is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The

gross domestic product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performanc ...

(GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima

Urban Employment Area is a definition of metropolitan areas used in Japan, defined by the Center for Spatial Information Service of the University of Tokyo. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry defined 233 areas for the UEAs of Japan. It is different from ...

, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010.

Kazumi Matsui is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Hiroshima, the capital city of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. Early life Matsui was born on January 8, 1953, in Hiroshima, Japan. His parents are ''hibakusha'', atomic bomb survivors. He earned ...

has been the city's mayor since April 2011. The Hiroshima metropolitan area is the second largest urban area in the Chugoku Region of Japan, following the

Okayama is the prefectural capital, capital Cities of Japan, city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western J ...

metropolitan area. Hiroshima was founded in 1589 as a

castle town A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns were common in Medieval Europe. Some examples include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles. In Western Europe, ...

on the

Ōta River is a river in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Geography Its main stream originates in (1,339 m) and empties, through a flood-control channel, into the Seto Inland Sea. The river is one of the major rivers in the prefecture and descends ...

delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...

. Following the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

in 1868, Hiroshima rapidly transformed into a major urban center and industrial hub. In 1889, Hiroshima officially gained city status. The city was a center of military activities during the imperial era, playing significant roles such as in the

First Sino-Japanese War The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 189417 April 1895), or the First China–Japan War, was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon, Korea. In Chinese it is commonly known as th ...

, the

Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...

, and the two world wars. Hiroshima was the first military target of a nuclear weapon in history. This occurred on August 6, 1945, in the Pacific theatre of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, at 8:15 a.m., when the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

(USAAF) dropped the atomic bomb "

Little Boy Little Boy was a type of atomic bomb created by the Manhattan Project during World War II. The name is also often used to describe the specific bomb (L-11) used in the bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress ...

" on the city. Most of Hiroshima was destroyed, and by the end of the year between 90,000 and 166,000 had died as a result of the blast and its effects. The

Hiroshima Peace Memorial The , originally the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, and now commonly called the Genbaku Dome, , is part of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The building ...

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

) serves as a memorial of the bombing. Since being rebuilt after the war, Hiroshima has become the largest

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

in the

Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 7,328,339 ...

of western

Honshu , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...

History

Early history

The region where Hiroshima stands today was originally a small fishing village along the shores of Hiroshima Bay. From the 12th century, the village was rather prosperous and was economically attached to a

Zen Buddhist Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...

temple called ''

Mitaki-Ji is a historic Japanese temple in the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Overview Mitaki-dera was founded in 809 during the Daidō era. Mitaki-dera is familiar with the name of . The temple grounds include three waterfalls, and their waters are used as ...

''. This new prosperity was partly caused by the increase of trade with the rest of Japan under the auspices of the

Taira clan The was one of the four most important Japanese clans, clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period, Heian period of History of Japan, Japanese history – the others being the Minamoto clan, Minamoto, the Fujiwara clan, Fuji ...

Sengoku and Edo periods (1589–1871)

Hiroshima was established on the delta coastline of the

Seto Inland Sea The , sometimes shortened to the Inland Sea, is the body of water separating Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, three of the four main islands of Japan. It serves as a waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. It connects to Osaka Ba ...

in 1589 by powerful warlord

Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...

Hiroshima Castle , sometimes called , is a Japanese castle, castle in Hiroshima, Japan that was the residence of the ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the Hiroshima Domain. The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s, but was largely destroyed by the Atomic bom ...

was quickly built, and in 1593 Mōri moved in. The name Hiroshima means wide island in Japanese. Terumoto was on the losing side at the

Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...

. The winner of the battle,

Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...

, deprived Mōri Terumoto of most of his fiefs, including Hiroshima and gave

Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist prie ...

Masanori Fukushima was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the late Sengoku period to early Edo period and served as the lord of the Hiroshima Domain. A retainer (medieval), retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583 and soon became know ...

, a ''

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and no ...

'' (Feudal Lord) who had supported Tokugawa. From 1619 until 1871, Hiroshima was ruled by the

Asano clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan, and the Emperor Seiwa (850-881), the 56th Emperor of Japan. The Main Lineage (''sōke'', 宗家) were Lords (daimyō) of the Hiroshima Domain in Aki Province and another f ...

