Sights in Hiroshima
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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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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…
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Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
A walkway circles down to a contemplative underground hall of remembrance, and a room where the names and photographs of atomic-bomb victims are kept, along with testimonies from survivors, in several languages. It was built by architect Tange Kenzō, who also designed the museum, cenotaph and eternal flame. The testimonies, which can be viewed on video, vividly evoke the chaos of the time.
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Hiroshima-jō Castle
Also known as Carp Castle (Rijō; 鯉城), Hiroshima-jō was originally constructed in 1589, but much of it was dismantled following the Meiji Restoration. The remainder was totally destroyed by the bomb and rebuilt in 1958. There's not a lot to see inside, but there's a moat, and the surrounding park is a pleasant place for a stroll.
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Hijiyama-kōen
Hijiyama-kōen is noted for its cherry blossoms in spring, It's a 20-minute walk south of JR Hiroshima Station.
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