Hiroshima

Understand

Those expecting to step off the Shinkansen into a pile of smoldering rubble will be in for a surprise, as Hiroshima has all the ferroconcrete and blinking neon of any other modern Japanese city. Teenagers stream in and out of the station, where McDonald's and the latest keitai (mobile phones) await; hapless salarymen rush down Aioi-dori to their next meeting, casting a bloodshot eye toward the seedy bars of Nagarekawa as they pass. At first glance, it can be hard to imagine that anything out of the ordinary ever happened here. Hiroshima was founded in 1589 on the delta formed by the Ota River, flowing out to the Seto Inland Sea. The warlord Mori Terumoto built a castle there, only to lose it eleven years later to Tokugawa Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara, which marked the beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate. Control of the area was given to the Asano clan of samurai, who ruled without much incident for the next two and a half centuries. Their descendants embraced the rapid modernization of the Meiji period, and Hiroshima became the seat of government for the region, a major industrial center, and a busy port. By World War II, Hiroshima was one of the larger cities in Japan, and a natural communications and supply center for the military. Forced laborers from Korea and China were shipped in by the tens of thousands, and local schoolchildren also spent part of their days working in munitions factories. Residents of the city must have felt curiously blessed for the first few years of the war, as Hiroshima had been left largely untouched by American bombing campaigns; that was, however, intended to ensure a more accurate measurement of the atomic bomb's effect on the candidate cities, which had been narrowed down to Hiroshima, Kokura, Kyoto, Nagasaki, and Niigata.

On 6 August 1945 at 08:15 the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb dubbed "Little Boy" on Hiroshima. It is estimated that at least 70,000 people were killed in the explosion and its immediate aftermath. Most of the city was built of wood, and fires raged out of control across nearly 5 sq mi (13 km2), leaving behind a charred plain with a few scattered concrete structures. Corpses lay piled in rivers; medical treatment was virtually non-existent, as most of the city's medical facilities had been located near the hypocenter, and the few doctors left standing had no idea what hit them. That evening, radioactive materials in the atmosphere caused a poisonous "black rain" to fall.

In the days ahead, many survivors began to come down with strange illnesses, such as skin lesions, h

Getting there

By plane 1 Hiroshima Airport (HIJ IATA). Connects from domestic destinations in Japan. ANA and JAL offer flights from Tokyo Haneda and Sapporo Chitose airports. ANA also offers flights from Narita, Sendai and Okinawa. There are direct international flights from Dalian, Guam, Shanghai, Seoul, Hong Kong and Taipei. Buses connect the airport to JR Hiroshima Station (45-50 min, ¥1370) and the Hiroshima Bus Center (55 minutes, ¥1370). There are also buses from the airport to Okayama, Onomichi, Iwakuni, Tottori, and other spots in the Chugoku region. The departing frequency varies from 30 minutes to an hour.

By train 2 Hiroshima Station (広島駅 Hiroshima-eki) is a major station on the JR West Sanyo Shinkansen line. On the fastest Nozomi and Mizuho trains, it is 35 minutes from Okayama (¥6350) and 80–85 minutes from Shin-Osaka (¥10630). Tokyo is around 3 hr 45 min away via Nozomi (¥19440). These prices are for reserved seats; unreserved seats, and seats on slower services such as the Sakura and Kodama, cost slightly less. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you cannot use Nozomi and Mizuho trains, unless you pay a surcharge of approx ¥6500 (adult) so if you are traveling from Tokyo or Nagoya you will have to take one of the two hourly Hikari trains and switch at Shin-Osaka (alternatively at Shin-Kobe or Himeji) to the Sakura or another Hikari train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line. With these trains you can travel from Tokyo to Hiroshima in approximately 4 hours 30 minutes. There are a few one-way Hikari departures from Nagoya in the morning that run directly to Hiroshima with no change of trains necessary. There is also a direct one-way morning Hikari service that departs from Shin-Yokohama at 06:00 and reaches Hiroshima in less than four hours. Traveling overnight by train from Tokyo, you can take the 22:00 Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto train to Okayama, then take a Mizuho train to Hiroshima, arriving just before 07:30. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can book a carpeted floor space on the overnight service at no charge. Otherwise you can travel in a compartment or room by paying the applicable room fee and surcharges. Upon arriving at Okayama, Japan Rail Pass holders can transfer to a Hikari or Sakura at Okayama, arriving in Hiroshima just before 08:00. Regular train services run through Hiroshima on the Sanyo Main Line (between Kobe and Kitakyushu), along with several local lines.

