8 Best Things to do in Hiroshima
Looking for the best things to do in Hiroshima?
Well, you’ve come to the right place! Hiroshima is well known for being the site of the world’s first nuclear attack, but the city is also home to many interesting activities that are often overlooked.
After spending lots of time in Hiroshima, we’ve compiled a list of the top things to do. This list will help you make the most of all that Hiroshima has to offer!
Quick Pick: Our Favorite Activity
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Our top thing to do is this guided tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima. It helps you see important parts of the city like Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Castle, and you get a scenic ferry ride to Miyajima Island.
It’s a full-day private tour with a professional English-speaking guide!
Check out the 800+ positive reviews and book your spot here.
Tip: This tour sells out, so book in advance and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before.
Things to do in Hiroshima
1. Take a private guided tour around Hiroshima and Miyajima
We highly recommend booking this guided tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima to get the most out of your time! It delivers the full experience in just one day, and it’s suitable for all types of travelers.
We began the day by visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which was once the beating heart of the city. It was especially haunting to see the Genbaku dome, which was the only structure in the vicinity to have survived the blast. Then, visiting the museum and seeing the victims’ personal artifacts was very moving.
We also got to visit Hiroshima Castle, a beautiful 16th Century castle which was destroyed by the bomb, and rebuilt 13 years later. Our guide, Kenji, also took us to the Shukkei-en Garden to see the memorial there.
After that, our day got more light-hearted. We enjoyed a scenic ferry ride out to Miyajima Island, where we got to see lots of deer and the iconic Itsukushima Shrine, which is the most beautiful one in the entire country. The torii gate looks like it’s floating above water, and it’s a real must-see while you’re in Hiroshima.
This tour costs between $68-$171 USD per person, depending on the size of your group. Whether you’re traveling with a larger group or just as a couple, we think this is a personal experience that you can customize to fit your trip. It’s no wonder it’s so highly-rated – just check out the 800+ positive reviews here!
So if you’re keen to fully immerse yourself in the history and beauty of Hiroshima without feeling rushed, then you’ll want to book this tour ASAP – before it sells out!
Book this popular tour of Hiroshima here to guarantee your spot!
2. Explore the city by bike
If you’re only going to be in Hiroshima for a day or two, then I can’t recommend this bike tour enough!
It’s the perfect way to take in the city’s key sights in just 3-4 hours, and explore the most famous landmarks as well as a few hidden local hot spots. I love it when a tour manages to balance the two!
Hiroshima is a mostly flat city and cycling is the preferred mode of transport for lots of locals, so really, I can’t think of a better way to explore! Our guide, Levi, took us to the Peace Memorial Park, the Shukkei-en Garden, and Hiroshima Castle, as well as through some local neighborhoods to get a feel for what the modern-day city is like.
We learned so much about the history of Hiroshima, including all about the attack and how the city recovered with such resilience.
The tour costs $67 USD and I think it’s so worth it, because this tour helped me get the most out of my time in Hiroshima. It’s ideal if you’re pressed for time, but even if that’s not the case, I still recommend doing this tour on your first or second day in the city because it’s such a great introduction!
Book this bike tour here to take advantage of FREE cancellation!
3. Japanese cooking class
If you’re keen to learn more about Hiroshima’s cuisine, then this private cooking class is hands down the best way to do it!
We had a great time learning how to make local dishes with Chef Machiko in her cozy kitchen. It was so cool learning how to cook in a real Japanese home, because it allowed us to get a glimpse into everyday life.
Machiko really couldn’t have been more welcoming towards us, so this class felt more like cooking with a friend! She guided us through the process of making a full 3-course meal, including a tofu and vegetable salad, karaage seafood, and Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki! Hiroshima is actually known for its unique take on okonomiyaki pancakes, so learning how to make them yourself is a must while you’re in town!
All of the food was so yummy but the best part of this tour was that it was such a wholesome way to connect to the local culture. On the day that we took this class, Machiko’s husband and kids even joined us for dinner, which made the experience even more personal.
