Where to Stay in Hiroshima

By Santorini Dave

Our Favorite Hotels in Hiroshima

• Luxury: Sheraton Grand
• 3-Star: NAGI
• Boutique: NAGI
• For Couples: Miyajima Villa
• Downtown: Hotel Intergate
• Near Hiroshima Station: Sheraton Grand

Shukkeien Garden in downtown Hiroshima.

The Best Areas to Stay in Hiroshima

Hiroshima is one of Japan’s easiest cities to understand and one of the easiest to visit well. It is modern, practical, friendly, and compact, with a strong local identity that goes well beyond the Peace Memorial sites. This is Mazda country, Hiroshima Toyo Carp country, and one of Japan’s best food cities, especially if you like okonomiyaki, oysters, anago eel, tsukemen, and casual izakaya dining.

Most visitors come because of the atomic bombing of August 6, 1945, and the Peace Memorial Park and museum are essential. But Hiroshima should not be treated as a one-note history stop. It is also a good base for Miyajima, an excellent food city, a useful transport hub for western Honshu, and a more relaxed urban stay than Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka.

The “floating” torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima.

For most travelers, the best place to stay is Downtown Hiroshima, especially around Hondōri, Hatchōbori, Kamiyachō, or the Peace Memorial Park side of town. You will be close to the best restaurants, shopping arcades, bars, museums, and tram lines, and you will not feel stuck beside the train station after dinner.

Stay near Hiroshima Station only if you have an early train, late arrival, baseball plans, or a very short stay built around rail connections. It is convenient, but it is not the most interesting part of the city.

Stay on Miyajima if your budget allows and you want the most memorable experience. Day-trippers crowd the island from late morning through mid-afternoon. Overnight guests get the quiet streets, illuminated shrine area, and early morning walks almost to themselves.

Hiroshima Neighborhoods

Hiroshima sits on the Ōta River delta, with the city center spread across several flat islands divided by river channels. It looks more spread out on a map than it feels on the ground. The key visitor areas are compact, and the streetcar system makes the city simple to navigate.

There are three main hotel zones in Hiroshima city: Hiroshima Station, Downtown Hiroshima, and the quieter area west of Peace Memorial Park. Add Miyajima as the best out-of-town option for travelers who want a special overnight stay rather than just a day trip.

Hiroshima Station is the most practical area for transport. Stay here if you are arriving late, leaving early, using the shinkansen, or planning day trips to places like Onomichi, Iwakuni, Kurashiki, or Himeji. It is also convenient for Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium, home of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, and for Hijiyama Park, which includes the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art. The downside is atmosphere. The station area has plenty of hotels and restaurants, but it feels more functional than charming, and you will usually take the tram or a taxi to reach the Peace Memorial Park, Hondōri, and the best evening areas.

Downtown Hiroshima is the best all-around base. Look around Hondōri, Hatchōbori, Kamiyachō, Fukuromachi, and the blocks east of Peace Memorial Park. This area puts you close to the city’s best eating, drinking, shopping, and sightseeing. Hondōri Shopping Street is the main covered arcade, and the surrounding lanes are packed with okonomiyaki restaurants, cafés, department stores, izakaya, and bars. From here, you can walk to Hiroshima Castle, the Hiroshima Museum of Art, Shukkeien Garden, and the Peace Memorial Park. This is where I would stay on a first visit.

The area around Peace Memorial Park is the most meaningful part of the city for visitors. The park includes the Atomic Bomb Dome, cenotaph, Children’s Peace Monument, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Staying nearby makes it easy to visit early in the day, before tour groups build up, and to return in the evening when the park is quieter. The immediate area is calmer than Hondōri and Hatchōbori but still walkable to restaurants and shops. This is a good choice for couples, older travelers, and anyone who wants a central location without being in the busiest nightlife zone.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the “Statue of Mother and Child in the Storm” with origami crane chains below.

West Central Hiroshima, across the river from Peace Memorial Park, is quieter and often better value. This area works well if you want to stay near the Peace Memorial sites but do not need restaurants and nightlife immediately outside your door. It has some good budget hotels, hostels, and simpler business hotels. The tradeoff is that it can feel a little sleepy at night, so you may find yourself walking or taking the tram back from Downtown after dinner.