By bus Long-distance buses arrive and depart from the north exit of JR Hiroshima Station, where there is a JR Bus counter, and the Hiroshima Bus Center in the city center. There is

Getting around

There is a Visit Hiroshima Tourist Pass that covers either 1-3 days of unlimited journeys inside the city or the prefecture. It can be obtained from the Information Center on the first floor of the airport, the JR station, the Hiroshima Bus Center, and other tourist locations. Digital passes are also available online and are suitable for travelers seeking to use public transportation frequently during their trip in the city.

By tram

Hiroshima has an extensive tram (streetcar) network, which is operated by Hiroden (広電). It's a slow but reliable way of getting around. The trams themselves are a mix of old rattle-traps and sleek, new "Green Movers" — although they all run on the same lines for the same fares. There's no difference other than the smoothness of the ride. Because the trams were bought from other cities, you're getting a tour of Japanese transit history — some have been in service for more than fifty years, and that might be an old Kyoto tram taking you through Hiroshima. Trams 651 and 652, both of which survived the atomic bomb blast, are still sometimes used in regular service. Most lines originate from JR Hiroshima Station, and run frequently during daytime and evening hours, approximately one tram every 10 minutes per line. Boarding and payment procedures vary by tram; however, the entrance and exit are clearly marked in English. (If in doubt, just follow the locals.) Pay as you exit. Change machines are usually available on board if you don't have exact change — check near the front or back of the car. A of Nov 2025, trips are a flat ¥240 (¥120 for children ages 6-11; up to 3 children ages 1-5 may ride with a paying adult/older child). One-day passes are available from the tourist office for ¥700 (¥350 children). A day pass which also includes travel on the Matsudai Kisen ferry to Miyajima costs ¥1000 (¥550 children). Digital passes are also available online and include 8/24 hour passes for ¥600/700 (¥300/350 children) and weekday (10:00-16:00) and weekend (8 hours) passes for ¥440 (¥220 children).

By bus Bus lines run through Hiroshima and out to the suburbs. Generally speaking, these serve areas more likely to be used by locals than visitors. Signs include English, and buses depart next to the tram depot in front of JR Hiroshima Station. Japan Rail Pass holders can use a free sightseeing bus, which goes in a loop from and to Hiroshima station via all important sights in the city. There are three meipuru-pu ("Maple + Loop") bus lines operated under Chugoku JR Bus Company that circulates around the city's main tourist spots.

By m

See

Peace Memorial Park

Most of the memorials related to the atomic bomb are in and around the Peace Memorial Park (平和公園 Heiwa-kōen), reachable by tram line 2 or 6 to Genbaku Dome-mae. Coming from JR Hiroshima Station, you'll see the Peace Park on your left just before crossing the T-shaped Aioi Bridge, which is thought to have been the target of the bomb. Once part of the busy Nakajima merchant district, this area was destroyed almost in its entirety by the bomb. Today, there are more than fifty memorials, statues, and other structures in the Park. Some will be obscure in their meaning; others are immediate and devastating. There is no entry fee, save for the Peace Memorial Museum, and access to the grounds is not restricted at night.

