Places with beautiful cherry blossoms in Hiroshima City in 2024! 11 recommended spots for cherry blossom viewing

After Risshun (the first day of spring), it is spring according to the calendar, but the weather is still cold.

In mid-March, there is talk of a cherry blossom front, and we look forward to the blooming of the cherry trees.

Due to the new coronavirus, cherry blossom viewing has become much less frequent over the past three years, but it has eased up considerably, and next year’s cherry blossom viewing season will probably be more enjoyable, even if we have to be careful.

Don-chan fussiness aside, as a Japanese person, I think it is really nice to enjoy time with friends, business associates, and family in that beautiful scenery.

In this article, I have compiled a list of the best hanami spots in Hiroshima City, where I live, that I can recommend. I hope that both locals and visitors to the city will enjoy the cherry blossom viewing experience.

Note that the cherry blossom viewing season in Hiroshima City is usually from late March to early April. Since the weather seems to be getting warmer these days, how about next year…?

The information is current as of July 2023. Please note that this information is current as of July 2023 and may be subject to change.

The following 11 spots are recommended for cherry blossom viewing in Hiroshima City!

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park(Naka Ward)

First of all, we would like to introduce Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which was one of the venues for the G7 Hiroshima Summit.

The cherry blossoms here bloom mainly along the Motoyasu River, south from the “Rest House”. Although there are fewer cherry trees here than in other places, it is a famous sightseeing spot in the center of the city and is crowded with cherry blossom viewers both day and night.

Since the business districts of Kamiyacho, Otemachi, and Fukuromachi are nearby, many business people come here at night to view the cherry blossoms. I used to enjoy cherry blossom viewing with my business partners here every year. (*^^*)

In past years, say, during the cherry blossom season, the “Sakura Cruise ” by ” Ganki Taxi,” a water cab in Hiroshima, is held. It is a wonderful way to see the cherry blossoms along the river in about 30 minutes from the boat! (Details for next year’s event are not yet available at the time of this article’s revision. Please contact us directly if you would like to join the cruise.)

Contact: 082-230-5537 Wild Geese Taxi

Number and types of cherry trees	About 300 cherry trees (Someiyoshino)
Address	Nakajimacho and Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City
Access	Hiroden city tram, get off at A-Bomb Dome-mae stop, along the river on the south side
Inquiries	082-247-6738 (Hiroshima City Tourist Information Center)
Admission	Free of charge
Parking lot	No parking (there are many pay parking lots nearby)
Night Cherry Blossoms	Allowed

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Miyajima(Hatsukaichi City)

Along with Peace Memorial Park, Miyajima is another major tourist attraction in Hiroshima. This is not in Hiroshima City, but in Hatsukaichi City, which we will introduce together.

Miyajima is one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, and while the autumn foliage in fall is very beautiful, the cherry blossoms in spring are just as spectacular.

The area around the Taihodo (pagoda) on the west side of Itsukushima Shrine is one of the best spots, and the view of the Otorii (Grand Gate) over the cherry blossoms in full bloom is spectacular. You can also enjoy cherry blossoms at “Omoto Park” and “the riverside of Mitarashi River”.

Number and variety of cherry trees	About 1,900 cherry trees (weeping cherry, Someiyoshino, etc.)
Address	Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi City
Transportation	10 min. by ferry from Miyajima-guchi Station on Hiroden City Subway Miyajima Line or JR Sanyo Line Miyajima-guchi Station to Miyajima Pier.
Inquiries	0829-44-2011（Miyajima Tourist Association)
Admission	Free of charge
Parking lot	No parking available (There is a toll parking lot on the mainland side at Miyajima-guchi. 1,000 yen per day)
Night Cherry Blossoms	Permitted (nighttime cherry blossom viewing is permitted)

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Hiroshima Joshi Park (Hiroshima Castle) and Chuo Park(Naka Ward)

Hiroshima Castle is located in the northern part of central Hiroshima City. Hiroshima Castle is located in the northern part of the city center, and the surrounding area and the neighboring Chuo Park are also popular cherry blossom viewing spots. (Hiroshima Joshi Park is also considered part of Chuo Park.)

