Hiroshima: Shukkeien Garden — Guide Mari
August, 2025
This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan.
Tour Itinerary
- 10:30 – Meet at Shinkansen Gate, Hiroshima Station
- 10:45 – Shukkeien Garden
- 12:15 – Okonomiyaki lunch
- 13:30 – Peace Memorial Park & Museum
- 15:30 – Tour ends at Hiroshima station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Hiroshima began at 10:30, when the guide met the guests at Shinkansen Gate, Hiroshima Station, and finished at 15:30. The day ran to 5 hours from start to finish.
From there the group visited Shukkeien Garden at 10:45, Okonomiyaki lunch at 12:15 and Peace Memorial Park & Museum at 13:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hiroshima Station to Kenritsu Bijutsukan-mae (Shukkeien-mae) by bus (240JPY); Kenritsu Bijutsukan-mae (Shukkeien-mae) by bus (240JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 480JPY per person.
What Is a Private Hiroshima Walking Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America. They arrived from Kyoto by Shinkansen. Since the booking had been made only two days in advance, they politely thanked me at the start for taking on the guide role. As it was a very hot day at 37 degrees, we traveled by bus and took breaks as often as possible along the way. At Shukkeien Garden, they took many photos and enjoyed watching the carp and turtles being fed. They also very much enjoyed the okonomiyaki. The Peace Memorial Park was very hot and extremely crowded, but they listened to the explanations with great interest and asked many questions, including what views I hold as someone born and raised in Hiroshima, and they listened attentively to what I had to say. They said they were able to see and learn more than they had expected, and that they would recommend this tour to others as well.
Click here for more details: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Bus | Hiroshima Station～Kenritsu Bijutsukan-mae (Shukkeien-mae) / JR Bus Chugoku | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Kenritsu Bijutsukan-mae (Shukkeien-mae) / JR Bus Chugoku～Kamiyacho / JR Bus Chugoku | 240JPY |
| Total | 480JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Hiroshima tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Shinkansen Gate, Hiroshima Station at 10:30, and the tour finished at Tour ends at Hiroshima station at 15:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 5 hours in total, from 10:30 to 15:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Shukkeien Garden, Okonomiyaki lunch and Peace Memorial Park & Museum.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 480JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Mari is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Hiroshima itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hello. My name is Mari.
I am a certified local tour guide in Hiroshima.
I was born and grew up in Hiroshima until I entered in a university in Tokyo.
After 6 years in Tokyo, I came back to Hiroshima because I really love my hometown and wanted to spend the rest of my life here.
Hiroshima is very comfortable city to live in and rich in nature.
I am so happy that I have been able to raise my kids here.
Hiroshima is absolutely full of beautiful and historically important places and also the great food.
I am so excited to introduce the wonderful experiences here in Hiroshima and hope you will come to love this place, too.
Look forward to meeting you.
Sep 26, 2026
F1357GRpaulg
Hiroshima and Miyajima.
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
Mari was a delightful guide. We…
Sep 26, 2026
F1357GRpaulg
Hiroshima and Miyajima.
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
Mari was a delightful guide. We had such a lovely day with her. We would thoroughly recommend a day in Miyajima and Hiroshima with Mari.
Sep 29, 2026
Matthew_T
Do not miss this tour of Hiroshima
Viator review: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
This was fantastic. Mari…
Sep 29, 2026
Matthew_T
Do not miss this tour of Hiroshima
Viator review: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
This was fantastic. Mari was a phenomenal guide. She has a personal family connection to the atomic bombing and she’s lived in Hiroshima all her life. She was knowledgable; funny, and respectful of my goals (sites, time spent, photo taking). And lunch was great afterwards!
Sep 28, 2026
Passport734191
As good as it gets in Hiroshima!
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
Mari was a very…
Sep 28, 2026
Passport734191
As good as it gets in Hiroshima!
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
Mari was a very good tour guide with a personal family connection to Hiroshima (her grandfather was a survivor of the bombing). She was filled with local and historical knowledge, and was very respectful of the subject matter. She was great in giving me space for my own personal moments as well as flexible with taking photos. She’s got a great sense of humor and we had a wonderful few h
Jul 27, 2026
Jen_S21
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
The highlight of our trip!
Mari was an excellent…
Jul 27, 2026
Jen_S21
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
The highlight of our trip!
Mari was an excellent guide and really was the highlight of our 17 day Japan trip. She had great information about Hiroshima, the history and culture. I had selected a start time for the tour but she reached out to recommend a slightly earlier start so we could hit the tide schedule just right for Miyajima Island, which I really appreciated. She also had recommendations for stuff to see and foods to eat. As we took a short break from all the walking, she told us the story of Sadako and the paper cranes, then showed us how to fold our own paper crane and had a bag we could put it in to take it home. It made for a wonderful souvenir. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour, especially if you are lucky enough to get Mari as your guide!