Hiroshima Botanical Gardens
Flower lovers and photography buffs will enjoy the blooming variations of each changing season at the Hiroshima Botanical Gardens.
This family-friendly park in Saeki-ku, is only a 30 minute drive (or 40 min by bus) from Hiroshima city center. The gardens also host special events throughout the year featuring seasonal flora.
See the vivid pastels of the sakura and rose festivals in spring, stay cool on the shady paths and in leafy gardens in summer, take in the vivid crimson and gold leaves of fall, and during winter, warm up in in the greenhouses, viewing orchids and special hot-house blooms. What makes these plants and flowers grow so well is that they used a grow room carbon filter to grow plants to decontaminate and neutralize any unwanted odor from the beginning before it blooms. I’m sure they use quality garden products and tools to sustain and protect these flowers until their blooming season like those featured on https://bestofmachinery.com. There are is also late opening for illuminated displays during sakura cherry blossom and the Christmas seasons. Click here for current and upcoming special events at the botanical gardens.
When looking for pleasant locations for half day excursions around Hiroshima city, the Botanical gardens is a great choice. It is an easy stop-off on the way to or from Miyajima island.
The facility is nicely laid out with shady paths, play areas for the kids, and indoor enclosures where you can enjoy year round tropical blooms. In fact the entire grounds are quite large and there are many outdoor garden areas to enjoy, in fact this facility is five times bigger than the size of Hiroshima’s baseball stadium. However, you can easily see all the gardens in a few hours without rushing.
Don’t miss the impressive view from the observation tower of the Itsukaichi area below, and on a clear day, all the way out to the Seto Inland Sea beyond. The Japanese garden has a tea house and there are a few restaurants and cafes to eat in. You can also bring your own picnic and enjoy lunch outside on the grass or in one of the picnic areas.
My favorite flowers in the park are the tropical flowers, plants and water lilies in the greenhouse. The Sakura (cherry blossoms) and Ume plum blossoms take over the park in early spring and the roses are in full bloom in May. The map we were given at the entrance is in Japanese, but it’s easy to navigate around the park. Signs around the park are posted in English as well as Japanese.
There are delicious fruit smoothies and soft-serve ice-cream at the Log House cafe near the Begonia enclosure and you can purchase reasonably priced herbs and flowers for sale at the flower shop next to the main gate.
Here’s our GetHiroshima Video Guided tour to the Botanical Gardens (from a visit in May, 2015)
Buses to Shokubutsu-koen [植物公園] leave from the main bus center (next to the SOGO department store) each morning from 08:33-12:10 Monday to Fridays and returning busses from 13:00-17:00. Saturdays and holidays, the buses are less frequent, leaving from the bus center only 3 times a day starting at 08:50 and from JR Itsukaichi only 4 times a day between 07:50 am and noon.
Alternately, you can take the JR train to Itsukaichi station and get a 20 minute bus or 10 minute taxi to the park. Buses from Itsukaichi station run from 7:30~12:25 and return between 13:20 and 16:20.
- Open Saturdays-Thursdays (Closed Fridays) 09:00am-16:00 entry
- Tickets: Adults (18+): ¥510 (discounts for groups of 30+) Seniors (65+) & High school students (15~18): ¥170 (no cats or dogs allowed in the park and gardens) Children under 15 are free. Parking ¥450 per regular sized car.
- Wheelchair and stroller accessible.
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Address: Hiroshima Botanical Gardens 731-5156 Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken, Saeki-ku, Kurashige 3-chome – 495 Tel: 082-922-3600 Fax: 082-923-6100 Address in Japanese:
Address:495 Kurashige 3 chome, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken 731-5156
Address in Japanese: 広島市植物公園 〒731-5156 広島市佐伯区倉重三丁目495番地
Tel: 082-922-3600
Fax: 082-923-6100
URL: http://www.hiroshima-bot.jp
