The Complete Hiroshima Travel Guide to Read Before Your First Trip

If you are traveling in Hiroshima, using a sightseeing pass is recommended for convenient touring. It makes it easy to get around this area, which is packed with attractions.
The pass covers a wide range of facilities, including admission tickets and discount coupons for sightseeing spots such as Orizuru Tower, where you can enjoy panoramic views of Hiroshima City, as well as vouchers usable at a gourmet building filled with okonomiyaki restaurants, commercial facilities, and large electronics stores. You can choose and use three contents from among them.
It also includes a one-way cruise ferry ticket between Hiroshima Port and Kure Port, a discount coupon for a high-speed boat to Miyajima, a one-day pass for a share cycle service in central Hiroshima City, and discount coupons for a rental car near Hiroshima Station, so you can use it to match your travel plans.

The Hiroshima City area is located in western to southwestern Hiroshima and is home to the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Atomic Bomb Dome.
It is also where Hiroshima Station, served by the shinkansen, is located, so it is often the starting point for a trip to Hiroshima.
In addition to the Atomic Bomb Dome, the area is filled with sightseeing spots such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which displays belongings of bombing victims and materials showing the tragedy, Shukkeien Garden, where you can enjoy beautiful scenery in every season, and Hiroshima Castle, which rises in the center of Hiroshima City.
Another welcome point is that the area has excellent public transportation, making it easy to get around.

To the south of the Hiroshima City area lies Miyajima, floating in the Seto Inland Sea.
You can reach it by ferry from Hiroshima City, and together with Itsukushima Shrine and Mt. Misen, it is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The scenery, where rich nature and shrines and temples blend together, is not only beautiful but also full of Japanese atmosphere.
Itsukushima Shrine, which appears to float on the sea at high tide, and its deep crimson torii gate standing over the water are especially beautiful and mystical.
Also not to be missed is the archipelago scenery of the Seto Inland Sea viewed from the observatory at the summit of Mt. Misen, which stands 525m above sea level.
There are many other highlights as well, including Momijidani Park, famous for autumn leaves, and Miyajima Misen Daisho-in Temple, the oldest temple on Miyajima.

In the Aki area, which stretches across southern Hiroshima, you can enjoy sightseeing in cities with beautiful coastlines and a history of thriving as naval ports.
One especially popular spot is the Kure Maritime Museum, affectionately known as the Yamato Museum.
This museum introduces the history and shipbuilding technology of Kure City, which prospered as a naval port, and one of its main highlights is a giant 1/10-scale model of the battleship Yamato.
Be sure to also visit “JMSDF Kure Museum / Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kure Museum” and “Arei kara Sukojima,” where you can see submarines up close, something rare even in the world.
In summer, enjoy swimming at beaches such as Kenmin no Hama Kamagari, Bayside Beach Saka, and Human Beach Nagase.
If you like Japanese sake, Saijo Sakagura-dori in Saijo, Higashihiroshima City, is also recommended. Along with Nada in Hyogo Prefecture and Fushimi in Kyoto, it is known as one of Japan’s famous sake brewing areas. You can experience Saijo sake in many forms, including sake sweets.

Located in southeastern Hiroshima, the appeal of the Bingo area lies in its towns and roads with beautiful scenery.
Onomichi, where nature and retro streetscapes are in harmony, is perfect for strolling.
Visit temples and parks with spectacular views, along with spots where you can enjoy wandering through atmospheric streets.
Another highlight is the Setouchi Shimanami Kaido, a road of Approx. 60km connecting Onomichi and Imabari in Ehime.
It is famous as Japan’s first cycling route that crosses a strait, where you can enjoy cycling while taking in spectacular views of the Seto Inland Sea.
Also not to be missed is the townscape of Tomonoura, where houses from the Edo period (1603–1868) are still carefully preserved and create a deeply historic atmosphere.
It is valued as a scenic port town and has served as the setting for many films and anime works.

