Hiroshima travel: where to stay and how far to go?
Stay near Hiroshima Station if using JR for Miyajima or Onomichi. Hondori is another option for Peace Memorial Park and city dinner. Onomichi is a separate city in the prefecture’s east; deciding on a day return or staying and departing there changes your route.
Start with the Hiroshima sights you want to see
Compare city museum, garden and art visits with Miyajima by ferry and eastern Onomichi’s hill views, temple and cinema displays. Give Miyajima returns and Onomichi travel separate days.
Itineraries by trip length
Choose city museum and garden visits, a Miyajima shrine trip or Onomichi views. Compare returns from a Hiroshima hotel with moving to Onomichi. For multiple areas, consider travel days together with visiting days.
2 days / 1 night
To reduce intercity train travel, visit Peace Memorial Museum and Park on day one, then Shukkeien on day two. For Miyajima, visit the shrine and shopping street first, then city collections the next day. Choose the island route only if arrival leaves time for return trains, ferries and the shrine.
3 days / 2 nights
Stay two Hiroshima nights and use day two for either Miyajima or Onomichi. Choose Miyajima for a seaside shrine and shopping street, or Senkoji Hill for city and island views from above. The Miyajima route finishes with Shukkeien; the Onomichi route finishes with Peace Memorial Museum.
4 days / 3 nights
For separate days of Onomichi hill views and Jodoji, stay two Hiroshima nights then one in Onomichi. To avoid moving hotels, stay three Hiroshima nights and give garden, collections, Miyajima and museum a day each. Finish at Onomichi Station when staying there, or Hiroshima Station when staying in the city.
5 days / 4 nights
For both Miyajima and Onomichi, stay three Hiroshima nights and one in Onomichi. For more Onomichi time instead of the island, split two Hiroshima and two Onomichi nights. Two Onomichi nights allow hill views, Jodoji and Cinema Museum on separate days. Both routes return to Onomichi Station after final sightseeing.
Where to stay
Hotel bases and sightseeing areas
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 ferry after the train. For Onomichi, distinguish Shin-Onomichi Station from Onomichi Station.
Official Peace Memorial Museum informationWalks between station, pier and shrineOperator’s access guidance by departure stationJR Shin-Onomichi Shinkansen and connecting-station information
Choosing your hotel, arrival station and departure station
City and Miyajima return routes use Hiroshima Station as their base. If staying around Hondori, check your hotel–station route and travel time separately from these tram examples. Three- and four-night routes with Onomichi accommodation move hotels to the Onomichi Station area and depart from Onomichi on the final day. For luggage storage, check your booked hotel’s address and drop-off/collection hours. Allow hotel detours separately from sightseeing time.
Official Peace Memorial Museum informationOperator’s access guidance by departure station
JR, trams and meals
Which journeys can use a JR pass?
Kansai-Hiroshima Pass costs adults 17,000 yen for five consecutive days; Sanyo-San’in Pass costs 23,000 for seven. A foreign-government-issued passport and Temporary Visitor status are required. Both cover ordinary JR Sanyo Line trains Hiroshima–Miyajimaguchi and Hiroshima–Mihara–Onomichi. Miyajimaguchi–Miyajima is covered on JR West ferry; the 100-yen visitor tax is extra.
Neither pass includes Hiroden trams, Hiroshima Airport buses, facility admission, accommodation or meals. Kansai-Hiroshima covers Sanyo Shinkansen only between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima; Sanyo-San’in covers Shin-Osaka–Hakata. Both exclude Tokaido and Kyushu Shinkansen. Reserve designated seats before boarding.
Without a pass, buy ordinary tickets for individual JR sections. Shinkansen requires a limited-express ticket as well as a fare ticket and changes costs from these ordinary Sanyo Line routes. Trip-length totals add admission and transport excluding JR train fares. Compare ordinary tickets for JR arrival/departure outside the prefecture too before choosing. Without fixed JR section fares and departure/arrival cities, you cannot conclude that a pass is cheaper.
JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Pass coverage, price and eligibilityJR West Sanyo-San’in Pass coverage, price and eligibilityOfficial Kansai-Hiroshima Pass mapOfficial Sanyo-San’in Pass map
Changing trams at Hatchobori
For Shukkeien/prefectural art museum from Hiroshima Station, take route 2 or 6, then change at Hatchobori to route 9 towards Hakushima. Allow time to cross the road to the other platform. With cash, pay on first alighting, collect a transfer ticket and submit it on the next tram. With transport IC, tap for each boarding/alighting and transfer within 60 minutes of first alighting. The opposite-direction return to Hiroshima Station after visiting requires a new fare. Standard tram costs below are 240 yen one way, 480 return.
Hiroden standard faresHiroden transfer-ticket and IC validityHatchobori transfer diagram
Where to eat after city sightseeing?
Choose Hondori after Peace Memorial Park or Hiroshima Station when departing for another city to reduce extra travel. If eating in Onomichi, choose a local restaurant. Meals are separate from itinerary transport/admission costs.
Compare transport for your departure station
Check departure-day JR and airport transport separately from sightseeing costs. After Miyajima, allow the walk from the return ferry to Miyajimaguchi Station and Hiroshima-bound JR travel. Leaving Onomichi, check whether your booked departure uses Onomichi or Shin-Onomichi. Compare admission/local-transport inclusions and exclusions in each route’s cost card.
Official fees, hours and admission bookingsHiroden standard faresHiroden transfersOfficial Shukkeien fees and hoursOfficial Itsukushima Shrine informationFerry faresPrefectural museum fees and closuresJR West Kansai-Hiroshima Pass coverage, price and eligibilityJR West Sanyo-San’in Pass coverage, price and eligibilityOfficial Kansai-Hiroshima Pass mapOfficial Sanyo-San’in Pass map
Choose meals in your hotel neighbourhood
Use the restaurant guide below to choose city okonomiyaki. For dinner in Miyajima or Onomichi, choose local restaurants near your hotel and check addresses and return transport. Follow restaurant guidance for menus, prices and bookings.
Choose trip length and visiting dates
Plan around museum closures and Miyajima returns. On the final day, leave time after sightseeing to reach your booked departure station. Move visits to earlier days if time is short.
Official fees, hours and admission bookingsPrefectural museum fees and closuresSailing timetable
Cameras for the neighbourhoods you will visit
Check the museum East Building entrance camera page for coverage and update time. Consult official museum guidance for admission queues and same-day opening too.
The Miyajima Omotesando camera shows anonymised people from current footage over a previously photographed background. Its background does not change with time or weather and cannot show current weather or day/night conditions. Check tide levels by Itsukushima Shrine and ferry operation separately in official guidance.
Check the Senkoji summit camera page for coverage and time. A summit image cannot establish every Onomichi street’s condition or ropeway operation.
Choose cameras for the places you will visit: Hiroshima City, Miyajima or Onomichi. Do not use island or summit images to judge conditions around a city hotel.
Transport, food and cameras
Museum East Building entrance camera
Assess only the camera’s visible area. Follow facility guidance for opening, booking and operation.
Museum East Building entrance camera →Omotesando Shopping Street camera
Assess only the camera’s visible area. Follow facility guidance for opening, booking and operation.
Omotesando Shopping Street camera →Senkoji summit camera
Assess only the camera’s visible area. Follow facility guidance for opening, booking and operation.
Senkoji summit camera →Hiroshima Prefecture cameras
Choose actual filmed locations from the prefecture’s camera list.
Hiroshima Prefecture cameras →Restaurants around Hondori and Hiroshima Station
Choose a neighbourhood and food after sightseeing, then check restaurant hours and booking conditions.
Restaurants around Hondori and Hiroshima Station →Hiroden tram transfer guidance
Check transfer-ticket and IC conditions when changing to route 9 at Hatchobori.
Hiroden tram transfer guidance →JR Miyajima Ferry timetable
Choose your island return sailing, then allow walking to Miyajimaguchi Station and JR waiting.
JR Miyajima Ferry timetable →Hiroshima Airport bus timetable
Check the new timetable for travel from 25 October and allow airport check-in time separately.
Hiroshima Airport bus timetable →Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass
Compare your actual rides and eligibility with official coverage. Choose a pass after comparing ordinary tickets for the full journey.
Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass →Sanyo-San’in Area Pass
Compare your actual rides and eligibility with official coverage. Choose a pass after comparing ordinary tickets for the full journey.
Sanyo-San’in Area Pass →Hiroshima areas to visit on separate days
Choose that day’s area: Hiroshima City, Miyajima or Onomichi.
Hiroshima Station and Peace Memorial Park
Take a tram from Hiroshima Station to Genbaku Dome-mae, then walk through the park to the museum. Separate exhibitions from a Shukkeien/art day if preferred. Check your date’s mandatory museum-booking times first.
Official fees, hours and admission bookingsOfficial museum guidanceOfficial Peace Memorial Museum informationHiroden standard faresHiroden route 2 stops and directionsHiroden route 6 stops and directionsCurrent museum crowding
Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima
Take JR to Miyajimaguchi Station, then a ferry to the island. Visit Itsukushima Shrine and Omotesando Shopping Street, choosing your return sailing too. Distinguish ferry fares, visitor tax and shrine admission.
Official Itsukushima Shrine informationSailing timetableWalks between station, pier and shrineJR Miyajima Ferry standard fares and visitor taxJR West Kansai-Hiroshima Pass coverage, price and eligibilityJR West Sanyo-San’in Pass coverage, price and eligibility
Onomichi Station and Senkoji Hill
Shin-Onomichi and Onomichi are separate stations. These routes use Onomichi Station for hotels and town walks. Choose a day trip or overnight, with the option of separate days for ropeway, temple and cinema displays.
Official Senkoji Ropeway informationOfficial ropeway operating hoursOperator’s access guidance by departure stationMore transport and operating informationSenkoji Ropeway standard tickets and JR-pass presentation discount
Find routes from your departure station to each sight
Check facility walks separately from train/bus riding. Attraction guides also include return conditions.
Getting to Peace Memorial Museum and back
From Hiroshima Station, take route 2 towards Miyajimaguchi or route 6 to Eba, alighting at Genbaku Dome-mae. Walk through the park to the East Building entrance. Return on route 2 or 6 to Hiroshima Station. Standard one-way fares are adults 240 yen, children 120.
Official Peace Memorial Museum informationHiroden standard faresHiroden route 2 stops and directionsHiroden route 6 stops and directions
Getting to Itsukushima Shrine and back
From Hiroshima Station, take the JR Sanyo Line towards Iwakuni to Miyajimaguchi. Tourism-federation guidance gives about 10 minutes’ walking to the passenger terminal, followed by about 10 minutes on JR ferry and about 15 minutes from the island pier to the shrine. Ferry, walking and waiting are additional to JR travel. Shrine visits follow a one-way route.
Getting to Senkoji Ropeway and back
Walk about 15 minutes from JR Onomichi Station to the lower station, then ride about three minutes. By bus, take an eastbound service to Nagaeguchi (長江口). Distinguish routes starting at Shin-Onomichi Station.
Official Senkoji Ropeway informationOperator’s access guidance by departure station
Connect with other regions and transport
For onward travel, compare the direction of your hotel move and actual finishing station first.
Stay in Onomichi or return to the city?
Stay one Onomichi night and depart after Jodoji, or keep the same hotel for city exhibitions and Miyajima. The Onomichi overnight uses JR returns Hiroshima–Miyajimaguchi and one-way Hiroshima–Mihara–Onomichi; the Hiroshima stay uses only Miyajimaguchi returns. Both sections are in Kansai-Hiroshima/Sanyo-San’in pass areas, with JR ferry covered too. Visitor tax, trams, ropeway, admission and accommodation are extra; compare ordinary tickets including onward travel outside the prefecture.
Compare departing after one Onomichi night with staying at the same Hiroshima hotel.
The two-night Onomichi day-trip route returns to the same Hiroshima hotel afterwards.
Five consecutive days. Check coverage maps, eligibility and exclusions.
Seven consecutive days. Compare coverage if adding travel outside the prefecture.
JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Pass coverage, price and eligibilityJR West Sanyo-San’in Pass coverage, price and eligibilityOfficial Kansai-Hiroshima Pass mapOfficial Sanyo-San’in Pass map
Include the island or stay longer in Onomichi?
