Hondori (Hiroshima) Travel Guide - Free

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Hondori
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Hondori in Hiroshima pairs a covered shopping arcade with local dining, nightlife and easy access to the Peace Memorial Park and city centre.

A Central Shopping Street

Hondori is Hiroshima’s best-known pedestrian shopping arcade, a long covered passage through the city centre of Naka Ward. Its name means “main street”, and the character of the area is suitably urban: shopfronts, cafés, restaurants, pharmacies, fashion retailers and small entertainment venues line the route beneath a continuous roof. The arcade stretches between the Peace Boulevard area and Hatchobori, linking several central commercial streets rather than forming a quiet historic quarter.
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Between Memory and Everyday Life

The western end lies close to the Peace Memorial Park and the Aioi Bridge area, making Hondori a natural route for visitors moving between Hiroshima’s memorial landscape and the contemporary city centre. Yet the arcade is not a museum district. It is a place where residents shop, students meet, office workers eat lunch and evening crowds move towards restaurants and bars. The contrast gives Hondori much of its significance: Hiroshima’s post-war civic life is encountered through ordinary commerce as much as through formal memorial sites.

Street Life After Dark

During the day, the covered walkway is convenient in hot, wet or changeable weather, while its numerous side streets lead towards department stores, specialist shops, izakaya and nightlife around Yagenbori and Ebisu-dori. The arcade itself is easy to explore on foot, although its busiest stretches can feel compressed at peak shopping and dining times. Nearby tram stops, Hondori Station on the Astramline and the central bus network make it one of Hiroshima’s most accessible bases for combining shopping, food and a visit to the Peace Memorial Park.

Best attractions in Hondori

Hondori’s principal attraction is the arcade itself: a long, covered pedestrian route where visitors can observe the rhythm of central Hiroshima while browsing shops, cafés, restaurants and small entertainment businesses. At its western end, the street provides a practical approach to the Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Motoyasu River, although these memorial landmarks lie beyond Hondori rather than inside the shopping arcade. The side streets around the main passage offer a more intimate look at central commerce, with compact eateries, specialist retailers and nightlife entrances tucked behind the continuous shopfronts. Nearby Kamiyacho and Hatchobori add department stores, transport junctions and broad urban streets, creating a useful contrast with Hondori’s enclosed scale. There are few conventional visitor attractions within the arcade itself; its interest lies in experiencing the rebuilt city centre as a place of ordinary shopping, meeting and movement.

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Best landmarks in Hondori

Hondori’s most important landmark is the covered shopping arcade, whose continuous roof and pedestrian layout express the post-war rebuilding of Hiroshima’s central commercial district. Its name, meaning “main street”, preserves the idea of a principal urban route even though the present streetscape is modern and retail-focused. The western end is geographically close to the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome, both highly significant Hiroshima landmarks, but they should be regarded as nearby sites reached beyond Hondori rather than structures within the arcade. Kamiyacho’s tram and road junctions, the connections towards Hatchobori and the dense building frontages of the side streets provide additional markers of the city centre’s development. The architecture is varied rather than unified, combining post-war commercial buildings, later retail interiors and contemporary signs, so the landmark value lies in the relationship between the arcade, transport network and reconstructed urban core.

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Explore Hondori on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Hondori, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Hondori

Dining around Hondori reflects Hiroshima’s role as a regional city and a busy commercial centre. Visitors will find Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, with layered batter, cabbage, noodles and toppings cooked on a hotplate, alongside ramen, sushi, yakitori, curry, cafés and international food. Okonomiyaki restaurants are particularly associated with the wider central area, although useful choices are spread through the arcade and its adjoining streets rather than concentrated in one single food hall. The covered passage is convenient for casual meals and coffee during the day, while the lanes towards Yagenbori and Ebisu-dori become more relevant for izakaya, bars and late dining. Small restaurants may have limited seating, Japanese-only menus or ticket machines, so checking the ordering system before sitting down is considerate. Local Hiroshima specialities, including oysters and anago, also appear on menus across the central district, depending on the establishment.

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Best bars in Hondori

Hondori is not primarily a nightclub strip, but it forms part of Hiroshima’s central evening circuit. As shops close, restaurants, izakaya and bars in the arcade’s side streets draw office workers, students and visitors, while the larger nightlife concentration lies towards Yagenbori, Nagarekawa and Ebisu-dori nearby rather than strictly within Hondori. This makes the area useful for beginning an evening with dinner before exploring adjoining entertainment streets. The choice ranges from informal Japanese drinking places and karaoke venues to cocktail bars and late-night establishments, but individual opening hours and entry policies vary. The covered arcade itself remains a route through the centre rather than a single entertainment venue, and many side-street businesses are compact. Visitors should keep noise down near residential buildings, check prices and house rules before ordering, and use marked crossings when moving between the nightlife areas.

