Hiroshima is a small but beautiful Japanese city, which rewards travellers who include it in their travel itinerary. Hiroshima is best known for being an International City of Peace & Culture, in response to the catastrophic atomic bomb that the US dropped on the city during World War II, on 6 August, 1945.

However, there is more to discover in Hiroshima beyond the Peace Memorial Park and the A-Bomb Dome.

Hiroshima is a beautiful city, with a beautiful riverside precinct and attractions such as the Shukkien Garden, Hiroshima Castle and Okonomimura, as well as the sacred island of Miyajima just offshore.

Hiroshima is a much smaller city than Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. A few days in Hiroshima is a lovely contrast to these major destinations, and a great addition to an overnight trip to Miyajima, the sacred island off the coast of Hiroshima which is home to the iconic Itsukushima Shrine.

In this guide you’ll find the best things to do in Hiroshima, where to stay & where (& what) to eat and drink. I’ve also included notes about how to get to Hiroshima, how to get around and when to visit near the end of the guide.

This Hiroshima travel guide is based on my recent trip to Hiroshima, and is designed as an easy-to-digest introduction and travel guide for first time visitors to Hiroshima. When I was planning my first trip to Hiroshima, I was surprised by how little information I could find online on other travel blogs, and as a result, I was both surprised and delighted by how much we enjoyed our time there!

When we visited Hiroshima, we visited as part of 10 days in Japan , which included Osaka, Kyoto, and Miyajima as well. We’ve spent one week in Tokyo on a previous trip, so we didn’t return this time.

Is Hiroshima worth visiting?

Hiroshima is absolutely worth visiting, even beyond the Peace Memorial Park. The Peace Memorial Park and Musuem are undoubtedly some of the most significant sites of the 21st century, and yet there is so much more to Hiroshima than this chapter of the city’s history.

Hiroshima is an excellent city to spend a couple of days, with plenty to do beyond the Peace Memorial sights. It’s a very beautiful city, with a beautiful riverside promenade and a trendy downtown area. We had Hiroshima Castle nearly to ourselves, and found other unexpected highlights like Okonomimura and the Hiroshima Museum of Art.

How many days do you need in Hiroshima

There is enough to see in Hiroshima to spend two days in the city, plus any additional days for day trips to Miyajima, or Himeij Castle.

We spent two days in Hiroshima, plus an overnight stay on Miayjima. We visited Himeji on a day trip from Osaka, so it didn’t add to our time in Hiroshima.

Where to stay in Hiroshima

Central Hiroshima is a collection of islands, cleaved by rivers and waterways. We stayed in Hatchobori, which is in downtown Hiroshima on the largest island. It was close to Hiroshima Castle, and a short walk to the Peace Memorial Park as well as Okonomimura. 

We stayed at Candeo Hotels Hiroshima Hatchbori, which was a clean and stylish hotel, in a perfect location.

Find Hotels in Hiroshima

Best Things to Do in Hiroshima

Peace Memorial Park & Museum

The Peace Memorial Park is the centre of Hiroshima, in the former commercial & political heart of the city’s downtown area. It’s density and significance was the reason it was targeted, and today the bomb site commemorates the lives lost with a 120,000 square metre park and museum. It is worth spending at least half a day in the park and museum.

The Peace Memorial Museum is located in the park, and is a sobering account of the tragedy. It goes to lengths to tell the personal stories of those who lost their lives, putting a human face on the political destruction. 

Parental guidance is recommended for children under the age of 15. I don’t have kids, but if I did, I wouldn’t bring them to the museum. For kids, there are opportunities throughout the park to explain the significance of the site, and the importance of peace, such as at the Childrens Peace Monument, which is beautiful and very moving.

Shukkien Garden

The Shukkien Garden is an incredible Japanese landscape garden in Hiroshima, that dates back 400 years. Its name translates to “shrunken scenery”, which perfectly describes the garden design.

The garden consists of a series of Japanese landscapes, composed around a large central lake and connected by a series of bridges. The best way to enjoy the garden is to follow the path around the garden, which will take you through all of the different landscapes.

