“Hiroshima Castle Winter Wander 2026” from December 18; First-Ever Projection Mapping on the Keep, Free to View

“Hiroshima Castle Winter Wander 2026” (Hiroshima-jo Yoimeguri 2026) will be held at Hiroshima Castle in Naka-ku, Hiroshima, from Friday, December 18, 2026 to Monday, January 11, 2027 (national holiday). In this nighttime event, projection mapping is shown on the keep, the Omote-gomon Gate and the stone walls within the castle grounds, and the Gomon-bashi Bridge and the Honmaru (main enclosure) are illuminated, from 17:30 to 21:00. According to Hiroshima City’s research (as of October 2026), this is the first projection mapping on the keep of Hiroshima Castle. Viewing is free and no advance application is required. It is organized by Hiroshima City and co-organized by The Chugoku Shimbun, with planning and production by HITOHATA, INC.

*Disclosure: “Hiroshima Castle Winter Wander 2026” is an event planned and produced by HITOHATA, INC., an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE (About us).

What is projected on the keep, the gate and the stone walls: the carp of “Carp Castle” and Itsukushima Shrine

According to HITOHATA, INC.’s announcement of November 2, digital animations with motifs associated with “Rijo” (Carp Castle), such as the rivers flowing through Hiroshima, the City of Water, nishikigoi carp and koinobori carp streamers, will be projected onto the Omote-gomon Gate and the stone walls within the castle grounds. Hiroshima Castle is known by the alternative name “Rijo,” or Carp Castle. Ukiyo-e prints depicting the World Heritage site Itsukushima Shrine will also be projected as video.

In addition to the projection onto the keep, the Gomon-bashi Bridge and the Honmaru will be illuminated, lighting up various parts of the castle grounds at night. The same show can be seen at whatever time you visit. The length of each video and the number of screenings are not given in the press materials.

Why project onto the keep? The “symbol of reconstruction” that closed in March 2026

Construction of Hiroshima Castle was begun by Mori Terumoto in 1589, and its keep was designated a National Treasure in 1931. It collapsed in the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945, and the current keep is an exterior reconstruction in reinforced concrete, built in 1958 as a venue for the Hiroshima Reconstruction Exposition.

Because of its aging and other issues, the keep ended public access to its interior on March 22, 2026, closing a 68-year history. Hiroshima City is studying future plans, including a wooden reconstruction, and no policy has been decided. Even after the closure, its exterior can still be viewed from outside. This event is also an attempt to turn the exterior of the keep, which can no longer be entered, into a stage for nighttime images.

The materials stored and displayed inside the keep will be moved to the “Hiroshima Castle Sannomaru History Museum,” scheduled to open in 2027. On the south side of the castle, “Hiroshima Castle Sannomaru,” a hub for food and cultural experiences, opened on March 31, 2025.

Hours, closing days and viewing rules

Hours are 17:30–21:00, and the event is closed from Thursday, December 31 to Sunday, January 3, 2027. The projection goes ahead in the rain, but may be suspended or canceled in stormy weather. As it is a nighttime event, visitors are asked to take great care when moving around.

For photography, flash and drones are prohibited, and visitors are asked to refrain from using tripods in the front row to keep shooting for a long time when it is crowded. As the sound of continuous shooting can disturb others, visitors are asked to refrain from it when crowded or to switch to silent shooting. When using a tripod, cameras must be no higher than the photographer’s head, regardless of the viewing spot, and stepladders and platforms are prohibited. Because the images move quickly, shooting video is recommended for smartphones. As there are stairs in front of the keep that cannot be climbed in a wheelchair, an “Omoiyari Zone” (consideration zone) is provided instead.

Access

By streetcar, take Line 1, 2 or 6 from the South Exit of JR Hiroshima Station for about 10 minutes to “Kamiya-cho Higashi,” then walk about 12 minutes via the underground passage. From “Kamiya-cho Nishi,” about 13 minutes on Line 2 or 6, it is about a 10-minute walk via the underground passage. By bus, take a bus via Godo Chosha-mae from stop 7 at the South Exit of Hiroshima Station for about 7 minutes, get off at “Godo Chosha-mae” and walk about 8 minutes (buses via Hatchobori do not pass Godo Chosha-mae). It is about an 8-minute walk from Kencho-mae Station on the Astram Line, about 10 minutes from Johoku Station and about 15 minutes from Shin-Hakushima Station, and about an 8-minute walk from Hiroshima Bus Center.

By car, it is about 20 minutes from the Hiroshima Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway and about 10 minutes from JR Hiroshima Station. The official website advises using nearby parking lots and provides parking information.

