Hiroshima is one of Japan's most historically significant cities, forever linked to the atomic bombing of August 6, 1945, yet reborn as a vibrant modern metropolis and a global symbol of peace and resilience. The city sits on the delta of the Ota River where six channels meet the Seto Inland Sea, giving it a lush, island-laced setting. Beyond its profound memorial sites, Hiroshima offers excellent cuisine — including the iconic layered Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki — beautiful Seto Inland Sea islands like Miyajima with its floating torii gate, and a warm, welcoming local culture.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Hiroshima.
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1
Mori Terumoto constructs Hiroshima Castle, establishing the city as the regional capital of the Chugoku region.
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2
After the Battle of Sekigahara, the Asano clan takes control of Hiroshima domain and rules for the next 270 years.
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3
Meiji Restoration transforms Hiroshima into a key military and industrial city. The Imperial Japanese Army establishes its headquarters here during the Sino-Japanese War (1894–95).
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4
The United States B-29 Enola Gay drops 'Little Boy,' the world's first atomic bomb used in warfare, at 8:15AM. The explosion instantly kills 70,000–80,000 people; total deaths by December 1945 estimated at 90,000–166,000.
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5
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law is enacted, beginning the formal rebuilding of the city as a symbol of peace.
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6
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum opens in the newly built Peace Memorial Park.
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7
The A-Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome) is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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8
U.S. President Barack Obama becomes the first sitting U.S. President to visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, giving a speech on nuclear disarmament.
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9
The G7 Summit is held in Hiroshima. G7 leaders visit the Peace Memorial Museum and lay wreaths at the Cenotaph.
Historical sites
Places where Hiroshima's past comes alive.
A-Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome)
The skeletal ruin of the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, the building closest to the hypocenter that partially survived. UNESCO World Heritage Site preserved as a permanent reminder of nuclear warfare.
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
The most comprehensive museum in the world documenting the effects of nuclear warfare. Contains personal belongings, survivor testimonies, photographs, and the history of the bomb's development and aftermath.
Admission: Adult: ¥200 ($1.35) | Child: Free
Hiroshima Castle
Originally built in 1589 by Mori Terumoto, destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945, and reconstructed in 1958. The interior museum covers the feudal history of Hiroshima and Samurai culture.
Admission: Adult: ¥370 ($2.50) | Child: ¥180 ($1.20)
Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima)
Founded in 593 AD according to legend; the present buildings date from 1168. The shrine's over-water architecture was designed so that the sacred island's land would not be defiled by ordinary human traffic. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Admission: Adult: ¥300 ($2) | Child: ¥100 ($0.70)