Futabanosato Historical Walking Trail

The mountains northeast of Hiroshima Station hold 19 shrines and temples predating the city itself, connected by the 10-kilometer Futabanosato Walking Trail. Because the northeast direction was considered inauspicious, feudal rulers built temples here to ward off evil, and the hillside became densely layered with sacred sites. Some still bear physical scars from the 1945 atomic bombing, while ginkgo, pine, and camphor trees nearby survived the blast. The full trail takes around half a day; the section starting from the station can be walked as a loop in about two hours, passing the Mt. Futaba Peace Pagoda and many of the oldest temple sites.