Motomachi, north of the Peace Memorial Park, has become more useful for visitors thanks to Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima, the city’s modern soccer stadium and home of Sanfrecce Hiroshima. It is close to Hiroshima Castle, the Museum of Art, and the northern edge of downtown. It is not a major hotel district, but it is a good area to know about if you are attending a match or want to combine the castle, stadium, and Peace Park in one walk.

Miyajima, also called Itsukushima, is the best side trip from Hiroshima and worth an overnight if you can spare the time and money. The island is famous for the red “floating” torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine, but the real appeal is the full setting: wooded hills, roaming deer, temples, old lanes, ryokan, seafood, and views across the Seto Inland Sea. Most visitors see Miyajima as a day trip, which is fine, but the island is far better early in the morning and after the last big wave of day-trippers leaves. Stay overnight if you want a more atmospheric, slower experience. Do it as a day trip if you are short on time or trying to control costs.

Getting Around Hiroshima

Hiroshima is easy to get around without a car. The city does not have a subway, but the Hiroden streetcar system is useful, inexpensive, and straightforward. It connects Hiroshima Station, downtown, the Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Port, and Miyajima-guchi for the ferry to Miyajima.

The streetcars are slower than a subway, but they are part of the charm of the city and work well for sightseeing. The standard adult fare is ¥240, paid when you get off. IC cards are the easiest way to pay, but coins also work. If you expect to ride several times in a day, look at a streetcar day pass or the Visit Hiroshima Tourist Pass, which can cover streetcars, buses, and the Miyajima ferry depending on the version you buy.

For Miyajima, take the JR train or Hiroden streetcar to Miyajima-guchi, then the ferry across to the island. The JR train is faster from Hiroshima Station. The tram is slower but more direct from parts of downtown and can be pleasant if you are not in a rush.

Taxis are useful at night, with luggage, or when moving between Hiroshima Station and a downtown hotel. They are not usually necessary for sightseeing unless mobility is an issue.

Cycling is also practical because Hiroshima is flat and riverfront paths are pleasant. Docomo Bike Share, also known locally as Peacecle, has docking stations around the city and can be useful for short rides between the station, downtown, Peace Park, and riverside areas. For most visitors, though, walking plus streetcars is simpler.

The Best Places to Stay in Hiroshima

The café in the Sheraton Grand hotel lobby

• Best Luxury Hotel in Hiroshima
  GRAND BASE • Sheraton Grand
• Best Boutique Hotels in Hiroshima
  NAGI • LAZULI
• Best Cheap/Midrange Hotels in Hiroshima
  Hotel Cla-ss • Dormy Inn • MangeTak • WeBase
• Best Hostels in Hiroshima
  Guesthouse Akicafe Inn • 36hostel • COCO

Best Places in Hiroshima for…

• Best Neighborhood to Stay for First Timers/Sightseeing: Downtown Hiroshima
  If you’re staying for several nights, the best neighborhood is Downtown, though you’ll have to take a taxi or tram from Hiroshima Station. Hotels will likely be within walking distance of all the major sights: Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Castle, Hiroshima Museum of Contemporary Art, the new Soccer Stadium, Hiroshima Prefectural Museum, and Shukkeien Garden. And also close to Hondōri Shopping Street, culinary destinations like Okonomimura (specializing in okonomiyaki), and nightlife areas such as Nagarekawa. If you’re here for just one night – to see Peace Park – and are traveling by train, it might be easier to stay near Hiroshima Station instead.
• Most Romantic Neighborhood: Miyajima
  The charming island of Miyajima (Itsukushima) is the best place to stay for a romantic getaway. Filled with traditional ryokans like Shiomachi-an and Kinsuikan, luxurious modern hotels like Miyajima Villa (with on-site hot springs), beautiful temples, gardens, beaches, and untouched mountains smothered with forest. Climb up Mount Misen (or take the cable car), where spring cherry blossoms dot the slopes and wild deer wander year-round.
  

  Daishō-in temple’s Rakan statues, that represent historical Buddhist monks, are capped with knitted beanies created by the faithful every year.

  Visit the Itsukushima Shrine with its iconic “floating” torii gate out in the bay, or hike up to Daishō-in Buddhist temple, with its 500 enchanting Rakan statues (complete with knitted red hats).

  Pick up local arts and crafts along Omotesandō Street and snack on local maple leaf-shaped cakes known as “momiji manjū.” Or share some fresh oysters from stalls on the island. It’s not convenient to explore the city, but frequent trains and boats go back and forth (allow 45 minutes each way), so spending at least one day in the city is an option.