1 A-Bomb Dome (原爆ドーム Genbaku Dōmu). The skeletal remains of the dome are the most recognizable symbol of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima. In another lifetime, the building was one of the city's best-known sights for an entirely different reason; designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel in 1915, the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall (and its fanciful green dome) had a bold European style in a grimy, crowded city with few modern flourishes. Because the explosion took place almost directly above the building, the walls remained largely intact, even as the dome shattered and the people inside were killed by the heat of the blast. Initially, as the city rebuilt, it was left alone simply because it was more difficult to demolish than other remains in the area; gradually, the A-Bomb Dome became the symbol it is today. The "Hiroshima Peace Memorial" was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996 amid some controversy — the United States and China both voted against the nomination for reasons related to the war. Today, the benches around the Dome are a favorite spot for Hiroshima natives to read, eat lunch, or simply relax. (updated Apr 2017) 2 Hypocenter. One block east of the A-Bomb Dome (outside Shima Clinic) is a plaque which marks the exact point above which the bomb exploded. (updated Apr 2017)

3 Children's Peace Monument ((原爆の子の像 Genbaku no ko no zō). Perennially draped in thousands of origami paper cranes folded by schoolchildren across Japan in the memory of the young bomb victim Sadako Sasaki (see Literature). You can bring your own origami cranes and donate them to the memorial. (updated Mar 2023) 4 Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students. Commemorates the 6,300 students who were conscripted to work in munitions factories and killed by the atomic bomb. There are statues of doves scattered throughout its

Do

Festivals Flower Festival (フラワーフェスティバル). First weekend of May. This is Hiroshima's biggest festival, begun in 1975 to celebrate the Carp's first baseball championship. There are food vendors and things for sale, but live performances now dominate the program, with comedians and J-pop bands on stages along Heiwa-o-dori. It's the smaller performances that make the Flower Festival worthwhile, though, particularly in the stalls near Jizo-dori, where you might stumble across a phenomenal Okinawan band or a local jazz combo. Free. Peace Memorial Ceremony (広島平和記念式典 Heiwa Kinen Shikiten), Peace Memorial Park, ☏ +81 82-504-2103. 6 August. Held each year on the anniversary of the atomic bombing, with many hibakusha in attendance. Ceremonies are held in the morning (8:15AM, the time the bomb was dropped). The air raid sirens sound, followed by a minute of silence, and then appeals for peace by the mayor of Hiroshima. There's also a ceremony in the evening (20:00), when a thousand colorful lanterns are floated down the river. Free. Sake Festival (酒まつり Sake Matsuri). Early October. The suburb of Saijo is famous for its sake breweries and this annual boozy blow-out. For the price of entry, attendees can drink their fill of sake from local breweries. In short order, the festival area turns into a wild (yet reasonably well-behaved) display of public drunkenness involving people of all ages. Outside the festival area, tours of sake breweries are also available, with wood sake cups are available as souvenirs for your visit. JR Saijo Station is just a couple of stops from Hiroshima — you'll be swept up in the crowds as soon as you arrive. Tickets ¥1000 in advance, ¥1500 at the festival. Food Festival. Last weekend in October. This one's pretty simple — food, glorious food of all kinds, from international delicacies to local favorites, from roasted slabs of meat and seafood to delicious vegetarian-friendly dishes and desserts, served in stalls lining the moat of Hiroshima Castle and parts of Chuo Park. There's a flea market as well, and usually some cultural performances at the castle in the evening. Free — pay for what you eat.

Recreation

1 Hiroshima Toyo Carp Baseball, Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium, 2-3-1 Minami-Kaniya, Minami-ku (10 minute walk east from JR Hiroshima Station, or a shorter walk from the Enkobashi-cho tram stop), ☏ +81 82-223-2141. The much-beloved and much-bemoaned Carp are Hiroshima's entry in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. After more than fifty years in a stadium across the street from the Peace Park, the Carp moved to the n

Buy

Shopping in Hiroshima is dominated by a few huge department stores. Hon-dori (本通り), a covered shopping arcade in the city center, is the place to wander with a wallet you'd like to empty. In terms of souvenirs, Hiroshima Carp memorabilia is the most widely found, although there's some spillover from the super-powered knick-knack engine that is Miyajima.

