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Azure Travelers Hiroshima: The Meetup and the Journey

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Azure Travelers Hiroshima: The Meetup and the Journey

On August 1, 2026, we held the 10th Azure Travelers meetup, our “Hiroshima Trip,” at Dream Arts’ Hiroshima headquarters.

Azure Travelers is a community built around going somewhere new and putting on a meetup with the people who live there, so the organizers make a point of actually showing up. This time, though, I arrived in Hiroshima three days early and stayed through the following day. At that point, it was definitely a vacation.

Here is my recap of the meetup, along with everything I ate and saw around Hiroshima.

Table of Contents

The Meetup

Meetup Overview

Azure Travelers is a community centered on a simple idea: travel to different parts of Japan and have a great meetup with the local community. We started in Sapporo in January 2024, then traveled to Kobe, Yamagata, Fukuoka, Okinawa, Ehime, Tokyo, Sendai, and Kanazawa. Hiroshima was our 10th destination.

10th Azure Travelers Meetup: Hiroshima Trip with Dream Arts Co., Ltd.

  • Date and time: Saturday, August 1, 2026, 10:30-18:00
  • Venue: Dream Arts Hiroshima Headquarters (6F, Orizuru Tower, 1-2-1 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture)
  • Admission: Free
  • Hashtag: #AzureTravelers
  • Event page: connpass

We had 30 spots for in-person attendees, seven in-person lightning talk slots, and three speaker slots. Every one of them filled up before the event. Even though the meetup was not until August, it was already sold out in March. The response was strong from the moment we announced it, and I could feel how excited people were to have us coming to Hiroshima.

Once again, thank you to everyone at Dream Arts Co., Ltd. for providing the venue, and to Yoshio Terada for helping arrange it. The location on the sixth floor of Orizuru Tower made it a genuinely wonderful place to meet.

Posts from attendees are collected in this Posfie roundup. It is the quickest way to get a feel for the atmosphere in the room.

The Day of the Event

We opened with an introduction to the community and a panel discussion. The afternoon continued with sessions, lightning talks, snack time, and our traditional Azure quiz.

Schedule

TimeSessionPresenter
10:30Doors openHost: Kazuyuki Sakemi
11:00-11:10Community overviewYoshitomo Ago
11:10-12:00Panel discussionFacilitator: Yoshitomo Ago
12:00-13:30Lunch break-
13:30-14:00Get Digital Fast with Low-Codeりなたむ (Ryota Nakamura)
14:05-14:55A 30-Year Engineer’s Growth Strategy for the AI EraYoshio Terada
15:00-16:00Break, snack introductions, and lightning talks-
16:00-16:20Building AI-Ready Data Practices with SmartDB, Azure, and Fabricまっぴぃ
16:25-16:55An Introduction to Go for Azure Functions / An Introduction to Go for Agent FrameworkRyuji Iwata
17:00-17:30The Traditional Azure Quiz-
17:40-18:00Closing and cleanup-
18:30-20:30Social gathering-

The schedule covered a satisfying range: low-code, careers in the AI era, data practices, and Go. You can come to talk about Azure and find that the person next to you works with an entirely different technology. That mix is a big part of what makes Azure Travelers feel like Azure Travelers.

Because the community values the connections that happen in each place we visit, only two parts of the event were streamed: the community introduction and the panel discussion. Everything else was exclusively in person. Without a livestream to worry about, people in the room could have candid, in-depth conversations.

At snack time, attendees set out local treats they had brought from home. People travel from all over Japan for these meetups, so it is always fun to take a culinary tour of the country without leaving the table.

My Community Introduction and Panel Discussion

I handled the community overview and facilitated the panel discussion.

Someone else had originally been scheduled to facilitate the panel. I was asked to take over at the last minute, just a few days before the event, so the assignment shown on the connpass schedule is different.

During the community introduction, I talked about why Azure Travelers goes from place to place and where we have held events so far. We always have a fair number of first-time attendees, so I make a point of explaining what this gathering is for right at the start. Once people understand that, the whole tone of the conversations afterward changes.

I kept the panel informal and brought the audience into the conversation instead of letting it end with the panelists. As facilitator, I spent the full 50 minutes balancing two things: not controlling the discussion too tightly, but not letting it fall silent either. The sudden change left no time to write a detailed script. In the end, being able to follow the energy in the room may actually have made it better.

Toward the end, the discussion expanded to the local community scene, and the panelists introduced groups that are active in Hiroshima. I was really glad we could give attendees a chance to discover what communities are out there.

Both of these sessions were streamed, and the recording is available on YouTube.

Watch the livestream archive on YouTube

What’s Next

The next Azure Travelers trip is planned for Wakayama, but we do not have a venue yet. If your company or community can host us, please get in touch with the organizers through the Japan Azure Travelers connpass page. We would also love to hear from anyone who wants us to visit their city.

