Miyajima & Hiroshima Day 2: Torii Gate & Tonkatsu 2026

Let's kick off Part 2 of my 6-night, 7-day Japan adventure!

▼ Catch up on Part 1 here ▼

---

Even though I stayed up late drinking the night before,

time is gold when you're traveling, so I got an early start!

A quick wash and getting ready,

then it was off to today's first destination: Miyajima Island!

Having already purchased the Hiroshima-Yamaguchi Pass,

I didn't have to worry about transportation costs for today's itinerary.

From the subway to the Miyajima Ferry and even buses,

one pass covered it all!

▼ Here's the link for the Hiroshima-Yamaguchi Pass ▼

Miyajima Island

Using the pass, I traveled to Miyajimaguchi Station,

then boarded the ferry from the Miyajima Ferry pier.

Thanks to the pass, all transportation costs up to this point were ~$0,

but I had to pay an additional 100 JPY for the island entry tax.

The ride to the island took about 15 minutes,

and the weather was perfect with a refreshing breeze.

Miyajima Island's iconic

Torii gate started to come into view, and it filled me with excitement

because it felt so different from any other tourist spot I'd visited before.

As soon as I arrived on the island, the first thing that caught my eye were the deer.

They weren't afraid of people at all, much to my surprise,

and were casually lounging around, dozing off like neighborhood cats.

While they're generally tamer and gentler than the deer at Nara Park,

be careful – the deer on this island absolutely love paper!

After walking through the Miyajima Omotesando shopping street

and snapping some photos of the Torii gate, I headed to Toyokuni Shrine first.

Toyokuni Shrine

It wasn't on my original plan, but since it was there, I decided to check it out..!

Entrance Fee: 100 JPY per person / Shoes off, so socks are a must!

The path up to the shrine was all stairs, which was quite a climb.

It felt like a proper morning workout, but I actually loved it!

Still, once I reached the top and looked down, the view opened up dramatically,

and I could see the sea and the town all at once.

That breathtaking scenery made me forget all about the strenuous climb in an instant.

There was a space inside the shrine where I could sit,

so I took a short break for about 20 minutes.

Hiroshima in October is neither too cold nor too hot,

making it the perfect weather for travel!

Itsukushima Shrine

Admission Fee: Adults 300 JPY / High School Students 200 JPY / Elementary & Middle School Students 100 JPY

After enjoying a moment of tranquility, I came back down

and purchased my ticket for Itsukushima Shrine.

If you're heading to Itsukushima Shrine, then Toyokuni Shrine

you can totally skip it!

Perhaps because it's one of Hiroshima's top tourist spots,

it was quite bustling with people, from locals to international visitors.

Inside the shrine, there was a popular photo zone where you could see the torii gate at a glance,

but there were so many people that we just passed by.

Honestly, once you hit your 30s, waiting around to take photos just feels like too much effort...

We slowly explored inside the shrine,

snapping a few photos of the beautiful scenery before heading out.

With lovely sunshine and a refreshing breeze,

simply walking around felt incredibly good.

After finishing our shrine visit, we started to get a little hungry.

So, we headed to a restaurant we had researched beforehand.

Miyajima Lunch

It's a little bit away from the main shopping street, but not too far,

and its Google rating is in the 4.6 range!

Miyajima Island is famous for its eel rice bowls (unadon),

so we visited this restaurant for my boyfriend, who loves unadon.

I ordered udon, and my boyfriend got the eel rice bowl set.

Overall, the seasoning wasn't too strong, making it easy and pleasant to eat.

The amount of eel in the unadon was a bit less than expected for a rice bowl,

and the slices were quite thin, which was a little disappointing,

but he said the combination of the sweet sauce and warm rice was still good.

No udon photo... I never imagined I'd be blogging back then...

After our meal, we stepped out and slowly strolled through the alleyways.

Everywhere we went, picturesque scenery unfolded,

so we captured a photo at almost every turn.

Omotesando Shopping Street

We moved to the shopping street we had seen on our way in and explored.

From souvenir shops to traditional snacks,

and general stores, there was such a variety, making it really fun to browse.

As we walked, we came across Miyajima Brewery.

As big fans of beer,

we naturally couldn't just pass it by, so we went in.

With a subtle fruity aroma and taste,

it was the perfect refreshment after our walk.

The carbonation wasn't too strong either, making it lovely and light to enjoy.

On our way out after all the sightseeing,

we spotted a deer crying in front of a restaurant, seemingly asking for the door to be opened!

The deer in Nara tend to headbutt people, but these ones just cry... so gentle!

We took the ferry back to Miyajimaguchi Station,

and then took the tram to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

Using the pass, buses and subways were free, but

I also wanted to see the ocean from the ground as I went,

and since the tram goes directly to Peace Memorial Park, I took the tram.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Korean Victims' Memorial Monument

After exploring the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park,

I moved on to the Memorial Monument for Korean Atomic Bomb Victims.

In front of the monument, I offered a silent prayer from the heart,

and left a bottle of water.

If you plan to visit the memorial, it's a good idea to bring a bottle of water from Korea.

In Hiroshima, Korean visitors are rare, but there are many Western tourists.

Perhaps because of this, the street atmosphere felt like a small European town,

and the cafes and shops were decorated to match that vibe,

giving the city an overall relaxed and bright feeling.

The sunset was truly beautiful on my way to dinner,

but with that beauty came the bittersweet feeling of the day drawing to a close.

A day in a travel destination always seems to pass by too quickly.

For dinner, I headed to the place I'd reserved:

Hiroshima Tonkatsu 16 (とんかつ16).

Hiroshima Dinner

It's the #1 ranked restaurant on Hiroshima Tabelog,

and reservations are a must.

▼ If you're curious about the detailed review ▼

The owner personally explained the cuts of meat that arrived today, including recommended parts,

in detailed English.

The price might be a bit steep,

but it was hands down the best tonkatsu I've ever had in Japan!

It's no secret that I'm going to Hiroshima again this May just to eat this!

On my way back to the accommodation after dinner,

I spotted a pet shop and just couldn't pass it by.

Being a dog owner, I always stop when I see places like this.

​

A tiny puppy visible through the window was dozing off so adorably,

that my gaze was fixed for a moment.

Late-Night Snack

Since I had plans for the next day, I didn't go far,

and looked for an izakaya near my accommodation.

There were private rooms, so I could enjoy my drinks quietly,

and I could order via QR code.

Honestly, the taste was just okay.

Second Round of Late-Night Snacks

I was sad that it was my last evening in Hiroshima,

and the sashimi from the izakaya was a bit disappointing,

so on my way back, I stopped by a convenience store to buy a few things

and returned to my accommodation :)

And just like that, my second day in Hiroshima came to a rather fulfilling end.