Hiroshima, although most known worldwide as a tragic event that happened during World War II, it is a city that has a lot to offer for those visiting
Japan. Hiroshima has become a place that commemorates those that have died in the World War and a place that takes great importance in valuing peace. Because of this we can find many museums, statues, and commemorative places dedicated to peace in Hiroshima.
Apart from this Hiroshima is also worth visiting for its busy downtown area Kamiyacho, parks, Hiroshima Castle and art museums. Find out on what the top things to visit in Hiroshima are in the list below!
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial or Peace Park
Commonly known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, this is undoubtedly the symbol – for better or worse – most associated with Hiroshima. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1996, the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall was the only structure left standing after the bombing on August 6, 1945. The twisted metal of the dome and the rubble-strewn surroundings is left the same as it was 70 years ago, a testament to the power of the new weapon and an everlasting symbol of peace.
It is described as an intense experience that is not meant for the faint-hearted but is recommended to those that yearn to understand what that atomic blast did to the Japanese people, especially those in Hiroshima.
A Hiroshima Carp baseball game
Playing in the best-named stadium in all of baseball (Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima), the Hiroshima Carp is considered the little brother among the other professional baseball teams. Having not won any sort of pennant or championship since 1991, the team definitely isn’t a powerhouse akin to the Yankees or Red Sox. Can the team throw off the yoke of history and win it all this year? No, probably not.
What the Carp can do, however, is boast having the country’s most passionate and crazed fans. Watching a Hiroshima Carp baseball game is a full body, full senses experience. As opposed to your typical American baseball game, many Carp fans never sit down – the entire game. They also have an impressive amount of songs, cheers, and dances memorized for just the right occasion during the game. At first, it can be confusing, even intimidating, watching a Carp game alongside the diehards in the bleachers. However, after an inning or two, you’ll be yelling and stomping alongside 30,000 other fans for life.
Atomic Bomb Dome
This building was heavily damaged and exposed to radiation by the first ever used atomic bomb during World War I. The building has been preserved in the state it was immediately after the bombing, and has continued to testify to the horrors of the atomic bomb.
Perhaps the starkest reminder of the destruction visited upon Hiroshima in WWII is the Atomic Bomb Dome. Built by a
Czech architect in 1915, it was the Industrial Promotion Hall until the bomb exploded almost directly above it. Everyone inside was killed, but the building was one of very few left standing near the epicentre. A decision was taken after the war to preserve the shell as a memorial.
Miyajima Island
A personal favorite, Miyajima (officially named Itsukushima) is a very small island a short jaunt from Hiroshima. After taking a 10-minute ferry, the striking view of the island is unforgettable. Sparsely populated and intensely rural, Miyajima is renowned throughout the country as being the best spot to see the autumn leaves change colors. The island’s many maple trees are turned a brilliant crimson in the fall, making it a top attraction for those looking to snap that perfect picture. And because the island itself is sacred, the trees are protected and cannot be cut. This protection also extends to the tame deer roaming the island, a sacred animal considered to be friends of the gods.
With charm to spare, this town should already be at the top of anyone’s Japan list, but it has an ace up its sleeve. The main feature of the island is undoubtedly the absolutely massive torii gate, a crimson reminder that the island hosts Itsukushima Shrine, a World Heritage Site colloquially known as the Floating Shrine.
Read more:
Top 7 dishes to try in Hiroshima
Source Internet
