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{{Short description|City in Chūgoku, Japan}}
]]]]]
{{pp|small=yes}}
'''Hiroshima''' (広島) is the capital of ] in the ] region of ]. The city was heavily damaged in ] by the ] '']'', which was the second such device to be detonated, and the first ever used in military action. The nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and ] were major factors leading to the surrender of the Japanese Government several days later.
{{About|the city in Japan|the prefecture with the same name where this city is located|Hiroshima Prefecture|other uses}}
{{pp-move}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Hiroshima
|native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|ja|広島市}}}}
|settlement_type = ]
|image_skyline = {{Multiple image
| border = infobox
| total_width = 290
| image_style = border:1;
| perrow = 1/2/2/2
| image1 = Atomic Bomb Dome and Motoyaso River, Hiroshima, Northwest view 20190417 1.jpg
| image2 = Hiroshima-Castle-1.jpg
| image3 = Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum 2.jpg
| image4 = Takueichi Pond and Kokokyo Bridge in Shukkei Garden 1.jpg
| image5 = 鯉城通り - panoramio (1).jpg
| image6 = Lantern Floating Ceremony in Hiroshima; 2012.jpg
| image7 = Hiroshima Port Ujina Passenger Terminal 20070811 crop2.jpg
}}
|imagesize =
|image_alt =
|image_caption = Clockwise from top: Hiroshima skyline within ], ] and ], ](]), ], Peace Message(]), ], ]
|image_flag = Flag of Hiroshima City.svg
|flag_alt =
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|image_map1 = Hiroshima in Hiroshima Prefecture Ja.svg
|map_alt1 =
|map_caption1 = Location of Hiroshima in ]
|pushpin_map = Japan#Asia#Earth
|pushpin_label_position =
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|coordinates = {{coord|34|23|29|N|132|27|07|E|region:JP-34|display=it}}
|coor_pinpoint =
|coordinates_footnotes =
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Japan}}
|subdivision_type1 = ]
|subdivision_name1 = ] (])
|subdivision_type2 = ]
|subdivision_name2 = ]
|subdivision_type3 =
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|established_title =
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|named_for =
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|leader_title = ]
|leader_name = ]
|leader_title1 =
|leader_name1 =
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|area_magnitude =
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 = 906.68
|area_total_sq_mi =
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|area_water_percent =
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|elevation_m =
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|population_total = 1199391
|population_as_of = June 1, 2019
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_density_sq_mi=
|population_est =
|pop_est_as_of =
|population_demonym =
|population_note =
|population_metro_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |title=UEA Code Tables |url=http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_code_e.htm |publisher=Center for Spatial Information Science, University of Tokyo |access-date=January 26, 2019 |archive-date=January 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109011635/http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_code_e.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> (2015)
|population_metro = 1431634 (])
|timezone1 = ]
|utc_offset1 = +9
|postal_code_type =
|postal_code =
|area_code_type =
|area_code =
|blank_name_sec1 = City Symbols
|blank1_name_sec1 = Tree
|blank1_info_sec1 = ]
|blank2_name_sec1 = Flower
|blank2_info_sec1 = ]
|blank3_name_sec1 =
|blank3_info_sec1 =
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|blank7_name_sec1 =
|blank7_info_sec1 =
|blank_name_sec2 = Phone&nbsp;number
|blank_info_sec2 = 082-245-2111
|blank1_name_sec2 = Address
|blank1_info_sec2 = 1-6-34 Kokutaiji,<br />Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi 730-8586
|website = {{URL|http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/}}
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|pic=Hiroshima (Chinese characters).svg
|piccap="Hiroshima" in '']'' '']''
|picupright=0.4
|shinjitai=広島
|kyujitai=廣島
|romaji=Hiroshima
}}
]]]
{{nihongo|'''Hiroshima'''|広島市|Hiroshima-shi|extra={{IPAc-en|ˌ|h|ɪr|oʊ|ˈ|ʃ|iː|m|ə}}, <small>also</small> {{IPAc-en|UK|h|ɪ|ˈ|r|ɒ|ʃ|ɪ|m|ə}},<ref>{{cite LPD|3}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|US|h|ɪ|ˈ|r|oʊ|ʃ|ɪ|m|ə}}, {{IPA|ja|çiɾoɕima||TomJ-Hiroshima.ogg}}}} is the capital of ] in ]. {{As of|2019|6|1|df=US}}, the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The ] (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima ], was US$61.3 billion as of 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_data_e.htm |title=Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data |author=Yoshitsugu Kanemoto |publisher=Center for Spatial Information Science, The ] |access-date=2016-09-29 |archive-date=2018-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615111107/http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_data_e.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201220924/https://data.oecd.org/conversion/exchange-rates.htm |date=2018-02-01 }} – OECD Data</ref> ] has been the city's mayor since April 2011. The Hiroshima metropolitan area is the second largest urban area in the ] of Japan, following the ] metropolitan area.


Hiroshima was founded in 1589 as a ] on the ] ]. Following the ] 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 ], playing significant roles such as in the ], the ], and the two world wars.
<table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="340px" align="right">
<tr>
<td align="center">
]<br>
Hiroshima Prefectural Promotion Hall, the only building standing after the blast.
</td>
</tr>
</table>


Hiroshima was the first military target of a nuclear weapon in history. This occurred on August 6, 1945, in the ] of ], at 8:15&nbsp;a.m., when the ] (USAAF) ] "]" on the city.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hakim |first=Joy|author-link1=Joy Hakim |title=A History of US: Book 9: War, Peace, and All that Jazz |publisher=] |date=January 5, 1995 |location=] |isbn=978-0195095142|title-link=A History of US}}</ref> 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 ] (a ]) serves as a memorial of the bombing.
Hiroshima was founded in ], on the coast of the ], and became a major urban center during the ]. The city is located on the broad, flat delta of the Ota River, which has 7 channel outlets dividing the city into six islands which project into Hiroshima Bay. The city is almost entirely flat and only slightly above sea level; to the northwest and northeast of the city some hills rise to 700 feet.


