Hiroshima guide, my three days in the city of the atomic bomb

Hiroshima City

Japan is one of the best East Asian destinations to visit. Modernity, security, excellent means of transport, nice and friendly people, great kindness and wonderful landscapes, it is a succinct summary of what this great country is.

The truth is that one cannot visit Japan without going through Hiroshima. Don't let the distance between Tokyo and Hiroshima discourage you. Not every day one can visit the the world's first "atomized" city. The Peace Memorial Museum (atomic bomb museum) is the museum to visit, but walking through the streets of this modern city today is something that connects us with one of the most tragic chapters of the XNUMXth century.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima

It is the most important city in the Chugoku region and the first impression is that of a large, low, quiet city with few inhabitants. Still it is inhabited by a million people and it is the place where On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb. Since then he has gained a sad fame and his name, hardly known before that day, is in all the history books today.

Bridges of Hiroshima

The first thing one notices when walking through Hiroshima is the number of bridges it has for there are rivers everywhere. In reality, the river is only one, the Ota river, but it has seven arms and then these arms cut the city into several islands that rest on its delta. You do not notice the islands, but you do notice the bridges because you spend it crossing them.

The Ota River empties into and onto the Seto Inland Sea the city was founded in 1589. It changed feudal hands a couple of times and officially became a city at the end of the XNUMXth century when, within Japanese history, feudalism ended and the emperor (and after him the army) prevailed again. It has always been a port city but since the boom of the Japanese auto industry here is the Mazda factory.

How to get around Hiroshima

Tramways in Hiroshima

Japanese transport is very efficient and in the case of Hiroshima it consists of trams and buses. As it is in a delta, the construction of a subway line was too expensive so it was not done. The trams are known by the name of hiroden and there are a total of seven lines that converge at Hiroshima Station. At this station the Shinkanesen (the bullet train) and regional trains.

Really it is very easy to get around Hiroshima. I walked everywhere and it is the advice that I give: if you like to walk, then walk. The layout of Hiroshima is simple, the city is flat and is crossed by well-laid avenues and streets. You just need a map. Between the center of Hiroshima, where the restaurants and bars are concentrated and you find the hostels, and the central train station there is a journey of no more than 20 minutes on foot, for example.

Hiroshima Station

As you can walk at night without fear for your safety, I would not doubt it. Afterwards, if you want to take the tram out of curiosity or haste, that's fine. I stayed 600 meters from Hiroshima Station and I had no problems going to and from the museum, the park, the center. Keep that in mind.

What to visit in Hiroshima

Peace Memorial Museum

I think three days is enough to get to know the city. One day you have it to go around the city, visit the Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Memorial Park, and the other two do the excursions. The ideal is to go to the right museum, learn about the history and then walk through the park, take photos, eat by the river. Spending half a day there is recommended because the museum gives a lot to think about.

  • Hours of the Peace Memorial Museum: open from 8:30 am to 6:8 pm (in August it is until 7 pm and until 5 pm between December and February) Closed from December 29 to January 1.
  • Price: 200 yen.
  • How to get there: from Hiroshima Station, take tram line 2 to Genbaku-Domu Mae station. It's only 15 minutes and costs 160 yen. Walking you arrive in half an hour.

Atomic Bomb Museum

The park contains different monuments: there is the Bell of peace, you can make it sound asking precisely for peace in the world, there is the Cenotaph of the Atomic Bomb Victims, an arched tomb that records the names of the dead, about 220 thousand, the Atomic Bomb Dome, the only building that was partially standing and which is the most classic postcard of the park and the Sadako statue, a girl who died a decade after the bomb sick from radiation.

Atomic Bomb Dome

Around the statue of Sadako, whose history you know in the museum, there are some booths that keep hundreds of paper cranes made by the children of Japanese schools. When Sadako was hospitalized, she made cranes, one after another, trying to escape death, so when she died it was the Japanese schoolchildren who continued her work.

The center of Hiroshima has as its main artery the Hondori street, a covered pedestrian street with shops and restaurants. It is not far from Parque de la Paz and parallel to it runs Aioidori street where trams and cars circulate and there are shopping centers. And many of these restaurants serve the culinary specialty of the city: okonomiyaki. Do not stop trying it, please, it is delicious.

Hiroshima night

You can also visit the Hiroshima castle, or see it from the outside. It is surrounded by an imposing moat and at night it is illuminated great. And if you like cars, then the Mazda Museum it's open too.

Excursions from Hiroshima

Miyajima

There are basically three walks you can do, although the bulk of tourism does only one. Knowing the Miyajima World Heritage is essential. Miyajima is a small island that is one hour from the city of Hiroshima and is famous for its temples and its huge tori that seems, at times, to float on water.

Ferry to Miyajima

You arrive by ferry. You take the train from Hiroshima station to the ferry station and from there you cross in a few minutes to Itsukushima, the official name of the island. There are several temples, the most famous is the one that seems to go into the sea and that seems to float when the tide rises. It's the one right in front of the tori. There is also a town with charming streets where there are restaurants, cafes and shops that sell various souvenirs.

Mount Misen

My advice is that you do not stop taking the cableway to go to the top of Mount Misen. I went to this island twice and the first time I missed it. I didn't make that mistake the second time around and it's great for the wonderful views it provides of the Seto Inland Sea. It is 500 meters high and if the day is clear you can even see Hiroshima. Once at the top you can stay there or walk another half hour up the mountain to the Shishi-iwa Observatory. The cableway runs between 9 am and 5 pm and costs 1.899 yen round trip. It's not cheap, but it has to be done.

Iwakuni Bridge

On the other hand, my other recommended walk is Iwakuni, a neighboring town to Hiroshima which is famous for having a beautiful bridge. Its about Kintai-kyo Bridge. Add a visit to Iwakuni Castle and Kikko Park. To go all over it, the best thing to do is buy the special combined ticket that costs 960 yen (visit the castle, the bridge and go up the cableway that takes you to the castle located 200 meters above.

And finally, if you have time and desire, you can visit Onomichi, a port town, with hills and temples. If you have time to spare, if you are short, then with Miyajima and Iwakuni it is enough. If you follow this plan you will have visited the best of Hiroshima.


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