Travelogue 2023 Hiroshima Okayama 6-Day Free Trip

[Travelogue] 2023 Hiroshima Okayama 6-Day Free Trip

6-day trip to Hiroshima, Okayama, Fukuyama, Kurashiki, and Onomichi in 2023

Preface

After resigning at the end of August and immediately embarking on a “ 10-day Solo Stroll in Kyushu “ in September for almost three months of rest, originally planning to start work in mid-November, the new job will involve new projects, and the new company does not offer much special leave. Everything needs to accumulate annual leave according to the basic labor law, so I considered going out to play again (planning started at the end of October).

Location — Hiroshima (Okayama)

Last time, on the way to an unexpected incident on the road to Nagasaki — received a souvenir from Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, and visited the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park last time, so I thought I could also visit Hiroshima.

Also, friends around me highly recommended Hiroshima, with World Heritage sites such as Itsukushima Shrine, oysters, Seto Inland Sea, Onomichi, Rabbit Island…

And since it’s a solo trip, not considering big cities or cities I’ve already been to, hoping for convenient transportation, Hiroshima is a great choice!

Dates — 11/13–18

Originally planned to start work on 11/20 (later postponed to 12/1), deducting the last day as a buffer for rest, the return date was set for 11/18 (Saturday).

For the departure date, originally had plans with friends on 11/12, so I decided to depart on 11/13 (Monday); but since the work arrangements were flexible, mainly based on when the flight prices for the round trip were lower.

Twists and Turns

❌ The most intuitive way to go to Hiroshima is through Hiroshima Airport, but the conditions are very unfavorable:

Time: Late departure (17:20) and early return (09:30); and no flights on Saturdays, so I would have to return on Friday (11/17).
Location: Need to take a shuttle bus (about 55 minutes), and upon arrival, the only available buses are at 21:40 or 22:20 (last one), reaching the station around 22 or 23 o’clock, very late.
Price: ~=$17,000, too expensive.

❌ In and out of Fukuoka + Shinkansen, still inconvenient:

Time: Departure (16:30) and return (10:55), also late departure and early return, but slightly better.
Location: Convenient transportation, but need to take the Shinkansen to Hiroshima, about 1.5 hours.
Price: ~=$12,000, and if I want to return late (20:35), it would cost ~=$17,000 or take the 06:50 flight in the morning.

❌ Later found out that I could go to Hiroshima through Okayama with Tigerair, the motivation to go was average:

Time: Departure (11:10) and return (15:25), great timing.
Location: Also need to take a shuttle bus from Okayama Airport, but the landing time is early, with plenty of time.
Price: Including 20 KG checked baggage, round trip costs around ~=$14,000.

Since I had spent a lot during the “ 10-day Kyushu trip in September “, if I couldn’t keep the flight ticket price around 10,000, the motivation to go was not strong, so I almost gave up on this trip.

✅ Tigerair Okayama Winter Travelogue Event , Departure:

On October 31, while browsing Facebook out of boredom, I happened to see a post in the “ Japan Free Travel Discussion Group “ community where someone shared about discounted airfare promotions from an airline from 11/3 10:00 to 11/6 23:59. Luckily, with a go-with-the-flow attitude, I decided to go if I could get a discount and let it go if not.

11/3 I was very lucky to buy the tickets early in the morning, with the best departure and return dates (11/13–18), the best flight times, and the best prices, so there’s no reason not to go!

Departure (11:10), return (15:25), including round-trip 20KG check-in baggage + seat selection + miscellaneous fees: $7,012

KKday Promotion

Preparation

After buying the tickets, there is only one week left before departure, so I will start preparing eagerly.

The places I most want to visit are Miyajima, Onomichi, Kurashiki, and Okayama Castle; so I will use Hiroshima as a base, stay there for several days, and then stay around Okayama closer to the return date.

Transportation

JR Pass Okayama & Hiroshima & Yamaguchi Area Rail Pass (¥ 17,000, just in time for the price increase after the end of October 2023.)

Checking the fare from Okayama to Hiroshima station, one way is ¥6,460, round trip is ¥12,920; adding trips to Miyajima, Onomichi, and Kure… round trip, it should be worth it; buying the JR Pass directly is the most convenient option.