Since being rebuilt after the war, Hiroshima has become the largest ] in the ] of western ].
Area: 741.63 km<sup>2</sup>; population (October 2000): 1,126,282.
{{toc limit|3}}


== Geography ==
After the nuclear attack, Hiroshima was rebuilt as a "peace memorial city." The city government continues to advocate for the abolition of ]s, and more broadly for world peace.
=== Climate ===
Hiroshima has a ] 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.
{{Weather box
| location = Hiroshima (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1879–present)
| single line = Y
| metric first = Y
| Jan record high C = 18.8
| Feb record high C = 21.5
| Mar record high C = 23.7
| Apr record high C = 29.0
| May record high C = 31.5
| Jun record high C = 34.4
| Jul record high C = 38.7
| Aug record high C = 38.1
| Sep record high C = 37.4
| Oct record high C = 31.4
| Nov record high C = 26.3
| Dec record high C = 22.3
| Jan record low C = -8.5
| Feb record low C = -8.3
| Mar record low C = -7.2
| Apr record low C = -1.4
| May record low C = 1.8
| Jun record low C = 6.6
| Jul record low C = 14.1
| Aug record low C = 13.7
| Sep record low C = 8.6
| Oct record low C = 1.5
| Nov record low C = -2.6
| Dec record low C = -8.6
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 46.2
| Feb precipitation mm = 64.0
| Mar precipitation mm = 118.3
| Apr precipitation mm = 141.0
| May precipitation mm = 169.8
| Jun precipitation mm = 226.5
| Jul precipitation mm = 279.8
| Aug precipitation mm = 131.4
| Sep precipitation mm = 162.7
| Oct precipitation mm = 109.2
| Nov precipitation mm = 69.3
| Dec precipitation mm = 54.0
| year precipitation mm = 1572.2
| Jan mean C = 5.4
| Feb mean C = 6.2
| Mar mean C = 9.5
| Apr mean C = 14.8
| May mean C = 19.6
| Jun mean C = 23.2
| Jul mean C = 27.2
| Aug mean C = 28.5
| Sep mean C = 24.7
| Oct mean C = 18.8
| Nov mean C = 12.9
| Dec mean C = 7.5
| year mean C = 16.5
| Jan high C = 9.9
| Feb high C = 10.9
| Mar high C = 14.5
| Apr high C = 19.8
| May high C = 24.4
| Jun high C = 27.2
| Jul high C = 30.9
| Aug high C = 32.8
| Sep high C = 29.1
| Oct high C = 23.7
| Nov high C = 17.7
| Dec high C = 12.1
| year high C = 21.1
| Jan low C = 1.6
| Feb low C = 2.2
| Mar low C = 5.1
| Apr low C = 10.1
| May low C = 15.1
| Jun low C = 19.8
| Jul low C = 24.1
| Aug low C = 25.1
| Sep low C = 21.1
| Oct low C = 14.9
| Nov low C = 8.9
| Dec low C = 3.9
| year low C = 12.7
| Jan humidity = 66
| Feb humidity = 65
| Mar humidity = 62
| Apr humidity = 61
| May humidity = 63
| Jun humidity = 71
| Jul humidity = 73
| Aug humidity = 69
| Sep humidity = 68
| Oct humidity = 66
| Nov humidity = 67
| Dec humidity = 68
| year humidity = 67
| Jan sun = 138.6
| Feb sun = 140.1
| Mar sun = 176.7
| Apr sun = 191.9
| May sun = 210.8
| Jun sun = 154.6
| Jul sun = 173.4
| Aug sun = 207.3
| Sep sun = 167.3
| Oct sun = 178.6
| Nov sun = 153.3
| Dec sun = 140.6
| year sun = 2033.1
| Jan snow cm = 3
| Feb snow cm = 3
| Mar snow cm = 0
| Apr snow cm = 0
| May snow cm = 0
| Jun snow cm = 0
| Jul snow cm = 0
| Aug snow cm = 0
| Sep snow cm = 0
| Oct snow cm = 0
| Nov snow cm = 0
| Dec snow cm = 2
| year snow cm = 8
| unit precipitation days = 0.5 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 6.8
| Feb precipitation days = 8.3
| Mar precipitation days = 10.6
| Apr precipitation days = 9.9
| May precipitation days = 9.7
| Jun precipitation days = 11.9
| Jul precipitation days = 11.6
| Aug precipitation days = 8.6
| Sep precipitation days = 9.6
| Oct precipitation days = 7.1
| Nov precipitation days = 6.9
| Dec precipitation days = 7.6
| year precipitation days = 108.6
| source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/index.php?prec_no=67&block_no=47765&year=&month=&day=&view= |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値) |publisher=] |access-date=May 19, 2021 |archive-date=May 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521160137/https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/index.php?prec_no=67&block_no=47765&year=&month=&day=&view= |url-status=live }}</ref>
| source =
}}


===Wards===
==World War II Bombing==
Hiroshima has eight ] (''ku''):
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Ward
!Japanese
!Population
!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Density<br />(per km<sup>2</sup>)
!Map
|-
|] (Aki ward)
|安芸区
|align=right|80,702
|align=right|94.08
|align=right|857
|rowspan=8|]
|-
|] (Asa-North ward)
|安佐北区
|align=right|148,426
|align=right|353.33
|align=right|420
|-
|] (Asa-south ward)
|安佐南区
|align=right|241,007
|align=right|117.24
|align=right|2,055
|-
|] (East ward)
|東区
|align=right|121,012
|align=right|39.42
|align=right|3,069
|-
|] (South ward)
|南区
|align=right|141,219
|align=right|26.30
|align=right|5,369
|-
|] (Central ward)<br />*administrative center
|中区
|align=right|130,879
|align=right|15.32
|align=right|8,543
|-
|] (West ward)
|西区
|align=right|189,794
|align=right|35.61
|align=right|5,329
|-
|] (Saeki ward)
|佐伯区
|align=right|137,838
|align=right|225.22
|align=right|612
|-
| colspan="5" |<small>Population as of March 31, 2016</small>
|}


=== Cityscape ===
During World War II, Hiroshima was a city of considerable military importance. It contained the 2nd Army Headquarters, which commanded the defense of all of southern Japan. The city was a communications center, a storage point, and an assembly area for troops. To quote a Japanese report, "Probably more than a thousand times since the beginning of the war did the Hiroshima citizens see off with cries of 'Banzai' the troops leaving from the harbor."
<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" heights="130" perrow="3" caption="Gallery">
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 ] (2016)
File:Night views from Mount Kogane01.jpg|] of Hiroshima City from Mount Futaba (2019)
File:North entrance of Hiroshima Station20210330.jpg|] (2021)
File:鯉城通り - panoramio (1).jpg|Around ] (2010)
File:20100722 Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park 4478.jpg|] (2010)
</gallery>


===Demographics===
The center of the city contained a number of reinforced concrete buildings as well as lighter structures. Outside the center, the area was congested by a dense collection of small wooden workshops set among Japanese houses; a few larger industrial plants lay near the outskirts of the city. The houses were of wooden construction with tile roofs. Many of the industrial buildings also were of wood frame construction. The city as a whole was highly susceptible to fire damage.
]
{{Historical populations
|title = Historical population
|type = Japan
|align = right
|width =
|state =
|shading =
|percentages =
|footnote =
|1920 | 160510
|1925 | 195731
|1930 | 270417
|1935 | 310118
|1940 | 343968
|1945 | 137197
|1950 | 285712
|1955 | 357287
|1960 | 540972
|1965 | 665289
|1970 | 798540
|1975 | 862611
|1980 | 992736
|1985 | 1044118
|1990 | 1085705
|1995 | 1105203
|2000 | 1134134
|2005 | 1151888
|2010 | 1174209
|2015 | 1186655
|2020 | 1199186
}}


