My Solo Trip to Japan | Hiroshima, Osaka, and Koyasan

Three nights in Kyoto passed quickly. Back on the train I went, this time in the direction of Hiroshima. I would come back for Osaka later. In Hiroshima, I was able to check into my hotel a bit early. They even gave me a free beer and snack. I was only staying here for one night, so there was little time to waste. Hiroshima was the target of the atomic bomb in 1945, which had destroyed most of the city at the time. Walking through it now in all its modernity, it's hard to imagine the horrors from 80 years ago. The dome of what was originally the Product Exhibition Hall building was the only structure left standing by the end of World War II, and is now kept in a state of ruin to serve as a somber reminder of its history. I then went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, located in the same park as the dome. It took about two hours to go through, and was very emotional, but it's extremely important, so it's an absolute must for visitors. For dinner, I went to try one of Hiroshima's specialties. In Okonomi Village, you can find three floors of stalls, all serving the same thing, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. It's somewhat confusing as many of them were reservation only, or they only served locals. Eventually, I found one that served tourists. Okonomiyaki is like a thick pancake mixed with various ingredients and cooked on a flat griddle, called a teppan. It originates from Osaka, but Hiroshima boasts their own version. Here they make it in layers rather than mixing it all together. Being able to watch the chefs cook it in front of you is all part of the experience. The next morning, I checked out and stored my bag in a coin locker at the Hiroshima train station. I then took the train to Miyajimaguchi station to catch the JR ferry to Miyajima, a small island less than an hour away from Hiroshima. An overnight stay here is recommended, but I wasn't able to book a place, which is why I stayed in Hiroshima itself. As soon as I stepped onto the island, I saw wild deer. At 8am in the morning, they were still a bit sleepy. My first stop on the island was the Itsukushima shrine, famous for its floating torii gate. It isn't truly floating, of course. It is only when the tide comes in that it appears to be. After this, I headed for the Miyajima ropeway. Along the way, I passed many deer roaming around. They coexist with the humans here and aren't really afraid of you. On the ropeway, it takes two separate gondola rides to get to the top of Mount Misen. The view here is really nice, as you can see Hiroshima and a bunch of other islands around the area. There is also another 30 minute hike from here to get to the top observatory, but unfortunately I didn't have time for that. I finished my half day on Miyajima at the Omotesando Arcade, a shopping street where I tried a bunch of local snacks for lunch. After this whirlwind tour of the Hiroshima area, I took the train back to Osaka. Osaka is actually very close to Kyoto, so most people will visit both places together. The next morning, I visited Kuroman Ichiba Market, a public market selling seafood, meat, produce, snacks, homewares, and more. Of course, my trips are never complete without seeing penguins if I can. The penguins at Osaka Aquarium were adorable, but I have to say, seeing the whale sharks following the fish around was a real treat. In the late afternoon, there was a thunderstorm, so I waited it out at the hotel. When the coast was clear, I stepped back out. Shinsekai was a strange mix of retro, kitsch, and artificiality, and yet I found it quite interesting as it was a bit different to what I had seen so far in Japan. Here, I ducked into one of the restaurants to try kushikatsu, which refers to various deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables. I returned to Dotonbori to end off the evening. It was extremely busy here, and everyone wanted a photo with the Glicoman. There were also takoyaki stands everywhere. These balls of batter containing small pieces of octopus originated right here in Osaka, so I had to have some. My jaunt in Osaka was almost over. On my last morning here, I walked around Osaka Castle Park. The current Osaka Castle is a complete reconstruction of the original that was built in the late 1500s by the samurai warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In the spring, the park is a popular location for cherry blossom viewing. Before I left, I wanted to try Osaka's okonomiyaki. It differs from Hiroshima's multi-layered creation in that almost all of the ingredients get mixed together in a batter before it gets cooked on the griddle. This doesn't look that big, but it was actually incredibly filling. It was now time to head to my last stop before returning to Tokyo, one that I was pretty excited about. To get to my destination, first I had to take two trains, then transfer to a funicular, and finally a bus to get to the top of Koya-san, or Mount Koya, a Buddhist temple town. I had made a reservation to stay overnight in one of the temples. After checking in, the monk showed me to my room. At 4pm, there was a free temple tour. This particular temple I was staying at is one of the oldest in Koya-san, founded during the Tencho period between 824 to 834. For dinner, a traditional Buddhist vegetarian meal was served. In the evening, I headed outside. It was a bit chilly now as the temperature had dropped below 10 degrees Celsius. The monk had recommended to me earlier to visit the cemetery next to the temple at night. It was lit up with lanterns and very atmospheric. However, it was still a bit eerie as I was alone, so I didn't go far before returning back to my lodging. A key part of the experience staying at the temple was being able to attend the monk's prayers at 6.30 in the morning, which lasted for almost an hour. For obvious reasons, I couldn't record this, but it was very interesting to observe. Then, a vegetarian Buddhist breakfast. After checking out, I took some time to stroll through the mountain town before catching the bus and cable car down the mountain and then the train back to Tokyo. This was an incredibly jam-packed three-week tour of Japan, and I'm pretty sure I've only just scratched the surface, so I can't wait to come back for more. Thanks for joining me on this adventure, and I'll see you on the next one.