Accommodation (5 nights)

Toyoko Inn Hiroshima Station Baseball Stadium Front (3 nights)

Price: $4,612, $1,537 per night, single non-smoking room
Location: It seems quite close on the map (actually about a 15-minute walk, due to construction and having to cross a level crossing), not a bustling area, outside the Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium, which is currently not hosting any games, so the whole area is very quiet.

Toyoko Inn consistently offers great value for money, with both price and environment being the best of this accommodation.

APA Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae Ohashi (1 night)

Price: $2,501, 1 night, single non-smoking room
Location: Closer to Hiroshima Station, but not an easy walk, need to cross a major road and a bridge (about 10 minutes); about a 15-minute walk from the previous accommodation, so it’s convenient.

Since Toyoko Inn was fully booked for four nights, I could only stay at APA Hotel for one night.

Livemax Okayama Kurashiki Ekimae Hotel Livemax (1 Night)

Price: $3,263, 1 night, single non-smoking room
Location: Similar to the map, just outside Kurashiki Station, about a five-minute walk, very convenient.

We ended up in Kurashiki because we couldn’t find any affordable hotels in Okayama when looking for accommodation. We had to look along the JR line, as there are shuttle buses from Kurashiki back to Okayama Airport; so we decided to find a hotel near Kurashiki.

This was the only hotel in Kurashiki with available rooms, convenient location, and acceptable prices.

Joy

Original plan:

11/13: Shopping, eat Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
11/14: Miyajima, Hiroshima City: Itsukushima Shrine, Momijidani Park, Miyajima Ropeway -> Mount Misen Observatory, Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Hiroshima Tower
11/15: Onomichi, Senkoji Temple
11/16: Kure, Hiroshima City (same as 11/14), Hiroshima Castle
11/17: Okayama, Kurashiki: Okayama Korakuen Garden, Okayama Castle, Kibitsu Shrine, Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, Kurashiki Outlet, Achi Shrine
11/18: Kurashiki Outlet, return journey

Okunoshima Island is too far and inconvenient, so it’s just on the reference list.

Let’s Go!

Flight Tracker, iPhone Suica usage, Visit Japan pre-entry application… mentioned in previous articles, so no need to elaborate here.

Day 1 Departure

Departure at 11:10 in the morning, slowly getting ready to leave.

From Taipei Main Station, take the airport MRT to Terminal 1 of Taoyuan Airport, arriving at the check-in counter around 08:50.

Not many people, quickly completed check-in + departure; not much to eat at Terminal 1, bought a snack and coffee and headed to the boarding gate.

Not very hungry while waiting, so didn’t buy any snacks.

Departed at 11:07, arrived at OKJ (Okayama Momotaro Airport) at 14:11; felt hungry in between but found out that Tigerair doesn’t allow bringing your own food on board (Peach Aviation doesn’t have specific regulations), so patiently waited, planning to eat before entering the country.

Okayama Airport is super small, followed the crowd and went straight through immigration, no corner to sneakily eat; because the snack had chicken, worried about quarantine issues, so handed the whole package over to customs for disposal.

Completed immigration + baggage claim around 14:40 (super fast). Later checked the flight schedule, Okayama Airport has very few flights, maybe only one international flight a day, so there were very few people, only those on the same flight; customs and quarantine dogs checked each person, but it was still very quick!

Immediately took the airport shuttle bus upon exiting, probably due to the limited flight schedule, the shuttle to Okayama Station was scheduled for 16:10; but there was an extra shuttle waiting outside the airport (departing when full, with another one following soon), very thoughtful to save everyone time!

After getting off, found the escalator to go up to Okayama Station, first went to exchange for the JR Pass, found the machine in green with “ EXPRESS Reservation, 5489 Pick-up “ written next to it to exchange for the JR Pass ticket.

I found exchange tutorial on the internet, which says to click on the blue “予約したきっぷのお受取り” button. However, when following the steps and scanning the QR Code, an “Invalid QR Code” error keeps appearing. Even trying to enter the order number failed.

Finally, after several attempts by a group of Taiwanese people, it was discovered that you need to use the yellow button “ QRコードの読取り “ at the bottom left to exchange, and after clicking it, you can directly scan the QR Code. (Guess JR machines have been updated)

The machine will dispense two instruction sheets, one JR Pass ticket (the one with the checkmark in the image). You can also complete the seat reservation after receiving the JR Pass. Remember to use the JR Pass ticket for entering and exiting the stations, as the reserved ticket is only for reference for seat and time and cannot be used for station access.

