Hiroshima?
 

I am going on a group 7 day tour to Japan with some of my friends and my children(girls- ages 14 & 15). Is it worth going to Hiroshima? On one day, there is an optional 4 hour tour to go to Hiroshima. If we don't take the optional tour (which is very expensive by the way) we would have our morning free in Kyoto (after spending two night there)and would get into Tokyo a little earlier. Is it worth going to Hiroshima? What can I expect? I guess I invision just going to a monument, snapping some pictures and leaving? I welcome anyone's advice/opinion.

Hiroshima is much much more than just a monument. Absolutely you should go, although it is a shame you have so little time in Kyoto.

Tough call. I really think everyone should see the Peace Park in Hiroshima once in their lives, but Kyoto is so very full of wonderful sights to see. I think I would base my decision on whether you are planning to return to Japan one day. If you are, maybe I would save Hiroshima for another day.

A trip to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum at the Peace Park is certainly worth the trip. But 4 hours on the ground is not alot of time to take in the Peace Park and Museum.

Also consider it takes about 1.5-2 hours by shinkansen to get from Kyoto to Hiroshima and Hiroshima to Tokyo would be about another 4 hours, which is alot of travel time and will be expensive if you don't have a Rail Pass.

So I would agree it is a tough call. If you know you will be returning to Japan in the future, give Hiroshima a good day and also consider going to nearby Miyajima for another day. If this will be your only trip ever to Japan, then it is worth it to spend some time at the Museum and Peace Park if you can afford the expense.

Re what you envision: It is not about going to the monument and snapping pictures and leaving.

I have taken both of my kids (on separate trips to Japan) to Hiroshima to the Peace park and museum. They were both age 13 at the time of the respective trips. There are outdoor structures to see and contemplate, such as the A dome and the children's monument with the paper cranes and statue.

But the really moving part for us was the indoor museum. It has very moving exhibits. The first room is a historical account. But the later part of the exhibit, in the second bldg (which is connected by a passageway indoor) is a much more personal account of real people whose lives were impacted by the bombing. I would not miss that w/kids of your teen's ages.

I do think you can see the outdoor parts and the indoor museum in 4 hrs. My son and I took longer, but my daughter went faster- I think she had a hard time looking too closely at some of those exhibits and just went faster because of that. When I went w/her, we were there at the peace park and museum a total of about 2.5 hrs, and w/my son we were there a total of 4 hrs.

Are you saying the tour gives you 4 hrs to go from Kyoto to Hiroshima and visit the museum and peace park outdoor areas AND get back to Kyoto?? That's not really possible, IMO. And if they say it is, I would not do that tour, IMO.

The fastest train to Hioroshima from Kyoto takes 1 hour 36 minutes and costs just over ¥11,000 each way. A bus would take much longer. A four hour tour? I don't think that is possible. Maybe four hours in Hiroshima itself is what you mean?

How much are they asking for the tour? I have found that tours here in Japan are astronomically priced, and you can do the same on your own for a fraction of the cost.

You could easily take the train on your own, visit the museum and Peace Park, and maybe even Miyajima or Himeji if you are speedy, in a day trip from Kyoto.

How expensive?

Actually, I know it has to be at least 20,000 yen per person. That is just the rail travel cost, as KimJapan pointed out. OP is on a tour so I assume they don't have JR Passes. So that is 60,000 yen for a day trip.

This day trip would be after only one part-day and one full day in Kyoto.

Hi

I went to Hiroshima on a day trip from Kyoto and I think it was worth the effort and time. Check out my trip report with pictures and links http://gardkarlsen.com/japan_kyoto.htm . I think that will give you an idea of what to expect.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Last October we took the train from Kyoto to Hiroshima and in the afternoon of the arrival day we took a local train and then a ferry across to the "sacred island" where we saw the floating Torii Gate, the temple, browsed through the shops, petted the many deer, etc.

After spending the night in Hiroshima we took a taxi to the Peace Park the next morning where we walked around and also spent a lot of time IN the museum (the best part IMO). The museum has, as someone above commented, VERY interesting displays. It did not take up four hours and you certainly don't need any sort of an organiozed tour or guide to do that IMO.

We thought it was well worth the time and effort but we had already spent three days in Kyoto.

Thanks for everyones reply and I apologize for my delay in a response. The cost per person is $285 and the tour spends 4 hours in Hiroshima, the places visited are Peace Memorial Park and the museum. The price includes taking the super express bullet train 700 series. We would leave Kyoto at 8:00am and be back in Tokyo to meet up with the rest of the tour group (the ones that didn't take the option for this additional tour)at 6:30pm.

Thanks again for everyones input. I had pretty much decided not to do the extra tour but your posts have caused me to rethink this.

Ok, if you can get past the cost and feel you'll have had enough time in Kyoto then Hiroshima is worth the visit.

What are the arrangements in Kyoto and Hiroshima for this tour? Do they pick you up at your hotel and drop you at Kyoto station and take you back at night? Will someone meet your train in Hiroshima and how will you get to the Peace Park? Will you have an English speaking guide/escort during the trip? It is a fair price if the answers to those questions are yes.

Check the train prices for individual travel. You can easily get a cab to the Peace Park/Museum from the station and that takes about five minutes of travel. You can easily do the Park/Museum on your own.

Train fare is about $200 each, so I assume the other $80 is for transport to/from the JR stations and for a guide/escort.

Considering that the three ladies will have only been in Japan for a few days, not traveled on JR much, probably first time in Japan, and they have to meet up with the rest of the group going on a group tour sounds like a good idea, imo.

It might be cheaper to go on your own, but I remember one poster and her bf who went to Himeji from Kyoto. They took too long window shopping while walking to the castle and ended up short on time. Then they took the wrong train on the way back. This was someone who was used to going on their own and not part of a tour.

Mariann, it sounds like you have part of one day - whenever you arrive - and one whole day in Kyoto before the day you are thinking of going to Hiroshima.

When I went to Kyoto I stayed a full week and took a one day trip to Himeji-jo and Osaka and a half day to Miho Museum.

I think that you can easily spend that last morning seeing other sights in Kyoto rather than doing a rushed trip to Hiroshima.

Enjoy!

I have been to both Nagasaki and Hiroshima. I took my children to both. For me, it is a contemporary reminder of the impact of war on common people including children. It is a place one takes away different meaning, contemplate further, and do something or nothing at all after coming home.

I have done Miyajima plus Hiroshima as a day trip from Kyoto on my own. I used a JR pass.