Sights in Western Honshū
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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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Matsue History Museum
Matsue's new museum, which was opened in March 2011, has various displays and articles relating to the clan history of Matsue and its castle.
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Hino-yama
About 5km northeast of JR Shimonoseki Station there are superb views over the Kanmon-kaikyō from the top of 268m-high Hino-yama. Walk or drive to the top, as the ropeway is closed. Take a Ropeway-mae bus (¥360) to the Mimosusōgawa bus stop and walk up to the ropeway station, or take a Kokuminshukusha-mae bus straight to the bottom of the ropeway.
By the Mimosusōgawa-kōen bus stop are lifts that take you down to a free cross-strait walker's tunnel, popular with local joggers, for a 780-metre submarine walk to Kyūshū. It's a nice stroll around the seaside promenade on the Kyūshū side, but there are no restaurants.
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Karato Ichiba Fish Markets
A highlight of any trip to Shimonoseki is an early rise and a visit to the Karato Ichiba fish markets. The interesting stuff is on show from 04:00 to 08:00, so if you like to sleep in, forget it. The markets kick off at 02:00 for those in the industry, but the public is welcome from 04:00 - the earlier you get there the better. It's a great opportunity to try sashimi for breakfast or lunch, and the fish doesn't get any fresher - a fair bit will still be moving.
People-watching is almost as much fun as goggling at the many different sea creatures.
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Akama-jingū shrine
Bright vermilion, this postwar Akama-jingū shrine is dedicated to the 8-year-old emperor Antoku, who died in 1185 in the naval battle of Dan-no-ura. In the Hōichi Hall stands a statue of the splendidly monikered Earless Hōichi, the hero of a traditional ghost story retold by Japanophile Lafcadio Hearn. The shrine is between Karato and Hino-yama. Get off the bus (¥230, 10 minutes) at the Akama-jingū-mae bus stop.
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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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Dan-no-ura Memorial
The Dan-no-ura Memorial marks the spot where the decisive clash between the Minamoto and Taira clans took place in 1185. This is where one of the ladies of the House of Taira plunged into the sea with the infant emperor Antoku in her arms instead of surrendering to the enemy.
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Kōzan-ji
Chōfu is the old castle town area and, while little remains of the coastal castle itself, there are earth walls and samurai gates, along with a museum and some important temples and shrines. National treasure Kōzan-ji has a Zen-style hall dating from 1327.
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Sentei Festival
The Sentei Festival is held at Akama-Jingū Shrine from 2 May to 4 May to remember the Heike women who worked as prostitutes to pay for rites for their fallen kin. On 3 May women dressed as Heian-era courtesans form a colourful procession at the shrine.
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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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Former British Consulate
The Meiji-era former British Consulate building of 1906 has an interesting façade, and there's a small museum inside with the consul's desk still in place. There's a unique coffee house at the rear.
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Kaikyō-kan aquarium
In Karato, the Kaikyō-kan aquarium has stacks of impressive fish, shows, displays, a huge blue-whale skeleton and a special tank of fugu.
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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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Shimonoseki City Art Museum
Shimonoseki City Art Museum features contemporary Japanese artists. It is in Chōfu, the old castle town area.
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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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Yumeji Art Museum
Prominent Taishō-era artist and poet Takehisa Yumeji (1884–1934) is particularly known for his bijin-ga (images of beautiful women), and various wistfully posed ladies feature among the paintings, prints and screens on display at this small museum. It's just across the river on the northeast side of Kōraku-en, about a 15-minute walk from the Shiroshita tram stop.
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Yamaguchi Furusato Heritage Centre
The ground floor of the 1886 sake merchant building (the Manabi-kan; まなび館) has a small display of local crafts, including some Ōuchi dolls, but the building itself is interesting. Go upstairs to get a closer look at the large dark-wood beams, and don't miss the delightful tea-ceremony room made from old sake-brewing barrels – it's in the garden. The modern learning centre is behind the old building, where you can see lacquer ware being made, or make your own lacquer-ware chopsticks (¥840) – reservation required.
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Twenty-Four Eyes Movie Village
Just north of Sakate is the turn-off to the picturesque fishing village of Tanoura (田ノ浦), site of the village school that featured in the film Twenty-Four Eyes. The film was based on a novel by local writer Tsuboi Sakae and was a huge hit in postwar Japan. The set used in the 1980s remake of the original 1954 B&W film is now open to the public as this movie village, where busloads of tourists gather to wallow in nostalgia.
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