History · Hiroshima · Japan
8 historic sites to see in Hiroshima
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: redlegsfan21, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Quick answer
Start with Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 8–9 hours across 3 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 8–9 hours
- Areas
- Peace Park and Hondori, Miyajima and Hakushima and the castle
Historic sites in Hiroshima
Park · Peace Park and Hondori
1.Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
Around it stand dozens of memorials, including the Peace Bell, which visitors may ring, and the Memorial Mound.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Free
- Outdoors
Historic site · Peace Park and Hondori
2.Atomic Bomb Dome
Preserved as it was after the blast, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the city's defining memorial.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Free
- After dark
Museum · Peace Park and Hondori
3.Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
It is harrowing but carefully presented, with English text and an audio guide available.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Religious site · Miyajima
4.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.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Couples
Landmark · Peace Park and Hondori
5.Children's Peace Monument
Schoolchildren from around the world send strings of colourful paper cranes, displayed in glass booths beside it.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Kids
Religious site · Miyajima
6.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.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Castle · Hakushima and the castle
7.Hiroshima Castle
Its 1958 concrete reconstruction of the keep was scheduled to close to visitors from 2026 over earthquake-safety concerns, but the moats, stone walls, the rebuilt Ninomaru gate and turrets and the grounds remain worth a walk.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Outdoors
Garden · Hakushima and the castle
8.Shukkei-en Garden
It was badly damaged in 1945 and carefully restored.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Peace Park and Hondori | Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Children's Peace Monument | 1.5–2 hours + 30 minutes + 2 hours + 20 minutes |
| Miyajima | Itsukushima Shrine and Daisho-in Temple | 1–1.5 hours + 45 minutes |
| Hakushima and the castle | Hiroshima Castle and Shukkei-en Garden | 1 hour + 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 5 free, 3 low cost. Book ahead for Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The longest visit is Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- 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.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Peace Park and Hondori): Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park → Atomic Bomb Dome → Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Peace Park and Hondori, Miyajima and Hakushima and the castle): Children's Peace Monument → Itsukushima Shrine → Daisho-in Temple → Hiroshima Castle → Shukkei-en Garden, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 6 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold but often sunny and dry; oysters are in season and sights are quiet after the New Year holiday.
- February: highs of 11°C (52°F), about 7 rainy days, quiet crowds. The quietest month for travel, with crisp days and peak oyster season.
- December: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 7 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool and dry with festive illuminations along Peace Boulevard; oyster season is in full swing.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Hiroshima Station area — Shinkansen hub with big hotels, the Ekie mall and direct trams downtown
- Peace Park and Hondori — Riverside base beside the Peace Park and the covered Hondori arcade
- Hakushima and the castle — Quiet residential streets north of downtown around Hiroshima Castle
- Miyajima — Sacred island of Itsukushima Shrine, deer and traditional inns
More of Hiroshima
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Hiroshima?
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Laid out by architect Kenzo Tange on the river island close to the bomb's hypocentre, the park lines up the Cenotaph for the A-bomb victims, the Flame of Peace and the Atomic Bomb Dome along one axis.
+Which of these are free in Hiroshima?
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome, Children's Peace Monument, Daisho-in Temple and Hiroshima Castle.