Hiroshima Castle (Hiroshima-jo)

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Facts & Figures

Hiroshima Castle (Hiroshima-jo) is a major tourist attraction in the city center of Hiroshima. Another name for this typical flatland castle is Carp Castle (Rijo). The nickname used by locals stems supposedly from the moats full of carps, which surrounded the castle. Hiroshima-jo belongs to Japan’s Top 100 Castles and to the Top 3 built on flat land. On this list, you will find other highlights like the Himeji Castle, Osaka Castle, and Matsumoto Castle. The 5 stories concrete replica you see today was originally a wooden structure. The height of the main donjon (main tower) is 26,6 meters and the foundations are 12,4 meters high. The total floor area is 1359 square meters. The castle, surrounded by a moat, now houses a history museum with exhibitions about Hiroshima before World War 2. Originally there were three moats with water supply by the Ota River protecting the structure, but only one still exists. Experience the Ultimate Japanese Hospitality at a Hiroshima Ryokan.
 Find Your Perfect Ryokan Now > Within the castle walls, you will find three famous trees, which are a willow, holly, and a 10m tall eucalyptus tree. They survived the atomic bomb explosion in 1945, when the center of this inferno was just 740 respectively 910 meters away from the trees. My tip: The illumination of the castle at night is really beautiful and worth a visit.

• Main Keep:
• Opening Hours - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (last entry 4:30 pm) December till February
• Opening Hours - 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (last entry 5:30 pm) rest of the year
• Closed - December 29th till December 31st
• Admission Fee - 370 yen (Adults), 180 yen (High school students), free (Children)

• Ninomaru:
• Opening Hours - 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (last entry 4:00 pm) October through March
• Opening Hours - 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (last entry 5:00 pm) rest of the year
• Closed - December 29th till January 2nd
• Admission Fee - free

My tips for local activities

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History

Mori Terumoto (1553 - 1625), a powerful daimyo (local feudal lord), built the Hiroshima Castle (Hiroshima-jo) in 1589. It took until 1599 to finish the project. The castle grounds covered an area at that time of nearly 900,000 square meters, which made it one of the largest in the country. This castle town laid the foundation for the future city of Hiroshima. The Mori Clan ruled at that time over most of the Chugoku region. After his defeat in the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), his former ally daimyo Fukushima Masanori (1561 - 1624) took over the castle and Mori Terumoto was evicted. Asano Nagaakira (1586 - 1632), the previous lord of Wakayama Castle, became the new daimyo of Hiroshima Castle in 1619. The Fukushima and Asano clans lived there in total for twelve generations. In 1617 a huge flood caused major damage to the structure of Hiroshima Castle. It was rebuilt 2 years later. Hiroshima-jo survived the Meiji Restoration and became a military base for the Imperial Army. It got the status of a National Treasure in 1931. During World War 2 the castle was destroyed by the atomic bomb explosion on the 6th of August 1945. In 1958 the decision was made to reconstruct the castle in ferro-concrete. For the 400th anniversary in 1989, the whole interior was renovated. In 1994 the reconstruction of the wooden outer citadel and the Tamon-yagura, Hira-yagura, and Taiko-yagura buildings were completed. These days the restoration efforts are focused on the Ninomaru (second circle of defense including the main gate).

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Sightseeing spots

Top:

History Museum - The museum is spread over 4 floors and the main theme is - Life and Progress in the Hiroshima Castle Town. Usually, there are about six special exhibitions throughout the year. Another highlight is the Samurai Warrior Exhibition on the third floor. Here is it possible for the visitor to put on samurai costumes, helmets, and armor.

Observation Platform - It is located on the 5th floor. From there you can enjoy great panoramic views over the public park below, Hiroshima, the nearby Peace Memorial Park, and if you're lucky Miyajima.

Hiroshima Castle Park - The highlights here are the Ninomaru, Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja, ruins of Hiroshima Imperial Army Headquarters, and the Oshiro-no-Chaya. The park is also one of the best places in the city to enjoy the cherry blossom season in Spring. More than 400 cherry trees create a beautiful atmosphere.

Ninomaru - It is the second ring of defense around the Hiroshima Castle. Some of the original structures, like walls, bridges, gates, and turrets, were restored in the last couple of years.

Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja - The small Shinto shrine dates back to 1868 and is visited by locals on New Year’s Day to pray for health and luck. The shrine was rebuilt in 1965 after the A-bomb destroyed it in 1945.

Ruins of Hiroshima Imperial Army Headquarters - The building dates back to 1913. It was an administrative center and a strategic military hub for operations in the region. The place was destroyed during World War 2.

Oshiro-no-Chaya - The beautiful teahouse serves a very delicious Matcha ice cream.

Festival & Events (dates can change without notice)

May

Hiroshima Flower Festival (3rd till 5th)
More than 1 Mio. people visit this festival every year during Golden Week. There are stages for entertainment (talk shows, fashion shows, concerts, etc...), parades, and shops along the Peace Boulevard (Heiwa Odori).

August

Peace Memorial Ceremony (6th)
The city of Hiroshima holds this event to remember the victims of the atomic bomb attack and to pray for world peace in the future. At 8:15 am (the time when the bomb exploded) the Peace Bell is rung and for 1min life stands still in Hiroshima.

October

Hiroshima Food Festival (25th till 26th)
The festival is held at the castle grounds. During those 2 days, you can taste the best food from all over the Hiroshima prefecture. It is so delicious.

Every Saturday

Samurai parades at Hiroshima Castle
Enjoy samurai parades at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.

Every Sunday

Samurai performances at Hiroshima Castle
Enjoy samurai performances at the south entrance at 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm.