Hiroshima / Miyajima (Japan)

Hiroshima: 

We hopped the Sakura Shinkansen high-speed train from Osaka to Hiroshima, and the entire journey was an absolute breeze.  These bullet trains are so damn comfortable, but they actually have one major downside: they get you to your destination way too quickly.

Now, that might sound a bit odd coming from a guy who’s been dropping out of society and traveling the world for the last few years.  The truth is, I usually despise transit days.  I hate flying—the whole agonizing process from the moment you leave for the airport, through the security lines, all the way to immigration arrivals in a new country.  To make matters worse, international legs usually require overnight flights, meaning Barbie and I inevitably arrive at our next destination tired as shit.

But traveling within Japan?  A total pleasure.  I actually found myself looking forward to being a passenger on the JR Rail Shinkansen.  Honestly, I could easily go on joyrides across this country every single day, just staring out the window at the scenery without ever getting off.

We pulled the trigger on a 21-day consecutive unlimited JR Rail Pass, and it’s been worth every penny.  The seats are fit for a king, and the bathrooms are spotlessly clean. I really loved the hospitality—like the lady rolling her snack cart through the aisles, bowing with total respect every single time she entered or exited the train car.  Plus, nobody speaks a word on these cars.  The passengers maintain pure silence; it feels less like public transit and more like a meditation room.

The Ultimate Japanese Soul Food: Okonomiyaki

Hiroshima is world-famous for its fresh oysters, but the undisputed champion of the local food scene is Okonomiyaki.  It’s frequently referred to as Japanese “soul food,” and the best way to picture it is like a savory Japanese pizza-pancake hybrid.

The exact way okonomiyaki is whipped up changes depending on which region of Japan you’re in. Much like customizing a pizza toppings list back home, local eateries let you build your own savory masterpiece.  The base batter consists of egg, cabbage, and taro root, but just like a killer breakfast omelette, the real magic happens with the add-ins.  You load it up with your choice of meat, fresh seafood, cheese, green onions, kimchi, and savory bonito flakes, topped off with a fried egg.

The real kicker?  You choose your noodle base to layer into the pancake—either thin yakisoba or thick, chewy udon noodles. The entire ordering process is uniquely Japanese, and watching the master chef construct and flip it right in front of you on a massive steel grill, Benihana-style, makes for an incredibly fun (and delicious) eating experience.

The World Heritage Sites

Our three-night stay in Hiroshima gave us plenty of time to take in Hiroshima’s two massive World Heritage sites.

We spent a morning visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where we explored both the Peace Memorial Museum and the iconic A-Bomb Dome.  Standing right next to the dome—which has been preserved exactly “as is” since the nuclear blast in 1945—is a deeply eerie and humbling experience.  The museum clearly shows the raw devastation caused by the atomic bomb in heartbreaking detail.  It’s a tough, emotional watch, but an absolute must-visit.

Miyajima Island: 

On our second day, we needed a change of pace to clear our heads after the emotional weight of the Peace Museum.  We hopped a local train and a short ferry ride over to Miyajima Island, which turned out to be the perfect place to unwind outdoors and get back into nature.

The itinerary on Miyajima is beautifully simple: eat, hike, and explore timeless shrines and temples. The island is famous for the wild deer that casually roam the streets and beaches, completely unbothered by humans, just cooling out with the tourists.  We spent the afternoon trekking up Mt. Misen to catch some killer views of the bay and the famous floating torii gate.

Thru the Binocs

While we were in town, I desperately wanted to take in a live Japanese baseball game and check out the local Hiroshima Toyo Carp.  The entire city goes absolutely bonkers over the Carp.  On game day, it feels like the regular population is wearing matching red Carp jerseys, and you can practically feel the camaraderie radiating through the streets.

Unfortunately for Big Doug, baseball happens to be the one and only sport on the planet that Barbie absolutely hates.  So, no ballpark hot dogs for me this time around.

But I’m not giving up just yet.  I’m definitely going to try to drag her to a game when we return to Tokyo.  We just booked an Airbnb for another nine nights in Tokyo to officially close out our epic five-week flashpacking run through Japan.