I very recently moved to Japan (Tokyo) and have a visitor coming to stay. I plan to take a week off to take her sightseeing. Tokyo is no problem as I am here already but I have a couple of questions I was wondering if someone can advise on:

1) We will take about 7/8 days out of Tokyo and would like to see the sights in Kansai and Honshu. But we would also like to see Hiroshima and Miyajima. Question is: given most reckon 1 day is more than enough in Hiroshima and then Miyajima after, is it worth travelling all the way from Osaka for what is there, given our short-ish time? To get a good flavour, do you think we should cram it in or leave it to spend more time seeing the Kansai and Honshu regions at a more leisurely pace?

2) Given "1" above: I have a car and am wondering if it would be better to use it if we decide not to go to Hiroshima/Miyajima? i.e drive out from Tokyo to Kyoto and the surrounding sights (Himeji, Nara, Mount Koya) and to Takayama and Matsumoto. I can't help but think that despite the drive getting there, having a car will make it far easier to get between these places? I CANNOT use a JR pass as I am now resident.



Thoughts?

Many thanks, Gregor

I've driven from Osaka to Hiroshima and while it was easy, it wasn't nearly as nice as taking the train...so I'd opt for the train. I've been twice to Hiroshima...once with husband and daughter and once with my parents when they visited us. Both times we spent a night and spent one day in Hiroshima and one day in Miyajima...actually, we spent two nights there. Miyajima is lovely and well worth the trip.

I'd also recommend getting out of the cities. Take your friend somewhere rural. It's a really different Japan. You've got a car, so you could take a day and just drive to nowhere and stop as you please. On occasions when we've done this from Kanazawa we've found an "ancient" house that was lovely to look around for a small admission fee (may 100 yen), lovely mountain views, great hiking, small villages with really friendly people. Since you've only been in Tokyo a short time, I'm guessing you haven't experienced much outside the city either. It's well worth it. If you are going to Takayama, also consider Shirakawa-go.

My votes are for cram it in by train. OR don't cram it in and go by car and include Shirakawago as KimJapan suggests (go to Matsumoto then over the mountains via Kamakochi to Takayama to Shirakwago; but get some advice on how much traffic might be on the mountain roads in summer).

Kim,
Many thanks for your response.
Given my schedule, would you include Hiroshima or opt for the convenience of the car and go rural, doing more in kansai and Honshu, leaving Hiroshima out? I just feel that Hiroshima/Miyajima would mean sacrficing a couple of days and the convenience of having our own transport and want to make sure Hiroshima and Miyajima are worth it. I like the idea of focusing more on rural areas but if you think Hiroshima/Miyajima are a better idea then we will do it all by public transport.
Many thanks,

Gregor

Thanks mrwunrfl. I'd prefer not to cram my vacation - and as I know I can go to Hiroshima anytime (although my visitor cannot) I am keen to make sure I am not trying do too much.

Thanks,

Gregor

Hello Gregor. I don't think the consensus here is that 1 day is more than enough to see Hiroshima and Miyajima, if that is what you were trying to say in #1 above. Some people (including me- from Kyoto) have gone to Hirshima to the Peace Park and on to Miyajima for a few hours before the return train. But it leaves you with a very short time on Miyajima if you are doing it by train. And it is a long day trip. That said, I think it was worth it, although if I was to do it again, I would not go to Miyajima if the weather was not good on the day of travel. And if the weather is good, staying overnight on Miyajima is preferable. If your visitor wants to see Hiroshima's Peace Park, I think it is worth it to do a day trip for that alone, because that is obviously something you can't see anywhere else in the world, and it makes a strong impression. As much as we loved Kyoto and hated giving up a day there, we were very glad we went to the Peace Park.
Personally, I would ask my visitor and do what she wants to do. As you said, you live in Tokyo and can do the trips on your own time, but she is coming and may really want to see the Peace Park, or may not care that much. She can take a look at the Peace Park website for an idea of the grounds and museum. I don't generally like museums, but this one "speaks" very well.

and I am not saying to go to Hiroshima over the rural areas...that is a fundamental decision you have to make along w/your visitor.

It's going to be HOT...so based on that, I might skip Hiroshima/Miyajima in favor of heading north instead to the mountains. You haven't experienced Japanese summer yet...brace yourself

The Nagano area is lovely. Karuizawa is a sort of summer getaway place with nice resort hotels and outlet shopping and outdoorsy type activity.

If your travel time falls between August 6 and 20 or so, traffic will be high for obon, at the beginning of that time, traffic out of the cities will be crazy, and at the end, traffic in will be crazy. Driving in the countryside can present a challenge....signs are often missing and it seems that not all the existing roads have actually made it onto the maps. If you have a navigation system you should be fine.

Seems like you are asking questions that you already know the answers for. You asked about cramming in Hiroshima but you don't want to cram things in. Sounds to me like you don't really want to go. Also, I don't think any of us can tell you whether or not YOU would find it worthwhile. Another thing to consider, besides time (which is not that much, really, less than two hours from Osaka) , is that the trip to Hiroshima would cost you about 20,000 yen from Osaka.