The Bihoku area, located in northeastern Hiroshima, is rich in green forests and mountain ranges.
Because public transportation is inconvenient, a rental car is recommended if you plan to visit.
That said, this is exactly why the area is blessed with beautiful natural scenery, and Taishakukyo is especially popular as a sightseeing spot.
In this Approx. 18km-long gorge, you can enjoy seasonal scenery as well as a variety of landscapes including limestone caves and karst plateaus.
You can tell how special it is from the fact that it is one of Japan’s 100 Scenic Views and is also designated as a national Place of Scenic Beauty.
Another recommended sightseeing spot is the Koichi Yumoto Memorial Museum, affectionately known as the Miyoshi Mononoke Museum.
It is a rare museum even within Japan, introducing Japanese yokai through various types of exhibits.

The Geihoku area, known for beautiful mountain scenery, is located in northwestern Hiroshima.
The Approx. 16km-long Sandankyo Gorge, designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty, is an especially popular sightseeing spot.
While enjoying nature such as rivers and waterfalls, you can also take part in activities such as kayaking.
It is also famous as a spot for autumn leaves, so it welcomes many visitors especially in fall.
Michi-no-Eki Toyohira Donguri Village is another sightseeing spot worth recommending.
It is a roadside station equipped with hot springs and lodging facilities, and it also has sports facilities and parks.
Its appeal lies in the fact that people of all ages, including families with children, can enjoy it, making it feel more like a leisure facility than a roadside station. It is also perfect for buying souvenirs such as Hiroshima specialties.

Day 1 of this model course is all about enjoying Miyajima, one of Hiroshima’s most popular sightseeing areas.
Visit the power spots and scenic spots of Itsukushima Shrine and Daisho-in Temple, enjoy Hiroshima’s famous oysters for lunch, and take in spectacular views of the Seto Inland Sea from the highest point on Miyajima.

On Day 2, visit places where you can learn about the tragic history of the atomic bombing, then stroll through Hiroshima’s beautiful cityscape.
By seeing buildings damaged by the bombing and materials that convey the devastation of the time, then walking through the beautiful city Hiroshima is proud of today, you will be able to feel the value of peace firsthand.

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is one of Hiroshima’s signature local foods.
Okonomiyaki is also known as a local specialty in Osaka, but Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki differs in its ingredients, cooking method, and sauce flavor.
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is made by placing ingredients such as cabbage, pork, and yakisoba on a thin spread-out flour batter and cooking it on a teppan, then adding a thinly cooked egg on top and steaming it all together.
The sweetness of the cabbage, the rich flavor of the pork, and the thick sweet-savory sauce are a perfect match.
Because it also contains yakisoba noodles, it is very filling.
Be sure to try this Hiroshima soul food.

Anagomeshi is a dish of rice cooked in broth and topped with grilled conger eel.
Kabayaki is a cooking method in which the eel is glazed and grilled while being brushed with a sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, and other seasonings, creating a rich sweetness and deep savory flavor.
Conger eel caught in the waters of Hiroshima is known for being rich in fat, flavorful, and tender.
Because these delicious conger eels are caught in abundance, anagomeshi is more common in Hiroshima, even though grilled eel is better known nationwide.
It is truly a local food unique to Hiroshima.

Known as a major oyster-producing area, Hiroshima boasts the highest production volume in Japan.
Hiroshima oysters are rich in glycogen, a starch-like substance, which gives them a strong umami flavor, and they are known for their plump, thick flesh.
If you want to enjoy the oysters’ natural flavor, it is recommended to eat them raw with ponzu or soy sauce and a squeeze of sudachi citrus.
You will likely notice the aroma of the sea rising through your nose, followed by the rich umami of the oysters filling your mouth.
If they are grilled or steamed, you can enjoy a more concentrated oyster flavor different from eating them raw.
Be sure to try oysters prepared in a variety of ways.
Hiroshima oysters are said to be in season around December to January, so planning your trip for that time is also recommended.