Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Reopens

Hi it's Chippy from Hiroshima Hana Hostel.

What do people visit Hiroshima for?

They come to visit our two World Heritage sites; Itsukushima Shrine and the Atomic Bomb Dome.

In the Peace Memorial Park where the Dome locates, there's also a museum called "Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum."

 

On the 25th of April, the museum reopened after two years of renovations.

The museum first opened in 1955, 10 years after the bomb was dropped.
It's been partly renovated and displays and exhibitions have changed through the years.

Hiroshima Hana Hostel sometimes offers a free guided walking tour.
The guide picks you up at the hostel, takes you to the park, walks around with you explaining the histories. We get very good reviews of the tour as it helps you a lot with understanding the histories and deepening your knowledge.

As the tour is held randomly, we can't tell when it happens until a day or two days before the day. If it's on during your stay, you should definitely join the tour.

To know more about the museum, go on the official website.

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Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Hours Open : 8:30-18:00 (Mar. - Jul)

Fees : 200yen (Adults), 100yen (High School Students),

Free (Junior High School Students or younger)

Access : From Hiroshima Station, take tram #2 or #6 and get off at Genbaku Dome Mae. (Takes about 20 minutes)

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Experience Full of Japan! Sake Tasting and Cultural Activities in Hiroshima

Hello. It's Chippy from Hiroshima Hana Hostel.

Do you like Japanese sake?

If yes, Hiroshima is the best place for you.

A big sake festival in Hiroshima, "Saijo Sake Festival" is annually held in early October. Saijo is a small town in Higashi Hiroshima which has more than 10 sake breweries. The festival is getting more and more popular even among non-Japanese people. It's a shame it's only held one time a year...

However, there are good news for you guys who're coming in March this year!

Hiroshima Museum of Art is going to hold special events on the 1st and 22nd of March.
If you visit the museum on these dates, you can not only enjoy masterpieces by artists such as Van Gogh and Picasso, but also experience Japanese unique cultures.

☆Sake Tasting - 1000yen for 3 cups 

You will get to choose what you want to drink from 5-6 kinds of sake, wine and more. By posting on SNS you'll get your fourth cup for FREE.

☆Kimono Experience - 2000yen/adult, 1000yen/child

Choose your own kimono from several choices and enjoy your time at the museum.

☆Kyudo Experience - 500yen (Mar. 1 only)
You can play Japanese traditional sport called "Kyudo (Japanese archery)" only for 500yen!

☆Koto Experience - 1000yen (Mar. 22 only)
 Play Japanese unique instrument "Koto (Japanese harp)" and enjoy the beautiful sound.

If you are planning to travel around Hiroshima in March, you can't miss the events!
Go to Instagram or Facebook for more information.

Been to Miyajima? Experience more of Hiroshima for 1,000yen

Hi it's Chippy from Hiroshima Hana Hostel!

Finally we can feel the actual winter is coming! It had been a bit weird autumn with rather high tempreture till the end of last month.

So one year of my stay in Canada back in 2012 made me love the cold and snow. I loved the view every morning in winter with full of snow on the streets... but that's only until I went to Australia last year and experienced whole summer there.
YES, SUMMER IS THE BEST. Beautiful beaches, blue sky, colourful trees and birds... I'm too used to the Aussie summer and was kinda worried about Japanese winter. It seems okay for now though. haha

Anyway, as you guys know, we have many seasonal events in Japan. Most of you know about our two world heritage sites in Hiroshima, "Miyajima（宮島）" and "The Atomic Bomb Dome（原爆ドーム）." Through autumn to winter it's the best time to go to these sites as you can enjoy beautiful coloured leaves.
However, these are not the only places you can visit. Some event not well known but very attractive for tourists has just come up!!

Have you heard of KAGURA? 

Kagura is a Japanese traditional play which is usually performed in religious festivals in shrines today.
It used to be a ceremony that conveys a feeling of gratitude for the bounty of nature. It was performed over night before the main festival to celebrate a good harvest and haul. The main characters in the play are heros from the Japanese myths and scary "Oni (Japanese demon)". Each programme has a different theme and unique characters.

The kagura you can see in Hiroshima is called "Geihoku Kagura (Northern Hiroshima Kagura)" and has been preserved and passed along in Hiroshima through about 150 Kagura troupes.