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Best nightclubs in Hondori

Hondori is not primarily a nightclub strip, but it forms part of Hiroshima’s central evening circuit. As shops close, restaurants, izakaya and bars in the arcade’s side streets draw office workers, students and visitors, while the larger nightlife concentration lies towards Yagenbori, Nagarekawa and Ebisu-dori nearby rather than strictly within Hondori. This makes the area useful for beginning an evening with dinner before exploring adjoining entertainment streets. The choice ranges from informal Japanese drinking places and karaoke venues to cocktail bars and late-night establishments, but individual opening hours and entry policies vary. The covered arcade itself remains a route through the centre rather than a single entertainment venue, and many side-street businesses are compact. Visitors should keep noise down near residential buildings, check prices and house rules before ordering, and use marked crossings when moving between the nightlife areas.

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Best shops in Hondori

Shopping is Hondori’s defining activity. The covered arcade combines everyday stores with fashion retailers, cosmetics and beauty businesses, pharmacies, cafés, character goods, books, mobile-phone shops and smaller specialist outlets, while adjoining streets extend towards the department stores and larger commercial buildings of Hatchobori and Kamiyacho. The experience is more about browsing a dense central retail district than visiting a traditional market: many businesses occupy narrow frontages, upper floors or side-street premises, and the mix changes as national chains share space with independent shops. Visitors looking for regional food gifts will find options in the broader central shopping area, although stock varies by retailer. Hondori is also useful for practical purchases during a Hiroshima stay, with covered access in wet weather. The surrounding streets become increasingly oriented towards dining and nightlife, creating a gradual shift from daytime retail to evening commerce rather than a sharp boundary.

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Hondori essentials

Getting There
Hondori is in central Hiroshima and is served directly by Hondori Station on the Astramline, the city’s rapid-transit line, at the western end of the arcade. Hiroshima Electric Railway trams stop at nearby Kamiyacho-nishi, Kamiyacho-higashi and Hatchobori, depending on the approach, while numerous city buses serve the Kamiyacho and Hatchobori areas. From Hiroshima Station, visitors can use a city tram or bus towards the central commercial district and continue on foot. The western end is also within walking distance of the Peace Memorial Park, although the route is not the same as travelling directly to the park’s main memorial sites.
Getting Around
The main Hondori arcade is covered and pedestrian-oriented, making it straightforward to walk from one end to the other, with frequent shop entrances and side streets along the way. The surrounding central area is compact, but roads, tram tracks and busy junctions require care when crossing. Kamiyacho and Hatchobori provide nearby tram and bus connections, while Hondori Station is useful for journeys on the Astramline. Visitors combining Hondori with the Peace Memorial Park should allow time for a longer walk beyond the arcade, and wheelchair users should check individual shop and station access because buildings vary.
Safety
Hondori is a busy central shopping area, so the main practical concerns are crowded pedestrian conditions, traffic at crossings and keeping track of personal belongings in dense evening or event crowds. Take particular care around tram corridors and road junctions adjoining the arcade, and use marked crossings. At night, the commercial streets remain active, but visitors should use ordinary urban precautions around bars and restaurant districts, keep valuables secure and avoid accepting unsolicited invitations from promoters. Japan’s general public-space etiquette is useful here: keep the walkway moving and be considerate near shops, restaurants and residential side streets.
Emergency Situations
In Japan, call 110 for the police and 119 for an ambulance or fire service. State the nearest landmark, shop name, street or transport stop, and ask staff at a nearby business or station for help if explaining the location is difficult. Emergency calls may be handled with interpretation support in some circumstances, but visitors should not rely on this for every situation. For urgent medical assistance, call 119 rather than attempting to reach a hospital independently. Keep travel insurance details and any medication information accessible, particularly if visiting during crowded festivals or hot summer weather.
Do's and Don'ts
Walk at a steady pace and avoid blocking the centre of the arcade, especially when consulting a map or taking photographs. Ask before photographing shop interiors, staff or diners, and follow each business’s rules about photography and payment. Do not eat, smoke or cycle in places where local signs prohibit it, and dispose of rubbish according to the facilities provided. In restaurants, follow seating and ordering instructions, remove shoes only where requested and avoid loud conversations late at night near homes. When moving between Hondori and the Peace Memorial Park, treat memorial spaces with quiet respect rather than treating them as ordinary photo stops.
Local Tips
The most useful way to understand Hondori is to walk its full length, then explore a side street before returning to the main arcade. The western approach is convenient for combining shopping with the Peace Memorial Park, while the eastern end leads towards Hatchobori’s larger retail area and the evening streets around Yagenbori and Ebisu-dori. Look above eye level for signage and arcade decorations, since the character of the street is often found in smaller businesses rather than large attractions. For a calmer experience, visit outside the busiest shopping and dining periods, and use the covered route as shelter during rain.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
Helloこんにちは[kon-ni-chi-wa]
Goodbyeさようなら[sa-yo-u-na-ra]
Yesはい[ha-i]
Noいいえ[i-i-e]
Please/You're welcomeどうぞ[do-u-zo]
Thank youありがとうございます[a-ri-ga-to-u-go-za-i-ma-su]
Excuse me/Sorryすみません[su-mi-ma-se-n]
How are you?お元気ですか？[o-ge-n-ki-de-su-ka]
Fine. And you?元気です、あなたは？[ge-n-ki-de-su, a-na-ta-wa]
Do you speak English?英語を話せますか？[e-i-go-o-ha-na-se-ma-su-ka]
I don't understandわかりません[wa-ka-ri-ma-se-n]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseメニューを見せてください[me-n-yu-u-o-mi-se-te-ku-da-sa-i]
I don't eat meat肉は食べません[ni-ku-wa-ta-be-ma-se-n]
Cheers!乾杯![ka-n-pa-i]
I would like to pay, pleaseお会計をお願いします[o-kai-kei-o-o-ne-ga-i-shi-ma-su]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!助けて![ta-su-ke-te]
Go away!去って![sa-t-te]
Call the Police!警察を呼んで![ke-i-sa-t-o-yon-de]
Call a doctor!医者を呼んで![i-sha-o-yon-de]
I'm lost道に迷っています[mi-chi-ni-ma-ya-t-te-i-ma-su]
I'm ill具合が悪いです[gu-a-i-ga-wa-ku-i-de-su]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...買いたいです...[ka-i-ta-i-de-su]
I'm just looking見ているだけです[mi-te-i-ru-da-ke-de-su]
How much is it?いくらですか？[i-ku-ra-de-su-ka]
That's too expensiveそれは高すぎます[so-re-wa-ta-ka-su-gi-ma-su]
Can you lower the price?値段を下げてもらえますか？[ne-da-n-o-sa-ge-te-mo-ra-e-ma-su-ka]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?今何時ですか？[i-ma-na-n-ji-de-su-ka]
It's one o'clock一時です[i-chi-ji-de-su]
Half past (10)十時半です[ju-u-ji-ha-n-de-su]
Morning朝[a-sa]
Afternoon午後[go-go]
Evening夜[yo-ro]
Yesterday昨日[ki-no-u]
Today今日[kyo-u]
Tomorrow明日[a-shi-ta]
1一[i-chi]
2二[ni]
3三[sa-n]
4四[shi]
5五[go]
6六[ro-ku]
7七[shi-chi]
8八[ha-chi]
9九[ku]
10十[ju-u]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?...はどこですか？[...wa-do-ko-de-su-ka]
What's the address?住所は何ですか？[ju-u-sho-wa-na-n-de-su-ka]
Can you show me (on the map)?地図で見せてもらえますか？[chi-zu-de-mi-se-te-mo-ra-e-ma-su-ka]
When's the next (bus)?次の(バス)はいつですか？[tsu-gi-no(ba-su)-wa-i-tsu-de-su-ka]
A ticket (to ....)(...)までのチケット[(...)ma-de-no-chi-ke-tto]

