Private tour in Hiroshima Hugh C

Hiroshima's Modern History and Sake Tasting Tour

5.0

(10) reviews

-
Hours icon 8 hours
Public transportation
Private tour for 1-10 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 8 hours
Public transportation
Private tour for 1-10 people
Your party size

1

View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later

Hugh C.

5.0

Guide rating

89

Reviews

Tours delivered

8 hrs

Avg. response time

Hello! I'd like to give you some background. I have been a resident of Japan for 24 years over a more than thirty-five year relationship with Japan. I was born in Sydney, Australia into an old Australian show biz family with a career path in that field. Still, in my late twenties, I opted to relocate to Hiroshima, Japan. I immersed myself in the culture and social fabric, studying the language and traditional culture, notably the martial arts Aikido, Iaido, and Japanese calligraphy for which I have received various awards in all those disciplines. I also have a profound interest in Buddhist teachings and I have spent many days staying at temples to fully experience the lifestyle. I did my first tour in Japan in 2007. Since returning in 2015 to resume my life in Japan I have been working as a full-time small group tour leader throughout many regions of Japan. The key to the vest tours is story-telling. I love food and love to introduce the food culture as well as broader Japanese history and culture, social phenomenon and look forward to sharing my depth of knowledge and anecdotes with you. And if you'd like, I am happy to customize the tour for you. Please inquire for a quote. ***Please note that I hold a type 2 Japanese driver's license which qualifies me to both drive and guide at the same time and provides for a trouble-free experience. That is were you on a chauffeured tour and a driver guide does not have the qualification, in the event of an accident (however unlikely) you may run into problems with travel insurance claims. IMPORTANT I appreciate your interest in my tours. If available I'd be delighted to receive your enquiry and look forward to following up with a booking. However, if I may, I ask you to spend a moment and check my calendar availability before sending a message to save valuable time and manage expectations. Thanks for your understanding. I have been working as an English language tour leader/guide in Japan since 20. I have a Japanese commercial passenger carrier licence entitling me to offer chauffeured tour experiences and I have almost 20 years of experience as an interpreter and translator. Unlike (as far as I’m aware) nearly all other guides in Hiroshima and surrounding prefectures I have a commercial passenger carrier accreditation and can legally drive you.

Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Hugh C.

Overview of your Hiroshima tour

A tour in chronological order, so to speak, of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, followed by a delicious lunch of Hiroshima's local specialty. Following lunch, we'll take a relaxed train ride through the Hiroshima countryside for a fascinating tour of the sakagura - the Japanese sake brewery district. This is a wonderful day to see into the events of the e d of the war eat a delicious specialty meal and then spend a relaxed afternoon touring the ancient sake breweries and meeting locals while tasting some of the best sake in Japan.

Recent Reviews

John P.United States
May 2026

We had a great day seeing Hiroshima in April. Hugh navigated the four of us around the city, from the cruise port to Peace Park, lunch, and out to the breweries. Hugh has a deep understanding of Japanese history. He shared a lot of information about Hiroshima’s past and rebirth. Lunch was atone of his favorites, about a 15 minute walk from the museum area. We walked to four different breweries for Sake tasting. All were very close to each other and the train station. Overall, a great trip. I would recommend Hugh to anyone visiting the city.

Heidi S.United States
March 2026

Our family had a great day with Hugh in Hiroshima and beyond. The breath of his knowledge of the history of the city, its place in the context of WW2, and the aftermath of the atomic bomb is both vast and impressive. We loved the okonomiyaki restaurant he took us for lunch and also thoroughly enjoyed our tour of four - or was it five?! - sake breweries in nearby Saijo. Hugh's enthusiasm for whatever he is sharing is contagious.

Jamie J.United States
July 2025

Loved all the detailed information about A-Bomb! Followed up with Sake Tour to ease the somber morning..... Hugh went above and beyond to accommodate, including stoping at a grocery store on way back to ship to pick up a special kind of Sake and Gin !!

Rex B.United States
December 2023

We greatly enjoyed Hugh's personable manner. He demonstrated a great knowledge of the area and it's history. Overall, we would give him the highest rank and recommend him to anyone considering one of his tours.

John D.United States
June 2023

Hugh was absolutely amazing! His knowledge of Japanese culture, religion and history is impressive. We had a great day learning more about Hiroshima & the bombing, followed by a visit to Itsukushima which is absolutely beautiful.

Mark L.United Kingdom
June 2023

Excellent! We both thoroughly enjoyed our day with Hugh, which was very interesting and great fun! His knowledge of both the area and its history are fairly encyclopedic and it was great to be able to interact with someone in our native tongue, to get a greater depth of understanding of what we were seeing. We arrived in Hiroshima at exactly the wrong time and found ourselves in the midst of the G7 Summit. However, plans were rejigged and we had a fabulous time.

Your Hiroshima tour itinerary

Meet at your hotel and head straight to Peace Memorial Park stopping first at Ground Zero to begin the historical tour of the park which includes the A-Bomb Dome, the adjacent park itself, and its monuments memorials concluding the morning tour with a visit to the Peace Memorial Museum. We'll then head to our lunch venue for some Hiroshima Soul food Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is a local specialty, simple and inexpensive, and quite honestly a piece of gastronomic heaven. Following lunch, we'll enjoy a 45-minute train ride to Hiroshima's old world, famed brewery district for a tour of three or four breweries there, learning about the processes of creating Japanese sake.

Want to customize this tour?

Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.

Transport details
Type: Public Transportation / Category: Train

on foot, tram and local train

What's included
Other: 1 drink per person
Private Guide
What's not included
Other: lunch for you or the guide
Public Transportation
Food Drinks Snacks
Meeting location

Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan

Hiroshima Station, Ujina cruise ship port (if the cruise ship docks at Itsukaichi Port I will greet you at Itsukaichi Station): your hotel in Hiroshima City (except Prince, in which case we will prearrange a meeting point)

  • You can request a specific meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout.
Other details
Tour categories
History
Architecture
Tour reference number
770829
Languages
English
Japanese
Activity level
Light

Traveller reviews

5.0

FAQs

Who is this private tour in Hiroshima best suited for?

This private tour in Hiroshima is perfect for travellers interested in modern history and Japanese culture, particularly those who want to explore the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and enjoy a sake tasting experience. It's also ideal for those who prefer a relaxed pace with light activity, making it suitable for a wide range of ages and fitness levels. Additionally, this tour is great for anyone looking to connect with a local guide like Hugh C. for deeper insights into the area's history and culture.

Where does the tour start and end?

Is this private tour in Hiroshima suitable for cruise ship passengers as a shore excursion?

What languages is this tour offered in?

What's included in this private tour, and what should I budget for separately?

AI-generated. Please confirm details with your guide

-
Hours icon 8 hours
Public transportation
Private tour for 1-10 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 8 hours
Public transportation
Private tour for 1-10 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
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