Angelo A.
Yelp
It was a spur of the moment decision to visit Hiroshima Castle and I'm extremely happy we did. We waited until late afternoon ( after 3 ) to head out because we had just arrived in Hiroshima from Fukuoka and after checking in, unpacking, getting lunch and cooling down, the timing worked out perfectly.
We took a cab ( ¥1020 from the Sheraton ) because with 3 year old twins in tow the subway really isn't as time efficient as one might hope, plus there isn't a subway stop nearby. To get to the castle, you need to take the bus (get off at the Hiroshima Bus Center or the Kamiya-cho stop) or streetcar (get off at Kamiya-cho-higashi or Kamiya-cho-nisi) then WALK 15 minutes to the castle (in the HEAT). In contrast, the cab ride took less than 10 minutes and it was A/C. Speed . . . . . . CHECK! Comfort . . . . . . CHECK !!
The area surrounding the castle was interesting with paths which took you through the ruins of the original castle grounds (including the moat, towers, turrets, gates, etc.), To me, however, this was nothing compared to the castle itself. It was BEAUTIFUL !! The wood and tile pagoda was rebuilt in 1958 after the atomic bomb leveled the original on August 6, 1945.
The admission is ¥360 for adults and the rug rats were FREE (there are also discounts for seniors and students). Bear in mind, there are NO elevators inside so the climb up to the observation platform on the 5th floor might not be for those that are horribly out of shape. For me ( being OBESE by HMSA standards ) it was fine, well except for the achy knees because I ended up throwing the heaviest my two twin daughters on my shoulders for the trip down. The stairs are SUPER steep, so be careful.
Each floor has informative displays related to the castle (including samurai armor and swords) which gives you a short break between each flight of stairs.
FYI no photos are allowed inside ( I'm pretty sure that's not enforced though )
Hiroshima Castle is a fascinating place to visit if you're interested in history or architecture (or if you just like castles and samurai).