We rolled the dice at this meetup to choose the destination after Wakayama, and it landed on Akita.

We will announce future events on connpass as well.

The Trip

I stayed in Hiroshima before and after the meetup, working while exploring the city, Kure, Etajima, and Miyajima. Here is the trip from July 30 through August 2, one day at a time.

July 30

I worked from the hotel that day. Every slot from 9:30 to 17:00 was booked with a meeting, so I assumed lunch would have to be cup noodles in my room. Then my meeting from 14:00 to 15:00 was canceled. With an unexpected hour to spare, I headed out for a quick lunch.

I chose a standing sushi bar.

Sushi Tatsu Standing minamoa Branch | Tabelog

A standing counter was perfect for a break between meetings: easy in, easy out. The sushi came at a brisk pace, which worked well for a short lunch hour. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to take a photo, but the seared Tatsu mackerel sushi was excellent. I obviously could not drink in the middle of the workday, but good sushi always makes me want a drink (laughs).

After work, I went to a beer stand inside ekie at Hiroshima Station.

Beer Stand Shigetomi ekie | Tabelog

This is a place where you can experience how much the same beer changes with the pouring method. That evening, I tried three styles: Ichido-tsugi, poured forcefully in one go at the Showa-era tap; Sharp-tsugi, poured forcefully at the modern tap and topped with creamy foam from the Showa-era tap; and Milko, which is all about the foam. I understood the idea in theory, but tasting them side by side was startling. They really were completely different. That first visit turned into several more over the course of the trip.

After that, I headed to Yokogawa for craft beer and yakiniku.

Yokogawa Brewery | Tabelog

Finding a brewery right in the city and drinking its beer on site is one of the pleasures of traveling. I sampled three of the beers that day, and the one in the middle, Veg Ale Tomato, was my favorite.

Kinjiro Raw Meat and Yakiniku, Yokogawa Branch | Tabelog

The raw dishes were delicious, and the grilled meat was incredible too. I liked the place enough to think I would go once a week if it were near my home.

A platter of raw meat and yukhoe topped with an egg yolk at Kinjiro
A platter of raw meat and yukhoe topped with an egg yolk
A platter of meat for grilling at Kinjiro, with labels identifying each cut
A yakiniku platter with labels identifying each cut

July 31

We traveled by car that day. First, we drove around Hiroshima Castle. No matter how many times I see it, I love the sight of a castle in the middle of a city. Walking around it is nice too, but driving the perimeter gives you a better sense of just how close the castle is to the modern buildings around it.

We then met up with Tsuchida at Hiroshima Airport and headed for Kure. From there, the trip suddenly got much more eventful.

Yamato Museum (Kure Maritime Museum) | Official Website

The centerpiece is a 1:10 scale model of the battleship Yamato. It is far larger than anything the words “scale model” might bring to mind, and its size makes you understand on a physical level just how enormous the real ship was. The museum also gave me a deeper sense of the role Kure has played. I was very glad I went.

My grandfather served in the navy, and the museum had both a model of the ship he served on and an exhibit showing where it sank. Every summer, he used to tell me about his ship being sunk and about being taken to Kure after the war. Seeing those exhibits brought back a little of that nostalgia.

Lunch was navy curry.

Ryu | Tabelog

I had already decided on navy curry, so my appetite was fully committed to curry. The problem was that I do not care for seafood curry, and I also wanted to try Kure’s famous thin udon. After some indecision, I ordered the set with navy curry and thin udon. Both were fantastic.

Human Beach Nagase

In the afternoon, we went to Human Beach Nagase on Etajima. It is an unusual spot where the promenade disappears under the water at high tide. Unfortunately, we arrived at low tide and did not get to see the submerged walkway. That was a little disappointing, but the sea was absolutely beautiful.

On the way back, I left the navigation to Google Maps and somehow ended up on a route that involved a ferry. We drove the car aboard, and I had to laugh at the unexpected turn. But crossing between the islands and water of the Seto Inland Sea became sightseeing in its own right, so the route turned out to be a great choice. It was the kind of experience you would never discover by looking only at the travel time.

That night, we returned to Hiroshima and went from place to place.

Beer Stand Shigetomi ekie | Tabelog

Yes, two days in a row. That evening, I had an Ichido-tsugi and a Mild-tsugi. The Mild-tsugi is an extravagant pour: the foam from a Sando-tsugi, which takes three minutes to make, is discarded at the end, then the beer is topped with creamy foam from the Showa-era tap. It was almost too convenient as a place for the first drink after a tiring day on the road.