In 2017, the city had an estimated ] of 1,195,327. The total area of the city is {{convert|905.08|km²|2|abbr=out}}, with a ] of 1321 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/1522027456625/simple/29youran.pdf |script-title=ja:広島市勢要覧 |publisher=Government of Hiroshima City |access-date=2018-06-18 |archive-date=2018-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618025750/http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/1522027456625/simple/29youran.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> As of 2023, the city has a population of 1,183,696.<ref>{{Cite web |title=人口,世帯数(町丁目別) – 統計情報{{!}}広島市公式ホームページ|国際平和文化都市 |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/toukei/12649.html |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp |archive-date=2023-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318164409/https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/toukei/12649.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Some of the reinforced concrete buildings were of a far stronger construction than is required by normal standards in America, because of the earthquake danger in Japan. This exceptionally strong construction undoubtedly accounted for the fact that the framework of some of the buildings which were fairly close to the center of damage in the city did not collapse.


The population around 1910 was 143,000.<ref name="terry">{{cite book |title=Terry's Japanese Empire |url=https://archive.org/details/terrysjapanesee00terrgoog |author=Terry, Thomas Philip |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Co |year=1914 |page=}}</ref> Before ], Hiroshima's population had grown to 360,000, and peaked at 419,182 in 1942.<ref name="statprofile">{{cite web |url=http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/kikaku/joho/toukei/12_pro/profile-e.html |title=2006 Statistical Profile |publisher=The City of Hiroshima |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206110108/http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/kikaku/joho/toukei/12_pro/profile-e.html |archive-date=February 6, 2008 |access-date=August 14, 2007}}</ref> Following the atomic bombing in 1945, the population dropped to 137,197.<ref name="statprofile"/> By 1955, the city's population had returned to pre-war levels.<ref>{{cite book |title=Post-conflict Reconstruction in Japan, Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, East Timor |last1=de Rham-Azimi |first1=Nassrine |first2=Matt |last2=Fuller |first3=Hiroko |last3=Nakayama |publisher=United Nations Publications |year=2003 |page=69}}</ref>
The population of Hiroshima had reached a peak of over 380,000 earlier in the war but prior to the atomic bombing the population had steadily decreased because of a systematic evacuation ordered by the Japanese government. At the time of the attack the population was approximately 255,000. This figure is based on the registered population, used by the Japanese in computing ration quantities, and the estimates of additional workers and troops who were brought into the city may not be highly accurate. Hiroshima thus had approximately the same number of people as the city of ], or ].


=== Surrounding municipalities ===
Hiroshima was the primary target of the first U.S. nuclear attack mission. The mission went smoothly in every respect. The weather was good, and the crew and equipment functioned perfectly. In every detail, the attack was carried out exactly as planned, and the bomb performed exactly as expected.
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==History==
The bomb exploded over Hiroshima at 8:15 on the morning of ], ]. About an hour previously, the Japanese early warning radar net had detected the approach of some American aircraft headed for the southern part of Japan. The alert had been given and radio broadcasting stopped in many cities, among them Hiroshima. The planes approached the coast at a very high altitude. At nearly 8:00 A.M., the radar operator in Hiroshima determined that the number of planes coming in was very small - probably not more than three - and the air raid alert was lifted. The normal radio broadcast warning was given to the people that it might be advisable to go to shelter if ]'s were actually sighted, but no raid was expected beyond some sort of reconnaissance. At 8:16 A.M., the B-29 '']'' dropped the ] called "]" over the central part of the city and the bomb exploded with a blast equivalent to 12,000 tons of ], killing 80,000 outright.
{{see also|Timeline of Hiroshima}}


=== Early history ===
At the same time, ] control operator of the ] noticed that the Hiroshima station had gone off the air. He tried to use another telephone line to reestablish his program, but it too had failed. About twenty minutes later the Tokyo railroad telegraph center realized that the main line telegraph had stopped working just north of Hiroshima. From some small railway stops within ten miles of the city there came unofficial and confused reports of a terrible explosion in Hiroshima. All these reports were transmitted to the Headquarters of the Japanese General Staff.
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 ] temple called '']''. This new prosperity was partly caused by the increase of trade with the rest of Japan under the auspices of the ].<ref>{{Cite book |title=International Dictionary of Historic Places, Volume 5: Asia and Oceania |publisher=Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers |year=1996 |isbn=1-884964-04-4 |editor-last=Schellinger |editor-first=Paul |location=Chicago |pages=349 |editor-last2=Salkin |editor-first2=Robert}}</ref>


===Sengoku and Edo periods (1589–1871)===
Military headquarters repeatedly tried to call the Army Control Station in Hiroshima. The complete silence from that city puzzled the men at Headquarters; they knew that no large enemy raid could have occurred, and they knew that no sizeable store of explosives was in Hiroshima at that time. A young officer of the Japanese General Staff was instructed to fly immediately to Hiroshima, to land, survey the damage, and return to Tokyo with reliable information for the staff. It was generally felt at Headquarters that nothing serious had taken place, that it was all a terrible rumor starting from a few sparks of truth.


Hiroshima was established on the delta coastline of the ] in 1589 by powerful warlord ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/kikaku/joho/toukei/History-E/c01.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080130190042/http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/kikaku/joho/toukei/History-E/c01.html |archive-date=January 30, 2008 |title=The Origin of Hiroshima |publisher=Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation |access-date=August 17, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/hiroshima_history_city_event |title=Hiroshima: History, City, Event |author=Scott O'Bryan |year=2009 |publisher=About Japan: A Teacher's Resource |access-date=March 14, 2010 |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727131904/http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/hiroshima_history_city_event |url-status=live }}</ref> ] 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 ]. The winner of the battle, ], deprived Mōri Terumoto of most of his fiefs, including Hiroshima and gave ] to ], a '']'' (Feudal Lord) who had supported Tokugawa.<ref name="Kosaikai">{{cite book |author=Kosaikai, Yoshiteru |title=Hiroshima Peace Reader |publisher=Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation |year=2007 |chapter=History of Hiroshima}}</ref> From 1619 until 1871, Hiroshima was ruled by the ].
The staff officer went to the airport and took off for the southwest. After flying for about three hours, while still nearly 100 miles from Hiroshima, he and his pilot saw a great cloud of smoke from the bomb. In the bright afternoon, the remains of Hiroshima were burning.
<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" caption="Gallery" heights="130px" perrow="3">
File:Mitaki-dera Taho-to.jpg|]
File:Fudoin Kondo.jpg|Fudoin
File:Hiroshima-Castle-1.jpg|]
</gallery>


