Hiroshima, Japan

• Hiroshima is a compact river city on Japan's Seto Inland Sea, built across the delta of the Ota River. It is best known for the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, which deserve a full morning, but the rest of the city is green, flat and easy to navigate. The main sights, shopping streets and restaurants are within a few kilometres of each other and linked by streetcars.
• Japan has very low violent crime, and Hiroshima is calmer than Tokyo or Osaka. Women often travel, eat and sightsee alone here, and solo dining is normal, from okonomiyaki counters to ramen bars with single seats. Harassment is rare, but groping on crowded trains does happen in Japan, so the women-only train cars (marked on platforms during rush hours) are worth using on busy lines.
• The local specialty is layered okonomiyaki, along with oysters from the bay, tsukemen and momiji manju maple-leaf cakes. Many counters have English or picture menus, and the vending-machine ticket systems at ramen shops are easy to use with a translation app.
• The Hiroden streetcar network reaches nearly everywhere you will want to go, and the ferry to Miyajima and its floating torii gate works as an easy day trip. Late-night trouble is mostly drunk crowds and pushy street touts in the main entertainment district, and it is not aimed at visitors.

Japanese is the main language. English is common at major sights, hotels, the station and many central restaurants, but less so in small local shops. The Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787) is a 24-hour multilingual service for travellers. English-speaking operators are not always available on 110 or 119, so have a translation app ready or ask a hotel staff member or passer-by to help.

• Dress is relaxed, though Japanese women tend to avoid very low necklines in daily life. Shorts and sleeveless tops are fine in summer, and a more modest outfit suits the Peace Memorial Museum and shrines.
• Keep quiet at the Peace Memorial Park, the Peace Memorial Museum and the Atomic Bomb Dome. Avoid loud conversation and posed smiling selfies at memorials, and do not climb on or touch monuments.
• Speak quietly on trams and trains and do not take phone calls onboard. Tipping is not expected. Shoes come off in many guesthouses, traditional restaurants and temples, so wear socks without holes.
• English signage is good at main sights and stations but less common in small restaurants. A translation app with a camera function helps with menus. Cash is useful in small shops and some okonomiyaki counters, though cards are widely accepted in the centre.

The first hour after landing is when you're tired, carrying everything, and easiest to take advantage of. Three things to sort before you fly:

• Your ride from the airport. A driver who meets you in arrivals, at a price fixed before you fly — no haggling at the taxi rank.

  Book an airport pickup

• Data the moment you land. Maps, ride apps and a way to call for help as soon as you switch your phone on. An eSIM installs at home.

  Get a good eSIM

• The emergency number. Police: 110. Save it in your phone, not just on this page.

  All emergency contacts

• The Hiroden streetcar network is the easiest way to get around, with lines running to Peace Park, Hondori, Hiroshima Station and the Miyajimaguchi ferry connection. Most trams charge a flat fare within the city, you pay when you get off, and nationwide IC cards such as Suica and ICOCA are accepted. Check the last tram time if you are out in the evening.
• JR trains connect the station to Miyajimaguchi (for the Miyajima ferry), Iwakuni and the Shinkansen. Some routes have women-only cars during rush hours, marked on the platform. Crowded rush-hour trains are where groping is most likely, so the women-only car or a spot near the door helps.
• Taxis are metered and clean, with automatic doors. You can hail them on the street, book through the GO or Uber apps, or ask your hotel to call one. Tipping is not expected. The centre is also flat and walkable, with cycle lanes and rental bikes, and the riverside paths are good for walking by day.
• If you're planning day trips outside the city, consider renting a car.

Explore Hiroshima with local guides and curated experiences.