A-Bomb Dome

The A-Bomb Dome is the remains of the only building in downtown Hiroshima that survived the atomic bomb. The building was formerly the Hirsohima Prefectural Industrial Promotional Hall (a trade hall), and it was directly underneath where the bomb was dropped.

Every person inside the building at the time were killed by the bomb, but due to its position directly under the bomb, the building retained some of its shape. It is the only remaining structure from the site of the bombing.

You can’t visit inside the A-Bomb Dome, but you can see the exterior of the building, which is across the river from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

Read my guide to the 10 best things to do in Hiroshima for more ideas!

Where to eat & drink in Hiroshima

Honestly, some of my favourite dining experiences in Japan have  been in Hiroshima! From unique dining destinations like Okonomimura to neighbourhood coffee shops and third-generation ramen joints, you’ll eat & drink well in Hiroshima.

Okonomimura

Okonomimura is an “okonomiyaki village”, of 25 okonomiyaki restaurants squeezed into a multi-storey commercial building in downtown Hiroshima. Each restaurant is tiny, and serves their own style of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese dish available widely across Japan, but Hiroshima has its own, distinct style. I prefer Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is a fried dish of cabbage and a crepe-like batter, topped with noodles and okonomiyaki sauce, as well as optional toppings like fried eggs, pork or onion.

Visiting okonomimura is one of the most unique dining experiences I’ve had in Japan, and a must-visit in Hiroshima! Better yet, it is cheap & cheerful, and no reservations are required. 

We returned two nights in a row, because we’d never seen anything like it and it was so much fun.

Read my guide to visiting Okonomimura for more details.

Kiyo Chan (Ramen)

For an authentic ramen experience, visit Kiyo Chan in downtown Hiroshima. This is a third-generation ramen restaurant, operating since 1973. It’s tiny, with only a handful of counter seats, and it’s easy to miss. This is the best ramen I have ever eaten in my life! 

It’s also incredible watching how the chef (and possibly owner) manages to turn out such delicious ramen using a cooking area behind the counter that’s roughly the size of a postage stamp.

Obscura Coffee Roasters

Obscura Coffee Roasters is a super chic coffee shop with two locations in Hiroshima – we visited both. It has a beautiful Japanese aesthetic, excellent coffee (Australian coffee snob here) and the stores also sell beautiful Japanese ceramics – a perfect souvenir! 

When we were visiting, they had a seasonal Sakura Latte, which I loved. I wouldn’t touch flavoured coffee with a ten-foot pole usually, but this was perfectly balanced – I couldn’t help but get it every day! 

The regular coffee  menu is the full gamut of third-wave coffee styles, and they have 1-2 pastries or cakes available at the counter.

Onigiri Nitaya

Onigiri Nitaya is a popular onigiri shop, located on the riverside in Hiroshima, opposite the Peace Memorial Park. You can dine in, or take away, like we did – we took our onigiri to a park bench overlooking the river, and enjoyed the beautiful view.

Onigiri is one of the most delicious, cheap & filling lunches on-the-go when you’re in Japan. They are rice balls, often shaped into triangles and wrapped with nori (seaweed), around a delicious filling such as tuna, umeboshi (pickled plum), salted salmon or kombu (kelp). 

Day Trips from Hiroshima

Miyajima (Itsukushima Shrine)

The most popular day trip from Hiroshima is to Miyajima, a sacred island off the coast of Hiroshima that is home to the iconic Itsukishima Shrine. The ferry ride is less than 10 minutes, with frequent services available. You can see the Itsukushima Shrine and lively Omotesando Market on a half day or full day trip from Hiroshima.

We stayed overnight on Miyajima, which was really special because we got to see the shrine at night, at high tide, and without any crowds.

However, it is at its most beautiful during the day time, so it is still worth going for the day if you don’t have time to stay overnight. Time your visit for high tide, as at low tide the shrine is surrounded by muddy flats.

Himeji Castle & Kokoen Garden

Himeji Castle is the biggest & most beautiful castle in Japan, and a national icon. Visiting Himeji Castle is an excellent day trip from Hiroshima, although it is a similar distance also from Kyoto and Osaka, so you could visit from any of these destinations during your trip.

After you’ve toured the castle grounds & climbed up the Main Keep (main tower), visit the beautiful Kokoen Garden next door. It’s one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens I’ve visited in Japan.

