The interesting activities to do in Hiroshima

Hiroshima, although most known worldwide as a tragic event that happened during World War II, it is a city that has a lot to offer for those visiting Japan. Hiroshima has become a place that commemorates those that have died in the World War and a place that takes great importance in valuing peace. Because of this we can find many museums, statues, and commemorative places dedicated to peace in Hiroshima.

Apart from this Hiroshima is also worth visiting for its busy downtown area Kamiyacho, parks, Hiroshima Castle and art museums. Find out on what the top things to visit in Hiroshima are in the list below!

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial or Peace Park

Commonly known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, this is undoubtedly the symbol – for better or worse – most associated with Hiroshima. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1996, the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall was the only structure left standing after the bombing on August 6, 1945. The twisted metal of the dome and the rubble-strewn surroundings is left the same as it was 70 years ago, a testament to the power of the new weapon and an everlasting symbol of peace.

It is described as an intense experience that is not meant for the faint-hearted but is recommended to those that yearn to understand what that atomic blast did to the Japanese people, especially those in Hiroshima.

A Hiroshima Carp baseball game

Playing in the best-named stadium in all of baseball (Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima), the Hiroshima Carp is considered the little brother among the other professional baseball teams. Having not won any sort of pennant or championship since 1991, the team definitely isn’t a powerhouse akin to the Yankees or Red Sox. Can the team throw off the yoke of history and win it all this year? No, probably not.

What the Carp can do, however, is boast having the country’s most passionate and crazed fans. Watching a Hiroshima Carp baseball game is a full body, full senses experience. As opposed to your typical American baseball game, many Carp fans never sit down – the entire game. They also have an impressive amount of songs, cheers, and dances memorized for just the right occasion during the game. At first, it can be confusing, even intimidating, watching a Carp game alongside the diehards in the bleachers. However, after an inning or two, you’ll be yelling and stomping alongside 30,000 other fans for life.

Atomic Bomb Dome

This building was heavily damaged and exposed to radiation by the first ever used atomic bomb during World War I. The building has been preserved in the state it was immediately after the bombing, and has continued to testify to the horrors of the atomic bomb.

Perhaps the starkest reminder of the destruction visited upon Hiroshima in WWII is the Atomic Bomb Dome. Built by a Czech architect in 1915, it was the Industrial Promotion Hall until the bomb exploded almost directly above it. Everyone inside was killed, but the building was one of very few left standing near the epicentre. A decision was taken after the war to preserve the shell as a memorial.

Miyajima Island

A personal favorite, Miyajima (officially named Itsukushima) is a very small island a short jaunt from Hiroshima. After taking a 10-minute ferry, the striking view of the island is unforgettable. Sparsely populated and intensely rural, Miyajima is renowned throughout the country as being the best spot to see the autumn leaves change colors. The island’s many maple trees are turned a brilliant crimson in the fall, making it a top attraction for those looking to snap that perfect picture. And because the island itself is sacred, the trees are protected and cannot be cut. This protection also extends to the tame deer roaming the island, a sacred animal considered to be friends of the gods.

With charm to spare, this town should already be at the top of anyone’s Japan list, but it has an ace up its sleeve. The main feature of the island is undoubtedly the absolutely massive torii gate, a crimson reminder that the island hosts Itsukushima Shrine, a World Heritage Site colloquially known as the Floating Shrine.

Read more: Top 7 dishes to try in Hiroshima

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The best 5 weekend getaways in Japan

Even if you only have a couple of days to spend, it’s definitely worth getting out of the city to explore other unique and beautiful parts of the country too. Here are some of our favorite weekend getaways from for your next trip to Japan.

Nara

Best known for its resident deer population and beautiful temples, you can reach Nara from Tokyo by train in about four hours. The Daibutsu (Great Buddha) at Todai-ji Temple is a prime attraction here, as well as the deer roaming around Nara Park. It’s also nice to take a stroll through the Isui-en Garden to see the lovely flowers and pond, and the Kasuga-Taisha Shrine is worth a visit as well to see the forest, lanterns, and pathways. Stop by the Nara National Museum to learn about local history because the exhibits are bilingual in both Japanese and English. The Mt. Wakakusa area is great for longer hikes as well.

Read more: The land of cultural heritage, visit Nara in Japan

Kyoto

Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto, was also the country’s official capital for over 1,000 years. The city is home to a number of important cultural sites, including over 2,000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Kyoto is the place to go to experience geisha (or geiko, as they are known in Kansai) culture; the annual geisha dances held each spring are one of the city’s highlights. Kyoto is also known for its kaiseki (elevated Japanese cuisine), ryokan (traditional Japanese inns), and historic architecture.

