Hi all. So our Japan/S Korea college graduation trip with daughter in May/June is happening. At the end of our 2.5 week Japan portion we have 2 nights before our final night in Fukuoka when we fly to Busan. I am trying to figure out if we do both nights Miyajima or split 1:1 with HIroshima.
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I hear horror stories about the crowds in Miyajima (and we will be there Fri-Sunday) so thiniking we stay here both nights so we can tour early or later in day when crowds have left. I was not able to get 2 nights at Miyajima Seaside Hotel, but did get one night. Love their shuttle service, public baths, bike rentals and seaside location. Half board too. Booked Yamaichi Bekkan for second night. Room seems much smaller but location right near ferry and half board also with fantastic food. It seems there is plenty to see on Miyajima and we'd love to bike ride and kayak too so think 2 nights there is good. Just hate that we have to split our lodging.

Or do we stay one night Hiroshima? How do we split our time in each location? We are coming from Kyoto (might stop at HImeji castle on way but not sure.) thanks all.

Your third option is two nights in Hiroshima.

Your fourth option is to do both: 2 nights Miyajima followed by one night in Hiroshima. Hiroshima to Hakata is about an hour on the shinkansen, 6 minutes subway to the airport, and then a shuttle to the international terminal. You could get to the check-in line for your international flight in about an hour and a half after checking out of the Sheraton on the shinkansen side of Hiroshima station. That would be cutting it close, but possible.

The two given options are a toss-up. Do you intend to visit the Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum? Will you stop at Himeji on the way or could you visit the castle earlier on the trip?

You do want to check in to your Miyajima lodging by 4PM or so. But you would also need to get to the museum early enough to have enough time there before the museum closes. Both doable with the stop in Himeji, but easier without that stop.

It is easy to transfer to the local train to Miyajimaguchi then walk to the ferry port and take the boat. Even easier is to take the streetcar from Hiroshima Station to Genbaku Dome-mae to visit PP&M.

Take note of the boat options for Miyajima shown here: Hiroshima to Miyajima: How to get to and around Miyajima - Access, Transport and Orientation (japan-guide.com)
there are several good lodging options near the port by the Peace Park.

HI again! Our flight is at 11 am to Busan so I think that is too tight. Is it suggested we arrive 3 hours before?

I am making sure we can forward our luggage as we are coming from an Airbnb in Kyoto also. If we can, we could visit Hiroshima before we ferry over to Miyajima, as long as we didn't stop in Himeji this day. Yes we want to visit Peace Park and Museum.

Himeji is undecided-not sure if it will be a day trip from Kyoto or on our way to Hiroshima.

Yes I know about the 2 ferries. I think we will have the Sanyo Sanin pass that will include the JR ferry which takes longer...

I do have rooms in Hiroshima reserved too- the Daiwa Ryonet for the first night adn Nagi Hiroshima for the second. I believe they are both close to the station.

confirmed that we can ship luggage from rental in kyoto to miyajima but now wondering if we should do himeji on way from kyoto to hiroshima. then go directly to miyajima for 2 nights. ship luggage to hotel in fukuoka and vsit hiroshima on final day before we train to fukuoka. doubt we will have much time here anyway-just for dinner and a quick walk.

however, is there any chance if we ship our luggage on saturday that it won't be at hotel in fukuoka on monday? we fly to busan at 11 am on tues morning. New to this luggage shipping concept.

There are two Daiwa Ryonet
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima-ekimae

eki means train station
mae means in front of

'I would say that the latter (ekimae) hotel is a short walk from the shinkansen side of the station, i.e. in front of the back of the station vs the front, city-side of the station.

Nagi Hiroshima is relatively close to the city side of the station, but is not "ekimae" which is nbd.

>> however, is there any chance if we ship our luggage on saturday that it won't be at hotel in fukuoka on monday?

Well, humans are involved, so perfection is not possible. There is a chance that you will accidentally leave one of your bags at your Hiroshima hotel or your wallet on top of an ATM or you set your passport down and forget to pick it up.

But, really, the luggage will be at your hotel. You could ship it to the airport.

Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima-ekimae is the one we have reserved. How much time would we need for Hiroshima to see Peace Park and Museum? Just trying to figure out what our time will look like here. Thanks again.

IDK, the time needed depends on your pace - in the park and in the museum. And whether you stop at Himeji or not or go to Hirohima or Miyajima first depends on pace, when you get up and out of Kyoto. All of the paths are doablle.

You can get creative with luggage shipping. Two days before you leave Kyoto send one bag to Miyajima. On the day you leave, send the other bag to Hiroshima or Fukuoka. Travel hands free that day. Or store luggage at Hiroshima Station or at you hotel.