Bullet Train, Kintai Bridge & A-Bomb Dome
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Port
Hiroshima, Japan
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Activity Level
Strenuous
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$259
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
6½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
Take a motorcoach transfer to Hiroshima’s train station and ride the immaculately clean and sleek bullet train for a 15-minute high-speed journey to Shin-Iwakuni Station. Here, you’ll transfer to a waiting motorcoach and see the Kintai Bridge, which spans the Nishiki River.
Renowned as one of Japan’s three great bridges, this wooden structure is more than 700 feet in length. It was first constructed in 1673 by feudal lord Hiroyoshi Kikkawa and destroyed by a typhoon in 1950. The rebuilding of it was completed three years later.
On the far side of the Kintai Bridge is Kikko Park in the city of Iwakuni. This is the former home of Daimyo Kikkawa, and its architecture is typical of the traditional residences built by the Samurai class. The estate is a lush park setting with a fountain, trees and flower gardens. It also features a sanctuary for white snakes -- a sign of good luck and a Natural Treasure found only in Iwakuni.
Continue to a nearby restaurant for lunch.
You’ll return to Hiroshima for a photo stop at the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. View the gutted walls of what remains of the Industry Promotion Hall and its skeletal frame that supported the copper dome. The original was vaporized in the atomic blast, so today’s remains are a powerful memorial.
You’ll pass Hiroshima Castle, originally built in the late 16th century and destroyed in the atomic blast. This perfect reproduction, reinforced with concrete, now houses a museum focused on pre-war Japan. Snap a few photos of the historic castle from your coach as you relax on the ride back to the ship.
Notes:
Seating on the bullet train ride (15 minutes) is in non-reserved tourist class. Electric wheelchairs and scooters cannot be accommodated on the train. Not advisable for guests with mobility limitations. The restaurant cannot accommodate special dietary requests or allergies. You will not cross the Kintaikyo Bridge; it is under construction and may be obscured by scaffolding.