Right now, I am booked for two nights on Miyajima and was planning to spend one day on Miyajima and the other as a day trip to Hiroshima and return to Miyajima at night but was wondering if one night is enough on Miyajima and perhaps I should stay one night actually in Hiroshima? Any thoughts?

Where will you be before Miyajima?
I am of two minds here, but if it were me I would just stay on Miyajima - I hate wasting time changing hotels.
You can just take the ferry and then the train into Hiroshima.

One night on Miyajima is enough. You would be able to go out at night in Hiroshima (e.g. to a baseball game).

The only way that time could be wasted would be by returning to Miyajima.

The day after the second night you are going elsewhere. If you are going to the north/east (to Okayama, Kyoto, etc) then you would have to go via Hiroshima. If you are going south/west toward Kyushu then starting the trip at Miyajimaguchi would be less than ideal. Probably the best route would still be back to Hiroshima for the shinkansen, else you would go south on the local train and catch a shinkansen at Shin Yamaguchi or someplace where the shinkansen schedule is less frequent than Hiroshima.

There is a Granvia hotel at Hiroshima station.

You have a third option after your day sightseeing in Hiroshima and that would be to go someplace else for the night.

Before Miyajima, I will be coming from Kyoto and then heading to Kagoshima - I just wanna make sure I won't be bored at Miyajima for two nights and that I also wont feel like I missed out on Hiroshima --- OR would it be better to stay in Hiroshima? I would be staying at Momiji-so on Miyajima.

Ok, I will offer my opinion simply: it would be better to spend the second night in Hiroshima.

If you were to have two nights and 2 days in Miyajima, you could easily fill the time relaxing, walking around on the many trails on the small mountain, seeing the temple at different tide levels, eating...but to go into Hiroshima for a day trip then to return to Miyajima for the night only to return to Hiroshima the next day to get the train out...no, I'd stay in Hiroshima the second night. If your purpose is relaxation and down time, Miyajima is lovely...but as a base for sightseeing, no.

I would stay in Miyajima both nights, regardless of how inconvenient, because Miyajima is quite lovely and pleasant-As for Hiroshima-I wouldn't be caught dead spending the night there-incredibly depressive air about the city-I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Make it a day trip and you'll do just fine.

yalie98, in your last post it seems that you are considering two nights in Hiroshima. Staying in Hiroshima with a day trip to Miyajima would be a better idea that staying in M with a daytrip to H. But best, I think, would be one night in each place.

Hiroshima is a typical Japanese city and think it is pleasant enough with a couple of rivers, mountains in the distance. And it is easy to get around on the street cars.

I mentioned the Granvia Hotel which is on the shinkansen side of Hiroshima station. Another place to stay is the Rihga Royal. The RR is a block away from the baseball park and about 2 blocks from the Peace Park.

I enjoyed staying at Momiji-so. There is an info lady at the ferry port who will help you to contact Momiji-so who will send a van down to pick you up. I went for a stroll after the excellent dinner, but after dark it was dead.

hiya
We travelled from Osaka to Fukuoka and Hiroshima was definitely one of the most interesting places we visited (even more than Kyoto IMHO!) Besides all the museums & its tragic history, it is still a lively city with some fantastic restaurants e.g. the okonomiyaki bars, tempura restaurants. Miyajima was nice too but it would probably bore me a little to stay for 2 nights.
have fun on your trip.

I think one night in each place is perfect. We also stayed at Momiji-so and it was lovely.

I didn't find Hiroshima to be at all depressing outside of the Peace Museum. Yes, the museum certainly is depressing but so are the Holocaust Museum in D.C. and the Killing Fields in Cambodia, all very worthwhile however. It's part of the history Japan and avoiding it won't change that. what you won't find in Hiroshima is "old" history since we levelled the city and everything is fairly new.

After reading the whole thread - I have changed my mind. I remember now the last ferry leaves around 7:30, and it seemed like everything closed down. That would be nice for one night, but by the second night I'd feel like I was missing out on something.
So my vote - 1 night at each place.
While I found the Peace Museum depressing, I did not find the rest of Hiroshima to be so. As we walked down a street one entire block was vending machines - there were 15 vending machines in a row! Even after nearly 2 weeks in Japan, we HAD to take a picture of THAT!