Hiroshima Castle is open to visitors. Exhibitions of paintings from the Edo period are often held here, so if it is lunchtime, please visit the castle while viewing the cherry blossoms.

Number and variety of cherry trees	Hiroshima Joshi Park: about 1,900 trees (weeping cherry, Someiyoshino, etc.) Chuo Park: about 480 trees (Someiyoshino)
Address	Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City
Transportation	Hiroden city tram “Genbaku Dome-mae” or Astram Line “Kencho-mae” station, 8 min. walk from Hiroshima Bus Center
Inquiries	082-228-0811 (Hiroshima City Association of Greenery and Wildlife)
Admission	Free of charge
Parking lot	No parking lot
Night Cherry Blossoms	Allowed. There are many buildings in the Central Park, including Hiroshima Museum of Art, Hiroshima City Central Library, Hiroshima City Cinematographic and Audio-Visual Library, Hiroshima City Youth Center, and Yukaen Garden.

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Shukkeien Garden(Naka Ward)

Shukkeien Garden is a very well-known circular garden in the center of Hiroshima City. It was originally created as a villa garden for the feudal lord of Hiroshima. It is a place where plum blossoms, azaleas, and other seasonal flowers bloom, but it is also very beautiful during the cherry blossom season.

In 2023, the garden was illuminated during the Cherry Blossom Festival from March 24 (Fri.) to April 2 (Sun.). A cherry blossom viewing tea ceremony was also held on April 2.

The Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum is located next door, so it is a wonderful way to admire the flowers and then return home to view the works of art.

Number and variety of cherry trees	Someiyoshino cherry trees, yamazakura cherry trees, weeping cherry trees (about 200 in total)
Address	2-11 Kaminobori-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City
Transportation	A short walk from Hiroden Shukkeien-mae stop of Hiroden City Subway or a short walk from Shukkeien-mae stop of Hiroden Bus
Inquiries	082-221-3620 (Shukkeien)
Admission	Adults 260 yen, college and high school students 150 yen, elementary and junior high school students 100 yen (Free admission for preschool children and those 65 and older) Free admission on Greenery Day (May 4) and Culture Day (November 3).
Opening Hours	March 16 – September 15 9:00 – 18:00 (Admission until 17:30) September 16 – March 15 9:00 – 17:00 (Admission until 16:30)
Closed	December 29 – 31
Parking lot	400 yen for the first hour, 200 yen for every 30 minutes thereafter *Please use public transportation as much as possible as the number of cars is limited.
Night Cherry Blossom Viewing	Not available

Hijiyama Park(Minami Ward)

Hijiyama Park is located on top of a hill approximately 70 meters above the ground. Hijiyama Park offers a panoramic view of the center of Hiroshima City, and the night view is especially beautiful. Therefore, it is a very popular place for viewing cherry blossoms at night. Please note, however, that the park is off-limits from 23:00 to 5:00 the next morning.

During the daytime, you can visit the Hiroshima CityMuseum of Contemporary Art and theHiroshima City Manga Library in the park, and there are many sculptures in the park as well.

Cherry blossoms: About 1,300 cherry trees (Someiyoshino)
Address: Hijiyama Park, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City
Access: 10-minute walk from Hijiyamashita stop on Hiroden Hijiyama Line
Inquiries: 082-250-8956 (Hiroshima City Minami-ku Maintenance Division)
Admission: Free
Parking: 120 cars / Free / Available from 9:00 to 19:00
However, it is recommended to take the train as much as possible as it gets crowded.
Night Cherry Blossom Viewing: Permitted

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Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
Hours: 10:00-17:00, closed on Mondays, collection exhibition: general admission 370 yen
Hiroshima City Manga Library
Hours: 10:00-17:00, closed on Mondays and the day following a national holiday.
(If that day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, the library is closed on the preceding Friday.

Ebayama Park(Naka Ward)

Ewayama Park, located in the southwest of Hiroshima City, is also famous for its cherry blossoms. From the park, visitors can see not only the city of Hiroshima, but also the islands of Ninoshima and Miyajima.
Within the park is the Ewayama Weather Museum, the nation’s only museum specializing in meteorology and the only building exposed to the atomic bombing. If it is daytime, please take a look at this museum.