• Best Neighborhood for Nightlife: Downtown Hiroshima
  The Downtown area contains several micro-neighborhoods known for their bars and clubs (some overlap and are known by different names, but you’ll find them all within a short walk or ride of central Hondōri Shopping Street). An excellent place to start is Nagarekawa, anchored by Nagarekawa-dorī at the far eastern end of Hondōri Shopping Street. BARCOS club and bar is popular with locals and expats, as is Molly Malone’s Irish pub nearby. For cocktails, seek out Tropical Bar Revolución, tucked away on the 8th floor of a building on Nagarekawa-dorī. Raku Beer offers craft beers. The action continues further north and east along Azumaebisu and Butsudan streets in the area known as Ebisuchō. If you’re staying closer to Hiroshima Station, check out the small four-block grid of izakayas and bars known as “Ekinishi” on the northwestern side of the station. Craft beer lovers rejoice – microbreweries are booming in Hiroshima, often utilizing local ingredients such as lemons and oysters. We like Hiroshima Neighborly Brewing, on the west side of Downtown, and Session’s Brewery, a bit further west across the river.
• Best Neighborhood for Food and Restaurants: Downtown Hiroshima
  Though there are plenty of options (and giant food courts) in and around Hiroshima Station, you’ll have access to the best restaurants Downtown. Hiroshima is popular with foodies, for good reason. The must-see highlight is Okonomimura, three floors of an otherwise normal-looking office building crammed with 25 separate counters cooking up the local specialty, okonomiyaki.
  

  A counter in the Okonomimura complex serving fried okonomiyaki.

  Often translated as “Japanese pancakes,” these fried combinations of noodles, cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, fish, eggs, and various spices and sauces are cooked layer by layer, unlike in Osaka, where it’s just mixed together on the hot plate. Hassei restaurant is another good place to try okonomiyaki.

  Try the spicy local version of tsukemen at Bakudanya, fresh eel (unagi) at Kodani, or fresh seafood tempura at Tempura Tenkou. Local oysters cultivated on rafts in Hiroshima Bay are sold in restaurants all over the city, as well as “iwashi,” small sardines eaten in Hiroshima as sashimi, sushi, and tempura.

  

  Delicious pastry offerings at Andersen.

  You’ll get the best, fresh-roasted coffee at Obscura Coffee Roasters and a vast range of sandwiches and pastries at Andersen, a local institution opened in 1967 – founder Shunsuke Takaki was inspired by bakeries he visited in Denmark.

  There’s also a bewildering range of local sweet treats sold in special stores along Hondōri Shopping Street and department store food courts; Kameya’s “Kawadori Mochi” (made with walnuts), Nagasakido’s butter cake, Bakken Mozart’s “Oatmeal Natural Fresh Cookies,” “Hassaku Daifuku” (mochi filled with local Hassaku oranges and other fresh fruits), and products made with local lemons (like “Lemosco” seasoning and “Setoda Lemon Cake”).

• Best Neighborhood for Shopping: Downtown Hiroshima
  Downtown is also the best place to shop in Hiroshima, beginning with the main covered shopping arcade (or “shotengai”), Hondōri Shopping Street. Running east to west across Downtown for a half-mile (750m), it’s crammed with fashion, jewelry, and souvenir stores (avoid Saturday and Sunday afternoons when it’s busy).
  

  PARCO department store, Downtown Hiroshima.

  Hiroshima’s landmark PARCO mall lies at the eastern end of Hondōri. Running parallel to the north, wide Aioi-dorī is home to major department stores like Sogo, Fukuya, Tokyu Hands, Mitsukoshi, and the underground Kamiyacho Shareo mall.

  At the southwestern end of Downtown, it’s worth perusing Takanobashi Shopping Street, a more local arcade featuring discount stores, “cat cafés,” and local food shops.

LAZULI is our favorite boutique hotel in Hiroshima.

The 4 Best Neighborhoods in Hiroshima for Tourists

1. Hiroshima Train Station

Sunset over the Hiroshima Train Station area.

Hiroshima Station anchors the eastern side of Hiroshima’s city center, the main transportation hub and bullet train (Shinkansen) station. The station features two levels packed with hundreds of food stalls and restaurants. Around the station are more restaurants, bars, shopping malls, and hotels with a vast range of accommodations, with more budget and mid-range hotels than anywhere else in the city. Staying here means you’ll be able to walk to your hotel from the station (and reach Downtown and sights like Shukkeien Garden on foot), but you will likely need to take a tram, sightseeing bus, or taxi to Peace Park.

