Miyajima Island: A Must See Site in Japan

During my days of working in Osaka, Japan, I took a week off work to go on vacation touring around Hiroshima Prefecture with a good Canadian friend that was living in Hiroshima. The city of Hiroshima is the direct location of the dropping of the first nuclear bomb by American B-29 bomber on August 6, 1945, which the area has gained its popularity. Although many tourists spend a day or two in Hiroshima visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial near "ground zero", it is very rare that people visit Miyajima Island.

During my days working in Osaka, Japan, I chose to take a trip to Hiroshima Prefecture to visit a Canadian friend that lived and worked in Hiroshima City. It was such an honor to visit the prefecture along with a few friends that really knew the area. I was able to visit many places that are rarely visited since the main focus is on the tragedies that were done in the main city of Hiroshima. Although I do feel it is important to visit the main sites, I found that traveling off the main course was very beneficial and educational.

My friend, Simon, took me to a place called Miyajima Island. Located just a few miles off the coast of Hiroshima city, tourists can take a ferry from Miyajima-guchi station for about 170 yen; it takes about ten minutes. There are other ferries to take across the sea however this is the cheapest and fastest. Please note: Ferries will only run during high tide and during low tide there is no boat traffic. This means if you come in on high tide, you must wait until low tide. When you get to the ferry station, make sure you ask for the times to make sure you do not get stuck on the island.