Where to stay in Chugoku: the 6 areas to know in 2026
Most travellers do Hiroshima and Miyajima as a day trip from Kyoto, and see the island at the very hour it is most crowded. A single night in the region changes everything: the torii at sunrise, the Peace Park lit up in the evening, Onomichi before the cyclists arrive.
A business hotel near a station starts at $68* for two; a night in a ryokan, with bath and Japanese dinner included, often goes beyond $280*. Six areas, from the Inland Sea to the Sea of Japan.
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One base or several?
One base is enough for Hiroshima and Miyajima. Beyond that, change base in each corner of the region: trains are fast along the south coast and slow everywhere else.
- Two nights: Hiroshima, then Miyajima: the Peace Park in the evening, the torii at sunrise.
- Five nights: Three bases: Kurashiki, Onomichi, then Hiroshima and Miyajima.
- Ten days: Four bases: Okayama, Matsue for the San'in, Hagi, then Hiroshima and Miyajima.
How much driving between two bases?
By train: the shinkansen along the south coast, express trains to the San'in.
| Route | Driving time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Shin-Osaka → Okayama | 45 min | by shinkansen |
| Okayama → Hiroshima | 40 min | by shinkansen |
| Hiroshima → Miyajima | 45 min | train, then ferry |
| Okayama → Kurashiki | 15 min | by local train |
| Okayama → Izumo | 3 h | on the Yakumo express |
| Onomichi → Imabari | 1 to 2 days | by bike, 70 km |
At a glance: our picks by traveller type
Pick the profile that fits you and go straight to the recommended area.
Map of the areas in Chugoku
See how the areas sit relative to one another before choosing your base. Click a name to jump to its description.
Hiroshima Around the station and the Peace Park
for a practical base, connected to everything
The easiest base in the region: the shinkansen station, the tram, the Peace Memorial Park and its museums, the castle, the shopping streets of Hondori. Stay near the station for early departures, or near the park to walk there in the evening, once it empties. Miyajima is less than an hour away by train and ferry.
Between the messages of peace and the beauty of the city, crisscrossed by its many rivers, a sense of tranquility is what really stands out.
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel Luxury
One minute's walk from the station, on the shinkansen side, with an indoor pool and four restaurants.
Mitsui Garden Hotel Hiroshima Mid-range
Between Hondori and Peace Boulevard, ten minutes' walk from the park, with breakfast on the fifteenth floor.
Santiago Guesthouse Hiroshima Budget
A hostel a few minutes from the Peace Park, with dorms, double rooms and a shared kitchen.
Pros
- The shinkansen and the tram on your doorstep
- The Peace Park on foot in the evening, without the crowds
Cons
- A big city, without the charm of a village
- Miyajima means a train and a ferry
Miyajima and Miyajimaguchi The sacred island and the port opposite
to see the torii before and after the day trippers
On the island, the great torii of Itsukushima reveals itself at sunrise, then again at nightfall, when the day's ferries have left and the deer take back the lanes. Ryokans here are expensive and few. On the mainland side, Miyajimaguchi offers simple rooms a short walk from the first ferry.
I highly recommend setting aside a day for this excursion (or staying overnight to extend the experience).
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
Iwaso Luxury
A ryokan at the entrance to the maple valley of Momijidani, with open-air hot spring baths.
Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto Mid-range
Three minutes from Itsukushima Shrine, with tatami or Western-style rooms and an open-air bath.
Simple Stay Miyajima Budget
A simple hostel in Miyajimaguchi, near the station and the ferry, to catch the first boat.
Pros
- The torii and the shrine without the crowds, morning and evening
- Mount Misen straight from your hotel
Cons
- Few rooms on the island, and pricey ones
- Few restaurants open in the evening
Onomichi and the Inland Sea Onomichi, the islands of the Shimanami Kaido
for cycling, temples and islands
A small port on a hillside, Onomichi strings twenty-five temples along a winding path, with its cats and the ropeway up to Senko-ji. It is also the starting point of the Shimanami Kaido, the cycle route that hops from island to island all the way to Shikoku. Sleep here the night before, then on an island along the way.
A moment of calm and a breath of fresh air.
The towns in this area
Where to stay in this area
Azumi Setoda Luxury
A ryokan in a 140-year-old house on the island of Ikuchijima, on the Shimanami Kaido route.
