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What to see in Hiroshima in 3 days: day-by-day itinerary

  • 3 days
  • 10 stops
  • 6 audio guides along the way
  • Planned for May 25 – 27
Travel view of Hiroshima
Photo by JordyMeowWikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0

Quick answer. Day 1: arrival at Hiroshima Station and a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki dinner at Mitchan Sohonten in Hatchobori. Day 2: the train and ferry to Miyajima for Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii, the walk up to Daisho-in and the lanes by the pier. Day 3: the Peace Memorial Museum and Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and Aioi Bridge, the Hiroshima Castle grounds, an okonomiyaki lunch and the Shukkei-en garden.

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What you will see each day

A short version of every day. Stops with a Mappu audio guide link straight to it, so you can listen on site or before you go.

Walking times are estimates: the walking route between stops, from OpenStreetMap, at 4.5 km/h. A stop with no walking time is right next to the one before or a ride away; the full itinerary below has the details.

  1. Day 1 · Arrival and a First Evening on the Hiroshima Streetcar

    Arrival at JR Hiroshima Station, check-in downtown and a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki dinner at Mitchan Sohonten in Hatchobori.

    • JR Hiroshima Station, Hiroshima

    • ≈ 16 min on foot · 1.2 km

      Okonomiyaki Mitchan Sohonten Hatchobori Honten, Hiroshima Food stop

    On foot today: ≈ 16 min · 1.2 km

  2. Day 2 · A Day on Miyajima: Itsukushima Shrine and Daisho-in

    Train and ferry to Miyajima, Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii, Daisho-in temple and an afternoon in the lanes by the pier.

    On foot today: ≈ 26 min · 2.0 km

  3. Day 3 · Peace Park, the Dome, Castle and Garden, then Departure

    The Peace Memorial Museum and Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and Aioi Bridge, Hiroshima Castle, okonomiyaki lunch, Shukkei-en and departure.

    On foot today: ≈ 61 min · 4.6 km

    Self-guided walk for this day

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The full itinerary, with the map and travel notes

Every stop with its notes, the route on the map, and tips on transport, budget and packing.

Hiroshima 3-Day Itinerary
Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima, the Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Castle and Shukkei-en

Planned with Mappu

Hiroshima: Memory, Gardens and the Floating Shrine

🚊

Mixed transport

May 25 | Tue

Arrival and a First Evening on the Hiroshima Streetcar
Arrival at Hiroshima Station and Hotel Check-In
JR Hiroshima Station, HiroshimaGoogle Maps
Your Hiroshima story begins at JR Hiroshima Station, the city's main rail hub, where the Hiroden streetcar network also runs its lines. Once you arrive and settle into your hotel in the central area, drop your bags and shake off the journey. Check-in timing is flexible on this first day, so arrive whenever your own travel allows and let the city come to you. Nothing today needs to be rushed. Late May in Hiroshima is usually mild and pleasant, though showers become more likely as the rainy season approaches, so keep a light layer and a compact umbrella in your day bag. The city is flat and easy to read, which makes it an ideal first orientation. If you have energy before dinner, take a short stroll toward the city centre to feel the geography of the river delta on which Hiroshima is built, with its rivers fanning out toward the Inland Sea. That sense of water and openness will make the quiet moments at the memorial sites on Day 3 land even more deeply. Take your time, freshen up, and prepare for an evening that is as delicious as it is memorable.

Notes

Check the hotel's check-in time directly. Streetcar maps, schedules and fares are on the Hiroden site.

Suggested restaurant

Okonomiyaki Mitchan Sohonten Hatchobori Honten, HiroshimaGoogle Maps

Okonomiyaki, Hiroshima style

$

Hatchobori is the home of the Mitchan Sohonten main shop. Order the Hiroshima style: layers of batter, cabbage, noodles and egg built on the hot iron griddle and finished with sauce, eaten straight from the teppan with a small spatula. The griddle's heat and sizzle are half the show, and it is a perfect first dinner for your okonomiyaki quest. The shop also has a teppanyaki menu, including grilled oysters. Go a little early or late to dodge peak queues.
Hiroden streetcars are the easiest way around central Hiroshima, and Hatchobori is a major interchange stop, the same one where you change for the Shukkei-en line. The company's website has a route map, schedules and fare information, so look them over tonight. Wear comfortable shoes, as the next two days involve lots of walking.