Kanazawa

With beautiful temples, ancient shrines and a range of fantastic museums, this charming city lying on the Sea of Japan is not to be missed on your list. Wonderfully preserved, its ancient neighborhoods are lovely to wander around, with the old geisha and samurai districts being particularly delightful. In fact, Kanazawa rivals Kyoto in the number of historical and cultural attractions that it has on the show. Although seldom visited by westerners, Japanese tourists flock to this city. The highlight is undoubtedly Kenroku-en, an impressive castle with idyllic gardens surrounding it.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park draws in crowds from all over the globe. The site commemorates the victims of the 1945 bombings, when it became the first city to be attacked with atomic weapons. Today, Hiroshima is a lively, vibrant city, home to a number of historical sites, gardens, and parks. It is a great city for live sports and home to several national teams, including the Sanfrecce Hiroshima (soccer) and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (baseball). The main stadiums are the Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima and the Hiroshima Big Arch.

Fukuoka

The largest city in Kyushu, Fukuoka used to be two towns before the different areas joined to form the city we know today. A friendly and welcoming place, what Fukuoka lacks in terms of actual sights, it more than makes up for in its charm and pleasant atmosphere. With a couple of great museums, some great architecture, delicious ramen, and the chance to see their famous baseball team in action, Fukuoka is well worth a visit for all that it has to offer. Lying on the banks of the river running through it, there are some lovely temples dotted around the city and its surroundings. Many people use Fukuoka as a base from which to explore the rest of Kyushu.

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5 unique Japanese islands you have to visit

If you are planning to visit Japan but unsure where to go, how about some hidden gems of Japan's islands? Here are 5 of our favorite unique islands in Japan.

1. Level up from visiting cat cafes to entire cat islands

If you’re a cat lover, then you must visit Japan! This country loves its cats so much that it has not one, not two, but 11 islands overrun with these felines! For many of these islands, cats were introduced as people took to dumping their pet cats in the wild rather than in shelters. Instead of succumbing to nature, these hardy animals instead started to thrive and while they may have been abandoned at the beginning, they now receive a lot of love from tourists and are even protected – no dogs or other potential predators are allowed on these cat islands.

How to get there: Spread throughout Japan, the easiest cat islands to visit are Enoshima (Kanagawa prefecture, closest to Tokyo) and Ainoshima (Fukuoka Prefecture) which are close to major cities.

2. An island for architecture and contemporary art lovers

Naoshima is a small island in the central Seto Inland Sea area that has found fame as a contemporary art destination. Home to several museums and structures built by famed architect Tadao Ando including a really fancy art hotel, spend a nice weekend wandering around taking in the art and make sure to see the famously spotted pumpkins by Yayoi Kusama – the red one is right at the port and the yellow one is close to the art hotel Benesse House. You can see the art all year round, but this Japanese island is especially popular during the Setouchi Triennale which is an art festival with various installations held on this cluster of islands in the Seto Inland sea area every 3 years.

How to get to Naoshima: The easiest way to get there is to take a train from Osaka westwards to Uno, and then take a short ferry ride to Naoshima. Alternatively, you can fly to Takamatsu in Shikoku which requires a bus transfer to the port, and then take a slightly longer ferry journey from there.

3. An island for the adventurous James Bond fan

‘Gunkanjima’ or ‘battleship island’ is officially known as Hashima and gained fame as the inspiration for the abandoned island in the James Bond movie Skyfall. Once a coal mining area, the island was closed to the public in the 70s as demand for coal declined, and all that is left on the island are empty concrete buildings. Hashima was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015 as an example of Japan’s Meiji Era Industrial Revolution and now, tourists are allowed to visit the island on special tours packages.

How to get to Hashima: Hashima is located close to Nagasaki in the southern Kyushu region. You can only visit the island via ferry on a tour, which is dependent on weather as the sea around the island is susceptible to bad weather, which can lead to tour cancellation or an extremely choppy and uncomfortable boat ride.

4. Check out the island with the lethal combination of kawaii bunnies and poison gas

Bunny lovers around Hiroshima should head to nearby Okunoshima to get their fill of fluffy rabbits who roam the Japanese island unfettered. No one is quite sure how the rabbits came to be exactly – speculation is that the rabbits were either descended from some rabbits released by school children, or a darker possibility is that these are descendants of the test subjects in the island’s now-abandoned World War II Poison Gas factory. Now, the rabbits are the stars on their own island that you can feed when you visit.

How to get to Okunoshima: Take a ferry from Tadanoumi which is a short train ride from Hiroshima, or take a ferry from Omishima in Ehime.

5. Explore an island with a mysterious pyramid

The Okinawa islands are famous diving spots for the rich marine wildlife that passes through their waters, but Yonaguni of the Yaeyama Islands stands out as a dive spot for its unusual underwater features. The Yonaguni monolith was initially thought to be natural, but research has found that it is actually a manmade pyramid-like structure with steps cut into its smooth surfaces. Besides diving to see this underwater monument, Yonaguni is also very popular for hammerhead shark sightings.

How to get to Yonaguni: Yonaguni is the westernmost island of Japan and is actually closer to Taiwan than mainland Japan. There aren’t direct flights from Taiwan though – you’ll need to find your way to either Okinawa’s main island Naha or another small island close by called Ishigaki.

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