J-Hoppers
J-Hoppers is a great budget hostel in Hiroshima. I stayed on June 1, 2007 for 2,500 yen (booked on hostelworld).
At Hiroshima train station, I took the tram (as instructed). I was really confused about how I was supposed to pay my fair. The operator helped me as I got off. As I was walking to the hostel, I got a bit lost. Not too lost, though, Hiroshima is an easy city to navigate.
I stayed in the girls-only room with tatami mats (sleeping on futons on the floor). The mixed rooms have bunk beds. There are showers available and Japanese-style squat toilets. I'm not sure if they had Western style toilets. Rooms with toilets are sex segregated. There are two washing machines (no dryers). There are places to hang laundry outside or in front of a window in the room. There are also pay-per-minute computers for Internet.
There is PLENTY of good nightlife within walking distance of the hostel. Just ask the staff for a recommendation, a map, and a point in the right direction. Staff speak English very well.
J-Hoppers isn't the newest or nicest hostel where I have stayed, but it is a great deal and a comfortable place to stay in Hiroshima.
From journal Summer Backpacking in Japan, 2007