Visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

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The Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima (Heiwa Kinen Ken) is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. 

Even tourists who aren’t seeking it will find the enormous park. After all, it’s a park that covers more than 120,000 square meters. Its walking routes, trees, and lawns stand in contrast to the nearby metropolis.

The Peace Park region used to be the city’s commercial and political hub before the attack. This was the reason it became the target for the pilot. 

It was determined that the area would be a peace memorial, being built four years to the day after the bomb was dropped.

A-Bomb Dome

The only piece of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall that is still standing is the A-Bomb Dome, also referred to as the Hiroshima Peace Monument. 

This structure was used as a venue to advertise Hiroshima’s businesses. It was one of the few structures standing after the bomb went off, and it still is. 

The A-Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serves as a physical reminder of Hiroshima’s distinctive past.

Peace Memorial Museum

The Peace Memorial Museum is the park’s primary building. It’s a museum, which consists of two buildings, examining the development of the nuclear weapon and Hiroshima’s history. 

But the events of August 6—the bombing and the grief it caused—are what the museum focuses on most. We should not take peace for granted, and the personal information presented is rather unsettling.

The Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims

The Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims is located between the Museum and the A-Bomb Dome. 

A Cenotaph is an arched memorial for individuals who perished as a result of the bomb, either from the first blast or radiation exposure. Almost 220,000 of these names are listed in a stone chest that is located beneath the arch.

A ceremony is held there each year on the bombing anniversary. At exactly 8:15 am, the time of the explosion, speeches are given, wreaths are placed on the Cenotaph, and a moment of silence is observed. The day is filled with additional events, and numerous employees are hired to assist international guests.

How to get to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Take tram lines 2 or 6 to the Genbaku-Domu Mae stop from Hiroshima Station. The trip costs 220 yen one way and takes 15 minutes. 

As an alternative, the Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus provides service to the Peace Memorial Park (Meipuru-pu).

What is Hiroshima like today?

Nowadays, Hiroshima is a thriving, cutting-edge metropolis in Japan. Hiroshima, which is home to more than a million people, is a safe city to travel to.

So, it could be said that Hiroshima has successfully recovered from the catastrophe it experienced many years ago.

Hiroshima should be taken into account while planning your trip to Japan if you’ll be visiting Kyoto, Osaka, or travelling into or out of Kansai airport.

Take time to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park during your trip

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is devoted to educating people about the horrors of World War 2 and the reasons why atomic bombs should never be used again. This is certainly a place you should visit during your trip to Japan.