===Meiji and Showa periods (1871–1939)===
Their plane soon reached the city, around which they circled in disbelief. A great scar on the land, still burning, and covered by a heavy cloud of smoke, was all that was left of a great city. They landed south of the city, and the staff officer immediately began to organize relief measures, after reporting to Tokyo.
After the ] was abolished in 1871, the city became the capital of ]. Hiroshima became a major urban center during the ], 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.<ref>Bingham (US Legation in Tokyo) to Fish (US Department of State), September 20, 1876, in ''Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, transmitted to congress, with the annual message of the president, December 4, 1876'', p. 384</ref> Ujina Harbor was constructed through the efforts of Hiroshima Governor ] in the 1880s, allowing Hiroshima to become an important port city.


The ] was extended to Hiroshima in 1894, and a rail line from the main station to the harbor was constructed for military transportation during the ].<ref name="Kosakai"/> During that war, the ] moved temporarily to Hiroshima, and ] maintained his headquarters at ] from September 15, 1894, to April 27, 1895.<ref name="Kosakai">Kosakai, ''Hiroshima Peace Reader''</ref> 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.<ref>Dun (US Legation in Tokyo) to Gresham, February 4, 1895, in ''Foreign relations of United States, 1894'', Appendix I, p. 97</ref> New industrial plants, including ]s, were established in Hiroshima in the late 19th century.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Origin of Modern Capitalism and Eastern Asia |author=Jacobs, Norman |publisher=Hong Kong University |year=1958 |page=51}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book |author=Sanko |title=Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) |year=1998 |publisher=The City of Hiroshima and the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation}}</ref> The building, now known as the A-Bomb Dome, part of the ], a ] since 1996, permanently remains the only structure still standing and is a state of preserved ruin.
Tokyo's first knowledge of what had really caused the disaster came from the White House public announcement in Washington, sixteen hours after the nuclear attack on Hiroshima. By the end of 1945, it is estimated that 60,000 more people died due to ] sickness. However, this total does not include longer term casualties from radiation exposure.


During ], 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/mediacenter/article.php?story=20100901131622626_en |title=Hiroshima's contribution to food culture tied to A-bomb Dome|Opinion|Hiroshima Peace Media Center |access-date=2010-09-03 |archive-date=2013-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025030048/http://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/mediacenter/article.php?story=20100901131622626_en |url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 ] was appointed for that city.<ref>{{Catholic-hierarchy|diocese|dhiro|Diocese of Hiroshima|January 21, 2015}}</ref>
Starting almost immediately after the conclusion of World War II, and continuing to the present day, the dropping of atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been questioned. Their use has been called barbarian since, besides destroying a military base and a military industrial center, tens of thousands of civilians were killed. Some have claimed that the Japanese were already essentially defeated, and that use of the bombs was unnecessary. Some have also suggested that a demonstration of an atomic bomb in an uninhabited region should have been attempted.
<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" caption="Gallery" heights="130px" perrow="3">
File:Mitsui Bank Hiroshima Branch 1928 - 1.jpg|Old ] 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
</gallery>


===World War II and the atomic bombing (1939–1945)===
In reply, defenders of the decision to use the bombs say that it is almost certain that the Japanese would not have surrendered without their use, and that hundreds of thousands&mdash;perhaps millions&mdash;would have perished in the planned U.S. invasion of Japan. To support their argument, they point out that the Japanese agreed to surrender only after the second bomb was dropped, when it was evident that the first was not an isolated event, and future prospects were for a continuing rain of such bombs. (In actuality, the U.S. did not have another atomic bomb ready after the bombing of Nagasaki due the difficulty of producing fissile material.) Regarding the suggestion of a demonstration, they maintain that, given the mind-set of the Japanese at the time, it is unlikely that any conceivable benign demonstration would have induced surrender.
{{main|Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki#Hiroshima}}
<!-- Note to editors: This article is for an overview. Please do not add details. Instead, add details to the main article "Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki". -->


During ], the ] 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.<ref name="effects">{{cite web |url=http://www.nuclearfiles.org/redocuments/1946/460619-bombing-survey1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041011111052/http://www.nuclearfiles.org/redocuments/1946/460619-bombing-survey1.html |archive-date=October 11, 2004 |title=U. S. Strategic Bombing Survey: The Effects of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki |date=June 1946 |author=United States Strategic Bombing Survey |publisher=nuclearfiles.org |access-date=July 26, 2009}}</ref>
Tens of thousands of people marked the 40th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city on August 6, ].


The ] and ] during World War II caused widespread destruction and hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths.<ref>{{cite book |title=Bombing to Win: Airpower and Coercion in War |last=Pape |first=Robert |year=1996 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-0-8014-8311-0 |page=129}}</ref> There were no such air raids on Hiroshima. However, a real threat existed and was recognized. To protect against potential ]s in Hiroshima, school children aged 11–14 years were mobilized to demolish houses and create ]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/abom/97e/peace/e/03/omoide.htm |title=Japan in the Modern Age and Hiroshima as a Military City |publisher=The Chugoku Shimbun |access-date=August 19, 2007 |archive-date=August 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070820001539/http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/abom/97e/peace/e/03/omoide.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
==External link==

*''The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki'' by The Manhattan Engineer District, 1946. (also used as a reference)
On Monday, August 6, 1945, at 8:15&nbsp;a.m. (Hiroshima time), the American ], the '']'', flown by ] (23 February 1915 – 1 November 2007), dropped the ] "]" on Hiroshima,<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233319/http://www.cfo.doe.gov/me70/manhattan/hiroshima.html |date=March 3, 2016 }}, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of History and Heritage Resources.</ref> directly killing at least 70,000 people, including thousands of ]. Fewer than 10% of the casualties were military.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Barton |last=Bernstein |title=Reconsidering the 'Atomic General': Leslie R. Groves |journal=Journal of Military History |volume=67 |issue=3 |date=July 2003 |pages=904–905 |doi=10.1353/jmh.2003.0198 |s2cid=161380682 |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/44239 |access-date=2019-05-20 |archive-date=2020-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322095315/https://muse.jhu.edu/article/44239 |url-status=live | issn = 0899-3718 }}</ref> By the end of the year, injury and radiation brought the total number of deaths to 90,000–140,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rerf.or.jp/general/qa_e/qa1.html |title=Frequently Asked Questions – Radiation Effects Research Foundation |publisher=Rerf.or.jp |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070919143939/http://www.rerf.or.jp/general/qa_e/qa1.html |archive-date=September 19, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The population before the bombing was around 345,000. About 70% of the city's buildings were destroyed, and another 7% severely damaged.
*Documents relating to the decision to use the atomic bomb http://www.dannen.com/decision/index.html

