Sights and landmarks in Hiroshima
287 sights worth seeing in Hiroshima: landmarks, galleries, monuments and viewpoints.
Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 287.
Sights and landmarks in Hiroshima
SeeMemorialA-Bomb Dome
原爆ドーム Genbaku Dōmu
The skeletal remains of the dome are the most recognizable symbol of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima. In another lifetime, the building was one of the city's best-known sights for an entirely different reason; designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel in 1915, the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall (and its fanciful green dome) had a bold European style in a grimy, crowded city with few modern flourishes. Because the explosion took place almost directly above the building, the walls remained largely intact, even as the dome shattered and the people inside were killed by the heat of the blast. Initially, as the city rebuilt, it was left alone simply because it was more difficult to demolish than other remains in the area; gradually, the A-Bomb Dome became the symbol it is today. The "Hiroshima Peace Memorial" was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996 amid some controversy — the United States and China both voted against the nomination for reasons related to the war. Today, the benches around the Dome are a favorite spot for Hiroshima natives to read, eat lunch, or simply relax.
SeeMemorialHiroshima Castle
広島城 Hiroshima-jō
As of 22 March 2026, the castle is closed due to structural deterioration, although the grounds are open are free to roam around. The original Carp Castle (Rijō) was built in the 1590s by Hideyoshi's warlord Terumoto Mōri, predating the city itself. It was destroyed by the atomic bomb, by which time it was serving as a military headquarters, and reconstructed in using modern materials in 1958. Some of the original stone foundations can still be seen. Today, the castle grounds are a nice place for a walk, and definitely Hiroshima's favorite place for hanami (cherry blossom parties), with more than 350 sakura trees. The five-story castle museum is an attractive reconstruction of the 16th century donjon, with interesting relics and armor to see (and try on), as well as some informative displays about the history of the castle and the city. The view from the top is worth the entrance fee all by itself. Photography is allowed for self-use only. Gift shop sells various Warring States period-related goods, while the stamp-collecting area for Japanese Top 100 Castles is outside the castle. No elevators are available - visitors will be walking the five stories by stairs.
Closed · opens 9 amPrior to its 2026 closure, the price was ¥370 adults and ¥180 children · Free entry · Heritage listed · Wheelchair accessible
SeeMonumentChildren's Peace Monument
(原爆の子の像 Genbaku no ko no zō
Perennially draped in thousands of origami paper cranes folded by schoolchildren across Japan in the memory of the young bomb victim Sadako Sasaki (see Literature). You can bring your own origami cranes and donate them to the memorial.
SeeGardenShukkeien
縮景園
While it's not one of Japan's Top 3, this compact and beautifully landscaped Japanese garden is well worth a visit, and an ideal place to decompress from the atomic bomb sites. Despite high-rises peeping over the trees, Shukkeien can feel like an entirely different world, with little paths crossing ponds on bridges and winding their way around graceful teahouses and waterfalls. Visitors can feed the fish and turtles occasionally swimming near the paths. It's directly behind the Prefectural Art Museum, and combined admission tickets are available.
Daily 09:00-17:00, April to 18:00¥250 · Built 1940
SeeMuseumHiroshima Prefectural Museum of Art
広島県立美術館
Has a good permanent collection of modern European art, including major works by Dali and Magritte, and a few modern Japanese artists as well. Special exhibitions are of a generally high quality, ranging from Persian carpets to The Legend of Ultraman. It's located in front of Shukkeien.
Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00, Sat to 19:00¥500 adults, ¥300 for college students, children free · Wheelchair accessible
SeeMuseumHiroshima Museum of Art
ひろしま美術館
Established by the Hiroshima Bank in 1978. The permanent collection covers European art from late Romanticism to early Picasso, including a couple of Japanese painters who painted in Western styles. There's at least one painting by every famous artist of the period, but no major works by any of them.
Daily 09:00-17:00¥1000 adults, ¥500 teens, ¥200 children
SeeMuseumPeace Memorial Museum
平和記念資料館 Heiwa Kinen Shiryōkan
This heart-wrenching museum documents the atomic bomb and its aftermath, from scale models of the city "before" and "after" to melted tricycles and other displays and artifacts related to the blast. Some are extremely graphic, evocative, and quite disturbing. The rest of the museum describes the post-war struggles of the hibakusha and an appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons in the world today. Be warned: a visit here, while absolutely worthwhile, will ruin your day. Allow plenty of time afterward to decompress.
