Moat and walls
Stone and water.
by Reggaeman — CC BY-SA 3.0 · by Reggaeman — CC BY-SA 3.0 · DXR — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wei-Te Wong from Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China — CC BY-SA 2.0 · inunami — CC BY 2.0 · Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert — CC BY 4.0 · U.S. Department of State from United States — Public domain · Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert — CC BY 4.0
A castle built by the warlord Mōri Terumoto between 1589 and 1599 on the delta of the Ōta River, before the city of Hiroshima existed, also known as Carp Castle. It was the seat of the lords of the Hiroshima domain; most of it was dismantled in the Meiji era, and what remained was destroyed in the atomic bombing of 6 August 1945. The main keep was rebuilt in 1958 as a replica and served as a museum of Hiroshima's pre-war history until it closed on 22 March 2026 because it no longer met earthquake-resistance standards. Its exhibits, from swords to armour, moved to a new history museum next door, and the city is studying a future rebuild in timber. The keep still stands outside and is lit in the evening, and the castle grounds remain open: a broad moat and stone walls, reconstructed gates and turrets, and trees that turn in autumn and bloom in spring, with views of the keep over the water. Walking the grounds is free; the keep cannot be entered since March 2026. The castle is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Peace Park, so the two combine easily.
Stone and water.
Over the water at night.
Around the grounds.
Motomachi, north of the Peace Park, central Hiroshima
Shukkei-en GardenA historic Japanese garden in central Hiroshima, begun in 1620 in the Edo period10 minutes walk4.6
Atomic Bomb Dome (Hiroshima Peace Memorial)A building that remained standing close to where the atomic bomb dropped on Hiro12 minutes walk4.6
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and MuseumA memorial park at the heart of Hiroshima, dedicated to the city's legacy as the16 minutes walk4.8No, the keep closed on 22 March 2026 as it no longer met earthquake standards, and its exhibits moved to a museum next door; the grounds, moat and gates remain open for free.