Japan Diaries 4: Day 421


Day 421: December 27, 2022

Tuesday – Hiroshima Road Trip Day 3

The view from our room in Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima
The view from our room in Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima

Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima
Left Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima to go for an early stroll to Hiroshima City

Streets of Ujina Island
Streets of Ujina Island

立江地蔵
Tatee Jizo

Ujina Island

Ujina Promenade
Boats are parked near the Ujina Promenade 

Ujina Promenade near Akatsuki Bridge
Ujina Promenade near Akatsuki Bridge

Hiroshima City manhole cover
Hiroshima City manhole cover 1

Hiroshima City Tram
Hiroshima City Tram

Hiroshima City manhole cover 2
Hiroshima City manhole cover 2

Hiroshima Port
Hiroshima Port

Kyuhiroshimaminato Park
Kyuhiroshimaminato Park

Hiroshima Port as seen from Kyuhiroshimaminato Park
Hiroshima Port as seen from Kyuhiroshimaminato Park

Ujina Seaside Promenade Guide Map

Today is the final day of our 3-day Hiroshima Road Trip. I took advantage of the chance to go for an early morning walk like yesterday. I crossed Akatsukibashi this time to visit the Ujinikaigan District. I took photos of the tram and also the colored Hiroshima Manhole cover. On my way back I passed by Kyuhiroshimaminato Park. It’s a small park but surprisingly it has a nice relaxing atmosphere.

Breakfast at Main Banquet Hall Setouchi of Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima
Breakfast at Main Banquet Hall Setouchi of Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima

Main Banquet Hall Setouchi
Main Banquet Hall Setouchi

The view from the room of Mr. Toshi and his family
The view from the room of Mr. Toshi and his family

I returned to the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima in time for breakfast. Unlike yesterday, we ate at Main Banquet Hall Setouchi on the hotel's second floor. The food was mostly the same as that of the Top of Hiroshima Sky Lounge on the 23rd floor. What it lacks in view is made up of space. After breakfast, we headed back to our rooms for our final preparations. We checked out at around 9:30 AM.

Innoshima Bridge
Crossing the Innoshima Bridge

Nishiseto Expressway
Nishiseto Expressway

Our next major destination, as scheduled, is Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture to pick up Mr. Toshi's grandson Ryo. To get there from Hiroshima, we used the Nishiseto Expressway, also known as the Shimanami Kaido. This place has long been on my bucket list. Although I want to cross it by bike, I'm fine with simply driving past it and using it as a reference point for plans.

Roadside Station Hakata S-C Park
Roadside Station Hakata S-C Park

Fish Sculpture near Hakata Beach
Fish Sculpture near Hakata Beach

Hakata Beach
Hakata Beach

Barry-san inside Roadside Station Hakata S-C Park
Barry-san inside Roadside Station Hakata S-C Park

2nd Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge
2nd Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge

We picked up Mr. Toshi's grandson
We picked up Mr. Toshi's grandson 

Imabari City
We rested a bit before heading back out

We stopped for a quick bathroom break at Roadside Station Hakata S-C Park on Hakata Island, one of the islands along the route. We arrived at Imabari City proper in about an hour. We unloaded Ryo's belongings that we brought from Osaka and assisted him in packing the stuff that he would bring back home.

Todo Takatora Statue
Family picture with Todo Takatora Statue...

... and Imabari Castle as the backdrop
... and Imabari Castle as the backdrop

Imabari Castle
Imabari Castle

We traveled to Imabari Castle from his apartment. It was everyone's first visit to the castle. However, due to the difficulty of ascending the steps, only I, Ella, Ms. Sawa, Ryo, and Karin entered and toured the castle hold. Mr. Toshi, Ms. Taeko, and my wife, on the other hand, chose to stroll the castle grounds. Unfortunately, shooting pictures within the castle is not permitted. Visitors are only allowed to snap photographs from the observation deck located on the topmost floor of the castle.

Imabari City manhole cover 1
Imabari City manhole cover 1

Imabari City manhole cover 2
Imabari City manhole cover 2

Back on the road...
Back on the road...

Before leaving Imabari City, we visited the Towel Museum
Before leaving Imabari City, we visited the Towel Museum

Inside the Towel Museum
Inside the Towel Museum

Towel Museum

Towel Museum

We traveled to the nearby Towel Museum of Art after touring Imabari Castle. As its name implies, it is a special museum that combines art and towels. It truly changed the way I looked at towels because after visiting the museum, I now appreciate their aesthetic value more than just their use.

Yoshinogawa Service Area Eastbound
Yoshinogawa Service Area Eastbound

Somewhere in Awaji Island
Somewhere in Awaji Island

We left the Towel Museum in the afternoon and were still a long way from home. We stopped for a quick bathroom break at Yoshinogawa Service Area Eastbound in Higashimoyoshi Town, Tokushima Prefecture.

The Ferris Wheel of Awaji Service Area
The Ferris Wheel of Awaji Service Area


We had dinner at Royal where robots serve as waiters
We had dinner at Royal where robots serve as waiters

My dinner for tonight
My dinner for tonight

For dinner, we chose to stop at the Awaji Service Area for Sumoto in Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture. We ate at Royal, which, shockingly, has a waiter robot on service.

Akashikaikyo Bridge
Akashikaikyo Bridge as seen from Awaji Island

Lover's Sanctuary
Lover's Sanctuary

Akashikaikyo Bridge
Crossing the Akashikaikyo Bridge going home

Before we left, the kids and I walked to Lover's Sanctuary, an open space near Starbucks. This spot provides an excellent perspective of the Akashikaikyo Bridge, the world's longest suspension bridge.


We arrived home at 11 P.M. from there. Surprisingly, we had enough energy to unpack our luggage and then take turns showering before calling it a day.

Read more:

Japan Diaries 4: Week 61
Japan Diaries 4: Day 420
Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima
Imabari Castle
Towel Museum

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