Comparison · Hiroshima vs Osaka · Japan
Hiroshima vs Osaka
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Hiroshima for Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome; choose Osaka for Street food and Dotonbori neon. Hiroshima is generally less expensive, and the two are about 281 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 281 km
- Less expensive
- Hiroshima
- Best time for Hiroshima
- March–May and October–November
- Best time for Osaka
- March–May and October–November
Side by side
| Hiroshima | Osaka | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Japan | Japan |
| Known for | Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and Miyajima and Itsukushima Shrine | Street food, Dotonbori neon and Osaka Castle |
| Best time to visit | March–May and October–November | March–May and October–November |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $120–$230 | $140–$260 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | August, 33°C (91°F) | August, 34°C (93°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 10°C (50°F) | January, 10°C (50°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 7 | 9 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | HIJ, IWK | KIX, ITM, UKB |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Hiroshima for…
Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome. Hiroshima is a rebuilt, river-laced city of about 1.2 million on the delta of the Ota River, best known as the first city struck by an atomic bomb, on 6 August 1945. The Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Peace Memorial Museum are moving and…
Choose Osaka for…
Street food and Dotonbori neon. Osaka is Japan's third-largest city and its self-declared kitchen, where the local motto kuidaore — eat until you drop — plays out in the takoyaki stands and okonomiyaki grills of Dotonbori. The city splits into Kita, around the Umeda stations and…
Top sights compared
| # | Hiroshima | Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park | Osaka Castle |
| 2 | Atomic Bomb Dome | Dotonbori |
| 3 | Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum | Kuromon Market |
| 4 | Children's Peace Monument | Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku |
| 5 | Itsukushima Shrine | Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden Observatory |
Food compared
| Hiroshima | Osaka |
|---|---|
| Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki | Takoyaki |
| Oysters | Okonomiyaki |
| Conger-eel rice | Kushikatsu |
| Momiji manjū | Kitsune udon |
Which is cheaper?
Hiroshima is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $120–$230 per person there, against $140–$260 in Osaka (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Hiroshima on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Hiroshima and Osaka are about 281 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 3 days in Hiroshima and 3 in Osaka.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hiroshima or Osaka cheaper?
Hiroshima is usually less expensive: about $120–$230 a day mid-range against $140–$260 (estimates).
+Is Hiroshima or Osaka better for a first trip?
Pick Hiroshima for Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome, or Osaka for Street food and Dotonbori neon.
+How far is Hiroshima from Osaka?
About 281 km in a straight line.