The class costs $108 USD and as cheesy as it sounds, it truly is worth every penny. We’ve done lots of cooking classes on our travels throughout Japan, but this one in Hiroshima was the only one where we’ve been able to go and cook in a local home.
Don’t hesitate to book this cooking class here and you can pay later!
4. Hiroshima bar hopping food tour
If you want to experience Hiroshima’s lively nightlife like a local, then we highly recommend this izakaya tour! Since izakayas are tiny bars/restaurants, this tour is the perfect blend between a food tour and a pub crawl.
One of the main reasons we had such a blast on this tour was that our guide, Hiro, was so great! He knew all of the best hidden spots where locals love to hang out, and guided us through the streets like a pro. He also shared some fun tidbits with us about the area and its nightlife. We loved hearing a more personal side of Hiroshima’s history!
Each izakaya that we visited had its own unique vibe and we got a complimentary drink of our choice at each! So if you’re keen to try sake, local craft beer, or Japanese cocktails, now’s your chance.
Whenever we were indecisive, Hiro gave us suggestions on what to order. We also got to eat plenty of bar snacks, including the famous Hiroshima style okonomiyaki which, needless to say, is a must-try! We loved every minute of this tour and aren’t the only ones, check out the HUNDREDS of positive reviews here!
The tour costs $101 USD, which includes all food and drinks. It was an absolute blast, and by the end of the night we had a much better handle on the city’s nightlife.
If you’re looking for a fun night out in Japan, book your spot now!
Related Read: If you’re off to Kyoto next, our list of the best things to do in Kyoto is a must-read!
5. Hike up Mt. Futaba
Nature lovers visiting Hiroshima will want to book this morning hiking tour ASAP! This guided hike to the top of Mt Futaba proves that there’s so much more to Hiroshima than just the Peace Park.
This really isn’t just any old hike! We visited the Hiroshima Toshogu Shrine and the Kinko Inari shrine at the base of the hill, and since the tour starts at 7:30 am, we had these sacred sites all to ourselves! I particularly liked the Kinko Inari shrine, where we walked up around 500 steps lined with vermilion torii gates to reach the main sanctuary.
We then passed even more shrines as our lovely guide, Nana, led us to the top of Mt. Futaba. The hike took us around 45 minutes in total, and Nana kept us entertained along the way by teaching us more about religion in Japan, and the significance of shrines to local people.
When we reached the top, I was surprised at just how beautiful the views of the city were from the Peace Pagoda! I felt like we had stumbled across a severely underrated hidden gem. This pagoda was actually built as a prayer for peace in 1966, and standing up here, I could really see why this spot was chosen.
At the pagoda, we were guided through an Nodate, which is an outdoor tea ceremony. This was so different from the tea ceremonies we had already done, and to be honest, I would even book this tour for the Nodate experience alone.
I would highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants to connect with Hiroshima’s history and culture on a deeper level. It was a fantastic way to get off the beaten track and really appreciate the beauty of this city, and I would definitely book it again. Spots cost $110 USD.
Don’t miss this beautiful hidden gem – book this hiking tour in advance!
6. Join a tea ceremony
One of the best ways to immerse yourself in Japanese culture is to participate in a traditional tea ceremony. Our pick is this tea ceremony in a beautiful temple on the scenic Miyajima Island!
And that’s not all, because we also got to practice kanji calligraphy, too, which was an awesome experience.
The temple is a short walk from the Miyajima ferry port, and we immediately noted how pretty the gardens were! We met our hosts, who then took us into the tea room, where we dressed up in beautiful kimonos.
The ceremony itself was wonderful! Our hosts patiently taught us how to make matcha, took us through the movements, and explained the significance of everything we were doing.
Now, we have done tea ceremonies in other parts of Japan, but this one was extra special because we got to try our hand at kanji. This type of calligraphy is strongly connected with tea ceremonies because hanging scrolls are a quintessential part of the decor of a Japanese tea room. So really, it makes perfect sense to group these two cultural experiences together!
The tour cost $134 USD and what I loved the most was how calm and mindful it was. Hiroshima is a big city, so it was nice to be able to take a break from it all.
Book this tea ceremony in advance and you can pay closer to your trip!
