Hiroshima Hidden Gems
Hiroshima is a delta city, built on six river channels, and that flat open ground is part of why the 1945 bomb did what it did. The city chose to rebuild around the ruin rather than clear it: the Dome is left in the state it was in, the Peace Memorial Museum is direct and difficult, and the park occupies what had been the commercial heart. It takes half a day and it is not optional. Half an hour away, Miyajima is the opposite in mood but not unrelated — the island was itself considered sacred, which is why the shrine at Itsukushima is built on piers over the water and why the torii stands in the tideline rather than on land. Further east, Onomichi climbs a hillside of temples and cat-filled lanes to the start of the Shimanami Kaido, a cycling route that crosses six islands to Shikoku on dedicated lanes.
6 spots
Climate & Best Season
Mild Inland Sea climate: warm summers, gentle winters, low rainfall. Year-round, with oysters at their best in winter.
Famous For (Food)
- Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
- Oysters
- Tsukemen
- Momiji manju
Signature Sights
- Peace Memorial Park & Dome
- Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima
- Onomichi temple walk
- Shimanami Kaido cycling
When to Go
The Inland Sea climate is mild and comparatively dry: January highs near 10°C with rare snow, August above 33°C with humidity. Oysters are harvested from October to March, and Miyajima's oyster festival falls in February. The tide is the thing to plan for on Miyajima — at high water the torii stands in the sea, at low water you can walk out to it, and both are worth seeing, so check the tide table before choosing a ferry. The peace ceremony is held on August 6. Autumn colour in Miyajima's Momijidani valley peaks in mid to late November. The Shimanami is best cycled in May or October.
Getting Around
The Sanyo Shinkansen reaches Hiroshima in about four hours from Tokyo and an hour and a half from Shin-Osaka; Hiroshima Airport is inland with a bus link of around 50 minutes. In the city, the tram network is the practical way to move and runs to the Peace Park and the ferry pier at Miyajimaguchi, which is also a JR stop. Ferries to Miyajima take ten minutes, and a fast boat runs directly from the Peace Park in season. Onomichi is about 90 minutes east by shinkansen and local train. The Shimanami Kaido has bicycle rental at both ends with one-way drop-off, and buses if you would rather not ride.
Local Food
Hiroshima okonomiyaki is layered rather than mixed — batter, a heap of cabbage, pork, then noodles pressed underneath and an egg — and Okonomimura in the city stacks dozens of griddle counters in one building. Oysters are farmed across the bay and eaten grilled in the shell on Miyajima's main street from October. Tsukemen here means cold noodles with a chilli-heavy dipping sauce, a summer dish invented in the city. Momiji manju, maple-leaf cakes filled with bean paste, are made on Miyajima and now come deep-fried as well.
Mitarai
Before engines, ships waited for the tide. Mitarai sits on Osakishimojima where the currents are gentler than on the sur…
Alley Karasukojima
Kure was the Imperial Navy's main base and built the Yamato in a dock a short way from here. The submarine pier at Karas…
Ondo no Seto
Ondo no Seto is a channel about ninety metres across between the mainland and Kurahashi island, one of the busiest stret…
Gansu
Gansu is a fish cake that has been breadcrumbed and deep fried. White fish surimi is worked with a lot of onion and chil…
JMSDF Kure Museum
The JMSDF Kure Museum (海上自衛隊呉史料館), also known as the 'てつのくじら館' (Iron Whale Museum), offers the rare opportunity to board…
Yamato Museum
The Yamato Museum (大和ミュージアム), officially the Kure Maritime Museum, commemorates the city of Kure's history as Japan's pr…