1,900+ Properties for Sale in Hiroshima, Japan

Q: Can foreigners buy a house in Hiroshima?

Yes. Japan places no restrictions on foreign property ownership, including in Hiroshima. Any buyer can purchase a house regardless of nationality, visa status, or residency. You will need a Japanese Individual Number (My Number) from the local ward office. Total transaction costs are typically 7–10% of purchase price.

Q: How much does a house cost in Hiroshima?

Houses in Hiroshima currently range from ¥100,000 to ¥161,000,000. Prices vary by location within the prefecture, building age, and condition.

Why People Choose Hiroshima

The A-Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome) in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park — UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most visited historical landmark in western Japan

Hiroshima makes a straightforward case. It is the largest city in western Japan outside the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metro area, with lower property prices than either, direct Shinkansen access to Osaka in 44 minutes and Tokyo in under 4 hours, and a quality of daily life that the city's 1.2 million permanent residents find entirely self-contained.

The international significance — the Peace Memorial Museum, the A-Bomb Dome (UNESCO World Heritage), and the annual August 6 Peace Memorial Ceremony broadcast globally — gives the city an unusual international visibility for a provincial Japanese city. This translates into a larger-than-average expatriate and international student population, English-language infrastructure, and a city that is practised at receiving foreign visitors in a way that many Japanese cities are not.

Miyajima (Itsukushima Shrine, UNESCO World Heritage) is 30 minutes away. The Shimanami Kaido cycling route starts 70 minutes east in Onomichi. Saijo's sake district is 45 minutes by train. The Setouchi Inland Sea coastline, with its specific light quality and island-dotted views, is accessible from the city as a day or overnight trip. The combination of urban infrastructure and natural/cultural access within a 90-minute radius is one of the strongest in western Japan.

Daily Life in Hiroshima

The great torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine at Miyajima, Hiroshima Prefecture — standing in the open water of the Seto Inland Sea at high tide

Hiroshima City has a functioning tram (streetcar) network — one of Japan's few remaining urban tram systems — that covers the city centre from Hiroshima Station to Miyajima-guchi without a transfer. For daily residents this means much of the city is accessible without a car or subway ticket. The Hondori arcade, Parco, Fukuya, and Sogo department stores are all within the tram network. The Carp baseball team at Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium provides a city-wide social calendar from March through October — the fan culture is particularly intense and the stadium is within walking distance of the Peace Park.

The Naka-ku and Minami-ku central districts have the full range of urban services. Hiroshima University Hospital (in Minami-ku) and the Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital are well-regarded nationally. International schools exist but are smaller than those in Osaka or Tokyo. The city has a significant number of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean residents relative to its size, with corresponding food options.

Outside the city the Setouchi coast operates at a distinctly different pace. The port towns of Kure (15 minutes south by JR, historical naval base and home to the Yamato Museum), Etajima (ferry from Kure), and the oyster-farming bays of Hiroshima's southern coastline have a working maritime character without tourist polish. Living in these areas means living within commuting distance of Hiroshima City while having direct water access and the specific quality of light over the Inland Sea that the Setouchi arts festival has been built around.

Food and Drink

Fresh oysters on crushed ice — Hiroshima Prefecture produces over 60% of Japan's total oyster harvest, grown in the mineral-rich waters of the Seto Inland Sea

Oysters (kaki) are the defining food. Hiroshima Prefecture produces more than 60% of Japan's national harvest, grown on suspended raft systems in the sheltered bays of the Seto Inland Sea where mineral-rich tidal flows produce oysters that are large, mildly briny, and unusually sweet. The season runs October through March. Standard preparations: kaki furai (panko-crumbed, deep-fried), kaki nabe (oyster hot pot with tofu and winter vegetables), kaki-meshi (oyster rice), and raw with ponzu. Most Hiroshima izakaya have dedicated oyster menus in season; the Miyajima high street has grilled oyster stalls operating through the tourist day.

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is the city's other identity food — and is categorically different from the Osaka version. The Hiroshima method layers ingredients without mixing: batter, cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, a full serving of yakisoba or udon noodles, then egg cracked and spread beneath the whole stack. The result is thicker, more structured, and has the noodles as a distinct internal layer rather than an ingredient. Locals are clear that this is not a regional variation — it is a different dish. Okonomi-mura in central Hiroshima has had 25 individual restaurants on six floors since 1945.

Saijo sake is produced by eight breweries within walking distance of each other in Higashihiroshima City — the Saijo district's water chemistry, sourced from the Chugoku Mountains, has produced sake of national reputation since the Meiji era. The Saijo Sake Festival (October) fills the streets with outdoor tasting from all eight producers for two days. The Kamotsuru, Hakubotan, and Bijofu labels are internationally distributed.

Culture and Events

The floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine at Miyajima — the great red gate standing in the tidal flats of the Seto Inland Sea, Hiroshima Prefecture

The Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6 is Hiroshima's most significant annual event — attended by the Japanese Prime Minister, the UN Secretary-General, ambassadors from over 90 countries, and around 50,000 people in the park. The moment of silence at 8:15am (the exact time of detonation) and the release of doves and the lantern floating ceremony (Toro Nagashi) on the Ota River at dusk make August 6 one of the most formally commemorated days in the world's calendar.