Yagenbori Hassho | Tabelog

For our pre-event gathering, everyone went out for okonomiyaki. The version sold as “Hiroshima-style” in Tokyo tends to be piled fairly high, but Hiroshima’s own okonomiyaki is comparatively flat. It was still ridiculously good.

Hiroshima okonomiyaki at Yagenbori Hassho topped with sauce, aonori, and bonito flakes
Okonomiyaki shared with everyone at our pre-event gathering at Yagenbori Hassho

Musashibo Main Branch | Tabelog

This restaurant specializes in soupless tantanmen. I think it had a strong numbing kick from sansho pepper, but I was already drunk by then, so I honestly do not remember it very well.

Musashibo soupless tantanmen topped with green onion and ground meat
Musashibo soupless tantanmen topped with plenty of green onion and ground meat

Highball Bar Hiroshima 1923 | Tabelog

It was a casual place to drink highballs, and it was busy despite the late hour. Hiroshima stays hot at night, so an easy-drinking highball tasted especially good. I forgot to take a photo.

August 1

This was meetup day. Orizuru Tower, our venue, stands right beside the Atomic Bomb Dome. As I described above, the day ran from morning check-in to the evening closing, with sessions, lightning talks, and our traditional Azure quiz along the way.

The Atomic Bomb Dome beside Orizuru Tower, seen between green trees under a blue sky
The Atomic Bomb Dome right beside our venue at Orizuru Tower

I was responsible for the first two morning sessions. Once they were over, the tension dropped away and I spent the afternoon simply enjoying the event as an attendee. One of the things I like about Azure Travelers is that even while helping run it, I can still listen to the talks I genuinely want to hear.

Between sessions, I crossed the street for lunch.

Okonomiyaki Teppei, Shimint Hiroshima Branch | Tabelog

Shimint Hiroshima is a dining and retail complex built on the former site of Hiroshima Municipal Stadium. Since it was across the street from the venue, I slipped out for a quick meal between sessions. I had not expected to eat okonomiyaki two days in a row.

Okonomiyaki topped with sauce and aonori at Okonomiyaki Teppei's Shimint Hiroshima branch
Okonomiyaki at Teppei during a break in the meetup

The social gathering was that evening. From there, the night in Hiroshima kept going.

Hiroshima Shudendoji | Tabelog

Our final reservation for the social gathering was for 44 people. Very few restaurants can take a group of nearly 40, so we had booked for 40 back at the end of May, when the meetup itself had a capacity of 40. We later added about 10 more meetup spots, assuming some people would skip the social. Instead, we ended up with 44. It got extremely packed, and this paragraph is my official excuse. Still, everyone seemed to be having a great time, which made me happy.

A large group of attendees enjoying the social gathering around tables inside Hiroshima Shudendoji
Our lively 44-person social gathering at Hiroshima Shudendoji

BAR ISHIMOTO CIGAR & WHISKY | Tabelog

I was enjoying a glass of Scapa when I caught it with my hand and broke it. I paid for the glass, but I was also a little sad to have spilled the Scapa. Then someone at the bar kindly poured me a Scapa 14 Year Old. I was genuinely grateful.

A glass of whisky inside BAR ISHIMOTO CIGAR & WHISKY
The Scapa 14 Year Old the bar kindly poured for me

Mou Ippai Nagarekawa Main Branch | Tabelog

The beef-bone ramen here was clean and light, yet still deeply flavorful. It was incredibly good.

Beef-bone ramen at Mou Ippai Nagarekawa topped with beef, green onion, and wood ear mushrooms
Beef-bone ramen at Mou Ippai Nagarekawa to finish the night

August 2

I made the final day entirely about sightseeing. I traveled from Hiroshima Station to Miyajimaguchi, planning to start the morning with the local specialty, anagomeshi.

Anagomeshi Ueno Miyajimaguchi Main Branch | Tabelog

I had only checked Google Maps, which said it “opens at 9:00.” It turned out that 9:00 was when they began accepting same-day bento orders; dine-in service did not start until 11:00. I gave up on having it for breakfast and continued on to Miyajima.

From the ferry, I could see Itsukushima Shrine’s great torii gate rising from the sea with the shrine buildings beyond it. You often see a composition looking through a torii gate toward a shrine from its approach. Here, you can see that composition from out on the water.

After leaving the ferry on Miyajima, it was about a 15-minute walk to Itsukushima Shrine. Deer appeared here and there along the way.

Itsukushima Shrine

Most of my previous visits had happened at low tide. This time, I entered the shrine grounds when the water was high and looked out from inside at the shrine buildings and great torii standing over the sea.

MIYAJIMA BREWERY 1F Beer Stand | Tabelog

It was intensely hot that day. By the time I finished visiting Itsukushima Shrine, my T-shirt had changed color from all the sweat. So I rehydrated with beer. I chose two: MORE MORE LEMON and MIYAJIMA WEIZEN.

