2025 Higashihiroshima Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

#summervacay **📍 Where?** Kagamiyama Park, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima (1hr from Hiroshima Station) **⏰ Best Time?** **Sunrise** (gates open 5AM) or **autumn evenings** (illuminations) --- ### **✨ Why Solo Travelers Love This Secret Shrine** - **🌄 360° Sacred Views** – Overlooks Seto Inland Sea from 284m summit - **🕯️ Night Mystique** – Seasonal **light-ups** transform paths into glowworm trails - **🐇 Lucky Rabbit Lore** – Meet the shrine’s **white rabbit statues** (bring carrots!) - **🚶♀️ Forest Therapy** – Cedar-shaded hiking trails with ocean breezes --- ### **🚆 Solo-Friendly Access** 1. **From Hiroshima:** - Shinkansen to Fukuyama (25min) → Bus #12 to "Kagamiyama Tozanguchi" (20min) 2. **From Fukuyama Station:** - Rent a bike (¥500/day) for the scenic 40min ride --- ### **🌅 Perfect Solo Itinerary** **Morning Pilgrimage:** - 5:30 AM: Hike the **Stone Staircase Path** (1,088 steps, 30min) - 6:15 AM: **Goma Fire Ritual** (weekends only – watch monks chant) - 7:30 AM: Matcha at **Summit Tea Hut** (run by shrine maidens) **Daytime Exploration:** - 10:00 AM: Hunt for **hidden sub-shrines** in the mossy forest - 12:30 PM: **Bento lunch** on the observation deck **Evening Magic:** - 5:00 PM: Sunset from the **Moon-Viewing Platform** - 7:00 PM (Autumn): **Illumination Walk** with lantern-lit cedars --- ### **💡 Insider Tips** ✔ **Shortcut:** Take the **cable car** (¥600 round-trip) if knees protest ✔ **Secret Spot:** Behind main hall – **"Echo Rock"** whispers your wishes ✔ **Local Ritual:** Write dreams on **rabbit-shaped ema** (¥300) --- ### **📸 Must-Capture Moments** ✅ Morning mist swirling through **torii gate tunnels** ✅ Your shadow stretching across the **sunrise viewing platform** ✅ Rabbit statues wearing **tiny handmade scarves** (winter) --- ### **🌿 Beyond the Shrine** - **Fukuyama Castle** – Samurai history (15min bike away) - **Tomotetsu Line** – Vintage train to Onomichi - **Setoda Citrus Farm** – Pick mikan oranges (seasonal) --- ### **📌 Hashtag Your Ascent** #HiddenJapan #HiroshimaHike #SacredSummit #SoloShrine #SetoInlandSea --- **🐇 Solo Wisdom:** "Patting the shrine rabbits at dawn while the first ferries glide across the Seto Sea—this is the Japan that lingers in your bones." *Staircase challenger or cable car rider? Sunrise mystic or night illumination chaser?* 🌅🎋 Comment below! **P.S.** The shrine’s **"Mirror Pond"** perfectly reflects the moon on clear nights – ask priests for best dates! 🌊🌕

Saijo, Hiroshima Prefecture, is a "holy land for sake lovers" with seven sake breweries located within walking distance of the station. The sight of the white-walled sake breweries lined up in the historic streets makes it seem as if time has stopped. You can sample sake at each brewery for as little as 100 yen, and you can also enjoy brewery-exclusive sake and sake sweets. 🍶 Features of Saijo Sake Brewery Street Access: A short walk from JR Sanyo Main Line "Saijo Station". Distance: The sake breweries are scattered within an area of ​​about 1 km east to west around the station, and you can walk around them. Time required: You can enjoy a leisurely time by planning about 4 to 5 hours in total, including tastings and tours at each brewery. You can walk around the entire area, so you can easily go bar hopping. It is also recommended to take a break at the cafe at the gate on the way. Experience an adult sake trip on foot from Saijo Station. #Enjoy Japan #Local Experience #Hiroshima #Saijo #Sake #Sake Brewery

Japanese supermarket shopping experience📍Address: Hiroshima, Japan

#Saijo Distillery - The City of Sake or Saijo Sakagura-dori or simply Saijo Sake Town. Just take the train from Hiroshima Station for about 30 minutes and you will arrive at Saijo Sake Town Distillery. There are 7 factories next to each other. You can visit the factory and taste the sake. Each factory has a long history and the oldest is about 120 years old. Before going to see the factory in Saijo Sakagura-dori Hiroshima, please notice #the manhole cover here is very unique and is the only place in Japan that has a manhole cover like this #in the shape of a sake brewery. There are various pipes, sake barrels, sake bottles that can tell a story. I guarantee that you will see many manhole covers like this when walking in this area. I am glad to have come to experience something new by walking around and tasting sake in Saijo, one of the most famous areas in Japan. 📍Address: Saijo Sakagura-dori 17-1 Saijohonmachi, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima 739-0011, Japan #Travel to Japan by yourself #Travel to Japan #Travel to Japan alone

