Orientation in Hiroshima

Area Characteristics

This is an area where 2 World Heritage sites can be found: Miyajima which has a bright red torii gate standing in the ocean, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial which has remained in its original state after the atomic bomb dropped on the city. The prefecture is divided into 4 areas: Aki which has the city of Hiroshima and Miyajima, Geihoku with its untouched countryside, Bihoku with the Chugoku Mountains, and Bingo with its nostalgic townscapes. Along with the war memories that are still relayed to the present, the prefecture is also attractive for its ample natural scenery.

Major Sites

On Miyajima Island in the Aki district, there is the symbolic Itsukushima Shrine along with Mt. Misen and Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street. Many tourists also visit places such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in the city of Hiroshima. There are many tourist destinations in other areas which make use of the varying topography: in the Geihoku district, there is Sandan Gorge and Kagura Monzen Touji Village, Bihoku district has Bihoku Hillside Park, the Kiri-no-Umi Observation Point, and Taishaku Gorge, and the Bingo district has Tomonoura, Onomichi and the Shimanami Expressway.

Food

The representative dish of Hiroshima is okonomiyaki while the specialty of Miyajima is oysters. Fresh soba is famous in Geihoku, Wani cuisine using shark and Hiroshima beef are symbolic of Bihoku, while Bingo is recommended for nationally famous Onomichi ramen and octopus dishes.

Transportation

Reaching Hiroshima by Shinkansen (Bullet Train) from Tokyo is the most popular way. It takes 4 hours by Tokaido Shinkansen to reach Hiroshima. Visitors can walk around within the city of Hiroshima easily enough but using the trams is also encouraged. The ideal way to get around the prefecture depends on the tourist spot and area so you can take the ferry to Miyajima and rental bicycles to go on the Shimanami Expressway but it’s somewhat difficult to navigate within the city of Onomichi by car, so it’s worth it to check before your arrival.

Accommodations

There are hotels in the tourist areas of Hiroshima, Miyajima, Onomichi, etc. There are also many accommodation facilities which place priority on the scenery such as hotels and ryokan where you can a fine view of the ocean and gardens.