Top Hiroshima Hotels

We visited the A-Bomb Dome and spent several hours at the visitor center at the Peace Park. We went to a Hiroshima Carp baseball game, a movie, and ate at a Chinese Restaurant on Peace Avenue. There were always taxis waiting outside the door.

Hiroshima is a place that any traveler to Japan should visit. Experiencing the tragic history of Hiroshima is an important experience, and one the Peace Memorial Park with its chilling Atomic Bomb Dome and sobering Peace Museum will make sure you never forget. The city itself is very affordable and easy to get around. It is an easy walk from Hiroshima Station to anywhere in the city you would like to go, and if you don''t feel like walking the tram system will take you anywhere you want to go for a flat rate of 150 yen: a steal if you are familiar with the costs of traveling in Japan.<br> <br> Hiroshima is also a day-trip away from several must-see sights in Japan. One of the more popular destinations is Miyajima Island where Itsukushima Shrine and its famous floating torii can be found. The boat ride out and back to the island is amazing. Also, a Shinkansen stop down, is Iwakuni: a town that to me captures the old-time essence of Japan. Kintai Bridge, the oldest standing of its kind in Japan, leads the way to Iwakuni Castle which is well worth the hike. A few more stops down on the Shinkansen line is Shimonoseki. Little known to the guidebooks, Shimonoseki is home to one of Japan''s most famous, and reportedly haunted, shrines: Akama Shine. The view of Dan no Ura, the Inland Sea, and even Kyushu are breathtaking, and the fresh fish from the market on the beach are well worth the wait in line. The best thing to remember about visiting Hiroshima and Southern Honshu is to pace yourself. There is a lot to see, even if most guidebooks only devote a few pages to the area. Try to devote a day to each major sight, and it might be wise to plan a second stop to places like the Peace Museum, which can be hard to take the first time through.

We didn''t have a lot of time in Hiroshima so decided to visit Miyajima on the afternoon we arrived and save the Memorial Park and museum for the following morning. Would definitely recommend Miyajima, so quite and peaceful after the hustle and bustle of many of the cities we visited...the tame deer, the temples, the wooden buildings and the atmosphere. Unfortunately we didn''t have time to take the forest walk as well. The following morning we visited the Hiroshima Memorial Park, Hall of Rememberance and the A-bomb Museum. Also, consider using a JR railpass if you intend to travel around. Our children had a great couple of hours at ''Edo Movie Land'' in Kyoto, 10mins by JR from Kyoto main railway station. It is a smaller japanese version of Universal Studios, with lots of traditional houses and sets used in japanese costume dramas, soap operas, films etc. The children really enjoyed the stunt show featuring the samuri and the ninja. You can also dress up as a geisha or a samurai warrior and have your photo taken (for a fee!). Could be an excellent bribe if the younger ones are all ''templed out''!<br> <br> Universal Studios Osaka is wonderful but the queues are long, you need a full day or try to go on a weekday which is not a school holiday and remember to check the information boards in the park for attraction queue times...Also I would recommend Himeji Castle...we were lucky and had an english speaking guide who explained the history of the castle including all the secret defense mechanisms much to the delight of our sons who couldn''t wait to discover the whereabouts of the next ''booby trap! For me, strolling around Kyoto''s Gion district at dusk and catching a glimpse of the Geishas/Meikos on their way to their engagements was definately one of the highlights of my stay. I was reading *Memoirs of a Geisha* at the time and it was literally as though the novel was brought to life in front of me. Oh and don''t forget Nara, full of history,culture and easy to walk around.

Hiroshima should be a MUST see for anyone going to Japan - if only so that what happened in Aug 1945 will never happen again. The city has done an amazing job with the Peace Memorial and the museum is a fascinating and vivid walk through history and is quite fair in its write up on the events. The park itself is beautifully laid out with lots of things to see and contemplate. One night - two day stay would be sufficient - also worth seeing is the Miyajima Island with its floating torii shrine which is about 25 minutes by train (and a further 10 minutes by ferry) from Hiroshima main JR station.

We found it convenient to take a taxi to the hotel from the main Hiroshima station: about 1,000 yen. We had a fascinating dinner at the Okonomiyaki-mura (within walking distance; the hotel staff can explain how to get there), where there are several floors of small restaurants serving okonomiyaki, a pancake-like meal -- with layers of batter, cabbage, noodles and whatever other toppings you want -- that''s prepared to order on the grill built into the counter.<br> <br> After our night in Hiroshima, we went to the nearby island of Miyajima, a must-see spot with a tori and shrine built onto the tidal flats, so they seem to float in the water at high tide. It''s definitely worth staying the night (we chose a hotel-ryokan). We also climbed Mt. Misen, a fairly long and steep trail that offers a great view. There''s normally a ropeway part way up the mountain, but it was out of service when we were there.

Miyajima is amazing and a must see!! Also The Shack or Kembys are great pub style restaurants owned by an American guy!! Great food and fun!!

Hiroshima is definitely worth a visit. One day should do it. The Peace Museum is a very sobering experience and something everyone should see. Miyajima Island is less than an hour from Hiroshima and I highly recommend staying there for a night in a ryokan. We stayed at the Momiji-so, in the middle of a forest. The island is beautiful and there are deer roaming around all over the place. They are very tame & friendly and not afraid of people since they are protected and not hunted.

Hiroshima was well worth a visit, but visitors should also try to find time to go to Miyajima, which is easy to get to by tram or train.

Sunroute Hiroshima hotel is ideally situated for visitors to the Peace Memorial Park. We checked in around 4:30 and immediately walked over to the Peace museum (5 minute walk). We had enough time until the closing time of 6pm. The next morning we took a look at the monuments in the park which is open at all times. If you want to save a few yens and don''t have much luggage, I recommend taking street car #1 from Hiroshima train station to the hotel intersection. Costs only 150 yen compared to taxi fare of 1500 yen.

Hiroshima is fascinating--especially the Peace museum, and castle, the unusual pancakes are amazing.