Peace Memorial Park

Remembering the drop of the atomic bomb

Best of Japan

4.4 (2,194)

#1 of 5 most visited in Hiroshima

Cenotaph and A-Bomb Dome as seen from Peace Memorial Museum

Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park (平和記念公園, Heiwa Kinen Kōen) is one of the most prominent features of the city. Even visitors not looking for it will likely stumble upon the large park of over 120,000 square meters. Its trees, lawns, and walking paths are in stark contrast to the surrounding downtown area.

Before the bomb, the area of what is now the Peace Park was the political and commercial heart of the city. For this reason, it was chosen as the pilot's target. Four years to the day after the bomb was dropped, it was decided that the area would not be redeveloped but instead devoted to peace memorial facilities.

The park's main facility is the Peace Memorial Museum. Consisting of two buildings, the museum surveys the history of Hiroshima and the advent of the nuclear bomb. Its main focus though is on the events of August 6: the dropping of the bomb and its outcome in human suffering. The personal details displayed are quite upsetting and serve to remind that we should not take peace for granted.

The A-Bomb Dome, also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, is what remains of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. The building served as a location to promote Hiroshima's industries. When the bomb exploded, it was one of the few buildings to remain standing, and remains so today. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the A-Bomb Dome is a tangible link to Hiroshima's unique past.

Between the Museum and the A-Bomb Dome is the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims. The Cenotaph is an arched tomb for those who died because of the bomb, either because of the initial blast or exposure to radiation. Below the arch is a stone chest holding a register of these names, of which there are over 220,000.

Every year on the anniversary of the bomb, a ceremony is held at the park. Speeches are made, wreathes are laid at the Cenotaph, and a moment of silence is observed at 8:15 am, the precise moment of detonation. Other activities occur throughout the day, and many staff are employed to help foreign visitors.

From Hiroshima Station, take tram line 2 or 6 to the Genbaku-Domu Mae (原爆ドーム前) stop. The ride takes 15 minutes and costs 220 yen one way. Alternatively, the Peace Memorial Park is served by the Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus (Meipuru-pu).

How to get to and around Hiroshima

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Hours

7:30 to 19:00 (until 20:00 in August, until 18:00 from December to February); admission ends 30 minutes before closing; advance reservations are required to visit the museum during the first hour of the day and during the last 90 minutes of the day. No reservations are required at other times of the day. While overseas online ticket sales are handled by Klook, sales within Japan are handled by Asoview.

Closed

December 30 to 31

Admission

200 yen Buy ticket online

Questions? Ask in our forum.

English

Peace Memorial Museum

Official website.

Japanese

Peace Memorial Museum

Official website.

Budget:

- 88 House Hiroshima
  Budget-friendly
  
  Situated next to a rice field, 88 House Hiroshima is a non-smoking accommodation with free WiFi throughout the property. From JR Hiroshima Station, the property is a 25-minute bus ride away. Rooms feature tatami (woven-straw) flooring and traditional futon bedding. You can enjoy a garden view from all the rooms. Toilets and bathrooms are shared, and free toiletries are provided. At Hiroshima 88 House you will find a terrace, barbecue facilities and a shared kitchen. Other facilities offered include a shared lounge and a luggage storage service. Guests can use the kitchen to prepare their own meals. Kaminukushina Shogakko Iriguchi Bus Stop is a 5-minute walk away. Hiroshima Peace Park and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum are both a 20-minute drive from the property.
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- Roku Hostel Hiroshima
  Budget-friendly
  
  Roku Hostel Hiroshima, a property with a garden and a terrace, is set in Hiroshima, 2.5 km from Myoei-ji Temple, 2.6 km from Atomic Bomb Dome, as well as 2.8 km from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The air-conditioned accommodation is 1.7 km from Hiroshima Station. The accommodation offers a shared kitchen and luggage storage space for guests. With a shared bathroom, units at the guest house also have free WiFi. There is a coffee shop and bar. Chosho-in Temple is 2.9 km from the guest house, while Hiroshima Danbara Shopping Centre is 3.2 km from the property. The nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 46 km from Roku Hostel Hiroshima.
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- GRAND BASE Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
  Luxury
  
  Located in the centre of Hiroshima, 600 metres from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and 700 metres from Atomic Bomb Dome, GRAND BASE Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park offers free WiFi and air conditioning. It is set 2.7 km from Myoei-ji Temple and provides a lift. The aparthotel features family rooms and facilities for disabled guests. Each unit is equipped with a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave, a seating area, a flat-screen TV, a washing machine, and a private bathroom with bidet and slippers. A fridge, a stovetop and kitchenware are also provided, as well as a kettle. The units are equipped with heating facilities. Chosho-in Temple is 3.1 km from the aparthotel, while Hiroshima Danbara Shopping Centre is 3.3 km away. The nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 44 km from GRAND BASE Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
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- HOTEL PROMOTE HIROSHIMA
  Luxury
  
  Located within 1.1 km of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and 1.1 km of Atomic Bomb Dome, HOTEL PROMOTE HIROSHIMA provides rooms with air conditioning and a private bathroom in Hiroshima. This 4-star hotel offers luggage storage space. The hotel features a hot tub, a 24-hour front desk and free WiFi throughout the property. At the hotel, each room comes with a desk, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, bed linen and towels. Guest rooms will provide guests with a fridge. Myoei-ji Temple is 2.9 km from HOTEL PROMOTE HIROSHIMA, while Chosho-in Temple is 3.3 km away. The nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 43 km from the accommodation.
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- HOTEL CLA-SS HIROSHIMA-TOKAICHI
  Luxury
  
  Situated in the Hiroshima City Centre district in Hiroshima, HOTEL CLA-SS HIROSHIMA-TOKAICHI offers 4-star rooms with free WiFi. The property is set 1.4 km from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, 3 km from Myoei-ji Temple and 3.2 km from Hiroshima Station. The property is less than 1 km from Atomic Bomb Dome, and within 1.2 km of the city centre. The units in the hotel are equipped with a kettle. Complete with a private bathroom fitted with a bidet and free toiletries, the rooms at HOTEL CLA-SS HIROSHIMA-TOKAICHI have a flat-screen TV and air conditioning, and some rooms include a balcony. At the accommodation rooms are equipped with bed linen and towels. Chosho-in Temple is 3.4 km from HOTEL CLA-SS HIROSHIMA-TOKAICHI, while Hiroshima Danbara Shopping Centre is 3.7 km from the property. The nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 44 km from the hotel.
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- NAGI Hiroshima Hotel and Lounge
  Mid-range
  
  Ideally set in the Hiroshima City Centre district of Hiroshima, NAGI Hiroshima Hotel and Lounge is set less than 1 km from Chosho-in Temple, a 6-minute walk from Hiroshima Station and 1.3 km from Hiroshima Danbara Shopping Centre. With a shared lounge, the 3-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a private bathroom. The property is 1.3 km from the city centre and 600 metres from Myoei-ji Temple. All guest rooms in the hotel are fitted with a kettle. Every room includes a desk and a flat-screen TV, and some units at NAGI Hiroshima Hotel and Lounge have a balcony. At the accommodation the rooms come with bed linen and towels. Popular points of interest near NAGI Hiroshima Hotel and Lounge include Kat? Tomosabur? Bronze Statue, Hiroshima University Institute of Medical History and Hiroshima City Minami Ward Community Cultural Center. The nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 46 km from the hotel.
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- fav HIROSHIMA HEIWAODORI
  Luxury
  
  Well located in Hiroshima, fav HIROSHIMA HEIWAODORI provides air-conditioned rooms, a shared lounge, free WiFi and a restaurant. The property is close to Hiroshima Danbara Shopping Centre, Atomic Bomb Dome and Hiroshima Station. The property is non-smoking and is located 600 metres from Myoei-ji Temple. At the hotel, each room has a desk, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, bed linen and towels. Guest rooms will provide guests with a fridge. Popular points of interest near fav HIROSHIMA HEIWAODORI include Chosho-in Temple, Kat? Tomosabur? Bronze Statue and Hiroshima City Minami Ward Community Cultural Center. The nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 46 km from the accommodation.
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- Hilton Hiroshima
  Luxury
  
  Hilton Hiroshima features air-conditioned rooms with cable flat-screen TV in the Hiroshima City Centre district of Hiroshima. Providing a restaurant, the property also has a bar, as well as an indoor pool and a sauna. The accommodation provides a 24-hour front desk, a concierge service and currency exchange for guests. At the hotel, every room comes with a desk. Selected rooms include a kitchenette with a fridge, a microwave and a minibar. All units include a safety deposit box. A buffet breakfast is available daily at Hilton Hiroshima. Popular points of interest near the accommodation include Myoei-ji Temple, Hiroshima City Minami Ward Community Cultural Center and Chosho-in Temple. Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport is 45 km away.
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- Randor Hotel Hiroshima Prestige
  Luxury
  
  Attractively set in the Hiroshima City Centre district of Hiroshima, Randor Hotel Hiroshima Prestige is situated 1 km from Chosho-in Temple, 500 metres from Hiroshima Station and 1.2 km from Hiroshima Danbara Shopping Centre. Featuring a terrace, the 4-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a private bathroom. The property is 1.5 km from the city centre and 700 metres from Myoei-ji Temple. Rooms come with a kettle, while certain rooms are equipped with a balcony and others also boast city views. The rooms in the hotel are fitted with a flat-screen TV and a hairdryer. Popular points of interest near Randor Hotel Hiroshima Prestige include Kat? Tomosabur? Bronze Statue, Hiroshima University Institute of Medical History and Hiroshima City Minami Ward Community Cultural Center. The nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 46 km from the accommodation.
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- Hiroshima no Yado Aioi
  Mid-range
  
  Conveniently situated in Hiroshima, Hiroshima no Yado Aioi provides an Asian breakfast and free WiFi. This 3-star ryokan offers a 24-hour front desk and a lift. The ryokan features family rooms as well as facilities for disabled guests. The ryokan will provide guests with air-conditioned units with a tatami, a kettle, a fridge, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a bidet. At the ryokan, all units are soundproof. The units are equipped with heating facilities. Popular points of interest near the ryokan include Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Myoei-ji Temple. The nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 45 km from Hiroshima no Yado Aioi.
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