Where to stay · Hiroshima · Japan
Where to stay in Hiroshima
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: As6022014, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Hiroshima Station area. Shinkansen hub with big hotels, the Ekie mall and direct trams downtown. Best alternatives — nightlife: Nagarekawa and Yagenbori.
Key facts
- First visit
- Hiroshima Station area
- Families
- Hiroshima Station area
- Budget
- Hiroshima Station area
- Nightlife
- Nagarekawa and Yagenbori
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Hiroshima Station area | Shinkansen hub with big hotels, the Ekie mall and direct trams downtown |
| Families | Hiroshima Station area | Shinkansen hub with big hotels, the Ekie mall and direct trams downtown |
| Couples | Peace Park and Hondori | Riverside base beside the Peace Park and the covered Hondori arcade |
| Budget | Hiroshima Station area | Shinkansen hub with big hotels, the Ekie mall and direct trams downtown |
| Luxury | Miyajima | Sacred island of Itsukushima Shrine, deer and traditional inns |
| Nightlife | Nagarekawa and Yagenbori | The city's bar district east of Hondori, with izakaya, karaoke and late food |
| Food lovers | Peace Park and Hondori | Riverside base beside the Peace Park and the covered Hondori arcade |
| Solo travellers | Nagarekawa and Yagenbori | The city's bar district east of Hondori, with izakaya, karaoke and late food |
| Shopping | Peace Park and Hondori | Riverside base beside the Peace Park and the covered Hondori arcade |
| Quiet stays | Hakushima and the castle | Quiet residential streets north of downtown around Hiroshima Castle |
Hiroshima neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, families and budget
Hiroshima Station area
The area around Hiroshima Station has the widest choice of business hotels and international chains, plus the redeveloped station building with shops and an okonomiyaki floor. Trams run from the station to the Peace Park in about 15–20 minutes, and JR trains leave for Miyajimaguchi, Kure and Onomichi.
- Good
- Shinkansen and JR on the doorstep; Airport buses stop here; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- About 2 km from the Peace Park; Less atmosphere than downtown
- Nearby
- Hiroshima Station, Shukkei-en, Hiroshima Castle
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, shopping and food lovers
Peace Park and Hondori
Hotels around the Peace Memorial Park, Hondori and Kamiyacho put the main memorials, the city's shopping streets and hundreds of restaurants within walking distance. The Hondori covered arcade runs east from the park towards Hatchobori, and tram stops at Genbaku Dome-mae and Kamiyacho connect with the station and Miyajima.
- Good
- Walk to the memorials and restaurants; Riverside paths for evening walks; Tram to Miyajima
- Watch out
- Hotels cost a little more; Busy with school groups in the daytime
- Nearby
- Atomic Bomb Dome, Hondori arcade, Okonomimura, Orizuru Tower
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget and solo travellers
Nagarekawa and Yagenbori
Nagarekawa and the Yagenbori streets nearby hold most of Hiroshima's bars, izakaya, oyster restaurants and late-night ramen. Hotels here are affordable and central, a ten-minute walk to Hondori, but streets are noisy at night and include hostess bars.
- Good
- Lively at night; Lots of places to eat late; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- Noisy until late; Some touts and hostess bars
- Nearby
- Hondori arcade, Hatchobori, Shukkei-en
$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and culture
Hakushima and the castle
North of the city centre, Hakushima is a calm residential area with apartment hotels, small cafés and a riverside promenade. Hiroshima Castle's moats, Shukkei-en garden and the Hiroshima Museum of Art are within walking distance, and the Hakushima tram branch runs back into town.
- Good
- Calm at night; Gardens and museums nearby; Apartment-style stays for families
- Watch out
- Fewer restaurants; Longer walk to the Peace Park
- Nearby
- Hiroshima Castle, Shukkei-en, Hiroshima Museum of Art
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, quiet stays and culture
Miyajima
Staying overnight on Miyajima lets you see Itsukushima Shrine's torii at high and low tide, lit up after dark and before the day crowds arrive. Ryokan here usually include a kaiseki dinner featuring oysters and conger eel, and the island is very quiet once the last ferries leave.
- Good
- The shrine at dawn and after dark; Traditional ryokan stays; Hiking on Mount Misen
- Watch out
- Expensive and limited rooms; Most restaurants close early
- Nearby
- Itsukushima Shrine, Mount Misen, Daisho-in, Omotesando shopping street
$$ · Best for budget and quiet stays
Miyajimaguchi
Miyajimaguchi has the ferry piers for Miyajima, a JR station and the last tram stop of the Hiroden line. A few hotels and guesthouses here make a cheaper base for early or late visits to the island, and anago-meshi conger-eel restaurants line the streets near the pier.
- Good
- Ten-minute ferry to Miyajima; Cheaper than staying on the island; JR trains to Hiroshima
- Watch out
- Little to see in the town itself; About 30 minutes from Hiroshima by train
- Nearby
- Miyajima ferry piers, Miyajimaguchi station
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Hiroshima Station area | $$ | Hiroshima Station, Shukkei-en, Hiroshima Castle |
| Peace Park and Hondori | $$$ | Atomic Bomb Dome, Hondori arcade, Okonomimura, Orizuru Tower |
| Nagarekawa and Yagenbori | $$ | Hondori arcade, Hatchobori, Shukkei-en |
| Hakushima and the castle | $$ | Hiroshima Castle, Shukkei-en, Hiroshima Museum of Art |
| Miyajima | $$$$ | Itsukushima Shrine, Mount Misen, Daisho-in, Omotesando shopping street |
| Miyajimaguchi | $$ | Miyajima ferry piers, Miyajimaguchi station |
Getting to your hotel
Hiroshima Airport is about 50 km east of the city; limousine buses reach Hiroshima Station in about 45–55 minutes. Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, about 40 km south-west, has a few domestic flights and is linked by bus and JR train.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Hiroshima for first-time visitors?
Hiroshima Station area. The area around Hiroshima Station has the widest choice of business hotels and international chains, plus the redeveloped station building with shops and an okonomiyaki floor.
+Where should families stay in Hiroshima?
Hiroshima Station area: Shinkansen and JR on the doorstep.
+Which area of Hiroshima is best for a budget stay?
Hiroshima Station area ($$): Shinkansen hub with big hotels, the Ekie mall and direct trams downtown.