“The Arch” by Henry Moore at the Hiroshima Museum of Contemporary Art.

This eastern side of the city center is also home to Mazda Stadium (aka Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima), home of the Carps baseball team, and hilly Hijiyama Park, a couple of tram stops to the south. The park is known for its panoramic city views, especially at sunset, and Hiroshima’s Museum of Contemporary Art (Hiroshima MOCA). The museum boasts a decent collection of modern art, but there are lots of free sculptures and installations scattered around the gardens outside, (including “The Arch” by Henry Moore and Fernando Botero’s “Little Bird”). There’s also a stylish café and gift shop.

Hijiyama Shrine.

The museum can also be accessed from the mountain’s east side thanks to the Hijiyama Skywalk, a series of escalators that begins at the Danbara Shopping Center on Peace Boulevard. The park is a popular weekend spot when food stalls serve the families picnicking and playing at Gobinden Square. The small Hijiyama Shrine guards the bottom of the western entrance to the park.

With more time, stroll into the hills north of the station to the 17th century Tōshō-gū Shrine (dedicated to Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu). There starts a “tunnel” of red torii gates running up to the steel-domed Peace Pagoda (part of the longer Futabanosato Historical Walking Trail). The pagoda, built in 1966, is said to contain ashes of the historical Buddha donated by former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi – the views are phenomenal.

Hiroshima Station just underwent a major renovation and looks new, sleek, and modern. It can be a little confusing getting in and out (it’s huge), but everything is signposted in English.

Fukuya Hiroshima Station Square department store, just outside the station, has a quiet and cheap food court on the 11th floor with spectacular views of the city and surrounding mountains, especially at sunset.

NAGI Hiroshima Hotel.

• The Best Hotels around Hiroshima Train Station
  Sheraton Grand • Hotel phone: +81 82 262 7111
  NAGI • Hotel phone: +81 80 8145 2741
  LAZULI • Hotel phone: +81 70 4141 6043
  Daiwa Roynet • Hotel phone: +81 82 554 1455
• Best Cheap/Midrange Hotel
  Koko • Hotel phone: +81 82 568 5056
• Best Hostels
  Trust Hotel • Hotel phone: +81 82 569 6433
  Akicafe Inn • Hotel phone: +81 70 5525 6971
  COCO • Hotel phone: +81 82 262 0291
  K’s House • Hotel phone: +81 82 568 7244

2. Downtown Hiroshima

The covered Hondōri Shopping Street in downtown Hiroshima.

Between Hiroshima Station and Peace Memorial Park is Downtown, filled with modern office blocks, shopping streets, and malls. It’s the most central place to stay, with easy access to restaurants, nightlife, and shops, and is close to Peace Park and the station (or just a couple of tram stops from both).

Hondōri micro-district is at the heart of Downtown, named after the city’s primary covered shopping street (Hondōri Shopping Street) and home to the landmark PARCO department store.

A plate of okonomiyaki.

You’ll find the main Andersen bakery here and the famous Okonomimura complex, three levels of what looks like an office building crammed with 25 counters, all cooking up the city’s favorite dish, okonomiyaki. Hondōri is a nightlife hub with numerous places to eat and drink (as well as neighboring Hatchōbori, Ebisuchō/Butsudan Street, and Nagarekawa.)

The reconstructed Hiroshima Castle (Hiroshima-jō).

The northern part of Downtown is known as Motomachi, home to some major hotels and attractions. Hiroshima Castle (Hiroshima-jō) is relatively small. It was beautifully reconstructed in the 1950s after being destroyed by the A-bomb and now contains a fascinating history museum that offers fabulous views from the top deck. It’s also worth checking out the Gokoku Shrine on the castle grounds.

Nearby is the Hiroshima Museum of Art (known for its collection of 19th-century European art), the iconic Green Arena sports complex, and the new Hiroshima Soccer Stadium (aka Hiroshima Peace Stadium Park), home to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, one of the most successful soccer teams in the J1 League.

A short walk east lies the Hiroshima Prefectural Museum, which contains an eclectic art collection (from Max Ernst and Dalí to ancient Japanese art) and connects to the charming Shukkeien Garden. The traditional 17th-century garden and its old-style teahouses are wonderfully tranquil, its ponds full of massive carp and basking pond turtles that love to be fed.

Crowne Plaza Hiroshima.

• The Best Hotels in Downtown Hiroshima
  Hotel Intergate • Hotel phone: +81 82 224 6110
  KIRO • Hotel phone: +81 82 545 9160
  RIHGA Royal Hotel • Hotel phone: +81 82 502 1121
  Crowne Plaza • Hotel phone: +81 82 241 1111
• Best Cheap/Midrange Hotel
  Dormy Inn • Hotel phone: +81 82 541 5489
  WeBase • Hotel phone: +81 82 248 8120
  Washington Hotel • Hotel phone: +81 82 553 2222
• Best Hostels
  POPTONE • Hotel phone: +81 70 6971 3478
  Wabisabi • Hotel phone: +81 82 225 7823

3. West Central Hiroshima: Peace Memorial Park

Peace Memorial Park monuments commemorating the victims of the 1945 atomic bomb.

Just across the Motoyasu River from Downtown lies the vast green spaces of Peace Memorial Park. – this is what most visitors have come to Hiroshima to see. Consequently, it’s usually the busiest part of the city (aim to visit the museum early if you can). The park is beautifully maintained, with cherry blossoms along the river and memorials scattered throughout the gardens.

Most of the city was destroyed when the “Little Boy” atomic bomb was dropped here in 1945, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park serves as the primary point of remembrance for those killed or affected by the radioactive aftermath (people known as “Hibakusha” in Japan).

The Children’s Peace Monument is in remembrance of Sadako Sasaki, a two-year-old child survivor who eventually died at age 12, and the thousands of children killed by the atomic bomb. The metal origami crane on top represents the over 1,000 paper cranes Sadako Sasaki folded before she died.

The main focus for visitors is the excellent but harrowing Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which chronicles the bombing in grim detail. The park also contains the Hiroshima Victims Memorial Cenotaph, Flame of Peace, Children’s Peace Monument (adorned with garlands of origami cranes), and many other memorials. It’s also worth visiting the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall, a moving tribute to all the bomb victims.

The Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dōmu).

The iconic Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dōmu) lies just across the river to the north; the skeletal remains of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotional Hall left just as they were after the bomb blast. You can visit the Hiroshima Orizuru Tower observation deck nearby for a birds-eye view of the park and the city.

There are no hotels in the park, but there is a good selection across the Ōta River to the west. It’s a quieter, more residential area with shops, bars, and restaurants like Session’s Brewery & Beerhall in the Tokaichimachi district.

GRAND BASE Hotel in Hiroshima.

• The Best Hotel in West Central Hiroshima
  GRAND BASE • Hotel phone: +81 92 292 2431
• Best Cheap/Midrange Hotels
  Hotel Cla-ss
  MangeTak • Hotel phone: +81 82 533 7655
  J-Hoppers • Hotel phone: +81 82 233 1360
• Best Hostel
  36hostel • Hotel phone: +81 70 5527 3669
  Mallika • Hotel phone: +81 82 258 3355
  The Evergreen • Hotel phone: +81 90 6306 7236

4. Miyajima

View of the Itsukushima Shrine from Miyajima island.

The island of Miyajima (aka Itsukushima) is a short train and ferry ride from Hiroshima but offers a different experience. The island has been a holy place for centuries, sprinkled with temples, wooded mountains, and wild deer that roam freely (a bit like Nara, though you are not supposed to feed them). The island tends to be very busy during the day because of its photogenic main temple.

Omotesandō Shopping Street

If you stay the night, you’ll be able to fully appreciate its charms and take photos of the wooden buildings along Omotesandō Shopping Street, the main drag of the small island settlement at the docks, with no one around.

The Miyajima Ropeway to Mount Misen.

Most of the island is a giant wildlife reserve of primeval forest, though its highest point, sacred Mount Misen (1,755ft/535m), is topped with temples and can be accessed via the Miyajima Ropeway (cable car). On a clear day, the views are sensational.

The main draw otherwise is the Itsukushima Shrine, a brilliant red temple hovering over the water far from the ferry dock. Its famous “floating” torii gate out in the bay makes for an iconic pic – you can walk out to the gate at low tide (times are posted at the temple entrance). Legend has it the shrine dates back to 593, but it’s been rebuilt many times and is dedicated to three Shinto goddesses of the sea (the current torii gate was built in 1875).