Cherry blossoms: Approximately 150 Someiyoshino cherry trees and one Hiroshima Ebayamazakura cherry tree.
There is a very rare species of yamazakura called hiromaeyamazakura, which is a mutation of yamazakura.
There is a very rare species of yamazakura called hiromaeyamazakura, a mutation of yamazakura. It has 5 to 13 petals, more than twice the number of petals of the normal yamazakura (designated as a natural cherry tree by the City of Hiroshima).
It is designated as a natural monument by the City of Hiroshima.
Address: Eba Minami and Eba Nihonmatsu, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City
Access: Hiroden Eba Line, Eba stop, 15 min. walk.
Or take Hiroden Bus bound for Eba Office, get off at Eba Sakae-machi bus stop, and walk 1 minute.
Inquiries: 082-247-6738 (Hiroshima City Tourist Information Center) or 082-504-2577 (Naka Ward Construction Department Maintenance and
Management Section, Naka Ward Construction Department)
Admission: Free 24 hours a day
Parking: No parking lot
Night Cherry Blossoms: Yes

Street lights are available; only the Ebayamazakura cherry blossoms are illuminated.
Several stalls open during cherry blossom viewing season

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Ebayama Weather Museum
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (admission by 16:30), closed every Monday, closed the day after national holidays
Admission: Adults 100 yen, persons 65 years old and older and their attendants, high school students 50 yen, junior high school students and younger free

Koganeyama Green(Minami Ward)

Koganeyama is located in the southeastern part of Hiroshima City. Approximately 480 Someiyoshino cherry trees bloom all the way to the top of the mountain. From the top of the mountain
The view of the city of Hiroshima and the Seto Inland Sea from the top of the mountain is wonderful. The night view is really beautiful with the lights of Hiroshima Ohashi Bridge, Kaida Ohashi Bridge, Mazda Plant, etc. It is one of the most beautiful spots in Hiroshima City for night view.

Cherry blossoms : About 480 cherry trees (Someiyoshino)
Address: Koganeyama-cho, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City
Access：Take Hiroden bus bound for Nibo Shako-mae from Hiroshima Stn. and get off at Asahigaoka Danchi Iriguchi bus stop,
50 min. walk from the bus stop.
Inquiries: 082-250-8956 (Minami-ku Construction Department Maintenance Division)
Admission: Free
Parking: Free (but few spaces are available)
Closed: No holidays
Night cherry blossom viewing: Yes, but note that it is closed to traffic from 23:00 at night to 5:00 in the morning!

Shirajima Kuken-cho, Koubei-bashi East(Naka-ku, Tokyo / riverside of Kyobashi River)

Near where I used to live, I often went there. It is near a quiet residential area, but during the cherry blossom viewing season, the cherry trees are in full bloom beautifully, and it is a cherry blossom viewing spot visited by many people from the city as well as the neighborhood. Cherry trees line the riverbank for about 1 km.

Cherry blossoms: Approximately 400 cherry trees (Someiyoshino)
Address: Hakushima-kita-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City
Access: 10 min. walk from Hakushima Dentei stop on Hiroden Hakushima Line
Inquiries: 082-504-2577 (Naka Ward Construction Department Maintenance Division)
Admission: Free 24 hours a day
Parking: No parking lot
Night Cherry Blossoms: Yes

I don’t think there are toilets (I don’t remember there being any temporary toilets either). If I had to guess, I would say that there are restrooms at Shirashima Kew Gardens or at Shin-Shirashima Station. Both are 7 or 8 minutes on foot.

Hiroshima City Botanical Park(Saeki Ward)

Hiroshima City Botanical Park is the largest botanical park in the prefecture, with approximately 11,650 varieties and 235,000 plants. The largest number of cherry trees in the prefecture, 68 varieties (as of 2014), bloom here, and the blooming time varies by variety, so you can enjoy them for a long time.