From December 2nd 2018, a special programme of Geihoku Kagura is to be played in the centeral area of Hiroshima!

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Traditional Performing Art of Hiroshima "Kagura"

(Weedkend performances)

• Dates: Dec 2, Dec 8, Jan 5, Jan 20, Feb 10, Feb 16, Mar 30

• Ticket window & doors: 5:30pm
  Performance runs from 6:00 - 6:45pm, Q&A and photo session to follow

• Admission: 1,000yen (Adults), 800yen (groups of 10+), 500yen (3yrs old or under)

• Venue: Hiroshima Prefectual Citizen's Culture Center（広島県民文化センター）1-5-3 Oote-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima

**Regular performances are on every Wednesday in different time schedules

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In the photo session after the show, you'll get to take some photos of the performers and traditional Kagura costumes. The costumes can weigh up to 20 kilos!! It is definitely going to be a good experience to share with your friends back home!

 

If you're thinking about staying in Hiroshima for two nights, make it three and explore more by knowing its culture and history in the Hiroshima Kagura performance. Ask for further information at the reception on your arrival at Hiroshima Hana Hostel.

Refrences:
Hiroshima Kagura Official ENG
Tripadviser

KUNIYOSHI Show : UKIYO-e Artist of the Edo

KUNIYOSHI Show : UKIYO-e Artist of the Edo
@ Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum


Date:September 11 (Fri) - October 18 (Sun)
Place:Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum
Admission:Adult 1100yen Student:700yen

As an ukiyo-e master active around the end of the Edo Period, Kuniyoshi Utagawa (1797-1861) earned the nickname “The Gekiga Artist of Edo” for his novel and humorous works inspired by a wide range of subjects, including portraits of actors, warriors and beautiful women as well as landscape and paintings of scenes from history. This exhibit introduces the artistic world of Kuniyoshi, a man known as a “master of the fantastic” through displays of around 200 of his representative works: from his dynamic “Suikoden (The Water Margin)” series, which first won him fame, to his satirical works which parodied the age in which he lived with anthropomorphized versions of cats, foxes, raccoon dogs and other animals found in daily life, as well as western style landscape and original drawings, few of which still remain.

March 24 - April 5 Cherry blossom “yozakura” night viewing

Cherry blossom “yozakura” night viewing 
@ Shukkeien garden





Admission Fee:
Adult ¥260, 
College & HS Students ¥150, 
JHS & Elementary School Students ¥100

The many varieties of cherry blossom in Shukkeien Garden illuminated after dark.
The garden is open until 8:30pm Monday to Thursday and until 9pm Friday, Saturday and Suinday, but make sure you get in 30 minutes before closing.

Autumn leaves illuminated @ Shukkei-en Garden

Autumn leaves illuminated @ Shukkei-en Garden

November 22 - November 30

  FEE: ¥260 garden entrance fee (¥150 for students, ¥100 for kids) 

 

As part of Shukkei-en Garden’s annual “Momiji Matsuri” it’s maple trees with their red leaves will be lit up until 20:00 each night.
Tea ceremonies also being held daily in the Seifukan tea house (¥500). 

 

• Garden is open 09:00-20:00
• Illumination 17:30-20:00
• Final admission 19:30
  
  

 

Miyajima Mantoue Candle Light Festival

Miyajima Mantoue Candle Light Festival

September 12th ~ 14th

18:00-21:00 @ Daishoin Temple

The approach to and grounds of beautiful mountainside Daishoin Temple as well as Machiya-dori on Miyajima are illuminated by hundreds of candles over three nights.

It takes about 1 hour from J-Hoppers Hiroshima to Miyajima island.

We have still some beds available on the 12th and 14th!!

☆SHINMEI ICHI in MIHARA☆

☆SHINMEI ICHI in MIHARA☆

 

DATE ：February 7th ～9th

PLACE： around MIHARA JR station

ACCESS： 1 hour by local train from Hiroshima station

Hello!! This is MAYU from J-Hoppers Hiroshima.

I would like to introduce you about one event in MIHARA.

It's kind of festival to greet Spring.

Do you know DARUMA？It's stationary article for luck.

Usually we put it on table or rack. Because We have just small one.

But, in here,You can see the biggest one in Japan!!!!!

