Hiroshima was once famous for being destroyed by the atomic bomb by the Americans during World War II and ended up being a hazardous, radioactive wasteland for a long time. However, it has since recovered from its ordeal and is now considered a charming city with a colorful character and an abundance of amazing stuff to see and do. What’s more, the city is fairly compact, which makes sightseeing convenient and easy. Furthermore, it’s also pretty close to multiple other superb local areas, which makes it the perfect base to plan some day trips. For the sake of convenience, we have put together the top places to visit in Hiroshima while you’re in this wonderful city.
1. Hiroshima Castle
Sometimes called Carp Castle, Hiroshima Castle once served as the home of Hiroshima han’s daimyō (feudal lord). It is also one of the castles built on the plain at the city’s center, as opposed to being built at the hilltops or mountaintops. The main castle is five stories tall and a moat surrounds the grounds. Within the castle’s boundaries are a shrine, some ruins, and a few restored Ninomaru (second layer of defense) buildings. It had been destroyed by the atomic bombing but rebuilt in 1958. As part of the 400th anniversary in 1989, the current replica had its interior fully revamped, and now functions as a museum detailing the history and culture of Hiroshima before World War II as well as Japanese samurai families.
2. Hiroshima Botanical Garden
Flower lovers and photography fanatics will definitely love the blooming variations in the differing seasons at Hiroshima Botanical Gardens as it is home to around 234,000 exotic and indigenous plants from several parts of the world. It also offers a wide diversity of facilities such as greenhouses for tropical plants, water lilies, subtropical plants, begonias, fuchsia, orchidaceae, and cactuses and four types of gardens: phylogenic, rock, Japanese, and camellia. In the gardens, there are also more than 50 kinds of birds to be seen. The facility is also nicely arranged with shady paths, play areas for kids, and indoor enclosures to enjoy unique hothouse blooms all year round.
3. Asa Zoo
In Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park, there live 170 varieties of animals including zebras, giraffes, African elephants, black rhinoceroses, Japanese giant salamanders, macaws, red pandas, camels, lions, tigers, woylies, and more. There are other facilities such as Pichiku Park, a petting zoo where cute animals can be interacted with such as barnyard animals, rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, goats and more, while on weekends and holidays, pony rides are available. There is also the Snakes and Nocturnal Animal Building, where artificial lights are used to convince the nocturnal animals such as bats and field mice to come out even during daytime, allowing you to view them up close.
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4. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
This place houses the monuments connected to the tragic bombing. The East Wing contains artifacts on Hiroshima City’s history before the bombing, the development of the bomb, the lives of Hiroshima residents during World War II, and the bombing’s aftermath, and ends with information about the nuclear period and the measures taken for international peace. The West Wing focuses on the bomb’s damage, with “Damage by Heat Rays” showing effects the heat had on flesh, stone, metal, glass, and wood. “Damage by the Blast” tells of the damage done by the blast’s aftershocks and “Damage by the Radiation” shows the aftermath of the attack on the victims’ health.
5. Hiroshima Museum of Art
Fittingly, the theme for this museum is “For Love and Peace”, featuring a wide variety of artwork including local modern art from the Meiji Period to the present, to works outside of Japan depicting mid-19th-century Romanticism to School of Paris representatives. The museum is known for its exceptional collection of works done by French Impressionist artists, such as Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cezanne, and others. There is even a horse-chestnut tree in the museum courtyard which was a gift from Picasso’s son and there are even minor works from Pablo Picasso himself in the museum that cannot be seen anywhere else.
6. Mitaki-dera
A historic Japanese temple, Mitaki-dera is named for the three waterfalls located within it, as their Japanese characters literally mean “three” and “waterfall”. The water from the falls is used as an offering to the bombing victims during the annual Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony. It is a beautiful and ambient temple well-known for its spring cherry blossoms. In autumn, the red leaves turn it into a lively and beautiful collage of red that attracts visitors. There are several other memorials dedicated to the victims as well as numerous stone jizo statues. There is also a small teahouse to try simple traditional Japanese cuisine.
7. Shukkei-en Garden
A 17th-century miniature landscape garden, Shukkei-en Garden means “shrunken-scenery garden” which basically sums up the garden itself. Built in 1620 right after Hiroshima Castle’s completion, it displays multiple features of Japanese gardens’ typical aesthetics. Forests, mountains, and valleys are scaled-down and the land and vegetation are meticulously cultivated to mimic natural formations. The entire garden is linked by a path that goes around the pond at the heart of the garden and path passes through all of the various miniature sceneries. This path is the best way to enjoy Shukkei-en Garden. Around the main pond, there are also plenty of tea houses.
8. Assumption of Mary Cathedral, Hiroshima
Also known as Memorial Cathedral of World Peace, it is an epitome of modern architecture, restored from the original Noboricho parish church that the atomic bomb destroyed. It acts as a memorial to German Pastor Reverend Hugo Lassalle’s love, sacrifice, and determination. Injured during the bombing, the pastor sought to rebuild the church as a symbol of peace. There are gifts given from overseas from countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Mexico. Examples of gifts include Germany’s pipe organ from Cologne and the altar of black marble from Belgium. The design of the cathedral is a mix of western modernism with Japanese touches, such as the stained-glass windows featuring bamboo, pine, and plum blossoms, which are typical Japanese motifs.
