The main airport servicing the city of Hiroshima is the Hiroshima Airport, located 31 miles east of the city center. If you have not booked a private transfer with us you have a few options for transportation including buses, taxis and rental cars.

Taxis are available at the airport and are the most popular form of transportation with taxi fares ranging from ¥13,000 - ¥17,000 depending on the total distance traveled. The taxi stands can be found outside the arrivals hall on the ground floor.

The Airport Limousine buses service the airport and travel to destinations all over the city of Hiroshima including the main bus and train stations. The bus stops are located outside the arrivals hall on the ground floor. A journey to the Hiroshima Shin train station takes approximately 1 hour by bus and fares cost approximately ¥1,350 depending upon the total distance traveled.

Rental car companies can be found at the airport including well-known companies such as Hertz and Avis. There is a courtesy bus stop located outside the arrivals hall on the ground floor, situated across the walkway that will take you to the car rental shops located on premises.

The JR Hiroshima Station is the main railway station located in the city which is a 25-minute walk to Peace Park. From the station, you can take a taxi, tram, bus or a short walk to your final destination.

Public transportation in the city of Hiroshima consists of light rail, streetcars, buses, and taxis.

The trams (streetcars) run an extensive network around the city and provide visitors with a unique, historic and scenic journey. The trams run every 10 minutes and most lines originate from the JR Hiroshima Station and fares start around ¥160 for a trip within the city and go up depending on the total distance traveled. There is one day passes available that cost ¥600 for adults and ¥300 for children.

The Astram Line runs for 11 miles, originating at Hondori Station in downtown to the Koiki-koen-mae Station located near the Big Arch Stadium.

Taxis are available in the city and can be found outside most transport stations and popular sightseeing attractions. You can hail a taxi from the street, if the sign on top of the car is lit then the taxi is available. Taxis are metered in the city and the basic fares start around ¥600 - ¥1,200 depending on the total distance traveled.

The city offers two sightseeing bus lines that are useful to tourists. The green, and the orange lines make stops at the Hiroshima Station and travels in a loop with stops at the main tourist attractions in the city such as Peace Park and the A-Bomb Dome.

The bus fare costs around ¥200 and day passes are available for around ¥400. The buses depart every 30 minutes beginning at 9:00 am until 5:30 pm.

The main bus station in the city is located in front of Hiroshima Station. A bus is a cheap way to get around with several stops and stations situated all over the city.

Buses in the city depart next to the tram depot located in front of the JR Hiroshima Station and connect to stops and stations all over the city and the suburbs. Buses are more popular with the locals than tourists but are a convenient and cheap option to get around.

Aqua Net Ferry company runs a direct express service from Motoyasu Pier situated just south of the Motoyasu-Bashi Bridge on the east banks of the river, and transports passengers to Miyajima Island. Fares cost approximately ¥3,600 for a return ticket and the ferries depart every hour.

Renting a car in the city can be quite the process as you need to obtain a Japanese drivers license to drive in the country. The city of Hiroshima frequently gets congested with heavy traffic, and with all the public transportation options offered in the city, renting a car is not advisable.

Riding a bicycle in the city of Hiroshima is a great way to see the city with plenty of beautiful areas to explore on two wheels. The city has pretty wide sidewalks and many tree-lined paths along the river which are perfect for a leisurely ride. There are several bike rental places in the city offering bikes to rent for the day or by the hour and most hotels will be happy to arrange bike rentals for their guests. Taking a bike ride out in the hills outside of the city around the Hijiyama Park provides beautiful and more challenging scenery for a ride. Another famous route for cyclers is the `Shimanami Kaido` which takes riders on a beautiful scenic route with views of the islands.

Walking around in the city of Hiroshima provides visitors with a historic journey through some of the most popular attractions, most of which are situated in and around Peace Park. The city is beautiful in the spring when the trees and flowers are blooming, full of greenery in the summertime and the change of leaves in autumn. Peace Park is a large park in the city where several attractions are located including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, The Peace Bell, and the Children`s Peace Monument.