Closed · opens 8:30 amAdults ¥200, high school students ¥100, children free. Audio guide ¥200
SeeMuseumHiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
広島市現代美術館
Probably the most deserving of a visit among Hiroshima's art museums. There are a few famous Western names in its collection, including Andy Warhol and Frank Stella, but the real focus is on interesting modern Japanese artists working in their own styles, and the exhibition designers make creative use of the museum space. Special exhibitions cost extra. There is a sculpture garden outside that can be visited for free, and a decent city-view from the plaza near the museum's front steps.
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00¥360 adults, ¥270 college students, and ¥170 for other students · Wi-Fi
SeeAttractionHypocenter
One block east of the A-Bomb Dome (outside Shima Clinic) is a plaque which marks the exact point above which the bomb exploded.
SeeLibraryHiroshima Children's Museum
広島市こども文化科学館
Great fun for kids, with hand-on science exhibits and a planetarium on the top floor. There's also a library with a few shelves of English language books.
Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00¥500 adults, ¥250 children
SeeHijiyama Park
比治山公園
A huge park to the south of JR Hiroshima Station, between two branches of the river. (Follow Ekimae-dori from the station to the southeast, and you'll walk directly into it.) There are the usual areas for sitting in the sun (and rather a lot of stray cats), but much of the park remains refreshingly undeveloped forest, save for a futuristic tunnel to SATY, a neighboring shopping complex and movie theater.
71 m high
SeeMuseumFukuro-machi Elementary School Museum
袋町小学校平和資料館
Like Honkawa, part of the original school building that remained standing after the atomic bomb has been converted into a museum. In the days after the explosion, survivors used the school's chalk to leave messages for lost friends and family members on its blackened walls.
Daily 09:00-17:00Free
SeeMonumentHiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
The Peace Memorial Hall is dedicated to collecting names and photographs of people who died in the blast. The entrance of the memorial hall leads downward to a quiet hall for contemplation, and then back up again to a set of kiosks with compelling stories and recollections from survivors (in English and Japanese). Like the Cenotaph and the Peace Memorial Museum, it was designed by architect Kenzo Tange.
Closed · opens 8:30 amFree
SeeLibraryHiroshima City Manga Library
広島市立まんが図書館
Around the corner from the Museum of Contemporary Art (below). The vast majority of the manga are in Japanese, of course, but they do have a selection of Western superhero comics.
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00Free · Wi-Fi
SeeNumaji Transportation Museum
ヌマジ交通ミュージアム
Changed names from Hiroshima City Transportation Museum by a naming rights deal. Located on the outskirts of the city, the Transportation Museum has exhibits and interactive games about planes, trains, ships, and cars of the past, present, and future — and a transit nerd's treasure trove of details about the history and model numbers of Hiroshima's streetcars. (Tram #654, which remained in service after the atomic blast, is on display.) Outside, behind the museum, there is a track with odd bicycles to ride. It's great fun for children.
Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00Free on the first floor, elsewhere ¥500 adults, ¥250 children
SeeGokoku Shrine
護国神社 Gokoku-jinja
Located on the castle grounds, this concrete shrine has great significance to locals, having been rebuilt after the atomic blast and now the center for most annual Shinto traditions in the city. But other than a historical marker, there's not much to see for travelers, other than festivals (especially New Year's Eve).
SeeMitaki-dera
三瀧寺
It was founded in 809 AD. Mitaki-dera is a tranquil, lovely temple to the west of Hiroshima, known for its three waterfalls, which supply the water for the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony (see Festivals), as well as its gorgeous autumn colors and fascinating statues. The tahoto (treasure pagoda) was moved here from Wakayama in 1951 and consecrated in memory of the victims of the atomic bomb. From JR Hiroshima Station, take the Kabe Line to JR Mitaki Station. It's a short walk and hike from there.
Free
SeeChuo Park
中央公園
A big, sprawling green space in the middle of the city. Broadly defined, the park grounds include many of the attractions below, including the castle and the Carp's old baseball stadium (scheduled for demolition). But Chuo Park is worthy of note in its own right, with nice, long walking paths and athletic fields — there are quite a lot of open-invitation soccer, football, and ultimate frisbee games that are regularly held here, so don't be shy about showing up with athletic shoes and seeing if anyone needs an extra.