. File:Mitaki-dera Taho-to.jpg, Mitaki-dera File:Fudoin Kondo.jpg, Fudoin File:Hiroshima-Castle-1.jpg,

Meiji and Showa periods (1871–1939)

After the Han was abolished in 1871, the city became the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture. Hiroshima became a major urban center during the imperial period, as the Japanese economy shifted from primarily rural to urban industries. During the 1870s, one of the seven government-sponsored English language schools was established in Hiroshima. Ujina Harbor was constructed through the efforts of Hiroshima Governor

Sadaaki Senda was the governor of Hiroshima Prefecture from 1880 to 1889. His most ambitious project was the construction of Ujina port (later to become Hiroshima Port), which was completed in November 1889. He was governor of Niigata Prefecture (1889–1891 ...

in the 1880s, allowing Hiroshima to become an important port city. The

San'yō Railway The was established in 1887 and served as a major railroad company during the Meiji period in Japan. The railroad was headquartered in Kobe, and Nakamigawa Hikojirō served as head of the railroad. Rail lines The first rail line opened in 1888 ...

was extended to Hiroshima in 1894, and a rail line from the main station to the harbor was constructed for military transportation during the

. During that war, the

Japanese government The Government of Japan is the central government of Japan. It consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and functions under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan. Japan is a unitary state, containing forty- ...

moved temporarily to Hiroshima, and

Emperor Meiji , posthumously honored as , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the List of emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession, reigning from 1867 until his death in 1912. His reign is associated with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ...

maintained his headquarters at

from September 15, 1894, to April 27, 1895.Kosakai, ''Hiroshima Peace Reader'' The significance of Hiroshima for the Japanese government can be discerned from the fact that the first round of talks between Chinese and Japanese representatives to end the Sino-Japanese War was held in Hiroshima, from February 1 to 4, 1895. New industrial plants, including

cotton mill A cotton mill is a building that houses spinning or weaving machinery for the production of yarn or cloth from cotton, an important product during the Industrial Revolution in the development of the factory system. Although some were driven ...

s, were established in Hiroshima in the late 19th century. Further industrialization in Hiroshima was stimulated during the

in 1904, which required development and production of military supplies. The Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall was constructed in 1915 as a center for trade and the exhibition of new products. Later, its name was changed to Hiroshima Prefectural Product Exhibition Hall, and again to Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. The building, now known as the A-Bomb Dome, part of the

, a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

since 1996, permanently remains the only structure still standing and is a state of preserved ruin. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Hiroshima became a focal point of military activity, as the Japanese government joined the Allied at war. About 500 German POWs were held in Ninoshima Island in Hiroshima Bay. The growth of Hiroshima as a city continued after the First World War, as the city now attracted the attention of the Catholic Church, and on May 4, 1923, an

Apostolic Vicar Apostolic may refer to: The Apostles An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission: *The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles *Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...

was appointed for that city. File:Mitsui Bank Hiroshima Branch 1928 - 1.jpg, Old

Mitsui Bank was a major Japanese bank from 1876 to 1990. The home bank of the Mitsui conglomerate, it was one of the largest Japanese banks for much of the 20th century, together with Dai-Ichi Bank, Mitsubishi Bank, Sumitomo Bank, and Yasuda / Fuji Bank. I ...

Hiroshima Branch (1928) File:Hiroshima map circa 1930.PNG, Map of Hiroshima City in the 1930s (Japanese edition) File:Hiroshima University Hospital 04.jpg, Old Hiroshima Army Weapon Depot

World War II and the atomic bombing (1939–1945)

During

, the

Second General Army The was a general army (army group equivalent) of the Imperial Japanese Army responsible for the defense of western Honshū, Kyūshū and Shikoku during the final stage of the Pacific War. History The Second General Army was established on A ...

and Chūgoku Regional Army was headquartered in Hiroshima, and the Army Marine Headquarters was located at Ujina port. The city also had large depots of military supplies, and was a key center for shipping. The

bombing of Tokyo The was a series of air raids on Japan by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), primarily launched during the closing campaigns of the Pacific War, Pacific Theatre of World War II in 1944–1945, prior to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima ...

and other cities in Japan during World War II caused widespread destruction and hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths. There were no such air raids on Hiroshima. However, a real threat existed and was recognized. To protect against potential

firebombing Firebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire, caused by incendiary devices, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs. In popular usage, any act in which an incendiary d ...

s in Hiroshima, school children aged 11–14 years were mobilized to demolish houses and create

firebreak A firebreak or double track (also called a fire line, fuel break, fireroad and firetrail in Australia) is a gap in vegetation or other combustible material that acts as a barrier to slow or stop the progress of a bushfire or wildfire. A firebre ...

s. On Monday, August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m. (Hiroshima time), the American

Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the Bo ...

