Hiroshima: where should I stay and how far should I travel?

Accommodation areas and sightseeing destinations

Peace Memorial Museum and Hondori are in central Hiroshima City; Miyajima is an island in Hatsukaichi City, and Onomichi is in the prefecture's east. Miyajima requires a boat after the train. For Onomichi, distinguish Shin-Onomichi Station from Onomichi Station.

Open Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum official information2026-10-08Walks between station, pier and shrine2026-10-08Ropeway operator access from each station2026-10-08JR Shin-Onomichi Shinkansen and connecting station information2026-10-08

Choose accommodation, arrival station and departure station

City and Miyajima return itineraries use the Hiroshima Station area as a base. If staying around Hondori, check accommodation–Hiroshima Station routes and times separately from the tram examples. Three- and four-night itineraries with an Onomichi stay move accommodation to the Onomichi Station area partway through, and depart from Onomichi on the last day. If storing luggage, check your booked accommodation's storage and collection hours and address. Add accommodation detours separately to sightseeing time.

Open Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum official information2026-10-08Ropeway operator access from each station2026-10-08

Hiroshima Station and Peace Memorial Park

For the museum, take a tram from Hiroshima Station to Genbaku Dome-mae and walk through the park. Give the museum exhibits a separate day from Shukkeien and art museum visits. First check mandatory museum reservation periods for your date.

Museum official admission, hours and reservations2026-10-08Museum official information2026-10-08Open Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum official information2026-10-08Hiroden standard fares2026-10-08Hiroden route 2 stops and direction2026-10-08Hiroden route 6 stops and direction2026-10-08Current museum crowding2026-10-08

Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima

This island trip takes JR trains to Miyajimaguchi, then a ferry. Choose a return ferry alongside Itsukushima Shrine and Omotesando Shopping Street visits. Distinguish ferry fares, visitor tax and shrine admission.

Open Itsukushima Shrine official information2026-10-08Sailing timetable2026-10-08Walks between station, pier and shrine2026-10-08JR Miyajima Ferry standard fares and visitor tax2026-10-09JR West Kansai–Hiroshima pass coverage, price and eligibility2026-10-09JR West Sanyo–San'in pass coverage, price and eligibility2026-10-09

Onomichi Station and Senkojiyama

Shin-Onomichi and Onomichi are different stations. This itinerary's accommodation and street walks use Onomichi Station. Choose a day trip or local stay, and give the ropeway, temple and film exhibits separate days.

Open Senkoji Ropeway official information2026-10-08Official ropeway hours2026-10-08Ropeway operator access from each station2026-10-08Additional transport and operating information2026-10-08Senkoji Ropeway ordinary tickets and JR pass presentation discount2026-10-09

Travel to and from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

From Hiroshima Station, take route 2 towards Miyajimaguchi or route 6 towards Eba to Genbaku Dome-mae. Walk through the park to the museum's East Building entrance. Return on route 2 or 6 towards Hiroshima Station from Genbaku Dome-mae. Standard one-way fare: adults JPY 240; children JPY 120.

Open Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum official information2026-10-08Hiroden standard fares2026-10-08Hiroden route 2 stops and direction2026-10-08Hiroden route 6 stops and direction2026-10-08

Travel to and from Itsukushima Shrine

Take the JR Sanyo Line towards Iwakuni from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi. The tourism federation gives a walk of about ten minutes to the passenger terminal. After the roughly ten-minute JR ferry, walk about 15 minutes from the island pier to the shrine. Boats, walking and waiting are separate from JR time. Shrine visits follow a one-way route.

Sailing timetable2026-10-08Walks between station, pier and shrine2026-10-08

Travel to and from Senkoji Ropeway

Walk about 15 minutes from JR Onomichi Station to the lower station, then ride about three minutes. By bus, get off at the eastbound Nagaeguchi (長江口) stop. Distinguish this from bus access starting at Shin-Onomichi Station.

Open Senkoji Ropeway official information2026-10-08Ropeway operator access from each station2026-10-08

Stay in Onomichi or return to the city?

Stay one night in Onomichi and leave after Jodoji, or keep one base for city exhibits and Miyajima. With an Onomichi stay, use return JR travel between Hiroshima and Miyajimaguchi plus Hiroshima → Mihara → Onomichi one way. With a Hiroshima stay, use return JR travel to Miyajimaguchi. Both routes are within the Kansai–Hiroshima and Sanyo–San'in pass areas, with the JR ferry covered too. Visitor tax, trams, ropeway, admission and accommodation cost extra. Compare ordinary tickets including departures outside the prefecture.

JR West Kansai–Hiroshima pass coverage, price and eligibility2026-10-09JR West Sanyo–San'in pass coverage, price and eligibility2026-10-09Kansai–Hiroshima pass official coverage map2026-10-09Sanyo–San'in pass official coverage map2026-10-09

Include the island or spend longer in Onomichi?

With Miyajima, spend one night in Onomichi. For longer there, skip the island and spend two nights in Onomichi. Both itineraries' JR Sanyo Line journeys fall within the Kansai–Hiroshima and Sanyo–San'in areas, but without Miyajima you do not take the JR ferry. Passes last five and seven consecutive days respectively; visitor tax, trams, ropeway, admission and accommodation cost extra. Keep ordinary tickets as an option and compare arrival in Hiroshima and departure from Onomichi.

