Hiroshima City runs two kinds of free indoor places for families. Children’s halls (児童館, jidokan) are for elementary and junior high school children and for babies with a parent. Open spaces (子育てオープンスペース) are drop-in rooms for babies and young children with a parent, one in each of the city’s eight wards. This guide compares them by opening hours, who can use them and how to get there.
In short
- The city says use of the children’s halls and of the eight ward open spaces is free. Private open spaces, which are listed separately, often charge ¥100 per family per day.
- The ward open spaces open at 10:00 on weekdays. The children’s halls open at 13:00 on weekdays (12:00 in school holidays) and 10:00 on Saturdays.
- The city asks people not to come to a children’s hall by car, because the halls have no general car park.
- Most ward open spaces are closed on weekends, holidays, August 6 and over the Obon and New Year periods. Genkids in Naka Ward is open on Sundays and closed on Mondays.
Checked with official pages on October 5, 2026.
1. The nine places at a glance
Hiroshima City
The ward open spaces start at 10:00 on weekdays, while the children’s halls open at 13:00. Tap a name to jump to its section.
| Place | Ward | Who it is for | Open |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children’s halls | 124 halls citywide | Elementary and junior high school children; babies with a parent | Weekdays 13:00–18:30; Sat 10:00–17:00 |
| Genkids | Naka | Infants and a parent | 10:00–15:00; closed Mon |
| Poppo Higashi | Higashi | Mostly under 3, with a parent | Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 |
| Kids Hiroba Minami | Minami | Mostly under 3, with a parent | Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 |
| Nishiku Niko Niko Hiroba | Nishi | Ages 0–2, with a parent | Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 |
| Oasis Asaminami | Asaminami | Not yet in nursery; pregnant women | Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 |
| Smile Asakita | Asakita | Ages 0 to preschool; pregnant women | Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 |
| Aozora Akikko | Aki | Parents and children; pregnant women | Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 |
| Oyakokko Saeki | Saeki | Not yet in nursery, with a parent | Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 |
The ward open spaces are all described by the city as places with child-care staff on hand. Getting there and parking for each place are in its section. All of the official pages are in Japanese, and none of them says whether staff speak English.
2. What to know before you go
Hiroshima City
Hiroshima’s children’s halls have no general car park, and the city asks visitors not to come by car. For a morning outing with a baby, use a ward open space, which opens at 10:00.
- Children’s halls: open on weekdays 13:00–18:30 (12:00–18:30 during school holidays), and on Saturdays 10:00–17:00. They are closed on Sundays, national holidays and December 29 to January 3, and some halls close on other days when schools close for the summer and winter office holidays. The city says people other than elementary and junior high school students should check with each hall which hours they may use.
- August 6: most ward open spaces are closed on August 6 (Peace Memorial Day). The city’s list says Genkids opens on August 6 and during Obon.
- Cars: the open spaces in the Higashi, Minami, Nishi, Asaminami and Aki wards are in ward buildings that have car parks, but the conditions differ (see each section). Parking at Genkids, Asakita and Saeki is not stated on the official pages checked.
- Private open spaces: the city lists 16 open spaces run by private groups. Many charge ¥100 per family per day, and some also charge a yearly fee of ¥100 or ¥200. Only the Komyo Wakuwaku Land in Higashi Ward is listed as free (with possible small costs for drinks and materials).
3. Children’s halls (児童館): 124 halls
Hiroshima City
Hiroshima City runs 124 children’s halls, one in 124 of the city’s 140 elementary school districts (as of May 1, 2026). Use is free, and babies and toddlers can use a hall without registering if a parent is with them.
A standard hall is about 340 m². It has a play room with a basketball hoop, a wall ladder and a climbing frame, and the first floor has a library and craft room and a sick room (静養室). The second floor has a meeting room. The layout differs from hall to hall depending on when it was built.
The halls are for elementary and junior high school students, and for babies and young children with a guardian (a parent, grandparent or a relative aged 18 or over). Elementary and junior high school students must hand in a registration form to the hall beforehand; preschool children do not need to register. On arrival, disinfect or wash your hands and write your name in the visitors’ list. You cannot use a hall with a temperature of 37.5°C or higher or with cold symptoms.
The halls have no general car park; the city asks you not to come by car. You can find your local hall in the city’s list of children’s halls (Japanese). For questions, call the city’s After-School Measures Division at 082-242-2014.
4. Genkids (げんキッズ), Naka Ward
Naka Ward
Genkids is a “gathering plaza” (つどいの広場) on the 5th floor of the Hiroshima City Health Promotion Center, inside the Health Sciences Museum. It is for infants and a parent, and it is free. The city describes it as a place where parents can drop in at any time and swap child-care information.
It is open 10:00–15:00. According to the city, it is closed on Mondays (open if the Monday is a holiday) and on the day after a holiday (open if that day is a Saturday or Sunday), and for the New Year. The city’s list also says it opens on August 6 and during Obon. The museum’s page asks elementary school children not to use it, and says there is a nursing space.
