Hiroshima Castle
ExploreJapanDaily Editorial Team · Last updated: October 3, 2026 · Facts verified: October 3, 2026
Hiroshima Castle (広島城) is the site of the castle Mori Terumoto began in 1589, in central Hiroshima. Its 1958 concrete keep closed to visitors on March 22, 2026, and is now seen only from outside. What remains to visit is free: the moats and stone walls, the inner grounds around the keep, and the reconstructed Ninomaru gate and turrets. Allow about an hour, and pair it with Shukkeien Garden, 10 to 15 minutes east on foot.
- Area
- Naka, Hiroshima
- Best For
- History, Photography, Cherry Blossoms
What a castle visit involves now
Mori Terumoto began the castle in 1589 on the delta at the mouth of the Ota River, and the city of Hiroshima grew up around it; the Asano family ruled from here from 1619 until the end of the feudal era. After 1868 the grounds became an army base. The original keep, by then a National Treasure, was destroyed by the atomic bombing in 1945.
The keep you see today is a concrete reconstruction completed in 1958. It housed a history museum for 68 years, until the city closed it on March 22, 2026, because of deteriorating concrete and aging facilities. It has not been demolished, and the city is still studying its future, including a possible wooden rebuild, without a schedule.
That changes what a visit is. There is no ticket, no climb and no top-floor view. The castle is now an outdoor stop: the moat and the stone walls, the inner grounds where the keep stands, and the Ninomaru, a reconstructed gate, turrets and walls that are free to enter. The former keep museum's collection is moving to the Hiroshima Castle Sannomaru History Museum, scheduled to open in stages from June 1, 2027.
Go if you like castle grounds and old stonework, or to break up a day between Peace Memorial Park and Shukkeien Garden. If the keep's interior was the reason to come, there is nothing to replace it until the new museum opens.
What you can still do at Hiroshima Castle
How to Get to Hiroshima Castle
The castle is in the north of central Hiroshima, between Peace Memorial Park and Shukkeien Garden, and is reached by streetcar or on foot.
- •Kamiya-cho Higashi and Nishi tram stops (Lines 1, 2 and 6) are 10 to 15 minutes from the castle on foot; take the underground passage to cross the main roads.
- •Shukkeien Garden is 10 to 15 minutes east on foot, and Peace Memorial Park about 15 to 20 minutes south.
- •There is no keep to enter, so you can arrive at any time; only the Ninomaru buildings keep set hours.
For IC cards, tickets, and full transit basics for Hiroshima, see the complete transportation guide.
Getting Around Hiroshima →Map
Best Time to Visit Hiroshima Castle
Best time to visit Hiroshima Castle: Late March to early April for cherry blossoms; evening for the lit keep. Weekday mornings are generally quieter than weekends and public holidays.
- •Cherry blossom season, around late March and early April, is the castle's busiest and best-looking time.
- •The keep and Ninomaru are lit from sunset to 10:00 PM, so an evening walk works after the Ninomaru buildings close.
- •In rain there is little to do here now; the Peace Memorial Museum is the better indoor choice.
Sakura trees around the outer moat bloom in pale pink, reflecting across the water beside the castle keep.
Trees along the moat and castle grounds turn red and gold, contrasting with the dark wooden keep.
The keep and the Ninomaru are lit up in the evening, with reflections across the surrounding moat. The keep's exterior stays lit after its March 2026 closure.
Entry Fee & Hours
| Category | Price (JPY) | Approx. (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Castle grounds | Free | Free |
| Ninomaru restored buildings | Free | Free |
The main keep closed to visitors on 22 March 2026 and can be viewed from outside only, so there is no keep ticket. The castle grounds and the restored Ninomaru buildings remain free.
- •The outer castle grounds and moat-side paths are flat and manageable for wheelchairs and strollers. The main keep, which had stairs only, has been closed to all visitors since March 2026.
Nearby Attractions
Combine with Hiroshima Castle on the same day
Shukkeien Garden
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
Atomic Bomb Dome
- •Shukkeien Garden (About 10 to 15 minutes on foot east): A strolling garden built from 1620 for the lords of Hiroshima, around a central pond with islands, bridges and pavilions. A 10 to 15 minute walk from Hiroshima Station and from Hiroshima Castle.
- •Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (About 15 to 20 minutes on foot south, or by streetcar): The free, always-open memorial park in central Hiroshima, with the Cenotaph, the Peace Flame, the Children's Peace Monument and the National Peace Memorial Hall. The Atomic Bomb Dome stands across the river and the ticketed museum at its southern end.
- •Atomic Bomb Dome (About 15 minutes on foot south): The ruin of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, left standing close to the hypocenter of the 1945 atomic bomb and preserved as a World Heritage Site. Seen from outside its fence, free, at any hour.
Castle and garden in a few hours
The castle grounds and Shukkeien sit 10 to 15 minutes apart and make an easy afternoon after the Peace Memorial area.
Garden first, castle before the Ninomaru closes
Afternoon
Shukkeien Garden, about an hour around the pond
Late afternoon
Walk west to Hiroshima Castle: the Ninomaru before it closes, then the moat and the keep from outside
Evening
The lit keep, then dinner downtown at Okonomimura
Frequently Asked Questions
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