Top places to visit in Hiroshima

• Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima Island

  Temple · 4.9 rating · about 4 h · entry JPY 300

  A 20-minute ferry from Hiroshima, Miyajima Island contains Itsukushima Shrine — a UNESCO World Heritage Shinto shrine built over the sea whose iconic O-torii gate appears to float at high tide and sits in dry sand at low tide. The gate and…

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & A-Bomb Dome

  Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 3 h · entry JPY 200

  The A-Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome) — the only building left standing near the hypocenter of the world's first atomic bomb attack on August 6, 1945 — is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most powerful symbol of peace in the world. The…

• Hiroshima Hondori Shotengai & Okonomimura

  Market · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h

  Hiroshima's 600-metre covered Hondori shopping arcade is the city's retail heart, transitioning to the legendary Okonomimura (Okonomiyaki Village) — a five-storey building with 24 independent okonomiyaki restaurants. Hiroshima-style…

• Hiroshima Castle (Carp Castle)

  Heritage · 4.2 rating · about 1 h · entry JPY 370

  Originally built in 1589 by Mori Terumoto, Hiroshima Castle was the centre of a thriving castle town before 1945. The current five-storey tower (rebuilt 1958) houses a museum tracing feudal Hiroshima's history and gives fine views of the…

• Shukkeien Garden

  Nature · about 1 h · entry JPY 260

  Historic Edo-period landscape garden laid out in 1620 with a central pond, tea houses and miniature scenic views.

• Mazda Museum

  Museum · about 1.5 h

  Factory museum tracing Mazda's rotary-engine history with an assembly-line viewing walkway (reservation required).

• Mitaki-dera Temple

  Temple · about 1 h

  Serene mountainside Buddhist temple with three waterfalls, a vermilion pagoda and forest paths above the city.

• Mount Misen

  Viewpoint · about 2.5 h · entry JPY 2,000

  Sacred 535 m summit on Miyajima with primeval forest, an eternal flame and panoramic views over the Seto Inland Sea.

• Daisho-in Temple

  Temple · about 0.8 h

  Atmospheric Shingon Buddhist temple at the foot of Mount Misen, famous for spinning sutra wheels and rows of jizo statues.

• Senjokaku & Five-Storey Pagoda

  Heritage · about 0.5 h · entry JPY 100

  Vast unfinished 16th-century hall of a thousand tatami mats beside a striking 27 m vermilion pagoda on Miyajima.

• Orizuru Tower

  Viewpoint · about 1 h · entry JPY 2,200

  Observation tower overlooking the A-Bomb Dome and Peace Park, with a spiral wooden ramp and paper-crane wall.

• Hiroshima Museum of Art

  Museum · about 1 h · entry JPY 1,500

  Compact museum in Central Park known for French Impressionist works and Japanese modern painting.

Things to do

• Miyajima Island & Floating Torii Day Trip Cultural · 6 h · from JPY 7,600 per person
• Peace Memorial Museum & Atomic Bomb Dome Guided Tour Cultural · 3 h · from JPY 2,800 per person
• Hiroshima Oyster Tasting & Okonomiyaki Class Cultural · 3 h · from JPY 10,900 per person
• Peace Park & Hypocenter Walking Tour Tour · 2 h · from JPY 3,000 per person

Day trips and tours

• Hiroshima Peace Park & Miyajima Floating Torii Full Day 10 h · from JPY 9,300

Where to stay in Hiroshima

• Central Area about JPY 4,000 per night

  Peace memorial area with accommodation

• Peace Memorial Park Area about JPY 14,000 per night

  The most meaningful location to stay in Hiroshima — wake up and walk to the Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and Museum before tourist crowds arrive. Excellent restaurants on Hondori covered arcade nearby.

Hotels

• ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima 4-star · JPY 18,000 to JPY 35,000 per night
• Sheraton Grand Hiroshima 5-star · JPY 22,000 to JPY 45,000 per night
• J-Hoppers Hiroshima Guesthouse 2-star
• Hotel Granvia Hiroshima 4-star
• Aster Plaza Hiroshima 3-star · JPY 6,500 to JPY 12,000 per night

Where to eat

• Okonomimura Japanese, Okonomiyaki · about JPY 1,200 per person
• Hassei Okonomiyaki Japanese · about JPY 1,200 per person
• Kakifune Kanawa Japanese, Seafood · about JPY 5,500 per person
• Ramen Yokocho Hiroshima Japanese, Ramen · about JPY 1,100 per person
• Nagataya japanese, okonomiyaki · about JPY 1,500 per person
• Ekohiiki japanese, noodles · about JPY 1,000 per person
• Kaki Tei japanese, seafood · about JPY 3,500 per person

Getting around

• Tram main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Transit Pass main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Walking

  Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.

Safety and scams to avoid

• Roppongi bar overcharge

  Roppongi · Kabukicho nightlife

  Foreign-fronted bar in Roppongi adds drink charges and seat fees you weren't shown; bill arrives at 5–10x expected.

  How to avoid it: Stick to bars with clear printed menus and prices on the door. Ask price before sitting.

• Unmetered Taxi from Hiroshima Station

  Hiroshima Station south exit taxi queue

  Rare but reported: a driver quotes a flat ¥3,000 fare to Peace Memorial Park (standard meter fare is ~¥800). Refusal mid-journey is possible.

  How to avoid it: Use the metered taxi queue at Hiroshima Station. The streetcar (tram) to Peace Park costs ¥190 and is perfectly safe.

• Fake "closed today" misdirection scam

  Near popular restaurants and shops, Osaka

  A friendly local approaches tourists heading to a well-known restaurant saying it is "closed today" and offers to guide them to "a better place" — which is invariably a higher-priced establishment where they receive commission.

  How to avoid it: Verify opening hours directly on Google Maps or Tabelog. Do not trust unsolicited advice from strangers outside restaurants. Walk past and check yourself.

• Yatai overcharging for tourists

  Nakasu riverfront yatai stalls

  Some yatai operators charge tourists significantly more than Japanese customers, or add undisclosed items to the bill. Alcohol portions may be measured to inflate costs.

  How to avoid it: Confirm the price of each item before ordering. Ask for a running total if unsure. Reputable yatai clearly display prices; if there is no menu, ask before ordering.

• Misleading "English tour guide" approaches near Peace Park

  Peace Memorial Park entrance, Hiroshima

  Individuals approach tourists outside the Peace Museum offering a private guided tour for a "suggested donation." Quality varies widely and some request large sums at the end.

  How to avoid it: The Peace Museum offers official English audio guides for ¥300. City-accredited volunteer guides are available at the Tourist Information Center at no charge. Only use accredited guides.

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