Sakuraya

Sakuraya sits on Miyajima Island, one of Japan's most visited sacred sites, where the famous torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine appears to float on the tidal waters just offshore. Getting here requires a short ferry crossing from Miyajimaguchi on the Hiroshima mainland, which means guests arrive having already left the pace of the city behind. The island itself is car-free, its narrow lanes shared by deer, pilgrims, and day-trippers who mostly leave by evening — those staying overnight inherit a quieter, more atmospheric version of the place.

With a guest rating of 8.9 across more than four thousand reviews, the hotel holds a strong reputation for a property in this location. Miyajima draws an unusually wide range of visitors — families making a day trip into an overnight stay, couples drawn by the island's reputation for seasonal beauty, and travelers working Hiroshima into a broader journey through western Japan.

The hotel's family rooms make it a practical choice for parents who want children to experience the island after the crowds thin out, without the logistical difficulty of finding separate accommodation on an island with limited options. Guests who check in early enough to settle before dinner will find the evening light on the shrine worth the timing, and those who prefer a slow morning can take advantage of a later check-out to walk the quieter shrine paths before catching the ferry back. Free Wi-Fi throughout means connectivity isn't sacrificed for atmosphere — useful for those still navigating onward travel across Japan's rail network.