9. Hiroshima City Transportation Museum
Hiroshima City Transportation Museum offers interesting things on every level. On the first floor, there is a library, classrooms, and a craft room where unique events and science shows are held during the year. There is also a cafeteria, a small gift shop, and displays of children’s projects. On the second floor, there is a collection of transportation from around the world and interactive stimulation activities and demonstration videos. The third and fourth floors contain a futuristic city model and visitors can press various buttons to light up the city and start the transport system. There is even a bike area behind the building known as Omoshiroi-Jitensha (crazy bikes) that can be ridden for a fee.
10. Mazda Museum
The museum is under the Mazda Motor Corporation where they also house their private port, workers’ housing, and the assembly plants. The museum tour starts by offering an overview of Mazda’s history through a video, before moving to Mazda models’ exhibition area, showing things such as the very first auto-rickshaw to the newest models. Other sections feature things like Mazda’s rotary engine and concepts for next-generation models. Mazda Museum has a small shop which stocks company branded goods and merchandise.
11. Senkoji Temple and Park
A temple and a park that spans the center of Mt. Senko-ji to the summit that offers a museum, cafe, tram ride and observation decks with mountain views. For the best view, head to Mt. Senko-ji’s summit, where you could either hike or ride the cable car that would take you to the top which also offers amazing views. It is especially popular in spring, where cherry blossoms bloom on the mountain’s 10,000 trees. Another popular attraction is the Path of Literature, where there are stones that are carved with famous poets’ and authors’ musings. In the temple itself there is a symbol of Onomichi and a large rock named “Tama no Iwa”, where there used to be a giant glittering gem on top that functioned as a landmark for arriving ships. There is also a small cafeteria within the temple.
12. Mount Haigamine
Standing at 2,418 feet (737 meters), it is the second highest mountain in Kure. It is known for its immensely breathtaking and unique view from the top of the mountain, which makes it one of Japan’s top nightscapes. From the top of the mountain, you’ll be provided with a bird’s-eye view of Hiroshima. With this scenic view of the surrounding islands and the city in Hiroshima, you would be hard-pressed to find an even more amazing spot within the area. For couples, it could serve as a romantic evening visit.
13. Fudoin Temple
Fudoin is a temple of Shingon Buddhism, one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan, and is located about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) away from JR Hiroshima station. Labeled as an important cultural and historical structure, it is a beautiful, serene, and fascinating area to walk around. The temple was around 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) away from the center of the explosion when the atomic bomb was dropped. The temple consisted of Kondo (main temple), Shourou (bell tower), and Roumon gate which are deemed as crucial cultural properties. Around the back of the compound is a small Inari shrine, where the red color of the shrine along with the red in the maples make a pleasant sight.
14. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (from USD 372.0)
In the center of Hiroshima lies Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, dedicated to its dark legacy as the world’s first city to be affected by a nuclear attack and remember the victims affected by the bomb. The park’s has multiple facilities, the main one being Peace Memorial Museum to highlight Hiroshima’s history and the aftermath of the bombing to serve as a reminder that peace should never be taken for granted. Another facility is Children’s Peace Monument which pays tribute the children who perished in the bombing and where people from all over the world can donate folded cranes.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima Island from Kyoto
Duration: 12 hours 30 minutes
15. Itsukushima Shrine (from USD 52.76)
Head to the Itsukushima Shrine and you will be greeted with an amazing view. This place is famous for the torii gate that seemingly floats in the Seto Inland Sea during high tide, the sacred peaks of Mount Misen, the expansive forests, and the scenic ocean view. The shrine complex is made up of numerous buildings, including the main hall, a prayer hall, and a Noh theater stage, having boardwalks connecting them and pillars above the sea supporting them. The main shrine also has beautiful corridors connecting them to the Marodo Shrine, Tenjin Shrine, and the aforementioned Noh theatre stage.
Miyajima: Private Rickshaw Tour to Itsukushima Shrine
Duration: 45.0 to 190.0 minute
16. Atomic Bomb Dome (from USD 25.8)
Also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the Atomic Bomb Dome is the remains of the Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall and acts as a tangible connection to Hiroshima’s past. It was known as the A-Bomb Dome due to the metal dome framework being exposed at the apex. The structure was initially planned to be demolished with the other ruins but the demolition was put on hold due to the majority of the building still being intact. This sparked controversy - some wanted it torn down while some felt it had to be preserved as a memorial and a peace symbol. As a result, when Hiroshima’s reconstruction commenced, they decided to preserve the building’s skeletal remains.
Hiroshima: Half-Day Historical Walking Tour
Duration: 135 minute
Enjoy a cultural trip in Hiroshima
Hiroshima has come a long way from the bombing, as the above itinerary is just part of what this charming historic city has in store for you. While you are making some sweet travel memories in the City of Peace, remember the efforts put in by the people to restore the city and appreciate them by enjoying yourself.
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