Hiroshima CityTake a stroll through a historic town that has recovered from the atomic bomb

Japan Travel Samurai x "Wa to Hito no Koryu Chitose" project "Wa Sanpo". The seventh episode is a little trip! We went around Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture with Shiori Kaburagi, who is the representative director of Wa to Hito no Koryu Chitose and is active as a performer of sword dancing and sword fighting.

What is Hiroshima City?

Hiroshima City, located in the western part of Hiroshima Prefecture, is the prefectural capital and a government ordinance-designated city with a population of approximately 1.18 million people. The city with the largest population in the Chugoku-Shikoku area suffered devastating damage from the atomic bomb dropped during the Pacific War. Having recovered from the devastation, the city is currently engaged in various peace-related projects as an "International City of Peace and Culture." It is also known as a city of manufacturing, with many manufacturing industries.

If you're sightseeing in Hiroshima, we recommend the easy-to-ride tram. It's very convenient as it connects the World Heritage Sites Atomic Bomb Dome and Hiroshima Castle. You can also travel by tram to Miyajima, where the World Heritage Site Itsukushima Shrine is located, in Hatsukaichi.

Hiroshima City, which faces the Seto Inland Sea, has six rivers running through the city, and is also known as the "Water City Hiroshima." River sightseeing boats and waterside cafes are also part of its appeal.

Hiroshima Castle: the heart of Hiroshima

The first place we visited was Hiroshima Castle, whose construction began in 1589 by Mori Terumoto, the grandson of Mori Motonari, who unified the Chugoku region during the Sengoku period.

After Terumoto was defeated in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, he was reduced to the two provinces of Suo and Nagato (Yamaguchi Prefecture), and Fukushima Masanori took over Hiroshima Castle. Masanori renovated and built the castle, but was stripped of his title for doing so without the shogunate's permission, and Asano Nagaakira was next to take over Hiroshima Castle. The Asano clan continued to rule Hiroshima until the Meiji Restoration.

After the Meiji Restoration, Hiroshima Castle housed the prefectural office and military facilities, and during the Sino-Japanese War, it was the site of the Imperial Headquarters. At this time, the castle tower, East Hashiriyagura, and Omote Gomon gate from the Edo period remained, but they were completely burned down in the atomic bomb dropped on August 6, 1945. After the war, the castle tower was restored in 1958 using reinforced concrete, and the interior is now a museum.

Furthermore, based on the original drawings and excavation surveys, the Omote-mikado Gate, Hira-yagura, Tamon-yagura, and Taiko-yagura of Ninomaru were reconstructed in wood by 1994, and are one of the highlights. Kaburagi was delighted, saying, "It feels so historic that it feels as if it has been left exactly as it was in the Edo period. It has a wonderful, powerful atmosphere!" Other notable features include the stone walls that can be seen everywhere.

Praying to the carp at Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine

Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine is a shrine located within the ruins of Hiroshima Castle. It was originally built as Mizukusa Reisha in Futaba-no-Sato, Higashi-ku, Hiroshima, to enshrine 78 people, including Hiroshima samurai Shozo Takama, who fought and died in the Boshin War. It then came to enshrine about 92,000 people who died in battle before the Pacific War, including mobilized students and the Women's Volunteer Corps, who were victims of the atomic bomb.

After the shrine building was destroyed in the atomic bombing, it was moved to its current location in the autumn of 1956. Renovations and expansion work were completed in 2009, and it remains as it is today. Although the shrine looks new, you can sense its depth from its origins. Over 500,000 people visit the shrine every year for the first visit of the year, making it one of the most popular shrines in Hiroshima Prefecture. It is also famous as the place where the Hiroshima Carp baseball team prays for victory every year.

As Hiroshima Castle is known as the "carp castle," there are two carp statues, the "double carp statue" of two amiable carp swimming together, and the "climbing carp statue" of a rising carp climbing a waterfall, near the main hall. The double carp statue is said to bring luck in love, safety in the home, and marital harmony, while the rising carp statue is said to bring luck in overcoming obstacles, achieving goals, and good fortune in life. Be sure to stroke them when you visit.