JR West Kansai–Hiroshima pass coverage, price and eligibility2026-10-09JR West Sanyo–San'in pass coverage, price and eligibility2026-10-09Kansai–Hiroshima pass official coverage map2026-10-09Sanyo–San'in pass official coverage map2026-10-09

Check transport for your next journey

For Miyajima, choose JR trains to Miyajimaguchi and the JR ferry together, then a Hiroshima train after your return ferry. For an Onomichi transfer, choose a connection via Mihara and check your accommodation location. Search city trams to the museum and garden separately from intercity JR travel.

Hiroshima okonomiyaki

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki grills batter, vegetables, noodles and other ingredients in layers. Check menus and hours for meals around Hondori or Hiroshima Station. Distinguish tourism descriptions of food from actual restaurant reservation conditions.

Hiroshima tourism body okonomiyaki preparation2026-10-09

Choose restaurants where you will stay that day

Use the restaurant guidance below for okonomiyaki in Hiroshima City. On evenings eating in Miyajima or Onomichi, choose local restaurants near your accommodation and check addresses and return transport. Follow restaurant information for menus, prices and reservations.

Peace Memorial Park and a garden · JPY 1,510

Museum admission JPY 200 + museum trams return JPY 480 + Shukkeien admission JPY 350 + garden trams return JPY 480. Airport transport, accommodation, meals and luggage storage cost extra. Use trams for both visits, with no JR travel.

Museum official admission, hours and reservations2026-10-08Hiroden standard fares2026-10-08Hiroden transfers2026-10-08Shukkeien official admission and hours2026-10-08

Miyajima and the art museum · JPY 1,790

Shrine admission JPY 300 + JR ferry return JPY 400 and visitor tax JPY 100 + prefectural art museum admission JPY 510 + art museum trams return JPY 480. JR return travel between Hiroshima and Miyajimaguchi, airport transport, accommodation, meals and luggage storage cost extra. Special exhibitions are excluded.

Open Itsukushima Shrine official information2026-10-08Ferry fares2026-10-08Prefectural art museum admission and closures2026-10-08Hiroden standard fares2026-10-08Hiroden transfers2026-10-08

Miyajima JR trains and ferries, and Onomichi travel

JR Sanyo Line local trains between Hiroshima and Miyajimaguchi, and Hiroshima → Mihara → Onomichi, plus the JR West Miyajima Ferry, are within Kansai–Hiroshima and Sanyo–San'in pass coverage. Even with a pass, JPY 100 Miyajima visitor tax costs extra; Hiroden trams, ropeway and admission do not become free. Compare the JPY 17,000 adult five-day Kansai–Hiroshima pass and JPY 23,000 seven-day Sanyo–San'in pass with JR journeys into and out of the prefecture. Savings are not established because all ordinary fares have not been added.

JR West Kansai–Hiroshima pass coverage, price and eligibility2026-10-09JR West Sanyo–San'in pass coverage, price and eligibility2026-10-09Kansai–Hiroshima pass official coverage map2026-10-09Sanyo–San'in pass official coverage map2026-10-09

Two days in Hiroshima: city sights or Miyajima?

To reduce train travel between cities, see Peace Memorial Museum and the park on day one, then walk Shukkeien the next day. For Miyajima, see the shrine and shopping streets on day one and city collection exhibits on day two. Choose Miyajima only if your arrival leaves time for return trains, ferries and shrine visits.

Three days in Hiroshima: where should I spend the middle day?

Two options stay two nights in Hiroshima, visiting either Miyajima or Onomichi on day two. Choose Miyajima for a seaside shrine and shopping streets, or Onomichi's Senkojiyama for hilltop city and island views. The Miyajima itinerary finishes at Shukkeien; the Onomichi itinerary finishes at Peace Memorial Museum.

Four days in Hiroshima: a night in Onomichi?

For Onomichi's hilltop views and Jodoji on different days, stay two nights in Hiroshima, then one in Onomichi. To keep one base, stay three nights in Hiroshima and give the garden, collection exhibits, Miyajima and museum a day each. After your last visit, return to Onomichi Station if staying there, or Hiroshima Station if keeping your base there.

Five days in Hiroshima: Miyajima too, or longer in Onomichi?

For both Miyajima and Onomichi, spend three nights in Hiroshima and one in Onomichi. For more Onomichi time instead of Miyajima, split two nights in each city. Two Onomichi nights let you see hilltop views, Jodoji and the film museum on different days. Both itineraries return to Onomichi Station after the final visit.

Museum East Building entrance camera

Check coverage and update time on the museum East Building entrance camera page. Use official museum guidance alongside it for entry queues and opening that day.

Omotesando Shopping Street camera

The Miyajima Omotesando camera shows anonymized images of people captured currently against a prerecorded background. The background does not change with time or weather, so do not use it to judge current weather or day versus night. Check tides in front of Itsukushima Shrine and ferry operations in their respective official guidance.

Open Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street official information2026-10-08

Senkojiyama summit camera

Check coverage and capture time on the Senkojiyama summit camera page. A summit image does not establish conditions on every Onomichi street or ropeway operations.

Hiroshima Prefecture camera list

Choose camera pages for the places you will visit in Hiroshima City, Miyajima or Onomichi. Do not extend island or summit views to conditions around city accommodation.