What to See and Do in Hiroshima City

What comes to mind when you think of Hiroshima, Japan? For most people, it would be World War II and becoming the first city ever to be targeted by a nuclear weapon. I had the exact same thoughts, I knew absolutely nothing about Hiroshima other then the event that took place on August 6 1945. I’ve been to Hiroshima at least a dozen times now, and have fallen in love with this city. Hiroshima has a dark past, the events that took place here will never be forgotten. But at the same time, Hiroshima has become a modern and fun city that is home to great museums, lovely gardens, ancient temples, and quite possibly my favorite food in all of Japan. This post outlines all things Hiroshima, including what to see and do in Hiroshima City along with what to eat and where to get some of the best food Hiroshima has to offer.

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August 6, 1945

August 6, 1945, this date will be chiseled in your memory after visiting Hiroshima especially after visiting the Peace Memorial Museum. So what happened on this date?

It’s a date that forever changed the world and warfare. An American B-29 Bomber dropped an atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima in hopes of ending the war.

Hiroshima was the primary target in the first attack. The B-29 Bomber (The Enola Gay) took off on that day from Tinian Island which is a part of the Northern Mariana Islands equipped with “Little Boy,” the code name given to the atomic bomb. At approximately 8:15 am the bomb was dropped and detonated about 580 m (1900 ft), above the city of Hiroshima. The Aioi Bridge was the planned target but due to crosswinds it shifted and detonated right above the Shima Hospital. 70,000 people were immediately killed while another 70,000 were killed days, months, and years later due to their injuries and effects of radiation, those counts are most likely much higher. On August 15, Japan surrendered.

Attractions and Monuments Related to the War

Hypo Center – The hypo center is the exact location on the ground where the bomb detonated from above. Today, there is a plaque here marking the location (Coordinates for the hypo center: 34.3947865,132.452522).

A-Bomb Dome

The most notable and famous building in all of Hiroshima is the Atomic Bomb Dome. The A-Bomb Dome was originally known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall and was used to show and sell commercial goods for the area. When the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, all people within the A-Bomb Dome died instantly. The A-Bomb Dome was close to the hypo center and yet it was not completely destroyed. The citizens of Hiroshima decided to keep the building as is as a reminder. In 1996, the A-Bomb Dome was listed as a UNESCO Site.

Peace Memorial Park

In between the A-Bomb Dome and Museum, visitors can find the Peace Memorial Park. This Park is beautifully designed and created as a reminder and way to remember all the victims that passed away due to the effects of the atomic bomb.

Peace Memorial Museum – One of the best museums I’ve been to. This one is up there with the World War I Museum in Kansas City. The entrance fee is only ¥200 which is like $2. This museum usually hits hard, it’s terribly sad. I like the museum because it doesn’t talk about how bad the enemy is and point fingers, instead it reflects on the people who lived here during the time of the bombing. It has a lot of touching stories about both survivors and innocents who lost their lives. For more information, you can view the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Website.

Honkawa Elementary School – The skeletal remains of this Elementary School still exist and have been turned into a museum. This was the closest school to the hypocenter at 410 meters away. During the time of the bombing, there was one principal here, 10 staff workers, and about 400 students. Sadly, only one student and one teacher survived the bombing.

Bank of Japan – The Bank of Japan was the second best preserved building after the A-Bomb Dome. Unfortunately, all 42 people working here that day were killed during the blast. Surprisingly, the bank was back in business just two days after the bomb.

Must See Sites and Attractions Around Hiroshima City

There is a lot more to see and do in Hiroshima then visiting all the WWII sites. Hiroshima is huge and although most sites are located within walking distance of the city center, some attractions are further out and best reached by bicycle or other means of transportation. If you are only visiting for a day or two and wondering what to see and do in Hiroshima, below are my recommendations and must see attractions in Hiroshima.

Tour Hiroshima Castle

Hiroshima Castle can be found in the heart of the city, just north of the Peace Memorial Park. Originally built in 1589, it was destroyed by the bomb blast in 1945. This castle is unique as it is built on a plain or flat ground surrounded by a moat instead of being perched on a hilltop. The 5-story keep has since been rebuilt and is now a museum. There is a ¥370 fee to enter the castle but the grounds are free to roam.

Do Some Window Shopping on Hondori

Hondori is the arcade style shopping street in Hiroshima. Almost every major town in Japan has a Shotengai or arcade style shopping street. The Shotengai are generally pedestrians walkways that are covered and lined with fun shops and restaurants on both sides. The Hondori street in Hiroshima is always lively and full of fun shops and delicious restaurants. Some shops we always have to stop in while here are Daiso (¥100 store), Country Cat, and Cresson for souvenirs.