That's amazing!! This DARUMA is 4.3m high and 180kg!!

If you would like to get some DARUMA for souvenir, 

You can buy them as many as you want!!

 

 And also you can look around so many open booth in here.

It's more than 500!!!!

*You can enjoy Shinto music and dance numbers on 8th at 11am to 4pm.

 *They have KARAOKE cup on  9th at 1pm to 4pm.

You can have an experience with traditional Japanese festival!!!!!

 

 

 

ONOMICHI LEMON FESTIVAL

 

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EVENT[ONOMICHI　LEMON FESTIVAL]

DATE: November 30th - December 25th

COST: Free 

PLACE: Around Onomichi station

You can enjoy the beautiful big tree which is decorated with LEMON!!!!

It is in front of Onomichi station.

The illumination is having from sun set to 10pm.

December 7th and 8th

 The booth by high school student from Onomichi.

You can enjoy some food and drink made from Lemon, Orange, and so on.

*Hiroshima is the biggest major production area of Lemon!!

Please enjoy fresh taste of Lemon!!

INFORMATION: 082-513-3392

Nov 17th~Jan 3rd Hiroshima Dreamination!!!

 

 

Event:Hiroshima Dreamination

 

Date:From November 17, 2013 5:30 pm to January 3, 2014 10:30 pm

 

Cost:Free

Place:Peace Boulevard and around

 

Address:Peace Boulevard, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 730-0037, Japan

 

 

2 months of illuminations loved by kiddies and dating couples along Peace Boulevard.

It takes around 5minutes walk from J-Hoppers Hiroshima and this Boulevard!!

Why don't you take a walk after dinner?

You shouldn't miss it.

 

 

http://www.dreamination.com/ 

Night Safari at Asa Zoo

Event:Night Safari at Asa Zoo

 

Date:August 10th～September 1, 2013(Sat,Sunday only!!)

 

Cost:¥500 (Adults), ¥170 (Children) Under elementary school free

 

Place:Asa Zoo

 

Phone:082-838-1111

Address:Asa-cho, Asa-kita-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken, 731-3355, Japan

A chance to see the nocturnal animals in action and to escape to the relative cool of the Asa highlands. The “night safari” is only held 8 nights a year, and it is always popular
with families and dating couples.
There is plenty of debate as to just how bad a zoo Asa Zoo is.
It seems to us that
although the confined spaces in which many of the animals are kept (especially the big cats)
are disgraceful, on the whole, as zoos go, the conditions are relatively good.
Hopefully some of the obvious delight of the kids that visit will translate into long term conservationist
thinking and a respect for animals.
On August 26 there are 60 minute performances at 18:00 and 19:30.
The zoo is open until 21:00 (final admission at 20:30).
Shuttle bus between Kamiyasu Astram Station and Asa Zoo every 10-20 minutes.

Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport Opening December 13th !!

Iwakuni Air Station, where United States Marine Corps and other American military personnel are posted in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, decided to open a fully civilian airport on December 13, which is to be called Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport.

ANA decided to operate a new domestic route connecting Iwakuni Kintaikyo with Haneda Airport.
This will be the first time in 48 years as well as from tourist travel to the famed Kintaikyo wooden arched bridge in Iwakuni, to Miyajima and other local landmarks.

I could not find how to get to Iwakuni JR station from Iwakuni kintaikyo Airport...but Its website says  It takes 7 min by car to the station ... only car ?? I will blog when I find another way to go to the airport,hahaha

2012,April 5th Toka Festival Gagaku Dance Performance

Toka Festival Gagaku Dance Performance

@Itsukushima shirine,Miyajima

Date:April 15, 2012 6:00 pm

Cost:¥300 (adult) shrine admission fee

Venue:Itsukushima shurine,Miyajima

Phone:(0829)44-2020 ‎

Address:1-1 Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken, 739-0588, Japan

Court dances and music introduced to Miyajima from Kyoto by Taira Kiyomori in the 12th century on the occassion of the Toka (Peach Blossom) Festival at Itsukushima Shrine.

