Hiroshima in 3 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
Three days: the Peace Park, Miyajima, and a castle-and-garden day
Three days adds one full day of city sights to the 2-day plan , enough for Hiroshima Castle, Shukkeien Garden, and a modest amount of shopping without a second day trip. For Onomichi or Iwakuni, jump to the 5-day or 6-day versions.
| Day | Focus | Rough daily cost |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | A-Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park and Museum | Modest museum fee (verify) + ¥240 tram fares (verify) + food |
| Day 2 | Miyajima: Itsukushima Shrine, Mount Misen | ~¥200 ferry (verify) + ¥100 visitor tax (verify) + food |
| Day 3 | Hiroshima Castle, Shukkeien Garden, Hondori | Modest castle and garden fees (verify) + food |
Day 1: the A-Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park
Begin at the A-Bomb Dome, the preserved ruin standing almost directly beneath the 1945 blast, then walk the Peace Memorial Park: the Cenotaph, the Flame of Peace, and the Children’s Peace Monument tied to Sadako Sasaki’s story. The Peace Memorial Museum, its Main Building reopened in 2019, deserves at least an hour and a modest entrance fee (verify current pricing). Lunch at Okonomimura for layered Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, roughly ¥1,000-1,500 a plate (verify). Get around on the Hiroden trams, flat fare around ¥240 (verify); buy a day pass if you expect more than three or four rides today.
Day 2: Miyajima, in full
Tram or JR to Miyajimaguchi, then the roughly 10-minute ferry (around ¥200 one-way, verify, plus a ¥100 visitor tax, verify) to Itsukushima Shrine’s floating torii gate, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Take the ropeway partway up Mount Misen, leaving about a 30-minute walk to the 535m summit, and try anago-meshi or momiji manju before the return crossing. This is an active site of worship, so keep the register respectful around the shrine itself. Check the last ferry time before you linger too long over a late lunch on the island.
Day 3: Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden
Hiroshima Castle, the “Carp Castle,” is an honest 1958 concrete reconstruction (the original was destroyed in the bombing); one tourism source flagged possible 2026 keep closures for structural deterioration, so confirm current access before you go. Shukkeien Garden, an Edo-period garden begun in 1620 that sheltered blast victims and reopened in 1951, is a short tram ride away and worth an hour of quiet. Spend the afternoon at Hondori, the covered downtown shopping arcade, for souvenirs and a last okonomiyaki or tsukemen bowl. If a Saijo sake tasting or the Mazda Museum’s factory tour appeals more than shopping, both are covered in the hidden gems guide ; the Mazda tour typically needs a reservation booked ahead, so decide before this day arrives rather than on the morning of.