Bullet Train, Kintai Bridge & A-Bomb Dome (Itsukaichi)
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port
Hiroshima, Japan
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activityLevel
Strenuous Activity
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excursionType
Information Not Currently Available
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wheelchairAccessible
No
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startingAtPrice
$440
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minimumAge
Information Not Currently Available
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duration
Approximately 8½ Hours
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mealsIncluded
Meals not included
Head to Hiroshima's train station and take the high-speed Kodama bullet train to Shin-Iwakuni station (20 minutes). Here you will transfer to a motor coach and drive to the Kintai Bridge, which spans the Nishiki River. One of Japan's three great bridges, this one features a famous design of five wooden arches. It measures more than 700 feet in length, which is quite a feat given that it was first constructed in 1673. It was rebuilt in 1953 after a typhoon destroyed the original.
Walk to Kikko Park on the other side -- former home of feudal lord Daimyo Kikkawa -- and see the traditional residences built by the Samurai class. The estate is in a lush setting with a fountain, trees and flower gardens in which to stroll. It also features a sanctuary for white snakes -- a good luck symbol.
Continue to a local restaurant.
Afterwards, visit Peace Memorial Park and tour the Peace Memorial Museum. See exhibits, videos and items that survived the bombing. Learn about the scope of destruction and extent of the bombing zone, and note the haunting images of shadows etched into buildings and sidewalks. A photo stop at the Atomic Bomb Dome shows you what remains of the Industry Promotion Hall and the skeletal ruins that once supported its copper dome, vaporized in the atomic blast. View the gutted walls -- a powerful image and memorial of the bomb's destruction force. Watch for Hiroshima Castle. The 16th-century original was destroyed in the atomic blast, but a replica now houses a museum on pre-war Japan. Snap a shot of the castle as you relax on the ride back to the ship.
Please Note:
Please be advised that the Museum exhibits sensitive material including some graphic images and displays on the atrocities of war, and that photography is not permitted. There is up to 30 minutes of walking at the Peace Memorial Park. Comfortable non-slip shoes and bottled water are recommended. Only Japanese Yen will be accepted by local vendors. Passenger with wheelchairs is reminded that a few steps are required to be negotiated to board the coach. Coach cannot accommodate electric scooter. The bullet train journey takes approximately 20 minutes one way; seating is non-reserved and the group may be separated during the journey. Due to limited space onboard the bullet train electric wheelchairs and scooters cannot be accommodated. At Kintaikyo Bridges, there is approx. 200 steps to cross over the bridge. To visit Kinko Park, crossing bridge is nessesary.