, the ''

Enola Gay The ''Enola Gay'' () is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel (United States), Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, during the final stages of World War II, it became the Atomi ...

'', flown by

Paul Tibbets Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. (23 February 1915 – 1 November 2007) was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He is best known as the aircraft captain who flew the B-29 Superfortress known as the '' Enola Gay'' (named after his moth ...

(23 February 1915 – 1 November 2007), dropped the

nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear exp ...

" on Hiroshima, directly killing at least 70,000 people, including thousands of Korean slave laborers. Fewer than 10% of the casualties were military. By the end of the year, injury and radiation brought the total number of deaths to 90,000–140,000. The population before the bombing was around 345,000. About 70% of the city's buildings were destroyed, and another 7% severely damaged. The public release of film footage of the city following the attack, and some of the

Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission The Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) ( Japanese:原爆傷害調査委員会, ''Genbakushōgaichōsaiinkai'') was a commission established in 1946 in accordance with a presidential directive from Harry S. Truman to the National Academy of S ...

research on the human effects of the attack, were restricted during the

occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, at the war's end until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect on April 28, 1952. The occupation, led by the ...

, and much of this information was censored until the signing of the

Treaty of San Francisco The , also called the , re-established peaceful relations between Japan and the Allied Powers on behalf of the United Nations by ending the legal state of war, military occupation and providing for redress for hostile actions up to and inclu ...

in 1951, restoring control to the Japanese. As

Ian Buruma Ian Buruma (born 28 December 1951) is a Dutch writer and editor who lives and works in the United States. In 2017, he became editor of ''The New York Review of Books'', but left the position in September 2018. Much of his writing has focused on t ...

observed: The book ''

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui has b ...

'' by

John Hersey John Richard Hersey (June 17, 1914 – March 24, 1993) was an American writer and journalist. He is considered one of the earliest practitioners of the so-called New Journalism, in which storytelling techniques of fiction are adapted to no ...

was originally published in article form in the magazine ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'', on August 31, 1946. It is reported to have reached Tokyo, in English, at least by January 1947 and the translated version was released in Japan in 1949. Although the article was planned to be published over four issues, "Hiroshima" made up the entire contents of one issue of the magazine.Sharp, "From Yellow Peril to Japanese Wasteland: John Hersey's 'Hiroshima'", Twentieth Century Literature 46 (2000): 434–452, accessed March 15, 2012.Jon Michaub, "Eighty-Five From the Archive: John Hersey" ''The New Yorker'', June 8, 2010, np. ''Hiroshima'' narrates the stories of six bomb survivors immediately before and four months after the dropping of the

bomb.Roger Angell, From the Archives, "Hersey and History", ''The New Yorker'', July 31, 1995, p. 66.John Hersey, Hiroshima (New York: Random House, 1989). Oleander (''

Nerium ''Nerium oleander'' ( ), commonly known as oleander or rosebay, is a shrub or small tree cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. It is the only species currently classified in the genus ...

'') is the official flower of the city of Hiroshima because it was the first to bloom again after the explosion of the atomic bomb in 1945. File:Hiroshima aftermath.jpg, Hiroshima August 1945 File:AtomicEffects-Hiroshima.jpg, Hiroshima in October 1945, two months after the bombing File:Looking South East General view looking south east building 5H-21 (5-H).jpg, Old

Teikoku Bank was a major Japanese bank from 1876 to 1990. The home bank of the Mitsui conglomerate, it was one of the largest Japanese banks for much of the 20th century, together with Dai-Ichi Bank, Mitsubishi Bank, Sumitomo Bank, and Yasuda / Fuji Bank ...