Feeling very hungry and not having eaten anything, I first went to a convenience store to buy something to eat. I then bought a few JR tickets for the upcoming trains.

Arrived at Hiroshima Station around 16:45.

First, I checked in at the hotel to drop off my luggage before going out to find food. This road is quite deserted when there are no baseball games. On the opposite side is the railway, and there aren’t many shops along the road, but fortunately, there is a large street shop, Lawson.

Returned to the station in Hiroshima to eat Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki at “Hiroshima Okonomiyaki Story Station Square,” located on the 6th floor to the right after exiting Hiroshima Station (next to Ekie department store). As soon as you step out of the elevator, you’ll find it quite unique as the entire floor is filled with Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurants, allowing you to choose your preferred restaurant to dine in.

Ordered a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki with added rice cakes (fried noodles inside). The taste was average, with noodles and rice cakes inside, and I felt quite full after eating.

Bought a late-night snack on the way back to the hotel. The night in Hiroshima was quite cold at around 4 degrees.

Unpacked in the room.

When you pull back the curtains, you can see the railway outside (about 10 lines, so you need to be quick when crossing the level crossing); the downside of the room is that there is a knocking sound when the train passes by.

Allite A1 65W Gallium Nitride Fast Charger + Allite Liquid Silicone Fast Charging Cable

This time I brought the Allite A1 65W Gallium Nitride Fast Charger + Allite Liquid Silicone Fast Charging Cable combination for the trip. Since switching to iPhone 15, almost all devices have switched to Type-C ports; when traveling, just bring a Type-C charging cable to solve everything.

The Allite A1 65W Gallium Nitride Fast Charger supports single-port 65W, dual-port 45W+18W fast charging; it is small in size and can be carried around. When you see a rechargeable plug outdoors, just plug it in to continue charging; back at the hotel, one port charges the power bank, and the other charges the phone, watch, iPad, or Switch, making it convenient and fast.

The Allite Liquid Silicone Fast Charging Cable (1.5m) is long enough to be directly connected from the power bank in the bag for use. The liquid silicone material is different from regular plastic, not only skin-friendly but also easier to bend for storage without deformation.

The best charging companion for this trip.

Day 2 Miyajima (Itsukushima Shrine), Momijidani Park, Mt. Misen Observatory, Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park

KKday itinerary reference:

_[Japan. Miyajima Momijidani Park, Itsukushima Shrine Rickshaw Experience](https://www.kkday.com/zh-tw/product/22395-miyajima-private-tour-ebisuya-rickshaw-experience?cid=19365&ud1=31b9b3a63abc){:target=”blank”}

Hiroshima, Miyajima Bus Day Tour

Miyajima

In the early morning, take the JR to Miyajima-guchi Station, and walk towards the pier after exiting the station to find the ferry terminal. JR Pass includes the Miyajima ferry ticket, so there’s no need to buy a separate ticket, but you need to pay the Miyajima visit tax (¥100), and station staff will guide you to purchase the tax ticket.

Alternatively, you can also take the Hiroden to Miyajima-guchi, but I remember it takes longer.

The ferry takes about 10 minutes to reach Miyajima, and the ferry ride is smooth without a diesel smell. You can see the floating torii gate from afar as you approach!

Upon arriving on the island, head towards the floating torii gate. It’s beautiful and less crowded to take photos along the shore.

There are also many wild deer on the island, be careful as they might nibble on things XD.

After passing through Itsukushima Shrine, head to the Miyajima Ropeway to the Shishiiwa Observatory.

You need to take two cable cars to reach the Shishiiwa Observatory. The advantage of taking the cable car directly is that there are almost no people (lots of people at Itsukushima Shrine below). The first section is a small cable car for up to 6 people (frequent departures, longer distance), and the second section is a larger cable car (if I remember correctly, it departs every 15 minutes and can accommodate more people, about 20 people, with a short distance).

From the mountaintop, you can overlook the entire Seto Inland Sea, enjoy the breeze, and admire the small islands.

Itsukushima Shrine is built directly by the sea, with clean water and a serene atmosphere. You can also queue to take photos of the torii gate in the sea from the front.

During this season, the tide recedes at 3 am or 5 pm. Unfortunately, this time I didn’t have the chance to see the Itsukushima Shrine and torii gate at low tide.

