How to have fun in Hiroshima and how many days to spend here?
Hiroshima is a relatively small city by Japanese standards, with sights concentrated in the centre. Travelers usually combine a trip to Hiroshima with a day trip to Miyajima Island, so we recommend booking a stay in Hiroshima for at least 3-4 nights.
Book a hotel in Hiroshima in advance
Atomic Bomb Drop Memorial Sites
Most tourists head to Hiroshima to commemorate the tragic moments of the end of World War II.
On August 6, 1945 at 8:15 am, the Americans dropped the atomic bomb on the city, making Hiroshima the first and second to last place in the world to use a nuclear bomb.
The second site was another Japanese city, Nagasaki, 3 days later.
As a result of the explosion of the atomic bomb, about 140 000 people died and most of Hiroshima was completely destroyed.
Rebuilding of the city began immediately after the end of World War II and today Hiroshima is a very pleasant place to live and visit.
A large memorial area has been built on the most affected site below the hypocenter of the explosion, where you can visit several monuments:
- A-Bomb Dome - an exhibition hall, which was the only building in the wider centre to retain its shape after the blast and was preserved as a Peace Memorial.
- Peace Museum - a very interesting museum depicting the events following the atomic bomb explosion
- Peace Memorial Park - a large park with many monuments
Trip to Miyajima Island
The small island of Miyajima, about 1 hour by public transport from downtown Hiroshima, is one of the most popular places in all of Japan.
The island is famous for the torii gate standing in the water, but also for the beautiful treks through the mountainous landscape.
Compare flight prices to Hiroshima
Of course, we also visited Miyajima and wrote a detailed guide.
Nightlife
Hiroshima may be a relatively small and quiet city by Japanese standards, but you'll still find a neighborhood that comes alive especially after dark.
The Nagarekawa district is a well-known party district with a large number of ladies bars, where after you pay to enter (usually around 8 000 jpy for 60 minutes) you will be looked after exclusively by ladies.
But you'll also find plenty of regular bars, restaurants and pubs, for which the term "izakaya" is used in Japan.
The bars and pubs here usually close around 4:00.
Sights and history
Hiroshima was completely leveled in 1945 after the atomic bomb exploded, and even so, you won't find many historical sites in the city.
The only significant monument is the Hiroshima Castle from 1589, for which an exact and replica was built in the 1950s.
Shopping and entertainment
Head downtown to the Hondori shopping arcade and enjoy shopping for fashion, jewelry, souvenirs and more.
You'll also find a large number of well-known fast-food joints, cafes and local restaurants in Hondori.
Also popular is the multi-storey arcade game room Taito Station Games, where you can keep yourself entertained for hours.
Individual games here are always priced at 100 jpy each and you need to pay with exact cash.
Honkawa River Cruises
Not far from the Peace Memorial, you'll find a cruise boat dock with which you can take short sightseeing cruises around the memorial sites over which the atomic bomb exploded.
The cruises are very short, last about 20 minutes and cost 1 500 jpy.
These short cruises do not need to be booked in advance. The first cruises usually sail at 10:00am and the last cruises around 3:40pm.