#January travel support event Chitose Station near New Chitose Airport! Since I had some time before my departure, I took a bus right in front of the airport and got off at Chitose Station and went sightseeing in the town There is a busy area if you go towards Aeon Mart I went sightseeing in the small towns It was early January, so all the stores were closed, but I luckily found a sushi restaurant! On weekdays, you can enjoy it at a cheap lunch price But since it was the weekend, the price was a bit high, but I was able to eat sushi made with the spirit of an old owner I ordered one 11-piece sushi just to taste it, but they said there were two of us and gave me one piece for freeㅠㅠ I can't even understand it, but this kind of warmth is so touching Next time I go to Sapporo, I want to go there again and greet the elderly~ Of course, the taste was good ㅎㅎ

This buffet breakfast served such hearty food. The hotel was clean, the staff were friendly, and they even had manga and welcome drinks! Highly recommended!

Located near Hiroshima Airport A restaurant in the hotel Area One Hiroshima Wing Dining Kitchen Wa-Nana- This place is delicious✨ Sashimi, sukiyaki, fried oysters, steak, tempura🍤 Fresh local ingredients are amazing🤤 Even soba noodles on days when you don't have much of an appetite are a gentle treat that seeps into your body🍵 The hotel also offers a dinner and breakfast set plan In that case, you can choose one dish from three local menus♪ The breakfast is also said to be delicious, so if you are staying at the hotel, be sure to try it🎵 📍Location: 11296-72 Irino, Kawachi-cho, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture 🕰️Opening hours: 18:00-21:00 🏖️Atmosphere/facilities: Small restaurant Tatami room space available 💰Price per person: From 1000 yen #100 Travel Style #0 Yen Travel Autumn #Hotel Restaurant #Solo trip #Girls trip #Couples trip #Family trip #Hiroshima trip

The autumn leaves season is starting 🍁 Introducing a natural hot spring spa where you can relax in the nature of Hiroshima Prefecture ☝️ - The Spa Shion - There are 5 types of radium hot springs ♨️ There are also 2 types of hard water baths, a jet bath, a sauna and an open-air bath, and the mineral-rich water will make your skin smooth ✨ Yukata rental is available for a fee 👘 If you're on a girls' hotel stay trip, it would be even more fun if you rented yukatas for everyone ✨ There is also a relaxation space in the building There are games and comics for children in the tatami "bath room", and you can watch TV in the massage chairs You can also order alcohol at the drink bar in the hotel lobby 🍺 📍Location: 1st floor of Hotel Area One Hiroshima Wing 11296-72 Irino, Kawachi-cho, Higashihiroshima-shi, Hiroshima 🕰️Spa hours: 5:00-9:00 13:00-1:00 💰Price per person for non-guests: 800 yen for adults on weekdays, 900 yen on weekends and holidays 💞Reasons why we recommend it: All the meals at the restaurant on the second floor are delicious✨ Even if you're just visiting, we recommend eating the local menu on your way home😋 #Spa2024 #100TravelStyles #0YenTravelAutumn #SoloTravel #CoupleTravel #GirlsTrip #FamilyTrip #HiroshimaTrip #NaturalHotSpring

Close to Hiroshima Airport There is a hotel with a hot spring, perfect for a layover or a night before your flight☝️ - Hotel Area One Hiroshima Wing - The interior is a bit antique, but the spacious space is comfortable👍 Very well maintained, with large rooms😌 The hotel's breakfast venue is open for dinner as well There are no restaurants within walking distance, but all the menu items are delicious, so please come and enjoy your stay here💁 📍Location: 11296-72 Irino, Kawachi-cho, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture 🕰️Hot spring hours: 5:00-9:00 ・13:00-1:00 🏖️Atmosphere/facilities: The interior is kept clean The radon cold spring water is also used for drinking water in the building🚰 💞Reasons why we recommend it: It's close to the airport, so it's perfect for a night before your flight if you have an early morning flight✨ #Hotel trip #0 yen trip autumn #100 travel styles #Solo trip #Couple trip #Girls trip #Family trip #Hiroshima trip #Transit hotel

Tempura Hirao makes for a very unique place to enjoy great tempura - queues look long, but are very well organized and things are moving quickly, it may seem “factory-like” but food is impeccable. Don’t miss the pickled squid intestines you have in big jars available on the counter to eat with your rice. Also the more unusual meat options are delicious. All locals go to this restaurant and they have another one in Tenjin area. A Must try tempura restaurant when you are around the area. #japantrip #deliciousfood #tempura