For lunch, of course, you must eat oysters. The oyster rice and fried oysters at Oyster House cost around 300 TWD each, delicious and affordable, a feast of oysters!

Miyajima Ropeway and Itsukushima Shrine tickets.

Bought a small Itsukushima Shrine torii gate to take home, very cute!

Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park

Returned to Hiroshima city in the afternoon and visited the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park.

In autumn, Hiroshima is adorned with the yellow of ginkgo trees, the red of maple leaves, and some green leaves, accompanied by the cool autumn breeze, reminiscing about everything that happened in Hiroshima.

Encountered many Japanese middle and elementary school outdoor classes at the Peace Memorial Park, with teachers explaining the history. I deeply feel the importance the Japanese people place on passing down historical education.

Back to the Hotel

Returned to the hotel in the late afternoon to rest because it was too cold outside as I was dressed lightly.

Dinner was bought directly on the way back to the hotel from the “Charcoal Grilled Meat Min Sarumonkey Bridge Store” takeout barbecue box; what initially caught my eye about this store was that there were several charcoal stoves placed at the entrance, which felt very warm as I walked by. When I stopped to look at the sign, I found out they offered takeout boxes, so I went in!

Another interesting thing was that their meal box had a self-heating function. When you want to eat it back at the hotel, you just pull a string, and it will start heating itself, emitting hot steam; it feels freshly baked and warm whenever you eat it, very thoughtful.

Today’s convenience store late-night snack included hot dogs, fried chicken, Strong Zero, and also bought a bottle of Yakult Y1000, which is said to help you sleep well after drinking. (But I was already very sleepy today after walking all day)

Day 3 Onomichi, Senkoji Temple, Fukuyama, Tomo-no-Ura

In the morning, took the Shinkansen to Mihara, then transferred from Mihara to Onomichi Station.

Didn’t time it well, had to wait for over 30 minutes when transferring from Mihara to Onomichi.

Walked out of the south exit to the main entrance of Onomichi Station.

The weather was good and the temperature was comfortable, so after leaving Onomichi Station, I walked straight to Senkoji Temple; walking on the mountain side felt like walking in Jiufen Old Street, the path was not easy to walk, with many stairs and steep slopes, but on the other side, you could see the Seto Inland Sea, the scenery was nice.

Another option is to walk directly on the main road until you see the sign for the Senkoji Ropeway, then turn in and take the ropeway up to Senkoji.

The view from Senkoji Temple is great, overlooking the entire Onomichi city area and the distant Onomichi Ohashi Bridge.

Brought home a cute little Jizo statue (you can choose to write down a wish and leave it at Senkoji for offering or take it home as a souvenir):

After visiting Senkoji Temple, walking down leads to the Cat Alley.

Early internet articles often introduced the Cat Alley in Japan’s Hou Tong, but this year’s actual visit felt different; the Cat Alley is a small path downhill from Senkoji, didn’t see any stray cats, the cat cafes along the way were almost all closed, walking down felt a bit lonely, finally found a coffee shop that was still open, “Bouquet D’arbre,” to have a cup of coffee and take a break.

The location of the store is good, but on the way up, it also gives off a lonely feeling with overgrown weeds. The store has few seats and limited meal options; but the owner is very enthusiastic + the store cat is very clingy and will come to sit next to you.
Walking back to the main street at the foot of the mountain, I encountered a very quiet local shrine.
On the way back to Onomichi Station, I walked through the shopping street inside and had the famous Onomichi Ramen for lunch - “Onomichi Ramen Shoya”.
After leisurely strolling back to Onomichi Station, since it was still early, I decided to go to the nearby city of Fukuyama.
I didn’t calculate the time well again, and waited for another 30 minutes before the train arrived. Friends coming to Onomichi, remember to manage your time well.
Fukuyama
After arriving at Fukuyama Station, you can see Fukuyama Castle, but I didn’t go inside, just took a photo from afar and left.
Tomonoura
Before returning to Fukuyama Station, you can see the bus boarding instructions to Tomonoura. Initially, I thought it would be difficult to reach Tomonoura because it is a seaside town, but I have to admire Japan’s tourism and transportation signs, very clear.
p.s. I didn’t do much research on Tomonoura before the trip, it was a spontaneous decision to visit.
The only knowledge I had about Tomonoura was that it is a filming location for “Ponyo on the Cliff”, Japan’s first modern port town, a place where Ryoma Sakamoto negotiated, a must-visit for history buffs.
After boarding the bus, the final stop is Tomonoura (journey time: about 40 minutes).
Sensui Island
Referring directly to the local tourist map, I decided to go to Sensui Island first to see the scenery.
After getting off, I walked back to the “Fukuyama City Ferry Terminal” and took a ferry to Sensui Island (about 10 minutes).
The ship has an ancient charm, giving a sudden feeling of becoming a pirate king. Although the journey is short, being able to overlook the Seto Inland Sea and Sensui Island, and feel the breeze, is very comfortable.
After arriving on the island, I didn’t see any pedestrians, the island was desolate, the original Tomonoura Seaside Bathing Beach Visitor Center had also closed and was being prepared for demolition, the trails to other coasts up the mountain were closed due to falling rocks; only at the intersection, there was still a bathhouse restaurant in operation.

