Arrive with time for an okonomiyaki dinner, spend the following morning at the museum and park, then give Miyajima a separate day. Three nights make that sequence comfortable without an early train cutting the island visit short. With two nights, arrive early enough to fit the park into the first afternoon, or choose one main outing and save the other for another trip.
Hondori and Kamiyacho put covered shopping, cafés and central transport close to your hotel. The arcade’s western end suits walks towards Motoyasu Bridge and the park; its eastern end leads towards Shintenchi’s dining streets. Stay near Hiroshima Station when luggage collection and the next train shape your plans. An overnight on Miyajima gives you time for the shrine and wooded valley walks, with dinner arranged at an inn or nearby restaurant.
One city dayMuseum and park
Begin with the museum’s indoor collection, then walk through the park to the cenotaph and Children’s Peace Monument. Keeping them together gives the memorials a full city outing.
A second full dayMiyajima Island
Give Miyajima a separate day for Itsukushima Shrine and a longer walk beyond the waterfront. An island overnight leaves time for those walks and dinner at an inn.
A spare morningShukkeien Garden
Shukkeien opens at 9:00 west of Hiroshima Station. Use a spare morning for its pond garden before continuing with the rest of your city visits.
A longer stayContemporary art
Hijiyama’s museum pairs its indoor contemporary art collection with a walk through the wooded park. Choose it for an extra day focused on art and the hillside setting.
StartBooker answer
Where should you stay for a first visit to Hiroshima?
Choose Hondori and Kamiyacho for a first Hiroshima stay: the shopping arcade sits between Peace Memorial Park and the restaurant streets around Hatchobori. Hiroshima Station suits an early Shinkansen or repeated JR day trips; Otemachi puts the museum and riverside memorials closer to your room. Two full sightseeing days let you visit the museum and Miyajima separately. Choose an island overnight for Itsukushima Shrine’s early opening and dinner at a ryokan. Ujina is useful when your next journey leaves from Hiroshima Port.
First visit
Hondori and Kamiyacho
Airport bus
¥1,500; about 50–55 minutes
Museum admission
¥200 for each adult
Miyajima shrine
¥300 for each adult
Castle visit
The tower closed on 22 March 2026; the grounds, Ninomaru buildings and Sannomaru remain open
JR island ferry
An adult JR ferry return costs ¥500: two ¥200 crossings and one ¥100 Miyajima entry tax
Things to do in Hiroshima, Japan
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Plan a museum day or a Miyajima outing
Tell the planner when you reach Hiroshima and how many full days you have. Add your museum entry time, the island sights you want to see and a restaurant for dinner. Ask for one day at a time, with the walks and ferry crossings included.
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For your first Hiroshima visit
Hondori gives you shops and cafés between the main sights
Hondori and Kamiyacho
The covered Hondori arcade is useful between visits: you can stop for coffee, browse shops or buy something small before walking back to the hotel. Choose its western end for Motoyasu Bridge and the park, or the eastern end for the Shintenchi dining streets. Kamiyacho adds department-store shopping and the airport bus centre near Sogo.
•The covered arcade provides an easy outing between longer visits.
•Its western and eastern ends suit different walks, so the hotel address helps narrow the choice.
Compare eight areas to stay in Hiroshima and Miyajima
Hiroshima’s hotel areas follow the rivers and transport routes. Compare the streets around Hondori with the station, Yokogawa’s smaller shopping lanes and the port. Miyajima is a separate island stay, while Danbara gives you a base beside the wooded hill of Hijiyama.
Hondori and Kamiyacho
A first visit with mixed plans
Hondori’s covered shopping street links the central tram corridor with Shintenchi’s restaurant streets. Kamiyacho puts department stores and Sogo’s bus terminal nearby. This area suits a stay with several different outings, because you can return for lunch or a short shopping walk without making every trip start at the station.
First visitShoppingCentral
Peace Memorial Park and Otemachi
Riverside walks and museum visits
Otemachi sits east of the park across the Motoyasu River. A room here lets you divide the memorial sites between more than one walk: the museum and cenotaph first, then the Children’s Peace Monument and Dome on another outing. Choose this area if the riverside route matters more than department stores outside the door.
MuseumRiverMemorials
Hatchobori and Nagarekawa
Griddle dinners and bars
Hatchobori’s commercial streets lead south toward Shintenchi and Nagarekawa. You can sit at an okonomiyaki counter, then find a smaller bar without another tram journey. The wider avenues suit travellers who want food and shops nearby; the compact entertainment streets favour later evenings. Choose a room away from a bar entrance for easier sleep.