Itsukushima Shrine's Kangensai Festival (lunar calendar, usually July or August) is one of Japan's three great court music festivals — orchestras perform on the shrine's water stage and the music carries across the tidal flats. The shrine's Tamatori Festival (July) involves a tide-racing boat competition to retrieve a sacred ball from the water before the tide comes in. Both festivals are exclusive to Miyajima island and accessible to visitors by the regular JR ferry.

The Setouchi Triennale — held on 12 islands across the Seto Inland Sea every three years — has its partial base in Hiroshima Prefecture's Tobishima island chain. The arts festival (most recently 2022, next 2025) commissions site-specific installations on islands with declining rural populations, with the stated aim of making the islands themselves the artwork. Hiroshima-based visitors access the festival via ferry from Onomichi, Onomichi, or Hiroshima Port.

Weekends and Escape

The Shimanami Kaido cycling route over the Seto Inland Sea — the spiral approach bridge at Innoshima connects Hiroshima Prefecture's island chain to Ehime

The Shimanami Kaido consistently appears on international cycling lists as one of Asia's best. The 70km route from Onomichi (Hiroshima side) to Imabari (Ehime side) crosses six suspension bridges over the Seto Inland Sea — each island has its own character: Innoshima has the sea fortress ruins of the Murakami Suigun pirates who once controlled these waters; Ikuchi has the extraordinary Kosanji Temple complex and its lemon groves; Ōshima has small fishing ports and a citrus landscape. Bicycle rental, cafes, and accommodation are available on each island. The route can be cycled in a full day or broken over two days with a night on one of the islands.

Miyajima deserves more than a day trip. The island empties of day visitors after 5pm and the shrine, the paths to Mount Misen, and the single village street take on an entirely different quality in the evening. The island's ryokan and temple lodgings (shukubo) offer overnight access to the Kongōrin-ji temple complex and the dawn walk to the summit of Mount Misen (535m) — the view of the Inland Sea islands at first light from the summit is one of Hiroshima's best experiences.

Kure Naval History Museum (Yamato Museum), 30 minutes south by JR, houses a 1:10 scale model of the Yamato battleship — the largest battleship ever built, displacing 72,000 tonnes, and sunk in April 1945 with 2,740 lives — alongside permanent exhibitions on Japan's 20th-century naval history. The adjacent JMSDF Kure Museum (Iruka no Yakata) is built around a decommissioned submarine you can walk inside. Together they make Kure a half-day trip of unusual depth.

Buying a House in Hiroshima

Hiroshima has 1,269+ houses listed for sale across its residential areas — detached homes, traditional farmhouses, renovation-ready akiya, and new builds. As with all of Japan, there are no restrictions on foreign ownership: any buyer can purchase a house in Hiroshima regardless of nationality or residency status.

How Much Does a House Cost in Hiroshima?

Current listings in Hiroshima start from ¥100,000. Prices vary considerably by location within the prefecture, building age, and condition. The most affordable properties are typically akiya — vacant homes requiring renovation — often listed at the lower end of the price range.

Can Foreigners Buy a House in Hiroshima?

Yes. Japan has no restrictions on foreign property ownership, including in Hiroshima. Any buyer can purchase a house regardless of nationality, visa status, or residency. You will need a Japanese Individual Number (My Number), obtainable at the local ward office. The purchase follows standard Japanese conveyancing: offer, purchase agreement, optional building inspection, and title transfer through a judicial scrivener. Total transaction costs are typically 7–10% of the purchase price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of houses are available in Hiroshima?: Houses in Hiroshima include standalone detached homes (ikkodate), traditional wooden townhouses, old farmhouses (kominka), and akiya — vacant homes registered for sale. New builds are also listed alongside used properties.
How long does it take to buy a house in Hiroshima?: A typical purchase in Hiroshima takes 1–3 months from accepted offer to title transfer. Key stages: offer negotiation (1–2 weeks), purchase agreement with a judicial scrivener (1–2 weeks), optional building inspection (1–2 weeks), and settlement and registration (1 day).

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Higashi, Hiroshima Prefecture

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Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture

Living in Hiroshima

Why People Choose Hiroshima

Daily Life in Hiroshima

Food and Drink

Culture and Events

Weekends and Escape

Buying a House in Hiroshima

How Much Does a House Cost in Hiroshima?

Can Foreigners Buy a House in Hiroshima?

Frequently Asked Questions

More Property Types in Hiroshima

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Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture

Asakita, Hiroshima Prefecture

Saeki, Hiroshima Prefecture

Asaminami, Hiroshima Prefecture

Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture

Asaminami, Hiroshima Prefecture

Minami, Hiroshima Prefecture

Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture

Higashi, Hiroshima Prefecture

Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture

Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture

Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture

Living in Hiroshima

Why People Choose Hiroshima

Daily Life in Hiroshima

Food and Drink

Culture and Events

Weekends and Escape

Buying a House in Hiroshima

How Much Does a House Cost in Hiroshima?

Can Foreigners Buy a House in Hiroshima?

Frequently Asked Questions

More Property Types in Hiroshima

Houses for Sale in Other Prefectures

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