# Hiroshima Castle > Hiroshima Castle is the 'Carp Castle', built by Mori Terumoto from 1589. Since March 2026 its keep has been closed — you can only see it from outside. The free moated park and the wooden Ninomaru buildings stay open: 9:00–16:30 from October to March, until 17:30 from April to September. It's about 20 minutes on foot from Hiroshima Station. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/hiroshima-castle - City: [Hiroshima](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima), Japan - YesGo score: 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - Entry: free (keep closed) - Opening hours: Ninomaru: October–March 9:00–16:30, April–September 9:00–17:30; keep closed since March 2026 - With kids: Fine with kids - Keep: Closed since March 2026 — exterior only - Ninomaru: Free - Ninomaru hours: October–March 9:00–16:30; April–September 9:00–17:30 - Closed: 8 December, 29–31 December - Park: Free, moats and stone walls - Getting there: Tram to Kamiyacho-nishi, 15 minutes on foot; about 20 minutes from the station - Coordinates: 34.40275, 132.45903 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1589** — the year Mori Terumoto began building the castle (source: rijo-castle.jp) - **Flatland** — castle on the Ota River delta (source: rijo-castle.jp) - **1958** — the year the present concrete keep was built (source: en.wikipedia) - **1994** — the Ninomaru buildings were rebuilt in wood (source: en.wikipedia) - **March 2026** — the keep closed because of concrete wear (source: rijo-castle.jp) - **Free** — entry to the Ninomaru and park (source: rijo-castle.jp) - **Carp** — 'Carp Castle' — its other name, Rijo (source: en.wikipedia) - **5 tiers** — on the keep (source: en.wikipedia) ## What is Hiroshima Castle? **Hiroshima Castle** is a flatland castle that **Mori Terumoto** began building in **1589** on the delta of the Ota River. The city of Hiroshima grew up around it. Its other name is **'Carp Castle'**, Rijo, used since long ago — and the local baseball team is called the Carp. The five-tiered **keep** is a concrete reconstruction from **1958**, which long housed a history museum. In **1994** the **Ninomaru** buildings — gates, corner turrets and a long corridor at the castle entrance — were rebuilt in wood using traditional techniques. Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine also stands in the grounds. > **The keep is closed** According to the official site, the keep closed in March 2026 because of deteriorating concrete and ageing equipment. You can't go inside, and there's no longer a museum or viewing floor — the tower can only be seen from outside. The Ninomaru, the park and the shrine are open as usual, and all free. ## What's open and when The rebuilt **Ninomaru** buildings — the main gate, turrets and corridor — are open **free of charge**: 9:00 to 16:30 from October to March, and until 17:30 from April to September; last entry is 30 minutes before closing. In 2026 they close on 8 December and from 29 to 31 December. The castle park, with its wide **moats** and stone walls, is always open. A sightseeing boat runs on the moat, on a timetable that depends on the season and sunset. In the evening the keep is lit up, and the bridge over the moat gives a lovely view of the tower above the water. ## What to see - **The keep** — from outside, from the bridge or the moat. - **The Ninomaru** — wooden gates and turrets. - **The moats and stone walls** around the castle. - **Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine** in the grounds. - **The moat boat** — on a seasonal timetable. - **The keep lit up** in the evening. ## How to get to Hiroshima Castle 1. **Tram** — to Kamiyacho-nishi or Kamiyacho-higashi, then about 15 minutes on foot north. 2. **From Hiroshima Station** — about 20 minutes on foot west. 3. **Taxi** — about 10 minutes from Hiroshima Station. 4. **From Shukkei-en Garden** — about 10 minutes on foot. 5. **From Hiroshima Airport** — bus to the station, about 50 minutes. ## Hiroshima Castle or Himeji Castle | | Hiroshima Castle | Himeji Castle | | --- | --- | --- | | Keep | A reconstruction, closed | Original, open | | Entry | Free | ¥2,500 | | Highlights | Ninomaru, moats, park | The white tower and maze of courtyards | | Time | 45 minutes | Half a day | ## How long do you need? While the keep is closed, **45 minutes to an hour** is enough: go through the Ninomaru gates, walk round the keep and moats, and look into Gokoku Shrine. It's a good walk between Shukkei-en Garden and the city centre. In spring the castle park fills with cherry blossom, and in autumn the trees along the moats turn yellow. The grounds are large and quiet — pleasant for a morning walk before it gets hot. ## Is Hiroshima Castle worth visiting? Yes, if you're in central Hiroshima: the walk is free, and the wooden Ninomaru gates and turrets are a fine example of castle architecture. The YesGo take: with the keep closed, the castle has lost its main draw — the museum and the view from the top. It's not worth a special trip. For a real Japanese castle, Himeji is better, and it's on the shinkansen line between Hiroshima and Osaka. In Hiroshima, the castle is a pleasant stop on the way to Shukkei-en Garden. Look closely at the Ninomaru gates: they were rebuilt from old drawings and photographs, in wood, using traditional carpentry. Near the keep the stone bases of old buildings survive, showing how large the castle once was. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Keep closed — don't plan on the museum - [ ] Ninomaru — until 16:30 in winter - [ ] Comfortable shoes - [ ] Shukkei-en nearby - [ ] Evening illumination ## Castles and palaces: compare and choose Castles and palaces rated by YesGo. - [Hiroshima Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/hiroshima-castle) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free (keep closed) ## Hiroshima in half a day Hiroshima Castle and the Ninomaru in the morning, then Shukkei-en Garden, and okonomiyaki at Okonomi-mura for lunch. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Hiroshima Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/hiroshima-castle) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free (keep closed) 2. [Shukkei-en Garden](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/shukkei-en) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥350 3. [Okonomi-mura](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/okonomi-mura) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free entry; okonomiyaki ≈ from ¥1,000 ## Good to know Hiroshima Castle is not Himeji Castle or other castles of the region. It is also called Carp Castle. ## Tips - The keep has been closed since March 2026. - The Ninomaru is free. - Ninomaru closes at 16:30 in winter. - The keep is lit up in the evening. - Nearby: [Shukkei-en Garden](https://yesgo.io/japan/hiroshima/shukkei-en). ## Questions ### Is Hiroshima Castle's keep open? No, it has been closed since March 2026; you can only see it from outside. ### How much is entry? The Ninomaru and park are free. ### What are the Ninomaru hours? 9:00–16:30 from October to March, 9:00–17:30 from April to September. ### Why was it closed? Because of worn concrete and equipment, according to the official site. ### Who built the castle? Mori Terumoto, from 1589. ### How do I get there? Tram to Kamiyacho-nishi, then 15 minutes on foot. ### How long do you need? 45 minutes to an hour. ### What's nearby? Shukkei-en Garden, 10 minutes on foot. ## How we checked The keep's closure, Ninomaru hours and closing days, free entry and the castle's builder are from the official site. Reconstruction years and the other name are from Wikipedia. We don't cover the castle's 20th-century history. Access is from guides. ## Sources - Castle official site (rijo-castle.jp) — keep closure in March 2026, Ninomaru hours and closing days, free entry, boat (checked 09.11.2026) - English Wikipedia: Hiroshima Castle — other name, 1958 reconstruction, 1994 Ninomaru - Travel guides — access (unofficial) - Wikidata Q41977 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.