Hanbe Gardens is hidden from the bustle in eastern Hiroshima City near Mount Ogon. More than a garden, Hanbe Gardens is a Japanese-style resort that also has an upper tier restaurant, ryokan (hotel) and onsen (public bath). Lunches start at around 1,600 yen and dinners around 3,500 yen. They specialize in weddings and other formal gatherings and the gardens are used to great effect as a luxurious backdrop to their banquet halls.

The gardens themselves extend up a small mountain and forms an elegant backdrop to the city below. All the classic items of a Japanese-style garden are included. There are plenty of cherry trees for blossom viewing in the spring and leafy trees for foliage viewing in the fall. The gardens are said to cover 10,000 tsubo (one tsubo = one tatami mat).

Hanbe's restaurant offers high quality cuisine from the Seto Inland Sea area. As noted above, they have some reasonably priced lunches and dinners for the quality and service they provide. Ordering their traditional multi-course Japanese dinner is a luxurious way to spend an evening and will cost over 8,000 yen.

Going to Hanbe Gardens by car is quick and cheap as they have 150 free parking spaces. The route off Highway 2 follows a couple narrow streets but is well marked with signs reading "半ベえ". Slightly east of Mount Ogon (黄金山), turn south and follow the signs there. It is at the northern base of the mountain.

By bus, take a Hiroden bus #4 from Hiroshima Station that is going to the Niho garage (仁保車庫). After about a 15 minute ride, get off at Yuenchi Iriguchi (遊園地入口) and walk the rest of the way.

See also: Shukkeien Gardens