Hiroshima

The province

Get to know Hiroshima

Hiroshima sits on the Seto Inland Sea and is the largest city in the Chugoku region. The city was destroyed by the atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, and rebuilt in the following decades. The prefecture is known for oysters, farmed in the bay, and layered okonomiyaki with noodles.

In the Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, the ruin of a building that remained standing near the blast’s hypocenter, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. The Peace Memorial Museum tells the story of the bombing and its victims, and the park contains the cenotaph, the flame of peace and the Children’s Monument, covered in paper cranes. In the city, Shukkei-en Garden has a pond with islands and bridges.

Miyajima, the island of Itsukushima in Hatsukaichi, is home to the Itsukushima Shrine built over the water and the large red torii that appears to float at high tide. The complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. Deer wander the village, and a ropeway and trails climb Mount Misen. A visitor fee is charged to enter the island.

To the east, Onomichi has hillside streets with temples and views over the channel, and is the starting point for the Shimanami Kaido, a road of bridges over islands to Imabari in Shikoku, with a cycling route. Tomonoura is an old port with wooden houses, and Takehara preserves merchant streets tied to salt and sake. In Kure, a museum recounts the city’s naval history.