Explore Hiroshima Stadium Park, Step into the “New” Hiroshima
An Excursion from the RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima
“Hiroshima Stadium Park” was established as a new space for relaxation and recreation for the citizens of Hiroshima. The park, centered around the “Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima” soccer stadium, features a lush green plaza and a variety of eateries, attracting crowds even on non-game days.
Maeoka Yuki, a Hiroshima-based writer who covers a wide range of topics from sports events to culinary hotspots, shares the various ways to enjoy “Hiroshima Stadium Park.”
Oasis in the City, Abundant with Lush Greenery and Pristine Water
“Hiroshima Stadium Park” made its grand debut in August 2024. The impressive soccer stadium, “Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima,” with its unique roof shaped like flapping wings in the sky, is situated in the center of the park and is visible as soon as you exit the RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima. In front of the stadium is the “lawn plaza,” whose expansiveness makes you want to take a deep breath. It’s almost impossible to believe that it’s located in the heart of the city.
The plaza offers countless ways to spend your time. Benches and chairs are available for a leisurely picnic on the lawn, and you can also rent various sports equipment to get some exercise. You don’t need to bring anything with you to spend your time here as you like. It is one of my favorite spots to hang out in my spare time.
Perfect Day Off Full of Tasty Food and Moments of Tranquility
My first stop is “DOUBLE FLAT Hiropa!,” which I’ve wanted to visit ever since I saw their colorful parfaits and crepes on Instagram.
With a background in greengrocery, the owner of the shop oversees the wholesale of fruits and the development of the dessert menu, utilizing his expertise and connections with suppliers throughout Japan, not just in Hiroshima. The main objective is to offer fruits at their peak ripeness, and expert knowledge is used to determine both the perfect moment for consumption and the best ways for transforming them into jams and sauces for sweets. For example, different types of strawberries with varying levels of tartness and sweetness are bought and prepared according to the recipe for each dessert.
As a fig lover, I was particularly happy to find that they offer figs long after May. The figs are sourced from several growers from diverse locations each season, ensuring their availability across seasons despite the shortness of the fig season. During my visit in May, figs from Aichi Prefecture were available, and Hiroshima figs are available from mid-June to August. Having the opportunity to enjoy my favorite fruits for an extended period is like a dream come true for me.
My next stop is “Bene-Tre.” Their concept is to offer a space for business professionals to calm their minds and bodies. It is a unique facility equipped with a study room, gym, and sauna.
Stepping inside, you can unwind and forget about the bustle of the city. You can indulge in all of their services and equipment at a reasonable price starting at ￥1,980 for 90 minutes. It is the perfect place for when you need to take a break or even when you want to work out while on holiday.
Another place that is definitely worth a visit is “kiond Hiroshima,” a woodworking studio where you can play, learn, and relax. The playpark, which is open to elementary school-aged children and younger, features wooden jungle gyms made of Japanese cypress and Japanese cedar, slides, and other wooden toys. The fragrant scent of wood creates a tranquil experience for adults.
In addition, it includes a café and a shop offering a large selection of Hiroshima-made wooden goods as well as items perfect for souvenirs. They also provide workshops that allow participants to experience the culture and nature of Hiroshima. For the “chopsticks making” and “mini pinball machine making” courses, reservations must be made at least one day in advance. (Reservations will be closed once capacity is reached.)
In front of the building is a fair where you can enjoy shooting games, pinball, and ring toss. Staff members ring a bell, “clang clang!” with each successful hit on the target, making even adults excited like kids! You can win prizes like toys and other items depending on the number of hits you get.
Romanticizing the Long History of Heroic Hiroshima Castle
After visiting Hiroshima Stadium Park, make sure to stop by “Hiroshima Castle.” As you walk east along the pedestrian walkway, the castle tower will come into view, majestically framed by lush greenery beyond the water-filled moat.
Reconstructed in 1958, the castle tower has doubled as a museum of Hiroshima’s history and culture. However, due to seismic safety concerns, the castle tower is scheduled to close on March 22, 2026. Only a handful of days remain for us to witness the interior of the castle.
Currently, a temporary exhibition, “Hiroshima Castle and The Founding Site of Hiroshima,” is being held. The exhibition highlights the evolution of Motomachi, which served as the cultural center surrounding Hiroshima Castle and later emerged as a symbol of postwar reconstruction. Both Hiroshima Gate Park and Hiroshima Stadium Park are located in Motomachi, where the original castle was located. Walking around the “Founding Site” of Hiroshima will surely immerse you in the city’s rich history.
