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Hiroshima Culture & history

Our most recommended Hiroshima Culture & history

From Hiroshima: Hiroshima and Miyajima Island 1-Day Bus Tour

1. From Hiroshima: Hiroshima and Miyajima Island 1-Day Bus Tour

Visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to see the A-Bomb Dome, a memorial in the ruins of a building damaged by the atomic blast. Travel by ferry to Miyajima Island, the site of the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a Japanese pancake or Okonomiyaki for lunch. Come to the meeting point and board the bus to depart from Hiroshima station. First, head to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to visit the A-Bomb Dome, the ruin of a former building, which is now the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. Learn about the tragic effects of nuclear warfare and the importance of peace. Try an authentic Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki, or Japanese pancake, with pork, cabbage, bean sprout, noodle, and a egg in Hiroshima city. Afterwards, take a ferry over to Miyajima Island, a small island in Hiroshima Bay. See the famous Itsukushima Shrine, a Shinto shrine, and a famous red gate which appears to float in the sea.

Hiroshima Like a Local: Customized Guided Tour

2. Hiroshima Like a Local: Customized Guided Tour

Explore the city with a friendly local who is passionate about his/her city and eager to share all the tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your trip. Meet where you're staying to get familiar with the neighbourhood, find out about the best places to eat and buy groceries, the easiest ways to get around, and the hidden gems you might have missed. By the end of the tour, you'll feel more comfortable in navigating the city and confident that you have all the information you need to make the most of your stay. Once we receive your booking, the supplier get in touch with you to confirm all the details for the tour: meeting place and time, language and your contact information, and also ask you some questions to get to know you better. They will hand-pick the right local for you based on your interests. Each tour is completely customized so you can choose the meeting location, start time and length that you prefer (minimum: 2 hours).  During the walking tour you will have the option of taking public transportation or taxi to get around the city (at your expense). The local guides (Lokafyers) are locals who are passionate about their city and love to meet travellers and share what they love about their city.  They are not professional tour guides and do these tours occasionally, which provides an authentic and personal experience that is like having a friend show you around their home city.  Through conversations with your Lokafyer, you’ll learn what it’s like to live in Hiroshima, learn about cultural differences, local events and politics and also get to know each other on a personal level. With this experience, you won’t be just passing through the city, you’ll be part of it.

Hiroshima Cycling Peace Tour with Local Guide

3. Hiroshima Cycling Peace Tour with Local Guide

In Hiroshima City, there are many heritage sites in the suburbs in addition to the Peace Memorial Park, each with a story connected to the atomic bombing. While at the heritage site of the bombing, we will introduce you to the power of the atomic bomb and the situation at the time. 70 years after the war, the destroyed Hiroshima has been dramatically revitalized, and now you can see it full of greenery. You can get a real sense of it through your own eyes, and cycling is the best way to do that. With the guidance of our local staff, who grew up in the city, come and experience the real Hiroshima that you can't experience through photos and books. <About the route> [11:00 / 15:00] Meeting up [11:05/15:05] Peace Memorial Park What is the Peace Memorial Park? Learn about the memories contained in the monuments and the Atomic Bomb Dome and what happened 70 years ago. [11:30/15:30] Sendamachi, Miyukibashi Bridge, Kyobashi River, etc. The guide will show you the actual townscape of Hiroshima in the suburbs away from the touristic area. You will find beautiful Hiroshima vigorously revived from the tremendous damages by the atomic bombing while visiting numerous A-bomb heritage sites and listening to the episodes handed down in Hiroshima. [13:00/ 17:00] The tour finishes at the meeting point. *You will be given data of the photos taken on the day. *If you wish, we can also guide you to the Atomic Bomb Museum. (Additional hour, plus 1,000 yen cash payment on the day. Not possible when combined with other guests, only from 11:00 to 13:00) *The timetable may change depending on the situation on the day. • In the case of bad weather, the tour may be canceled to take into consideration of the safety of the guests. • When it rains, the local partner offers cancellation and refund, or an alternative walking tour which has a different itinerary.

Hiroshima: Early Morning Hiking Tour with Tea Ceremony

4. Hiroshima: Early Morning Hiking Tour with Tea Ceremony

Get up early for a trekking tour of Futaba Mountain in Hiroshima. Take part in an outdoor tea ceremony with views of Hiroshima, try an easy yoga lesson, and, if selected, eat a traditional breakfast.   After meeting your guide in Hiroshima, prepare for your adventure by learning about the trekking route. Head to Hiroshima Toshogu Shrine where you can view important cultural assets and other buildings on the grounds.    Trek through Kinko Inari Shrine in the mountains of Futaba. After trekking for about 25 minutes, reach the Peace Pagoda and enjoy a spectacular view of Hiroshima City, the Seto Inland Sea, and Miyajima from the top of the mountain.   Then begin the Nodate tea ceremony, a traditional open-air ceremony, where the guide will make you green tea outdoors. Relax with an easy Yoga experience and feel the nature around you. If selected, enjoy breakfast at the Okugu Shrine. 