Include Miyajima with one Onomichi night, or skip the island for two Onomichi nights. Both routes’ JR Sanyo Line sections are in Kansai-Hiroshima/Sanyo-San’in pass areas, but without Miyajima you do not ride JR ferry. Passes run five/seven consecutive days respectively; visitor tax, trams, ropeway, admission and accommodation are extra. Compare ordinary tickets too, including arrival in Hiroshima and departure from Onomichi.
Stay one Onomichi night when including Miyajima, or two when giving Onomichi more time instead of the island.
The two-night Onomichi day-trip route returns to the same Hiroshima hotel afterwards.
Five consecutive days. Check coverage maps, eligibility and exclusions.
Seven consecutive days. Compare coverage if adding travel outside the prefecture.
JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Pass coverage, price and eligibilityJR West Sanyo-San’in Pass coverage, price and eligibilityOfficial Kansai-Hiroshima Pass mapOfficial Sanyo-San’in Pass map
Check transport for your next journey
For Miyajima, choose a Miyajimaguchi-bound JR train and JR ferry, then a Hiroshima-bound train after the return sailing. Moving to Onomichi, choose a Mihara transfer and check your hotel location. Look up local museum/garden trams separately from intercity JR.
Check transfer-ticket and IC conditions when changing to route 9 at Hatchobori.
Choose your island return sailing, then allow walking to Miyajimaguchi Station and JR waiting.
Check the new timetable for travel from 25 October and allow airport check-in time separately.
What to eat in Hiroshima?
Choose food alongside your sightseeing neighbourhood, then check menus and prices at restaurants open that day.
Hiroshima okonomiyaki
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is cooked in layers of batter, vegetables and noodles. Check menus and hours for meals around Hondori or Hiroshima Station. Tourism descriptions of the dish differ from actual restaurant booking conditions.
Choose restaurants where you will stay that day
Use the restaurant guide below to choose city okonomiyaki. For dinner in Miyajima or Onomichi, choose local restaurants near your hotel and check addresses and return transport. Follow restaurant guidance for menus, prices and bookings.
Compare transport, admission and passes
The one-night city route adds museum/garden admission and trams; the one-night Miyajima route adds shrine/art admission, JR ferry, visitor tax and city trams. Hiroshima–Miyajimaguchi JR fares are excluded from the island route. Add JR travel to Onomichi, accommodation, meals and airport journeys separately.
Peace Memorial Park and garden: 1,510 yen
Museum 200 yen + museum return trams 480 + Shukkeien 350 + garden return trams 480. Airport transport, accommodation, meals and luggage storage are extra. Museum and garden journeys use trams, without JR.
Official fees, hours and admission bookingsHiroden standard faresHiroden transfersOfficial Shukkeien fees and hours
Miyajima and art: 1,790 yen
Shrine 300 yen + JR ferry return 400 and visitor tax 100 + prefectural art museum 510 + museum return trams 480. JR Hiroshima–Miyajimaguchi returns, airport transport, accommodation, meals and luggage storage are extra. Special exhibitions are excluded.
Official Itsukushima Shrine informationFerry faresPrefectural museum fees and closuresHiroden standard faresHiroden transfers
Miyajima JR/ferry and Onomichi travel
Ordinary JR Sanyo Line trains Hiroshima–Miyajimaguchi and Hiroshima–Mihara–Onomichi, plus JR West Miyajima Ferry, fall within Kansai-Hiroshima/Sanyo-San’in pass coverage. Visitor tax of 100 yen still applies; Hiroden trams, ropeway and admission do not become free. Compare the adult five-day Kansai-Hiroshima price of 17,000 and seven-day Sanyo-San’in price of 23,000 with JR arrival/departure outside the prefecture too. Savings are not established because all ordinary fares have not been totalled.
Compare your actual rides and eligibility with official coverage. Choose a pass after comparing ordinary tickets for the full journey.
Compare your actual rides and eligibility with official coverage. Choose a pass after comparing ordinary tickets for the full journey.
JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Pass coverage, price and eligibilityJR West Sanyo-San’in Pass coverage, price and eligibilityOfficial Kansai-Hiroshima Pass mapOfficial Sanyo-San’in Pass map
Choose for your trip length and visiting conditions
Plan around museum closures and Miyajima returns. On the final day, leave time after sightseeing to reach your booked departure station. Move visits to earlier days if time is short.
