Hiroshima Castle, Hiroshima

Built by Mori Terumoto, felled by the atomic bomb and rebuilt, Hiroshima's symbol. The keep is closed, but you can walk the moated grounds and timber-rebuilt Ninomaru.

The reconstructed Taiko-yagura turret on stone walls beside the castle moat — Photo: by Reggaeman, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Reconstructed wooden turrets and long walls of the Ninomaru enclosure at Hiroshima Castle — Photo: そらみみ, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hiroshima's "Carp Castle"

Hiroshima Castle was begun in 1589 by the warlord Mori Terumoto. It later passed to Fukushima Masanori and then to the Asano family, who ruled from it for around 250 years. It is also known as Rijo (Carp Castle), a name said to come from the fact that this area was once called Koi-no-ura (koi means carp).

The tenshu (castle keep) was designated a National Treasure in 1931, but it collapsed in the atomic bombing of 6 August 1945. Today's keep is a reinforced concrete building from 1958 that recreates the original's exterior. The castle site is a national Historic Site and has been selected as one of Japan's 100 Fine Castles.

The keep closed in March 2026

For many years the rebuilt keep was used as a history museum, but because of deteriorating concrete and ageing facilities it closed on 22 March 2026. You cannot go inside, but you can still admire the keep from outside.

Hiroshima City is studying and surveying the idea of rebuilding the keep in wood. The museum's role is due to be taken over by the Hiroshima Castle Sannomaru History Museum, which is being built in the castle's Sannomaru (third enclosure). For the latest news, including when it will open, check the official websites of Hiroshima City and Hiroshima Castle.

Walking the Ninomaru and the castle grounds

In the Ninomaru (second enclosure), the Omote Gomon main gate and the yagura (turrets built for keeping watch and defence) were rebuilt in wood in 1994 and are open to visitors. The stone walls and moat also survive, and the keep reflected in the moat is one of the highlights of a walk around the grounds.

The castle grounds have three hibaku jumoku, trees that were damaged by the atomic bomb but survived. As a castle at the heart of the city, it is a good place to trace Hiroshima's history together with the Peace Memorial Park.

Getting there

The castle is in central Hiroshima, in Motomachi, Naka Ward. The easiest way is to take a tram (routes 1, 2 or 6) from the south exit of Hiroshima Station, get off at Kamiyacho-higashi or Kamiyacho-nishi, and walk through the underground passage. There is no parking within the castle grounds, so drivers should use a car park nearby.

Opening hours and closing days for the Ninomaru vary by season. Check the official website before you go.

Tips

You cannot go inside the keep, so the best way to enjoy it is to walk around the moat and admire it from outside.
The rebuilt buildings in the Ninomaru are open to the public. Even with the keep closed, this is where you can still feel the atmosphere of the castle.
This castle is set for big changes, from rebuilding the keep in wood to the opening of the Sannomaru History Museum. Check the official website for the latest situation.