Tomo-no-Ura Beach is now just a quiet stretch of sand, with only the occasional sound of a group of sea ducks playing. (It’s my first time seeing saltwater ducks, not saltwater chickens.)

After about 15 minutes, with nowhere else to go, we waited for the ferry back; although the place was desolate, there were vending machines! On the way back, we took a closer look at Benten Island in the distance, a small island with a torii gate standing alone in the middle of the sea.

Tomo-no-Ura

Returning to Tomo-no-Ura as evening approached, we strolled to the harbor to see the evening lights and the Japanese-style castle town scenery. On the way, many people and photography enthusiasts were already sitting on the steps near the harbor, setting up their cameras, waiting for the sunset.

Tomo-no-Ura is famous for its invigorating and life-saving liquor, with a strong medicinal wine aroma on the road; because we had to rush back to Hiroshima, we took a bus back to Fukuyama before it got dark.

After returning to Fukuyama, we hopped on the train to Hiroshima, bidding farewell to this peaceful and serene city. For dinner, we bought a takeout barbecue box from “ Yakiniku Toshi Saruhashi Store “ on the way back to the hotel.

Also added two fried oysters from the convenience store (only 100 yen each).

Late-night snack was still over Y1000 at the convenience store.

Day 4 Kure, Hiroshima City Tour (Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Hiroshima Castle, Shukkeien Garden)

Early in the morning, we checked out of Toyoko INN and headed to Hiroshima APA Hotel where we would stay that night.

After storing our luggage, we walked back to Hiroshima Station to catch a train to Kure (about 50 minutes). As we approached Kure, looking out the right window felt like taking the train back to Fulung, Yilan, with mountains on the left and the sea on the right, a pleasant view.

Upon exiting the station, you can visit the tourist information center to get a travel guide for Kure. (The design is really good!)

Following the signs, you can walk from the station to the Yamato Museum and the Maritime Self-Defense Force Kure Museum.

When you’re at the end of the bridge, don’t rush to descend. From the bridge, you can get a good view of the Maritime Self-Defense Force Wushi Archives - Submarine.

For future friends planning to visit Wushi and Hiroshima, Wushi can also take a boat to Miyajima and return to Hiroshima. I originally wanted to take a boat back to Hiroshima, but I missed the time, so I gave up this time.

Yamato Museum

Inside, there is a close-up view of the Yamato battleship from almost every angle, with detailed displays of battleships, war history, fighter planes, cannons, and more. It’s a must-visit for battleship enthusiasts and military fans. Additionally, there was a special exhibition on the history and design of Japanese aircraft carriers, including design sketches.

Maritime Self-Defense Force Wushi Archives

After leaving the Yamato Museum, walk towards the back to reach the Maritime Self-Defense Force Wushi Archives, where you can enter for free.

The museum mainly showcases the living environment, working environment, engines, mines, and history inside submarines.

The most special part is that you can actually enter the submarine and see the real cockpit, dormitory, captain’s room, control room, and use the periscope to view the external environment.

Wushe Shopping Street

After visiting the museum and approaching noon, getting ready to eat, I initially wanted to have Navy Curry directly, but after checking the reviews, it didn’t seem particularly special, so I walked back to Wushe Shopping Street to decide. (Actually quite far, in the opposite direction, took about 30 minutes to walk)

Finally chose to eat Wushe Cold Noodles, similar to cold noodles with pork bone char siu, the noodles are chilled, refreshing in taste, and the portion is quite large, so ordering a small portion is sufficient.

