Hiroshima to Miyajima Day Trip | Japan Solo Travel 2017

June 08, 2017

As previously mentioned in my Hiroshima travel post, Miyajima was not in my original itinerary but the 1 Day Streetcar and Ferry Pass made travelling from Hiroshima to Miyajima worth my yen (¥840 instead of ¥960 if bought seperately). I didn't do much research regarding Miyajima; other than it being an island off Hiroshima, I knew particularly nothing about Miyajima but being clueless is how I travel solo. I only knew I wanted to see one of the three views of Japan — Itsukushima Shrine — for myself.

I slept the entire train journey from Genbaku-Domu Mae Station to Miyajimaguchi Station because I was absolutely exhausted from all the intense solo travelling and my first overnight bus. Since Miyajimaguchi Station is the last station, where everyone gets off, I wasn't too worried about missing my stop.

With my luck, my earrings fell off (again!!!!!!!!!!) when I was sleeping. Thankfully, I had a pair of back up so I hurriedly unpacked when I reached Miyajimaguchi Station, and got a kind Japanese shopkeeper to put it on for me. Yes, I am a loser who can't figure out how to put in my own earrings, even till today. *Hangs my head in shame*

Had wanted to get a fortune-telling strip but unfortunately, I don't know my blood type... I'm the only person I know who still don't know my blood type and am too scared to find out. I'm aware that this post makes me sound like a whiny scaredy-cat but I'm just really afraid of needles!

I'm a sucker for fortune telling gimmicks even though the readings are always kinda general — I relish in that fleeting moment of feigned control I have over my future. Japan almost got me declaring bankrupcy because of the abundance of fortune telling gimmicks!

Continued looking for souvenirs for my family and friends in the souvenir shop right in front of Miyajimaguchi Station, the same shop that sucked the last of my yen. I highly underestimated how expensive Japan can be, and it was glaringly obvious that I'd run out of yen by the time I reach Tokyo, my next stop.

My stomach was growling but I couldn't afford a proper meal in a restaurant setting; we all know how exorbitant a proper meal costs in Japan. No matter, I hunted for food for street food around Miyajimaguchi Station because I wasn't sure how long the Matsudai ferry ride would take.

Unlike Kyoto or Osaka, most of the menu in Hiroshima / Miyajima were in Japanese although it was obviously a tourist spot so I resorted to stores where I could point out what I want. Eventually, I only got a fried crab stick for ¥320 (approx SGD $4) just so I could keep my gastric pains from acting up. #budgettravels

The Matsudai ferry ride to Miyajima took a total of 15 minutes maximum, including boarding and alighting. I initially wanted feel the breeze against my face by the ferry deck but the winds were unforgiving so I hurriedly retreated in, where I found a whole row of seats to myself despite the fact that it was a public holiday in Japan.

Imagine my surprise when I saw deers! It felt as if I was transported to Nara Park, which I had to miss because I wanted to stop over at Hiroshima instead. I had absolutely no idea these tame deers roam freely around Miyajima as well.

The deers on Miyajima were once worshipped as messengers of Japanese gods, and they depend on the food offered by locals and tourists from time to time. However, the deers are apparently strving to death now that we're not allowed to feed them officially anymore. I didn't see any stalls selling food for the deers anyore, although I noticed that some tourists still feed them with leftovers.