1 EDiON (formerly DeoDeo), 2-1-18 Kamiya-cho, Naka-ku (Kamiya-cho nishi tram stop), ☏ +81 82-247-5111. Daily 10:00-20:00. This is the headquarters of the Hiroshima-based electronics giant, with an appropriately huge selection of computer and camera equipment, music and DVDs, and — somewhat incongruously — imported designer watches. 2 Fukuya (Ekimae) (福屋広島駅前店), 9-1 Matsubara-cho, Minami-ku (across the street from the south exit of JR Hiroshima Station, or via underground walkway), ☏ +81 82-568-3111. Daily 10:00-20:00. Upscale boutiques like Chanel, Armani, and Dior. 3 Hiroshima PARCO (広島パルコ), 10-1 Hon-dori, Naka-ku (Hatchobori tram stop), ☏ +81 82-542-2111. Daily 10:00-20:30; food court to 22:30. For the latest in Japanese teen fashion, this is the place to look, with eight floors of clothes boutiques, and beauty supplies in the basement. There are also several music shops for a J-pop fix, and a good shop for soccer fans on the ninth floor. The concrete shape-jumble square behind the store is a popular hang-out space. 4 SOGO, 6-27 Moto-machi, Naka-ku (Genbaku dome-mae tram stop), ☏ +81 82-225-2111. Daily 10:00-20:00; food court to 22:00. This concrete behemoth is on the other side of the street from the Peace Park, and the Hiroshima Bus Center is on its third floor. There are groceries and coin lockers in the basement, and a food court on the 10th floor. If you make it past all of the toys on the 6th floor, you'll find a Kinokuniya bookstore, with foreign titles (not just English) and a good selection of Japanese language study books. 5 SunMall, 2-2-18 Kamiya-cho, Naka-ku (Hondori tram stop), ☏ +81 82-245-6000. Daily 10:00-20:00. Another teen fashion favorite, with five floors of boutiques and a great secondhand shop on the top floor. Of note for travelers will be the Uniqlo on the 2nd floor, which has good, cheap clothing at foreigner-friendly sizes. 6 Hands, 16-10 Hatchobori, Naka-ku (Hatchobori tram stop), ☏ +81 82-228-3011. Daily 10:00-20:00. Mostly Japanese home goods and appliances, but the first floor is full of travel and camping supplies, and the second floor has some fun party supplies (along with a great selection of Halloween gear, when in season). If you scout around on the upper floors,

Eat

Hiroshima is famous for its style of okonomiyaki (お好み焼き), which literally means "cook it as you like it". Often (and somewhat misleadingly) called "Japanese pizza", it is better described as a type of savory pancake made with egg, cabbage, soba noodles, and meat, seafood or cheese. It is grilled in layers on a hot plate in front of you and slathered liberally with okonomiyaki sauce, with optional extras such as mayonnaise, pickled ginger, and seaweed. It sounds and looks like a mess, but is very tasty and filling. To give you a sense of the civic pride involved here, the Hiroshima tourist information office offers a map with a whopping 97 shops serving okonomiyaki within city limits, and reports have several hundred more in the area. Micchan (みっちゃん) is the most famous of the Hiroshima- style okonomiyaki restaurants with long histories. It has a few branches in and around the center of Hiroshima. Hiroshima style and Osaka style are the two competing types of okonomiyaki, and if you raise the subject of okonomiyaki with a local, be ready to state your preference between the two! Basically, in Hiroshima the ingredients are layered and pressed together while cooking, while in Osaka the batter is mixed together first, and the ingredients do not include noodles. According to local legend, both dishes originate from a cheap snack called issen yōshoku (一銭洋食) or "one-cent Western meal", which consisted of a wheat and water pancake served with scallions and sauce. Representing the other side of the pancake divide, Tokunaga (徳永) is the best-known Kansai-style okonomiyaki restaurant in Hiroshima. There are Japanese and American chain restaurants clustered near the station, including Starbucks, McDonald's, sushi shops and okonomiyaki shops among many others. Most will serve until 22:00, though McDonalds stays open later. Hiroshima is also famous for its oysters (available between October and March) and a maple-leaf-shaped pastry called momiji manjū (もみじ饅頭). (Momiji is the leaf of a Japanese maple tree.) Momiji manjū are available with a variety of fillings, including the more traditional anko (あんこ), red bean and matcha (抹茶), or green tea; it's also available in cream cheese, custard, apple and chocolate flavors. Boxes of momiji manjū are considered the quintessential Hiroshima souvenir, but Miyajima is the best place to buy it fresh.