*"If the Atomic Bomb Had Not Been Used", published in the ''The Atlantic Monthly'', December 1946. http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/46dec/compton.htm
The public release of film footage of the city following the attack, and some of the ] research on the human effects of the attack, were restricted during the ], and much of this information was censored until the signing of the ] in 1951, restoring control to the Japanese.<ref>Ishikawa and Swain (1981), p. 5</ref>

As ] observed: {{blockquote|News of the amazing explosion of the atom bomb attacks on Japan was deliberately withheld from the Japanese public by US military censors during the Allied occupation—even as they sought to teach the natives the virtues of a free press. Casualty statistics were suppressed. Film shot by Japanese cameramen in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the bombings was confiscated. "Hiroshima", the account written by John Hersey for ''The New Yorker'', had a huge impact in the US, but was banned in Japan. As Dower says: "In the localities themselves, suffering was compounded not merely by the unprecedented nature of the catastrophe&nbsp;... but also by the fact that public struggle with this traumatic experience was not permitted."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Seldon |first=Mark |date=December 2016 |title=American Fire Bombing and Atomic Bombing of Japan in History and Memory |url=https://apjjf.org/2016/23/Selden.html |journal=The Asia-Pacific Journal |volume=14 |via=Japan Focus |access-date=2019-03-26 |archive-date=2019-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326231734/https://apjjf.org/2016/23/Selden.html |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

The book '']'' by ] was originally published in article form in the magazine '']'',<ref name="autogenerated3"/> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2009/08/16/books/the-pure-horror-of-hiroshima/#.UdhVsfnVDTc |title=The pure horror of Hiroshima |work=] |first=Donald |last=Richie |date=August 16, 2009 |access-date=August 11, 2021 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-date=August 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806215706/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2009/08/16/books/the-pure-horror-of-hiroshima/#.UdhVsfnVDTc }}</ref> Although the article was planned to be published over four issues, "Hiroshima" made up the entire contents of one issue of the magazine.<ref name="ReferenceA">Sharp, "From Yellow Peril to Japanese Wasteland: John Hersey's 'Hiroshima'", Twentieth Century Literature 46 (2000): 434–452, accessed March 15, 2012.</ref><ref name="The New Yorker 2010">Jon Michaub, "Eighty-Five From the Archive: John Hersey" ''The New Yorker'', June 8, 2010, np.</ref> ''Hiroshima'' narrates the stories of ] immediately before and four months after the dropping of the ] bomb.<ref name=autogenerated3>Roger Angell, From the Archives, "Hersey and History", ''The New Yorker'', July 31, 1995, p. 66.</ref><ref name=autogenerated4>John Hersey, Hiroshima (New York: Random House, 1989).</ref>

Oleander ('']'') 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/0000000000000/1112000428867/ |script-title=ja:広島市 市の木・市の花 |access-date=July 15, 2012 |archive-date=April 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408231422/http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/0000000000000/1112000428867/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" caption="Gallery" heights="130px" perrow="3">
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 ] Hiroshima Branch (1945)
</gallery>

===Postwar period (1945–present)===
] visiting Hiroshima in 1947, where he held a speech encouraging the city's citizens in the aftermath of the war. The domed ] can be seen in the background.]]
On September 17, 1945, Hiroshima was struck by the Makurazaki Typhoon (]). ] suffered more than 3,000 deaths and injuries, about half the national total.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://excite.co.jp/world/english/web/body/?wb_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioweather.net%2Fcolumn%2Fweather%2Fcontents%2Fmame068.htm&wb_submit=%83E%83F%83u%83y%81%5B%83W%96%7C%96%F3&wb_lp=JAEN&wb_dis=2 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710150554/http://excite.co.jp/world/english/web/body/?wb_url=http://www.bioweather.net/column/weather/contents/mame068.htm&wb_submit=%83E%83F%83u%83y%81%5B%83W%96%7C%96%F3&wb_lp=JAEN&wb_dis=2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 10, 2012 |script-title=ja:Excite エキサイト |access-date=August 7, 2018 }}</ref> More than half the bridges in the city were destroyed, along with heavy damage to roads and railroads, further devastating the city.<ref>Ishikawa and also Swain (1981), p. 6</ref>

From 1945 to 1952, Hiroshima came under ].

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/kikaku/joho/toukei/History-E/c05.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080206124545/http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/kikaku/joho/toukei/History-E/c05.html |archive-date=February 6, 2008 |title=Peace Memorial City, Hiroshima |publisher=Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation |access-date=August 14, 2007}}</ref>

In 1949, a design was selected for the ]. Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, the closest surviving building to the location of the bomb's detonation, was designated the ], a part of the ]. The ] was opened in 1955 in the Peace Park.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/virtual/VirtualMuseum_e/exhibit_e/exh0507_e/exh050701_e.html |title=Fifty Years for the Peace Memorial Museum |publisher=Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum |access-date=August 17, 2007 |archive-date=August 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830055255/http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/virtual/VirtualMuseum_e/exhibit_e/exh0507_e/exh050701_e.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The historic castle of Hiroshima was rebuilt in 1958.

Hiroshima also contains a ], built in 1966 by ]. Uniquely, the pagoda is made of ], rather than the usual stone.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://japandeluxetours.com/experiences/hiroshima-peace-memorial-park |title=Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park |publisher=Japan Deluxe Tours |access-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-date=January 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109032854/https://japandeluxetours.com/experiences/hiroshima-peace-memorial-park |url-status=live }}</ref>