May 26 | Wed

A Day on Miyajima: Itsukushima Shrine and Daisho-in
Ferry Crossing from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima
Miyajimaguchi Ferry Terminal, HatsukaichiGoogle Maps
08:30
60

minutes

Today is your full island day, kept separate from the Peace Park day. From Hiroshima Station, the JR Sanyo Line runs to Miyajimaguchi Station in about 30 minutes, so leave your hotel a little earlier than the 08:30 start to allow for the trip to the station. The JR West Miyajima Ferry terminal is a short walk from the station, which keeps the transfer easy. The crossing to Miyajima Pier takes about 10 minutes. Both operators charge the same fare and take the same crossing time, so choose whichever dock is more convenient. The JR West ferry offers a Great Torii view from the sea, a lovely romantic moment as the gate comes into sight. Start early so that the shrine and temple do not feel hurried, and check the timetable before you go. Late May is usually comfortable for walking, though showers are possible, so carry a light rain layer for the island paths.

Notes

Both ferry companies charge the same fare, so choose by convenience. Check the timetable before you go.
Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii

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Itsukushima Shrine, MiyajimaGoogle Maps
09:45
90

minutes

Itsukushima Shrine is the island's heart and the answer to your island-shrine dream, a vermilion complex built over the shore so that it seems to float at high tide. The shrine itself can be walked through in around 30 minutes, though with photos and fortune slips you will want longer. Walk slowly, notice the corridors on stilts, and take a moment together by the water. The tide turns roughly every six hours, so a half day on the island lets you see both the flooded and the exposed versions of the scene. At low tide the sand around the Great Torii opens up; at high tide the gate stands in the sea. Check tide times before you go so you can plan your photographs around the water. Arrive before the day-trip crowds thicken for a calmer atmosphere. Early in the day the corridors are quieter, and the light over the bay is soft, which suits a couple who want to linger rather than hurry.

Notes

Check the official site for shrine hours and admission. Check tide times before you go.
Daisho-in Temple Walk

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Daisho-in, MiyajimaGoogle Maps
11:45
75

minutes

From the shrine exit, Daisho-in is about a 15-minute walk up a slope or steps. It is one of the main temples of the Omuro school of Shingon Buddhism, and it is said to have been founded in 806 by Kukai, who trained on Mount Misen. After the sea-level spectacle of the shrine, the temple feels like a hillside retreat, quieter and more contemplative. Take your time among its halls and stairways and let the hush settle. It is a lovely contrast for a couple: the shrine is the island's face, and the temple is its inner voice. The climb is gentle but steady, so pause where you like and look back over the rooftops toward the water. Comfortable shoes are essential for the climb, and it is worth carrying water on a warm late-May afternoon. Check the temple's official information for hours before you set out.

Notes

Check the temple's official information for hours.
Strolling the Lanes Near Miyajima Pier
Miyajima Pier, HatsukaichiGoogle Maps
13:30
150

minutes

With the main sights done, spend the afternoon at your own pace along the island's lanes near the pier, grazing on street snacks and browsing small shops. A full island visit with the temple, the ropeway viewpoint and street food takes about six hours, or about eight if you climb Mount Misen or watch a full tide cycle. Let the late afternoon light soften over the water. If you want a second look at the Great Torii, this is the time for it, and the calmer hour after the day-trip crowds have thinned is ideal for photographs. Keep your pace relaxed and let the island set the rhythm. Take the ferry back when you are ready, and check the timetable before you go. Allow a little slack at the end of the afternoon so the return crossing does not feel rushed.

Notes

Mount Misen is optional; allow extra time if you add it. Check the timetable before you go.
Both ferry operators charge the same fare and have the same crossing time, so use whichever dock suits you. If you travel by streetcar to Miyajimaguchi, the Matsudai ferry terminal is about a one-minute walk from the Hiroden Miyajimaguchi stop. Tides turn roughly every six hours, so a long visit shows both faces of the Great Torii.

May 27 | Thu

Peace Park, the Dome, Castle and Garden, then Departure
Peace Memorial Museum and Peace Memorial Park

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Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, HiroshimaGoogle Maps
08:30
150

minutes

Begin your final morning at the Peace Memorial Park and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the emotional core of the city. The museum offers free staff-led explanations of its exhibits and of the park's memorials, and audio guides explain individual artefacts. The Japanese audio guide includes narration by the actress Sayuri Yoshinaga, which many visitors find deeply moving. Take it slowly, and give yourselves quiet time afterwards to walk the park. Come on foot or by streetcar. Let the monuments and the open lawns set the pace, and allow time to sit together in stillness before moving on. Wear comfortable shoes and keep a light layer for an overcast late-May morning. Check the museum's official site for opening hours and admission before you go.