Check out Mitaki Temple, One of my Favorite Temples in Japan

Mitaki Temple is one of my favorite temples in all of Japan. It is so tranquil, peaceful, and beautiful, I fell in love with this place instantly. The Buddhist temple here dates back to the year 809. There is a two story pagoda here that was gifted to Mitaki from Wakayama as a memorial to the victims of the bomb. This temple complex host three waterfalls and other temples, structures, and statues. There is a small trail here, well worth a hike. The moss covered statues, temples surrounded by forests, and feeling of being secluded meanwhile a huge city is just a few minutes away are all why I love coming to Mitaki Temple.

Relax and Take in the Beauty at Shukkien

A beautiful Japanese Garden in the heart of the city. This garden dates back to the 1600’s and still showcases a lot of historical features like the tea houses. The garden has a trail that loops around a large pond. There is a small hill here that is based on Mt. Fuji, walk to the top for the best views of the park. While walking the perimeter of the pond, pay attention to the turtles and Koi Fish as they are abundant. There is a tree here that is said to be the only remaining tree that was still standing after the bomb.

Why not Check Out Costco and Try a Bulgogi Bake

Sorry, I just had to throw Costco in here. Although many people probably won’t visit Costco when they tour Hiroshima, this is more of a place to visit for people living in the area. The Costco in Hiroshima is basically the same as everywhere else. It is full of electronics, home work out equipment, outdoor accessories, and free food samples! We come here once in a while mainly to load up on muffins and bagels. The Costco even has a food court like in the States where you can get a huge slice of pizza or a hotdog and drink for 150 Yen. The biggest draw for me here is their Bulgogi Bake. I believe the States has a Chicken Bake, which I believe I’ve tried once. But the Bulgogi Bake is far superior. We usually get one to go and head toward the train station.

Catch a Hiroshima Carp Game

Baseball is huge in Japan. You see baseball everywhere whether it be local games at the park, or fathers and sons playing catch in their driveways. I’m not sure what the craze is as I’m not crazy about baseball. But Hiroshima does have a Baseball team called the Hiroshima Carp and they are huge in the area. Next to Costco is their giant stadium. When there are home games in Hiroshima, almost the entire city is dressed in red with their Carp jerseys. You can catch a lot of fans at Costco before the game, chowing down and getting their shopping done.

Visit a Cat Cafe

Hiroshima has a few cat and animal cafes. On our Shimanami Kaido trip, we strolled past this café and saw the most fluffy and adorable kitty in the window. It was closed at the time, so we made sure to bookmark this place and come back at a future date. Eventually we came back to the cat café, known as Neco Republic and had a blast here hanging out and playing with the cats. The fluff monster we saw in the window was there, although he got a nice new haircut. The café was was a memorable experience, we felt they loved the cats and took good care of them.

Don't Miss Out on Shopping at Don Quijote

Sensory Overload! I’ve never seen a store like Don Quijote and to be honest it is hard to explain what this store is except to tell people it is a 5 story building that has everything you can thin of, it’s super loud, and crowded with items from the floor to the ceiling! This is one of the best places to come to though for fun seasonal candies and liquor. My favorite liquor is a German beverage called Kleiner Feigling. I’ve never found this in the states, but am happy to say that Don Quijote carries it. Not only to they carry the original one but they have several other flavors. There is this lichi drink to I found here called Dita which is also very good. We come to Don Quijote to load up on drinks, but to also find dun seasonal Kit-Kats. Generally everything in the store is pretty cheap, it’s just fun to come here and look around.

Hiroshima Food Scene

Hiroshima is definitely a food destination. I feel it is one of the more underrated cities in Japan when it comes to food. After all, one of my favorites comes from here, Okonomiyaki. This is their claim to fame, but there are so many other cuisines from all around the world that can be tasted and enjoyed throughout the city.

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki! Now, I consider this dish one of my favorites. Prior to Japan, I’ve never even heard of this dish. How has this dish not made its way around the world? In the Hiroshima area, Okonomiyaki is everywhere, it is like a Japanese comfort food.

Okonomiyaki can be found throughout Japan but the cities of Hiroshima and Osaka claim to have the best style. I’ve had both and personally I like Hiroshima style hands-down!

So what is Okonomiyaki and what are the differences? People say Okonomiyaki translates to Pancake – as you like it. But I disagree, it’s nothing like a pancake that you and I think of. The only resemblance to a pancake is that there is a small layer of batter at the bottom and the Osaka style one looks kind of like a pancake.

