IETF76

Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the biggest airport in the western half of Japan, and mainly serves the Osaka and Kyoto areas. In early November, United Airlines operates direct flight to the U.S. in 5 flights/week. Northwest Airlines operates a daily flight from San Francisco as NW327. This flight stops at Narita and you may able to make a connection from a Northwest flight. But this flight arrives at Kansai at 21:20 and it is too late to make a same-day connection to Hiroshima. Eva Air (BR)'s twice a week flight to Los Angeles, has currently suspended its operation, and not expected to return back by November.

From Kansai International Airport, take the JR "Haruka" Express train to Shin Osaka Station (45 min., every 30 min.) where you can board the Shinkansen either "Nozomi" or "Hikari" train to JR Hiroshima Station (1hr. 45 min. 3-4 times in an hour). The fare is 11,730 JPY down to Hirohima (one way, reserved seat). Please buy your ticket through Hiroshima at the JR Ticket Office, marked in green, in Kansai Airport to enjoy a discount. While there are non-reserved seats available on both the "Haruka" and the Shinakansen, it is recommended to reserve your seat.

While the staffs at the ticket office are expected to speak English, you may want to print out a PDF file to indicate your intention to a staff.

The departure time of Haruka express train at Kansai Airport is as follows:

06:34, 07:27, 08:46, 09:16, 09:46, 10:16, 10:46, 11:16, 11:46,
12:16, 12:46, 13:16, 13:46, 14:16, 14:46, 15:16, 15:46, 16:16,
16:46, 17:16, 17:46, 18:16, 18:46, 19:16, 19:46, 20:16, 20:46,
21:31, 22:16

If you take N700-series Shinkansen train, you have access to power for your laptop - all seats in "green-cars" (first class - there is a surcharge, additional cost is 3,490 JPY for Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima), or the window seat of regular cars. Unfortunately the Internet access service provided by N700-series trains is not available west of Shin-Osaka.