7. Go on a history walking tour
For those who want to explore Hiroshima’s most important sites at their own pace, I highly recommend this private 4-hour walking tour.
Exploring the city on foot helped us to appreciate the smaller details, and going with a private guide meant that we got to learn about each place that we visited in depth.
I particularly enjoyed the stunning architecture of Hiroshima Castle. We learned about how it survived the Meiji reconstruction, only to be destroyed by the atomic bomb, and then rebuilt 13 years later. Seeing the carp in the moat was beautiful, too, and we really loved exploring the Shukkei-en Garden.
Of course, there’s the option to visit the Peace Memorial Park, but since we had already done this, we asked our guide, Yoshi, to show us more local areas and hotspots. Instead, he took us to a local market and to his favorite quirky shopping street.
If you’re looking for a quality walking tour in Hiroshima, then I really cannot recommend this private experience enough. We loved the fact that we were able to customize it to fit our needs. Other travelers love it too – it has 270+ glowing reviews!
It was well worth the $113 USD per person that we paid, but the price actually drops to as low as $47 USD each when you book for more people.
Easily book this top-rated walking tour of the city here!
8. Take a tour of Miyajima
We’ve saved the best for last, because exploring Miyajima Island on this tour is hands down one of the best things to do in Hiroshima! You seriously cannot miss the chance to visit this scenic little island and its famous floating torii gate, which appears to hover above the water!
We love the fact that this tour is solely focused on Miyajima, and doesn’t skimp on time here in order to squeeze in other attractions. Our guide, Hika, gave us an in-depth walking tour of the island and we had plenty of time to stop, take photos, and appreciate its beauty.
We saw lots of deer around, which was a real bonus! I also particularly enjoyed walking through Momijidani Park and snapping photos of its scenic bridge.
Of course, seeing the Itsukushima Shrine was a real highlight. It’s one of those places you have to see to believe! We also loved the included lunch where we filled up on the island’s most famous foods, like momiji dumplings and grilled oysters.
Best of all, this was a super small group tour, so the whole experience felt really personal. I also thought it was great value at only $100 USD for a 5.5-hour private tour, with lunch included. However, since it’s a small group experience with a great rating, it does often sell out, so book in advance!
Don’t risk this tour selling out, book your spot here!
Where to Stay in Hiroshima
Hiroshima is full of great places to stay! To help narrow down your options, I’ve picked out three excellent hotels for a luxury, mid-range, or budget stay:
Luxury – $$$
Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel is a modern and upscale hotel, perfect for those looking for a luxurious getaway. The rooms are large and bright, offering gorgeous views of the city and mountains. You can enjoy the three onsite restaurants and indoor pool, or quickly walk to some of Hiroshima’s top attractions. The hotel is located right next to Hiroshima Station, so it super convenient!
Rooms average around $250 USD per night and can be booked online here.
Mid-range – $$
If you’re looking for a comfortable stay at a moderate price point, the Fav Hiroshima Stadium is my top choice! This hotel has a fantastic location in the city center, so you’re close to many temples and things to do. They offer a range of rooms, such as studio apartments, traditional Japanese, or quadruples, but all have everything you need for a comfortable stay!
Prices range from about $120 to $300 USD and can be booked on Booking.com.
Budget – $
Chisun Hotel Hiroshima is a budget friendly hotel located near the Hatchobori shopping area. The rooms are simple but clean, comfortable, and will provide a lovely place to rest while exploring Hiroshima. They offer double, twin, and king rooms and also have an onsite restaurant. Prices start around $50 USD per night.
Check availability and book this stay easily here.
For more options, check out all of the hotels in Hiroshima here!
Thanks for reading!
I hope our list has helped you find the best activities in Hiroshima! This city was a surprise to us for how much we enjoyed our time here. There are some really meaningful and unique things to do while you’re here, so if you use this list, you’ll discover what sets Hiroshima apart from the rest of Japan.
Before you go, have a look through all our blogs on Japan! We have all the tips and tricks to share that will help you prepare for your trip – whether it’s your first time in Japan or you’ve been before.
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