Visited 18.04.2015 (Sat)
Painful past. There are two places in Hiroshima Prefecture which are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Genbaku Dome 原爆ドーム and Itsukushima Jinja 厳島神社, and we aimed to visit both of them on this debut trip to Chugoku region of Japan. I believe the very first time I heard or came to know about this place called Hiroshima was through history lessons conducted during my secondary school days. On 6 Aug 1945 8.15 a.m., the world's first atomic bomb was deployed in Hiroshima by the U.S. which became one of the catalyst that fueled the cease of WWII. The second atomic bomb was subsequently detonated in Nagasaki on 9 Aug 1945 and led to Japan's surrender. The destruction caused by this formidable nuclear weapon was catastrophic and deadly; completely wiping out almost all life forms and structures within 1.6 km away from its hypo center.
Genbaku Dome. However, there was one building which was partially spared from the blast. The former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, built in 1915, was located just a mere 160 m away from the hypocenter of the atomic bomb withstood the massive forces unleashed by the bomb miraculously. Even though a large portion of the structural steel, including the iconic dome shaped roof remained intact, none of the inhabitants survived from this ordeal. Later renamed as Genbaku Dome or Atomic Bomb Dome (A-Bomb Dome in short), the remains of this building was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 and served as a constant reminder to mankind on the cruelty of war and nuclear weapons, and the continuous strive to attain lasting world peace. Having been to the Peace Park in Nagasaki city back in 2014 made me want to visit Hiroshima after that and I finally fulfilled this wish on this trip. While walking around Genbaku Dome and Peace Memorial Park, I read about the tragic loss of innocent lives through the signboards with a heavy heart and came to know of the unending pains and sufferings that some people, till today, still have to go through as a result of radiation poisoning.
Peace Memorial Park. Similar to the Peace Park in Nagasaki city, there are a couple of monuments constructed and museums set up in its compound. There were two monuments which I personally like a lot. The first one is Genbaku-no-ko-no-zo 原爆の子の像 otherwise known as Children's Peace Monument. This monument was erected in memory of a young girl named Sadako Sasaki 佐々木貞子 and thousands of children who fell victim to the bombing incident. Sadako Sasaki was only two years old when the nuclear weapon was deployed, and she died 10 years later after being diagnosed with leukemia as a result of radiation poisoning. Built in 1958, a bronze statue of a young girl depicting Sadako Sasaki stood on top of a concrete, arrow shaped monument with a bronze crane hanging within the structure acting as a wind chime. Around the monument, there are glass cabinets containing strings of colourful origami cranes donated by people all over the world, to pray for world peace.
The second one is Genbaku shibotsusha irehi 原爆死没者慰霊碑 or Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims. This cenotaph is dedicated to more than 28,000 victims who died from this fateful incident and their names are recorded in a book kept in the stone box which sits in the center of the structure. In my opinion, the location and design of the cenotaph was well thought out. As one stands in front of the cenotaph, he/she will be able to see two important monuments, Heiwa no tomoshibi 平和の灯 or Peace Flame and Genbaku Dome, through the opening of the saddle shaped structure. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony is held in the Peace Park on 6 Aug yearly, during which some 50,000 local citizens and visitors, as well as ambassadors and dignitaries from around 70 countries, come together to console the spirits of those killed by the atomic bomb and also to pray for lasting world peace.
Painful past. There are two places in Hiroshima Prefecture which are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Genbaku Dome 原爆ドーム and Itsukushima Jinja 厳島神社, and we aimed to visit both of them on this debut trip to Chugoku region of Japan. I believe the very first time I heard or came to know about this place called Hiroshima was through history lessons conducted during my secondary school days. On 6 Aug 1945 8.15 a.m., the world's first atomic bomb was deployed in Hiroshima by the U.S. which became one of the catalyst that fueled the cease of WWII. The second atomic bomb was subsequently detonated in Nagasaki on 9 Aug 1945 and led to Japan's surrender. The destruction caused by this formidable nuclear weapon was catastrophic and deadly; completely wiping out almost all life forms and structures within 1.6 km away from its hypo center.
Genbaku Dome. However, there was one building which was partially spared from the blast. The former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, built in 1915, was located just a mere 160 m away from the hypocenter of the atomic bomb withstood the massive forces unleashed by the bomb miraculously. Even though a large portion of the structural steel, including the iconic dome shaped roof remained intact, none of the inhabitants survived from this ordeal. Later renamed as Genbaku Dome or Atomic Bomb Dome (A-Bomb Dome in short), the remains of this building was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 and served as a constant reminder to mankind on the cruelty of war and nuclear weapons, and the continuous strive to attain lasting world peace. Having been to the Peace Park in Nagasaki city back in 2014 made me want to visit Hiroshima after that and I finally fulfilled this wish on this trip. While walking around Genbaku Dome and Peace Memorial Park, I read about the tragic loss of innocent lives through the signboards with a heavy heart and came to know of the unending pains and sufferings that some people, till today, still have to go through as a result of radiation poisoning.