Dances to be performed: Enbu, Manzairaku, Engiraku, Tourika, Ikkyoku, Soriko, Sanju Kitoku, Ryohoh, Nasori, Chohgeishi

Miyajima is one of my favorite place in Hiroshima!
When you visit here,please go to this island as well:-)

Building: Art in Relation to Architecture

Event:Building: Art in Relation to Architecture
Start:March 16, 2012 10:00 am
End:April 24, 2012 5:00 pm
Place:Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary art

The Building exhibition sets out to examine the relationship between art and architecture, and architecture and art by looking back at various artistic trends and experiments from the ’60s to the present through works from the museum collection.


There are lots of art musem and garally in Hiroshima.
Why don't go to an art museum in Hiroshima??

Feb 21st~Mar 31st Sharpen Your Wit! Shigeo Fukuda Super-Retrospective

Sharpen Your Wit! Shigeo Fukuda Super-Retrospective

Date:February 21, 2012 9:00 am to March 31, 2012 5:00 pm

Cost:Adults ¥1100 (¥900)

College & High School Students ¥700 (¥500)

Prices in ( ) are advance and groups of 20 or more. Pair ticket ¥1500. Junior High School Students and younger free.

Place:Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum

Fe 18, 2012 Hadaka Naked Man Festival in Okayama

Every year on the 3rd Saturday of February, on one of the coldest nights of the year, thousands of men in fundoshi loincloths parade around Saidaiji Temple in Okayama Prefecture getting purified with freezing cold water. After cramming into the main temple building, the lights go out at 10pm and two lucky shingi sticks are released from the ceiling. The 9000 or so men battle to get hold of one of them and try to stuff it into a wooden box. Whoever manages to do it is guaranteed a year of good fortune.

More on the Hadaka Matsuri

• Survivor stories here and here.
• Account by someone who survived watching Hadaka Matsuri here.
• Amy Chavez on The Naked Festival
• Hadaka Matsuri videos on YouTube
• Hadaka Matsuri video on Japan In Motion

You can pick up a fundoshi loin cloth for about ¥1000 and join in the “fun” or just go along and watch. The shingi sticks are released at 10pm, but there is a kids version of the event between 3:30 and 5pm and Japanese taiko drumming and other events held at the temple 6-8pm.

Access: Take the Ako Line to Saidaiji Station from Okayama Station (30 minutes).

Event:

Hadaka Naked Man Festival

Date:

February 18, 2012

Category:

Culture, Festivals, Traditional

Organizer:

Saidai-ji Temple

Phone:

(086)942-2058

Email:

saidaiji@saidaiji.jp

Updated:

January 11, 2012

Sept.29 (Thu) Hiking & Cycling along the Shimanami Kaido

Fall has just arrived in Hiroshima and it is the perfect season for biking!

Simanami Kaido is well known as one of the best bridges for biking with the beautiful landscape of the Inland sea and islands.

Why don't you join the Day Tour? It is very reasonable price now!

Please check the following link for the details:
http://www.hiroshimatours.info/tours/cycling/index.html

The tour starts with a 15 minute boat ride from Mihara port along the calm water of the Inland Sea. At Innoshima Island we climb Mt. Shirataki, a small mountain (227 meters, 750 feet) to see 700 Buddhist statues and enjoy a panoramic view of the sea and neighboring islands. After lunch, we bike 17 km (10 miles) along the coast and cross a beautiful 790-meter (2600-feet) cable bridge to Ikuchi island. After a short break at a local sherbet shop, we arrive at Setoda where our tour ends.

Tour Date:

Sept.29 (Thu)

Tour Fee:

Guide Fee: JP¥3,000 JP¥1,500 Monitor Price!!
Ferry from Mihara to Innoshima: JP¥780
Bike Rental: JP¥1,500

Duration:

5 hours 15 minutes

Meeting Time & Point:

10:00 am at JR Mihara Station South Exit

Finishing Time & Point:

3:15 pm at Setoda Port at Ikuchi Island

2011/August 31st(WED)Sandankyo Gorge Trekking!!

2011/August 31st(WED)Sandankyo Gorge Trekking!!

Sandankyo Gorge is a must to visit for those who want to heal in Nature. Sandankyo Gorge is located about 75 minutes away from Hiroshima Bus Center, (Kamiya-cho) by expressway bus. It is beyond description to trek near waterfalls and ride a tour boat. We sell monitor tickets including bus, lunch and spa on limited dates.

