Solo Japan Ends: Food on Miyajima + Leaving Hiroshima
Back to Miyajima Island
With only a couple more days before I was leaving Hiroshima, I decided to head back to Miyajima Island for round two. The first time, I went with friends and focused on hiking up Mount Misen. I was disappointed that we didn't get to do much exploring though and there was still so much to see and eat! Eating food on Miyajima was a must before I left the area. 😜✨
I took the bus to the ferry that went to the island. It was another sunny day and it was early so it wasn't too crowded.
Though I say it wasn't too crowded, there was still a ton of people. It was a Sunday after all and lots of people gathered for photos around the Itsukushima Shrine.
Families were walking around and enjoying the island. I especially loved seeing this older man try and win one of the carnival games.
I didn't stick around to see if he got a prize, but I hope he did! 🎯
Miyajima Island is beautiful and quaint. Even though it's touristy, it's still fun to explore and walk around the different shops and try all the food. The area's pretty small but there's a lot to see and experience.
Exploring Shops and Food on Miyajima
There were lots of cute gift shops to look at and I stopped in a couple. I meant to get some of these smiley spatulas and spoons as gifts before I left Japan but I ended up forgetting! I'm sure I'll be back again someday and will remember. 😊
I read a lot about the food on Miyajima before going. The island naturally has a lot of seafood specialties, so there were a lot of restaurants selling different kinds of shellfish on the street.
I was on a budget though so I mostly stuck to cheaper, smaller snacks like this fried curry oyster bread a guest at the hostel recommended. It wasn't my favorite...but it wasn't bad! The flavors, textures, and oil were all just a little too heavy for me. It reminded me of the croquettes you can buy at bakeries in Korea, which are tasty but greasy. I liked the curry and oyster but the fried bread was a lot.
What I Bought on Miyajima
After the curry bread, I kept walking around the small streets. When I saw a Studio Ghibli store, I knew I had to go in. I was tempted to buy a Totoro backpack but stuck to some origami paper and stationery. When you're on a long trip, you've gotta make some tough decisions on what you can and can't carry around with you/what's worth shipping home.
Of the things I decided to ship home, one was a daruma doll for my brother. Daruma dolls are often given as gifts of encouragement and good luck. His angry little face was too cute to pass up.
After walking around some of the shops, I went to the aquarium out of curiosity. It was small, pretty sad and expensive. I don't recommend it.
My Favorite Food on Miyajima
Afterward that, I was still hungry. I decided to try some of the Japanese maple leaf treats that seemed so popular.
On the left is agemomiji. It's a deep-fried momiji manju (Japanese maple leaf pastry) filled with cheese. On the right is the classic momiji manju, the steamed bun version. There were so many different fillings but I got one filled with cream cheese. They're a specialty of Miyajima Island. I think they were worth trying but nothing too special compared to some other sweet treats I've had in Asia. 🤭🍁
My time on Miyajima Island was coming to an end and before I left, I wanted to try one last Hiroshima area specialty. I saw a sign for Tantanmen noodles and am so glad I went in.
Tantanmen is a noodle-based dish with ground pork in a spicy chili oil broth that has a nutty taste (like peanut butter!) topped with green onions and pepper. Oh my goodness, it was awesome. 💖 I read about it online first and found that after finishing the noodles, some people buy a portion of rice to finish up all that broth goodness. !!!! Great decision!! It was sooo good and I ate every last bite. I found two recipes online that look awesome and I really want to try to make at home one day. The first one uses sesame paste and the second uses peanut butter. I'm curious to taste the difference. 🤤🤤🤤
Goodbye Hiroshima!
So, I left Miyajima Island feeling like I got my fill after round two. 🤰I was leaving Hiroshima the next day to go to Fukuyama to meet my boyfriend and start our shared journey together.
Before I left, I had a hearty souffle pancake breakfast before I hopped on the bus to Fukuyama. 🥞💖
My solo journey had finally come to an end! ✨ I was so happy that I got to enjoy Japan on my own terms for a couple of weeks and figure things out along the way.
If you're traveling for a while, I highly recommend being flexible with your schedule and itinerary if you can. I was so glad I could extend my time in places I liked more and re-visit places that required more exploration.
Weigh your options with transportation costs and accommodation. Because I had more time, I often chose the cheaper alternatives that took longer to save some money. Other times, I took flights and fast trains to get places earlier.
Japan is a beautiful country with so much to see and I've only scratched the surface. I can't wait to go back one day and see some more. 💕✨