Hiroshima
Defined by its atomic legacy, Hiroshima today is at the center of an international peace movement. Its Peace Memorial Park is well worth a visit during your travel in Japan. The A-Bomb Dome has been left in ruins as a reminder of the supreme destructive potential of nuclear weapons. The Children’s Peace Memorial is profoundly moving.
Miyajima
Not far from Hiroshima is Miya-jima Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered by the Japanese to be one of Japan’s “three most beautiful places.” Take a journey to this island during your Japan vacation which is easily accessed on a day trip by boat, or enjoy a more relaxed pace with an overnight stay. The island is most famous for the picturesque Itsukushima-jinja Shrine, which, together with its large red torii (gate), stands in the ocean during high tide. Deer move around the island freely, as do monkeys on top of the island’s highest mountain, Mt Mi-sen.
A note on accommodations: If your budget allows we strongly recommend you stay at a
ryokan in Japan, particularly in Kyoto. These traditional style inns embody the essence of everything you go to Japan hoping to find, and are an authentic cultural experience unto themselves. Another good choice for insight into traditional ways is a stay at a shukubo, (temple lodging), for a fraction of the cost of a ryokan. The rooms tend to be spartan affairs, but they are often in beautiful, tranquil areas, and it is sometimes possible to participate in relig-ious rites. Koya-san is the probably the best place in Japan to spend a night at a shukubo.
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