A Guide to Hiroshima, the City of Peace

Now a household name around the world, Hiroshima today is a city that many outside Japan still don’t know much about beyond the devastating nuclear attack on it during World War II. While this tragedy left a lasting impact on Hiroshima, the city refuses to be solely defined as a victim, showing its indomitable spirit by rising from the ashes and rebuilding.

Today, Hiroshima has used its position as the world’s first city to suffer from nuclear bombing to educate the world on the horrors of nuclear weapons and to strengthen its commitment to world peace. While ensuring that its dark past and the victims of the bombing are not forgotten, it has also moved forward, becoming a vibrant but laid-back city. Read on to find out what Hiroshima has to offer and how to visit this resilient city of peace.

For better or worse, Hiroshima is best known for the sprawling Peace Memorial Park, a reminder of the tragic fate that befell the region in 1945 and a call for such horrors never to happen again. To know Hiroshima better, spending a day at this park is a must. Stroll around, passing by symbols such as the hollowed-out Atomic Bomb Dome (the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, which happened to be closest to the epicenter of the atomic bomb), the Memorial Cenotaph, the Peace Bells, the Rest House, and the Children's Peace Monument.

Of course, no visit to the Peace Memorial Park is complete without seeing the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which has extensive exhibits putting the bombing of Hiroshima in its historical context, documenting the aftermath, and humanizing the victims by showcasing the belongings that they left behind.

Balance things out with a visit to Hiroshima Castle, a symbol of Hiroshima's rebuilding. Completely destroyed during the atomic bombing, this castle was reconstructed to its former glory with the help of devoted volunteers. Inside the castle is a museum dedicated to Hiroshima's pre-World War II history. The top floor is an observatory providing panoramic city views.

Then, explore the lively Hondori Shopping Arcade. This 577-meter-long shopping street is the city's pulse; it's where locals shop and hang out, but you can also find an assortment of knick-knacks and souvenirs here.

Also worth checking out is Shukkeien, a tranquil Japanese-style landscape garden with beautiful seasonal blooms, a tea house, and a memorial to the atomic bombing victims. Next to it is the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum, which displays works by artists with ties to Hiroshima and distinguished artists from across Japan, Asia, and the West; Salvador Dali's "Dream of Venus" is part of its collection.

You can also take a day trip from Hiroshima City to Miyajima Island, also known as Itsukushima. Famous for the iconic, picture-perfect sight of the vermilion torii gate floating in the water, this island is worth a visit for its scenic beauty. It's gorgeous all year round, but it's even more photogenic in autumn, when its symbolic maple trees change color.

Hands down, Hiroshima’s most popular dish is its own style of okonomiyaki, a savory pancake-like dish whose name roughly translates to “grilled as you like it”. As the name implies, this dish consists of batter and a mixture of ingredients, such as cabbage and meat, all cooked on a griddle. Both Hiroshima and Osaka have a friendly rivalry over who does okonomiyaki better, as Hiroshima-style and Osaka-style okonomiyaki are the two most popular variants of this soul food.

Two things set Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki apart from its Osaka counterpart. First, the ingredients are layered instead of just mixed together. Since the whole thing requires repeated flipping to cook it properly, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is harder for diners to cook on their own. Staff tend to prepare Hiroshima okonomiyaki for guests in front of them, unlike at Osaka-style okonomiyaki restaurants, where guests grill okonomiyaki on griddles by themselves (which adds to the fun).

Second, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is known for its use of noodles. One of the layers of ingredients is nothing but noodles!

Some would say that there are even more differences, such as how Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki uses much more cabbage or how Hiroshima locals tend not to drizzle their okonomiyaki with mayonnaise, but the two points mentioned above are the main differences.

While you don’t have to try too hard to find an okonomiyaki restaurant in Hiroshima, head for Okonomimura near the Hatchobori bus/tram stop and close to the east end of the Hondori Shopping Arcade. With a name that means “Okonomiyaki Village”, this place is just what you’d expect: a building packed with over 20 okonomiyaki restaurants!

Hiroshima’s other famous specialty is oysters, which are far plumper and richer in taste and texture than oysters from elsewhere in Japan. It’s not a surprise that Hiroshima has such delicious oysters, as it’s along the Seto Inland Sea (often called “Setouchi” for short), and prefectures in Japan that make up the Setouchi region are blessed with the bounty of this Mediterranean-like sea.

Winter, specifically from January to February, is the best time to enjoy Hiroshima oysters. Whether as a hotpot, an okonomiyaki ingredient, drizzled with lemon (Hiroshima lemons are considered to be of excellent quality), paired with sake, or even raw, you simply have to try Hiroshima’s oysters when you’re in town!

Hiroshima is reachable from major cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka (via Shin-Osaka Station), Nagoya, and Fukuoka via Shinkansen bullet train, with a one-way journey taking as little as one hour for those visiting from Fukuoka, or as much as four to five hours from Tokyo.

For those taking the Tokaido Shinkansen, note that only Nozomi trains go directly to Hiroshima. Those taking the slower Hikari or Kodama trains must get off at Shin-Osaka Station and then transfer to the San’yo Shinkansen for Hiroshima.

Japan’s highway bus network also links Hiroshima to various cities across the country, covering the Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, Chugoku, and Shikoku regions and parts of Fukuoka. Slower but easier on the wallet, highway buses are recommended for those on a budget who don’t mind having to spend the night on-board — if you’re coming from as far away as Tokyo, you’d be hard-pressed to find long-distance buses departing in the daytime.

Also, around 45 minutes to one hour from the city center by bus is Hiroshima Airport, which serves All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) domestic flights to and from Tokyo, Sendai, Sapporo, and Okinawa — plus a small number of international flights to and from nearby Asian cities. 

However, as of the publication of this piece, there are no low-cost airlines offering flights to Hiroshima, so buses still remain the most economical option.

Getting around Hiroshima City is very convenient, as the city is well served by the extensive Hiroshima Electric Railway (“Hiroden”) tram network. Some tram lines even go as far as the city’s outskirts, such as to Miyajimaguchi, where you can board a ferry to Miyajima. For stops within the city center, the fare is fixed at 220 JPY (110 JPY for children). One-day passes are also available for those who plan to take multiple tram rides in a day.

Alternatively, the Meipurupu (Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus), which should be easy to spot with its vivid red color and maple-leaf designs, has three routes covering the city’s main tourist attractions.

Familiar local and international chains for business and regular hotels alike can be found all over Hiroshima City. Just outside Hiroshima Station alone, you’ll already have no shortage of choices.

Among the options near the station, some great choices are Via Inn Prime Hiroshima Shinkansenguchi Momijinoyu for its efficient use of room space and relaxing public bath, Daiwa Roynet Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae for its rooms that are more spacious than what you’d expect from a business hotel, and Hotel Granvia Hiroshima for its sophisticated but cozy rooms and city views from its restaurants and lounges.

For those looking to stay closer to Peace Memorial Park, you can’t go wrong with Dormy Inn Hiroshima. Operated by the trusty Dormy Inn Group, which is known to pamper its guests with services such as free nighttime ramen noodles and public baths, this hotel also offers a free shuttle service to Hiroshima Station on your check-out date. Mitsui Garden Hotel Hiroshima and Candeo Hotels Hiroshima Hatchobori are other excellent choices at similar price points.

Looking for something more luxurious? With its posh and scenic rooms, multiple dining options including a restaurant specializing in French cuisine made using Hiroshima’s finest ingredients, and even a huge indoor pool (plus a jet bath and mist sauna), Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima is the place to stay for some indulgence at the end of a long day of traveling.