Notes

Check the museum's official site for opening hours and admission.
Atomic Bomb Dome and Aioi Bridge

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Atomic Bomb Dome, HiroshimaGoogle Maps
11:15
45

minutes

Walk to the Atomic Bomb Dome and the nearby Aioi Bridge, among the city's most powerful sights. The skeletal dome stands as a witness to what happened, and the T-shaped bridge beside it is a landmark of the same story. Approach slowly and let the scale of the ruin sink in before you take any photographs. Spend a few quiet minutes here together, perhaps at the riverside, where the surrounding rivers make a calm place to reflect. Many visitors find that the stillness of the water helps them process what they have seen in the museum that morning, so there is no need to rush this part of the walk. This is an exterior visit, and the area is open to walk around. Plan a few extra minutes for the crossings and the walk between sites, and allow the morning's emotional weight to settle before the day lightens with garden and castle.

Notes

Exterior viewing; the area is open to walk around.
Hiroshima Castle Grounds

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Hiroshima Castle, HiroshimaGoogle Maps
12:15
75

minutes

After the memorial sites, head to Hiroshima Castle for a gentler chapter of the city's history. The moat, the stone walls and the green surroundings offer a different mood from the morning's solemn sites, which suits your interest in castles and gardens. Take a slow loop of the grounds and let the contrast settle; the shift from memory to a place of quiet stonework is part of the day's rhythm. Walk at an easy pace along the walls and around the moat, and pause where the views open out over the grounds. The walk is unhurried, so it works well for a couple who want to keep the day moderate. Notice how the stone and the greenery frame each other as you go. Check the castle's official site to see what is open inside before you go. Afterwards, plan lunch in the Hatchobori area, which is close enough to walk toward the streetcar for the garden.

Notes

Check the official site for opening hours and admission.

Suggested restaurant

Okonomiyaki Mitchan Sohonten Hatchobori Honten, HiroshimaGoogle Maps

Okonomiyaki

$

Return to the Hatchobori main shop of Okonomiyaki Mitchan Sohonten for one more round of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, if you loved the first, or try a different griddle order such as grilled oysters from its teppanyaki menu. Hatchobori is also the streetcar interchange for Shukkei-en, so it fits the route perfectly.
Shukkei-en Garden Stroll

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Shukkei-en, HiroshimaGoogle Maps
15:00
75

minutes

Close your trip at Shukkei-en, an Edo-period daimyo garden that was restored after atomic bomb damage, with a pond, arched bridges and carefully shaped views. From lunch in Hatchobori, take the Hakushima line streetcar to Shukkeien-mae, right by the garden. Late May's green is rich and calming, and the garden is a gentle way to end your time in the city. Check the garden's official site for opening hours and admission before you go; tea-house service and group tours may need separate booking. Walk the loop slowly together, pausing at the bridges and the water's edge. Let the stroll be the calm finish to the trip before you make your way back to the station.

Notes

Check the garden's official site for opening hours and admission.
Departure from Hiroshima Station
JR Hiroshima Station, HiroshimaGoogle Maps
When you are ready, collect your luggage and make your way back to JR Hiroshima Station for your onward journey, by streetcar from the garden area via Hatchobori or by another route you prefer. Leave a generous margin for luggage and station navigation, and adjust the end of your garden stroll to fit your own departure plan. Take a last look at the river city you have walked through over these three days. The memorial park, the island shrine, the castle and the garden will stay with you, along with the taste of the griddle and the quiet of the water. Check your own departure timing and the station timetable before you go, and allow extra time if you are carrying luggage through the streetcar stops.

Notes

Check your own departure timing and the station timetable before you go.

Wishing you an absolutely incredible adventure!

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Nov 2, 2026
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Nov 2, 2026
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Common questions

Is 3 days enough for Hiroshima?

Yes, for the essentials: a full day on Miyajima and a full day for the Peace Memorial Museum and Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Castle and Shukkei-en, kept on separate days so neither feels rushed. Leave the Mount Misen summit, Iwakuni and Onomichi for a longer stay.

How do you get from Hiroshima to Miyajima?

Take the JR Sanyo Line from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi, about 25–30 minutes, then the ferry to Miyajima Pier, about 10 minutes. Hiroden streetcar line 2 also runs from downtown to Miyajimaguchi, slower but scenic. Two operators run the crossing: the JR ferry gives a view of the Great Torii from the sea and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Check the ferry timetable and the tide times before you go.

Where to stay in Hiroshima for 3 days?

Downtown in Kamiyacho–Hatchobori: the Peace Park and the castle are walkable, most streetcar lines meet at Kamiyacho, line 2 continues to the Miyajima ferry, and Hatchobori has the okonomiyaki, shops and evening life. The Hiroshima Station area suits early Shinkansen departures; Motomachi and Otemachi are quieter, near the castle and the Peace Park.

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