Yui Prima Olivia: A Luxury Bus Tour of Hiroshima with a Multitude of Stories

As I look to my right, the shimmering expanse of the beautiful Inland Sea unfolds before me and I become witness to these giant mysterious rocks that jut out of the water like strange monoliths from another time and era, and to my left, small towns almost untouched by the chaos and uncertainty of modernity sit still and unmoving. I’m ultimately reminded of the great chronicler of life in Japan, Donald Richie, and his seminal travelogue, The Inland Sea.

“I wondered what depths of humanity the Japanese must contain that, even now, despite everything, they remain civil to each other, remain fond of each other,” writes Richie. “And so I want to go to the front of that humanity, to this still … place where people live better than anywhere else because they live according to their own natures.” 

I’m in Hiroshima Prefecture which is one of several prefectures that host this stunning natural wonder that is the Seto Inland Sea. I’m here to participate in new luxury bus tour Yui Prima Olivia (run by Shinkibus Co., Ltd) which bills itself as “a journey with a story” and as the day unfurls it becomes evident that this tour has a multitude of stories, of personalities and of snapshots of a quieter side of life in Japan, often usurped in the media by the urban behemoths of Osaka and Tokyo and the renowned cultural centers of Kyoto and Nara. 

I have a complex relationship with Hiroshima. My daughter’s family are from Hiroshima and I have, of course, visited Hiroshima City many times and been to and paid tribute to the unforgettable Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. It’s a beautiful city, something that many tourists wouldn’t have initially guessed, and a city that has much more to offer than its profound history. An amazing and vibrant food culture, a fantastic nightlife scene and stunning scenery, it’s a city that deserves to be on any visitor’s itinerary. 

 Yui Prima Olivia: A Luxury Bus Tour

The Yui Prima Olivia is a bus with a difference. It’s similar, in some ways, to flying in a first-class cabin on an airplane. Created, specifically, for travel along the Seto Inland Sea, it hosts 21 seats and is the very definition of luxury. Designed by globally acclaimed industrial designer, illustrator, and producer Eiji Mitooka, the natural wood interior with premium seating and ample legroom in addition to onboard facilities including a shower toilet, bar counter and English speaking guide/attendants (when required) makes for a truly otherworldly experience. With various tour routes taking in different spots in the Setouchi area, the bus, which comes with a glorious drinks service (with sake, tea, coffee, beer etc…) available, also has panoramic windows which allows for some breathtaking views. 

My specific tour, which luckily took place on a balmy early summer’s day, was stopping at the cute historical town of Takehara and later the stunning island of Setoda before I headed back, by ferry, to my accommodation in Mihara. The tour starts at Miyajimaguchi and I was immediately welcomed onboard by the wonderful Saori Ogo, a bilingual attendant who happily cared for the guests onboard, answering any questions asked while offering some valuable information about the various sights and towns we passed.  

Takehara

After a bathroom break we arrived at Takehara, known locally as small Kyoto. With beautiful wooden houses and atmospheric backstreet alleys, it’s a charming location which lays claim to some fascinating history. I was especially interested in the Taketsuru House which currently operates as a museum and sake brewery. Taketsuru House is the birthplace of the father of Japanese whiskey, Masataka Taketsuru — who began his studies in organic chemistry in 1918 at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He later married a local woman named Rita Cowan from Kirkintilloch, a small village near Glasgow, and relocated to Yoichi in Hokkaido where he founded the, now renowned, Nikka Whisky distillery — the first whiskey distillery in Japan.

Their amazing story and romance was adapted, in 2014, into a popular NHK drama titled Massan. As a Glaswegian who studied at the University of Glasgow and whose family home is only a few miles from Kirkintilloch, I was particularly moved by the statue they have of Taketsuru and Cowan in Takehara, nearby the museum and brewery. After a lovely pizza and drink set lunch at the quaint TS Coffee, I was back onboard the Yui Prima Olivia and on my way to my final stop, a few hours later, the astonishing island of Setoda. 

Setoda

Now, I have to admit, I knew nothing of Setoda before my bus tour. I was, however, absolutely over the moon that I chose this particular tour as Setoda is one of the most beautiful islands in Japan that I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. Renowned for its production and love of lemons and oranges, this is a genuinely fruit-focused island where pretty much every store sells something to do with these two fruits. From lemonade and lemon cakes to orange juice, Setoda is a proud area that obviously makes the most of its extraordinarily fresh produce. We were met off the bus by a lovely tour guide that chaperoned us through the town’s Shiomachi shopping street before climbing the steps of one of the strangest and most ostentatious complexes I’ve ever been to, the truly extraordinary Kosanji. 

Founded in 1936 by industrialist Kozo Kosanji, Kosanji Temple belongs to the Honganji Sect of the Jodo Shinshu School of Pure Land Buddhism. Constructed over 30 years, it’s, ostensibly, a memorial to Kosanji’s mother. Written in the temple, in various spots, is the haiku “The mothers of the world are as the Goddess of Mercy” and this had particular meaning to me as my own mother passed away two years ago, and I wish she had had the opportunity to visit this truly incredible temple which stands as a testament to and as a temple of love to all mothers. Kosanji has everything: caves, huge pavilions, flowers, gardens, sculptures, paintings, alcoves and enormous statues that loom over the complex with a great benevolence.

Remembrance of Things Past

The great French writer Marcel Proust once wrote, “Even though our lives wander, our memories remain in one place” and I hope that he is, in some ways, correct as my travels through Hiroshima Prefecture on the Yui Prima Olivia, and my trips to Takehara and Setoda remain with me. My journey may have been made alone. However, I met many wonderful people along the way and visited some breathtaking destinations and these are the memories I will keep inside me as my life continues down more roads, more avenues, and more paths.