Hiroshima was proclaimed a City of Peace by the Japanese parliament in 1949, at the initiative of its mayor, ] (1905–1968).{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} 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.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} 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 ]. The city government continues to advocate the abolition of all ]s and the Mayor of Hiroshima is the president of ], an international Mayoral organization mobilizing cities and citizens worldwide to abolish and eliminate nuclear weapons ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/hiroshima.htm |title=Surviving the Atomic Attack on Hiroshima, 1944 |publisher=Eyewitnesstohistory.com |date=August 6, 1945 |access-date=July 17, 2009 |archive-date=August 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805180140/http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/hiroshima.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/library/media-gallery/video/hiroshima-aftermath |title=Library: Media Gallery: Video Files: Rare film documents devastation at Hiroshima |publisher=Nuclear Files |access-date=July 17, 2009 |archive-date=June 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623222755/http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/library/media-gallery/video/hiroshima-aftermath/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On May 27, 2016, ] became the first sitting United States president to visit Hiroshima since the atomic bombing.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kaster |first=Carolyn |date=May 27, 2016 |title=President Obama Visits Hiroshima |work=] |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/live/president-obama-hiroshima-japan/obama-becomes-1st-sitting-president-to-visit-hiroshima/ |access-date=September 28, 2023 |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407211729/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/live/president-obama-hiroshima-japan/obama-becomes-1st-sitting-president-to-visit-hiroshima/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The 49th annual ] summit was held in Hiroshima in May 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.g7hiroshima.go.jp/ |title=G7 Hiroshima 2023 |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |access-date=19 May 2023 |archive-date=18 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518184058/https://www.g7hiroshima.go.jp/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Hiroshima is situated on the ] delta, on ], facing the ] on its south side. The river's six channels divide Hiroshima into several islets.
<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" heights="130" perrow="3" caption="Gallery">
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|] by ] and modern Hiroshima
File:Hiroshima Andersen 20200803-1.JPG|]
File:Genbakudome by night.jpg|Atomic Bomb Dome by night
File:Hiroshima A-bomb dome.jpg|Genbaku Dome seen from Orizuru tower in 2019
</gallery>

==International relations==
===Twin towns – sister cities===
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan}}
Hiroshima has six ]:<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Sister/Friendship Cities |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/10358.html |website=city.hiroshima.lg.jp |publisher=Hiroshima |access-date=2021-05-25 |archive-date=2021-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525125437/https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/10358.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|CHN}} ], China (since October 1986)<ref>{{cite web |title=The City of Chongqing (Peoples Republic of China) |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/220417.html |website=The City of Hiroshima |access-date=2023-03-31}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|KOR}} ], South Korea (since May 1997)<ref>{{cite web |title=Daegu Metropolitan City (Republic of Korea) |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/10621.html |website=The City of Hiroshima |access-date=2023-03-31}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|DEU}} ], Germany (since June 1983)<ref>{{cite web |title=City of Hannover (Lower Saxony, Federal Republic of Germany) |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/10356.html |website=The City of Hiroshima |access-date=2024-03-31}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|USA}} ], United States (since June 1959)<ref>{{cite web |title=City and County of Honolulu (Hawaii, United States of America) |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/10357.html |website=The City of Hiroshima |access-date=2023-03-31}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|CAN}} ], Canada (since June 1998)<ref>{{cite web |title=City of Montreal (Quebec, Canada) |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/10354.html |website=The City of Hiroshima |access-date=2023-03-31}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|RUS}} ], Russia (since September 1972)<ref>{{cite web |title=City of Volgograd (Volgograd Oblast, Russian Federation) |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/10347.html |website=The City of Hiroshima |access-date=2024-03-31}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

Within Japan, Hiroshima has a similar relationship with ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=姉妹・友好都市(令和元年版広島市勢要覧) – 広島市公式ホームページ|国際平和文化都市 |url=https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/soshiki/11/142347.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp |archive-date=2023-07-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704205106/https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/soshiki/11/142347.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Economy and infrastructure ==
*]
*], ], ]cor IHI Kure Works, Mitsui and other shipyards on the area
*] HI Kanon and Eba Works, ] Kure machinery
]
] Shopping Street]]
]

=== 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 '']'' is the local newspaper serving Hiroshima. It publishes both morning and evening editions. Television stations include ], ], ], and the ]. Radio stations include ], ], ], ], and ]. Hiroshima is also served by ], 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 ], 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/category_view.php?category_child_id=2&category_id=8&template_id=14&lang=en |title=History of Hiroshima University |publisher=Hiroshima University |access-date=June 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629051712/http://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/category_view.php?category_child_id=2&category_id=8&template_id=14&lang=en |archive-date=June 29, 2007}}</ref>

Notable art institutions include the ] and ].

==Notable people==
*] (岡崎 令治, 1930–1975), molecular biologist, discoverer of ]
*], composer and pianist
*], Babymetal singer
*], visual kei musician
*], rock band
*], girl group

==Transportation==
]]]
]]]
===Airways===
====Airport====
Hiroshima is served by ] {{airport codes|HIJ|RJOA}}, located {{convert|50|km|mi}} east of the city, with regular flights to ], ], ], ], and also to ], ] and ].

], {{convert|43|km|mi}} south-west of Hiroshima, re-instated commercial flights on December 13, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.stripes.com/news/japan-carrier-to-offer-iwakuni-flights-1.99042 |title=Japan carrier to offer Iwakuni flights |date=February 19, 2010 |first1=Travis J. |last1=Tritten |first2=Chiyomi |last2=Sumida |publisher=Stars and Stripes |access-date=January 8, 2019 |archive-date=January 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109062920/https://www.stripes.com/news/japan-carrier-to-offer-iwakuni-flights-1.99042 |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Railways===
====High-speed rail====
;]
*]
]
====Trains====
;]
*]: ], ], ], ]
]
*] (Astram Line)
Skyrail Service
*]
===Tramways===
]
Hiroshima is notable, in Japan, for its ] system, nicknamed '']'', and the "Moving Streetcar Museum". Streetcar service started in 1912,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vehicle.city.hiroshima.jp/VEHICLE_HP/Contents/01_home/0104_English/02_hiroden/romen.asp |script-title=ja:広島市交通科学館 |trans-title=Hiroshima City Transportation Museum |access-date=2015-01-06 |archive-date=2017-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516063933/http://www.vehicle.city.hiroshima.jp/VEHICLE_HP/Contents/01_home/0104_English/02_hiroden/romen.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref name="hiroshimapeacemedia.jp">{{cite web |url=http://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/hiroshima-koku/en/special/index_2011091301.html |title=Peace Newspaper produced by Japanese teenagers: Peace Seeds:feature story |access-date=2015-01-06 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195936/http://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/hiroshima-koku/en/special/index_2011091301.html |url-status=live }}</ref>)

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.<ref name="hiroshimapeacemedia.jp"/>
*]
**], ], ], ], ], ], ]

===Roads===
====Expressway====
*]
====Japan National Route====
Hiroshima is served by ], ], ], ], ], ], ].
====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====
*]
====Sealane====
;Ishizaki Kisen
*] - ] - ]
;]
*] - ]
;Other
*] - ]
*] - Kanawa-jima Island
<gallery>
File:広島西飛行場01.jpg|]
File:Hiroshima Station Building.jpg|]
File:Hiroshima Bus Center- arrivalside2017.jpg|]
File:Hiroden 5006B 20150502.jpg|A Hiroshima tram, 2015
File:Hiroden 5200 20190623.JPG|]
File:Hiroshima port.jpg|Port of Hiroshima
File:Niho Junction.jpg|Niho JCT
File:Shinonome IC pt1.jpg|]
</gallery>

==Culture==
]]]

Hiroshima has a professional ], which has performed at Wel City Hiroshima since 1963.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wel-hknk.com/ |title=Wel City Hiroshima |publisher=Wel-hknk.com |access-date=June 13, 2011 |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724215640/http://www.wel-hknk.com/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> There are also many museums in Hiroshima, including the ], along with several art museums. The ], which has a large collection of French ] art, opened in 1978. The ] opened in 1968 and is located near ] gardens. The ], which opened in 1989, is located near Hijiyama Park.

