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Hiroshima Travel Guide: Itinerary, Must-See Spots, Unique Things to Do, and Where to Stay
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items Hiroshima is a city that stays with you. We’ve visited multiple times, and each trip gave us something different. In this guide, we’re sharing the top things to do, unique spots and activities you might not hear about, and where to stay if you’re spe...
Sections
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Our Hiroshima Guides
Unique Activities and Hidden Gems
Top Things to Do in Hiroshima
Where to Stay in Hiroshima
Unique Things to Bring Home
What to Eat in Hiroshima
Our Hiroshima Guides
Hiroshima is peaceful, walkable, and carries a lot of emotional weight. A little prep can help your visit feel grounded and intentional.
After several visits, we pulled together all the highlights into one meaningful day. No rushing, just the best of Hiroshima at your own pace.
Hiroshima 1 Day Itinerary: How to Explore Hiroshima with Depth (Even If You’re Short on Time)
From powerful memorials to peaceful gardens and seriously good food, this is our go-to list for making the most of your Hiroshima trip.
15 Best Things to Do in Hiroshima in 2025: Culture, History, Food, and Nature
Walk with a local guide who shares powerful stories behind each site. Thoughtful, personal, and a meaningful way to see the city.
Hiroshima 1-Day Guided Tour
Unique Activities and Hidden Gems
Hiroshima has quiet corners and unexpected finds we still think about. These are the spots we recommend to friends who want more than the usual list.
Kagura is part dance, part myth, part musical, and very Hiroshima. Performances are intimate and fully subtitled. Stick around after the show to meet the performers and try on the masks.
See a Kagura Performance
Tour a real brush factory, learn how they’re made, then craft your own. You pick the shape, add your name, and leave with a souvenir that’s actually useful. Peaceful, hands-on, and surprisingly fun.
Make Your Own Kumano Brush
Open-air baths, quiet vibes, and a full-body reset. A perfect way to slow down after a day of walking.
Soak at Korona Onsen
Step inside a working lacquer studio and learn from the artist who designed gifts for the G7 Summit. It’s traditional meets modern, and you’ll walk out with something you made and actually want to keep.
Paint with Lacquer Like a Summit Artist
Suit up, slow down, and try your hand at kyudo: Japan’s meditative version of archery. It’s all about form, breath, and quiet focus. Even beginners walk away feeling like they did something meaningful.
Try Traditional Japanese Archery (Kyudo)
Learn to play a 13-string koto in a small studio near Peace Park. No music background needed. You’ll end with a short group performance, a keepsake crane, and a moment you’ll remember long after your trip.
Play the Koto Near Peace Park
Zen meditation, sutra copying, and tea with a priest in a peaceful old temple. It’s all in Japanese, but the calm hits either way.
Meditate at Shounji Temple in Takehara
Top Things to Do in Hiroshima
These are the places everyone talks about, and they really are worth it. Give yourself time to take it all in.
Peaceful, historic, and full of seasonal color. The A-bomb survivor trees here make it quietly powerful too.
Shukkeien Garden
Rebuilt after the bombing, this castle offers city views, quiet grounds, and survivor trees tucked among the blossoms.
Hiroshima Castle (Carp Castle)
One of the few buildings left standing near the blast site. You can’t go inside, but walking around it is quiet, heavy, and unforgettable. We once met a survivor here…his story still stays with us.
Atomic Bomb Dome
Right next to the Dome, with some of the best city views around. You can also fold a paper crane and drop it into the tower wall.
Orizuru Tower
A large, tree-lined park that holds multiple memorials and serves as a space of remembrance. Don’t rush through it, the calm is part of the experience.
Peace Memorial Park - Hiroshima
Give yourself time here. It’s heavy, honest, and filled with stories and artifacts you won’t forget. You’ll walk out changed.
Peace Memorial Museum
Dedicated to Sadako Sasaki and all the children who died from the bombing.
Children's Peace Monument
10 glass arches etched with the word “peace” in over 40 languages.
Gates of Peace
Where to Stay in Hiroshima
If you’re staying overnight, these are our favorite places. We looked for quiet, comfort, and good access to everything on your list.
Great value if you’re watching your budget but still want a comfy place to land.Clean, simple, and right in the middle of everything.
Budget Pick: Hotel Vista Hiroshima
Just about 10 minutes from the station and close to the main sights. The pool, hot tub, and solid restaurant options make it feel a little fancy without being over the top.
Mid-Range Pick: Hilton Hiroshima
So perfect if Miyajima is on your list. Not close to Hiroshima Station but right on the water with ferry access. We stayed a few days and never got tired of watching the boats drift by.
Mid-Range Pick: Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima
Peaceful, traditional, and tucked away near Miyahama Onsen. It’s about an hour from the city, but the garden views, tatami rooms, and private baths make it feel like a retreat.
Luxury Pick: Sekitei Ryokan
Unique Things to Bring Home
Not into generic souvenirs? Same. These are the things we actually bought, gifted, or still think about. Local, meaningful, or just really good snacks.
Shaped like a maple leaf and usually filled with red bean, custard, or chocolate. We always grab a box for the train ride, and a few more for home.
Momiji Manju: Hiroshima’s signature sweet
Handmade just outside the city and loved by makeup artists and calligraphers. Beautiful, useful, and way more memorable than a fridge magnet.
Kumano Brushes
Oysters are everywhere here, and for good reason. Some shops sell preserved or vacuum-packed versions you can actually bring home.
Hiroshima Oysters
Hiroshima’s baseball team is a big deal. Even if you’re not a fan, grabbing a Carp hat or tote from Hondōri makes a fun, very local souvenir.
Hiroshima Baseball Team Carp Gear
Bright, sweet, and grown nearby: Setouchi lemons show up in snacks, drinks, and even skincare. Great if you’re packing light but still want to bring something special.
Setouchi Lemon Goods
What to Eat in Hiroshima
Food here is simple, soulful, and full of local pride. These are the dishes we always make time for, and where to find the good ones.
Right by Peace Park and always buzzing. Expect a line, but it moves fast.
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki: Nagataya
Wander, sniff around, and grab a seat when something calls your name. It’s loud, fun, and very Hiroshima.
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki: Okonomimura