Visiting Hiroshima Peace Museum in August? Read this first
With 2.58 million visitors last year and summer Obon holiday crowds bad enough to stop entry entirely, the museum is taking measures to ensure “an appropriate environment and the safety of all visitors.” This summer, August 8–16 will be online reservation only — with a cap of 1,000 people per hour. Here’s how to plan.
Entry during this period will require an online reservation — no walk-up tickets at all. Slots are capped at 1,000 per hour, and bookings are now open.
Check availability and secure your slots on KLOOK.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum has broken its own visitor record three years in a row. Last fiscal year, roughly 2.58 million people came through — a figure that keeps climbing thanks to Japan continuing to be a hot destination, fueled by the weak yen.
Obon is one of Japan’s biggest holidays. It’s a time when families return to their hometowns to honor their ancestors, and thousands of people also take advantage of the extended holiday to travel en masse.
During last year’s Obon holiday, the crowds at the Peace Museum were so severe that moving around the exhibition halls became nearly impossible. Staff were forced to halt entry on multiple occasions temporarily. The museum is doing things differently in 2026.
The new Obon reservation system
For the first time in the museum’s history, the entire Obon period — August 8 to 16 — will be online reservation only, all day long. Previously, walk-up tickets were available during the middle of the day; under the new system, walk-up entry will be unavailable during this period.
Entry will be capped at 1,000 visitors per hour, bookable by smartphone or other device via the museum’s website or on KLOOK. The museum says the change will allow visitors to take their time with exhibits such as the personal effects of atomic bomb survivors, rather than being pushed along by the crowd.
Reservations are now open. Check availability and secure your slots on KLOOK.
Buying tickets: always book online
Even outside the Obon period, online booking is strongly recommended. Tickets are available up to 90 days in advance on KLOOK. During the busiest daytime hours — roughly 11 am to 2 pm — only online pre-booked visitors can enter; the ticket machines and counter window are closed entirely to walk-ups.
- Adults¥200
- High school / seniors (65+)¥100
- Junior high and underFree
- Book onlineKLOOK
- Tel082-241-4004
- Last admission30 min before closing
August Opening hours
| Season | Hours |
|---|---|
| Peace Memorial Day (August 5–6) | 7:30 – 21:00 |
| Obon holiday season August (8–16) | 7:30 – 20:00 |
Best times to visit
The museum opens at 7:30 am, and early morning slots are noticeably quieter. The evening web-only window — from around 5:30 pm in summer — is similarly calm and recommended for a more reflective visit. Midday is the busiest time, regardless of season.
What to see inside
The museum holds around 500 artefacts. The recommended route begins in the East Building: take the escalator to the 3rd floor for the panorama film showing Hiroshima before and after the bomb, then cross the connecting corridor into the Main Building — the heart of the museum.
Here, the focus is more personal: a child’s tricycle melted in the blast; a lunchbox fused shut; a dress a girl was wearing when the bomb fell; origami cranes folded by Sadako Sasaki. Allow at least 30 minutes for the Main Building. If time permits, return to the East Building’s sections on nuclear weapons and Hiroshima’s postwar recovery (add another 30 minutes).
Go deeper: Book the award-winning Hiroshima Peace Cycle Tour
Audio guides are available to rent at the entrance. A free audio guide app is also available — useful for skipping the rental queue on busy days.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
URL: hpmmuseum.jp
TEL: 082-241-4004
E-mail: [email protected]
Online booking: KLOOK app
