Hiroshima

How many days: 3

Three days is a good first visit. Spend your first day around Peace Memorial Park and the museum, leaving enough time to reflect rather than rushing onwards. Use the second day for Miyajima, and the third for Hiroshima Castle, gardens and local neighbourhoods.

With two days, you can cover the memorial area and Miyajima, although the schedule will be fuller. An extra day allows more time for museums, quiet walks and nearby destinations without reducing Hiroshima to its wartime history.

What to do in Hiroshima

Visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Explore the museum's detailed account of the atomic bombing and its human consequences. The exhibits can be deeply upsetting, so allow time afterwards.

Walk through Peace Memorial Park

Visit the memorials and open spaces dedicated to victims and the pursuit of peace. Take time to understand the significance of the different monuments.

See the Atomic Bomb Dome

View the preserved remains of a building close to the bombing's hypocentre. It stands as a powerful reminder of the city's history.

Visit Miyajima

Take the ferry to an island known for its wooded hills, shrines and coastal scenery. Allow most of a day rather than treating it as a brief photo stop.

See Itsukushima Shrine

Explore the famous shrine complex and its offshore torii gate. The appearance changes dramatically with the tide.

Explore Hiroshima Castle

Walk around the reconstructed castle and its surrounding grounds. It offers an introduction to the city's earlier history.

Stroll through Shukkeien Garden

Enjoy a traditional landscaped garden with ponds, bridges and carefully arranged views. It provides a quiet contrast to the city centre.

Walk around Hondori

Explore the central shopping arcade and surrounding streets. It is a good area for everyday city life, shopping and casual meals.

Ride the historic trams

Travel across the city on its extensive streetcar network. The trams are both useful transport and a distinctive part of Hiroshima's streetscape.

Explore Mount Misen

Walk or use the ropeway partway up Miyajima's wooded mountain, subject to operating arrangements. The upper viewpoints offer broad views over the Seto Inland Sea.

What to eat and drink

Try Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki

Eat the city's layered savoury pancake, typically combining cabbage, noodles, batter and other ingredients. Watching it cooked on a hotplate is part of the experience.

Eat local oysters

Hiroshima is known for oyster farming. Try them grilled, fried or in another cooked preparation, particularly if you prefer not to eat raw shellfish.

Try tsukemen

Order cold noodles served with a separate dipping sauce, often with chilli and sesame. You can usually choose a spice level.

Have an anago rice bowl

Try grilled saltwater eel served over rice, particularly around Miyajima. It has a different character from freshwater eel dishes.

Try momiji manju

Sample maple-leaf-shaped cakes associated with Miyajima, often filled with sweet bean paste or other fillings. They make an easy snack.

Enjoy a Japanese set meal

Choose rice, soup, pickles and a main dish in a simple local eatery. It is a good way to experience everyday Japanese dining.

Getting around

Central Hiroshima is easy to explore using trams, buses and walking. Peace Memorial Park, Hondori and several central sights are within a manageable area, although Hiroshima Station is farther east. Trams are especially useful for visitors, while local trains help with longer journeys.

To reach Miyajima, take a train or tram towards Miyajimaguchi and continue by ferry. Check which transport services are covered by any rail pass you hold. Taxis are available but generally unnecessary for routine sightseeing. A rental car offers little advantage within the city, where public transport is convenient.

Good to know

• Allow emotional space for the Peace Memorial Museum, especially if travelling with children.
• Miyajima's famous torii gate looks different at high and low tide. Check tide information if a particular view matters.
• Summer can be hot and humid, while winter is cooler and generally manageable for sightseeing.
• Carry some cash for smaller businesses, temples and local purchases.
• Be considerate at memorial sites, avoiding loud behaviour or intrusive photography.
• Miyajima has free-roaming deer. Do not feed them or leave food and belongings unattended.