Japan is Nippon 日本語
Onomichi's rooftops, the narrow Onomichi Channel and bridges seen from Senkoji Park
Photo: そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hiroshima · park

Senkoji Park

千光寺公園

A hilltop park above the slope town of Onomichi. The PEAK lookout views the Onomichi Channel and Inland Sea islands; in spring, cherry blossom draws crowds.

Cherry trees in bloom on the terraced slopes of Senkoji Park
Photo: アラツク, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A hill park looking down on Onomichi

Senkoji Park covers Mount Senkoji, 144.2 metres high, just north of JR Onomichi Station in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture. Miki Hanshichiro, a man from Awaji, began laying it out in 1894, and the city completed it in 1905 and named it Senkoji Park. Entry is free and it is open 24 hours a day.

Within the park are Senkoji temple, the Onomichi City Museum of Art and the Path of Literature, a literary walking trail, so as you wander you take in both the views and the culture of Onomichi.

The PEAK and MiTeMi lookouts

PEAK, the lookout at the summit, reopened after renovation on 29 March 2022. Designed by the office of architects Aoki Jun and Shinagawa Masatoshi, it is a long, slender deck 63 metres in length, shaped like a bridge floating above the trees. From the deck you can see the streets of Onomichi, the Onomichi Channel (the narrow strip of sea between the mainland and Mukaishima island) and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, and on clear days sometimes even the mountains of Shikoku.

PEAK has a lift that connects with the ropeway's summit station, so you can get up with a pushchair or a wheelchair. In the same month, March 2022, a second viewpoint, MiTeMi, opened on the site of an old castle. The night view has been chosen as one of Japan's "100 Best Night Views".

Cherry blossom, azaleas, wisteria and the Path of Literature

Senkoji Park is a famous cherry blossom spot, chosen as one of Japan's "100 Best Cherry Blossom Spots", with the blossom at its best in early April. Azaleas follow in late April and wisteria in late May.

The Path of Literature is a hillside trail lined with natural stones carved with works by writers and poets connected with Onomichi.

Getting there

From JR Onomichi Station, take a bus to "Nagaeguchi" (about 3 minutes), then ride the Senkoji-yama Ropeway for about 3 minutes to the summit. You can also walk up the slopes from the station; depending on how you travel, it takes 10 to 30 minutes from the station.

If you drive, take the Senkoji-yama Driveway; from the paid car park it is a 5 to 10-minute walk uphill to the summit. Ropeway fares and lift operating hours can change, so check the official website.

Tips

  • Take it easy on the way up by ropeway, then walk down past the carved stones of the Path of Literature.
  • The park is open 24 hours, but the lift at PEAK only runs until early evening. If you are going for the night view, keep the lift hours in mind.
  • It gets especially crowded in cherry blossom season. Rather than driving, it is safer to go by bus and ropeway from the station.

Sources

Updated 30 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.

Keep exploring

Nearby places

Hiroshima · old town Tomonoura 鞆の浦 An old Seto Inland Sea port where ships once waited for the tide to turn. An Edo-period stone lantern and stepped quays survive, and its lanes reveal old harbour life.
Ehime · park Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park 道の駅 多々羅しまなみ公園 A roadside station on Omishima by the Tatara Bridge on the Shimanami Kaido. A cyclists' favourite for local seafood, citrus and island-dotted sea views.
Ehime · shrine Oyamazumi Shrine 大山祇神社 An ancient shrine to the god of mountains and sea on Omishima, Shimanami Kaido. Known for a camphor tree of about 2,600 years and treasured armour and swords.
Ehime · viewpoint Kirosan Observatory Park 亀老山展望公園 A lookout on a 307.8m summit at the south tip of Oshima, Shimanami Kaido, looking straight down on the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge and its swirling strait.
Ehime · castle Imabari Castle 今治城 A rare "sea castle" whose moat is fed by the Seto Inland Sea. Sea fish swim in it with the tides, and the white keep is reflected on the water.
Kagawa · coast Chichibugahama Beach 父母ヶ浜 A beach in Mitoyo, Kagawa, where tide pools left at low tide mirror the evening sky, famous for photos that look like Bolivia's Uyuni salt flat.