Outdoors · Hiroshima · Japan
5 best outdoor things to do in Hiroshima
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wiiii, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Mount Misen and Hiroshima Castle. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 8–10 hours across 4 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 8–10 hours
- Areas
- Peace Park and Hondori, Miyajima and Hakushima and the castle
Outdoors in Hiroshima
Park · Peace Park and Hondori
1.Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
Stand behind the cenotaph to see the flame and the Atomic Bomb Dome framed in one line, then walk the riverbank.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Free
- Outdoors
Nature · Miyajima
2.Mount Misen
Take the ropeway up and walk down the Daisho-in trail, which finishes at the temple of the same name.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
Castle · Hakushima and the castle
3.Hiroshima Castle
Look for the eucalyptus and willow trees in the grounds that survived the bomb; small signs mark them as A-bomb survivor trees.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Outdoors
Garden · Hakushima and the castle
4.Shukkei-en Garden
Visit in late November for maple colour or in spring for cherry blossom, and stop at the tea house for matcha.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
- History
Religious site · Nishi-ku
5.Mitaki-dera
Take the JR Kabe line to Mitaki station and walk up; go in mid to late November for autumn colour with few visitors.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Peace Park and Hondori | Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park | 1.5–2 hours |
| Miyajima | Mount Misen | Half a day |
| Hakushima and the castle | Hiroshima Castle and Shukkei-en Garden | 1 hour + 1 hour |
| Nishi-ku | Mitaki-dera | 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 3 free, 1 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Mount Misen; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 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, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Miyajima and Hakushima and the castle): Mount Misen → Hiroshima Castle, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Hakushima and the castle and Nishi-ku): Shukkei-en Garden → Mitaki-dera, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- October: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Clear, dry and comfortable — an excellent month for walking the city and Miyajima.
- November: highs of 18°C (64°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Autumn colour peaks on Miyajima's Momijidani valley and at Shukkei-en, usually in mid to late November; illuminations begin downtown.
- May: highs of 25°C (77°F), about 10 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and pleasant, with azaleas; Golden Week and the Flower Festival bring large crowds early in the month.
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, Hiroshima Castle and Mitaki-dera.