The Peace Memorial is why you come to Hiroshima. It should be. But Hiroshima has a depth beyond the memorial that surprises every visitor I've talked to. The food alone would justify the Shinkansen ride. Here's what else is worth your time.
This is not a suggestion. It's a requirement.
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is fundamentally different from Osaka-style. Instead of mixing everything into a batter, the Hiroshima version layers ingredients: a thin crepe, a massive pile of shredded cabbage (it shrinks dramatically during cooking), yakisoba noodles, sliced pork belly, bean sprouts, and a fried egg. The whole thing is built on a flat griddle right in front of you.
Okonomimura is a four-story building near Peace Park with 24 tiny restaurants — each with counter seating and a griddle. A full okonomiyaki: 800-1,200 JPY. Every floor has its partisans, but the quality is consistently high throughout.
Pro tip: Go to the upper floors (3rd or 4th) where the queues are shorter. Add oysters as a topping — Hiroshima produces some of Japan's best.
The Hiroden streetcar is one of Japan's last surviving tram systems. Route 2 runs from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi (the Miyajima ferry terminal) in about 1 hour. The tram cars range from modern to vintage — some of the older ones survived the atomic bombing.
A single ride: 220 JPY. The 1-day pass: 700 JPY (unlimited rides). The ride itself — clanging through downtown, past the Dome, through residential neighborhoods to the coast — is worth taking slowly rather than bussing.
Hiroshima Prefecture produces 60% of Japan's oysters. At the Miyajima ferry terminal and along Omotesando Street on the island, you'll find stalls grilling fat, plump oysters over charcoal.
200-500 JPY per piece. They're smoky, briny, and creamy in a way that cold-climate oysters rarely achieve. Some stalls let you grill your own — the interactive experience adds to the pleasure.
Peak oyster season: October to March.
A 400-year-old Japanese stroll garden 10 minutes walk from Hiroshima Station. Miniature landscapes representing valleys, mountains, and forests around a central pond. Entry: 260 JPY.
In late March, the cherry trees around the pond bloom simultaneously and the reflections in the water create a pink-on-pink effect that photographers lose their minds over. In November, the autumn foliage is equally dramatic — reds, oranges, and golds reflected in the pond.
The garden survived the bombing. The trees didn't. What you see now was replanted in the post-war years — a small but meaningful symbol of the city's recovery.
Forty minutes east of Hiroshima by train, Saijo is one of Japan's three most famous sake-brewing regions. Seven breweries line the main street — the old white-walled warehouses with their distinctive chimneys are photogenic even without tasting.
Most breweries offer tours and tastings (free to 500 JPY). The sake here uses water from the Ryuo Mountains, which gives it a soft, clean character. Buy directly from the breweries — prices are lower than in shops and you can find limited-edition bottles not available elsewhere.
An hour and a half east of Hiroshima by train, Onomichi is a hillside port town with 25 temples connected by a walking path (the Tenninkai Path). The views of the Seto Inland Sea from the hillside temples are stunning.
Onomichi is also famous for its ramen — a soy-based pork broth with flat noodles and pork back fat. A bowl at Shukaen or Ichibankan costs 700-900 JPY.
The town has a literary and artistic history — it's been the setting for films, novels, and manga. The empty-house renovation project (Onomichi Vacant House Project) has turned abandoned hillside houses into cafes, guesthouses, and galleries.
Two hours east of Hiroshima, a small island overrun by approximately 1,000 friendly wild rabbits. The island has a dark history — it was a secret poison gas factory during WWII — but today it's a surreal, wholesome experience.
Ferry from Tadanoumi port (310 JPY, 15 minutes). Bring rabbit food — you can buy pellets at the ferry terminal (100 JPY). The rabbits are bold, friendly, and will swarm you if you sit down with food.
The Poison Gas Museum on the island is small but important — an honest account of Japan's chemical weapons program.
The Hiroshima Toyo Carp are one of Japan's most beloved baseball teams, with a famously passionate fan base. Their stadium, Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium, is a modern ballpark near Hiroshima Station.
Tickets from 1,800 JPY. Games run March-October. The atmosphere — organized cheering, trumpet bands, beer vendors running up and down stairs — is uniquely Japanese. Carp fans wave red towels after every home run. The stadium food is excellent: takoyaki, yakitori, and craft beer.
Even if you don't follow baseball, a Carp game is a fantastic cultural experience.
The Shimanami Kaido is a 70-km cycling route connecting Honshu to Shikoku across six islands via bridges with dedicated cycling lanes. It starts in Onomichi (1.5 hours from Hiroshima by train) and ends in Imabari on Shikoku.
The route takes 6-8 hours of cycling at a moderate pace. Bike rental is available at both ends (2,000-5,000 JPY/day depending on bike type). The views — island-dotted inland sea, suspension bridges, fishing villages — are among the best cycling scenery in the world.
You can do a partial ride and ferry back, or go the full distance and return by train.
Hiroshima's identity will always include August 6, 1945. But the city's identity is also okonomiyaki, oysters, sake, trams, baseball, and a riverfront that lights up at night. The memorial is why you come. Everything else is why you stay. Travelers who enjoy this often also love Osaka. If you're exploring the region, Nara offers a compelling comparison.
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