Hiroshima — Peace, Rebirth & the Sacred Island

If you've only had the Osaka mixed style, you haven't tried the real thing. Hiroshima's version is assembled in distinct layers — batter base, mountain of shredded cabbage, thin-sliced pork belly, a tangle of stir-fried yakisoba noodles, then a fried egg spread on top and the whole stack flipped. Head to Okonomimura near Hondori: a three-storey building with more than 25 competing stalls, each with their own recipe passed down through generations.

The sheltered waters of the Seto Inland Sea create ideal conditions for oyster farming. Hiroshima produces roughly 60% of all oysters farmed in Japan. Eat them grilled over charcoal at Miyajima's Omotesando street stalls, raw at a city-centre seafood bar, fried in panko batter (kaki furai), or in a rich miso soup. Peak season runs October through March, but they're worth eating year-round.

While the world knows unagi (freshwater eel), Miyajima's signature dish uses anago — conger eel from the Seto Inland Sea. The eel is simmered in a sweet soy-based broth until silky-soft, then grilled and laid over seasoned rice in a lacquered bento box. Warashibe and Ueno, both on Omotesando shopping street, have queued for it since the Meiji era. Buy a takeaway box and eat it on the waterfront facing the torii.

Hiroshima's version of tsukemen (dipping noodles) has a cult following in the city. The dipping broth is more intensely spiced than the Tokyo style — bright red, made with a complex chili and sesame base — and the noodles are served cold for contrasting texture. You set the spice level from 0 to 10 when you order. Several dedicated shops cluster around Hiroshima Station.

One of Japan's officially designated "Three Views" — the great vermilion torii of Itsukushima Shrine appears to float on the sea at high tide. At low tide you can walk out to it across the sand. Take the ferry from Miyajimaguchi (~10 min) and allow a full day: the shrine, Mount Misen ropeway, Omotesando food street, and the deer who roam freely through all of it.

Built over the sea on wooden stilts, the shrine's covered galleries, no-hana stage, and main hall are reflected in the water at high tide in a scene that looks more painted than real. Founded in the 6th century and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the surrounding forest. The shrine is approached through the sea gate of the torii. Entry ¥300.

Known locally as Rijo-jo ("Carp Castle"), originally built in 1589 and destroyed by the atomic bomb. The 1958 reconstruction contains a museum of feudal history, and the moat and grounds are one of Hiroshima's finest cherry-blossom spots in late March. The five-storey keep offers sweeping views over the city and mountains.

Laid out in 1620 by a samurai lord who modelled it on the West Lake in Hangzhou, Shukkeien uses its central pond and winding bridges to create the illusion of a much larger landscape. Devastated in 1945 and meticulously restored, it's one of Hiroshima's most tranquil spots. Autumn maples make it especially beautiful from late October.

A hillside port town where narrow lanes connect 25 temples along the Senkoji-yama temple walk, and stray cats have colonised the stone steps so thoroughly there's a dedicated "cat alley" (Neko no Hosomichi). At the waterfront, the Shimanami Kaido begins — a 70 km cycleway across six islands and six suspension bridges to Imabari in Shikoku. Rent a bike and ride as far as you like.