Sights in Hiroshima Ken
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Peace Memorial Park
From the Atomic Bomb Dome, cross over into Peace Memorial Park , which is dotted with memorials, including the cenotaph (原爆死没者慰霊碑), which contains the names of all the known victims of the bomb. The cenotaph frames the Flame of Peace (平和の灯), which will only be extinguished once the last nuclear weapon on earth has been destroyed, and the Atomic Bomb Dome across the river.
Just north of the road through the park is the Children's Peace Monument (原爆の子の像), inspired by Sadako Sasaki. When Sadako developed leukaemia at 11 years of age in 1955, she decided to fold 1000 paper cranes. In Japan, the crane is the symbol of longevity and happiness, and she was…
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Children's Peace Monument
Just north of the road crossing through the Peace Memorial Park is, for many, the most poignant memorial in the park - the Children's Peace Monument, inspired by leukaemia victim Sadako Sasaki. When Sadako developed leukaemia at 10 years of age she decided to fold 1000 paper cranes - an ancient Japanese custom through which it is believed that a person's wishes will come true.
The crane is the symbol of longevity and happiness in Japan and she was convinced that if she could achieve that target she would recover. She died before reaching her goal, but her classmates folded the rest. The story inspired a nationwide bout of paper-crane folding, which continues to this day.
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Atomic Bomb Dome
Perhaps the starkest reminder of the destruction visited upon Hiroshima is the Atomic Bomb Dome , across the river from the Peace Memorial Park. Built by a Czech architect in 1915, the building served as the Industrial Promotion Hall until the bomb exploded almost directly above it. Everyone inside was killed, but the building itself was one of very few left standing anywhere near the epicentre. Despite local misgivings, a decision was taken after the war to preserve the shell of the building as a memorial. Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in December 1996, the propped-up ruins are floodlit at night, and have become a grim symbol of the city's tragic past.
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Hiroshima-jō
Also known as Carp Castle, Hiroshima-jō was originally constructed in 1589, but much of it was dismantled following the Meiji Restoration, leaving only the donjon, main gates and turrets. The remainder was totally destroyed by the A-bomb and rebuilt in modern reinforced concrete in 1958.
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Shukkei-en
Modelled after Xi Hu (West Lake) in Hangzhou, China, Shukkei-en was built in 1620 for daimyō (domain lord) Asano Nagaakira. The garden's name means 'contracted view', and it attempts to re-create grand vistas in miniature. The garden was totally destroyed by the bomb, though many of the trees and plants survived to blossom again the following year, and the park and its buildings have long since been restored to their original splendour.
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Mazda Museum
Popular for the chance to see the 7km assembly line – the longest in the world. See the website for tour times; reservations are required. The museum is a short walk from JR Mukainada (向洋) Station, two stops from Hiroshima on the San-yō line.
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Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
In Hijiyama-kōen, this gallery has frequently changing exhibits by modern Japanese and international artists.
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Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum
Next to the Shukkei-en garden is the splendid Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum, featuring Salvador Dali's Dream of Venus and the artwork of Hirayama Ikuo, who was in the city during the bombing. Enter the garden through the museum.
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Hiroshima Museum of Art
In an interesting 1970s building, this museum has a decent collection of minor works by well-known painters, including Picasso, Gauguin, Monet and Van Gogh.
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Hiroshima Children's Museum
The Hiroshima Children's Museum is good fun for adults and kids. It's in Hanover Park, just southwest of the castle.
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Hiroshima City Manga Library
Hiroshima City Manga Library is a small comic-book museum in the grounds of Hijiyama-kōen.
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Tomo-no-Ura Historical Museum
This museum sits at the top of the hill behind the ferry pier. Nearby is the site of the old castle, of which nothing remains but a few foundation stones. Stone steps lead down from here to a network of narrow streets lined with old houses and shops, which then leads towards the harbour.
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Tahō-tō
South of Itsukushima-jinja, stone steps (before the History & Folklore Museum) lead up from the road to this picturesque pagoda. There's a pleasant, short path looping around from here and back down to the road.
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Shiga Naoya Residence
Around the corner from the literature museum is the house where Shiga Naoya, another of Japan's major 20th-century writers, lived from 1912 to 1913.
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Sensui-jima
Sensui-jima is just five minutes across the water by regular ferry(¥240 return). On the island there's a campground, a couple of hotels and good views, especially at sunset.
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Senjō-kaku
Dominating the hill immediately to the north of Itsukushima-jinja is this huge pavilion built in 1587 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The atmospheric hall is constructed with massive pillars and beams, and the ceiling is hung with paintings. It looks out onto a colourful five-storey pagoda (五重塔) dating from 1407.
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Peace Memorial Museum
The lower floor of Hiroshima's peace museum presents the history of the city and, interestingly, explains the living conditions and sentiment during the war years leading up to the dropping of the bomb. Upstairs, along with a depressing display showing the development of even more destructive weapons in the years since, are rooms filled with items salvaged from the aftermath of the explosion. The displays here are harrowing – ragged clothes, glasses, a child's melted lunch box – and there are some gruesome photographs of victims. It can be overwhelming, and you might not want to bring young children through here, but it's a must see in Hiroshima. In the corridor on the wa…
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Ōta Residence
Close to the lantern in the harbour area, the former Ōta residence is a fine collection of restored buildings from the mid-18th century. Guided tours take you through the impressive family home and workplace. There is an English pamphlet.
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Onomichi Literature Museum
Close to the fourth temple along the temple walk, Hōdo-ji, this museum features displays on the lives and works of Hayashi Fumiko and other writers connected with Onomichi. It's all in Japanese, but the proprietor speaks English and will delight in taking you through it all at length.
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Miyajima Public Aquarium
Miyajima's newly renovated aquarium reopened in August 2011, complete with all the usual sealife suspects and interactive displays.
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Miyajima History & Folklore Museum
Set in a fine garden, this museum combines a 19th- century merchant house with exhibitions on trade in the Edo period, as well as displays connected with the island.
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Jōyatō
The road along the shoreline from Taichōrō leads to the main harbour area, dominated by the stone lantern that used to serve as a lighthouse.
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Itsukushima-jinja
Going back as far as the late 6th century, Itsukushima-jinja gives the island its real name. The shrine's present form dates from 1168, when it was rebuilt under the patronage of Taira no Kiyomori, head of the doomed Heike clan. Its pier-like construction is a result of the island's holy status: commoners were not allowed to set foot on the island and had to approach the shrine by boat through the floating torii (大鳥居) out in the bay. Much of the time, however, the shrine and torii are surrounded by mud: to get the classic view of the torii that adorns the brochures, you'll need to come at high tide.
On one side of the floating shrine is a floating nō stage (能舞台) bui…
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Iō-ji
Around the harbour and inland slightly from the Ōta Residence are a dozen or so temples. Up a steep hill to the west of the harbour, Iō-ji was reputedly founded by Kōbō Daishi in the 900s. A path leads from the temple to the top of a bluff, from where there are more great views.
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Historical Temple Walk
This well-signed trail, taking in 25 old temples, starts just east of the station: take the inland road from the station and cross the railway tracks by the statue of local author Hayashi Fumiko. About a third of the way along the route is a cable car that whisks you up to the hilltop Senkō-ji (千光寺), the best known and most impressive of Onomichi's temples, and its pleasant park.
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