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Hiroshima 🏯 Castle 📷 10

Hiroshima Castle

広島城

A samurai-era stronghold with stone walls, moats and a view from the keep.

See the photos How to get there Open in Maps
Best season Late March–April (cherry blossom) and November (autumn colour)
Time needed 1–2 hours
Admission Grounds free; keep roughly ¥300–1,000 (≈ $2–6)
Opening hours Typically 9:00–17:00 (extended in summer)

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.

What this place is

Hiroshima Castle (広島城, Hiroshima-jō), sometimes called Carp Castle (鯉城, Rijō), is a castle in Hiroshima, Japan that was the residence of the daimyō (feudal lord) of the Hiroshima Domain. The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s, but much of it was dismantled in the Meiji era, and what remained was largely destroyed by the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945. The main keep was rebuilt in 1958, a replica of the original that now serves as a museum of Hiroshima's history before the Second World War, and other castle buildings have been reconstructed since.

Hiroshima Castle (広島城) is one of the standout places to visit in Hiroshima. Give yourself unhurried time for photos, seasonal views, and nearby food stops. IC cards such as Suica, Pasmo, or ICOCA cover most trains and city buses.

Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Why it is worth the trip

  • Massive dry-stone walls and moats built without mortar — the engineering is as impressive as the tower above it.
  • A main keep (tenshu) you can climb, with each floor showing armour, weapons and castle-town models.
  • Grounds that double as the town's best park: cherry blossoms in spring, maples in autumn, illumination at night.

What you can do here

  • Climb to the top floor for a 360° view over the castle town and surrounding mountains.
  • Walk the full circuit of the moat and outer baileys — the gates and turrets are free to see from outside.
  • Rent a kimono or samurai costume nearby for photos in front of the keep.
  • Time your visit with a seasonal festival or evening light-up, when the walls are lit from below.

Getting there by public transport

  1. Tram + walk north of Peace Park.
  2. Nearest station/stop: Kamiya-cho / tram.

Route on Google Maps

Good to know before you go

  • Keep interiors have steep wooden stairs and a shoes-off rule — wear socks and easy-to-remove shoes.
  • Last admission is usually 30 minutes before closing; arrive early on weekends.
  • The park around the castle is normally free even when the keep charges admission.

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