The museum itself is open 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30). Admission to its exhibition hall is ¥370 for adults, ¥180 for high school students and people 65 and over, and free for junior high school students and under. The museum will close on March 31, 2027, and the city says Genkids will continue in the same building. The museum’s website has an English page for the museum.
Address: 3-8-6 Sendamachi, Naka Ward (Hiroshima City Health Promotion Center, 5th floor). Phone: 082-246-9100. Google Maps
5. Poppo Higashi (ぽっぽひがし), Higashi Ward
Higashi Ward
It is on the third floor of the Higashi Ward General Welfare Center. It is for children under about 3 and their parents; you can come and go at any time. The ward describes it as a place for play, exchange, advice and child-care information.
It is open Monday to Friday 10:00–15:00, and may close in bad weather. In fiscal 2026 it is closed on holidays, April 1, August 6, December 26 to January 4, the second Friday of each month and March 31. Please take away used diapers and trash. People who do not feel well are asked to stay away, and staff take your temperature and ask you to disinfect your hands when you come in. A calendar of open days and events is on the ward’s page (Japanese).
Parking: the car park is for people visiting the Higashi Ward Office and the Welfare Center. It is open 8:30–22:00 (locked at night). During office hours you take a parking ticket at the entrance and have it stamped at the office you visit. By bus, the nearest stops are “Higashi-kuyakusho-mae” and “Atagomachi”.
Address: 9-34 Higashikaniyacho, Higashi Ward. Phone: 082-261-0315 (Higashi Ward Child-Rearing Support Center). Google Maps
6. Kids Hiroba Minami (キッズひろばみなみ), Minami Ward
Minami Ward
It is on the third floor of the Minami Ward Office annex. It is free, and is for children under about 3 and their parents. Up to 10 families (25 people at most) can be inside at once, so you may be turned away if it is full.
It is open Monday to Friday 10:00–15:00. In fiscal 2026 it is closed on weekends and holidays, August 6 (Peace Memorial Day), August 13 and 14 (Obon) and December 28 to January 4. It has toys for children under about 3, and staff show how to make toys and how to play with a child. There is a nursing space separated by a curtain. A monthly event calendar lists talks, and some sessions can also be watched online.
Parking: the car park can be used only by people with business at the ward office or annex, and spaces are limited; the ward asks you to use public transport. From JR Hiroshima Station, take tram line 5 toward Hiroshima Port and get off at “Minami-kuyakusho-mae” (about 3 minutes on foot).
Address: 1-4-46 Minamimachi (皆実町), Minami Ward (Minami Ward Office annex, 3rd floor). Phone: 082-250-4134 (Minami Ward Child-Rearing Support Center). Google Maps
7. Nishiku Niko Niko Hiroba (にしくニコニコひろば), Nishi Ward
Nishi Ward
It is on the fourth floor of the Nishi Ward Community Welfare Center, for children aged 0 to 2 and their parents. The city has an introduction video on its official YouTube channel.
It is open Monday to Friday 10:00–15:00, and closed on weekends and holidays, August 6, August 13–16 and December 28 to January 4. It also closes on some other days in some months, so check the monthly calendar. There is a health check before you go in. You can drink water and tea in the room. Nursing is in the nursing room, and diaper changing is on the bed in the restroom.
Parking: the free car parks of the ward office, welfare department and cultural center are only for people using those facilities. Spaces are limited and parking around the buildings is banned. By tram, it is about 4 minutes on foot from “Fukushimacho (Nishi-kuyakusho-mae)” stop, or about 13 minutes from JR Nishi-Hiroshima Station.
Address: 2-24-1 Fukushimacho, Nishi Ward. Phone: 082-503-6288 (Nishi Ward Child-Rearing Support Center). Google Maps
8. Oasis Asaminami (オアシスあさみなみ), Asaminami Ward
Asaminami Ward
It is on the fourth floor of the Asaminami Ward General Welfare Center. No booking is needed. It is for children not yet in nursery and their parents, plus pregnant women and their partners. It is open Monday to Friday 10:00–15:00 (see the monthly “Oasis calendar”), and closed on holidays, substitute holidays, Obon, the New Year and August 6. Staff take your temperature at the desk. An online chat room, held from home, is also offered.
Parking: the first floor of the center has a car park and a bicycle park. By bus, get off at “Asaminami Fukushi Center-mae” (about 1 minute on foot). From Furuichi Station on the Astram Line, it is about 8 minutes on foot.
Address: 1-38-13 Nakasu, Asaminami Ward (4th floor). Phone: 082-877-2146 (Asaminami Ward Child-Rearing Support Center). Google Maps
9. Smile Asakita (スマイルあさきた), Asakita Ward
Asakita Ward
It is on the fifth floor of the Asakita Ward General Welfare Center, for children from 0 to preschool age and their parents; pregnant women are welcome. No booking is needed. It is open Monday to Friday 10:00–15:00 and closed on holidays, August 6, August 13–16 and December 28 to January 4. The 2026 calendar is an Excel file on the ward page (Japanese). The ward’s health center posts the program on its official Instagram account.
