Higashihiroshima (東広島)

Map

Getting There

• train
• bus
• car

Best Times to Visit

• spring: Mild weather and fresh garden growth make spring comfortable for brewery walks, historic districts, parks, and seasonal garden viewing.
• autumn: Autumn offers comfortable sightseeing weather, colorful garden scenery, seasonal foods, and the major Sake Festival in October.
• winter: Cooler weather suits sake-focused visits and warming Bishu-nabe, while winter aligns with the traditional sake-brewing season.

What's There

• architecture: Historic sake breweries, traditional townhouses, tiled streets, and registered heritage residences define the city’s distinctive built environment.
• art: The municipal art museum emphasizes modern prints, contemporary ceramics, and works connected with the region.
• culture: Sake-making traditions, historic districts, local cuisine, and preserved cultural properties offer substantial cultural experiences.
• festival: The annual Sake Festival in October features tastings, food stalls, performances, and events around Saijo Brewery Street.
• food: Local specialties include sake-based hot pot, rice-flour fried chicken, regional okonomiyaki, and other sake-paired dishes.
• flowers: Senseki Garden combines seasonal flowers and plants with ponds, waterfalls, and stone arrangements.
• garden: Senseki Garden is a large Japanese garden and stone museum designed for seasonal scenery and quiet exploration.
• history: Mitsujo Kofun, Shiraichi’s historic townscape, sake heritage, and preserved residences reveal long regional history.
• market: Roadside-station shopping and festival food stalls provide opportunities to browse local products and regional specialties.
• museum: The Higashihiroshima City Museum of Art and Senseki Garden’s stone museum provide dedicated cultural exhibits.
• nature: Gardens, seasonal vegetation, ponds, waterfalls, rural surroundings, and nearby coastal influences add varied natural scenery.
• park: Mitsujo Park preserves restored ancient burial mounds in an accessible open-air historical setting.
• sake: Saijo is a leading sake region, with seven historic breweries offering tastings, tours, and related products.
• seafood: Local cuisine includes Hiroshima oysters and fresh seafood used in regional okonomiyaki and restaurant dishes.
• shopping: Visitors can purchase limited sake, brewery products, souvenirs, sweets, and regional foods along the brewery district.
• shrine: Several historic shrines, including Nonta Daimyojin and Mitate Shrine, are listed among local attractions.
• temple: Aki Kokubunji offers a historic Buddhist temple experience connected with regional heritage and traditional culture.
• views: Brewery streets, gardens, restored heritage districts, ponds, and seasonal landscapes provide varied scenic viewpoints.

Specialties

• Saijo sake (西条酒): Higashihiroshima is one of Japan’s leading sake-producing regions, with seven historic breweries clustered along Saijo Sake Brewery Street. Visitors can sample local sake and learn about traditional brewing culture.
• Higashihiroshima-yaki (東広島焼き): Higashihiroshima-style okonomiyaki is a local variation featuring rice, fresh seafood, and seasonal mountain ingredients. It is listed by the city’s official tourism site among the area’s local gourmet specialties.
• Bishu-nabe (美酒鍋): Bishu-nabe is a local hot pot prepared with Japanese sake and locally sourced vegetables. It is a signature dish associated with Saijo’s sake-producing culture.
• Komekara (コメカラ): Komekara is fried chicken made with rice flour and is presented as a local Higashihiroshima specialty. Variations include chicken, octopus, and mixed platters.
• Akitsu oysters (安芸津の牡蠣): Hiroshima oysters are served in Higashihiroshima restaurants, including fried and steamed preparations supplied fresh from Akitsu. The city’s tourism site identifies oyster dishes as part of the region’s local cuisine.