Miyajima and its iconic floating torii are an easy day-trip from Hiroshima — about an hour away by tram or local train to the port of Miyajima-guchi and then a short ferry ride.
Trips from Hiroshima's Ujina Port can be made to other islands in the Seto Inland Sea, such as Ninoshima and its old style Japanese village of Aki no Kofuji.
A longer ferry ride from Ujina could take you to Matsuyama for a day at the famed Dogo Onsen hot springs.
Iwakuni, about 45 minutes away by train, features the Kintai-kyo samurai bridge and a scenic castle reconstruction.
Onomichi, a hillside town of temples and Japanese novelists, is 75 minutes away by train.
Okayama is the other major transit hub for the region, about 45 minutes by Shinkansen. Aside from its own attractions, Okayama offers access to the museums and canals of Kurashiki.