Hiroshima Branch (1945)

Postwar period (1945–present)

Emperor Showa visit to Hiroshima in 1947

On September 17, 1945, Hiroshima was struck by the Makurazaki Typhoon ( Typhoon Ida). Hiroshima Prefecture suffered more than 3,000 deaths and injuries, about half the national total. More than half the bridges in the city were destroyed, along with heavy damage to roads and railroads, further devastating the city. From 1945 to 1952, Hiroshima came under occupation from the British Empire. Hiroshima was rebuilt after the war, with help from the national government through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law passed in 1949. It provided financial assistance for reconstruction, along with land donated that was previously owned by the national government and used by the Imperial military. In 1949, a design was selected for the

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is a memorial park in the center of Hiroshima, Japan. It is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear attack at the end of World War II, and to the memories ...

. Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, the closest surviving building to the location of the bomb's detonation, was designated the Genbaku Dome (原爆ドーム) or "Atomic Dome", a part of the

. The

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is a museum located in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, in central Hiroshima, Japan, dedicated to documenting the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in World War II. The museum was established in August 1955 with the ...

was opened in 1955 in the Peace Park. The historic castle of Hiroshima was rebuilt in 1958. Hiroshima also contains a

Peace Pagoda A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa: a monument to inspire peace, designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds, and to help unite them in their search for world peace. Most, though not all, peace pagodas built since World War II ...

, built in 1966 by Nipponzan-Myōhōji. Uniquely, the pagoda is made of

steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...

, rather than the usual stone. Hiroshima was proclaimed a City of Peace by the Japanese parliament in 1949, at the initiative of its mayor,

Shinzo Hamai was the first popularly elected Mayor of Hiroshima (served 1947-1955 and again 1959-1967). He created Hiroshima's image as a city of peace. He was the second mayor of Hiroshima to serve several non-consecutive terms, the first being Sukeyuki Ban ...

(1905–1968). As a result, the city of Hiroshima received more international attention as a desirable location for holding international conferences on peace as well as social issues. As part of that effort, the Hiroshima Interpreters' and Guide's Association (HIGA) was established in 1992 to facilitate interpretation for conferences, and the Hiroshima Peace Institute was established in 1998 within the

Hiroshima University is a Japanese national research university located in Higashihiroshima and Hiroshima, Japan. Established in 1929, it was chartered as a university in 1949 following the merge of a number of national educational institutions. Its abbreviated f ...

. The city government continues to advocate the abolition of all

s and the Mayor of Hiroshima is the president of

Mayors for Peace , Secretary General of Mayors for Peace Secretariat, Hiroshima (left) and Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (2017) Mayors for Peace ''(founded as The World Conference of Mayors for Peace t ...

, an international Mayoral organization mobilizing cities and citizens worldwide to abolish and eliminate nuclear weapons by 2020. On May 27, 2016,

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

became the first sitting United States president to visit Hiroshima since the atomic bombing. The 49th annual G7 summit was held in Hiroshima in May 2023. Hiroshima is situated on the

delta, on

Hiroshima Bay is a bay in the Inland Sea, Japan.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Hiroshima Wan" in . Administratively, the bay is divided between Hiroshima and Yamaguchi Prefectures. The bay's shore is a Ria. Its surface area is about , with a mean d ...

, facing the

on its south side. The river's six channels divide Hiroshima into several islets. File:Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum 2.jpg,

File:Atomic Bomb Dome and Motoyaso River, Hiroshima, Northwest view 20190417 1.jpg, alt=Atomic Bomb Dome by night on 8 September 2017,

Atomic Bomb Dome The , originally the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, and now commonly called the Genbaku Dome, , is part of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The building ...

Jan Letzel Jan Letzel (9 April 1880 – 26 December 1925) was a Czech architect who was active in early 20th century Japan. He is most famous for designing the Hiroshima Products Exhibition Hall that was partially destroyed in the atomic bombing of the cit ...

and modern Hiroshima File:Hiroshima Andersen 20200803-1.JPG, Andersen Takaki Bakery File:Genbakudome by night.jpg, Atomic Bomb Dome by night File:Hiroshima A-bomb dome.jpg, Genbaku Dome seen from Orizuru tower in 2019

Geography

Climate

Hiroshima has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

characterized by cool to mild winters and hot, humid summers. Like much of Japan, Hiroshima experiences a seasonal temperature lag in summer, with August rather than July being the warmest month of the year. Precipitation occurs year-round, although winter is the driest season. Rainfall peaks in June and July, with August experiencing sunnier and drier conditions.