The Atomic Bomb Dome tells the story of the damage caused by the atomic bomb

Next, we visited the Atomic Bomb Dome, a World Heritage Site in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. It is registered as a structure that conveys the devastation caused by nuclear weapons, but it was originally the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, a stylish Western-style building built by Czech architect Jan Letzel.

At 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, three US B-29 bombers dropped an atomic bomb, destroying and burning the Atomic Bomb Dome and killing everyone inside instantly. The bomb exploded about 580 meters above the ground, and the Atomic Bomb Dome, located just 150 meters from the hypocenter, sustained extensive damage. However, the blast came almost directly from above, and the wind escaped through the windows, so the copper-plated dome remained standing.

According to Hiroshima City, the death toll from the atomic bomb alone was about 140,000 people, with many more injured and exposed to radiation, and some still suffering from the aftereffects. The Atomic Bomb Dome was considered for demolition due to the danger of it collapsing and the fact that it evokes tragic memories of the atomic bombing. However, it was decided to preserve it as a heritage that conveys the horrors of nuclear weapons to future generations, warns people, and appeals for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the importance of lasting world peace. Construction work has been carried out to maintain the state of the building after the bombing, and it remains in that state to this day.

Although the Atomic Bomb Dome is off-limits to the public in order to preserve the facility, it is an atomic bombed building with a breathtaking presence that takes the breath away of anyone who sees it. Kaburagi said, "I really felt the weight of leaving something there that will never be the same as it was at the time and passing it on."

In addition, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where the Atomic Bomb Dome is located, is also home to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Cenotaph for the Victims of the Atomic Bomb, and the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Atomic Bomb. In addition to the Atomic Bomb Dome, be sure to take the time to visit the other spots as well.

Okonomiyaki Mitchan Otaya Teppocho Branch

After touring Hiroshima city, take a break with some typical Hiroshima cuisine. When you think of Hiroshima, you think of okonomiyaki. Unlike Kansai-style okonomiyaki, which is cooked by mixing the batter and ingredients together, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is made by repeatedly piling cabbage and ingredients on top of the batter and flipping it over. The addition of noodles is also a distinctive feature of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.

There are many okonomiyaki restaurants in Hiroshima city, but this time I visited "Okonomiyaki Mitchan Otaya Teppocho Branch." This is a long-established okonomiyaki restaurant that was founded 67 years ago and was originally located in Hashimotocho, but moved to Teppocho in 2020.

Micchan's okonomiyaki is steamed until fluffy and moist. The sweet cabbage and spicy "carp sauce" are irresistible! I also recommend adding mayonnaise.

They also have a wide variety of snacks such as teppanyaki, stewed tendons, and bite-sized gyoza dumplings, and seasonal menu items such as zaru tofu in summer and oden in winter. You can relax and enjoy okonomiyaki and alcohol in a Showa-era restaurant. Kaburagi-san said, "All the food was soft and incredibly delicious!"

View the Hiroshima night view from Orizuru Tower

Our last stop was the Orizuru Tower, located next to the Atomic Bomb Dome. Opened in 2016 with the theme of "Reconstruction and the Future," the facility features an okonomiyaki restaurant, a cafe, and a souvenir shop on the first floor, and Hiroshima Hill, an open rooftop observation deck with a panoramic view of the Peace Memorial Park, on the 12th floor. At night, you can enjoy a beautiful night view, and feel the atmosphere of Hiroshima from the breeze blowing through. Kaburagi commented, "It's interesting to see the atmosphere, as if technology is gathering here and people looking for excitement are gathering here."

Also on the 12th floor, the "Orizuru Square" offers digital content to learn about Hiroshima's history. The "Orizuru Wall" is where you can fold origami cranes and throw them onto the wall, and there are many origami cranes that have been thrown into the wall so far! They can be viewed from outside, and are part of the Hiroshima scenery.

【Today's walking course】

Hiroshima Castle → Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine → Atomic Bomb Dome → Okonomiyaki Mitchan Otaya Teppocho Branch → Orizuru Tower

[Spots visited this time]

"Hiroshima Castle" 21-1 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
"Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine" 21-2 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
"Atomic Bomb Dome" 1-10 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
"Okonomiyaki Mitchan Otaya Teppocho Branch" Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima City, Naka Ward, Teppocho 9-5 Wada Building 1F
"Orizuru Tower" Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima City, Naka Ward, Otemachi 1-2-1