Hiroshima in 1 Day: Peace, Resilience & Okonomiyaki

Visiting Hiroshima in a day was something I didn’t expect to be quite so moving. I knew the history, the headlines, and the must-see sights. But standing there, seeing the places with my own eyes, feeling the stillness and strength of the city—it left more of a mark on me than I imagined.

I started the morning in Osaka and hopped on a shinkansen to Hiroshima. The journey took under an hour and a half and cost just £25 return with a Japan Rail Pass. Efficient, smooth, and one of the easiest intercity train rides I’ve ever done.

At Hiroshima Station, I met my local tour guide, which I booked for around £15. It was a small group, which meant we had time to ask questions and explore at our own pace. Our day began with a trip to Miyajima Island, one of Japan’s most iconic and peaceful spots. To get there, we took a tram followed by a short ferry ride—just £3 in total and completely worth it for the views alone.

As soon as we stepped onto the island, I felt a shift in atmosphere. It’s quiet in a spiritual way, the kind of place where nature, temples, and tradition all blend together. We spent around two hours exploring. There were deer wandering freely along the paths, just like in Nara, though these ones seemed a little more shy. The giant torii gate stood out in the bay, half-submerged in water, framing the mountains behind it like a postcard come to life.

We visited a serene Buddhist temple, and I climbed up to see a five-storey pagoda, its red and gold details glowing under the afternoon sun. A small sweet shop caught my eye and I couldn’t resist trying a Momiji Manju—a maple leaf-shaped cake that’s local to the region. Mine was filled with cream cheese, a unique and surprisingly rich twist on a traditional treat. At just £1, it was a tiny but tasty indulgence.

Back on the mainland, we made a stop for lunch at a local restaurant known for its okonomiyaki. This Hiroshima-style version is completely different from the Osaka one I’d tried earlier in the trip. Instead of mixing everything together in a batter, the ingredients here are stacked: cabbage, noodles, egg, and toppings built into a neat tower on a thin pancake base. I went for a vegetarian option, which was still hearty and full of flavour. It only cost £3, and it felt like more of a full meal than many dishes twice the price.

After lunch, we boarded the red sightseeing bus from Hiroshima Station to the Peace Memorial area, just £2 for a single ticket. First, we visited the Atomic Bomb Dome—also known as Genbaku Dome. It’s one of the few buildings left standing near the bomb’s hypocentre and has been preserved exactly as it was in 1945. The remains are haunting, stark against the modern city skyline, and surrounded by silence that feels heavy with memory.

A short walk away is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The space itself is green and open, filled with memorials, bridges, and the eternal Peace Flame, which will continue to burn until all nuclear weapons are gone from the world. I paid £1 to enter the Peace Memorial Museum, which was one of the most emotional museum experiences I’ve had. Photographs, survivor testimonies, and personal items fill the rooms—gentle, human reminders of the lives behind the history. It was difficult, but important. A quiet moment of reflection during a day already filled with meaning.

The tour ended with a local sake tasting. Hiroshima’s soft water makes its sake particularly smooth and drinkable, and even though I’m not usually a fan, I enjoyed trying a few small cups with different notes—some fruity, some dry. It cost just £3 and was a lovely way to round off the day.

Hiroshima is a city that doesn’t hide from its past but instead builds meaning from it. There’s resilience in every corner—from the welcoming locals to the carefully kept green spaces, to the laughter of children running past the monuments. It’s not just about what happened here, but how the city has moved forward.

Cost Breakdown

• Return bullet train from Osaka: £25

• Local tour: £15

• Ferry to Miyajima Island: £3

• Red line sightseeing bus: £2

• Vegetarian okonomiyaki: £3

• Momiji Manju (cream cheese flavour): £1

• Entrance to Hiroshima Peace Museum: £1

• Sake tasting: £3

Total: £53 for the full day—a small price for an unforgettable experience.