Onomichi Day Trip: Ramen and the Slope Walk to Senkoji
日本語版はこちら → https://ao-happy.net/onomichi-day-trip-ramen-senkoji-walk-ja/
In late September 2026, Japan had a five-day run of national holidays that people here call “Silver Week.” I used it for a simple day trip with a friend: from Hiroshima to Onomichi, a port town on the Seto Inland Sea in the east of Hiroshima Prefecture. The plan was just two things — a bowl of Onomichi ramen, and walking up the hill to Senkoji Temple instead of taking the ropeway.
Onomichi is a good fit if you have already seen the Peace Park and Miyajima and want a quieter, older-feeling town. Here is how our day went, with the practical bits you need to copy it.
Getting to Onomichi from Hiroshima
Onomichi Station is on the JR Sanyo Line. Local trains alone take about 1 hr 30–40 min from Hiroshima Station, usually with one change at Itozaki or Mihara. If you want to save time, take the Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Fukuyama (about 23 min) and come back west on the JR Sanyo Line to Onomichi (about 20 min); with the change, that is roughly an hour. Shin-Onomichi Station (Kodama trains only) is about 3 km from the old town, so most visitors use JR Onomichi Station.
| From | Route | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| Ao’s Retreat Base (Ushita) | 6 min walk to Ushita-minami stop → bus No.5 to Hiroshima Stn (12 min) → Shinkansen to Fukuyama → JR to Onomichi | about 1 hr 20–30 min |
| Ao’s Retreat Base (Ushita) | Same bus to Hiroshima Stn → JR Sanyo Line local trains only | about 2 hr |
| Ao’s Skyview Base (Koi) | 5 min walk to JR Nishi-Hiroshima Stn → JR Sanyo Line (change en route) | about 1 hr 40–50 min |
Times are estimates that include walking and changes; check a route app for the train you will actually catch.
First stop: Onomichi ramen
Onomichi ramen is the town’s own style: a soy-sauce soup with little bits of pork back fat floating on top, usually with flat noodles. The stock differs from shop to shop — chicken, pork bones or small dried fish are all common.
There are a lot of ramen shops in the old town, and several already had a line before opening. We picked one where we could walk straight in: Onomichi Ramen Akatobi (朱鳶), Tsuchido main shop. The name is written on the white noren curtains at the door, together with the name of their noodle-making side.
It was really good. One honest note: Onomichi ramen can be a little on the oily side because of the back fat. If rich food is not your thing, you can simply enjoy the noodles and not drink all of the soup.
| Onomichi Ramen Akatobi, Tsuchido main shop | |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-9-3 Tsuchido, Onomichi, Hiroshima |
| Hours | Opens at 8:00. Closing time differs by source (15:00–20:00), and it may close early when sold out — check their Instagram (@akatobi_official) before you go. |
| Closed | Thursdays |
| Known for | Soy-sauce soup with pork back fat and firm, chewy noodles from their own noodle-making side |
| Access | Walking distance from JR Onomichi Station, in the Tsuchido area between the seafront street and the shopping arcade |
Map: Onomichi Ramen Akatobi
The shopping arcade: a step back in time
Between the station and the hillside runs the Onomichi Hondori shopping street, a covered arcade about 1.6 km long with around 400 shops. It is made of five sections, one of them the “Center-gai” you see in the photo. Many of the shops have been run by the same families for generations, and walking under the long glass roof really felt like slipping back a few decades.
Walking up to Senkoji instead of taking the ropeway
Senkoji Temple sits about 140 m up the hill behind the town. The temple says it was founded in 806, and its red main hall, built out on a stage over the slope, looks down on the whole harbor. You can ride the Senkoji-yama Ropeway (about 3 minutes, roughly every 15 minutes from 9:00 to 17:15), but we chose to walk up so we could enjoy the old streets on the way.
That turned out to be the best part of the day. The hillside is a maze of narrow lanes and stone steps, so you keep choosing which way to go — left past an old wooden house, right up a stairway between stone walls. On foot it is about 20–30 minutes from the station to the temple, longer if you stop for photos like we did.
Onomichi is known for its cats, and there is even a lane called Neko-no-Hosomichi (Cat Alley), about 200 m long, between Ushitora Shrine and the Tenneiji pagoda. We met this one on a stone slope beside an old wall.
My tip: take your time. We kept stopping whenever we found a cat or an old house, and those little detours were the most fun part of the walk.
The view from the hill near Senkoji
Up on the hill near Senkoji, the town opens up below you: tiled roofs stepping down the hill, the narrow Onomichi Channel, and Mukaishima island just across the water with its shipyard cranes. The three-story pagoda of Tenneiji, built in 1388 and a National Important Cultural Property, stands right in the middle of the view — one of the most famous shots in Onomichi.
If you want to go higher, the Senkoji Park summit observation deck “PEAK” is next to the ropeway’s top station and is free to use. On the way back down, the stone stairs give you one more look over the town.
The waffles we missed
Onomichi also has a famous waffle spot: Sabo Komon, next to the ropeway’s lower station, which has been baking waffles since 1977. We didn’t get to eat there this time, so it is on my list for next time.
Tips for your Onomichi day trip
- Wear comfortable shoes — the hillside is mostly slopes and stone steps.
- If walking up is too much, you can take the ropeway up. Even then, I recommend walking back down through the lanes.
- Senkoji’s grounds are open 9:00–17:00; the ropeway runs until 17:15.
- Popular ramen shops can have lines before they open; going a little early helps.
For us, a day trip from Hiroshima was plenty: ramen, the slope walk and the views, all in one relaxed day. That is why I recommend making Hiroshima your base. You don’t need to move your luggage — stay a few nights in the city and head out on day trips to places like Onomichi, Miyajima, Saijo or Kure, then come back to the same room in the evening.
If you like walking up for a view, you may also enjoy our post on hiking Mt. Misen on Miyajima.
Map: Senkoji Temple
Onomichi makes an easy day out from Hiroshima, and you are back in the city in time for dinner. If you are planning a few days in Hiroshima, we would love to have you stay with us at one of our inns.
