Hiroshima Japan,Hiroshima Travel Guide

Hiroshima Japan : When the first atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima on 6 Aug 1945 the city became an immediate symbol for the horrors of war. Today Hiroshima (pop. 1 086 000) has several moving reminders of that day of utter devastation.
The centerpiece is called the A-Bomb Dome-it’s the skeleton of a domed building that survived the blast. Across the street is Peace Park where you’ll find the Cenotaph for the Victims (it contains all of their names) and the Atomic Bomb Museum. The museum’s photographs are the most compelling (and perhaps horrifying): They show the actual effects of radiation on human flesh.

Hiroshima Japan : The most moving monument is the Children’s Peace Memorial (also called the Sadako Monument) which celebrates the desire for long life and happiness traditionally expressed in the folding of paper cranes. You may see groups of schoolchildren adding more paper cranes strung together in rainbow garlands to the millions that already surround the base of the memorial. It is a tradition that every school group or organization that visits this memorial, will place 1,000 paper cranes there. Our group from Canada placed 1,000 paper cranes and it was a very emotional time for the students.
In the years since the war Hiroshima has been rebuilt into a fairly typical industrial city (Mazda has a huge factory there). It has covered shopping arcades lively department stores (with ardent consumers) and a helpful information office. The city’s streetcar system is not extensive but it is efficient and provides announcements of stops in both Japanese and English.
Miyajima island lies just off the coast from Hiroshima-a short ferry ride from the end of the streetcar line. The main reasons to go there are solitude the view and the Shrine of Itsukushima which is built on wooden piers over the water. The shrine’s torii (the huge T-shaped gate at the entrance to a Shinto shrine) is out at the head of a bay-its orange paint stunning against the blue water has made this one of the most photographed places in Japan. (To get the best pictures be there when the tide’s in.) The shrine was constructed hundreds of years ago when the island was considered holy and commoners could approach it only by boat. Today travelers often find lodging on Miyajima while visiting Hiroshima. They don’t leave the island without sampling the locally made crackers.
Only 30 mi/45 km from Hiroshima on the JR Sanyo railway line in Iwakuni is the most famous bridge in Japan the Kintai-kyo. Built in 1673 the Brocade Sash Bridge is composed of five gracefully arched spans. The bridge was originally meant for the use of samurai-all others were forbidden to step upon it. Vestiges of the Edo-period castle town can be seen in the vicinity of the bridge.
Two nearby villages are famous for their pottery. Bizen has been producing its distinct deep brown pottery for the past 1 000 years. Hagi only began crafting pottery 300 years ago when master craftsmen were kidnapped from Korea to learn the secrets of their art. Hiroshima is 175 mi/280 km west of Osaka.

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
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.

Miyajima
The romantic little island of Miyajima lies about eight miles (13km) off the mainland in the Seto Inland Sea. Apart from being scenically beautiful with steep wooded hills, the island is famous for its Itsukushima Shrine featuring a massive red wooden torii (gate). The shrine is partially built over water, and was founded in the 6th century. During high tide the shrine stands in the ocean, which is particularly picturesque when the building is illuminated at night. The rest of the island makes for great hiking opportunities, particularly in spring when the many cherry trees are in bloom. Deer roam free and monkeys chatter in the woods.

Peace Memorial Park
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.

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