Festivals include ] and ]. The ] was held biennially from 1985 until 2020.

], which includes the ], draws many visitors from around the world, especially for the ], an annual commemoration held on the date of the atomic bombing. The park also contains a large collection of monuments, including the ], the ] and many others.

] (nicknamed ''Rijō'', meaning ''] Castle'') houses a ] of life in the ]. ] is within the walls of the castle. Other attractions in Hiroshima include ], Fudōin, ], ], and Hijiyama Park.

===Events===
]
*]
*Ebisu Festival, November, Ebisucho, ], Chuo Dori
*Hiroshima Flower Festival, May, ], ]
*], held annually in November
*], August 6, ]
*Toukasan, first Friday to Sunday in June, Mikawa-Cho, Chuo Dori

===Cuisine===
] at a restaurant in Hiroshima]]
Hiroshima is known for ], a savory (]) 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 ] version of okonomiyaki. The layers are typically egg, cabbage, ]s (moyashi), sliced pork/bacon with optional items (mayonnaise, fried squid, octopus, cheese, ], ], etc.), and noodles (], ]) 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===
]]]
], home of ]]]
Hiroshima has several professional sports clubs.

====Football====
The city's main ] club is ], who play at the ]. As Toyo Kogyo Soccer Club, they won the ] five times between 1965 and 1970 and the ] in ], ] and ]. After adopting their current name in 1992, the club won the ] in ], ] and ].

The city's main women's football club is ]. Defunct clubs include ], who won the Emperor's Cup in 1924 and 1925, and ].

====Baseball====
] are the city's major ] club, and play at the ]. Members of the ], the club won the ] in 1975, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1991, 2016, 2017 and 2018, the club won the ] in 1979, 1980 and 1984.

====Basketball====
] (]).

====Handball====
] (]).

====Volleyball====
] (]).

====Other sports====
The ] was part of the ] between 1973 and 2007. The city also hosted the ], using the Big Arch stadium, which is now used for the annual ]. The now-called ] was one of the host arenas of the ] (basketball).

==Tourism==
The Japanese city and the Prefecture of Hiroshima may have been devastated by the atomic bomb over 77 years ago, 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.insidejapantours.com/japan-news/3306/hiroshima-increasingly-popular-with-tourists/ |title=Hiroshima increasingly popular with tourists {{!}} Inside Japan Tours |website=insidejapantours.com |access-date=July 27, 2017 |archive-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231427/https://www.insidejapantours.com/japan-news/3306/hiroshima-increasingly-popular-with-tourists/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Hiroshima-promoting-peace-tourism-to-draw-attention-to-more-A-bomb-sites/ |title=Hiroshima promoting peace tourism to draw attention to more A-bomb sites {{!}} Asia Nikkei |website=asia.nikkei.com |access-date=September 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118192740/https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Hiroshima-promoting-peace-tourism-to-draw-attention-to-more-A-bomb-sites/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Places of interest===
There are many popular tourist destinations near Hiroshima. A popular destination outside the city is ], also known as ], 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:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://planetyze.com/en/japan/hiroshima/sights |title=Hiroshima – Most famous Sights |website=Planetyze |language=en |access-date=July 27, 2017 |archive-date=August 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813105021/https://planetyze.com/en/japan/hiroshima/sights |url-status=live }}</ref>
#]
#]
#]
#]
#]
#]
#]
#]
#] and ] (''A major center in Hiroshima which is a shopping area. It is directly connected to the ]'')
#]
#]

Other popular places in the city include the ] shopping arcade.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Other sources===
{{Refbegin}}
*{{Cite book |title=Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Physical, Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings |last1=Ishikawa |first1=Eisei |first2=David L. |last2=Swain |publisher=Basic Books |year=1981}}
*{{Cite book |author=Kowner, Rotem|author-link=Rotem Kowner |year=2002 |chapter=Hiroshima |editor1=M. Ember |editor2=C. Ember |title=Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures (Vol. II) |pages= |publisher=Grolier |isbn=978-0717256983|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofur0000unse/page/341}}
{{Refend}}

==Further reading==
*Pacific War Research Society, ''Japan's Longest Day'' (Kodansha, 2002, {{ISBN|4770028873}}), the internal Japanese account of the surrender and how it was almost thwarted by fanatic soldiers who attempted a coup against the Emperor.
*], ''Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire'' Penguin, 2001 {{ISBN|0141001461}})
*], ''Children of the Ashes'', 1st Eng. ed. 1961.
*], ''The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb'', {{ISBN|067976285X}}
*], ], {{ISBN|0679721037}}
*], ''Hiroshima Diary: The Journal of a Japanese Physician'', August 6 – September 30, 1945 (Chapel Hill: ], 1955), since reprinted.
*], ''Black Rain'', {{ISBN|087011364X}}
*], ''Summer Flowers'' {{ISBN|069100837X}}
*] ''Death in life: The survivors of Hiroshima'', Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1st edition (1968) {{ISBN|0297764667}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Hiroshima}}
{{Wikivoyage|Hiroshima}}
{{NIE Poster}}
*{{Official website}} {{in lang|ja}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218093848/http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/genre/0000000000000/1001000000021/index.html |date=2015-02-18 }} (In English)
*
* – interactive aerial maps
* – interactive aerial map
* – No. Includes explanation.
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112011107/http://www.geocities.com/peterance/hiroshima.htm |date=November 12, 2007 |title=Peter Rance's 1951 Hiroshima Photographs }}
*
*
* – interactive with points of interest
* BBC Witness programme interviews a schoolgirl who survived the bomb
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705162104/https://www.peacepalacelibrary.nl/2013/12/creating-peace-through-law-the-city-of-hiroshima/ |date=2017-07-05 }}
*
*
*{{osmrelation-inline|4097196}}

{{Navboxes
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]
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Latest revision as of 14:41, 2 December 2024

