From Hiroshima Castle to the Daimyo Garden Shukkeien Garden

This walking tour takes you from the ruins of Hiroshima Castle, where the city of Hiroshima began, to Shukkeien Garden, a daimyo garden constructed by the Asano family, lords of the Hiroshima Domain. Along the way, you will visit Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja Shrine located within the castle grounds, as well as the Hiroshima Museum of Art and the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum.

History and Regional Appeal

Hiroshima Castle is a fortress that Mori Terumoto began constructing in 1589 (Tensho 17) on a delta at the mouth of the Ota River. The establishment of the castle and its surrounding castle town marked the beginning of Hiroshima as a city. From 1619 (Genna 5), the Asano clan became the lords of the castle and ruled for about 250 years until 1869 (Meiji 2). The following year, in 1620 (Genna 6), the first feudal lord, Asano Nagaakira, began constructing Shukkeien Garden as the garden for his villa.

Due to the atomic bomb on August 6, 1945 (Showa 20), the main keep—which had been a National Treasure—was lost, the shrine buildings of Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja Shrine were burned, and Shukkeien Garden also suffered catastrophic damage. Shukkeien Garden reopened in 1951 (Showa 26), Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja Shrine had new shrine buildings constructed on the castle grounds in 1956 (Showa 31), and the main keep was reconstructed in 1958 (Showa 33). By walking between the castle and the garden, you can encounter both Hiroshima during the feudal domain era and the path the city has taken in recovering from the atomic bombing.

Main Highlights

• ​Hiroshima Castle​​: Also known as Rijo (Carp Castle). The current main keep was reconstructed after the war using reinforced concrete; while it closed in March 2026 and its interior can no longer be entered, you can view its exterior from the open space of the honmaru (main bailey) and around the moat. The Omotegomon (front main gate) and Gomonbashi bridge of the ninomaru (second bailey), as well as the hira-yagura (flat turret), tamon-yagura (long turret), and taiko-yagura (drum turret), were restored in wood between 1989 (Heisei 1) and 1994 (Heisei 6).
• ​Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja Shrine​​: A shrine standing on the former site of the castle's honmaru. In connection with Hiroshima Castle's alias "Rijo," there are carp statues in the haiden (worship hall), and it is also known as a shrine visited by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp professional baseball team before the season opens to pray for victory. Approximately 10,000 spirits, including mobilized students who were victims of the atomic bombing, are enshrined here.
• ​Hiroshima Museum of Art​​: An art museum opened in 1978 (Showa 53) focusing on modern French painting, primarily Impressionism. It features a circular exhibition room inspired by the Atomic Bomb Dome and corridors inspired by the corridors of Itsukushima Shrine, and is said to permanently exhibit Vincent van Gogh's "Daubigny's Garden," painted in his final years.
• ​Shukkeien Garden​​: A circuit-style garden designed around a pond by Ueda Soko, a chief retainer and master of the tea ceremony, designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty. A stone arched bridge, Koko-kyo, spans Takuei-chi Pond with its floating islands, and trees that survived the atomic bombing, such as a large ginkgo, remain within the grounds.
• ​Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum​​: A prefectural art museum located right next to Shukkeien Garden. It houses works such as Salvador Dalí's "Dream of Venus" and works by artists associated with Hiroshima. From the lobby and rest lounges, you can view the seasonal scenery of Shukkeien Garden.

Recommended Route and Required Time

The estimated time required is about 4 hours, including viewing time at the two art museums. To reach Hiroshima Castle, go via the underground passage from the Kamiyacho-higashi or Kamiyacho-nishi tram stops. Cross the moat via Gomonbashi bridge, pass through the Omotegomon of the ninomaru, and proceed to the honmaru, where Hiroshima Gokoku-jinja Shrine is located right nearby. Walking south about 300 meters from the castle grounds brings you to the Hiroshima Museum of Art in a corner of Chuo Park. From there, walking east about 900 meters leads to Shukkeien Garden, with the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum right next to the garden. For the return trip, you can board a streetcar from the Shukkeien-mae stop on the Hakushima Line near Shukkeien Garden.

Experience Summary

The ruins of the castle built by Mori Terumoto, the daimyo garden of the Asano family, and modern art from the West and Japan. Spend a half-day walking to trace the origins of the city of Hiroshima and its journey of recovery from the atomic bomb.