History of Hondori

From Castle Town to Commercial Street

Hondori developed within Hiroshima’s central urban area, whose street pattern and commercial importance were shaped by the castle town established under the Asano lords in the seventeenth century. The name Hondori, meaning “main street”, reflects its role as a principal route rather than a reference to one single building. Over time, the surrounding centre accumulated shops, civic functions and transport connections, while nearby waterways and bridges tied the district to other parts of the city. The modern arcade should therefore be understood as the latest form of a long-established central commercial corridor, not as an isolated historic street preserved unchanged from the castle-town period.

The 1945 Destruction

On 6 August 1945, the atomic bombing devastated central Hiroshima, and the area now associated with Hondori lay within the broad zone of destruction. Buildings, businesses and transport infrastructure around the city centre were lost, while survivors faced an immediate landscape of rubble, fires and disrupted services. The street’s later commercial identity consequently belongs to Hiroshima’s reconstruction rather than to an uninterrupted pre-war urban fabric. Nearby Peace Memorial Park and the memorial buildings created during the post-war period give visitors a visible reminder of the catastrophe, while Hondori represents the return of everyday retail, employment and social life to the centre.

Reconstruction and the Covered Arcade

As Hiroshima rebuilt during the post-war decades, central shopping streets were reorganised to serve a growing population and a changing retail economy. Hondori became an important commercial pedestrian route, and its covered arcade provided shelter while encouraging continuous foot traffic between adjoining shopping and entertainment streets. The redevelopment of the centre also strengthened connections with Hiroshima Electric Railway’s tram network and other public transport. Rather than reproducing the destroyed city, the rebuilt Hondori area expressed a forward-looking urban culture in which department stores, independent retailers, restaurants and leisure businesses shared the same compact centre.

Contemporary Central Hiroshima

In recent decades Hondori has remained one of Hiroshima’s principal shopping and meeting places, even as retail habits, department-store fortunes and online commerce have altered the central city. Its importance now comes from a combination of functions: it is a convenient route for visitors approaching the Peace Memorial Park, a daily shopping street for residents and a gateway to the restaurants and nightlife of central Naka Ward. Festivals, seasonal displays and ordinary foot traffic continue to give the arcade a public character, while the surrounding redevelopment shows how Hiroshima’s commercial core continues to adapt without losing its connection to post-war reconstruction.

Hondori in Photos

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