Wards

Hiroshima has eight

wards Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

(''ku''):

Cityscape

File:An Overview of Hiroshima and the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park as Seen From a Hotel Rooftop as Secretary Kerry Visited the City (26370244825).jpg, Hiroshima City CBD (2016) File:Night views from Mount Kogane01.jpg,

Skyline A skyline is the wikt:outline, outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city's overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural area, rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the ...

of Hiroshima City from Mount Futaba (2019) File:North entrance of Hiroshima Station20210330.jpg,

Hiroshima Station is a major railway station in Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Hiroshima Station is the terminal station for several lines, and all San'yō Shinkansen trains stop here. Station layout Hiroshima St ...

(2021) File:鯉城通り - panoramio (1).jpg, Around Hondōri Station (2010) File:20100722 Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park 4478.jpg,

(2010)

Demographics

In 2017, the city had an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 1,195,327. The total area of the city is , with a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of 1321 persons per km². As of 2023, the city has a population of 1,183,696. The population around 1910 was 143,000. Before

, Hiroshima's population had grown to 360,000, and peaked at 419,182 in 1942. Following the atomic bombing in 1945, the population dropped to 137,197. By 1955, the city's population had returned to pre-war levels.

Surrounding municipalities

; Hiroshima Prefecture *

Kure is a city in the Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 208,024 in 106,616 households and a population density of 590 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . With a strong industrial and naval heritage, ...

Higashihiroshima 270px, Sake Brewers in Saijō 270px, Panorama from Saijō Station 270px, Aerial view of Saijō area of Higashihiroshima is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 190,186 in 90,294 households a ...

* Akitakata *

Hatsukaichi is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 116,087 in 53,320 households and a population density of 240 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Hatsukaichi is located in far s ...

* Akiota * Kitahiroshima *

Fuchū Fuchū may refer to: Current settlements *Fuchū, Tokyo, a city in Tokyo *Fuchū, Hiroshima, a city in Hiroshima Prefecture *Fuchū, Hiroshima (town), a town in Hiroshima Prefecture * , a former town (1889–2005) in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, which ...

Saka The Saka, Old Chinese, old , Pinyin, mod. , ), Shaka (Sanskrit (Brāhmī): , , ; Sanskrit (Devanāgarī): , ), or Sacae (Ancient Greek: ; Latin: were a group of nomadic Iranian peoples, Eastern Iranian peoples who lived in the Eurasian ...

* Kumano * Kaita

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Hiroshima has six

sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there ar ...

: *

Chongqing ChongqingPostal Romanization, Previously romanized as Chungking ();. is a direct-administered municipality in Southwestern China. Chongqing is one of the four direct-administered municipalities under the State Council of the People's Republi ...

, China (since October 1986) *

Daegu Daegu (; ), formerly spelled Taegu and officially Daegu Metropolitan City (), is a city in southeastern South Korea. It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; the fourth-largest List of provincial-level ci ...

, South Korea (since May 1997) *

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

, Germany (since June 1983) *

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

, United States (since June 1959) *

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, Canada (since June 1998) *

Volgograd Volgograd,. formerly Tsaritsyn. (1589–1925) and Stalingrad. (1925–1961), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. The city lies on the western bank of the Volga, covering an area of , with a population ...

, Russia (since September 1972) Within Japan, Hiroshima has a similar relationship with

Nagasaki , officially , is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Founded by the Portuguese, the port of Portuguese_Nagasaki, Nagasaki became the sole Nanban trade, port used for tr ...

Economy and infrastructure

Mazda Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. The company was founded on January 30, 1920, as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., a cork-making factory, by Jujiro Matsuda. The company then acquired Ab ...

Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group traces its origins to the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company that existed from 1870 to 194 ...

, Kawasaki, JMUcor IHI Kure Works, Mitsui and other shipyards on the area *

HI Kanon and Eba Works, IHI Kure machinery Rijo-dori Street from platform of Hondori Station at dusk

Hiroshima-Hondori Shopping Street at dusk 2

Health care

Hospitals

*Hiroshima City Hospital *Hiroshima City Asa Hospital *Hiroshima City Funairi Hospital *Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital *Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital & Atomic-bomb Survivors Hospital *Hiroshima University Hospital *Japan Post Hiroshima Hospital *JR Hiroshima Hospital

Media

The '' Chūgoku Shimbun'' is the local newspaper serving Hiroshima. It publishes both morning and evening editions. Television stations include

Hiroshima Home Television JOGM-DTV (channel 5), also known as is a Japanese television station that serves as the affiliate of the All-Nippon News Network for Hiroshima Prefecture. The station is owned-and-operated by and its studios and headquarters are located in th ...

