Hiroshima is in the Chugoku Region of the main island of Japan and it has two world heritage sites: Itsukushima Shrine and Atomic bomb dome.
During WW2, an atomic bomb was dropped over this area on Aug 6 in 1945 and it wiped out nearly 90 percent of the area.
80,000 people were killed immediately, and tens of thousands more were dead because of the radiation exposure.
After the war, a lot of efforts were taken to rebuilt the city, and it is a popular sightseeing destination for tourists nowadays.

1. Peace memorial park

   It is a memorial park located in the center of Hiroshima.
   It was built so that people won’t forget about the tragic history of atomic bomb and for the memories of direct and indirect victims.
   It was created on the field that was made by the explosion of the bomb.
   Every year on August 6th, Peace memorial ceremony is held here.
   There are also museums, monuments, and lecture halls around.

   
   Peace memorial park

2. Itsukushima Shrine

   It is a shrine on the island of Itsukushima(also known as Miyajima) .
   It is said that a shrine was built here sometime in the 6th century and then it was rebuilt several times to this date.
   Retaining the purity of the shrine was(and still now is) so important that people were not allowed to set foot inside and since 1878, neither deaths nor births have been permitted near the shrine.

   There’s the torii gate, which is set away from the main buildings to welcome visitors.
   It is accessible from the island only during the low tide.

   
   Itsukushima Shrine
   Hours:
   <Jan 1st>0:00 to 18:30
   <Jan 2nd and 3rd> 6:30 to 18:30
   <Jan 4th till the end of Feb> 6:30 to 17:30
   <Mar 1st till Oct 14th> 6:30 to 18:00
   <Oct 15th till Nov 30th> 6:30 to 17:30
   <Dec 1st till Dec 31st> 6:30 to 17:00

3. Atomic Bomb Dome

   This building was the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall.
   Atomic bomb exploded 600 meters above the ground of Hiroshima, 160 meters to the southeast side of this dome.
   Thick walls and the steel dome prevented the complete destruction of it(however people inside were killed instantly), and it was left there as a reminder of the suffering caused by the bomb.

   
   Atomic Bomb Dome

4. Shukkei-en Garden

   It is one of the most popular gardens of Japan.
   The construction of the garden is said to be started in 1620 during the Edo period.
   It used to be served as the villa of the Asano family(a powerful feudal lord in Hiroshima), and it was opened to the public in 1940.
   It was badly damaged by the atomic bomb in 1945 but has been restored and reopened in 1951.

   
   Shukkei-en Garden

   Hours:
   <April ~ Sep> 9:00 to 18:00
   <Oct ~ Mar> 9:00 to 17:00

   Price: 260yen to enter

5. Hiroshima castle

   Mori Terumoto (a powerful shogun who governed 9 provinces) built the Hiroshima castle between 1589 and 1599.
   It was destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945 and was rebuilt in 1958.
   It is a 26m-high building with 5 floors, and inside is a history museum of Samurai era.
   It is a great place to learn about Japanese history and samurai!

   
   Hiroshima castle

   Hours:
   <April ~ Sep> 9:00 to 17:30
   <Oct ~ Mar> 9:00 to 16:30

   Price: 370yen to enter

6. Onomichi

   Onomichi is a town located in the east side of Hiroshima, between Hiroshima and Kyoto.
   There are a lot of temples and historical buildings and it is a popular spot for photographers.

   If you like cycling, you should try taking the Shimanami Kaido.
   It is a 70 kilometer long road for cycling that connects Japan’s main island(Onomichi) and Shikoku island.
   It takes about 3 hours to complete the course and you can enjoy the beautiful view of the sea along the way.

   
   Onomichi

7. Rabbit island

   Ookunoshima, or Rabbit island is located in eastern Hiroshima.
   There are hundreds of wild rabbits living there and you can feed them.
   This island has a sad history of the war time.
   There used to be a poison gas factory and rabbits were used to test the chemicals.
   After the war, rabbits were set free and the Poison Gas Museum opened in 1988 to let people know about the dreadful research that was carried out.
   We should not forget about the past and live peacefully with these cute animals.

   
   Rabbit island
   (You can get the to the island from JR Tadanoumi Station by ferry.
   It costs 310yen and takes 12min)

In hiroshima, you can eat delicious Okonomiyaki.
This pancake like food with sweet sauce on top is one of the most popular foods in Hiroshima.
Okonomiyaki in Osaka is also popular, but Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima has a different style:Less flour is used(this is because flour was very expensive in Hiroshima), and ingredients are layered rather than mixed.
Also, fried egg and noodles are used for Hiroshima style.

If you have enough time, I recommend that you visit both Osaka and Hiroshima and try Okonomiyaki to see the differences!(to learn more about Osaka, please check the link:Osaka)
Most Okonomiyaki places have a huge hot griddle where the chefs cook right in front of you.

Access

From Tokyo

Take JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen (Nozomi)
(Time:About 4 hours Price: 18,040 yen for non-reserved seat)

From Nagoya

Take JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen (Nozomi)
(Time:About 2 hours and 17 min Price: 13,290 yen for non-reserved seat)

From Kyoto

Take JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen (Nozomi)
(Time:About 1 hour and 40 min Price: 10,570 yen for non-reserved seat)

From Osaka

Take JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen (Nozomi)
(Time:About 1 hour and 25 min Price: 9,710 yen for non-reserved seat)

I really hope that a lot of people will continue to visit Hiroshima, learn the history, and pray together for peace.

Taka

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See you next time!