Miyajima: Private Rickshaw Tour to Itsukushima Shrine

5. Miyajima: Private Rickshaw Tour to Itsukushima Shrine

Explore Miyajima Island on an exciting rickshaw tour led by a knowledgable guide. Meet your rickshaw outside of the Miyajima Ferry Terminal. Cruise down Miyajima’s charming streets to the center of town. See the townhouses and old-fashioned shopping arcade. Continue along the waterfront. Take in the view of the large orange torii (gate) standing in the water in front of the Itsukushima Shrine. Select the 70-minute tour option and visit the Daishoin Temple. This 1200-year-old temple is said to be a “power spot”– a special location where visitors are charged up with good energy. Enjoy a phenomenal view over Miyajima from the temple. Select the 130-minute tour stop at the Senjokaku Shrine, which was built under the order of the former Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Learn about the temple's history and take in the sea views. Select the 190-minute option and in addition to gorgeous temples and shrines mentioned above, you’ll also travel down special scenic routes which snake through parks and along the seaside. Your tour is customizable and can be modified based on your interest and preferences. You can also choose your own endpoint.

From Osaka or Kyoto: Hiroshima and Miyajima Train & Bus Tour

6. From Osaka or Kyoto: Hiroshima and Miyajima Train & Bus Tour

Head out of Osaka or Kyoto on a day trip to Hiroshima to visit the sobering Atomic Bomb Dome, as well as the uplifting Itsukushima Shrine. Sit back and relax in a bullet train from your starting point, then enjoy the comfort of a tour bus while you visit Hiroshima. Meet your guide and head to your bullet train, also known as shinkansen, to make your way to Hiroshima. Once arrived, hop onto your tour bus to begin your visit of the city's main attractions and world heritage sites. First, make your way to the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. See and feel the weight of the effects of nuclear warfare firsthand, as you look at the derelict dome in front of you. Lunch is Authentic Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki which is topped with pork, cabbage, bean sprout, noodle, and an egg. Next, head back into the bus and make your way to catch the ferry to Miyajima Island. Once there, marvel at one of the most scenic sites in Japan, the Itsukushima Shrine. Stroll on the island, known as the historic site of Shinto, literally translated as "the way of the Gods", taking in the peaceful scenery. End your day by heading back to Osaka or Kyoto by bullet train.

Hiroshima: Full-Day City Highlights Private Guided Tour

7. Hiroshima: Full-Day City Highlights Private Guided Tour

Spend the day with your guide exploring the highlights of the amazing city of Hiroshima. Explore the city's downtown, learn about the events of 1945, and visit the beautiful island of Miyajima. Walk around the Peace Memorial Park which is dedicated to the memories of the direct and indirect victims of the nuclear bomb attack in 1945. Continue to Genbaku Dome, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the only structure left standing in the area where the first atomic bomb exploded. Visit the Peace Memorial Museum where you will see belongings left behind by victims of the nuclear attack, artifacts from the bomb, and read testimonies from survivors. As you explore the museum you will learn about the horrors, inhumane nature, and events of the 1945 attack. Try some local foods like Hiroshima-yaki or oysters for lunch before you finish up your tour of downtown Hiroshima. Board a ferry downtown and head to Miyajima, the Island of the Gods. Marvel at the floating red torii gate in high tide and go inside the Itsukushima shrine built over the sea.

Hiroshima:A-bombed Train & VR Experience

8. Hiroshima:A-bombed Train & VR Experience

Depart from Hiroshima Station on the A-bombed Train No. 653, which has been repainted in its original paint at the time of the bombing. Visit the A-bombed buildings while listening to explanations from tour guides and monitors installed in the car showing photos and videos from the time of the A-bombing at key locations. Take the Hijiyama Line, where the Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot is located, and get off at Atomic Bomb Dome-mae via the heavily damaged center of Hiroshima City. You will walk to the Hiroshima City Peace Memorial Park Rest House, where you will experience the transition from before the atomic bombing to the present in Hiroshima in VR, and learn about the events that occurred in the center of Hiroshima City near the hypocenter. At the end of the tour, participants will be able to output their thoughts on peace, experience the path to recovery more deeply than ever before, and think about the preciousness of peace.

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What people are saying about Hiroshima

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 58 reviews

This tour was amazing! I didn’t have any schedule, what I wanted the most was to experience a real life day at Hiroshima. Nora was very kind and took us to places I would not find out myself. Highly recommend!!!

It was alot of fun. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of bow and arrow, but was also a great coach. He helped us improve our aim so we could hit the target. I highly recommended this experience

Shin was a fantastic guide sharing his personal family stories related to the History of Hiroshima. It was this that will make it an unforgettable experience

This was a great experience! I wasn't expecting to get pictures and videos from when I was shooting but They came out great! Highly recommend this!

Great and moving tour with a fluent, friendly and well-informed guide.