Hiroshima Telecasting JONX-DTV (channel 4) is a Japanese television station that serves as the affiliate of the dual Nippon News Network and Nippon Television Network System for the Hiroshima Prefecture. The station is owned-and-operated by the and its studios are b ...

Shinhiroshima Telecasting JORM-DTV (channel 8), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as an affiliate of the dual Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS) in Hiroshima Prefecture, owned-and operated by Based in Hiroshima, the station ha ...

, and the

RCC Broadcasting is a Japanese broadcaster located in Hiroshima, Japan. It is an affiliate of JRN and NRN radio networks and JNN television network. The station can be found at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in eastern Yamaguchi prefecture, near the bo ...

. Radio stations include

Hiroshima FM Hiroshima FM is an FM and Teletext radio station in Hiroshima for around Seto Inland area. The station was founded on February 27, 1982, and went on the air on December 5, 1982. It is the 9th nongovernmental FM radio station in Japan, and a mem ...

, Chugoku Communication Network, FM Fukuyama,

FM Nanami Itsukaichi Community Broadcast (FM Nanami) was a Japanese community FM radio station in Saeki-ku, Hiroshima is one of the eight wards of the city of Hiroshima, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific ...

, and Onomichi FM. Hiroshima is also served by

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

, Japan's public broadcaster, with television and radio broadcasting.

Education

University

was established in 1949, as part of a national restructuring of the education system. One national university was set up in each

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...

, including Hiroshima University, which combined eight existing institutions (Hiroshima University of Literature and Science, Hiroshima School of Secondary Education, Hiroshima School of Education, Hiroshima Women's School of Secondary Education, Hiroshima School of Education for Youth, Hiroshima Higher School, Hiroshima Higher Technical School, and Hiroshima Municipal Higher Technical School), with the Hiroshima Prefectural Medical College added in 1953. In 1972, Hiroshima University moved from Hiroshima City to a larger campus in

City. By 1995, almost all campuses were relocated to

. The schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmaceutical sciences, and the graduate schools in these fields on the Kasumi Campus and the law school and Center for Research on Regional Economic System on the Higashi-Senda Campus are still in Hiroshima City. Notable art institutions include the

Elisabeth University of Music is a Jesuit university in Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1948. It was chartered as a university in 1963. History Belgians, Belgian Jesuit Father Ernest Goossens began a music classroom for ...

and Actor's School Hiroshima.

Notable people

*Reiji Okazaki (岡崎令治, 1930–1975), molecular biologist, discoverer of Okazaki fragments *Kumi Tanioka, composer and pianist *Suzuka Nakamoto, Babymetal singer *Mana (Japanese musician), Mana, visual kei musician *Unicorn (Japanese band), rock band *Perfume (Japanese band), girl group

Transportation

Airways

Airport

Hiroshima is served by Hiroshima Airport , located east of the city, with regular flights to Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa, and also to China, Taiwan and South Korea. The other nearest airport is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, located south-west of Hiroshima, re-instated commercial flights on December 13, 2012.

Railways

High-speed rail

;West Japan Railway Company, JR West *San'yō Shinkansen

Trains

;West Japan Railway Company, JR West *Hiroshima City Network: San'yō Main Line, Kure Line, Geibi Line, Kabe Line Hiroshima Rapid Transit *Astram Line, Hiroshima New Transit Line 1 (Astram Line) Skyrail Service *Skyrail Midorizaka Line, Hiroshima Short Distance Transit Seno Line