Every April, a variety of events are held under the title of “Sakura Festival,” including concerts, cherry blossom viewing parties, Sakura Support Group, photography classes, and sales of sakura soba (buckwheat noodles), sakura bread, etc.
On Saturdays and Sundays in April, the park is open until 9:00 p.m. (admission until 8:30 p.m.). A free shuttle bus service is also available during this period.

Cherry blossoms: Someiyoshino, Kanhizakura, Yaezakura, Yama-zakura, Hiroshima Ebayamazakura, and more than 60 other varieties
Address: Kurashige, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima City
Access: Hiroden Bus: 40 min. from Hiroshima Bus Center (Bus Stop No. 2)
Approximately 20 minutes from JR Itsukaichi Station North Exit (Bus Stop No. 1)
Approx. 10 minutes by cab from JR Itsukaichi Station
Approx. 15 min. from Sanyo Expressway Itsukaichi Interchange or Hatsukaichi Interchange
Inquiries: 082-922-3600
Admission: Adults 510 yen (170 yen for those 65 and older), high school students and those under 18 170 yen,
Free for junior high school and elementary school students
Parking: Available/ 1,380 yen for large and medium-sized vehicles, 450 yen for standard-sized vehicles
Opening hours: 9:00 – 16:30 (admission until 16:00)
Closed: Fridays (open when Friday falls on a national holiday)
Stores and public restrooms available

Chupi Park(Hatsukaichi City)

This park is also not in Hiroshima City, but is included here because of its proximity. The Chugoku Shimbun purchased the park formerly owned by the dairy products manufacturer Chichiyasu, called Chichiyasu High Park. It is also a leisure facility, with a Chugoku Shimbun production plant and swimming pool, as well as a mini SL and go-carts.
There are approximately 1,000 cherry trees in this park, which are very beautiful when in full bloom.

Cherry Blossoms: Approximately 3,000 cherry trees (Someiyoshino, yamazakura, and yaezakura)
Address: Ono, Hatsukaichi City
Access: Approx. 10 min. walk from Maezora Station on the JR Sanyo Main Line.
Open: Tuesdays through Sundays, closed on Mondays (if Monday is a national holiday or a substitute holiday, the museum will be open on Monday and closed the following day).
Closed on the following day)
Inquiries: 0829-56-0666
Admission: Free
Parking: Available/charged during cherry blossom season (about 1,000 yen)

Ryuoh Park(Nishi Ward)

Ryuoh Park, located on a slope in Ryuoh Town, is another beautiful spot for cherry blossom viewing. The park has tennis courts and a multipurpose plaza, making it a place for citizens to relax. It is a good place to go when you have a meal in the city and don’t want to go too far to see the night view.

The rows of cherry trees along the road leading to the park are beautiful, and the cherry blossoms in the park are also worth seeing, attracting many visitors every year.
The park is terraced, so you can enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms while looking out over the city of Hiroshima. Especially on weekday evenings, you can enjoy beautiful nighttime cherry blossoms with many lights of business buildings.

Address: Ryuo-cho, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima City
Access: There are no buses or other means of transportation. Please drive or walk from Yokogawa Station.
Inquiries: 082-237-9880 (Ryuoh Park Management Center)
Admission: Free
Parking: Free

This time we have limited our introduction to Hiroshima City (and some areas in Hatsukaichi City).

If we are talking about Hiroshima Prefecture, Senkoji Park in Onomichi, Fukuyama Castle Park in Fukuyama, Osekiyama Park in Miyoshi, the Yachiyo Lake area in Miyoshi and Shobara, and Ondo no Seto Park in Kure are also wonderful cherry blossom spots. I would like to take up these spots again at another time.

According to the recent “bloom forecast,” the cherry blossoms this year are expected to bloom at about the normal level in many places.

It really makes me feel refreshed when cherry blossoms bloom here and there.

I am looking forward to the blooming of the cherry blossoms. And when the cherry blossoms bloom, I would love to go and see them here and there!

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Here is a list of Hiroshima-related articles on our blog. You can jump to each article from here, including sightseeing spots in Hiroshima, if you like.