SeeInternational Conference Center
At the south end of the Peace Park, this complex of buildings has an International Exchange Lounge with English-language publications and city information; it also has the Restaurant Serenade (10:00-19:00).
Daily 09:00-21:00
SeeMuseumHonkawa Elementary School Peace Museum
本川小学校平和資料館
Of the more than 400 students and teachers who were in the school when the bomb exploded, only one student and one teacher survived. After a new school was built, this section of the original structure was kept as a museum, housing a small collection of photos and artifacts.
Open during school hoursFree
SeeFudoin
不動院
Only a short trip east of the city, this 14th century temple is another of the few structures in the area to have survived the atomic blast. The Main Hall is an impressive sight, and both the bell tower and the two-story gate are regarded as cultural treasures.
Free
SeeMazda Museum
マツダミュージアム
Mazda's corporate headquarters are a short distance outside of Hiroshima. The tour is a must for any automobile fan, but if you have any serious technical questions, then you should go on the Japanese tour and bring along your own interpreter, as there's less detail on the English tour. Highlights include the Mazda Cosmos (the world's first car with a rotary engine) and the 4-Rotor Mazda 787B, which is the only Japanese car to win at Le Mans. From there you will be taken to their Ujina plant and the actual assembly line, with a look at some of their concept vehicles. From JR Hiroshima Station, take the San'yo Line in the direction of Saijō or Mihara to JR Mukainada Station (two stops); cross the rails and exit through the south exit. From the train station exit, head straight on the street a little to the right of the exit until you see the confusingly labelled pharmacy, called "Zoom-Zoom". Head down the stairs opposite Zoom Zoom into an underpass and you'll exit in the Mazda Admin building's parking lot.
Tours weekdays 09:30 and 13:00 in Japanese, 10:00 in English, lasting around 90 minutes. Space is limited, and they ask that you call first to make a reservation. Bookings can be made in EnglishFree
SeeMuseumFormer Bank of Japan
After the A-Bomb Dome, the former bank is the best-known pre-bomb structure in Hiroshima. Built in 1936, the city's main branch of the Nippon Ginko was only 380 m from the hypocenter; although its exterior remained intact, all 42 people inside the bank were killed by the heat of the blast. Remarkably, the bank was back in service only two days after the bomb and continued operation until 1992, when it was acquired by the city. Occasional art exhibitions are now held there. Hours of access are irregular, but it's worth stopping by to check.
Closed · opens 10 amFree entry
- SeeMemorial
Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students
Commemorates the 6,300 students who were conscripted to work in munitions factories and killed by the atomic bomb. There are statues of doves scattered throughout its five levels; at the base is a beautiful Kannon statue, always draped with origami cranes.
SeeMemorialBell of Peace
54
SeeMemorialCenotaph for the A-bomb Victims
中区中島町1
Wheelchair accessible
.jpg?width=240 "Photo: Luca Sartoni from Vienna, Austria, CC BY-SA 2.0")
SeePublic artThe Gates of Peace
4-15 Nakajimacho
SeeGarden旧国泰寺愛宕池
中区中町7-6の一部及び小町10-1の一部
SeeMonumentRest House
SeeViewpointHiroshima Orizuru Tower
- SeeMuseum
Hiroshima Soccer Museum
中区本町15
Closed · opens 10 am
SeeMemorialMonument in Memory of the Korean Victims of the A-bomb
SeeHistoric building本川公衆便所
- SeeArt gallery
gallery G
4-1 Kamihatchobori
- SeeMemorial
史跡 広島原爆遺跡 旧日本銀行広島支店
中区袋町5-51
- SeeGarden
渝華園
中区基町
SeeMuseumFormer Hiroshima Teishin Hospital Outpatient Building Peace Museum
中区
.jpg?width=240 "Photo: Asturio Cantabrio, CC BY-SA 4.0")
SeeLibraryHiroshima City Cinematographic and Audio-Visual Library
1, 南区
SeeMuseumHiroshima health sciences museum
SeeMuseumRai Sanyo Shiseki Museum
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Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Hiroshima (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps.