In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Takehara
竹原
Spend a half day to a full day in Takehara: walk the historic town centre and take a ferry to Okunoshima (Rabbit Island).
Takehara is a small historic port town in Hiroshima Prefecture, known for its preserved Edo‑Meiji streets and nearby Okunoshima rabbit island. The sights are compact, so a half‑day visit covers the townscape; add a ferry trip for a full day.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 竹原
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, humidity)
- Stay
- 0.5–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–12,000 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | ¥300–500 |
| Okonomiyaki plate | ¥800–1,200 |
| Local sake (180 ml) | ¥500–900 |
| Ferry to Okunoshima | ¥1,200–1,800 |
| Bus ride within town | ¥200–300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HIJ · Hiroshima Airport
- Bus to Takehara via local line, about 1 h
Typical fares
- Bus Hiroshima Airport → Takehara
- about ¥1,200, 1 h (check)
- Ferry Takehara → Okunoshima (round‑trip)
- about ¥1,500 per person (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic centre is best explored on foot. The Kure Line serves Takehara station (trains every ~1½ h) and local buses reach nearby towns and ferry ports.
See and do
Known for
- Takehara Townscape Conservation Area
- Okunoshima (Rabbit Island)
- Historic salt and sake trade
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Okunoshima (Rabbit Island) | Ferry from Tadanoumi port, about 30 min boat; bus from Takehara to Tadanoumi ~20 min | ≈1 h total |
| Kure | Kure Line train eastward, about 30 min | ≈45 min |
| Mihara | Kure Line eastward, about 45 min | ≈1 h |
| Onomichi | Kure Line eastward, about 1 h 15 min | ≈1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Nipponia Hotel
- Traditional ryokan‑style hotel on the main street, convenient for walking tours
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| Where is the ferry to Okunoshima? | 大久野島行きのフェリーはどこですか？Ōkunoshima-yuki no ferī wa doko desu ka? |
| How much is this? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Many souvenir shops close weekdays due to low tourist traffic (check opening days).
- Ferry to Okunoshima runs seasonally; confirm schedule in advance.
Takehara is generally safe; watch for traffic on narrow streets and keep an eye on personal belongings on the ferry.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Takehara yet. Suggested stay: 0.5–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Takehara Townscape Conservation Area
- Okunoshima (Rabbit Island)
- Historic salt and sake trade
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Takehara official tourism site: www.takeharakankou.jp/en/
- Takehara city official site: www.city.takehara.lg.jp/
- Wikivoyage: Takehara, revision 5258103 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5258103
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/takehara). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.