Hiroshima is one of those cities that can be deeply moving one minute and serving you an enormous plate of Okonomiyaki the next.
If you only have one day in Hiroshima, there is still plenty of time to see some of the city’s most beautiful sights, explore a peaceful temple in the forest, learn more about Hiroshima’s history and, very importantly, eat some Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki.
Here is how I spent a day in Hiroshima.

This beautiful Japanese landscape garden is one of the most peaceful places in Hiroshima, especially if you manage to arrive shortly after it opens.
Later in the day it can get considerably busier, so this is one place where being a morning person actually pays off.
Take your time wandering around the pond, crossing the little bridges and enjoying the scenery.
And while you’re there, stop at the tea house for some matcha.
Sitting with a cup of tea overlooking the garden is a pretty lovely way to start a day of sightseeing.
Shukkeien currently opens at 9:00 am, making it an easy first stop on your Hiroshima one-day itinerary.

From Shukkeien, continue towards Hiroshima Castle, also known as Carp Castle.
I was genuinely impressed when we first walked up to it.
Surrounded by its moat and huge castle grounds, it is an incredibly beautiful sight right in the middle of the city.
One small correction to my original description: the castle you see today isn’t the original pre-war keep.
The original was destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945, and the current castle tower was reconstructed in 1958.
While exploring the grounds, also make a quick stop at Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine, which sits within the Hiroshima Castle area.

Did you know there are two famous ways of preparing Okonomiyaki?
In Osaka, the ingredients are generally mixed together before cooking.
Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki is built in layers and usually includes noodles.
And when in Hiroshima… well, you know which one you have to try.
Momiji-Tei was one of my favorite food discoveries in the city.
It’s a tiny restaurant with only a limited number of seats, an open kitchen and a really relaxed atmosphere.
You can watch the chef prepare your Okonomiyaki right in front of you, layer by layer, which somehow makes waiting for food considerably more entertaining.
The restaurant normally doesn’t accept standard reservations and warns that waiting times can be long because it is a very small place, so I would arrive early rather than showing up absolutely starving.

This was easily one of my favorite temple experiences in Japan so far.
I visited in the afternoon and there were barely any other people around.
The temple sits among thick forest, small paths and waterfalls, and after spending the morning in central Hiroshima it suddenly feels like you’ve travelled much further away than you actually have.
The name Mitaki even comes from the three waterfalls found within the temple grounds.
Don’t rush this stop.
Wander up the paths, explore the smaller temple buildings and simply enjoy how peaceful the whole place feels.
If you love quieter temples away from the biggest tourist crowds, I definitely wouldn’t skip this one.

End Your Day at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

No trip to Hiroshima would feel complete without visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 is deeply rooted in the city’s history, and I think visiting the park is important even if you prefer to keep the rest of your trip fairly light.
Walking through the park, seeing the Atomic Bomb Dome and visiting the memorials already gives you a much better understanding of what happened here.
You can also visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum if you want to learn more.
Just be prepared: this isn’t exactly the kind of museum where you casually pop in for 20 minutes and then skip merrily towards your next matcha.
The exhibitions go into the bombing and its consequences in much greater depth and can be genuinely difficult to process.
For me, that is also why visiting the museum towards the end of your day in Hiroshima makes sense.
You don’t have to immediately switch back into cheerful sightseeing mode afterwards.
If you prefer to keep the day lighter, I would at least walk through Peace Memorial Park.
If you want a deeper understanding of Hiroshima’s history, however, the museum is absolutely worth making time for.

Miyajima Island is still sitting firmly on my Japan to-do list.
I actually wanted to visit during my last stay in Hiroshima, but my ferry plans did not quite work out.
Apparently, “I’ll just figure it out when I get there” isn’t always the flawless travel strategy I like to imagine it is.
One important distinction, though: if you want to take the direct boat between Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima, I would reserve it in advance, as these sailings have limited seats and can sell out.
The regular ferries from Miyajimaguchi, on the other hand, run frequently and normal foot passengers can simply buy tickets at the terminal or use an IC card.
Personally, I also wouldn’t try to squeeze Miyajima into this particular one-day Hiroshima itinerary.
There is already plenty to see in the city, and Miyajima deserves several hours of its own.
But since I really liked Hiroshima, missing Miyajima at least gave me a very convenient excuse to come back. 😉