The largest city in the Chugoku region, Hiroshima might nevertheless be largely unknown outside Japan were it not for the events of August 6th, 1945. What is most remarkable about Hiroshima today, however, is the powerful testimony it offers to the strength and resilience of its people.
Most of Hiroshima occupies the delta of the Otagawa River, where it splits as it enters the Seto Inland Sea. In the 12th century, the area was known as Gokamura, or Five Villages. It was named Hiroshima (which can mean Wide Island, though there are other explanations for the name) during the reign of Mori Terumoto, who built Hiroshima Castle in 1589. By the close of the Meiji Era, Hiroshima had become a vital military and industrial center. This proved, of course, to be the cityfs doom.
The atomic bombing has been dealt with extensively elsewhere. An excellent and very readable account can be found in John Herseyfs book Hiroshima. Visitors to the city should, of course, visit Peace Park and its Peace Memorial Museum, but should also take the time to explore the rest of the city and its environs.
Hiroshima natives are fiercely proud of their city, and not just for itfs remarkable recovery from the blow it was dealt at the close of the war. The people here will tell you that Hiroshima is the perfect size, boasting all the best features of both small town and big city. The city is graced by proximity both to its surrounding mountains and the island-speckled Seto Inland Sea. The local dialect is also an object of pride, instantly identifying anyone who can use it properly as a native.
For visitors, the city offers relatively easy access to natural wonders like the Sandankyo Gorge to the north, unspoiled rural countryside, and downtown Hiroshima itself, with innumerable restaurants and shops.
Access
Airplane
Tokyo Haneda Airport===(70min.)===Hiroshima airport===(Express bus, 45min.)===Hiroshima station
Shinkansen
- Tokyo station===(JR Sanyo Shinkansen, 4 hrs.)===Hiroshima station
- Shin Osaka station===(JR Sanyo Shinkansen, 2hrs.)===Hiroshima station
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