Ride a bike and see Hiroshima architecture

Castle moat and architecture

My fellow guide and cyclist, Yoko, has prepared a splendid tour plan. The excursion first takes you around downtown, giving you a chance to visit Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Japanese garden. Both are related to Hiroshima's waters, using the river water for their moat and pond, respectively. Then you can get to pedal along one of the six rivers in Hiroshima. You also see how two rivers join and a discharge channel,which looks exactly like a natural river.

Hiroshima has been developed on a large delta area and people's life was once much closer to the waters. There's a movement that Hiroshima rivers be appreciated again to revitalize the city.

Besides feeling the waters and river breeze of Hiroshima, the tour gives you a great chance to see Hiroshima architecture; old and new at the same time.

In the photo stand Hiroshima Castle, the Motomachi High-rise apartment complex (my real favorite, designed by OTAKA Masato), and Motomachi High School (on the right behind the trees; designed by HARA Hiroshi, who also did the Kyoto Station Complex).

Without cycling around the castle, I would never have had a chance to see them from this angle, Thank you, Yoko (she took me along the tour route by bike).

She has her blog with lots of good pics. I feel like riding a bike and touring when I look at them. Here's her blog.

While riding along the river, we passed the Motomachi apartment complex on the right. And I saw its star houses within a close range. I saw them from the rooftop of one of the wings of the Motomachi apartment but never expected that I could be this near.

Come join us. Bike ride in town is fun and will be an eye opener, giving you another perspective. You'll know Hiroshima more.