Hiroshima is a very famous city globally, but not necessarily for travel. As one of only two cities to have ever had an atomic bomb dropped on it, Hiroshima’s tragedy is a notorious lesson for the world on the inhumanity of atomic and nuclear weapons.
It stands that Hiroshima’s most well-known site to visit is the A-Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park, which commemorate the atomic bombing that happened on August 6, 1945 and killed over 90,000 people. The A-Bomb Dome is the hollowed, preserved shell of a building that was destroyed by the atomic bomb. Formerly the Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, the A-Bomb Dome is a distinctive icon of the city and retains a solemn dignity. It is smaller than I expected and is fenced off, so one can only look at it.
Nearby the A-Bomb Dome is the Peace Memorial Park, which features the Peace Memorial Museum, a children’s memorial, and the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims. The Peace Memorial Museum is a somber place with artifacts and photographs of the city during the war and bombing. An exhibit of preserved children’s items and photographs of the dead owners is quite sad to take in.
But while Hiroshima bears testament to this tragic event, it has long overcome it and is now a bustling, pleasant city that is the economic and commercial hub of the Chūgoku region, which is the southernmost part of the main island of Honshu. Hiroshima has a laidback feel to it, symbolized by its ubiquitous trams which are the city’s main form of public transit.
It has a massive, indoor shopping arcade called Hondori Street which runs for about half a kilometer. While it is very spacious, cavernous even, most of the shops are chain food or clothing stores so it wasn’t too interesting for me. There are a lot of restaurants and bars located around the eastern part of Hondori Street.
As with most Japanese cities, Hiroshima has its own castle, as well as its beautiful Shukkeien garden. If you stay in Hiroshima, you can take the train to visit the island of Miyajima or Itsukushima, where the famous “floating” torrii gate in the sea is located.
City tram, its main form of public transit
The A-Bomb Dome
Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims, Peace Memorial Park
A noble hope
Came upon a rally for the city’s baseball team, the Carps, in Hondori Street
Hondori Street
Peace Memorial Museum
Photo of survivors after the atomic bomb was dropped
Children’s bicycle that was destroyed by the atomic bomb 
Aftermath of the atomic bomb
Motoyasu River, one of several tributaries of the Ota River that runs through the city
