Photo: Yuya Tamai / CC BYShukkei-en was laid out in 1620 as a feudal lord's garden, and the garden says it was reshaped by successive lords into roughly what you see today. It was badly damaged by a great fire in the Edo period and again by the atomic bomb, and restored each time; in 2020 it reached its 400th year. It is the quiet counterweight to a morning at the Peace Park.
It sits in the middle of the city beside the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum, and the garden's own introduction stresses that the green setting makes you forget the traffic around it. The garden's site has a map of its sights, a calendar of what is in flower season by season (check it for your date), and a Seisen-tei hall; it also lists a water taxi that reaches the garden by river.
The catch is time and the tram: 45 minutes each way from Ujina with a change, and you pay a second fare. It is a poor use of a short call, and you need to be there before the 16:30 last entry in the cooler months (17:30 in summer). If you only have time for the Peace Park, stay with that.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- If you are 65 or over, take your passport: the garden's fee table lists free entry for 65+ (confirm at the gate).
- Last entry is 16:30 from 16 September to 15 March, and 17:30 from 16 March to 15 September.
- The tram stop is Shukkeien-mae on the Hakushima line, reached by changing at Hatchobori, per the garden's access page.
- The garden has a seasonal flower calendar on its site; check it for your date rather than assume.
- The Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum shares the site and the same operator; check it if the weather turns.
The garden's site has a map of its sights, a calendar of what is in flower season by season (check it for your date), and a Seisen-tei hall; it also lists a water taxi that reaches the garden by river.
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Questions people ask here
How much is Shukkei-en, and is it free for seniors?
Adults pay ¥350. The garden's fee table lists 65 and over as free with proof of age, though a shorter notice on its pages lists only adult and student rates, so confirm at the gate. Hours are 9:00 to 17:00 (entry to 16:30) from 16 September to 15 March.
How do I get from Hiroshima cruise port to Shukkei-en?
Take the Hiroden tram from Ujina towards the city, change at Hatchobori to the Hakushima line and get off at Shukkeien-mae. A route search gave about 45 minutes and ¥480 with the change.
Is Shukkei-en worth it if I am doing the Peace Park?
Yes if you have a long call and want a quiet hour after the museum. On a short call, skip it: the tram time alone is about 90 minutes.