping and dinner.
Day 4: Saijo sake and the Museum of Art
Take the train to Saijo (roughly 1 hour, verify), where Sakagura Dori runs past ten historic breweries in traditional namako-wall buildings, Kamotsuru and Kamoizumi among them; several offer tastings outside the October festival crowds. Back in Hiroshima, the Museum of Art, founded 1978, pairs Western European and Japanese-Western art for a modest entrance fee (verify). End the day early; tomorrow starts with a Shinkansen departure.
Day 5: Onomichi day trip
The Shinkansen runs to Shin-Onomichi Station (fare varies by service, verify). Onomichi’s hillside temple walk, the 9th-century Senko-ji among the stops, and the Seto Inland Sea views from the Shimanami Kaido’s western end fill a full day without needing a bike if cycling isn’t the plan. Confirm your return Shinkansen time before you set out; the last useful connection back to Hiroshima matters more on a day trip than anywhere else on this itinerary.