Things to do in Hiroshima

Things to do in Hiroshima

1. Do

   Hiroshima Sanfrecce Soccer

   Sanfrecce (Japanese/Italian for "three arrows", from a Japanese folk tale) are Hiroshima's entry in the J-League, although they date back to 1938 as a semi-pro team. Though coming off consecutive J-League championships, Sanfrecce struggle for attention in Carp-town, but the fans are great.

   Tickets are available at most convenience stores. Reserved seats ¥3000-4500 in advance, ¥500 more at the stadium; unreserved ¥2300 in advance, ¥300 more at the stadium

2. 
   Do

   Hiroshima Toyo Carp Baseball

   The much-beloved and much-bemoaned Carp are Hiroshima's entry in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. After more than fifty years in a stadium across the street from the Peace Park, the Carp moved to the new Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium in 2009. While the team doesn't win much, the enthusiasm of the fans can hardly be faulted, and Hiroshima is as good a place as any to witness the fervor of Japanese baseball fandom. Tickets range from ¥1800 to ¥3500. Ask for the Carp Performance (カープ パフォーマンス) tickets — that's where the drums, chants, and excitement are. Tickets are sold at the stadium starting at 10:00, the "Green Window" at JR Hiroshima Station, and a number of convenience stores.
3. 
   Do Not mapped

   Flower Festival

   フラワーフェスティバル

   This is Hiroshima's biggest festival, begun in 1975 to celebrate the Carp's first baseball championship. There are food vendors and things for sale, but live performances now dominate the program, with comedians and J-pop bands on stages along Heiwa-o-dori. It's the smaller performances that make the Flower Festival worthwhile, though, particularly in the stalls near Jizo-dori, where you might stumble across a phenomenal Okinawan band or a local jazz combo.

   First weekend of May·Free
4. 
   Do Not mapped

   Sake Festival

   酒まつり Sake Matsuri

   The suburb of Saijo is famous for its sake breweries and this annual boozy blow-out. For the price of entry, attendees can drink their fill of sake from local breweries. In short order, the festival area turns into a wild (yet reasonably well-behaved) display of public drunkenness involving people of all ages. Outside the festival area, tours of sake breweries are also available, with wood sake cups are available as souvenirs for your visit. JR Saijo Station is just a couple of stops from Hiroshima — you'll be swept up in the crowds as soon as you arrive.

   Early October·Tickets ¥1000 in advance, ¥1500 at the festival
5. 
   DoPark

   Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

   Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (広島平和記念公園, Hiroshima Heiwa Kinen Kōen) is a memorial park in the center of Hiroshima, Japan. It is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack at the end of World War II, and to the memories of the bomb's direct and indirect victims (of whom there may have been as many as 140,000). The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is visited by more than one million people each year.

   Wi-Fi
6. DoPublic baths

   Hanbe Gardens

   半べえ

   If you want to take an onsen in Hiroshima, this hotel, restaurant, garden and onsen isn't bad. They have a good range of baths including a variety with jets, a "lap walking" bath, and a small outdoor area and a sauna. Not too remarkable as onsen go, but nice enough.

   Onsen ¥800 adults, ¥500 kids

7. Do

   Round One

   Bowling alley and entertainment center, popular with locals of all ages in Hiroshima (it is also present elsewhere in Japan). The first three floors consist of an expansive arcade, with racing games, classical arcade games, horror games, claw machines, and gambling/slot machines. The following four floors have bowling alleys, and the final floor has food, billiards, ping pong, and darts. Prices depend on what you're doing, and for how long.

   Open now · closes 6 am

8. Do

   縮景園 (Shukkeien)

   There are carp ponds, tea houses, and flowering trees in the tranquil urban gardens that were created in the 16th century.

   Closed · opens 9 am·200~300¥

9. Do Not mapped

   Big Wave

   On the other hand, if you're a serious swimmer, Big Wave offers longer hours and Olympic-size 50-meter swim lanes from July to early September. Then, from November to April, it turns into an ice-skating rink. (Rental skates are available, although people with big feet may not manage.).

   Daily 09:00-21:00, except 08:30-21:30 July-early September·Swimming ¥260 kids, ¥530 adults; ice-skating ¥910 kids, ¥1520 adults

10. Do Not mapped

    Food Festival

    This one's pretty simple — food, glorious food of all kinds, from international delicacies to local favorites, from roasted slabs of meat and seafood to delicious vegetarian-friendly dishes and desserts, served in stalls lining the moat of Hiroshima Castle and parts of Chuo Park. There's a flea market as well, and usually some cultural performances at the castle in the evening.

    Last weekend in October·Free — pay for what you eat

11. Do Not mapped

    Peace Memorial Ceremony

    広島平和記念式典 Heiwa Kinen Shikiten

    Held each year on the anniversary of the atomic bombing, with many hibakusha in attendance. Ceremonies are held in the morning (8:15AM, the time the bomb was dropped). The air raid sirens sound, followed by a minute of silence, and then appeals for peace by the mayor of Hiroshima. There's also a ceremony in the evening (20:00), when a thousand colorful lanterns are floated down the river.

    6 August·Free

12. Do Not mapped

    Family Pool

    Open from 1 July-31 August, right when it's needed most, this huge, open-air pool/water park is a popular place for kids and families to beat the heat. And it's easy to find — in Chuo Park, right in the center of town.

    Daily 09:00-18:00·¥670 adults, ¥340 kids

13. 
    DoTheatre

    上野学園ホール

    広島県広島市中区白島北町１９−１
14. 
    DoCinema

    横川シネマ

    西区横川町3丁目1-12
15. DoPark

    竜王公園

    西区竜王町

16. 
    DoCinema

    サロンシネマ

    広島県広島市中区八丁堀１６−１０
17. 
    DoCinema

    八丁座

    中区胡町6-26
18. 
    DoPark

    千田公園

    中区千田町3丁目8
19. DoArts centre

    Gewand halle

    Honkawacho, 2 Chome−1−13 ５階

20. DoTheatre

    HIROSHIMA CAVE-BE

    7-25 Noboricho

21. 
    DoPark

    Hiroshima Gate Park

    5-25 Motomachi
22. DoTheatre

    LIVE VANQUISH

    Yagenbori, 8−6 メイセイパーク1F

23. DoTheatre

    Second Crutch セカンドクラッチ

24. DoPark

    HIROSHIMA STADIUM PARK

    中区基町15

25. DoCinema

    MOVIX

    南区松原町2-37

26. DoTheatre

    Live & Evevt Space HIROSHIMA BACK BEAT

27. 
    DoSummit

    Futabayama

    139 m high
28. DoPark

    光が丘山根公園

    広島市東区

29. DoPark

    吉島東公園

    中区吉島東3丁目1

30. DoPark

    袋町公園

    中区袋町9

31. DoPark

    京口門公園

    中区八丁堀3-20

32. DoPark

    橋本町公園

    中区橋本町8 付近

33. DoPark

    シリブカ公園(二葉の里第二公園)

    3 Chome-2 Futabanosato

34. DoPark

    平野公園

35. DoArcade

    D-BASE

    中区大手町3丁目1-3

36. DoLive music venue

    HBGホール

    中区加古町3-3

37. DoLive music venue

    Hiroshima Club Quattro

    中区本通10-1

38. DoJazz bar

    Jazz Club Bird

    10-11 Yagenbori

39. DoLive music venue

    Lush Life

    中区薬研堀10-9

40. DoLive music venue

    NANA Live Bar feat. sports

    10-17 Yagenbori

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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. Some descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).