DiningBarsShopping
Hiroshima Station
Early trains and airport arrivals
The station puts rail journeys, luggage collection and a meal at ekie in one place. Its north side receives airport buses, while the indoor second-floor tram platform connects to downtown. A station hotel is useful between long train journeys, especially when you want to drop bags before eating and have little city sightseeing that evening.
RailAirport busLuggage
Yokogawa
Small shopping streets and local cafés
Yokogawa’s shopping association brings together five streets around the station, including Ekimae and Hoshinomichi. Pick up its walking map for shops and small galleries beyond the main square. A longer stay gives you time to return to a favourite café and browse locally between central sightseeing days. The station square hosts markets and seasonal events.
Local shopsCafésRail
Miyajima Island
Early shrine visits and ryokan dinners
An island night gives you time to walk the waterfront early, visit the shrine and continue into Momijidani’s wooded valley. The shrine’s corridors open before the ropeway starts, so the two visits fit different parts of the day. Choose an overnight for those extra hours on Miyajima, with dinner arranged at the inn or a nearby restaurant.
IslandShrineRyokan
Danbara and Hijiyama
Contemporary art and park walks
Danbara lies at the foot of Hijiyama, whose wooded slopes contain the contemporary art museum. A room in the lower streets lets you begin with neighbourhood shops before heading uphill. The Skywalk route starts near Danbara Shopping Centre; the tram stop at Hijiyamashita gives another route into the park. Choose this area for an art-focused extra day.
ArtParkResidential
Ujina and Hiroshima Port
Ferry departures and waterfront cafés
Ujina’s passenger terminal faces the islands of the Inland Sea. Minato Park gives you lawns near the water, and Dep Portopia’s former warehouses hold cafés and shops. Stay here when a port departure shapes the next morning, or when you want more time by the sea after central Hiroshima. Line 5 links the port with Hiroshima Station.
FerriesWaterfrontCafés
Compare the walks and transport beside each area
Area
Best for
Features
Getting around
Hondori and Kamiyacho
Central shops
The arcade has shops between the main outings.
Main-road traffic
Hondori and Kamiyacho trams
Peace Memorial Park and Otemachi
Museum and river
Otemachi faces the park across the river.
Fewer late bars
Walks; Hondori tram
Hatchobori and Nagarekawa
Counter meals and bars
Micchan and Shintenchi put counters near the room.
Late entertainment noise
Hatchobori tram
Hiroshima Station
Rail departures
Airport arrival and train platforms are close together.
35–45-minute walk to the park
JR; indoor tram; airport bus
Yokogawa
Neighbourhood shops
Five shopping streets surround the station.
Fewer large hotels
JR and Yokogawa tram
Miyajima Island
Shrine mornings
The shrine opens before mainland visitors arrive.
A separate ferry move
Ferry; walking; ropeway
Danbara and Hijiyama
Art and wooded paths
The contemporary art museum occupies Hijiyama.
Hillside access
Line 5 or L; uphill walk
Ujina and Hiroshima Port
Port and sea walks
Minato Park and warehouse cafés face the sea.
Longer downtown journey
Line 5; passenger ferries
Choose the room and meal plan for your trip
A museum visit with children, dinner at a griddle counter and a ryokan night need different arrangements. Use these four situations after choosing an area, then compare beds, luggage storage and meal times.
A museum visit with children
Let your family set the pace. The collection includes graphic images and belongings of people killed by the bombing: older children may want explanations; younger ones may need a break. Visit the museum before a quieter park walk. Separate beds and somewhere to sit together help back at the room. Leave a café or lunch stop before the next outing, without promising another museum that afternoon.
AlternativeA room with separate beds and somewhere to sit together makes the return more comfortable than a compact double.
Dinner at an okonomiyaki counter
At Micchan’s Hatchobori shop, watch the layers form at the griddle counter before your meal arrives. Allow time to wait: online takeaway reservations do not hold a restaurant seat. After a late train, the ekie branch beside the north exit makes a simpler first dinner. A downtown room gives you other restaurants to try on later evenings.
AlternativeIf dinner comes straight after your train, try Micchan’s ekie branch by the station’s north exit before heading downtown.
A train day with luggage to collect
Leave suitcases at the hotel and keep your final outing within easy reach of Hiroshima Station. A station room suits a meal at ekie before the train. From downtown, collect bags before the tram and allow time for the concourse and platform. For a Miyajima night between city stays, ask the mainland hotel whether it can hold your larger case; a small overnight bag is easier along the island waterfront.
AlternativeFor a Miyajima night between city stays, ask the mainland hotel to hold your suitcase and take a small overnight bag across.
A Miyajima night with dinner included
Compare the inn’s meal plan before the room price. A ryokan dinner lets you settle in after shrine and valley walks, then enjoy the waterfront evening. Check the meal’s arrival deadline and finish mountain outings in time. For a private bath, choose a room or plan that explicitly includes one. After a morning shrine walk, leave time to pack your overnight bag before the ferry.
AlternativeFor a room-only booking, arrange an evening restaurant on the island before relying on the accommodation’s lower price.
Airport buses, station trams and Miyajima crossings
Hiroshima Airport buses reach the station’s north side or Sogo’s central bus terminal. Shinkansen passengers arrive at Hiroshima Station, with the tram platform inside the building on the second floor. From there, pick the connection toward your hotel or the island ferry.
From Hiroshima Airport to your hotel area
Airport to Hiroshima Station in about 50 minutes
Airport to Hiroshima Station in about 50 minutes
The limousine bus costs ¥1,500 per adult or ¥750 per child and reaches Hiroshima Station’s Shinkansen north exit in about 50 minutes. Board at airport stop 2; large bags go in the luggage compartment. A north-exit hotel is convenient, while downtown passengers cross the concourse to the indoor tram platform. Return buses leave north-side stop 5. From Miyajima, allow for the ferry, mainland train and station transfer first. For an early flight, spend the final night on the mainland.
Airport to the central bus terminal in about 55 minutes
For Kamiyacho, Hondori or the park side, take the airport bus from stop 1 to Hiroshima Bus Center above Sogo. The adult fare is also ¥1,500, with most journeys taking about 55 minutes; a few services via the station take longer. The terminal is on the third floor, so include the lift or escalator trip before the walk to your hotel. For the return to the airport, board at third-floor platform 2 and leave extra time for road delays.
Use trams downtown and JR for the short island connection
Trams leave from the station’s second floor
Trams leave from the station’s second floor
Hiroshima Station’s tram platform is inside the building on the second floor. Lines 2 and 6 reach Genbaku Dome-mae for the northern side of the park, usually in about 15–20 minutes. Walk across the river from there to the Children’s Peace Monument and cenotaph. For the museum at the southern end, Hondori is another useful stop. Use the destination name on the tram as well as the line number.
JR to Miyajimaguchi, then a ten-minute ferry
From Hiroshima Station, take a Sanyo Line train towards Iwakuni to Miyajimaguchi, about 27–28 minutes away. Walk through the underpass to the ten-minute JR ferry. Allow about an hour with walking and waiting, longer from downtown. Return by ferry, then Sanyo Line towards Hiroshima. The adult ferry return costs ¥500, including one ¥100 island-entry tax. Train tickets, attractions and meals are separate; check JR-West’s route finder for the current rail fare.
Line 5 for Hijiyama and Hiroshima Port
Line 5 connects Hiroshima Station with Hijiyamashita and the southern port. For the contemporary art museum, leave at Hijiyamashita and walk about 500 metres uphill. The port journey takes roughly half an hour; an operator timetable example runs from the station to Hiroshima Port in 32 minutes. The newer L outer loop also reaches Hijiyamashita from Hatchobori and Kamiyacho during its daytime service.
Single rides, day passes and direct boats
Pay ¥240 with cash or a transport IC card
Pay ¥240 with cash or a transport IC card
A Hiroden tram ride costs ¥240 per adult or ¥120 per child. Suica and ICOCA are accepted: tap the MOBIRY DAYS reader when boarding and again when leaving. Top up at a JR station machine or convenience store before the ride. For a child fare, tell the crew before tapping out, including when using a child IC card. PiTaPa is excluded from this national-card arrangement.
Three tram rides justify the ¥700 day ticket
The tram-only day ticket costs ¥700 per adult or ¥350 per child, compared with ¥720 for three adult rides. It covers one calendar day on Hiroden trams. The ¥1,000 adult tram-and-ferry ticket instead includes Matsudai Ferry and the ¥100 Miyajima entry tax; its child price is ¥550. Buy the ticket that matches the operator you will use: this ferry combination does not cover the JR train or JR ferry.
Take a direct boat from Peace Park or Ujina
Aquanet’s World Heritage route leaves Motoyasu Pier near the Dome for Miyajima, taking about 45 minutes. It costs ¥2,400 one way or ¥4,400 return, plus the ¥100 entry tax. Book by the day before; same-day tickets are sold at the pier. From Hiroshima Port’s pier 6, Setonaikai Kisen’s faster crossing takes about 25–35 minutes and costs ¥2,500 one way plus the tax. The Ujina boat is useful when you are already staying beside the port.
Two useful access routes, with the final walk included
Use the lifts between Miyajimaguchi and the ferry
Use the lifts between Miyajimaguchi and the ferry
JR Miyajima Ferry describes a step-free route from Miyajimaguchi Station through the underpass: use the station ramp and the lifts on both sides of Route 2. Tickets can be bought while seated in a wheelchair, and crew assist with boarding. The ferry’s first floor has wheelchair space and large windows for the crossing. This route gives you a more accessible connection than the steps below Motoyasu Bridge at the direct-boat ticket office.
Reach the hillside museum by its nearer bus stop
Hiroshima MOCA has wheelchair loans and accessible toilets on the first floor. Its Meipuru-pu sightseeing bus stop is about 100 metres from the museum, compared with a 500-metre uphill walk from Hijiyamashita tram stop. The Danbara Skywalk route is another way up, with a longer walk from the bus stop. For a visit with reduced mobility, the museum-front bus stop shortens the final stretch.
Museum admission, smaller visits and a sensible daily budget
The museum is inexpensive to enter, but its booking periods need attention. Shukkeien and the contemporary art museum add smaller visits to a longer city stay. Keep attraction admission separate from your meals, transport and accommodation tax when comparing the total cost.
Choose the outdoor hours for the season
April, May and autumn favour longer walks
April, May and autumn favour longer walks
April and May give you comfortable hours for the park and river routes; October’s average daily high is about 24°C, falling to about 18°C in November. These are useful months for adding the walk through Momijidani to a Miyajima day. In winter, Hiroshima’s January average high is about 10°C, so an indoor museum or a griddle-counter lunch makes a welcome break between outdoor stops.
Summer calls for an early outdoor start
July and August average daily highs are about 31–33°C, and June and July are the wetter months in Hiroshima’s climate record. Begin the park walk early, then move indoors for the museum or lunch. Keep the mountain and boat plans flexible in severe weather: the ropeway can stop in wind or thunderstorms, and the Peace Park boat can be affected by tides and bridge clearance. Use the afternoon for a shorter outing close to the hotel.
The ropeway needs advance reservations on selected dates
Miyajima Ropeway requires reservations on selected busy dates, including 11 October and several November weekends in the 2026 schedule; most days use ordinary boarding. Start Mount Misen in the morning: walk about twenty minutes from the pier to the ropeway without stops, then allow roughly two hours for the return ride and summit walk, plus queues. Eat lunch afterward and reach the shrine before seasonal closing. The last ascent at 16:00 leaves no summit time before the final descent at 16:30.
Main sights, meals and the hotel tax
Reserve the museum’s quieter online-only periods
Reserve the museum’s quieter online-only periods
Peace Memorial Museum costs ¥200 per adult. Book online for 7:30–8:30 and the last 90 minutes (17:30–19:00 in March–July and September–November). Closing is 20:00 in August, 21:00 on 5–6 August, and 18:00 in December–February. It closes 30–31 December and three days in mid-February; check the calendar for those dates. Use Klook’s permanent-exhibition listing through the museum’s international booking arrangement. Allow 90–120 minutes for the collection, then walk in the park.
Shukkeien and the contemporary art collection
Shukkeien costs ¥350 per adult and opens at 9:00. Its pond, bridges and planted paths make a smaller outing near the northern city centre. Hiroshima MOCA’s collection also costs ¥350 per adult, with separate prices for special exhibitions. Pick one for an extra morning: the garden keeps you nearer the station, while the art museum adds a wooded hillside walk. At Shukkeien, the ¥660 combined ticket also includes the adjacent prefectural art museum’s collection.
