Sunset on Yuge Island 
Japanese breakfast food was quite interesting. Here we get a breakfast which comprised a variety of bread, onigiri (triangular shaped rice cakes), salad and miso soup. It was a good Japanese breakfast and you could eat as much food as you wanted.
Dining area
Dining area
Japanese breakfast food
Onigiri
Onigiri
Salad 
Bread
Miso soup
Hiroshima sightseeing:- Home to two Japan World Heritage sites, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and the Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima city makes for an interesting travel.
After breakfast, we started our Hiroshima sightseeing by taking the JR train from Hiroshima Station to Miyajima Station. Crossed the underpass where we caught the JR ferry to Miyajima Island. We found that Hiroshima travel is easy with our Japanese Rail pass..
Miyajima Island is also known as the resting place of the gods. The ferry to Miyajima is also operated by JR, thus we did not have to pay any extra fare.
BreadMiso soup
Hiroshima sightseeing:- Home to two Japan World Heritage sites, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and the Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima city makes for an interesting travel.
After breakfast, we started our Hiroshima sightseeing by taking the JR train from Hiroshima Station to Miyajima Station. Crossed the underpass where we caught the JR ferry to Miyajima Island. We found that Hiroshima travel is easy with our Japanese Rail pass..
Miyajima Island is also known as the resting place of the gods. The ferry to Miyajima is also operated by JR, thus we did not have to pay any extra fare.
Miyajima Island, Hiroshima sightseeing
The Itsukushima shrine was originally constructed by worshippers in 593 using the Shinden style of architecture and later restored to its current splendour in 1168. The bold and unique structure sits on the water with the sea spread out in front of it and the virgin forests of Mt. Misen, the island's highest peak, forming its backdrop.
Bugaku, an ancient court dance, held on the Taka-butai (high stage), designated as a National Treasure, of the Itsukushima Shrine
Otorii Gate, the symbol of Miyajima, stands 16m high with supporting columns 10m in circumference. It stands on the ocean bottom supported by its own weight.
Momijidani Park is famous for the beautiful red colours of the maples and other tree varieties in autumn. There are various walking trails throughout the park which are lined with cherry blossoms in the spring.Mt Misen sits at 530m above sea level and is the highest peak on Miyajima. Here you get spectacular views from the summit. There is a ropeway that takes you from Momijidani Park at the foot of the mountain to the summit if you do not feel like walking up.
View from Mt Misen
Meanwhile keep an eye on your personal belongings as the deer on Miyajima are wild and love to eat paper and cloth.
Free roaming deer
Souvenirs you can get from your Hiroshima travel:-
- Momiji manju (cake in maple-leaf shape with filling) - This is one of the most famous local confections of Hiroshima. These little cakes come with a variety of filling such as chocolate, cream, cheese, custard, green bean paste and the traditional sweet bean paste.
- Miyajima Crafts - Representative of the craft on Miyajima is the wooden ladle. The wooden ladle, with the hope of defeating the enemy, is commonly used as a good luck charm at sporting events. Other popular crafts symbolic of Miyajima are wood turning and Miyajima wood carving.
- Miyajima Pottery - Miyajima Pottery is said to have originated towards the end of the 18th Century when sand from the Itsukushima Shrine was mixed to make clay vessels for festive ocasions. The rustic and warm colours of the earthen pottery bells and other ornaments are also popular items.
The streetcar
Atomic Bomb Dome - As one of the few remaining buildings left standing after the dropping of the Atomic Bimb, the dome stands as a symbol of world peace and is not registered on the World Heritage List.
Hiroshima River Cruise 
Peace Memorial Park serves as a reminder of the horrors of war and the need for enduring world peace.
Children's Peace Monument
Peace Memorial Park serves as a reminder of the horrors of war and the need for enduring world peace.
Children's Peace Monument
Fountain of Peace 
From Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, since we were not far off from a Japan castle, we walked to Hiroshima Castle. This castle was completely destroyed in the wake of the Atomic Bomb but was later restored in 1958 to mark the 400th year of the castle's existence.
A Japan Castle in Hiroshima
From Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, since we were not far off from a Japan castle, we walked to Hiroshima Castle. This castle was completely destroyed in the wake of the Atomic Bomb but was later restored in 1958 to mark the 400th year of the castle's existence.
A Japan Castle in Hiroshima
In the grounds of the Hiroshima Castle 
The moat surrounding the Hiroshima Castle
The Hiroshima weather we experienced was odd. It was hot with the sun shining, yet when the wind blew, it was cool. Fortunately, we came prepared.
After our Hiroshima sightseeing, we made our way back to the hotel where we caught the 1515hrs shinkansen (bullet train) from Hiroshima, travelled to Fukuyama and began our train sightseeing for the day. As the train passed by the various areas, we managed to spot more beautiful sights including the sakura in bloom.
