Hiroshima: Travel Tips That Matter
Most travel-tips lists for Japan are generic. These are the ones that actually matter for Hiroshima specifically.
Money
Japan uses the yen (JPY), not euros or dollars, and despite its high-tech reputation the country is still comparatively cash-reliant, plenty of okonomiyaki stalls and smaller shops don’t take cards. Seven-Eleven ATMs (Seven Bank) reliably accept foreign cards for yen withdrawals and are everywhere, as are Japan Post ATMs at post offices. An IC card like ICOCA is worth buying on arrival, it taps onto the Hiroden trams, buses, the Miyajima ferry, and most convenience stores, saving you from buying individual tickets constantly.
Tipping isn’t a thing
Service charges are already built into restaurant and hotel prices, so don’t tip. Leaving cash on the table is more likely to confuse staff, or read as an odd gesture, than be appreciated.
The JR Pass gotcha
If you’re travelling on a Japan Rail Pass, it doesn’t cover the Nozomi or Mizuho shinkansen services, the fastest ones on the Tokyo-Hiroshima and Osaka-Hiroshima routes. Pass holders ride Hikari, Sakura, or Kodama instead, which are only slightly slower, or pay a supplement to board a Nozomi or Mizuho. This catches a lot of first-time visitors who assume the pass covers every bullet train.
Behave differently at the Peace Memorial sites, and at Itsukushima Shrine
Peace Memorial Park, the A-Bomb Dome, and the Peace Memorial Museum are places of remembrance, not photo backdrops, keep your voice down and be mindful with photography, especially around the Cenotaph and the Children’s Peace Monument. The same respectful register applies on Miyajima at Itsukushima Shrine, an active site of worship rather than scenery. Neither place is the setting for a casual selfie.
Natural hazards matter more than crime here
Japan is genuinely one of the safest countries to visit in terms of crime, the real practical risks are earthquakes (minor tremors are routine; know the basic drop-cover-hold-on drill) and typhoons, which peak roughly August through September and can suspend shinkansen services in severe weather. Check forecasts if you’re travelling in that window.
Language and everyday etiquette
English signage is generally good at the station, Peace Memorial Park, and on Miyajima, but spoken English gets patchier away from those areas; a translation app and a couple of basic phrases go further than you’d expect. Shoes come off where indicated, temples, traditional inns, some restaurants, and trams and trains run on quiet, orderly norms, no loud phone calls, queue where marked.
When to actually come
Spring, for cherry blossoms around the castle and Peace Park, and autumn, for foliage that’s especially good on Miyajima, are genuinely the best windows. Summer is hot, humid, and brings both the tsuyu rainy season and typhoon risk. If your visit falls on 6 August, expect a solemn, ceremonial atmosphere at Peace Memorial Park rather than a typical sightseeing day, our events guide has more on planning around it.
For the full logistics on getting here and around, see our complete Hiroshima guide .