Budget 1 Okonomi-mura (お好み村), 3-3 Nakamachi, Naka-ku (Hatchobori tram stop), ☏ +81 82-241-2210. The shops keep their own hours, but most will be open around 11:00, and a few stay open until 02:00-03:00. Three floors packed with no les

Drink & nightlife

Nagarekawa has the highest concentration of bars in Hiroshima — the good, the bad, and the hostess — but there are a number of good, quiet wine bars on Hakushima-dori, and plenty of foreigner-friendly pubs clustered around the giant PARCO building. Yagenbori-dori is full of bars and clubs that are spread across floors of the various high-rise buildings as well as a number of "soapland" brothels. Sake enthusiasts should not miss the chance to visit the breweries of Saijo, particularly during the annual festival in October — see above.

1 Barcos, 7-9 Yagenbori-dori, Naka-ku (Sanwa Building, 2nd floor) (Hatchobori tram stop), ☏ +81 82-246-5800. Daily 08:00-17:00. All races and creeds are in attendance on an average night at Barcos — from the locals to the international community (and not just English teachers), from fashionistas and lunkheads to lost souls and chatterboxes. If you come on a weekend or a holiday, be prepared for a massive crowd. The DJs play a wide range of music, including soul, techno, R&B, and Latin, but they're happy to take requests. Mambos Latin Bar, on the third floor of the same building and with the same owner, focuses on the Latin music, with dance classes in various styles in the early evening before things get rolling. 2 Club Quattro, 10-1 Hon-dori, Naka-ku (PARCO Building, 10F) (Hatchobori tram stop), ☏ +81 82-542-2280. Doors open for most shows at 18:00 on weekdays, earlier on weekends. The biggest rock venue in town, Club Quattro hosts most of the major touring bands that deign to visit Hiroshima. Tickets vary; anywhere between ¥2-8000 depending on the band. 3 Fukuya Beer Garden, 9-1 Matsubara-cho (11F), ☏ +81 82-568-3111. Daily 18:00-22:00, varies by season. Many of the department stores have beer gardens on their roofs, and this is a nice one, directly across from JR Hiroshima Station — just you and a few hundred of your closest friends under the stars, sharing a terrific city view. Regardless of the crowds, though, there's plenty of room and the lines are well-managed. Admission varies from ¥1000 to ¥2500 by day of the week and season, which includes all you can drink, some desserts, and a ton of Western and Japanese fried food. 4 Kemby's, 2-9-13 Ote-machi, Naka-ku (Fukuro-machi tram stop), ☏ +81 82-249-6201. Su-Th 18:00-01:00, F Sa 18:00-02:00. A big, friendly bar that's a favorite with locals for watching major sporting events. There's plenty of seating, and pool & darts as well. The English menu offers enough food (mostly Italian and Mexican) to make this a valid dinner spot. 5 Mac Bar, 6-18 Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku (

Sleep

Budget For a short night before an early train, the cheapest digs in town will be to nap in the easy chairs at the two Internet cafes outside the south exit of JR Hiroshima Station (see Connect), or possibly a Nagarekawa karaoke box. You won't be the only one doing it, particularly on weekends.

