Discover Hiroshima

A short ferry ride from the mainland, Miyajima is one of Japan's most photographed islands. Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is built on stilts over the tidal flats, its vermilion torii gate appearing to float at high tide and standing on open sand at low tide.

Beyond the shrine, Mount Misen, the island's highest point, can be reached by ropeway or on foot through old-growth forest considered sacred for over a thousand years, with panoramic views over the Seto Inland Sea from the summit.

The island's shopping streets sell momiji manju, maple-leaf-shaped cakes filled with red bean, custard, or chocolate, and grilled oysters from open-air stalls along the approach to the shrine. Miyajima is also known for its shakushi, wooden rice paddles traditionally made here and sold as souvenirs and good-luck charms.

Wild deer roam freely across the island — approachable, but visitors are asked not to feed them.

Miyajima is compact enough for a day trip, but an overnight stay lets visitors see the torii gate lit at night and the shrine grounds free of daytime crowds.

Takehara's old town, known as "Little Kyoto," preserves a row of merchant houses and warehouses from its Edo-period days as a saltmaking and sake town. White-walled buildings, latticed windows, and narrow lanes make it one of the best-preserved historic districts in the region, worth an unhurried walk regardless of season.

From nearby Tadanoumi Port, a short ferry crosses to Okunoshima, known internationally as Rabbit Island for its population of wild rabbits, descended from animals released decades ago and now roaming freely across the island's trails and beaches. Visitors can buy food to feed them before they board the ferry at Tadanoumi.

The island carries a second, unrelated history: during the 1930s and 40s, Okunoshima was the site of a secret Japanese military facility producing chemical weapons, deliberately omitted from maps of the era. A small museum on the island documents this history alongside the island's present-day role as a quiet nature retreat.

Together, Takehara and Okunoshima offer a contrast: a preserved merchant town on the mainland, and an island where an unusual wartime history sits alongside a landscape now dotted with cute rabbits.

Onomichi is a port town built into a hillside, its narrow lanes, temples, and staircases overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. A well-marked Temple Walk links 25 temples across the hillside, passing traditional wooden houses, cat-filled alleyways, and viewpoints over the harbor below.

The town also marks the starting point of the Shimanami Kaido, a 70-kilometer expressway and cycling route connecting Honshu to Shikoku across a chain of small islands, linked by a series of dramatic bridges. Dedicated cycling paths run alongside the road for much of the route, making it one of Japan's most celebrated cycling routes, drawing riders from across the world.

Onomichi's old town is known for its retro shopping streets, interesting little shops, and Onomichi ramen, a soy-sauce-based style distinguished by its use of flat noodles and a broth finished with pork back fat.

For visitors with time and energy beyond race weekend, the Shimanami Kaido offers an easy extension: bikes are available to rent locally, with routes suited to both a short island-hopping ride and a full crossing to Shikoku.

Saijo is one of Japan's great sake-brewing towns, its historic district built around a cluster of breweries dating back to the Edo period. The area's natural spring water and cool climate made it ideal for brewing, and today Saijo is recognized as one of the country's top three sake regions, alongside Nada and Fushimi.

The Sakagura Dori (brewery street) near Saijo Station is lined with red-brick chimneys and traditional wooden buildings housing working breweries, several of which offer tastings and tours. Many sell limited-edition and brewery-exclusive bottles unavailable outside the region, making it a destination for sake enthusiasts as much as casual visitors.

Every October, the town hosts the Saijo Sake Festival, drawing large crowds to sample sake from breweries across the region alongside local food stalls — though outside festival season, the brewery street offers a quieter, more contemplative version of the same experience.