To get the train from Hiroshima to Himeji Castle, the fastest way is to take the JR Sanyo Shinkansen Nozomi. It takes 1 hour and is approximately 8000 Yen (80 AUD, $55 USD). It makes it an expensive return day trip, but it is completely worth it!

Best time to visit Hiroshima

The best time to visit Hiroshima is spring (March-May) and Autumn (late September-early December). 

Hiroshima has a humid, subtropical climate, with mild winters and humid, rainy summers. It’s possible to visit year-round, but depending on your tolerance of the temperature and crowds, you may want to plan accordingly.

• March-May (Spring) – Spring is high season, and cherry blossom season which peaks in the first week of April. Popular cherry blossom sights are around the Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Castle and in the Shukkien Garden.. Expect crowds and higher prices.
• June-August (Summer) – Summer is shoulder season in Hiroshima, with a hot and humid weather, and more rain. 
• October-early December (Autumn) – Autumn is another high season in Hiroshima, for fall foliage and crisp, comfortable weather. I visited in the first week of November, which was too early for fall foliage, but we had excellent weather – I rarely needed a jacket! Despite being high season, Hiroshima was noticeably less crowded than Kyoto & Osaka. Miyajima was very crowded with day-trippers from the arrival of the first ferry in the morning to the last ferry in the evening.
• Mid December – February (Winter) – Winter is off season in Hiroshima, making it the best time to visit to avoid the crowds and avoid high season prices. It will be cold, with a chance of rain and even light snow. January & February are the coldest with average daily temperatures between  3-10°C (37-50°F). Most businesses are closed between 29th December – 3rd January.

How to get to Hiroshima

Hiroshima does have an international airport, but if you’re flying from outside Asia you’ll most likely need to fly into Tokyo or Osaka and then take a Shinkansen (bullet train) to Hiroshima.

Osaka is much closer to Hiroshima than Tokyo, and it is a 1 hr 20 min Shinkansen. The fastest Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hiroshima takes 4 hours.. 

We flew into Osaka International Airport, and spent ten days in Japan, from Osaka to Kyoto to Miyajima and Hiroshima, and then took the Shinkansen back to Osaka to fly from there. This route worked really well for us.

How to catch the Shinkansen in Japan

The fastest Shinkansens aren’t included in the JR Pass, so you will need to buy tickets separately. I’ve never purchased the JR Pass in Japan, I don’t think it offers good value, but it depends on your plans.

You can buy Shinkansen Tickets at the train stations, however the ticket machines are not easy to use for foreigners, even when they are in English, because sometimes you need 1 ticket, sometimes you need 2. We couldn’t work this out, so we used the ticket offices at the station – which involved an enormous queue every time.

I recommend purchasing your Shinkansen tickets via Klook, which will save you queueing at the station. 

Getting around Hiroshima

Hiroshima has excellent public transport, which makes it super easy to get around. We didn’t need to rely on Ubers or Taxis even once! 

Most of the sights are within walking distance in downtown Hiroshima, so we walked a lot, as well as taking the occasional streetcar.

Hiroshima’s public transport system has streetcars (like old fashioned Melbourne trams), buses and trains. 

How to take public transport in Hiroshima

The best way to use public transport in Hiroshima, and all of Japan, is to use the Suica card. 

You can download it to your Apple Wallet (or equivalent on android), and top up using Apple Pay. It’s an instant top up, and we used it the entire time we were in Japan. You can use Suica on subways, trams, trains and even the ferry to Miyajima.

The only major exception is the Shinkansen (bullet trains), which you cannot use your Suica for. Instead, purchase your Shinkansen tickets at the ticket office in the Shinkansen stations, or save time and purchase them in advance with Klook.

How much does it cost to take public transport in Hiroshima?

We used public transport heavily during our recent two weeks in Japan (Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima & Miyajima), and I spent $100 AUD (10,000 Yen) on public transport, approximately $10 AUD/1000 yen per day.

Further Reading:

• Itinerary for 10 Days in Japan: Osaka, Kyoto & Hiroshima
• Itinerary for 2 Days in Osaka + Himeji Castle Day Trip
• Kyoto Travel Guide for First Time Visitors (2025)

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