Is Hiroshima Worth Visiting?

Hiroshima is known around the world for its tragic history.

Wondering if Hiroshima is worth visiting? If you have limited time in Japan, you may wonder if Hiroshima is worth visiting.

Is it worth your time? Is it worth the trip? Or should you focus on more popular cities instead?

In this guide, we’ll help you decide why Hiroshima should be (or shouldn’t be) on your Japan itinerary.

We’ll discuss the pros and cons of visiting Hiroshima so that you can see if it’s the right destination for you.

The Pros Of Visiting Hiroshima: Reasons To Visit

There are many reasons why people love visiting Hiroshima. Let’s talk about the main reasons why you may want to visit Hiroshima.

It’s A Great Spot To Learn About Japan’s History

One of the best parts about visiting Hiroshima is that it’s a great place to learn and understand Japan’s history.

You can visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which is filled with memorials of the atomic bombing. It’s an important part of history and a place that should be visited and respected.

While you’re there, you can visit the museum. Audioguides are available. Alternatively, you can read the signs to learn more.

It’s A Good Place For Day Trips

Hiroshima is a great place to use as a base for day trips around the area. From Hiroshima, you can easily visit Miyajima Island, which is just a short trip away and full of beautiful sights.

While you can use it as a base to explore the areas that are less touristy, it’s also very accessible from main cities like Osaka or Kyoto.

In fact, you could visit Hiroshima from there easily.

It’s Easy To Get To Hiroshima

You can get to Hiroshima from Kyoto and Osaka by train.

This makes Hiroshima a great destination for those who want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities but not go too far away.

You can take a direct train from the main cities, but they can get booked out very quickly, so we suggest you book it in advance. With the JRpass, it’s quite easy.

The Cons Of Visiting Hiroshima: Reasons To Skip It

Now that we’ve looked at the pros of visiting Hiroshima, let’s take a look at the cons.

Here are some reasons why you might want to skip Hiroshima and visit another destination instead.

There’s Not Much To Do

Hiroshima is known for its history and tragedy. Once you have visited the Memorial Park and the museum, you may wonder what else you can do.

While you might have the time to make a trip to the nearby areas, you might just want to focus on the main cities if you have limited time in Japan.

Many travelers prefer to visit Hiroshima as part of a day trip so they can have more time in places like Kyoto, Osaka, or Tokyo.

If you decide to stay in the area, we suggest you stay for one or two nights. This way, you’ll have plenty of time to visit the museum and Memorial Park.

It’s A Touristy Spot

One of the downsides of Hiroshima is that it’s a very touristy spot. The town is popular with foreign and Japanese tourists, so you’ll find many crowds here.

However, there’s enough space in the museum and the park for you to learn about Hiroshima’s tragic history.

You could avoid the crowd by traveling in spring, winter, or autumn instead.

The Final Verdict: So Is Hiroshima Worth Visiting?

Is Hiroshima worth visiting? The answer is: it depends.

If you’re looking for a chance to experience to learn about Japan’s history, then Hiroshima is definitely worth visiting.

However, if you’re on a tight schedule, other places in Japan might be better suited for you.

Ultimately, whether or not to visit Hiroshima depends on your preferences. But if you do decide to go, make sure to stay for one or two days to have enough time to visit the museum and Memorial Park.

We personally stayed two nights in the area, and Hiroshima was one of the highlights of our trip to Japan.

Traveling to Japan soon? Read one of the following guides:

• Is Hiroshima worth visiting
• How many days in Tokyo
• How many days in Kyoto