The city of Hiroshima is a safe and friendly city, just like any other major city in the world. As always travelers should use caution and exercise their street smarts when exploring the city. Pickpockets are not uncommon in the city especially in and around busy tourist attractions, shopping areas and on crowded public transportation. Keep your belongings secure at all times and don`t wander into unpopulated areas, especially at night. The Nagarekawa area is a popular nightlife district that does have its fair share of prostitutes and sex clubs that should be avoided.

The city of Hiroshima offers a variety of shopping outlets including popular shopping malls, shopping streets, department stores and locally run souvenir and craft shops. Hiroshima Hondori Shotengai is the main shopping street and the traditional retail heart of the city where two large malls and plenty of shops fill the streets. The Diamond City is a popular mall built on the former site of the Kirin Beer Factory. This mega mall is three stories tall and has a lot to offer including shopping, dining and entertainment. The Hiroshima Festival Outlet Marina Hop is a large outlet mall that faces the Seto Inland Sea. The mall and other attractions are located by the pier, where a large variety of shops, restaurants can be found. Marina Circus is an amusement park in this area where the Ferris wheel can be found. A good place to visit and shop for souvenirs is the Hiroshima Yume Plaza and Nagasaki-ya.

The city of Hiroshima is the host of many festivals throughout the year including the beautiful Flower Festival held the first weekend in May, this is the city`s biggest and most popular festival filled with street food, stalls, and live performances. The Peace Memorial Ceremony is held on the 6th of August annually to memorialize the victims killed on that day in 1945 by the Atomic Bomb. A minute of silence is held at 8:15 am the exact time the bomb went off and in the evening thousands of colorful lanterns are sent floating down the river. The Sake Festival takes place in early October in Saijo which is famous for its sake breweries a fun-filled time with plenty of sake to go around. The Food Festival is held the last weekend in October filled with all kinds of delicious food served in food stalls that are set up around the moat of the Hiroshima Castle and Chuo Park.

The currency in Hiroshima is the yen symbolized with a `Y` with `=` crossing the bottom. US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand and be prepared to exchange your dollars to yen upon arrival. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airport and bank locations throughout the city, ATM`s are widespread.

For more detailed information, consult our guide to tipping in Japan by clicking Japan

Tipping is not practiced in Japan, leaving a tip for a waitress, taxi driver or bell boy will cause some confusion. At some high-end, restaurants and hotels a 10 - 15% service charge may be added to your bill.

Hiroshima is a great destination for food lovers, offering a wide array of cuisines and famous local dishes that the city is known for, such as locally grown oysters and savory okonomiyaki, pancakes with a variety of fillings. Due to Hiroshima`s coastal location, there are plenty of local fishing villages in the area, offering freshly caught fish and seafood daily. And around two-thirds of Japan`s oysters are caught in Hiroshima. Restaurants in the city also offer Japanese and International cuisine. Chain restaurants offer ramen and sushi which are popular items in the city. The Okonomimura area is a great food destination in the city where over 20 different `okonomiyaki` restaurants can be found. Other popular areas filled with delicious cuisine and plenty of dining options can be found in the downtown area and around Hiroshima Station.

The nightlife in Hiroshima has taken off over recent years and is comprable with Tokyo and Osaka. Visitors can enjoy a night out on the town with bars, pubs, izakayas, upscale lounges and world-class sake. The Nagarekawa area is the ultimate party district found in the city, where the narrow streets are filled with the highest concentration of restaurants, bars, karaoke bars, clubs and beer gardens in the city.

Japanese is the language spoken in Hiroshima, but English is widely spoken throughout the country with announcements on public transportation frequently made in Japanese and English, most signs include roman characters or an English explanation. Most Japanese people study English in junior high and high school so you are best seeking out younger people who may be able to help and translate for you.

It is best to have your destinations written down in Japanese so you are able to show this to your taxi driver or people on the street. People are always willing to help whether they can speak English or not.

We recommend you get a good English - Japanese guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, please, thank you, excuse me and numbers 1 - 10.

In case of an emergency dial 110 for the police and 119 for fire or ambulance.

Hospitals:

Hiroshima University Hospital tel. 81-82-257-5555

Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital and Atomic bomb survivors Hospital tel. 81-82-241-3111

Hiroshima City Hospital tel. 81-82-221-2291