The weather was lovely and we were able to see most of Tokyo from the Roppongi Hills observation deck and from the helicopter pad on the roof. It was fun looking at the rooftop gardens and surrounding buildings.

Roppongi is a very chic town. I recommend walking tours of Roppongi for people who want to see the fancy side of Tokyo.

Ginza is also a very expensive part of town. Even though I have lived in Tokyo for several years, I have only been to Ginza once or twice for shopping. During the weekends, the main road is only open to foot traffic, so it’s a great place to stroll.

（Lunch at Kakiyasu)
We ate shabu-shabu or sukiyaki at this traditional Japanese restaurant. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was very welcoming. The portion size was huge and had a wide variety of dishes, ranging from roots and vegetables to meat and soups.

We got to pick out our favorite yukata (summer kimono), hair flower, and obi. I wore a bright blue yukata and my obi design was gorgeous. The staff in the shop were friendly and helpful. After getting dressed, we strolled through Ginza in our yukata and took pictures.

We went to Tsuruya Yoshinobu to watch Japanese confectionery making. That was my first time watching something like this – it felt like “dinner and a show.” The makers were very skilled, the atmosphere was intimate, and the sweets were the perfect balance of sweet and texture.

We briefly went into the basement of a department store to look at the food stalls and lunch box stores. There were a lot of different types of food.

We rode on an open-air bus through Tokyo to Odaiba, over the Rainbow Bridge. The bus arrived on-time and had comfortable seating. The bus dropped us off in Odaiba for one hour of ‘free time’ before picking us up and taking us back across the Rainbow Bridge after sunset.

We ate tempura and soba noodles for dinner at Aquq City Odaiba. The restaurant portion size was huge and it had a wonderful location, overlooking Odaiba and the Rainbow Bridge. My favorite part was that they served wasabi root you grated yourself for the soba. It was an interesting experience.

Our room at Palace Hotel Tokyo was beautiful. The room itself was very classy and comfortable and the view over Tokyo was stunning. We were overlooking Tokyo Imperial Palace and were able to see Tokyo Tower lit up in the distance. There was a notecard informing us of the weather for the next day, which was thoughtful.

We took a flight on JAL from Haneda to Hiroshima. The check-in process at the airport was very easy and security went by quickly. Our flight was comfortable and I slept through the entire thing. I hadn’t realized how close Hiroshima was to Tokyo by plane. I definitely need to visit again.

The bus left shortly after we arrived. It was comfortable and the ride was short. I like how close the airport is to the city.

Our first stop in Hiroshima was the Peace Park. Although I had studied about World War II and the atomic bomb in school, it was completely different seeing things in person. We folded cranes to put inside the display case for the Children’s Peace Monument. Afterwards, we looked at the Peace Memorial Museum to look at photos and read the stores of people who were killed in the blast.

We had Hiroshima-styled okonomiyaki for lunch. I have often eaten monjayaki (Tokyo-styled okonomiyaki), regular okonomiyaki, and Osaka-styled okonomiyaki so I was excited to try the Hiroshima equivalent. It was delicious. I liked the yakisoba noodles fried on top and the lemon jalapeno flavored condiment.

The ferry ride to Miyajima was comfortable and easy. I slept most of the ride.

The first thing we did in Miyajima was visit Itsukushima Shrine. It was during “low tide” so we were able to walk under and around the shine. Our guide taught us about the history and how the tide patterns and height depends on the moon. After, we walked through a nearby shrine and saw a wedding in progress. We also climbed a bit up the mountain to get a full view of the shrine and city. It was beautiful, educational, and peaceful!

We ate momiji-manju from one of the local stalls at Machiyadori. It tasted like a tempura-donut and was one of my favorite snacks on this trip! The two types of grilled oyster were also fresh and delicious. It was fun being able to order them from a stall.

Dinner was at a local Izakaya where we tried many types of local food (like conger eel sashimi and other side dishes). We also drank delicious sake. The atmosphere was relaxed and felt very authentic and the staff at the restaurant were very friendly.

We spent the night at a 100 year old inn that had been renovated recently and turned into a guest house. The room was comfortable and the view was amazing. The café downstairs served great breakfast food and the staff was bilingual and friendly.

Onomichi is a beautiful city with a fascinating history. We walked through the old streets and through the ‘cat trail,’ trying to count all the cat statues. It seemed like a lovely place to live and I’d love to come back someday.

The bus was comfortable and cool. We were able to see the bridges connecting the islands together and Onomichi from a distance.

Tatara Shimanami Park is a wide open space with an excellent view of the ocean (and bridge). From here we were able to rent bikes.

Lunch was fresh sashimi with a set meal. It was the perfect size and incredibly refreshing on a hot afternoon.

We rented mountain bikes and biked to Oyamazumi Shrine. It was the perfect weather for biking, although it was a bit difficult getting used to the mountain bike. I would have liked the option to rent one of the electric bikes instead (since I am more used to those). At the shrine, we were able to look at the new gate, the main shrine, and the ancient tree in the middle (that would grant your wish if you held your breath and walked around it three times). We also visited the Treasure Hall and got to see amazing Japanese treasures, like old swords, bows, and armor.

The train arrived perfectly on time. It was a cute little tram that took us to Dogo Onsen.

I loved the movie “Spirited Away” and it was so amazing to be able to see the onsen that the bath house in the movie was modeled after. We arrived right at sunset, which made it even more beautiful. The building looked stunning lit up at dusk.

This hotel was breathtaking. Our room was absolutely gorgeous, the bed was comfortable, and it had a private bath using onsen water. Dinner was a several course meal with some of the best somen noodles I have tasted in my entire life.