Itineraries 1day

Time Skipping in Fukuyama

Fukuyama has more worthwhile tourist sites than one would expect from a city its size. Depart via Shinkansen early on a Sunday morning for Fukuyama Station, where you’ll take a bus to a local theme park with a Showa-era recreated town, a Zen Buddhist temple where spring and autumn seemingly occur at the same time, and then go back to Fukuyama Station to see Fukuyama Castle, which has the ninth-largest castle keep in Japan. Along the way, be sure to partake in the local specialties for lunch and dinner.

Day 1

01 Hiroshima Station (広島駅)

Hiroshima Station is the bustling transportation hub of our peaceful city, and one of the principal entertainment hubs as well. All JR lines in the city stop here, and from here, people can take numerous buses and streetcars anywhere in the city, or even out of town. The ekie shopping complex located inside the station building also has no shortage of restaurants and souvenir shops to keep visitors busy for hours.

Address: 2-37 Matsubaracho, Minami Ward, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Detail

Transportation: Fukuyama Station [Hello Kitty Shinkansen, ~53 minutes]

02 Fukuyama Station (福山駅)

Fukuyama Station is a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen, although not all Shinkansen trains stop there. The platforms may be humble, but the area around the station is bustling with life, just like its counterpart in Hiroshima City. Countless shops and eateries can be found in the adjacent buildings, and the numerous bus platforms just outside can whisk travelers away to destinations like Tomonoura, Shinshoji, Miroku no Sato, or Abuto Kannon-ji.

Address: 30-1 Sannomaru-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Detail

Transportation: Miroku no Sato [Bus, ~55 minutes]

03 Miroku no Sato (みろくの里)

Miroku-no-Sato is an amusement park located about 30 minutes by bus from JR Fukuyama Station. It is an amusement park where you can enjoy old-fashioned attractions such as roller coasters and merry-go-rounds. The adult fee for a Free Pass is ¥3,300, which allows access to all the attractions. In addition to the attractions, there is an area called “Itsukakita no Michi (A Road Visited At One Point),” which recreates a Japanese street scene from around the 1950s and is popular for its Instagram-worthiness.

[Admission ticket (admission to the
amusment park + admission to
“Itsukakita no Michi”)]
Adult (13+ years) – ¥1,000
Child (12 years and under) – ¥700

[Free Pass (Admission ticket + 22
rides)
Adult (13+ years) – ¥3,300
Child (12 years and under) – ¥3000
If you wish to use your student discount, please present your passport or school ID at reception before entering the park.

Address: 638-1 Fujie-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Detail

Transportation: Shinshoji [Bus, ~5 minutes] or a 15-minute-walk

04 Shinshoji (神勝寺)

At Shinshoji, a Zen Buddhist temple about a 30-minute bus ride from JR Fukuyama Station, you can experience zazen (Zen meditation) and sutra copying. You can choose between a one-day Zen meditation experience or a two-day overnight Zen meditation experience, both of which allow you to experience both zazen and sutra copying. There is also a teahouse where you can drink green tea and an udon noodle shop where you can try Shinshoji udon, the only item on the menu.

Experience Fee – ¥1,000~
※ Reservations required

Address: 91 Numakuma-cho Kamisanna, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Detail

Transportation: Fukuyama Castle [Bus, ~40 minutes]

05 Fukuyama Castle (福山城)

Fukuyama Castle is a castle located in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, just a five-minute walk from JR Fukuyama Station, making it one of the few castles in Japan where you can see the castle tower from the platform of a train or bullet train. Because of its beautiful appearance, the castle has been selected as one of the 100 best castles in Japan. The area around the castle has been developed as a park, and art galleries and museums have been built there. In 2022, the castle will celebrate its 400th anniversary and various commemorative events are scheduled to be held.

Until the beginning of August 2022,
due to ongoing earthquake-resistant
construction only outdoor tours will
be available.

Address: 1-8 Marunouchi, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Detail

06 Maruchu Shoten (丸忠商店)

Maruchu Shoten, a ramen restaurant located a 7-minute walk from JR Fukuyama Station, has earned a reputation as one of the best noodle shops in Fukuyama. At Maruchu Shoten, you can enjoy ramen noodles in a seafood-based soup with a hint of shrimp broth. Unlike ramen made with pork or chicken broth, Maruchu Shoten offers ramen with a light and appealing taste.

Address: 7-7 Motomachi, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Detail

Settle for the night at your Fukuyama hotel, or board a train for your next destination.

Hiroshima Station (広島駅)

2-37 Matsubaracho, Minami Ward, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Fukuyama Station (福山駅)

30-1 Sannomaru-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Miroku no Sato (みろくの里)

638-1 Fujie-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Shinshoji (神勝寺)

91 Numakuma-cho Kamisanna, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Fukuyama Castle (福山城)

1-8 Marunouchi, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Maruchu Shoten (丸忠商店)

7-7 Motomachi, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN