"I was not prepared for how moving Hiroshima would be. The museum doesn't sensationalise anything. It simply shows you what happened to real people. Give yourself time — this isn't a place to rush."
The A-Bomb Dome
The Genbaku Dome — the skeletal remains of the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall — was one of the few structures to survive near the hypocenter of the atomic blast on August 6, 1945.
It was deliberately preserved as a memorial and a call for peace. In 1996, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Standing in front of the dome for the first time is a moment you will not forget. The twisted metal framework against the sky communicates something that no photograph quite captures.
Peace Memorial Park
The park occupies the area closest to the hypocenter. It contains dozens of monuments and the cenotaph, which is aligned perfectly with the A-Bomb Dome across the river.
The most visited monuments include the Children's Peace Monument (with its thousands of paper cranes) and the Flame of Peace, which has burned continuously since 1964 and will only be extinguished when all nuclear weapons in the world have been eliminated.
The Peace Memorial Museum
The museum documents the history of Hiroshima before the bombing, the events of August 6 in extraordinary detail, and the aftermath. The exhibits include personal belongings of victims and detailed accounts of what happened to individuals and families.
Allow at least 90 minutes. Many visitors need to step outside. Entry is ¥200 — one of the most significant cultural experiences in Japan.
Combining with Miyajima
Most visitors combine the Peace Memorial with a trip to Miyajima Island. Miyajima is 30 minutes from Hiroshima by tram and ferry. The floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine is one of Japan's most iconic images.
If you only have one day in Hiroshima: Peace Memorial in the morning, Miyajima in the afternoon.
Planning a trip to Hiroshima?
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