Editor’s perspective

In the winter of the year its interior closed to the public, the exterior of the keep becomes a stage for images. It is an opportunity for the keep, which collapsed in the atomic bombing and was rebuilt as a symbol of reconstruction, to assert its presence in the city’s nights even after its closure. The show takes as its subjects carp, linked to the castle’s alternative name “Carp Castle,” and the World Heritage site Itsukushima Shrine, depicting Hiroshima’s history and traditional culture with light.

At the Hiroshima Museum of Art in nearby Central Park, “Artists Who Gathered at the ‘Café’” is on view until January 11, 2027 (our article on the Hiroshima Museum of Art). HITOHATA, INC. also produces Tsuruga-jo Castle Projection Mapping 2026, held in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, from November 20 to 22. Nighttime events at castles across Japan are introduced in our roundup of castle projection mapping and night events, and December events in our December art event calendar.

Winter night events and museum exhibitions in Hiroshima are covered in our Hiroshima art guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a charge? Do I need to book?

It is free to watch and needs no advance registration.

Is the show the same at any time?

The event runs from 17:30 to 21:00, and the same show can be seen whenever you visit.

Is it open over the New Year?

It is closed from December 31, 2026 to January 3, 2027.

What are the photography rules?

Flash and drones are prohibited. If you use a tripod, keep the camera no higher than your head; stepladders and stools cannot be used. Because the images move fast, shooting video is recommended for smartphones.

Can I go inside the keep?

The keep closed on March 22, 2026, and its interior cannot be entered. The reconstructed Ninomaru buildings are open with free admission.

What kind of imagery will be shown?

On the Omote-gomon Gate and the castle’s stone walls, digital animations are projected with motifs related to “Rijo” (Carp Castle), such as the rivers flowing through Hiroshima, the City of Water, as well as koi and koinobori carp streamers. Ukiyo-e depicting the World Heritage Itsukushima Shrine are also projected as moving images, and the Gomon-bashi Bridge and the Honmaru are illuminated.

What is the nearest station? Can I get there by train or bus?

By streetcar, take Line 1, 2 or 6 from the South Exit of JR Hiroshima Station for about 10 minutes to “Kamiyacho-higashi,” then walk about 12 minutes via the underground passage. By bus, take a bus via Godo Chosha-mae from stop 7 at the South Exit of Hiroshima Station for about 7 minutes, get off at “Godo Chosha-mae” and walk about 8 minutes. It is also about an 8-minute walk from Kencho-mae Station on the Astram Line and from Hiroshima Bus Center. If you come by car, use nearby parking lots.

Is this the first time projection mapping has been shown on the keep of Hiroshima Castle?

According to Hiroshima City (as of October 2026), this is the first projection onto the keep. The keep, whose exterior was restored in 1958, closed its interior to the public on March 22, 2026, and the event also turns the exterior of the closed keep into a stage for nighttime imagery.

Overview

Name: Hiroshima Castle Winter Wander 2026 (Hiroshima-jo Yoimeguri 2026)
Dates: Friday, December 18, 2026 – Monday, January 11, 2027 (national holiday)
Hours: 17:30–21:00
Closed: Thursday, December 31, 2026 – Sunday, January 3, 2027
Venue: Hiroshima Castle (21-1 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima)
Admission: Free (no advance application required)
In case of rain: Projection goes ahead in the rain; may be suspended or canceled in stormy weather
Organizer: Hiroshima City
Co-organizer: The Chugoku Shimbun
Planning and production: HITOHATA, INC.
Inquiries: Hiroshima Castle Winter Wander 2026 Secretariat (RCC Broadcasting)
Official website: https://hiroshimacastle.com
*Information as of November 7, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

For related events at Tsuruga-jo Castle, Osaka City Central Public Hall and in Gifu this winter, see the dates and admission in our winter 2026–27 events guide.

For what you can see in the Ninomaru and Honmaru after the keep’s closure, along with admission and opening hours, see our Hiroshima Castle guide.

Projection mapping shows you can see over Christmas (December 24–25) are listed with dates, times and admission in our guide to projection mapping at Christmas 2026.

*Top image: Hiroshima Castle Winter Wander 2026 (from a press release by HITOHATA, INC.)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on press materials from HITOHATA, INC. (November 2, 2026), materials published by Hiroshima City and information on the official website.

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team

A note from the publisher

*Disclosure: “Hiroshima Castle Winter Wander 2026” is an event planned and produced by HITOHATA, INC., an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE (About us).

The latest information on events produced by HITOHATA, INC. is available at HITOHATA, INC.’s event information. Inquiries about planning projection mapping on cultural properties, government buildings and other urban buildings are accepted through the company’s contact form.