Atomic Bomb Dome

Kyoto to Hiroshima by Shinkansen, and as a day trip

A direct Nozomi Shinkansen from Kyoto reaches Hiroshima in about 1 hour 36 to 1 hour 40 minutes and costs 11,940 yen for a reserved seat, or 11,740 yen on smartEX. Japan Rail Pass holders take Hikari and Sakura trains, or pay 4,170 yen for the Nozomi. A day trip from Kyoto suits the Dome, park and museum.

The Atomic Bomb Dome from the park side in November, with autumn colour in the trees

From Kyoto to Hiroshima, take a direct Nozomi Shinkansen from Kyoto Station. It takes about 1 hour 36 to 1 hour 40 minutes and costs 11,940 yen for a reserved seat, or 11,740 yen through smartEX. Japan Rail Pass holders ride Hikari trains (and Sakura trains from Shin-Osaka) at no extra cost, or pay 4,170 yen for the Nozomi special ticket. A day trip from Kyoto works well for the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Peace Memorial Park and the museum.

Kyoto to Hiroshima fares

Ticket Nozomi reserved seat Hikari and Sakura reserved seat
Standard (station counter or machine) 11,940 yen 11,300 yen
smartEX (online, app) 11,740 yen 11,100 yen
Japan Rail Pass holder 4,170 yen special ticket Covered

Checked October 2026. One adult, reserved ordinary seat, regular season, from the official smartEX table dated 1 April 2025 (smartEX fares, PDF). The station price is the smartEX price plus 200 yen (smartEX). Reserved seats cost 200 yen less on off-peak dates, and 200 to 400 yen more at peak times.

A return trip on standard Nozomi tickets costs 23,880 yen.

Journey time

Ekitan timetables put the direct Nozomi at about 1 hour 36 minutes, and other timetable sites give up to 1 hour 40. We could not find the figure on a JR page.

Kyoto is on the Tokaido Shinkansen, and Hiroshima is on the Sanyo Shinkansen beyond Shin-Osaka. Nozomi trains run straight through. Sakura trains start at Shin-Osaka, so a Japan Rail Pass journey from Kyoto may involve a Hikari, or a change at Shin-Osaka or Okayama. That adds time; check the connection the night before.

With a Japan Rail Pass

The Japan Rail Pass covers Hikari, Sakura, Kodama and Tsubame trains but not Nozomi or Mizuho. Pass holders who want the direct Nozomi buy the Nozomi and Mizuho special ticket: 4,170 yen from Kyoto to Hiroshima for adults, half for children, for any seat class (price list, PDF). It goes on sale one month before travel.

Should you buy a pass for this trip? A 7-day ordinary pass costs 50,000 yen online (JR Pass prices, checked October 2026), more than double a Nozomi return. It pays off only on a longer itinerary. In Hiroshima the pass also covers the meipuru-pu loop bus to the Dome and the JR ferry to Miyajima, plus the 100 yen island visitor tax you pay separately.

A day trip from Kyoto

Kyoto is close enough for a full day in Hiroshima without rushing, as long as you choose between the Peace Park and Miyajima, or start very early.

A Peace Park day:

  1. Take a Nozomi from Kyoto at around 8:00 and arrive just before 10:00.
  2. Take tram 2 or 6 from the station’s 2nd floor to Genbaku Dome-mae, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. See the Dome and Aioi Bridge, then walk south through the Peace Memorial Park past the Children’s Peace Monument to the Cenotaph.
  4. Visit the museum. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours. If you can, hear the free English Legacy Successor talk at 13:00.
  5. Lunch, then Shukkeien Garden or a rest by the river.
  6. Tram back to the station and an evening train to Kyoto.

The museum’s busiest time is 11:00 to 15:00. In a busy season, consider booking a timed museum ticket, or reverse the plan and leave the museum for the late afternoon.

A Peace Park and Miyajima day is possible from Kyoto with a train before 7:00, but it is long and leaves little time in the museum. A guided day trip that handles the connections, or a night in Hiroshima, is the more comfortable way to see both.

Guided day trips from Kyoto

Two GetYourGuide day trips collect visitors in Kyoto:

  • Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour (H.I.S.), rated 4.7 from 1,271 reviews, with Shinkansen tickets from Kyoto or Osaka as an option. The day includes about 30 minutes at the Dome, an hour in the museum, okonomiyaki lunch and Miyajima.
  • Hiroshima Tour on Luxury Vehicle (Travel Club Japan), a private van for up to six from your Kyoto hotel, rated 4.9 from 130 reviews. The English speaker is a driver rather than a guide, and the day lasts about 12 hours.

See best Hiroshima tours for tours that start in Hiroshima, which give you more time at the park.

At Hiroshima Station

Trams to the Dome leave from the 2nd floor of the station building, level with the JR central ticket gates, since a move on 3 August 2025. Take route 2 or 6 to Genbaku Dome-mae, about 15 to 20 minutes, 240 yen paid when you get off. An ICOCA or other IC card from Kyoto works on the tram. With a Japan Rail Pass, the meipuru-pu sightseeing loop bus from the Shinkansen exit is free and stops at the Dome and the Peace Park. More options are in our guide on how to get to the Atomic Bomb Dome.

Hiroshima or Kyoto for the night?

Kyoto is a convenient base for a day trip, but spending a night in Hiroshima changes the visit. You can enter the museum in its quiet first hour at 7:30, walk to the Dome after dark and keep the next day for Miyajima. Our where to stay in Hiroshima guide covers hotels by the station and near the park, and the Hiroshima itinerary has one-day and two-day plans.

Questions people ask

How long is the train from Kyoto to Hiroshima?

A direct Nozomi takes about 1 hour 36 to 1 hour 40 minutes, based on Ekitan timetables rather than a JR page. Japan Rail Pass holders on Hikari trains, or changing to a Sakura at Shin-Osaka or Okayama, should allow longer. Check the exact connection on a timetable app before you travel.

How much is the bullet train from Kyoto to Hiroshima?

A reserved Nozomi seat costs 11,940 yen at the station in regular season, or 11,740 yen on smartEX. On Hikari and Sakura trains, smartEX charges 11,100 yen and the station 11,300 yen. Peak dates add 200 to 400 yen and off-peak dates take off 200 yen. Fares were checked in October 2026.

Can you do a day trip from Kyoto to Hiroshima?

Yes. Kyoto is under two hours away by Nozomi, so an 8:00 train puts you at the Dome by about 10:00. That leaves the middle of the day for the Peace Memorial Park and the museum before an evening train back. Adding Miyajima makes it a very long day; a guided day trip or a night in Hiroshima is easier.

Do I need a JR Pass to go from Kyoto to Hiroshima?

No. A standard Nozomi return is 23,880 yen, well under the 50,000 yen price of a 7-day national pass bought online. The pass is worth it only if the same week includes other long JR journeys, such as Tokyo. If you already have one, use Hikari trains or buy the 4,170 yen Nozomi ticket.

Is Hiroshima worth visiting from Kyoto?

For most visitors, yes. The Atomic Bomb Dome, the Peace Memorial Park and the museum are where the atomic bombing of 6 August 1945 is remembered, and the museum alone drew over 2.5 million visitors in the year to March 2026. From Kyoto it is under two hours each way. Plan a quiet, unhurried day.