Hiroshima, Japan

DAILY TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Hiroshima

The casual visitor to Hiroshima, Japan, would never guess the tragic past of this thriving city with great food and fantastic nightlife. For many, Hiroshima is forever associated with the atomic bomb that exploded over the city on August 6th 1945, but there is so much more to discover here.

The most famous area of Hiroshima is the Peace Park. Built in the area that was directly underneath the bomb when it exploded, the park features memorials, a museum and lecture spaces dedicated to remembering the events of 1945. The steel skeleton of the Atomic Bomb Dome looms over the park and the museum contains graphic descriptions of the aftermath of the bombing. However, this is also a deeply inspiring place as the park aims to promote world peace and encourage nuclear powers to disarm. The park hosts peace conferences and rallies regularly, with peace activism now part of the city’s routine.

Hiroshima is also famed in Japan for its culinary scene. A local specialty is okonomiyaki, a kind of thick pancake of vegetables, noodles and dried fish topped with various sauces. Often cooked on a grill plate while you watch, it’s the perfect start to a night in Hiroshima’s many bars and clubs. Chat over beers and sake in a relaxed izakaya inn, or show off your vocal skills at a karaoke bar.

Read more on Hiroshima below with flight options, current weather, maps, and activities to try while you are there.

Hiroshima is just one of many featured destinations part of our Daily Travel Inspiration series. Discover more at Daily Travel Inspiration or add it as part of your flash briefings on your Amazon Alexa device. Search 'Daily Travel Inspiration' on your alexa app or check out our Alexa page for more information.