Hiroshima Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

When the first atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima, Japan, on 6 August 1945, the city became an immediate symbol for the horrors of war. Today, it has several moving reminders of that day of utter devastation.

In the years since the war, Hiroshima has been rebuilt into a fairly typical industrial city (Mazda has a huge factory there). The city is located 175 mi/280 km west of Osaka.

History

Potpourri

Buildings are numbered according to when they were built, not their location on a street. To find a business or home, you may need to do as the locals do: Take the address to the neighborhood police box (or koban)—they're everywhere. You may find maps posted around, but they're of little help unless you read Japanese.

The so-called "eternal flame" that burns in Hiroshima is not actually intended to be eternal. It will be extinguished when the last nuclear weapon is destroyed.

Should you have problems making your English understood by people who claim to speak the language (or difficulty understanding someone speaking it), try writing out your messages. Many Japanese understand written English better than the spoken version.

Location

Cruise ships dock at Ujina Pier, which is located about 2 mi/3 km from the city center. The port is quite industrial, and there are few amenities for cruise-ship passengers. Hiroshima has an excellent tram system, but the nearest stop, Kaigandori, is a 10- to 15-minute walk from the port, through an uninteresting area.

If there are taxis available, take one to the city center and then utilize the trams. When taking the tram, enter from the back and pay at the front when you exit.

Shore Excursions

Most people choose to visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. The outdoor park is leafy and has many touching memorials, while the museum offers a realistic view of the grim destruction that resulted from the bomb.

A visit to Miyashima Island to see the Itsukushima Shrine is also a popular shore excursion. To reach the island, take a 20-minute ferry from Ujina port.