Four hours, a garden from 1620 and the ground where the city ended and began again.
Area
Hiroshima
Duration
4 hours
Language
English
Booking
Instant confirmation
From
¥8,000 per person
approx. US$51
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmation
Overview
A four-hour guided walking tour of Hiroshima in English. It begins at Shukkei-en, a garden laid out in 1620, then continues through the Peace Memorial Park to the Atomic Bomb Dome and the National Peace Memorial Hall, finishing outside the museum so you can take it at your own pace.
Highlights
Shukkei-en, laid out in 1620, with admission included
The Atomic Bomb Dome, listed by UNESCO
The Peace Memorial Park and its principal memorials
The National Peace Memorial Hall, and the individual accounts held there
An orientation before you enter the museum alone
Experience
Starting in the garden
The tour opens at Shukkei-en rather than at the park, and the order matters. The garden dates from 1620 and gives your guide the ground to explain what Hiroshima was — a castle town, a port, a city with three centuries of history — before explaining what happened to it. Admission is included.
The park and the Dome
The building now called the Atomic Bomb Dome was the prefectural industrial promotion hall, and it stood almost directly beneath the detonation, which is why the frame survived when everything around it did not. It was kept, after long debate, exactly as it was left. Your guide walks you through the park and the memorials, including the one to the children.
The Memorial Hall
The National Peace Memorial Hall holds the names, photographs and written accounts of those who died. It is quiet, underground and organised around individuals rather than numbers. It is the quietest part of the tour, and the one that deals in individuals rather than numbers.
The museum, alone
The tour ends outside the Peace Memorial Museum. Your guide gives you the orientation — what is in which section, what to expect — and then leaves you to go through it at your own pace. There is no right length of time for that, and it should not be spent on a schedule.
Itinerary
Hiroshima Station
Meet your guide at the station.
Shukkei-en
The garden, and the city before 1945.
Peace Memorial Park
The Atomic Bomb Dome and the memorials.
National Peace Memorial Hall
Individual accounts from 1945.
Peace Memorial Museum
An orientation, then the museum at your own pace.
Meeting point
Hiroshima Station, Minami Ward. Your guide will contact you on WhatsApp beforehand.
Includes
Local English-speaking guide
Admission fee to Shukkeien Garden
Guided cultural and historical explanation
Food and drinks
Transportation fees
Private transportation
Personal expenses
Gallery
Important Information
The subject matter is difficult in places. Tell your guide if you would rather approach any part of it at a distance.
This is a walking tour of around four hours. Comfortable shoes are needed.
Bring cash. Museum admission and anything you buy are paid on the day.
Your guide will contact you through WhatsApp before the tour, so please install it in advance.
Reviews
4.8/ 5
Based on 11 reviews
FAQ
What is included in the price?
Your English-speaking guide for the four hours and admission to Shukkei-en. Museum admission, transport and food are paid on the day.
Does the tour go inside the Peace Memorial Museum?
It finishes outside it. Your guide orients you first, then you go through at your own pace, which is the better way to do it.
Is this a private tour?
No, it is a small group tour. Book the private Hiroshima and Miyajima tour if you want the day built around you.
Is it suitable for children?
Parts of the subject are hard. Tell us the ages when you book and your guide will judge how to handle it.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. Bookings are confirmed instantly.