2 days in Hiroshima

Day by day

1. Day 1: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome

   Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Children's Peace Monument, then Okonomimura in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

      Around it stand dozens of memorials, including the Peace Bell, which visitors may ring, and the Memorial Mound.

   2. Late morning

      Atomic Bomb Dome

      Preserved as it was after the blast, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the city's defining memorial.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki

      Okonomimura near Hondori, the okonomiyaki floor in Hiroshima Station's building and neighbourhood griddle counters.

   4. Afternoon

      Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

      It is harrowing but carefully presented, with English text and an audio guide available.

   5. Late afternoon

      Children's Peace Monument

      Schoolchildren from around the world send strings of colourful paper cranes, displayed in glass booths beside it.

   6. Evening

      Okonomimura

      Sit at the counter and eat straight off the griddle with the small spatula, as locals do; add oysters in winter.

2. Day 2: Itsukushima Shrine and Mount Misen

   Itsukushima Shrine, Mount Misen, Daisho-in Temple and Miyajima Omotesando shopping street, then Carp game at Mazda Stadium in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Itsukushima Shrine

      Its great torii gate, about 16 m tall, stands in the sea; at low tide you can walk out to its base across the sand.

   2. Late morning

      Mount Misen

      The summit looks over the island-dotted Seto Inland Sea, and small temple halls on the way keep a flame said to have burned for 1,200 years.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Oysters

      Oyster restaurants downtown, oyster huts in winter and grill stalls on Miyajima's Omotesando.

   4. Afternoon

      Daisho-in Temple

      On the slopes behind Itsukushima Shrine, Daisho-in is Miyajima's most important Buddhist temple, with hundreds of small jizō statues in knitted caps, prayer wheels on the stair rails and a cave hall lined with lanterns.

   5. Late afternoon

      Miyajima Omotesando shopping street

      It holds what is said to be the world's largest wooden rice scoop.

   6. Evening

      Carp game at Mazda Stadium

      Buy tickets ahead for weekend games, and join the seventh-inning balloon release.

Before you go

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum: At busy times the museum has used timed entry and online tickets to manage crowds; check the official site before your visit.
• Carp game at Mazda Stadium: Carp games often sell out; buy tickets online or at convenience-store machines well before the day.

If it rains

• Swap in Hondori Shopping Arcade (Peace Park and Hondori): Use it as a covered route between the Peace Park and Hatchobori on rainy days.
• Swap in Hiroshima Museum of Art (Hakushima and the castle): Combine it with Hiroshima Castle's grounds and Shukkei-en, all within a 10-minute walk.
• Swap in Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art (Hiroshima Station area): Walk through Hijiyama Park's sculpture paths and viewpoint after your visit.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–17 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in December to 14.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Tram. Hiroden trams run from Hiroshima Station to Genbaku Dome-mae (the Peace Park) in about 15–20 minutes, with a flat fare in the city; line 2 continues to Miyajimaguchi in about an hour.

More or fewer days

• One day in Hiroshima
• 3 days in Hiroshima

Questions travellers ask