Matsuyama Airport 4 hr 16
Children's Peace Monument (50 min) Memorial to children who died due to the 1945 atomic bombing, usually surrounded by paper cranes. Atomic Bomb Dome (51 min) Iconic remains of the Industrial Promotion Hall which was destroyed by the atomic bomb during WWII. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (53 min) Popular museum documenting the WWII atomic-bomb blast in Hiroshima via exhibits, artifacts & talks. Daishoin (17 min) Venerable Buddhist temple complex, founded in 806 CE, with many halls & carved stone images. Hiroshima Castle (1 hr) Contemporary recreation of a destroyed 16th-century castle offering a history museum & city views. Senjokaku Pavilion (6 min) Wooden Momoyama-period shrine commissioned by samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi, overlooking the sea. Peace Memorial Park - Hiroshima (50 min) Memorial park dedicated to the victims of the atomic bomb & advocating for world peace since 1954. Mount Misen (27 min) Paths & cable car rides lead up to this mountain peak with views that stretch as far as Hiroshima. Itsukushima Shrine (6 min) Venerable 16th-century Shinto shrine, famed for an iconic orange gate that floats at high tide. Shukkeien (1 hr 2) Serene city garden dating to the 16th century, with a koi pond, a tea shop & flowering trees. Kintai Bridge (1 hr 9) 200-meter wooden span comprising 5 arches with ornate timberwork, dating to 1673 & since rebuilt. Miyajima Public Aquarium (16 min) Compact, family-friendly aquarium with whale tanks, penguin pools, sea lion shows & a picnic area. Momijidani Park (15 min) Tranquil park with hundreds of maple trees, known for fall colors, plus a traditional inn & eatery. Daiganji (13 min) Intimate, traditional temple from the 1200s, with several statues of the Buddha & goddess Benzaiten. Itsukushima Floating Torii Gate (Temporarily Under Construction) (7 min) One of Japan's most revered sites, this ancient Shinto shrine seems to float on water at high tide. |