After meeting with your tour guide you will make you way to the first destination. Once you arrive at Mitaki-dera, your guide will lead you on a walk around the temple grounds, where you will be able to gain a sense of calm and relaxation by listening to the sounds of nature and observing beautiful structures. The bright two-storied Pagoda by the entrance of the temple will immediately set the tone for the rest of this breathtaking stroll. As you walk along the stone paths, you will be greeted by hundreds of Jizō statues and magnificent trees. There is very little information provided in English or Japanese on the temple grounds, thus your guide will give you thorough explanation of Mitaki-dera’s history and the different Buddhist statues and structures within, making this a well-rounded experience.

Once back at Hiroshima City. Your guide will direct you to get off at a stop near Hondori Shopping Street, where you will be able to find a wide range of shops and restaurants. Here you will get some free time to grab lunch and explore the goods this city has to offer. We will reconvene at a designated meeting spot and begin making our way to the next location, Shukkei-en Garden.

Within the garden, you will take a leisurely stroll around the main pond, admiring the tea houses, bridges, and hills, while stopping at the best photo spots. Your guide will also give a thorough explanation of Japanese gardens and their main design principles. As you walk, you will learn about the construction of Shukkei-en during the Edo period, its concept as a “miniaturized landscape,” and its different restorations in the past 400 years. Lastly, your guide will explain the role of the garden as an evacuation site during World War II, and what it symbolizes today to the people of Hiroshima. Your will also pay a brief visit to Hiroshima Castle ruins, Castle Tower and Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine.

Our next stop will be the Atomic Bomb Dome located within the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. This building was inaugurated in 1915, with the purpose of exhibiting and selling products from Hiroshima Prefecture, and it was the only structure left standing near the explosion’s hypocenter. As you walk to this next location, your guide will provide historical context about World War II and the events leading up to the bombing. As you observe the ruins you will be asked to consider the purpose of their preservation and what message the Atomic Bomb Dome is aiming to convey. Your guide will then take you for a brief stroll around the park in order to visit and explain some of its most relevant monuments. As you walk, you will hear about Kenzō Tange, the architect who designed both the park and the museum, thereby gaining a better understanding of the layout of the park and the intention behind it.