APA Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae Shinkansenguchi — Hiroshima's newest tower right at the Shinkansen exit
Ever looked for a hotel that is genuinely brand-new, steps from the Shinkansen exit, and still fits a budget? APA Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae Shinkansenguchi delivers exactly that. This 26-floor tower opened in July 2024, planted right at the Shinkansen-guchi (Shinkansen exit) side of Hiroshima Station — a 3-minute walk with luggage in tow. Add a large communal bath in true Japanese style and upper-floor rooms with views of the Shinkansen tracks, and you have a property that packs more than most at its starting price of around ¥8,000 per night.
Picture this — you step off the Shinkansen at Hiroshima, wheel your luggage out through the Shinkansen-guchi exit, and walk for three minutes to your room. No bus, no tram, no map-squinting. That is the core promise of APA Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae Shinkansenguchi, which opened in July 2024 as a 26-storey tower positioned directly in the Shinkansen-guchi area adjacent to Hiroshima Station's Shinkansen exit. At a starting rate of around ¥8,000, the location alone already feels like good value.
"Everything is spotlessly new, the location is excellent — walk straight out of the Shinkansen exit and you're there. Most guests who've stayed say it exceeded their expectations for the price."
The thing guests talk about first — and the thing money can't buy in a 10-year-old property — is how new everything feels. Opened less than a year ago, the lobby, lifts and every guestroom are in pristine condition. APA as a chain is well-known across Japan for compact business hotels engineered to use space efficiently: nothing wasteful, but nothing cramped to the point of discomfort either. It is a formula the brand has refined over hundreds of properties.
Another highlight that earns genuine praise is the large communal bath — an APA hallmark that makes this hotel feel a cut above a standard business box. After a full day walking around Peace Memorial Park or taking the ferry to Miyajima, soaking in a proper Japanese communal bath before bed is a real treat, and it is not something most hotels at this price point offer. Guests on upper floors also get a bonus: rooms facing the tracks give you a front-row view of Shinkansen trains arriving and departing — quietly satisfying for anyone who loves Japanese rail travel.
The guestrooms themselves follow APA's classic formula: compact, thoughtfully arranged, with a large wall-mounted TV, a firm comfortable bed, a functional work desk, fast Wi-Fi and a neatly fitted private bathroom. The standard Single has a wider-than-expected single bed; Double rooms are comfortable for two. The honest caveat is that these rooms are built for sleeping and working, not lounging — travellers arriving with oversized luggage or planning a long stay may find the footprint limiting.
With only around 108 reviews accumulated so far — the natural result of being open under a year — scores are still settling. That said, the tone across early reviews leans positive: guests praise the location, the cleanliness, and the ease of catching onward Shinkansen. Those who mention negatives typically flag the compact room size, which is entirely predictable for the APA brand and easy to anticipate before booking.
To be direct: APA Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae Shinkansenguchi is not the right pick if you want a wide room, in-room dining, or a spa. But if you are passing through Hiroshima on the Shinkansen circuit — spending one or two nights, fitting in the Peace Memorial Museum, a day trip to Miyajima, and moving on — this property ticks every box that matters: spotlessly new, large communal bath, Shinkansen exit in three minutes.
Measured purely on newness plus location in this price band, APA Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae Shinkansenguchi stands out clearly for Shinkansen travellers building an itinerary across Japan's western cities. At around ¥8,000 for a tower opened in 2024 with direct access to the Shinkansen exit, the value equation is hard to argue with.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Brand-new building opened July 2024 — everything spotlessly pristine
- ✓ 3-min walk from Hiroshima Station Shinkansen exit
- ✓ Large communal bath · upper-floor rooms with Shinkansen-track views
- ✓ Starting around ¥8,000 — strong value for a brand-new property
- ! Compact rooms in typical APA style — not ideal with lots of luggage or for long stays
- ! Limited reviews (108) as the property just opened — scores still settling
- ! No on-site restaurant — meals require heading outside
- ✓ Extremely close to Shinkansen-guchi — perfect for Shinkansen connections
- ✓ New building, immaculately clean, no stale odours
- ✓ Large communal bath — great for unwinding after a day of sightseeing
- ✓ Fast Wi-Fi · firm comfortable beds
- ! Small rooms — designed for overnight or short stays, not extended residency
- ! No spa or swimming pool — communal bath is the only bathing facility
- ! Check-in at 15:00 — early arrivals must store bags
- 💡If you need a larger room or are travelling with a lot of luggage — APA rooms are engineered to be compact → consider Via Inn Prime or Daiwa Roynet nearby if extra floor space matters to you.
- 💡If you are travelling as a family or large group — the hotel focuses on Single/Double rooms for 1-2 guests → a group may need multiple rooms, which may not be as cost-effective as other nearby options.
- 💡If you want an on-site restaurant or comprehensive F&B facilities — APA does not offer a full restaurant → the area around Hiroshima Station has plenty of dining options, but you will need to step outside.