I did not get to eat at Ueno, but I did have anago on the island.

Yamaichi Bekkan | Tabelog

Apparently, anago was in season, and the bowl was delicious. Still, as someone who loves unagi, I could not help thinking I prefer unaju (laughs). The rock oysters I had with it were excellent too.

I took the ferry and then a streetcar back into the city. Hiroshima’s streetcars give you a great sense of the distances between places, which makes them an excellent way to get around as a visitor.

I also went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which had not been part of my original plan.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum | Official Website

Visiting the Yamato Museum had made me think about the war again, and I realized that I had never properly seen the Peace Memorial Museum. I had visited on a high school class trip, but back then I rushed through at incredible speed and immediately went out for okonomiyaki. I decided it was time to come back and take it in as the person I am now.

It is estimated that the single atomic bomb had killed approximately 140,000 people by the end of 1945. Beyond the horror inflicted by nuclear weapons, the continuing war in Ukraine and the situation around the Strait of Hormuz leave me wondering whether there is any way to keep civilians from being swept into war.

If people insist on fighting, take it somewhere else. Another planet, preferably.

For the last evening, I stopped at ekie one more time.

Beer Stand Shigetomi ekie | Tabelog

This was my third visit during the trip. By then, it had become my regular Hiroshima checkpoint. I think I had three beers that day: an Ichido-tsugi, a Sando-tsugi, and a Nido-tsugi.

Tonono Bacon, Hiroshima ekie Branch | Tabelog

I had been curious about the sake, but the name “Hiroshima Highball” caught my attention. I tried one, liked it, and immediately ordered another.

Mazda Stadium (MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima)

At some point, I loosely decided I would watch baseball at stadiums around Japan this year. I have not made much progress, but after Yokohama Stadium and ES CON Field, this game at Mazda Stadium was my third of the year.

Watching baseball in an outdoor stadium in summer is rough. I started with one beer, but it was so hot that I had no desire for a second.

Near the beginning of the game, I photographed Shogo Akiyama playing catch in the outfield between innings. Later, Akiyama hit the go-ahead home run that gave Hiroshima the win.

The teal character at the stadium was Slyly, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp mascot. Until then, I had not even known his name. I had just thought, “There is some character over there.” It turns out he is wildly popular in Hiroshima. During a break between innings, he tore around in a buggy fast enough to kick up a cloud of dust, sending the stands into a roar.

After the game, the stadium played “OK” by Ooochie Koochie, the duo formed by Hiroshima natives Tamio Okuda and Koji Kikkawa.

There was another special event that night: a postgame drone show. It was my first time seeing one.

Yakiniku Baba-chan Shintenchi Main Branch | Tabelog

My final meal in Hiroshima was yakiniku. I wanted to eat koune before leaving, so I walked into Baba-chan hoping they would have it. They did. The wagyu koune was delicious.

Wagyu koune and wagyu koune tongue at Yakiniku Baba-chan
Wagyu koune at the final meal of my Hiroshima trip

After sweating so much at Mazda Stadium, I went into full hungry-kid mode and ordered a large serving of rice. I was still going all out right through the final meal of the trip.

The restaurant was filled with autograph boards bearing baseball players’ names and all kinds of baseball memorabilia. Maybe a lot of players eat there. Coming straight from Mazda Stadium, it felt like the excitement of the game had followed me inside.

Autograph boards bearing baseball players' names displayed inside Yakiniku Baba-chan
Autograph boards bearing baseball players’ names displayed around the restaurant

Wrapping Up

One thing I love about keeping Azure Travelers going is that every meetup gives me a reason to visit another city. Without this one, I would not have gone to the Yamato Museum, Etajima, Miyajima, or the Peace Memorial Museum. I set out to talk about technology and somehow ended up seriously exploring the city. That side effect may be the most enjoyable part.

Some conversations only happen in person, and some food can only be eaten where it comes from. An online event will never put you on a ferry because Google Maps happened to feel like it.

Of all the sessions at this meetup, Yoshio Terada’s “A 30-Year Engineer’s Growth Strategy for the AI Era” stayed with me most. The accumulated experience of someone who has spent 30 years as an engineer extends into territory I have not reached yet. And now AI has arrived. It is a powerful tool for young engineers, but I came away thinking it could become an even more powerful one for senior engineers who have steadily built such strong foundations.

Not so long ago, even deploying WordPress to Azure and keeping a site running was a chore. Now here I am, looking back at the fact that I built a site like this together with GitHub Copilot.

So start by playing with AI much more. Have fun, and learn all the different ways you can use it.

Thank you to everyone I met in Hiroshima. See you in the next city.