Hiroshima Castle
広島城
The 'Carp Castle' built by Mori Terumoto, with a five-storey keep rebuilt after being destroyed by the atomic bomb, a moat, and a museum telling the story of Hiroshima as a castle town.
Mori Terumoto began building Hiroshima Castle in 1589, and it is the origin of the city of Hiroshima (the city's name also dates from this time). In later generations, the Fukushima and Asano families ruled from here, and the castle was large in scale during the Edo period. After the Meiji era, the castle grounds housed garrison troops, and the Imperial General Headquarters was once established here. In 1945 the castle was only about 1 km from the hypocenter when the atomic bomb fell, and the keep and all buildings collapsed. In 1958 a five-storey keep was rebuilt in reinforced concrete. It is known for its black wooden exterior panels and its nickname 'Carp Castle'; the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team takes its name from this. Inside the keep is a history museum displaying models of the castle, samurai swords and armor, and life in the castle town during the Edo period. The top floor offers views over the city and the moat. The honmaru grounds contain trees that survived the bombing, the site of the Imperial General Headquarters, and the Ninomaru Omote Gate, Hirayagura, Tamonyagura and Taikoyagura turrets, reconstructed in 1994 (free entry). The moat's cherry trees and Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine, which draws large crowds for New Year visits, are also within the castle grounds. Admission to the keep is 370 yen; the Ninomaru is free. Access: about a 15-minute walk from the Kamiyacho Higashi or Nishi stop on the Hiroden tram, or a 10-minute walk from Kenchomae Station on the Astram Line. It is about a 15-minute walk from the Atomic Bomb Dome, and can be combined with Shukkei-en (about a 15-minute walk) for a half-day route. A visit takes about 1 hour. Note: Hiroshima City has decided to rebuild the wooden keep. The current keep is scheduled to close after March 2026 (check the official announcements for exact dates), and afterward only the exterior and the Ninomaru can be visited. Photography is allowed on floors below the fifth. There is no elevator.
Opening hours
main tower 09:00–18:00 (until 17:00 Dec–Feb); closed Dec 29–31
Nearby sights
- Hiroshima Museum of Art
- Hiroshima Orizuru Tower
- Shukkei-en Garden
- Atomic Bomb Dome
- Hondori Shopping Street
- World Peace Memorial Cathedral
- Okonomimura
- Peace Memorial Park & Museum