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Hiroshima remains to be one of the most historically important places
today. The site of the very first atomic bomb explosion, visitors cannot
help but feel a certain morbid curiosity and awe at the remnants of what
was one of the most devastating military attacks done in today’s modern
world. To some, it may signify a resounding success of physics, science,
and military aggression. To others, utter loss and devastation. Whatever
the feeling behind the continued pilgrimage of tourists in the area,
Hiroshima serves as a continuing reminder of a tragic and
conflict-filled period in world history.
Here are a few “must-see” sights for tourists visiting Hiroshima.
1. Miyajima Island
 Miyajima
has been classified as one of the most scenic islands of Japan.
Out of respect for the Miyajima Gods no one dared to live there. For
more than a thousand years, visitors who were mainly fishermen, left the
Island at the end of each day. The land was regarded as so sacred that
the famous Tsukishima Shrine was built over the water to avoid offending
the Gods. When people eventually inhabited the island they were
forbidden to till the ground, give birth, die or be buried on the sacred
ground. . Even today there are no hospitals or cemeteries on Miyajima
Island.
2. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Heiwa Kinen Shiryokan)
 Established
in 1955, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum stands as a reminder and
monument to the world’s first in 1945 atomic bombing which reduced the
city to rubble and claimed many lives. Since then, the Museum has
continued largely towards the education of the consequences and
abolition of nuclear weapons and the promotion of peace.
In the East Building, an exhibit entitled Hiroshima History tells the
story of Hiroshima before and after the bombing. The West Building
displays the belongings of A-bomb victims, photographs, and other
artifacts.
3. Atomic Bomb Dome (Gembako Domu)
 The
most famous landmark in Hiroshima is the Atomic Bomb next to the Aioi
river, one of five or six rivers in the city. When the bomb exploded,
thousands of badly burned residents threw themselves into the rivers to
ease the pain. Many of them didn't survive.
The building's original name was the Industrial Promotion Hall, and it
was considerably larger than the remains left after the bombing. It was
one of the few buildings left standing within a two-kilometer radius of
the explosion. It's remarkable that anything of the building survived at
all, because it's estimated that the shock wave from the bomb created a
pressure of 35 tons per square meter at the hypocenter.
4. Hiroshima Castle
 Hiroshima
Castle was built in 1589 by the Mori clan. It was completely destroyed
by the atomic bomb. The year 1958 marked the completion of today's
concrete reconstruction of the castle, which houses a museum.
5. Shukkeien Garden
 Initially
said to have been modeled as a miniature landscape of Lake Xihu in
Hangzhou, China. Closer comparison however reveals that the shape of
Shukkein’s main pond and that of Lake Xihu bear little similarity.
Sculpted gardens, paths, ponds, bridges, islands, waterfalls, bamboo
groves, rice fields, and cherry and plum blossom viewing in season, make
for an extremely pleasant place to go for a stroll. Tea ceremonies can
often be seen performed by kimono-clad women in lawn-side tents.
6. Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
The Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art is located in Hiyajima
Park which has always served as a cool and refreshing area in the city.
The museum contains a wide-ranging collection of notable contemporary
artists from Japan and all over the world. There is also a library which
contains only manga (Japanese comic books) in the park.
7. Hiroshima Museum of Art
Established in 1978 by Hiroshima Bank in commemoration of the 100th
anniversary of its foundation. On November 3 of the same year, the
Museum was formally opened in a specially designed building at one end
of Central Park, located in the heart of Hiroshima City.
The paintings in the Museum are mostly modern European paintings with
features on the French Impressionists and Japanese oil paintings dating
from the Meiji Period to the present.
8. Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum
Highlights in the museum's holdings are Dream of Venus, one of the
famous "melting watch" paintings by Salvador Dali, and paintings and
sculptures by Hiroshima prefecture artists. Recent special events have
included retrospectives on the tea ceremony artifacts of Oribe Hideyoshi
and Soko Ueda, Art Nouveau in Britain, and representations of the Mona
Lisa.
9. Asa Zoo
 Located
on the outskirts of Hiroshima City, Asa Zoo provides for a good family
excursion. The zoo occupies a beautiful spot on the mountainside north
of Hiroshima. Petting zoos and pony rides are available along with
marked walkways going around the animal enclosures.
10. Hiroshima Children's Museum
Hiroshima Children's Museum offers a place where children can experience
a variety of things by "observing, touching, trying, creating, and
checking" so that they can nurture an interest in science and an
interest in creating cultural excellence. The museum is full of fun,
with dynamically reproduce constellations in the 20-meter-diameter dome
in the planetarium as well as other interesting science shows.
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