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The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park - A Place To Remember
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Hiroshima is a unique city most famous for its bleak history of being the first city in the world to have been atomic bombed. The Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima allows one to see the traces of that past.
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This account is managed by MATCHA. We aim to provide useful information to our readers in an enjoyable manner.
Hiroshima is mainly known for being the first ever city in the world where an atomic bomb was dropped.
It is a heart-breaking legacy for a city to have. The memory of it still lives on strong and the city of Hiroshima is now an advocate for world peace, trying to remind us of the horrors of nuclear warfare.
In this article, I will guide you through The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and some of its most interesting sites.
The Peace Memorial Park - Where to Go and How to Get There?
To see, hear and learn about the atomic bomb which was dropped on the 6th of August 1945 in Hiroshima you can visit The Peace Memorial Park. It not only holds the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall but also plenty of monuments, relics and other symbols, including the world-famous A-Bomb Dome.
Depending on how much time you want to spend here, you can easily use a day in the area visiting different spots. I recommend taking breaks to cheer yourself up. I have not yet talked to a person who visited the Peace Memorial Museum without bursting into tears.
The Peace Memorial Park is conveniently located right in the city center, next to the arcaded shopping street Hondori. If you are coming from the JR Hiroshima Station take the streetcar number 2 or 6 and get off at Genbaku Dome Mae.
The A-Bomb Dome - A Reminder of the Past
The first thing you will see when you arrive at the Peace Memorial Park by a streetcar is the landmark of Hiroshima, the A-Bomb Dome. Walking up to it you can observe the only building in the vicinity of the atomic bomb hypocentre which was not completely destroyed.
Walk around the dome to get a good view of the ruins as well as learn about it more through plentiful information plaques.
The Hypocentre - Walk to The Spot That Changed History Forever
Though the building which we now know as the A-Bomb Dome was used as a target by the plane who dropped the atomic bomb in 1945, the atomic bomb hypocentre was actually slightly off. If you are interested in the exact spot where the mid-air detonation took place you can find a plaque marking it by walking directly east from the Dome for about 100 meters.
The atomic bomb detonated directly above the spot. The plaque marking it is located on a very ordinary looking side-street only a few meters away from a 7-Eleven convenience store.
The Peace Memorial Museum
Found in the southeast part of the Peace Memorial Park, the museum hosts exhibitions and displays artifacts related to the day of the bombing. A visit here is interesting, educational and likely to leave visitors moved to their core.
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The Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall - Remembering the Atomic Bomb Victims
The National Peace Memorial Hall holds records of the atomic bomb victims as well as their stories. Photographs, short stories, books, and videos are on display.
Personally, I had a difficult time watching a video which told the stories of several different survivors. A heart-wrenching experience I recommend to everyone.
Admission: free.
The Peace Bell - A Symbol For World Peace
Surrounded by a pretty little lotus pond, the peace bell is a symbol for spreading world peace and to remind the world of the horrors of atomic bombs.
It was selected by Japan's Environmental Agency as part of the “One Hundred Sounds Japanese People Wish to Preserve”. The peace bell can be rung by anyone. Each ring is hoped to resound in each corner of the world and reach the hearts of each and every human being.
The Children’s Peace Monument
Located in the heart of the Peace Memorial Park the Children’s Peace Monument is surrounded by rows of colorful origami cranes strung together. This monument is one of the main symbols of this park due to its central location and the story behind it.
A 2-year-old girl survived the bombing only to get leukemia from the radiation and die 10 years later. Her classmates pleaded for a monument to be presented to mourn for all the lost children of the bombing.
This particular monument received funding from thousands of schools around Japan as well as abroad.
A Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims
The Cenotaph is an interesting monument across from the Peace Memorial Museum. It was designed as a symbol to rebuild Hiroshima after the bombing. It pays homage to all the victims lost due to the bombing, sheltering their souls in the cenotaph.
In the center of the monument are the names of all those who lost their lives due to the atomic bomb as well as a registry of those who could not be identified.
A plaque holds the inscription “Let all souls here rest in peace for we shall not repeat the evil.”
There are many more monuments and points of interest around the park. Scattered here and there for an inquisitive seeker to find. The park itself is gorgeous during a sunny day. I would definitely recommend visiting it during sunset and after dark as well.
Visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
Please take your time soaking in all that the Peace Memorial Park has to offer. It's truly a unique experience and thankfully so.
After revisiting the history of the tragic day August 6th, 1945, the city of Hiroshima hopes everyone to go and spread the message of peace around the world.
This account is managed by MATCHA. We aim to provide useful information to our readers in an enjoyable manner.
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