1 JMS Aster Plaza (JMSアステールプラザ), 4-17 Kako-machi, Naka-ku (Wel City/Kosei Nenkin Kaikan bus stop), ☏ +81 82-247-8700. aka Hiroshima International Youth House (広島市国際青年会館). City convention center with guest rooms on top two floors. Cable Internet access in rooms, coin-fed access available in lounges, coin laundry facilities on 7th floor. Front door locked at midnight. ¥5760 adults, ¥3620 minors (or event-related discount). 2 K's House, 1-8-9 Matoba-cho, Minami-ku (Matoba-cho tram stop), ☏ +81 82-568-7244. Part of the popular hostel chain. No curfew or lockout, free wifi, computers with Internet access available in the lobby for a small fee, and laundry facilities. Take the south exit from JR Hiroshima Station, then follow the tram tracks across the river. When they split, follow the tracks that go along the river, and look down the streets to your right. You should see a large K's House sign. ¥2500 for a 6 person dorm, ¥10,800 for room for 3 people with private bathroom. 3 J-Hoppers Trad Guesthouse, 5-16 Dobashi-cho, Naka-ku (Dobashi-cho tram stop), ☏ +81 82-233-1360. A lively hostel with English speaking staff. Every private room is Japanese style. They also offer free wifi with your laptop (¥100 per 30 min for hostel computers) and rental bikes (¥500 per day), with no curfew or lockout and held-luggage services. 8 bed dorm ¥2500, private rooms ¥3000 per person. 4 Hiroshima Town Hotel 24 (広島タウンホテル24), 6-20 Nishi Hiratsuka, Naka-ku (Hatchbori tram stop), ☏ +81 82-546-0705. Check-in: all-time, check-out: all-time. Sort of a hybrid of a business hotel and a love hotel, featuring a bewildering array of cheap rates from the 70 minute "shower" (¥2300) up to 20 hours (¥5900). It is clean, convenient, and comfortable. 5 Minshuku Ikedaya, 6-36 Dobashi-cho, Naka-ku (Dobashi-cho tram stop), ☏ +81 82-231-3329. The rooms at this minshuku are clean, bright, and pleasant. The staff speak enough English to get you checked in, although you may not see a trace of them afterward. Single rooms with/without bath from ¥4200 to ¥5775; double rooms from ¥7350 to ¥9450.

Mid-range 6 Mitsui Garden Hotel Hiroshima (三井ガーデンホテル広島), 9-12 Nakamachi, Naka-ku, ☏ +81-82-240-1131. Although the hotel is three-star, it provides many services such as free Wi-Fi, buffet breakfasts and three res

Go next

Miyajima and its iconic floating torii are an easy day-trip from Hiroshima — about an hour away by tram or local train to the port of Miyajima-guchi and then a short ferry ride. If WWII history brought you to Hiroshima, nearby Kure has more to see with the Yamato Museum Higashihiroshima is home to Saijō, one of the nation's top three sake districts. Trips from Hiroshima's Ujina Port can be made to other islands in the Seto Inland Sea, such as Ninoshima and its old style Japanese village of Aki no Kofuji. A longer ferry ride from Ujina could take you to Matsuyama for a day at the famed Dogo Onsen hot springs. The ferry company operating this service offers a foreigner discount of ~45% off the normal price. One way ticket price after discount from Hiroshima to Matsuyama is ¥2000 for the slow ferry and ¥3600 for fast one. Iwakuni, about 45 minutes away by train, features the Kintai-kyo samurai bridge and a scenic castle reconstruction. Onomichi, a hillside town of temples and Japanese novelists, is 75 minutes away by train. Okayama is the other major transit hub for the region, about 45 minutes by Shinkansen. Aside from its own attractions, Okayama offers access to the museums and canals of Kurashiki.