Two days in Hiroshima: city sightseeing or Miyajima?
To reduce intercity train travel, visit Peace Memorial Museum and Park on day one, then Shukkeien on day two. For Miyajima, visit the shrine and shopping street first, then city collections the next day. Choose the island route only if arrival leaves time for return trains, ferries and the shrine.
Three days in Hiroshima: where to spend the middle day?
Stay two Hiroshima nights and use day two for either Miyajima or Onomichi. Choose Miyajima for a seaside shrine and shopping street, or Senkoji Hill for city and island views from above. The Miyajima route finishes with Shukkeien; the Onomichi route finishes with Peace Memorial Museum.
Four days in Hiroshima: one night in Onomichi?
For separate days of Onomichi hill views and Jodoji, stay two Hiroshima nights then one in Onomichi. To avoid moving hotels, stay three Hiroshima nights and give garden, collections, Miyajima and museum a day each. Finish at Onomichi Station when staying there, or Hiroshima Station when staying in the city.
Five days in Hiroshima: Miyajima or more Onomichi time?
For both Miyajima and Onomichi, stay three Hiroshima nights and one in Onomichi. For more Onomichi time instead of the island, split two Hiroshima and two Onomichi nights. Two Onomichi nights allow hill views, Jodoji and Cinema Museum on separate days. Both routes return to Onomichi Station after final sightseeing.
Check cameras before your Hiroshima trip
Use these as supplementary views of the filmed place. Check official information for facilities and transport.
Museum East Building entrance camera
Check the museum East Building entrance camera page for coverage and update time. Consult official museum guidance for admission queues and same-day opening too.
Omotesando Shopping Street camera
The Miyajima Omotesando camera shows anonymised people from current footage over a previously photographed background. Its background does not change with time or weather and cannot show current weather or day/night conditions. Check tide levels by Itsukushima Shrine and ferry operation separately in official guidance.
Senkoji summit camera
Check the Senkoji summit camera page for coverage and time. A summit image cannot establish every Onomichi street’s condition or ropeway operation.
Hiroshima Prefecture cameras
Choose cameras for the places you will visit: Hiroshima City, Miyajima or Onomichi. Do not use island or summit images to judge conditions around a city hotel.
Frequently asked questions
Must I stay in Hiroshima after visiting Onomichi?
The two-night Onomichi day-trip route returns to the same Hiroshima hotel. The three-night Onomichi overnight route splits two Hiroshima nights and one Onomichi night. Four-night routes offer one or two Onomichi nights; both return to Onomichi Station after final sightseeing. If your booked departure uses Shin-Onomichi, allow separate travel between stations.
JR Onomichi Station timetable and station-map accessOperator’s access guidance by departure stationJR Shin-Onomichi Shinkansen and connecting-station information
Official sources and check dates
- Official museum guidance ·
- Hiroden standard fares ·
- Official Peace Memorial Museum information ·
- Current museum crowding ·
- Official Itsukushima Shrine information ·
- Ferry fares ·
- Sailing timetable ·
- Walks between station, pier and shrine ·
- Official Miyajima Omotesando information ·
- Official Senkoji Ropeway information ·
- More transport and operating information ·
- Prefectural museum fees and closures ·
- Hiroden transfers ·
- Hatchobori transfer diagram ·
- Operator’s access guidance by departure station ·
- Hiroden route 2 stops and directions ·
- Hiroden route 6 stops and directions ·
- JR Shin-Onomichi Shinkansen and connecting-station information ·
- Official fees, hours and admission bookings ·
- Official Shukkeien fees and hours ·
- Official ropeway operating hours ·
- JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Pass coverage, price and eligibility ·
- JR West Sanyo-San’in Pass coverage, price and eligibility ·
- Official Kansai-Hiroshima Pass map ·
- Official Sanyo-San’in Pass map ·
- Senkoji Ropeway standard tickets and JR-pass presentation discount ·
- Hiroden transfer-ticket and IC validity ·
- JR Miyajima Ferry standard fares and visitor tax ·
- JR Onomichi Station timetable and station-map access ·
- Hiroshima tourism information on okonomiyaki cooking ·