Hiroshima

Hiroshima sits along the Ōta River delta in Japan's Chūgoku region. The events of August 6, 1945 define the city's identity, but what you see today is a modern, forward-looking place with wide boulevards, crisscrossing rivers, and a skyline rebuilt from scratch. The port is in an industrial area about 3km from the centre, though taxis and the city's reliable tram network make the trip easy. The Peace Memorial Park and its museum are the obvious first stop, and they deserve the time. Beyond that, the city has excellent street food, particularly okonomiyaki (the Hiroshima style layers the ingredients rather than mixing them). Shukkeien Garden, a 17th-century landscape garden near the centre, offers a quiet break. The tram system is cheap and covers most of what you'd want to see in a day.