Travel guide

The A-Bomb Dome, Hiroshima © JNTO

Tragedy has turned Hiroshima, the main city of the Chugoku Region on Japan's main island of Honshu, into the country's most famous tourist attraction. On 6 August 1945 the unfortunate city became the first ever target of an atomic bomb. Early in the morning three United States B-29 bombers flew in from the northeast; one dropped its deadly ordnance over the centre of the city, leaving a mushroom cloud that darkened the sky while more than 200,000 civilians died. Today thousands of visitors make a pilgrimage to Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, marvelling at the lively modern city that has overcome its tragedy to become the thriving home to more than a million people. Not surprisingly the city has become vehemently engaged in the promotion of peace. Visitors are drawn mainly to the Peace Memorial Park and its museum, but the rebuilt city is an attractive place to visit in its own right, criss-crossed by rivers and wide avenues and containing several good museums. Nearby are some of Japan's most scenic excursion destinations.

Hiroshima’s original castle, built in the late 16th century, was totally destroyed in the atomic blast but has been reconstructed as a perfect reproduction of the original. The castle houses a museum detailing the city’s history and the historic feudal system. The exhibits include some models of ancient Hiroshima and the castle.

Address: 21-1 Motomachi, Naka-ku; Telephone: (0)82 221 7512; Transport: Streetcar from Hiroshima station to Kamiya-cho station on lines 1, 2 or 6; it is a 10-minute walk from there; Opening time: Daily 9am to 5.30pm; 9am to 4.30pm (October to March); Admission: Castle tower: ¥360 (adults), ¥160 (children). Castle grounds free

Hiroshima boasts the first public art museum in Japan devoted exclusively to contemporary art. The museum is housed in an interesting building designed by Japanese architect Kurokawa Kisho, based on the shape of a Japanese warehouse (Kura). The building is set high on a hill in Hijiyama Park, famed for its cherry blossoms and splendid city views. The museum itself contains the works of established and up-and-coming Japanese artists. For those not familiar with Japanese art the museum has provided information books on the individual artists represented, written in English. There is also an outdoor sculpture garden to enjoy.

Address: Hijiyama Koen; Telephone: (0)82 264 1121; Website: www.hcmca.cf.city.hiroshima.jp; Transport: Bus or streetcar from Hiroshima Station; Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm; Admission: ¥360 (adults), ¥270 (students), ¥170 (scholars)

Around the epicentre of the atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima in 1945, a complex of buildings and monuments has been erected in the Peace Memorial Park to commemorate the earth-shattering event. It is dedicated to the promotion of world peace. Central to the park is the only remaining city building damaged in the blast. It was formerly the Industrial Promotion Hall, but is now known as the Atomic Bomb Dome and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park also contains the Peace Memorial Museum, featuring exhibits that graphically portray the horrible effects of the bomb on the city and its citizens. Between the museum and the dome stands the Memorial Cenotaph containing a stone chest, inside which is a list of all those killed in the explosion or who died subsequently from the long-term effects caused by radiation. The Cenotaph also houses the peace flame, which will burn until nuclear war is no longer considered a threat to humanity. Other monuments contained in the solemn park include the Statue of the A-Bomb Children and the Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound that contains the ashes of tens of thousands of unidentified victims.

Address: 1-2 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku; Telephone: Museum: (0)82 242 7798; Website: www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/index_e2.html; Transport: Hiroshima bus to Yoshijima alighting at the Heiwa Kinen Koen (Peace Memorial Park) bus stop; or HiroshimaPort streetcar to Chuden-Mae, or Eba streetcar to Genbaku Domu Mae (A-bomb Dome) stop; Opening time: Museum daily 8.30am to 6pm (March to November); 8.30am to 7pm (August); 8.30am to 5pm (December to February); Admission: ¥50 (adult), ¥30 (child)


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