It's hardly the same thing to compare the Holocaust Museum in DC to a visit to Hiroshima and the Peace Museum-given that you're actually staying in a city leveled by an atomic bomb, with constant reminders of same, as opposed to just visiting a museum with no connection to the subject matter whatever.

Myself, I found an oppressing and depressing pall to this city, so my advice would be, it's best as a day trip, but stay someplace else, preferably the lovely Miyajima.

I just don't know how you can classify this huge city as being depressing and oppressing. In my two visits there we did find the Peace Park and museum and A-Dome sobering and depressing. But the rest of the city is lovely. There are not reminders of the bomb everywhere you look, people are happy and helpful, and there is lots more to see in addition to the Atomic Bomb associated sites.

Perhaps you were depressed by the Peace Park and museum...anyone would be. But I don't think you gave the city a chance...you said yourself that you couldn't leave fast enough. That's fine, not everyone likes the same things and feels the same way about every place.

Miyajima is lovely, and I could easily spend 2 nights there myself, but for someone who with limited time who wants to make the most of their time, not be backtracking and wasting time doing so, and not be bored, 2 nights in Miyajima doesn't make sense. It makes sense for someone who wants to use the time to relax, not sightsee.
Your very limited time in the city does not make you an expert on the city's numerous other cites, its people or its vibe.

Almost 3 million people currently live in Hiroshima...if it were that bad, do you really think so many people would live there? It's a desirable place to live, and although I've only spent a total of 8 days there, I can say I really enjoyed the city, with its excellent shopping, museums, restaurants, and great vibe.

KimJapan-you know, people can have differing opinions about a place, and that does NOT make one opinion superior to another-so please, quit taking everything so personally!

I don't know about you, but I know a number of people I've talked to who feel the same way I do about that city-they went for the day, but had to get the hell out of there at night-it was, and is, a depressed city, with a depressing atmosphere-that's why I don't recommend it. Simple as that.

yalie98...go to Hiroshima and enjoy it. Spend the amount of time that you choose. Know that there is more to it than the Peace Park and related museum. Don't let this discussion spoil your impression of the place before you even get there.

I loved Hiroshima; I found it sunny and lively and very friendly. In fact, I prefer it to the rarefied air of Kyoto or the tourists of Miyajima.

Opinion only of course, but I was actually immensely brightened by Hiroshima and all its nightlife, streetlife, and feeling of youth and vitality.

I visited Hiroshima and Miyajima less than two weeks ago, and you can chalk me up as one of the people who liked Hiroshima. Outside of the Peace Park, I did not find it depressing at all - I rather enjoyed walking around in the evening, going to an okonomiyaki bar, etc (no baseball, unfortunately, as it was all-star week).

I don't particularly like changing hotels each night, but if I was going back to that area with two nights, I'd probably opt for one in each.

No fight, just my experience:
We spent one day on Miyajima and one day in Hiroshima. I enjoyed both in very different ways.
After Peace Park we went to the Shukkei-en Garden in Hiroshima. It was beautiful, peaceful and relaxing.
I cannot imagine staying in the area 3 nights (like we did) and not visiting Hiroshima. While I found Peace Park and the Museum depressing - as it should be - I did not find the rest of the city so.
That is just my experience.

I agree with ange, ms and kimjapan. We stayed in Hiroshima two nights with a day trip to Miyajima, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Peace Park was fascinating and sad, yet only one facet of this vibrant, beautiful city. The locals have done a nice job in creating a positive, peace-loving atmosphere. I would actually liked to have had one more day in Hiroshima to explore some more of its temples, etc.

Although I think I understand about the pall over the city, I just didn't feel it there. I won't shy away from a city because of its past, unless it's still dangerous. I wouldn't do much traveling if I did.

Since I didn't find any reminders of the atomic bomb anywhere outside of the Peace Museum and the A-Bonb dome, I stand by my original post that it is comparable to the Holocaust Museum in Washington. IMHO.