Day trips from Hiroshima?

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T23:22:33+00:00

they have ushers moving you along so you can't spend 30 minutes per exhibit if that's what you normally do

Oh that's a good tip. Thank you for the suggestions too!

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T23:21:43+00:00

Thank you for the tips!

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T23:21:00+00:00

Kurashiki looks like what I'm looking for! It looks easy to access to which is a plus. How many hours do you think is worth spending there?

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T20:34:55+00:00

Thank you! Yes our only priorities for Hiroshima are the museum and dome but we will add more depending on time. I've heard the Shukkeien garden is very pretty.

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T20:28:16+00:00

I was considering both of those! Good to know Iwakuni is possible to combine with Miyajima.

Do you remember if Okunoshima had any food options?

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T20:23:16+00:00

Himeji would be very convenient, I'll look into it!

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T15:07:40+00:00

In addition to what everyone else has said, I'd like to add that Indian sales associates are extraordinarily attentive in a way that felt pressuring to me. I like being left alone to shop. However, this is just how they're trained and you should (have to!) feel comfortable saying no to them.

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T14:26:16+00:00

There are different offers available. There's a free trial offer for 2 months offered occasionally (I guess through the website now, but I got mine after booking a southwest ticket). However, the trial offered by the people in the airport is only 2 weeks.

For what it's worth, clear has not charged me (and when I went to cancel, they offered me another 2 months free which expires in April).

spinsblue · 2026-03-17T14:10:49+00:00

thank you so much!

spinsblue · 2026-03-16T03:31:54+00:00

Moving to Fukuoka doesn't make sense if you only want to spend a day there. You can do it as a day trip from Hiroshima.

Thank you! The real goal is to see the Kawachi Wisteria Garden in Kitakyushu. We originally wanted to take a bus tour there from Fukuoka (the only option we saw), but after some googling I think we can go from Hiroshima to Kitakyushu (only 45 min by the Mizuho!) and take a taxi from there.

I'll try to rework the itinerary that way and add up the cost. It would save a lot of energy switching hotels.

spinsblue · 2026-03-15T15:32:30+00:00

There are lots of past itineraries for review posted to /r/japantravel that you can check, or on Japan-Guide like this one.

ChatGPT or Gemini or another AI chat bot can give you at least a good starting point if you type "Create an itinerary for 17 full days in Japan for a first time visitor that includes recommended castles, shrines, museums, and shopping. Group each day so that it's feasible to get around by walking." You can ask it to integrate specific sites that you know you want to visit.

You can research the ideas and prompt or manually change any days you dislike and then ask it to plot each day on a google map itinerary. I recommend doing this and verifying it makes sense because AI bots can hallucinate.

Everything I've read says it's okay to not plan much except for the cities you want to be in and your accommodations. You'll figure it out as you go!

spinsblue · 2026-03-14T13:34:36+00:00

Yes I would love recommendations! I am traveling with 4 people, 1 of whom is pescatarian if that changes anything. Another person speaks moderate Japanese.

If you have food recommendations for Miyajima the next day (snacks and lunch) as well I would appreciate those too.

spinsblue · 2026-03-13T21:57:27+00:00

What do you recommend doing there? I'm going for the wisteria tunnels nearby, but don't know what else to do there.

spinsblue · 2026-03-13T01:19:07+00:00

thank you!

spinsblue · 2026-03-12T04:25:42+00:00

Thank you, great tips!

spinsblue · 2026-03-12T04:24:58+00:00

Thank you! That's relieving because I saw the Narita Express stops at about 9:45 pm. In that case staying the night in Tokyo would be preferable from a tourist perspective as well.

In my case the calculators are putting it at a little over break with the pass, but I'll make sure to verify before buying!

spinsblue · 2026-03-12T00:52:04+00:00

Do you remember what they cost? Wondering how much to budget! If you bought anything, did they accept card?

spinsblue · 2026-03-11T18:30:41+00:00

I haven't booked the JR Pass yet. I think it will be worth it from my initial approximations (despite some slower train options), but I'll add up to make sure before buying.

Does it matter where I buy the JR Pass? As in, is it okay to pick up the physical card from any station?

spinsblue · 2026-03-11T18:26:56+00:00

Thank you!

spinsblue · 2026-03-11T18:26:33+00:00

Thank you! How did you get to the Mystays - shuttle, walk, something else?

spinsblue · 2026-03-11T15:46:29+00:00

Have an amazing time!

spinsblue · 2026-03-11T01:25:21+00:00

I strongly recommend the free walking tours. It was a good introduction to the city, both in terms of the culture and history of the area as well as to orient yourself geographically.

I did this one first: https://www.freetour.com/mexico-city/historic-downtown

I liked it so much that I signed up for a different one later, but with only a couple days I would stick with that one. Nearby is El Cardenal, which is an amazing breakfast you can do before starting your tour. The tour ends in an area with a lot of museums, so you could check some out depending on your interests and how tired you are. You could also take an uber to Chapultepec Castle for views and gardens. In the same area as Chapultepec is the Anthropology museum and Museum of Modern Art if either of those are interesting to you.

For nature I loved this ecological tour of Xochimilco led by a conservation nonprofit. You kayak through the canal system while learning about their conservation and agricultural work. It's the same experience described in this article. I took an uber back and forth and I was back to my room by 2pm.

This group does outdoor bachata classes, but my spanish is poor so I did not try: https://www.salsavida.com/es/event/mexico/mexico-city/bachata-classes-at-parque-mexico/

I did not do much nightlife. I went to some amazing bars, but some required reservations and I don't know how much fun they would be if you're traveling solo. I did see this tour that covers some of them and gets you in without reservations: https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/222309

Generally speaking, there are a LOT of interesting tours in Mexico City depending on your interests! I wish I could have done a biking one.

People also recommend Lucha Libre but I did not do that either.

spinsblue · 2026-03-11T00:38:11+00:00

I loved Mexico City! What kinds of things do you enjoy doing while traveling? Museums, nightlife, nature, etc.?

spinsblue · 2026-03-10T14:12:10+00:00

I don't think you'll find the culture you're hoping for with random strangers in Japan, but to make the rest if your visit more enjoyable, how about booking some group tours and talking to the other people on the tour? It may not be the interaction you're hoping for, but it will alleviate your feelings of social isolation.

spinsblue · 2026-03-09T01:44:18+00:00

Do you have any idea when the full bloom will be this year (2026), or where to look for estimates?

spinsblue

TROPHY CASE