Other sights include the Daiganji Temple next to the Itsukushima Shrine, an important Shingon Buddhism shrine dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten, and Senjōkaku (Toyokuni Shrine), with its adjacent five-story Gojūnotō Pagoda, visible from much of the town.

Daishō-in temple.

The island’s most important Buddhist temple is Daishō-in, on the slopes of Mt Misen not far from the Itsukushima Shrine, said to have been founded in 806 by Kūkai (the monk who founded Shingon Buddhism in Japan). It’s a short but steep walk up. There’s lots to see: the 500 Rakan statues, tiny images (capped with knitted beanies created by the faithful every year) that each represent a historical Buddhist monk, the Rokkaku Sabō Tea Room, and the Henjō Cave, crammed with lights and 88 small Buddhas deep in the hillside.

Back in the village, there’s a small museum on local history and culture, the Miyajima History and Folklore Museum, and the Miyajima Kitaōji Rosanjin Museum, dedicated to the artist Rosanjin (1883–1959). Families may enjoy the Miyajima Public Aquarium, a small collection of porpoises, sea lions, penguins, octopuses, and a starfish touch tank.

• The easiest way to get here is to take the JR train from Hiroshima to Miyajimaguchi Station (30 minutes, every 15 minutes) and transfer to the equally frequent car ferries that zip across to the island in around 10 minutes (it’s all free if you have a JR Rail Pass). There’s also a direct ferry to Hiroshima that runs hourly at peak periods (25 minutes by fast boat to/from Hiroshima Port, then tram to/from the center.)
• The island’s main attractions are easy to see on foot, but a free shuttle connects the Miyajima Ropeway with the ferry dock (it’s a short but stiff 25-minute walk up to the base station from the ferry otherwise.)
• The local specialty is “momiji manjū,” a small cake made with buckwheat and rice shaped like a Japanese maple leaf filled with jam or custard. It’s sold along the main Omotesandō Shopping Street in the town (but also easy to find at Hiroshima Station). The island’s maple trees make for spectacular fall colors.
• The fresh oyster stalls around the docks and along Omotesandō Shopping Street are excellent here, but there are plenty of small restaurants to try if you stay the night.

Hotel Miyajima Villa on Miyajima island.

• The Best Hotels in Miyajima
  Mikuniya • Hotel phone: +81 829 44 1641
  Kinsuikan • Hotel phone: +81 829 44 2131
  Seaside Hotel • Hotel phone: +81 829 44 0118
  Miyajima Villa • Hotel phone: +81 829 44 1180
  Shiomachi-an • Hotel phone: +81 829 44 0008
• Best Cheap/Midrange Hotels
  Nakaya B&B • Hotel phone: +81 829 44 0725
  Ryoso Kawaguchi • Hotel phone: +81 829 44 0018
  Kikunoya • Hotel phone: +81 829 40 2400
  Sakuraya • Hotel phone: +81 829 40 2805
  Kaniwa • Hotel phone: +81 829 30 6679

Hiroshima Travel Tips

• Language
  Most hotels, some shops, and restaurants will have English speakers on hand, don’t assume everyone will understand you. The staff at the main JR Ticket Office at Hiroshima Station can communicate in English, menus usually have photos you can point at, and signage in the station (and around the city) is translated into English, but try to learn a few numbers and words in Japanese if you can.
• Hiroshima Airport is around 30 miles (50km) east and only serves Japanese cities (plus Taipei). There are no trains to the city center – only a bus that takes about an hour or expensive taxi rides. If you get stuck here, the Hiroshima Airport Hotel is the most convenient place to stay. Traveling by bullet train (Shinkansen) is more convenient from Kyoto (1hr 40min) and even Tokyo (3hr 50min).
• Free wi-fi is available at hotspots throughout the city thanks to “Hiroshima_Free_Wi-Fi” – once you’ve registered your email, you can connect for 30 minutes (as many times as you like). Hiroshima Station, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and Hiroshima Castle are all covered.
• The city operates five tourist information centers, most open daily with English speakers: Peace Memorial Park (10am–5pm), Hiroshima Station (6am–midnight), Kamiya-cho Shareo Underground Shopping Area (11am–5pm), Hiroshima Bus Station (daily 9am–4pm), and Hiroshima Port (9am–4pm).
• If you’re short on time, a convenient option is the Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus (“Hiroshima meipuru-pu”). View the main sights through three different route options around the city from Hiroshima Station. One ride is ¥220, but a much better value is the day pass at just ¥400.

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