View of the Fukuyama Castle from the JR Station. Spot the lovely sakura in bloom in the foreground
We then walked to the bus station approximately five minutes away to catch the bus to Innoshima, a 66 minutes ride. Here we took the ferry across to Yuge Island, also known as the Shining Island, and arrived at approximately 1515hrs. The hotel limousine picked us up a few minutes later from the ferry terminal.
The ferry to Yuge Island
We were just on time to view the sakura, also known as cherry blossoms, which was in full bloom upon our arrival. This is something that you will want to experience at least once in your lifetime if you are a nature lover. The sakura season lasts for just two weeks once they bloom and is dependent on the weather. The warmer the weather, the earlier the bloom. We were thus fortunate to be able to experience the sakura season in full bloom.
Upon checking in to Yuge Lodge, a traditional guest house where you leave your shoes at the lobby entrance and change into the slippers provided, we proceeded to the eating house for the set dinner which costs JPY1800 (USD18.6). It was a typical Japanese meal and comprised sashimi, tempura and fish as depicted in the photo.
Set dinner in Yuge Lodge
With friends and relatives
Yuge Lodge is the only accommodation you can find on this tiny island. There is only one Western style room here and the other rooms are all Japanese styled rooms where you have a tatami mat and sleep on a futon which is laid on the tatami mat. This is something that you might like to try to gain an experience of what Japanese life is like.
Japanese style room
Move the table aside and place the futon bedding on the tatami mat
A typical yukata (similar to a bathrobe) that is provided in Japan
For the Japanese styled rooms, you share a common toilet and bathe in a public bath or what is known as the 'ofuro' which consists of various types of hot pools, similar to a spa.
Here there are separate public baths for males and females
There is a lounge area where you can entertain guests as well as a computer with internet access for guests to use.
A Japanese styled room at Yuge Lodge costs JPY4200 (USD43.4) per pax. The set dinner costs JPY1800 (USD18.6) and set breakfast costs JPY800 (USD8.3). Thus the total for a room including dinner and breakfast cost JPY6800 (USD70.2) per person.
This was an interesting day from Hiroshima sightseeing of Japan world heritage sites to Japan castle to train sightseeing and finally a little island in Japan.
A bicycle park in Japan
a common sight to see people riding bicycles everywhere
The moat surrounding the Hiroshima Castle
A tree that looks like a bonsai 
The Hiroshima weather we experienced was odd. It was hot with the sun shining, yet when the wind blew, it was cool. Fortunately, we came prepared.
After our Hiroshima sightseeing, we made our way back to the hotel where we caught the 1515hrs shinkansen (bullet train) from Hiroshima, travelled to Fukuyama and began our train sightseeing for the day. As the train passed by the various areas, we managed to spot more beautiful sights including the sakura in bloom.
View of the Fukuyama Castle from the JR Station. Spot the lovely sakura in bloom in the foregroundWe then walked to the bus station approximately five minutes away to catch the bus to Innoshima, a 66 minutes ride. Here we took the ferry across to Yuge Island, also known as the Shining Island, and arrived at approximately 1515hrs. The hotel limousine picked us up a few minutes later from the ferry terminal.
The ferry to Yuge Island
We were just on time to view the sakura, also known as cherry blossoms, which was in full bloom upon our arrival. This is something that you will want to experience at least once in your lifetime if you are a nature lover. The sakura season lasts for just two weeks once they bloom and is dependent on the weather. The warmer the weather, the earlier the bloom. We were thus fortunate to be able to experience the sakura season in full bloom.
Upon checking in to Yuge Lodge, a traditional guest house where you leave your shoes at the lobby entrance and change into the slippers provided, we proceeded to the eating house for the set dinner which costs JPY1800 (USD18.6). It was a typical Japanese meal and comprised sashimi, tempura and fish as depicted in the photo.
Set dinner in Yuge LodgeWith friends and relatives
Yuge Lodge is the only accommodation you can find on this tiny island. There is only one Western style room here and the other rooms are all Japanese styled rooms where you have a tatami mat and sleep on a futon which is laid on the tatami mat. This is something that you might like to try to gain an experience of what Japanese life is like.
Japanese style room
Move the table aside and place the futon bedding on the tatami mat
A typical yukata (similar to a bathrobe) that is provided in Japan
For the Japanese styled rooms, you share a common toilet and bathe in a public bath or what is known as the 'ofuro' which consists of various types of hot pools, similar to a spa.
Here there are separate public baths for males and femalesThere is a lounge area where you can entertain guests as well as a computer with internet access for guests to use.
A Japanese styled room at Yuge Lodge costs JPY4200 (USD43.4) per pax. The set dinner costs JPY1800 (USD18.6) and set breakfast costs JPY800 (USD8.3). Thus the total for a room including dinner and breakfast cost JPY6800 (USD70.2) per person.
This was an interesting day from Hiroshima sightseeing of Japan world heritage sites to Japan castle to train sightseeing and finally a little island in Japan.
A bicycle park in Japan
a common sight to see people riding bicycles everywhere 
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