Hiroshima: Shukkeien Garden — Guide Mari
June, 2026
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
- 8:40 a.m. Meet at Hiroshima Station
- → Take a taxi to the Peace Memorial Park (approx. ¥2,000)
- 9:00 a.m. Visit the Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum
- → Take a taxi to Shukkeien Garden (approx. ¥1,500)
- 11:30 a.m. Visit Shukkeien Garden (¥350 per person)
- *Admission to Shukkeien Garden is free for visitors aged 65 and over and for students with valid ID.
- → Walk to Hiroshima Station (about 15 minutes)
- 12:15 p.m. Lunch at a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurant at Hiroshima Station
- (approx. ¥1,000–¥2,000 per person)
- 1:00 p.m. End of the tour at Hiroshima Station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Hiroshima began at 08:40, when the guide met the guests at Hiroshima Station, and finished at 13:00. The day ran to 4 hours and 20 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch at a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurant at Hiroshima Station at 12:15.
From there the group visited Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum at 09:00 and Shukkeien Garden (¥350 per person) at 11:30.
What Is a Private Hiroshima Walking Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Peace Park, Shukkeien Garden, and Okonomiyaki
The guests were a group of three visiting from North America. We got along very well and the conversation flowed easily, making it a very relaxed and pleasant tour. Since the museum gets very crowded during the current school-trip season, we went there first and entered just before 9:00, which allowed the group to view the exhibits at a leisurely pace. When leaving the main building, they saw a very long line stretching across the connecting corridor all the way to the east building, and they were delighted that we had come early and been able to see everything properly.
At Peace Park, everyone listened intently, and we folded paper cranes together. The paper cranes turned out to be more difficult than expected, and the group was moved all over again thinking about how much effort it must have taken to fold the tiny paper cranes made by Sadako, which they had seen at the museum. The group was interested in Japanese anime and music, and we had a lively conversation about how Japanese anime is expressed in English in North America.
At Shukkeien Garden, the group was very pleased by the many carp swimming and by the bamboo grove, and they said it was very calming with so few people around. As a contrast, they told me how surprised they had been to see station staff pushing passengers onto crowded trains in Tokyo, which made for a lively conversation.
Finally, we went for okonomiyaki at Hiroshima Station, which they enjoyed very much. One of the group was very fond of cars and had made a reservation at the Mazda Museum for the afternoon, so I gave directions on how to get there and ended the tour.
They were a cheerful group and a pleasure to talk with, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself while chatting the whole time.
Click here for more details: Hiroshima Peace Park Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
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!