The shrine and ropeway have separate tickets
Itsukushima Shrine costs ¥300 per adult; the shrine and Treasure Hall combined ticket is ¥500. A return Miyajima Ropeway ticket costs ¥2,000 per adult or ¥1,000 per child. Buy the combined shrine ticket at the shrine entrance if you want to see the Treasure Hall as well. Senjokaku, the large wooden hall above the shrine area, has a separate ¥100 admission. A waterfront-and-shrine day costs less than one that includes the ropeway.
Okonomiyaki and the nightly accommodation tax
Allow roughly ¥1,000–¥1,500 for a basic okonomiyaki meal before drinks; Micchan Sohonten lists its standard pork, egg and noodle version at ¥960, with more expensive toppings. Hiroshima Prefecture’s accommodation tax is ¥200 per person per night when the taxable accommodation charge per person per night is at least ¥6,000; lower charges are exempt. The threshold excludes meals and consumption tax, but includes service charges. It also applies to stays on Miyajima.
What will I see inside Peace Memorial Museum?
The main building displays personal belongings and accounts of people affected by the bombing. The east building explains Hiroshima before and after 1945 and the development of nuclear weapons. Allow time for the individual stories as well as the historical panels.
Can I walk from Hiroshima Station to Peace Memorial Park?
Yes, but allow roughly 35–45 minutes through the city streets. For a more interesting walk, go via Shukkeien and the castle grounds, adding time for those stops. A tram to Genbaku Dome-mae keeps the park visit shorter on a train-arrival day.
When does Itsukushima Shrine close?
It closes at 18:00 from 1 March to 14 October, 17:30 from 15 October through November and from 4 January through February, and 17:00 in December. Opening is usually 6:30; 1–3 January have special hours. The early opening is useful if you sleep on the island.
How often do JR Miyajima ferries run?
Usually every fifteen minutes during the main daytime period, with fewer departures early and late. The crossing takes about ten minutes. JR’s torii-view departures run from Miyajimaguchi between 9:10 and 16:10 and take the same time as the ordinary route.
Can I reserve a table at Micchan Sohonten?
The Hatchobori and ekie branches accept reservations for takeaway orders, with seated meals served to walk-in guests. Hatchobori closes on Tuesdays, or Wednesday when Tuesday is a holiday. For dinner at the ekie branch near the station’s north exit, check the operator’s current opening and last-order times; its closures follow the shopping complex.
Do children pay to enter Shukkeien?
High-school students and younger enter free. Adults pay ¥350 and university students ¥150. Visitors aged 65 or over also enter free with proof of age. The garden closes from 29 to 31 December; on most days you can enter from 9:00.
Can I have a picnic inside Shukkeien?
Eating is permitted at the designated tables by the museum-front lawn; food elsewhere inside the garden is prohibited. Bring a drink in a bottle that closes fully, because open cups and cans are also prohibited. Enjoy the pond walk, then return to the designated area for your meal.
Is the contemporary art museum open on Mondays?
Usually no; when Monday is a public holiday, it closes on the following weekday. Opening is 10:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:30. The collection is free on the third Sunday of each month, while special exhibitions have separate admission.
How do I use a digital airport bus ticket?
Buy the MOBIRY ticket before the journey, then activate it when boarding. The activated ticket lasts only five minutes, so keep it unused while waiting for the bus. Show the active screen to the driver. Cash and eligible transport IC cards are other payment options.
Do I need a car for Hiroshima’s main sights?
No. Trams serve downtown and the port, JR trains connect to Miyajimaguchi, and ferries reach the island. Hondori, Otemachi and Hatchobori combine well on foot. A car is more useful when you add rural stops elsewhere in the prefecture.
What should I order at an okonomiyaki counter?
Start with pork, egg and noodles, then add squid, shrimp, green onion or other toppings from the menu. Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is built in layers. Tell the cook about allergies before ordering: noodles, sauce and toppings all affect what is suitable for you.
Can I buy a same-day direct boat ticket near Peace Park?
Yes, at Aquanet’s Motoyasu Pier ticket office, subject to seats. Advance bookings close the day before travel. The office is below Motoyasu Bridge, reached by eight steps; payment accepts cash and credit cards, with transport IC cards excluded.
How this Hiroshima guide was researched
Reviewed by StartBooker editorial teamTravel editorial research and rewrite
Last reviewed 2026-10-04
Updated
Editorial method: Hiroshima areas, museum admission, airport buses, current tram payment, ferry fares and accommodation tax reviewed against government and operator information. Two independent travel publishers informed coverage; the city’s 2025 tourism report supplied recent visitor figures.
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