Tour Dates:

Aug.17(Wed), Aug.24(Wed) & Aug.31(Wed)

Tour Fee:

Adult (aged 12 years old or older) JP￥4,300 (English-speaking) foreign monitor: JP￥2,800 JP￥1,000
* Chugoku Regional Research Center makes up balance in thanks for the survey on inbound tourism. Child (aged from 6 to 11 years old) JP￥2,700

Inclusions:

Expressway bus with express toll, lunch and spa

Departure Time & Place:

8:00 am from the ticket window of Hiroshima Bus Center

Return Time:

4:20 pm to Hiroshima Bus Center

Itinerary:

8:18 am; Depart on Platform 7 of Hiroshima Bus Center.
9:33 am; Arrive at Sandankyo Gorge.
* Sandankyo Gorge trekking, tour boat riding in Kurobuchi, lunch near Kurobuchi and spa at Sandankyo Hotel.
3:00 pm; Depart from Sandankyo Gorge.
4:20 pm; Arrive at Hiroshima Bus Center.

Ticket Issue

Hiroshima Electric Railway Co, Ltd.

Notes:

* Wear athletic shoes or climbing shoes because some paths are slippery.
* Watch your step because the paths are narrow without railing. For safety reason the elderly must be careful and an attending adult must hold the child’s hand.
* Strollers or any wheeled vehicles are difficult to handle on the paths of Sandankyo Gorge

Related Information

• Sandankyo Gorge (Hiroshima Tourist Navigater)
• Sandan-kyo Valley (JNTO: Japan National Tourism Organization)

Reservation:

Please e-mail Mr. Sakamoto (tour assistant) at sakamoto@crrc.or.jp.

Reserve Before:

5 pm on the previous date of the tour

2011,September 3rd(SAT) Shinobue flute&Itsukushima shirine

2011,September 3rd(SAT) Shinobue flute&Itsukushima shirine

In the evening, the island of Miyajima is very beautiful. Let’s visit the famous Itsukushima Shrine, with an English-speaking guide, visit a maze-like town of Miyajima, then, as we wait for the sunset, visit this intimate gallery café, Genshu, and enjoy a “shinobue” recital.

• A guided tour in English to Itsukushima Shrine
• A guided tour in English in the maze-like town of Miyajima
• A shinobue flute recital at a gallery café in Miyajima

Tour Date:

September 3(Sat)

Meeting times / places / fees:

1. Itsukushima Shrine tour(2:30 pm – 3:45 pm): Meet at 2:30 pm at the Miyajima ferry terminal.
Guide fee: ¥1,000 + Admission to Itsukushima Shrine: ¥300
(Those who join the town walk will be offered a small tea break for free after the shrine tour.)
2. Miyajima town walk (4:30 pm- 5:40 pm): Those who join from the town walk, please meet at 4:30 pm at the stone gate of Itsukushima Shrine. We will visit a 150-year old house and others.
Guide fee: ¥1,000 (Comfortable walking shoes recommended.)
3.Shinobue recital (6:00 pm – around 7:10 pm): If you are not in the shrine tour or the town walk, please meet at 5:45 pm at the Miyajima ferry terminal.
Recital: ¥1,500 yen including a drink
(For those who participate in all of these three tours, the total tour fee will be discounted by ¥500 to ¥3,300.)

Finishing Time & Place:

Around 7:10 pm at the café

Reservation:

Please email to miyajimatour@gmail.com or call Ms. Takami.

Reserve Before:

By noon, September 3.
(The maximum number of participants: 15) In case of typhoon, these tours will be cancelled.

Oct 16th (Sat), 17th (Sun) Miyajima & Mont Saint-Michel 1 Year Friendship Anniversary

The agreement of the Tourism and Friendship City was concluded between Miyajima and Mont Saint-Michel last year in 2009.

They celebrate the first anniversary on the island over this weekend.

Check the programs below:

Chanson Show
17:00 - 17:30　　Sat. 16th

Mont Saint-Michel Plaza
French style cafes and sweets.
11:00 - 20:00　　Sat. 16th/Sun. 17th

Mont Saint-Michel's History Exhibition
11:00 - 20:00　　Sat. 16th/Sun. 17th

Miyajima and Mont Saint-Michel Night Fantasy Show
An illumination show on a big screen.
18:00 - 20:40　　Sat. 16th/Sun. 17th


You should come check them out!