After eating, getting ready to head back to the station, I also bought “Fukuzumi Fried Red Bean Cake” on the way, which was sweet and oily, tasting quite ordinary; and also bought Navy Coffee and Curry as souvenirs on the way (subarucoffee_store/, the staff was very friendly and enthusiastic).

Walking back to the Wu Station and taking a train back to Hiroshima.

After returning to Hiroshima, the final tour of Hiroshima city area. There are three sightseeing bus routes available right outside Hiroshima Station (included in JR Pass), so you can choose the direction you want to go.

I want to visit Shukkeien (Hiroshima Museum) first, so I choose to take the red Maple Leaf bus.

Shukkeien

Shukkeien is located behind the Hiroshima Museum, and you can also buy a combined ticket for Shukkeien + Hiroshima Museum when purchasing tickets.

Shukkeien is a very exquisite small garden with many miniature landscapes, such as maple leaves, flowing water under small bridges, bamboo groves, pine trees, hills, etc. It’s nice to take a walk and enjoy the scenery.

Hiroshima Castle

Next stop is a leisurely walk to Hiroshima Castle. The original Hiroshima Castle was destroyed in the atomic bombing, and the current Hiroshima Castle is a reconstruction. It looks very new, not very tall, and you can’t see much scenery from the main keep.

Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Memorial Park

The last stop is back to the Peace Memorial Park, next to which is the Paper Crane Tower (not very tall, didn’t go in).

Just happened to encounter Shingo Takatori coming to pay his respects in the afternoon.

Queue up to buy tickets to visit the Peace Memorial Museum, which has a very rich history of the nuclear bombing process, history, as well as data photos and objects; the overall visit is very heavy and shocking.

On the other side of the park, there is also a memorial hall, but it was too heavy to go in.

In the evening, a drizzle started, matching the mood of just having seen a painful historical lesson, and returned to Hiroshima Station.

Bought some souvenirs at the station and a bento box to take away, then returned to the hotel to rest, still need to do laundry today.

APA’s president is really everywhere, President’s curry, President’s water, President’s book…

The room density is as dense as usual, with over 60 rooms on one floor.

The room is small, but well-equipped, and the electronic facilities are very convenient (you can see the laundry room dynamics in the room, and the TV can directly Airplay).

Encountered a big trouble when doing laundry, long queues, with only 7 washing machines for over 1000 rooms in the building. Finally, seized the right timing, queued downstairs when the washing machine was about to finish, and finally finished washing and drying clothes around 11 o’clock (not dry yet, continue to hang in the room).

It was so late, it was very reasonable to have a late-night snack today! Still Y1000 + milk + convenience store ready-to-eat food.

Day 5 Kurashiki, Okayama

Early in the morning, the weather was beautiful and sunny; checked out of the hotel, said goodbye to Hiroshima, and headed to Kurashiki to leave luggage at the hotel (can also leave it in Okayama first, as you need to go to Okayama before going to Kurashiki).

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, Achi Shrine

First stop at Achi Shrine, located at a higher altitude overlooking the entire Kurashiki area, very quiet with few people.

Atsushi Shrine is not big but famous for its Ema Pavilion. If you draw a bad fortune, you can tie it under the corresponding animal head according to your zodiac sign. There is also the “Hanawa Musubi” for seeking good relationships (source):

, thanks to Angie.

The area is not large but very quiet and pleasant to stroll around. As the boat tickets were sold out that day, we didn’t get a chance to experience it, but walking around the nearby alleys was also very comfortable.

For lunch, we had the famous curry set meal at Miyake Shoten. The curry was rich and delicious, especially paired with burdock strips.

After eating, we continued our stroll and when we got tired, we went to have the “Fruit Parfait” at Parlor Kudamachi (where the staff wears maid costumes from the Taisho era). The Okayama Seio grapes with fruit ice cream were sweet to the point of numbness.

For souvenirs, you can buy the collagen-rich Okayama fruit jelly from GOHOBI, a specialty of Kurashiki.

Okayama Korakuen Garden Illumination, Okayama Castle

As the sun set, we took the train back to Okayama Station, where we could directly take a tram to the area around Okayama Castle.