Okonomiyaki is basically a mix of ingredients (eggs, cabbage, bean sprouts, bacon, noodles, green onion, cheese, and seafood if desired). The Osaka style mixes all the ingredients together while the Hiroshima style layers them. In Osaka, the server will mix all the ingredients in a bowl and then cook it on a iron griddle or Teppan. There are restaurants here that allow you to cook your own. The Hiroshima style usually starts off with the batter on the bottom followed by handfuls of lettuce, a few strips of bacon, then they layer other ingredients. The server cracks the egg on the teppan and places soba noodles over the batter and eggs before adding other ingredients and topping it off with cheese if asked for.

The Hiroshima style restaurants are usually small. There is a bar like area with the griddle in front of you or tables that have their own Teppan. After the Okonomiyaki is prepared the server will place it either right in front of you or on the table griddle while the dish stays hot the entire time. Every restaurants adds their own Okonomiyaki sauce to it, but there are always bottles of the sauce and mayonnaise so you can add your own. Each restaurant will also provide a small plate and special Okonomiyaki spatula so you can cut your own and eat it with your chopsticks or Hashi as they are called in Japanese.

Our Favorite Okonomiyaki Restaurants in Hiroshima

Fumichan Nagarekawa – This restaurant might be Jill and my favorite. We stayed the night in Hiroshima and found this place as it was nearby our hotel. It is close to the Hondori area in the restaurant/bar area. We were seated at the counter, which is my favorite because you can watch the chef make prepare your food and they slide the okonomiyaki up right in front of you to eat. They don’t skimp on toppings here, I ordered the seafood okonomiyaki with cheese and there were seafood chunks in every bite. Fumichan Nagarekawa might be my favorite in all of Japan so far.

Hassei – This okonomiyaki restaurant was the latest one I went to. Located near Peace Blvd and Chuo Dori Ave. The restaurant is small and very popular as Jill and I had to wait outside for a bit before being seated. Hassei has a varied menu and includes both vegetarian options and gluten-free okonomiyaki. I opted for my favorite, okonomiyaki filled with seafood and cheese, it was delicious! Jill usually gets the basic okonomiyaki with extra green onions and cheese.

Okonomimura – Located right by Don Quijote, Okonomimura is a very popular okonomiyaki joint. This place is unique because it is not one single restaurant. Instead this is a three story building full of small family run okonomiyaki restaurants. I think there are around 25 or so restaurants here. I’ve been to two of them both really good. My recommendation is to come here walk around and sit down at any spot, guarantee you won’t have a bad experience. All the small restaurants here are different and owned by different people so every one of the 25 restaurants will be unique in their own way.

Recommended Restaurants in Hiroshima that are not Okonomiyaki Related

Ichiran – Ichiran is a popular Hakata style Ramen restaurant. Ichiran started in Fukuoka and has expanded throughout Japan, they even have restaurants internationally. I like Ichiran, but it’s not my favorite Tonkatsu ramen. But it’s consistent and good. There is one in Hiroshima right on Hondori.

Karsiyaka – This is a Turkish restaurant near the Peace Memorial Park. The owner and staff here was very welcoming and kind. Karsiyaka has a large menu, I opted for the Chicken Döner Sandwich. The Döner sandwich came with a soup, salad, and tea. After eating here, I was quite surprised by the quality of the food and would love to come back.

KeMBY’s Brew Pub – KeMBY’s is just down the street from Karsiyaka. This is a brewery that serves up great pub food like burgers and pizza. They also make their own beer. I tried 5 beers here and found the Ridge 55 Red IPA to be their best beer.

Transportation

Hiroshima has a big JR train station connecting both the JR lines and the Shinkansen. The train station is loaded with fun shops and restaurants, you could literally spend a half day at the train station bumming around.

Even though Hiroshima is a huge city, it does not have a subway. I believe this is because of the location of the city being so close to the sea. But Hiroshima does have a decent street car that is fairly cheap. The street cars are reliable and frequent but can be a bit slow. No matter where you get on and get off though there is a flat rate which is good and bad depending on the distance, but it makes sense.

Hiroshima is very bike friendly. Jill and I spent two days riding around Hiroshima heading back to Iwakuni and were both surprised by how nice it was to bike there. The sidewalks are very wide, plenty of room for the crowds of people and bikes. Another bonus of being so close to the sea is that the city is fairly flat which makes for easy riding.

Hiroshima also has a ferry port at Ujina Port. The ferry hosts daily routes to Kure and Matsuyama.

One of my Favorite Cities

I love Hiroshima, it has become one of my favorite cities world-wide. I find the history of the city both good and bad very interesting. Although Hiroshima is a huge city, there is so much green space here. Many parks can be found throughout the city, the roads are lined with trees, and most the big rivers are lined with pedestrian/cycle paths. There is so much to do and see in Hiroshima not to mention all the fun day trips, and the food here as been excellent!

Below are some fun manhole covers I’ve found while out exploring Hiroshima.

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August 6, 1945

Attractions and Monuments Related to the War