Hiroshima Castle: Japan's Carp Castle - Teach Translate Travel Repeat

Located in the famous city of Hiroshima in eastern Japan, Hiroshima Castle has played an important part in Japan’s history. One of the most accessible castles, it is not to be missed!

History of Hiroshima Castle

Sengoku Period

The castle’s story begins between in the late 1500s when one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s councillors, Mori Terumoto, built a castle at the delta of the Otagawa river between 1589 and 1599. At this point the city of Hiroshima did not exist. Instead the area had a collection of five villages, which was reflected in the original name: Gokamura. He moved there in 1591 and governed 9 provinces, which forms part of modernShimane, Yamaguchi, Tottori, Okayama and Hiroshima Prefectures today.

The castle was built primarily of pine wood and in addition to the main tower (tenshu), it also featured attached east and south wings. The castle was a prime example of a flatlands castle, using the Otagawa River in addition to three concentric moats in its defence.

During construction, the name of the area changed from Gokamura to Hiroshima, which was an amalgamation of two family name. Hiroshima also means “wide island”, and the kanji for the name was eventually changed to reflect this.

In 1600 after the famous battle of Sekigahara, the Mori lost control of the castle and it given to Fukushima Masanori, who repaired it.

Edo Period and After

In 1619 the castle changed hands again, becoming the seat of the Asano clan until after the Meiji Restoration in 1869. During this time it saw little action due to the relative stability of the period and the oppresive nature of the Shogunate on the Daimyos, not allowing them any opportunity to dissent. What conflicts the Asano clans did join, they ended up on the victors side and the castle was never threatened.

After the Meiji Restoration, the castle became a military istallation; it was the site of the Imperial General Headquarters in the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) under the Meiji Government. The castle’s grounds were also expanded to build new buildings to support the military, including offices and barracks. Hiroshima also served as a provisional capital when the 7th Imperial Diet was held there in 1985.

In the early 1900s, the outer two moats were filled in due to the population explosion of the city.

During World War 2 it also served a military function. It was the headquarters of the 2nd General Army and the Fifth Division, both of which were stationed here to deter Allied invasion of the Japanese mainland.

Like much of Hiroshima, most of the castle was destroyed when the Atomic Bomb was dropped on the city. The lower pillars were destroyed in the explosion and the weight of the tower caused it to collapse.

Post-WW2

Ideas for what to do with the castle and its land fluctuated over time, with some wanting to reclaim it for housing purposes and others wanting to preserve Japanese history and culture. Eventually the castle was rebuilt in 1958 in reinforced concrete. The inner moat was also restored and the castle was designated a national historic site, which it had also been before its destruction.

The castle was further renovated between 1989 and 1994 where the outer bailey was restored and the moat was cleaned.

The castle today is a museum and peace monument that is open to everyone.

Visiting Hiroshima Castle

To get to Hiroshima Station from Tokyo Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen. This will take you about 4 hours and cost ¥19,560 ($125.66 USD, £93.69 GBP, €107.03 as of December 2025). You can also use this same service from Koyoto Station or Shin-Osaka Station. Train ticket prices in Japan are based on distance, so these journeys will be shorter and cheaper.

The castle sits in the middle of the city with several transport links nearby, including buses and trams. From Hiroshima Station you can take bus 73-3 or trams #1, 2, 6 or 9 and then walk a couple of minutes to the castle entrance.

Entrance to the castle tower costs ¥370 ($2.38 USD, £1.77 GBP, €2.02 as of December 2025) for adults. The grounds are free to visit. The castle tower is temporarily closed on December 29th, December 30th, and December 31st. Ninomaru is closed on December 29th, December 30th, December 31st, January 1st, and January 2nd.