#Roadtrip I went to a great value hotel in Higashihiroshima! I left Osaka while it was still dark, got very excited at Tomonoura, and took a quick look at Onomichi before heading to Hiroshima. I couldn't make it to Hiroshima city physically or in time, so I found this hotel. HOTEL KAMO About 10 minutes from the Saijo Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway. There is a spacious parking lot, which is great for road trips. There is a super public bath, which is great for those with a tight schedule! Guests can enter as much as they like with their room key. I was soothed by the sauna and open-air bath. Breakfast is included and there is a hot spring. There is also a bowling alley. There is also a Lawson at the edge of the parking lot! The rooms have been beautifully renovated, and it is perfect for those who want a good value place to stay while on business or while traveling! I found it comfortable! 📌HOTEL KAMO 6184 Misonou, Saijo-cho, Higashihiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Free parking available (500 spaces!) Free shuttle from Saijo Station Large vehicles (over 4 tons) are charged, please inquire ⚠︎This time, we were given special permission to photograph the hot spring before it opened for business It was being cleaned, so there wasn't much water, but in reality the jet bath and other things are bubbling more #DriveTrip ꒰ঌ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈໒꒱ Thank you for reading to the end Like! I'm happy to receive comments ·͜· ꕤ︎︎ Adults can enjoy it too ・Hotels ・Cafes and gourmet ・Tourist spots etc. We provide travel tips that make travel lovers think "I might want to go𓂃◌𓈒𓐍" I'll cry tears of joy if you follow me❤︎ ꒰ঌ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈໒꒱ #HigashihiroshimaHotel #HiroshimaTrip #HigashihiroshimaCity

[Access] ○About 13 minutes walk from Saijo Station [Points] ~A place where you can calm your mind~ It is said to be one of the Kokubunji temples built by Emperor Shomu in various parts of Japan during the Nara period. It has been burned down and rebuilt many times, and the current main hall was built in 2004. In addition to being a place for worship, goma, various prayers, and memorial services, it also offers experiences such as zazen, copying sutras, and copying Buddhas in a lodging, and accommodation. It is said that the main image inside the hall is the seated Yakushi Nyorai statue, which is a designated important cultural property of Higashihiroshima City. It is far from the station, but it is a temple where you can visit at your leisure. Please visit it. *Information as of May 2024. #Travelingwithme

【Access】 ○About a 3-minute walk from Saijo Station 【Points】 〜A quiet shrine close to the station〜 Mitaki Shrine is said to have originally been located in a place called Mitaki in Saijo Town. At the end of the Meiji era, it merged with four other shrines scattered around Saijo Town, and it is said to have been built at its current location as a clan shrine to unify the will of the citizens of Saijo Town. The Gion Festival is held over two days in early July every year. On the first day, the eve of the festival, night stalls are opened, and performing arts such as Kagura are dedicated. On the second day, the main festival, the main mikoshi and children's mikoshi are said to be paraded. When you exit the station ticket gates, you come out from the exit opposite the sake brewery side, so it's a relatively quiet shrine. Please be sure to visit when you come to Saijo. ※Information as of May 2024.

[Access] ○About 10 minutes walk from Saijo Station [Points] ~Feel the leisurely flow of time~ Saijo Kugurimon Coffee Shop is a little walk from the station, but it is located in a quiet area. The first floor is lined with sweets and drinks that make great souvenirs using sake unique to Saijo, the city of sake. The second floor is a cafe. You can choose between table seats and seats where you have to take off your shoes. There are dessert and lunch menus. The shop has a retro Showa-era atmosphere, and is very relaxing. If you are strolling around Saijo, why not visit this place as a place to take a break? It is a recommended cafe. *Information as of May 2024. #Travelingwithme

[Access] ○About a 5-minute walk from Saijo Station [Points] ~A place where you can learn everything about sake brewing~ Kamozuru Sake Brewery, located close to Saijo Station, is famous nationwide. There are many other sake breweries in the town of Saijo. Among them, Kamozuru Sake Brewery is a brewery with a very large site and many exhibits. The tools essential for sake brewing are on display, and the process of making sake is clearly displayed. It is an exhibit that is very enjoyable even for first-time visitors and those who do not like alcohol. They also sell actual sake and pound cakes made with sake, so it is a good idea to buy some as a souvenir from your trip. *Information as of May 2024. #Travelingwithme

#hiroshima

Bear Walk: The Bear hung around Sake Capital Saijo and got some Sake! ♪☆(^O^)／ #Outing #Memories

Bear Walk: The Bear hung around Sake Capital Saijo and got some Sake! ♪☆(^O^)／ #Outing #Memories

Long time no see Tokyo! The fat distribution of the roasted meat is so attractive! The feeling of the fat remaining in the mouth is great, the fried food is first-rate and the batter is not thick, very delicious :)

japan en phil. memories #wintergetaway