First stop at Okayama Korakuen Garden, the evening illumination feels romantic and beautiful.

Okayama Korakuen Garden + Okayama Castle hold illumination events in mid to late November every year.

On the way, visit the neighboring Okayama Castle to see the night view, which has a unique charm with the maple leaves illuminated.

Dinner was easily settled by having Ichiran ramen on the spot, then strolling back to Okayama Station (the street lights were beautiful along the way). Before returning to Kurashiki, there was some time to browse through the discount store (Don Quijote), but there were not many souvenirs, so you have to go to Okayama Station or department stores to find them…

Upon returning to Kurashiki, it was already evening, the weather was cold, and people on the street were rushing home. The outlet behind Kurashiki Station had also closed.

Only then did I realize that the hotel did not have a 24-hour front desk, luckily I didn’t come back too late! However, the hotel room facilities were very complete, with a microwave, kettle, and glasses cleaning machine.

On the last night in Japan, I simply had convenience store chicken nuggets + a ¥1000 bill and bought an extra bottle of white peach strawberry milk as a midnight snack before falling asleep.

Day 6 Okayama, Return Journey

In the early morning just as the day was breaking, I checked out and headed to Okayama.

Planning to take the airport shuttle from Okayama back to the airport, there is also a direct shuttle from Kurashiki to Okayama Airport but with fewer trips ( For details, please refer to the official website ). Since I hadn’t finished exploring Okayama yesterday, I decided to head straight to Okayama and then return from there.

Kibitsu Shrine

Upon arriving at the station, head straight to Kibitsu Shrine (about a 30-minute drive). It takes another 15 minutes to walk from the station to reach the shrine, which features a historic cypress corridor, ginkgo trees, and historical buildings, perfect for a leisurely visit.

There is another Kibitsu Shrine on the other side of the mountain, which you can also visit on the way, but due to time constraints, we skipped it this time.

Okayama AEON

After returning to Okayama Station, head to the nearby AEON department store to buy souvenirs, shop around, have a tempura soba lunch, and then prepare to catch the airport shuttle back to Okayama Airport.

There are many people waiting for the shuttle, but there is no need to worry about not getting on the bus, as extra buses are scheduled to ensure everyone reaches the airport.

Okayama Momotaro Airport (OKJ)

The airport is a bit dated, similar in size to Kumamoto Airport, and by around 13:50, you will have completed security check-in and departure procedures, with about 2 hours left until the 15:25 departure time.

The airport has very few flights, with only passengers from the same flight. Check-in and baggage drop-off take less than 15 minutes. An interesting feature is that the X-ray machine at Okayama Airport is located in the airport lobby. After passing through the X-ray, seal your luggage before proceeding to check-in (if you open your luggage, you will be asked to go through security again).

After dropping off your luggage on the terminal floor (only 2 floors in total), take a stroll around. There is an observation deck for viewing, as well as a cafe and several restaurants to grab a bite to eat. When you’re tired, treat yourself to a white peach ice cream cone.

Security check is also quick, but at Okayama Airport, you need to remove your boots for the check, which can be a bit inconvenient.

In case of flight delays, wait in the boarding area until finally taking off at 16:24 (almost an hour delay).

Farewell, Okayama, farewell, Hiroshima.

Souvenir Unboxing

Interlude

Following the “2023 Kyushu 10-Day Solo Trip” a few days ago, there was a lingering sense of loneliness, being alone in unfamiliar places and hardly speaking any Japanese for 10 days. The memory of that loneliness remains fresh, so there isn’t much desire to go back. The trip was mainly due to the upcoming work commitments and the opportunity of getting a super discounted flight ticket.

On the first day, while exchanging for the JR Pass, I coincidentally got stuck, met a group of Taiwanese who were also stuck, took turns trying with them, and coincidentally, she was also heading to Hiroshima. We both bought tickets for the next train, coincidentally both wanted to go to the convenience store first, and coincidentally, we were in the same industry, so we had a lot to talk about. Both traveling alone, we ended up forming a group and completing the same itinerary together on the first day.

Many itineraries, attractions, and time arrangements are provided by Angie. If I were to travel on my own, I might wander around or miss out, and end up walking alone for 6 days.

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This article was first published in Traditional Chinese on Medium ➡️ View Here

Travelogue 2023 Hiroshima Okayama 6-Day Free Trip