One-day BUS Tour to the rabbit island

 Okunoshima(大久野島),which is called Rabbit island,is located in eastern Hiroshima.There are over 1000 friendly rabbits on the island and it is known as the paradise for bunny lovers.It is popular but it is a bit hard to get to because it is far from Hiroshima city.

If you have got a JR pass,we usually sugget you to get there like this...

Take Bullet train (KODAMA) about 30mins to JR Mihara station, another 25mins by JR Kure line to JR Tadanoumi station and take a Ferry about 15mins to the island.



If you do NOT have a JR pass,it costs a lot....
However,here is a good news for you!
JR BUS company started a ONE-day bus tour to Takehara and Okunoshima.
The tour starts at JR Hiroshima station and takes you to the historic district in Takehara,the rabbit island and takes you back to Hiroshima in 1 day !
Takehara is famous for bamboo trees,so you can try the bamboo works during the tour.The tour costs 5000yen included round bus tickets,ferry tickets,fee for bamboo works.(Lunch is NOT included.Please buy something to eat by yourself in Takehara)
How to join the tour:(Every Tuesdays and Fridays)
On the day you join the tour,please go to the JR bus ticket window at north side of JR Hiroshima station up to 10 mins before its departure.
Upon boarding,give your ticket to the staff on the bus.






Sorry,I could not find any website in English but you can see some photos on this website.Please refer to the link below:
http://www.chugoku-jrbus.co.jp/teikan/takehara_ohkunoshima/
Hirsohima-Takehara JR Bus (Japanese)

Found a Heart-Shaped Hydrangeas♡ @Shukkeien

Hi .This is Ena from Hiroshima .
What is your favorite flower?I like hydrangea best.
Around the rainy season a lot of hydrangeas will bloom in pink and blue color throughout Japan.  

The hydrangea are in FULL bloom at Shukkeien Japanese Garden in Hiroshima.
One of our staff went there last week and found this heart-shaped flower! ♡
Why don't you visit the garden to enjoy the flower before the rainy season sets in Hiroshima?


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  <The Shukkeien Japanese Garden （縮景園) > 　　　　　
  
▼website: Shukkeien (ENG)
  About 10mins walk from JR Hiroshima Sta. Or, take a sightseeing Loop Bus to Shukkeien stop (FREE with a Japan Rail Pass)   
◎ 9AM-6PM (from Apr 1st to Sept 30th)  
◎Admission Fee
・Adults  260yen ・Students(High school and University students) 150yen
・Children (Elementary and Junior high school students)  100yen
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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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Hiroshima Carps Pre-season games

Baseball is one of the most popullar sports in Japan,especially here in Hiroshima.
It is getting more and more popullar because our team,Carps won the Central leage championship 3 years in a row.Many people come to Hiroshima from all over Japan and overseas to watch the big sports,so it is so hard to get tickets for thire regular season game.
However,here is a good news for you who is staying in Hiroshima next month!
From Mar 5th,there will be pre-season games and you can get the tickets easily.
 Also,the tickets are much cheaper than the ones for the regular season games.(From 1500yen)
Here is the pre-season's game schedule,2019.

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Hiroshima Toyo Carp(Eng)
http://www.carp.co.jp/en/index.html
★Tickets available at the Ticket office on the first-base side of the stadium.
Non game day :11AM-4PM
On Game day:
10AM-30mins after the game is over
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Rental Carp Shirts available　@our reception

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.

Gudetama exhibition in HIROSHIMA

Do you know this character called Gudetama(ぐでたま)?
Gutetama is an melancocholy and lazy egg yolk from the Sanrio universe,also known for Hello Kitty.
Its exhibiton is being held for commemoration of 5th year at SOGO department store in Hiroshima from Dec 20th to Jan 3rd,2019.
At the venue,you can meet and touch lots of Gudetama.Photos are permitted.
Also,next to the exhibition,there is a Gudetama cafe.

Chippy,a staff from Hiroshima Hana,is a big fan of its and invited me to the exhibition this week. Actually,I was not a big fan of it (sorry Chippy...) but now I think it is kind of...CUTE!  Gudetama looks quite weird at the beginning but after visiting the exhibition you will like it.

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Gudetama Exhibition in HIROSHIMA
From Dec 20th,2018 To Jan 3rd,2019 
10AM-8PM　

Venue: SOGO department store Main building 9th floor
Take a tram #2 or #6 to Kamiyacho-Nishi stop
from Hiroshima station
Adults:300yen  Students:FREE
 Gudetama Exhibition Hiroshima website (JPN)
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↑Chippy and her loved one
Me and Gudetama playing on a toast ↑

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