Exiting the pedestrian walkway, you will find “Sannomaru Hiroshima Castle,” a complex that opened in March 2025, offering an exquisite, multi-sensory experience of Hiroshima’s history and culture. It features five shops, including a restaurant serving Hiroshima specialties, shops where you can try tea ceremonies and Japanese archery, and a shop selling souvenirs and other Hiroshima treasures. In addition, the collection of swords and armor currently on show inside the castle tower will be on display at the soon-to-open “Sannomaru Hiroshima Castle History Museum.”
As you journey eastward from Sannomaru Hiroshima Castle, you will be greeted by Ninomaru. Beyond the wooden Gomon-bashi Bridge, the Omotegomon Gate, Tamon Yagura, Hira Yagura, and Taiko Yagura, all restored using traditional construction techniques, evoke the ambiance of the Edo period (free admission).
After traveling through Sannomaru, Ninomaru, and Honmaru, you will finally arrive at the castle tower. The entire city of Hiroshima can be seen from the top of the castle tower, and even Miyajima on a clear day. You can feel the long and ever-changing history of Hiroshima, spanning over 400 years.
Concluding the Journey at the New Hiroshima Station Building, “minamoa”
As we wrap up our journey, let us visit “minamoa,” the station building that officially opened in March 2025. It houses more than 200 stores, including restaurants and clothing stores. On the rooftop is “Soramoa Hiroba,” a perfect spot to spend some relaxing time.
Omiyage Kaido” on the first floor offers a wide selection of well-known and popular Hiroshima souvenirs. It’s a perfect place to find a one-of-a-kind Hiroshima item to remember your trip by. The second floor is directly connected to the Shinkansen station entrance, ensuring convenience.
Furthermore, the new streetcar line, the “Ekimae Ohashi Route,” opened in August 2025. This marks the first time in Japan that a streetcar stop is integrated within an elevated train station, making access to and from central Hiroshima, where “Hiroshima Stadium Park” and “Hiroshima Castle” are located, much smoother.
Hiroshima is currently undergoing a significant transformation. Even if you have visited Hiroshima in the past, you will surely be surprised at all the changes. Even I, a resident of Hiroshima, am astonished by the remarkable transformation. I hope you enjoy the ever-growing Hiroshima.
Photos by Nakano Kazuyuki (kiond Hiroshima) and Shinohara Yuki (Hiroshima Stadium Park, DOUBLE FLAT, and the adventure playground)
RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima
Phone: +81(0) 82-502-1121
6-78 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-city
【DATA】
DOUBLE FLAT Hiropa!
FL 1, HiroPa, 15-1, Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Phone: +81(0) 82-909-2313
11:00-17:00 Last Call: 16:20
Open all year round
Bene-Tre
FL 1, HiroPa, 15-1, Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Phone: +81(0) 82-553-1411
9:00-23:00
Closed on the second and fourth Thursdays (subject to change)
kiond Hiroshima
FL 1, HiroPa, 15-1, Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Phone: +81(0) 82-225-7482
11:00-18:00 (Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays:10:00-18:00)
※Open until 18:30 on night game days
Closed: Thursdays
For workshop reservations, visit the website at https://kiond-hiroshima.com/
Hiroshima Castle
21-1, Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Admission:Adults ¥370 Senior citizens and high school students ¥200 Free admission for children aged 15 or younger
Phone: +81(0) 82-221-7512
9:00-18:00 (Closing times vary by season)
Closed: December 2 (Tuesday) and the year-end holidays
Sannomaru Hiroshima Castle
21-7-2, Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Opening hours vary by store
Ninomaru Hiroshima Castle
21, Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Free admission
Phone: +81(0) 82-221-7512
9:00-17:30 (Closing times vary by season)
Closed: December 2 (Tuesday), and the year-end and New Year holidays
minamoa
2-37, Matsubaracho, Minami-ku, Hiroshima
Opening hours vary by store
Our Guide
Maeoka Yuki
After serving as an associate editor of a community magazine and a director of promotional products for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Maeoka Yuki currently works as a freelance writer and editor, mainly for the labor union magazine of an automobile manufacturer and the community magazine of Akitakata City, which went viral on social media recently. She is also a law student attending evening courses at a national university. Her main interests include sake, hot springs, cats, and watercolor painting.
※All prices include tax.
※Opening Hours may be subject to change without notice.
