Hiroshima, Japan

 Hiroshima was founded in 1589 by a powerful warlord, Mori Terumoto who made it his capital, and built Hiroshia Castle. Hiroshima became a major urban center during the imperial period as the Japanese economy shifted to urban industries. It is best known as the first city in history to be targeted by a nuclear weapon when the United States dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 Am, 1945. 

The effects of the bomb were devastating, with massive loss of life, and total destruction of property. In one year, between immediate deaths, and deaths from injury and radiation, over 140,000 lives were lost.  The impact on the city shaped it's future redevelopment and direction. Hiroshima was declared a City of Peace by the Japanese parliament in 1949 at he initiative of Shinzo Hamai, the mayor of Hiroshima.  Several institutions devoted to the abolition of all nuclear weapons are now located.

Amazingly, from almost total obliteration, Hiroshima has developed into a thriving modern city  with a population of over one million people.

The  image of this destroyed building has become the symbol of  the destruction of Hiroshima, and is now known as the Atomic Bomb Dome. It was located at ground zero of the bomb drop.

The building was designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel and completed in April 1915. It was known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall and was known for it's distinctive green dome. It was used for business functions, the display and sale of products, art exhibitions, fairs and cultural events. 

After the bombing, the remains of the hall was almost the only thing left standing in the area.

Before we visited the Hiroshima Memorial, we first went to the Shukkein Garden. The garden was built by Uneda Soko under commission by Asano Nagaakira in 1620. Nagaakira was the first feudal lord of the Hiroshima domain and this was the garden for his villa. It was completely levelled in the atomic blast, and was rebuilt in the original plan. Sixty five  victims of the blast whose bodies were found here were initially buried here, but the remains were moved to the A Bomb Memorial Tower in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on August 6, 1979.

Entrance to the Shukkein Garden.

The cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom.

The park is very tranquil, with lots of ponds and bridges.

The park is lovely, but now surrounded by high rise buildings.

After we left the garden , we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial  Park Area. The dome is located on one side of the river,  and the museum and cenotaph are on the other, surrounded by a peaceful park area.

The bridge over the Ota River in the picture was the target location for the atomic bomb. The dome memorial is on the right beside the river. 

This memorial is dedicated to Sadako Sasaski and all the child victims of the bomb. She was two years old when the bomb fell, and appeared to develop normally until she developed leukemia at the age of 10. She died at age 12.  She believed that cranes were a sign of health and longevity, and if she made 1,000 paper cranes, then she would get well. She did not achieve her goal, but after her death, her classmates at school finished the 1,000 cranes,  People now pay their respects by ringing the bell with the metal crane on the rope. During our visit, people approached the memorial,  bowed and rang the bell continuously.

The image of Saddako Sasaki on the top of the memorial with her paper crane.

The cranes used to ring the bell inside the memorial.

The arch of the cenotaph in the Memorial Park looks through to the eternal flame, and the Atomic Bomb Dome. 

The eternal flame will continue to burn until all nuclear weapons are abolished.

We also visited the Hiroshima Museum, which was a very powerful experience. It was devoted to information about the horrific  impact of the bomb, both short and long term on the people of Hiroshima. It was very graphic, and disturbing. Our visit to Hiroshima was very worthwhile, but a sad reminder of the power man now holds to destroy our very existence!