Hotel Cycle Mid-range
In the former ONOMICHI U2 warehouse on the harbour: you can ride your bike right up to your room.
Onomichi Guest House Anago-no-Nedoko Budget
Dorms in an old house, narrow and deep, in the shopping arcade of Onomichi.
Pros
- The start of the Shimanami Kaido right by your hotel
- A peaceful small town, far from the crowds
Cons
- Few hotels, quickly full at weekends
- Fewer restaurants open late
Okayama and Kurashiki Okayama station and the Bikan quarter
for gardens, canals and the rail hub
Okayama is the hub of the eastern side of the region: the shinkansen stops here, and the Yakumo train leaves from here for the San'in. Its Korakuen garden ranks among the three most famous in Japan. A quarter of an hour away by train, Kurashiki and its Bikan quarter offer a night by the canals.
Where to stay in this area
Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata Luxury
A ryokan in an Edo-period merchant house in the heart of Bikan, two minutes from the Ohara Museum.
Hotel Granvia Okayama Mid-range
Directly connected to Okayama station, with an indoor pool and restaurants on the nineteenth floor.
Hostel Cuore Kurashiki Budget
A hostel in the Bikan quarter, with dorms or private rooms and bikes to rent.
Pros
- The junction for Hiroshima, Osaka and the San'in
- A night by the canals of Kurashiki
Cons
- Okayama has little charm in the evening
- The Bikan quarter is very busy during the day
The San'in Matsue, Izumo, Tottori
for a more rural Japan, on the Sea of Japan
On the other side of the mountains, the San'in keeps a slower Japan. Matsue has its original castle and its sunsets over Lake Shinji. Izumo is home to one of the oldest shrines in the country. Further east, the dunes of Tottori run down to the sea. Trains are infrequent here: allow plenty of time.
Where to stay in this area
NIPPONIA Izumo Taisha Shrine Town Luxury
Six rooms in a former Taisho-era clinic, at the foot of Izumo Taisha Shrine.
Hotel Ichibata Mid-range
On the shore of Lake Shinji in Matsue, with a hot spring bath on the top floor facing the sunset.
Super Hotel Tottori Ekimae Budget
A business hotel three minutes from Tottori station, where the buses to the dunes leave from.
Pros
- A traditional Japan with few visitors
- Onsen on the shores of Lake Shinji
Cons
- Far from the shinkansen line
- Infrequent trains, a car comes in handy
Hagi, Tsuwano and Iwakuni The west of the region, from the Sea of Japan to the Inland Sea
for samurai towns and ryokans
In the west, the region turns rural. Hagi keeps its samurai district and its pottery workshops; Tsuwano, its carp-filled canals and its shrine of red torii. On the Inland Sea, Iwakuni and its wooden bridge make an easy stop from Hiroshima.
Where to stay in this area
Hagi No Yado Tomoe Luxury
A ryokan with a hot spring bath and a garden, in the spa quarter of Hagi.
Iwakuni Kokusai Kanko Hotel Mid-range
Right across from the Kintai Bridge, with hot spring baths and a view of the river.
Hoshi Ryokan Budget
A simple family-run ryokan one minute from Tsuwano station, Japanese dinner included.
Pros
- Historic towns without the crowds
- Ryokans with onsen at gentle prices
Cons
- Infrequent trains between towns
- Little going on in the evening
Our tips for booking the right place
- Spend at least one night on Miyajima: The torii is at its finest early in the morning and in the evening, once the day trippers have gone. Rooms on the island are scarce: book them as soon as your dates are fixed, or stay in Miyajimaguchi, just across the water.
- Factor in the accommodation tax: In Hiroshima Prefecture, a tax of 200 yen per person per night has applied since April 2026 to rooms above 6,000 yen. It is paid on site, even if you have prepaid your stay.
- A ryokan, at least once: A night in a ryokan includes dinner and breakfast, the bath and the tatami. It costs more than a business hotel, but it is often the best memory of the trip. Hagi, Matsue and Miyajima lend themselves well to it.
- A day return to Miyajima from Kyoto: you spend more time on trains than on the island.
- The San'in without booking your trains: express services are few and fill up quickly.
- A hotel far from a station if you are travelling by train: the station is the heart of every town.
FAQ: where to stay in Chugoku
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