1. Joy in HIROSHIMA
  2. About Hiroshima
  3. Kure/Higashihiroshima Area

About Hiroshima

Kure/Higashihiroshima Area

Higashihiroshima City has a population of about 190,000 and is located almost at the center of Hiroshima Prefecture. It is about a 40-minute train ride from Hiroshima Station to Saijo, (center of the city). There is a bullet train stop and expressway interchange, so the area is very easy to access. The Saijo area, with its many historical sake breweries, is famous for being one of the three major sake production areas in Japan. The distinctive streetscape of red brick chimneys along with the white walls of sake breweries makes the area very attractive. It is also home to the campus of Hiroshima National University, as well as many other international companies.

Kure

The city of Kure has many shipbuilding and naval facilities, including the Maritime Self-Defense Force Base Array at Sukojima, where you can see a real submarine up close and in detail. The Yamato Museum has materials related to the battleship Yamato, which was one of the largest battleships ever built. The Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Kure Archives (nicknamed the Iron Whale Museum) is a giant submarine displayed on land and is particularly popular with fans in Japan and abroad.

Higashihiroshima, Takehara, Mihara

Higashihiroshima is home to the town of Saijo, which is known as one of Japan’s top three producers of sake. In early October, the Saijo Sake Festival is held, attracting more than 200,000 visitors every year to Saijo. There you can sample and buy about 1,000 brands of sake from around the country.

In Takehara, you can see historically preserved districts that make you feel like you’ve gone back in time to the Edo period. There are also many other tourist attractions for children to enjoy, such as Okunoshima, or “Rabbit Island,” inhabited by more than 900 wild rabbits.

In Mihara, there are many historical sightseeing spots such as the ruins of Mihara Castle just north of JR Mihara Station, or Umekidaira Tomb, the largest horizontal cave stone chamber in Hiroshima Prefecture.