Hiroshima Day Trip Logistics
 

Our 17 day honeymoon in Japan is almost completely planned thanks to all of the tremendous help from this board. Thank you.

I do have one final logistical issue regarding a trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima. We are booked with our hotels/ryokans for the entire trip except for the final night (Unfortunately our reservations are not flexible at this point). I had planned on making the trip on our second to last day from Kyoto and overnighting in Miyajima. Only problem is that we fly out of Kansai the following evening at 6:30 PM. I'm concerned that tacking the train trip that day onto our air travel that night will make it a difficult and potentially stressful day. On the other hand, I really think we would enjoy spending some time in Miyajima and one final night in a nice ryokan getting the traditional Japanese experience. So, here are my options.

1. Bite the bullet and go with the original plan, overnighting in Miyajima, then taking a noon train from Hiroshima to Kansai to depart. I'm unfamiliar with the trip so I don't know if I'm worrying too much about it.

2. Make it a day trip from Kyoto and return to the Osaka Hilton that night to make the final day less stressful. If we do this, will we be able to send our bags from the Westin Miyako in Kyoto to the Osaka Hilton? If so, how much is that?

Thank you all once again for the great feedback. I'll post our entire itinerary here later for more help with fine tuning our scheduled activities.

Cheers,
Jeff

If you decide to spend the last night on Miyajima, you could easily have the Westin Miyako (or whereever you will be in Kyoto) send your bags to Kanzai airport a day or two early, then take a small zip up travel duffel to Miyajima for that last night, go from Miyajima to Kansai on the last day and pick up your bags at the luggage service at the airport. Westin Miyako did this for me in March, no problem. Westin Miyako sent the bags two days before departure to Narita, because I needed the bags at Narita at noon on a Sat., I had them sent on Thursday to assure delivery on time for departure) in March, no problem.
You'll just need to work out the timing and logistics of your transportation from Miyajima to Kansai.

Hi, I too just decided to "bite the bullet" and splurge on a stay on Miyajima at the end of our trip. I looked up travel time using hyperdia.com and since I didn't know your actual travel dates, I just used May 5th. It seems to only be a 3 hour trip from Miyajimaguchi to Kansai. This however is using the Nozomi train and not the Hikari. The Nozomi seems very direct, no transfers while the Hikari (the train covered by a JR pass) does involve a seven minute walk and train transfer, but only takes three and a half hours! Good luck!

Sure you can ship from the Miyako to the Osaka Hilton. I don't know the cost, is it $20 per bag? The Osaka Hilton is a great place to stay, according to KimJapan's review.

How much stress you would feel travelling from Miyajima on the last day is really up to you. Solving the luggage situation like emd suggests would make it easier. And plotting out the trip like jmday4 has makes it easier. In fact, after some sightseeing on Miyajima, a nice meal at a ryokan, and a soak, you might be so relaxed on your last day that you might forget to be stressed. And planning it so that you arrive at the airport by 2PM or 3PM would help.

jmday4, I think that the 7 minute walk that you mentioned is unnecessary. I see a walk of 7 minutes between Nanba (Namba) subway stations on some hyperdia routing.

But the best way, with a JR pass is to simply transfer at JR Shin Osaka stationb from the Sanyo shinkansen to JR's Haruka Limited Express to the airport.

From Miyajimaguchi to Hiroshima there are 5 or 6 departures per hour of the JR Sanyo line and the trip takes 25 minutes with no change of train.

Hiroshima - Shinosaka
11:10 - 12:44
12:10 - 13:44 ***
13:10 - 14:44
14:10 - 15:44

Shin Osaka - Kansai Airport
13:16 - 14:02
13:46 - 14:31
14:16 - 15:02 ***
14:46 - 15:31
15:16 - 16:02
15:46 - 16:31
16:16 - 17:02

Ok, so maybe a little stressful but maybe worth it.

About the Osaka Hilton...it is a great place to stay. Very convenient. You'll be able to get a limousine bus to Kansai airport from the Hilton or from just across the street. We've taken the bus from both places...when we've taken it from across the street (Herbis) the Hilton staff have walked our bags over there for us.

Also about the Osaka Hilton...it is worth every bit of extra you might spend to upgrade to executive floor. The lounge staff is outstanding, not to mention the free perks like breakfast in the lounge, free drinks and snacks all day (this includes alcohol too), free access to the fitness center and pool. If you are HiltonHonors Gold or Platinum they will upgrade you to executive floor if it's available and if you ask (you have to ask rather persuasively as they really prefer to give you buffet breakfast coupons). If you aren't Gold or Plat then it's worth the money, definitely. They've never done us wrong there. Last winter when we went to Bali they kept our winter coats and some things we bought in Osaka before our trip for us, for free, and it was all waiting for us in our room when we checked in 3 weeks later. Just an example of what they will do for you in the exec lounge.

facing same situation as jdean.. But i am be going to a backpackers room in Kyoto.. how should i arrange? Thanks!

Government actions at both Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima certainly worth remembering, BKreugUSA1.

Do you have any travel advice to add? Or did you get this screen name just to stir up trouble?