Getting there: about 1 minute on foot from “Kabe-kamiichi” bus stop, or about 15 minutes from JR Kabe Station. Parking: not stated on the ward’s pages.
Address: 3-19-22 Kabe, Asakita Ward (5th floor). Phone: 082-819-0617 (Asakita Ward Child-Rearing Support Center). Google Maps
10. Aozora Akikko (あおぞら安芸っ子), Aki Ward
Aki Ward
It is on the fourth floor of the Aki Ward General Welfare Center. It has a nursing corner and a corner with local child-care information. No booking is needed. It is for parents and children and for pregnant women. It is open Monday to Friday 10:00–15:00. It is closed on weekends, holidays and substitute holidays, April 1, May 1, August 6, August 10–14, December 29 to January 3 and March 31. When a weather warning is issued it may close or change its hours.
It holds events every month: for example, parent-child play at 11:00 on the first Tuesday (not in May and November) and a picture book reading at 10:30 on the second Tuesday. Some events need booking and others are first come, first served. Child-care advice is available at any time.
Parking: 70 spaces, shared with the Aki Ward Cultural Center and Aki Ward Library. By bus, the “Funakoshicho” stop is about 1 minute on foot; JR Kaitaichi Station is about 5 minutes on foot.
Address: 3-2-16 Funakoshi-minami, Aki Ward (4th floor). Phone: 082-821-2821 (Aki Ward Child-Rearing Support Center). Google Maps
11. Oyakokko Saeki (おやこっこさえき), Saeki Ward
Saeki Ward
It is on the sixth floor of the Saeki Ward Office annex, for children not yet in nursery and their parents. You can come and go at any time. It is open Monday to Friday 10:00–15:00. In fiscal 2026 it is closed on weekends, holidays, August 6, August 12–14 and December 25 to January 5. Booking is not needed for the room, but some events need a booking. Parents are asked to keep an eye on their children and avoid using mobile phones. An online session called “Waku Waku Hiroba” is booked through the city’s child-rearing app “Boshimo”.
Getting there: about 1 minute on foot from “Saeki-kuyakusho-mae” on the Hiroden Miyajima Line (tram) or the bus stop of the same name; about 10 minutes on foot from JR Itsukaichi Station. The ward’s pages do not state parking.
Address: 1-4-5 Ebisono (海老園), Saeki Ward (Saeki Ward Office annex, 6th floor). Phone: 082-921-5010 (Saeki Ward Child-Rearing Support Center). Google Maps
12. Which one should I choose?
Hiroshima City
- With an older sibling in elementary school: a children’s hall takes both elementary school children and babies with a parent, but only from 13:00 on weekdays.
- A baby or toddler on a weekday morning: a ward open space (open from 10:00).
- Sunday: Genkids is the only one of the ward spaces open on Sundays (closed on Mondays).
- By car: Aki Ward has a 70-space car park shared with other facilities; Higashi gives out parking tickets; Minami and Nishi limit parking to people visiting the ward buildings.
- Pregnant: the city says visits by expectant parents are welcome at the ward and private open spaces; ask the facility beforehand.
Common questions
Do I need to book?
Children’s halls need no booking unless a group reserves a room. The city describes Genkids as a place you can drop in at any time, and the pages for Oasis Asaminami, Smile Asakita, Aozora Akikko and Oyakokko Saeki say booking is not needed. Some events at these places do need a booking.
Is it free?
The city says children’s halls are free. The city’s leaflet (November 2025) says the eight ward open spaces are free. Private open spaces charge fees such as ¥100 per family per day.
Can my child go alone?
Babies and toddlers must always come with a guardian. Elementary and junior high school students may use a children’s hall after the registration form is handed in.
When are they closed?
The children’s halls close on Sundays, national holidays and December 29 to January 3. The ward open spaces close on weekends, holidays, August 6, Obon and the New Year, and some have extra closed days, such as the second Friday in Higashi Ward. Genkids is closed on Mondays. Check each place’s calendar.
Sources (checked October 2026)
- Hiroshima City: about children’s halls (Japanese, updated May 4, 2026), list of halls
- Hiroshima City: child-rearing open spaces (Japanese, updated July 21, 2026), city leaflet (November 2025), Genkids
- Health Sciences Museum: Genkids, visitor information, English page, and the city’s closure notice
- Ward pages (Japanese): Higashi, Minami, Nishi, Asaminami, Asakita, Aki, Saeki
- Parking and access (Japanese): Higashi, Minami, Nishi, Aki, Saeki, Asaminami, Asakita
- The city’s official YouTube video and the Asakita Health Center’s Instagram post, embedded above
