Hiroshima to Iwakuni

Peak hour on Miyajima Island

We had reserved two spots on the 9:30 ferry to Miyajima which departed from the Grand Prince Hotel ferry wharf - so close we could see it from our room.  However, the bikes needed to be packed into Rinko bags and on balance, we decided it would take about the same amount of time to cycle the 21kms to the car ferry as it would to pack up the bikes for travel. 

The route was quiet, being a Sunday morning, and we made our way along the outskirts of Hiroshima.  It was easy cycling but we had to keep stopping for traffic lights so it was just after 10am when we arrived at the JR West Miyajima Ferry Port.  There were lots of Japanese tourists milling about as it was the Sunday of a long weekend.  We stowed our panniers in a large locker, and decided to take our bikes with us, in the hope of being able to move around more quickly.

After sorting out our tickets, which had to be checked numerous times by different staff, we were finally allowed to board. It was only a 15 minute journey and we passed the iconic O-Torii (Grand Torii Gate) which appeared to be floating in the sea some 200 metres in front of the main shrine. Formally named Itsukushima, the island is now known as Miyajima which means “shrine island” in Japanese and is regarded as one of the “Three most scenic spots of Japan” as determined by a Confucian scholar in 1643.

The island was full of people when we arrived and the bikes weren’t going to help us move around more quickly as we made our way along the clogged Omotesando Shopping Street,  We locked them out of the way and drifted along with the crowd, stopping to try the different street foods.  We started with Momiki Manjus, a warm, pancakey treat in the shape of a maple leaf, with a chocolate dipping sauce. These were followed by fish cakes on sticks, one octopus and the other spring onion and squid.  I then tried some enormous grilled oysters with lemon and basil, though Simon would not be tempted.  Our final course was coffee and vanilla soft serve icecream as it was too hot for a coffee.  Whilst not the most nutritious lunch, it was a lot of fun trying the different foods.

We made our way to the Itsukushima Shrine in search of a better view of the O-Torii before collecting our bikes and riding through the much quieter back streets to the base of Daishion Temple and the start of one of the routes up to Mt Misen.  The highest point on the island at 535 metres, the mountain is considered sacred and has a number of walking tracks as well as a ropeway.  The Daishion route was considered the least steep and most scenic, and was estimated to take some 90 minutes up and 70 minutes down.  We wanted to complete the walk in two hours, to give us time to cycle another 20 kilometres to Iwakuni where we had booked our accommodation for the evening. 

There were lots of stairs and it was hard work climbing at speed, though at least we were largely shaded from the hot afternoon sun. We enjoyed the occasional glimpses of reds and yellows in the trees though full autumn foliage is still some weeks away.  As we approached the top, the path became busier with those people who had travelled up in the cable car.  The observatory was full of people and the view was disappointingly hazy as we looked towards Hiroshima and across the the islands of the Inland Sea.

We made it down in 50 minutes and were straight on our bikes and back to the ferry which we boarded within minutes of arriving. We were soon loading our panniers back onto our bikes and making our way down the main road to Iwakuni.  It was fast cycling and there was a enough of a shoulder to feel safe, though I was distracted by a loud bang, which was the result of the first traffic accident we had seen in Japan.  Fortunately, it didn’t look like anyone was injured as both drivers were out of their cars and assessing the damage. 

We checked into the Green Rich hotel and were surprised to see a massive massage chair in the room, as well as a bathroom with a window open to the room. Fortunately there was a curtain.  We enjoyed a well-earned beer and some chips whilst waiting for a family video call as the kids had taken takeaway over for their grandparents so we could catch up with everyone together.  We then headed down to the public baths.  There was no one else there and I enjoyed relaxing in the bubbling water as well as a quick visit to the sauna. 

Dinner was a little restaurant next door, and a simple meal of gyozas, fried rice, chicken wing dumplings and prawn spring rolls.  We were surprised by an unexpected 600 yen charge which turned out to be for two small appetisers that had been served on our arrival.  We made a final trip to the convenience store in search of bananas - but there weren’t any so we settled for another ice cream instead.

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