Peace Memorial Park. Similar to the Peace Park in Nagasaki city, there are a couple of monuments constructed and museums set up in its compound. There were two monuments which I personally like a lot. The first one is Genbaku-no-ko-no-zo 原爆の子の像 otherwise known as Children's Peace Monument. This monument was erected in memory of a young girl named Sadako Sasaki 佐々木貞子 and thousands of children who fell victim to the bombing incident. Sadako Sasaki was only two years old when the nuclear weapon was deployed, and she died 10 years later after being diagnosed with leukemia as a result of radiation poisoning. Built in 1958, a bronze statue of a young girl depicting Sadako Sasaki stood on top of a concrete, arrow shaped monument with a bronze crane hanging within the structure acting as a wind chime. Around the monument, there are glass cabinets containing strings of colourful origami cranes donated by people all over the world, to pray for world peace.
The second one is Genbaku shibotsusha irehi 原爆死没者慰霊碑 or Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims. This cenotaph is dedicated to more than 28,000 victims who died from this fateful incident and their names are recorded in a book kept in the stone box which sits in the center of the structure. In my opinion, the location and design of the cenotaph was well thought out. As one stands in front of the cenotaph, he/she will be able to see two important monuments, Heiwa no tomoshibi 平和の灯 or Peace Flame and Genbaku Dome, through the opening of the saddle shaped structure. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony is held in the Peace Park on 6 Aug yearly, during which some 50,000 local citizens and visitors, as well as ambassadors and dignitaries from around 70 countries, come together to console the spirits of those killed by the atomic bomb and also to pray for lasting world peace.
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Peace Memorial Park 平和記念公園, Genbaku Dome 原爆ドーム
広島県広島市中区大手町1丁目10
Free admission
http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/dome/index.html
https://peace-tourism.com/spot/a-bombdome.html
https://www.hiroshima-navi.or.jp/post/006276.html
Museums located within Peace Memorial Park:
(1) Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum 広島平和記念資料館
Opening hrs: 0830 - 1800 hrs (Mar - Nov); 0830 - 1900 hrs (Aug); 0830 - 1700 hrs (Dec - Feb)
Admission fee = 200 yen
http://hpmmuseum.jp/
(2) Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims 国立広島原爆死没者追悼平和祈念館
Opening hrs: 0830 - 1800 hrs (Mar - Nov); 0830 - 1900 hrs (Aug); 0830 - 1700 hrs (Dec - Feb)
Free admission
https://www.hiro-tsuitokinenkan.go.jp/
How to get there?
(1) By Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus Meipuru~pu めいぷる～ぷ.
Take the bus from Shinkansen Exit Platform 2 for Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus Meipuru~pu. The Peace Memorial Park and Genbaku Dome are accessible via all three routes (Orange, Green and Lemon).
Alight at Heiwa Koen mae 平和公園前 or Genbaku Dome mae 原爆ドーム前.
Fare = 200 yen/trip
1 day pass = 400 yen
* Note: For travellers holding on to nationwide Japan Rail Pass, they can board this bus at no additional cost. Ironically, JR West Pass are not accepted on this bus.
Bus schedule: http://chugoku-jrbus.co.jp/teikan/meipurupu/
(2) By Hiroshima Electric Railway 広島電鉄電車 or Hiroden.
From Hiroshima Station, take Streetcar 2 or 6 and alight at Genbaku Dome mae 原爆ドーム前.
Fare = 180 yen
http://www.hiroden.co.jp/train/index.html
Peace Memorial Park 平和記念公園, Genbaku Dome 原爆ドーム
広島県広島市中区大手町1丁目10
Free admission
http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/dome/index.html
https://peace-tourism.com/spot/a-bombdome.html
https://www.hiroshima-navi.or.jp/post/006276.html
Museums located within Peace Memorial Park:
(1) Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum 広島平和記念資料館
Opening hrs: 0830 - 1800 hrs (Mar - Nov); 0830 - 1900 hrs (Aug); 0830 - 1700 hrs (Dec - Feb)
Admission fee = 200 yen
http://hpmmuseum.jp/
(2) Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims 国立広島原爆死没者追悼平和祈念館
Opening hrs: 0830 - 1800 hrs (Mar - Nov); 0830 - 1900 hrs (Aug); 0830 - 1700 hrs (Dec - Feb)
Free admission
https://www.hiro-tsuitokinenkan.go.jp/
How to get there?
(1) By Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus Meipuru~pu めいぷる～ぷ.
Take the bus from Shinkansen Exit Platform 2 for Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus Meipuru~pu. The Peace Memorial Park and Genbaku Dome are accessible via all three routes (Orange, Green and Lemon).
Alight at Heiwa Koen mae 平和公園前 or Genbaku Dome mae 原爆ドーム前.
Fare = 200 yen/trip
1 day pass = 400 yen
* Note: For travellers holding on to nationwide Japan Rail Pass, they can board this bus at no additional cost. Ironically, JR West Pass are not accepted on this bus.
Bus schedule: http://chugoku-jrbus.co.jp/teikan/meipurupu/
(2) By Hiroshima Electric Railway 広島電鉄電車 or Hiroden.
From Hiroshima Station, take Streetcar 2 or 6 and alight at Genbaku Dome mae 原爆ドーム前.
Fare = 180 yen
http://www.hiroden.co.jp/train/index.html
