Hiroshima okonomiyaki広島お好み焼き
Layered, not mixed: batter, cabbage, pork and noodles cooked on a griddle, best eaten at the counter.
Chugoku
Hiroshima Travel Guide
Local tips, regional food and places off the tourist trail
Home to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum in Hiroshima city and the floating torii of Miyajima. Onomichi and the Shimanami Kaido cycling route add Seto Inland Sea island scenery.
Open Hiroshima on the map37 places on the map · 6 local favourites
Local tips
- TipHiroden streetcars cover central Hiroshima and run out toward Miyajimaguchi, where ferries cross to the island.
- TipCheck the tide table: at low tide you can walk to Miyajima’s great torii, at high tide it appears to float.
- AvoidDon’t feed the deer on Miyajima, and keep maps and snacks out of reach; they will grab paper and food.
- TipMiyajima’s Momijidani turns red in November, and winter is oyster season across the prefecture.
- TipFor a quieter harbour town, visit Tomonoura near Fukuyama, with old streets and Seto Inland Sea views.
What to eat
Oysters (kaki)牡蠣
Hiroshima farms many of Japan’s oysters; try them grilled on Miyajima or fried in winter.
Anago-meshiあなごめし
Grilled conger eel over rice seasoned with eel broth, a Miyajima speciality.
Local favourites
Places mostly visited by people who live here — quieter, and often the highlight of a trip.
Yuki Onsen
湯来温泉 Hot SpringsNature & SceneryA quiet riverside hot spring village in the mountains of western Hiroshima city, with a public bath and a small riverside park.
● Mostly localsMitarai
御手洗 Sights & HistoryAn old port village on Osakishimojima island that once hosted ships waiting for the tide. Its lanes of wooden houses feel frozen in time.
● Mostly localsFudo-in Temple
不動院 Temples & GoshuinchoSights & HistoryA quiet temple in northern Hiroshima city whose main hall, a national treasure, survived the atomic bomb.
● Mostly localsNagarekawa
流川 NightlifeHiroshima's biggest nightlife district, with hundreds of izakaya, bars and clubs east of Hondori.
● Mostly localsKagura Monzen Toji-mura
神楽門前湯治村 ExperiencesHot SpringsA mountain village complex in Akiota built around Hiroshima kagura, a dramatic masked dance with fast-changing costumes. It has a hot spring bath.
● Mostly localsTaishakukyo Gorge
帝釈峡 Nature & SceneryA limestone gorge in eastern Hiroshima known for Ontobashi, a giant natural stone bridge, and a boat ride on a dammed lake.
● Mostly localsThe famous sights
The places most visitors come for. Worth it — just go early.
Itsukushima Shrine
厳島神社 Temples & GoshuinchoSights & HistoryMiyajima's World Heritage shrine, built on stilts so it seems to float at high tide, facing its famous great torii. Check tide tables.
Atomic Bomb Dome
原爆ドーム Sights & HistoryThe skeletal ruin of a hall that stood near the hypocentre, preserved as a World Heritage memorial. Visit at dusk for a quieter moment by the river.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
広島平和記念資料館 Sights & HistoryThe museum at the heart of Peace Memorial Park documenting the atomic bombing and its aftermath. Allow at least two hours.
Anagomeshi Ueno
あなごめし うえの Local FoodA famous restaurant at Miyajimaguchi serving anagomeshi, grilled conger eel over rice. Takeaway boxes are perfect for the ferry.
Mount Misen
弥山 Nature & SceneryMiyajima's sacred peak, reached by ropeway or a steep hike, with huge boulders and a view of the Inland Sea islands.
Okonomimura
お好み村 Local FoodA building with floors of small okonomiyaki counters, each run by a different cook. Grab a stool and watch your Hiroshima-style pancake layered with noodles.
Okunoshima (Rabbit Island)
大久野島 Nature & SceneryExperiencesA small island overrun with friendly wild rabbits, with a sobering museum about its wartime poison gas factory. Bring rabbit food from the mainland.
Daisho-in Temple
大聖院 Temples & GoshuinchoMiyajima's oldest temple, climbing the hillside with prayer wheels, hundreds of small statues and a cave of lanterns.
Souvenirs to bring home
Momiji manju maple-leaf cakes, Kumano makeup brushes, and lemon goods from the Setouchi islands.
When to go
Spring and autumn, especially November for Miyajima’s maples; early August is a solemn, busy commemoration period in the city.