Tramways

Hiroshima is notable, in Japan, for its light rail system, nicknamed ''Hiroshima Electric Railway, Hiroden'', and the "Moving Streetcar Museum". Streetcar service started in 1912, was interrupted by the atomic bomb, and was restored as soon as was practical. (Service between Koi/Nishi Hiroshima and Tenma-cho was started up three days after the bombing.) Streetcars and light rail vehicles are still rolling down Hiroshima's streets, including streetcars 651 and 652, which survived the atomic blast and are among the older streetcars in the system. When Kyoto and Fukuoka discontinued their trolley systems, Hiroshima bought them up at discounted prices, and, by 2011, the city had 298 streetcars, more than any other city in Japan. *Hiroshima Electric Railway, Hiroden **Hiroden Main Line, Main Line, Hiroden Ujina Line, Ujina Line, Hiroden Eba Line, Eba Line, Hiroden Hakushima Line, Hakushima Line, Hiroden Hijiyama Line, Hijiyama Line, Hiroden Yokogawa Line, Yokogawa Line, Hiroden Miyajima Line, Miyajima Line

Roads

Expressway

*Hiroshima Expressway (urban expressway), Hiroshima Expressway

Japan National Route

Hiroshima is served by Japan National Route 2, Japan National Route 54, Japan National Route 183, Japan National Route 261, Japan National Route 433, Japan National Route 487, Japan National Route 488.

Prefectural Route

Hiroshima Prefectural Route 37 (Hiroshima-Miyoshi Route), Hiroshima Prefectural Route 70 (Hiroshima-Nakashima Route), Hiroshima Prefectural Route 84 (Higashi Kaita Hiroshima Route), Hiroshima Prefectural Route 164 (Hiroshima-Kaita Route), and Hiroshima Prefectural Route 264 (Nakayama-Onaga Route).

Seaways

Seaport

*Port of Hiroshima

Sealane

;Ishizaki Kisen *Port of Hiroshima - Kure, Hiroshima, Port of Kure - Matsuyama, Port of Matsuyama ;First Beach *Port of Hiroshima - Etajima, Hiroshima, Port of Etajima ;Other *Port of Hiroshima - Ninoshima, Nino-shima Island *Port of Hiroshima - Kanawa-jima Island File:広島西飛行場01.jpg, Hiroshima–Nishi Airport File:Hiroshima Station Building.jpg,

File:Hiroshima Bus Center- arrivalside2017.jpg, Hiroshima Bus Center File:Hiroden 5006B 20150502.jpg, A Hiroshima tram, 2015 File:Hiroden 5200 20190623.JPG, Hiroshima Electric Railway, Hiroden File:Hiroshima port.jpg, Port of Hiroshima File:Niho Junction.jpg, Niho JCT File:Shinonome IC pt1.jpg, Hiroshima Expressway (urban expressway), Hiroshima Expressway

Culture

Hiroshima has a professional symphony orchestra, which has performed at Wel City Hiroshima since 1963. There are also many museums in Hiroshima, including the

, along with several art museums. The Hiroshima Museum of Art, which has a large collection of French renaissance art, opened in 1978. The Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum opened in 1968 and is located near Shukkei-en gardens. The Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, which opened in 1989, is located near Hijiyama Park. Festivals include Hiroshima Flower Festival and Hiroshima International Film Festival. The Hiroshima International Animation Festival was held biennially from 1985 until 2020.

, which includes the

, draws many visitors from around the world, especially for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, an annual commemoration held on the date of the atomic bombing. The park also contains a large collection of monuments, including the Children's Peace Monument, the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims and many others. Hiroshima Castle, Hiroshima's rebuilt castle (nicknamed ''Rijō'', meaning ''Koi Castle'') houses a museum of life in the Edo period. Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine is within the walls of the castle. Other attractions in Hiroshima include Shukkei-en, Fudōin, Mitaki-dera, Hiroshima Tōshō-gū, and Hijiyama Park.

Events

*1994 Asian Games *Ebisu Festival, November, Ebisucho, Hatchobori Station (Hiroshima), Hacchobori, Chuo Dori *Hiroshima Flower Festival, May, Peace Boulevard, Heiwa Odori,

*Hiroshima International Film Festival, held annually in November *Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, August 6,

*Toukasan, first Friday to Sunday in June, Mikawa-Cho, Chuo Dori

Cuisine

Hiroshima is known for okonomiyaki, a savory (umami) pancake cooked on an iron plate, usually in front of the customer. It is cooked with various ingredients, which are layered rather than mixed as done with the Osaka version of okonomiyaki. The layers are typically egg, cabbage, bean sprouts (moyashi), sliced pork/bacon with optional items (mayonnaise, fried squid, octopus, cheese, mochi, kimchi, etc.), and noodles (soba, udon) topped with another layer of egg and a generous dollop of okonomiyaki sauce (Carp and Otafuku are two popular brands). The amount of cabbage used is usually 3 to 4 times the amount used in the Osaka style. It starts piled very high and is generally pushed down as the cabbage cooks. The order of the layers may vary slightly depending on the chef's style and preference, and ingredients will vary depending on the preference of the customer.

Sports

MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima facade

Hiroshima has several professional sports clubs.

Football

The city's main association football club is Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who play at the Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima. As Toyo Kogyo Soccer Club, they won the Japan Soccer League five times between 1965 and 1970 and the Emperor's Cup in 1965 Emperor's Cup, 1965, 1967 Emperor's Cup, 1967 and 1969 Emperor's Cup, 1969. After adopting their current name in 1992, the club won the J.League in 2012 J.League Division 1, 2012, 2013 J.League Division 1, 2013 and 2015 J1 League, 2015. The city's main women's football club is Angeviolet Hiroshima. Defunct clubs include Rijo Shukyu FC, who won the Emperor's Cup in 1924 and 1925, and Ẽfini Hiroshima SC.

Baseball

Hiroshima Toyo Carp are the city's major baseball club, and play at the Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima. Members of the Central League, the club won the Central League in 1975, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1991, 2016, 2017 and 2018, the club won the Japan Series in 1979, 1980 and 1984.

Basketball

Hiroshima Dragonflies (basketball).

Handball

Hiroshima Maple Reds (handball).

Volleyball

JT Thunders (volleyball).

Other sports

The Woodone Open Hiroshima was part of the Japan Golf Tour between 1973 and 2007. The city also hosted the 1994 Asian Games, using the Big Arch stadium, which is now used for the annual Mikio Oda Memorial International Amateur Athletic Game. The now-called Hiroshima Prefectural Sports Center was one of the host arenas of the 2006 FIBA World Championship (basketball).

Tourism

The Japanese city and the Prefecture of Hiroshima may have been devastated by the atomic bomb , but today, this site of the destruction is one of the top tourist destinations in the entire country. Statistics released by the nation's tourist agency revealed that around 363,000 visitors went to the metropolis during 2012, with Americans making up the vast majority of that figure, followed by Australians and Chinese. In 2016, some 1.18 million foreigners visited Hiroshima, a 3.2-fold jump from about 360,000 in 2012. Americans were the largest group, accounting for 16%, followed by Australians at 15%, Italians at 8% and Britons at 6%. The numbers of Chinese and South Korean visitors were small, representing only 1% and 0.2% of the total.

Places of interest

There are many popular tourist destinations near Hiroshima. A popular destination outside the city is Itsukushima, Itsukushima Island, also known as Miyajima, Hiroshima, Miyajima, which is a sacred island with many temples and shrines. But inside Hiroshima there are many popular destinations as well, and according to online guidebooks, these are the most popular tourist destinations in Hiroshima: #

#Hiroshima Peace Memorial, The Atomic Bomb Dome #

#Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima #

#Shukkei-en #Mitaki-dera, Mitaki-dera Temple #Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine #Kamiyachō Station (Hiroshima), Kamiyacho and Hatchobori Station (Hiroshima), Hatchobori (''A major center in Hiroshima which is a shopping area. It is directly connected to the Hiroshima Bus Center'') #Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park #Hiroshima Botanical Garden Other popular places in the city include the Hondōri shopping arcade.

References

Other sources

* *

External links

*
Hiroshima City official website
(In English)
Official tourist information website (in 5 languages)Hiroshima before and after atomic bombing
– interactive aerial maps
Hiroshima atomic bomb damage
– interactive aerial map
Is Hiroshima still radioactive?
– No. Includes explanation. *
CBC Digital Archives – Shadows of Hiroshima
– interactive with points of interest
BBC World Service
BBC Witness programme interviews a schoolgirl who survived the bomb
Hope Elizabeth May, "Creating Peace through Law: the City of Hiroshima"

hiroshima-navi"Hiroshima" By John Hersey, A Reporter at Large, August 31, 1946, The New Yorker
* {{Authority control Hiroshima, Cities in Hiroshima Prefecture Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Populated places established in 1589 Port settlements in Japan Populated coastal places in Japan World War II sites in Japan 1589 establishments in Asia Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan Destroyed populated places