City in Chūgoku, Japan

This article is about the city in Japan. For the prefecture with the same name where this city is located, see Hiroshima Prefecture. For other uses, see Hiroshima (disambiguation). Designated city in Chūgoku, Japan
Hiroshima 広島市
Designated city
Clockwise from top: Hiroshima skyline within A-Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park, HondōriDowntown), Port of Hiroshima, Peace Message(Water lantern), Shukkei-en, Hiroshima Castle
Flag of HiroshimaFlagOfficial seal of HiroshimaSeal
Location of Hiroshima in Hiroshima PrefectureLocation of Hiroshima in Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima is located in JapanHiroshimaHiroshima Show map of JapanHiroshima is located in AsiaHiroshimaHiroshimaHiroshima (Asia)Show map of AsiaHiroshima is located in EarthHiroshimaHiroshimaHiroshima (Earth)Show map of Earth
Coordinates: 34°23′29″N 132°27′07″E / 34.39139°N 132.45194°E / 34.39139; 132.45194
Country Japan
RegionChūgoku (San'yō)
PrefectureHiroshima Prefecture
Founded byMōri Terumoto
Government
 • MayorKazumi Matsui
Area
 • Designated city906.68 km (350.07 sq mi)
Population
 • Designated city1,199,391
 • Density1,300/km (3,400/sq mi)
 • Metro1,431,634 (10th)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
TreeCamphor Laurel
FlowerOleander
Phone number082-245-2111
Address1-6-34 Kokutaiji,
Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi 730-8586
Websitewww.city.hiroshima.lg.jp
Hiroshima
"Hiroshima" in shinjitai kanji
Japanese name
Kyūjitai廣島
Shinjitai広島
Transcriptions
RomanizationHiroshima
Hiroshima Urban Employment Area

Hiroshima (広島市, Hiroshima-shi, /ˌhɪroʊˈʃiːmə/, also UK: /hɪˈrɒʃɪmə/, US: /hɪˈroʊʃɪmə/, [çiɾoɕima] ) is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. As of June 1, 2019, 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 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 metropolitan area.

Hiroshima was founded in 1589 as a castle town on the Ōta River delta. Following the Meiji Restoration 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 Russo-Japanese War, 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, at 8:15 a.m., when the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) dropped the atomic bomb "Little Boy" 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 (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) serves as a memorial of the bombing.

Since being rebuilt after the war, Hiroshima has become the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu.

Geography

Climate

Hiroshima has a humid subtropical climate 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.

Climate data for Hiroshima (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1879–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.8
(65.8)
21.5
(70.7)
23.7
(74.7)
29.0
(84.2)
31.5
(88.7)
34.4
(93.9)
38.7
(101.7)
38.1
(100.6)
37.4
(99.3)
31.4
(88.5)
26.3
(79.3)
22.3
(72.1)
38.7
(101.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 9.9
(49.8)
10.9
(51.6)
14.5
(58.1)
19.8
(67.6)
24.4
(75.9)
27.2
(81.0)
30.9
(87.6)
32.8
(91.0)
29.1
(84.4)
23.7
(74.7)
17.7
(63.9)
12.1
(53.8)
21.1
(70.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.4
(41.7)
6.2
(43.2)
9.5
(49.1)
14.8
(58.6)
19.6
(67.3)
23.2
(73.8)
27.2
(81.0)
28.5
(83.3)
24.7
(76.5)
18.8
(65.8)
12.9
(55.2)
7.5
(45.5)
16.5
(61.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.6
(34.9)
2.2
(36.0)
5.1
(41.2)
10.1
(50.2)
15.1
(59.2)
19.8
(67.6)
24.1
(75.4)
25.1
(77.2)
21.1
(70.0)
14.9
(58.8)
8.9
(48.0)
3.9
(39.0)
12.7
(54.9)
Record low °C (°F) −8.5
(16.7)
−8.3
(17.1)
−7.2
(19.0)
−1.4
(29.5)
1.8
(35.2)
6.6
(43.9)
14.1
(57.4)
13.7
(56.7)
8.6
(47.5)
1.5
(34.7)
−2.6
(27.3)
−8.6
(16.5)
−8.6
(16.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 46.2
(1.82)
64.0
(2.52)
118.3
(4.66)
141.0
(5.55)
169.8
(6.69)
226.5
(8.92)
279.8
(11.02)
131.4
(5.17)
162.7
(6.41)
109.2
(4.30)
69.3
(2.73)
54.0
(2.13)
1,572.2
(61.90)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 3
(1.2)
3
(1.2)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
2
(0.8)
8
(3.1)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) 6.8 8.3 10.6 9.9 9.7 11.9 11.6 8.6 9.6 7.1 6.9 7.6 108.6
Average relative humidity (%) 66 65 62 61 63 71 73 69 68 66 67 68 67
Mean monthly sunshine hours 138.6 140.1 176.7 191.9 210.8 154.6 173.4 207.3 167.3 178.6 153.3 140.6 2,033.1
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency

Wards

Hiroshima has eight wards (ku):

Ward Japanese Population Area (km) Density
(per km)
Map
Aki-ku (Aki ward) 安芸区 80,702 94.08 857
Asakita-ku (Asa-North ward) 安佐北区 148,426 353.33 420
Asaminami-ku (Asa-south ward) 安佐南区 241,007 117.24 2,055
Higashi-ku (East ward) 東区 121,012 39.42 3,069
Minami-ku (South ward) 南区 141,219 26.30 5,369
Naka-ku (Central ward)
*administrative center
中区 130,879 15.32 8,543
Nishi-ku (West ward) 西区 189,794 35.61 5,329
Saeki-ku (Saeki ward) 佐伯区 137,838 225.22 612
Population as of March 31, 2016

Cityscape

Demographics

Hiroshima prefecture population pyramid in 2020
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 160,510—    
1925 195,731+21.9%
1930 270,417+38.2%
1935 310,118+14.7%
1940 343,968+10.9%
1945 137,197−60.1%
1950 285,712+108.2%
1955 357,287+25.1%
1960 540,972+51.4%
1965 665,289+23.0%
1970 798,540+20.0%
1975 862,611+8.0%
1980 992,736+15.1%
1985 1,044,118+5.2%
1990 1,085,705+4.0%
1995 1,105,203+1.8%
2000 1,134,134+2.6%
2005 1,151,888+1.6%
2010 1,174,209+1.9%
2015 1,186,655+1.1%
2020 1,199,186+1.1%

In 2017, the city had an estimated population of 1,195,327. The total area of the city is 905.08 square kilometres (349.45 sq mi), with a population density of 1321 persons per km. As of 2023, the city has a population of 1,183,696.

The population around 1910 was 143,000. Before World War II, 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

History

See also: Timeline of Hiroshima

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 temple called Mitaki-Ji. This new prosperity was partly caused by the increase of trade with the rest of Japan under the auspices of the Taira clan.

Sengoku and Edo periods (1589–1871)

Hiroshima was established on the delta coastline of the Seto Inland Sea in 1589 by powerful warlord Mōri Terumoto. Hiroshima Castle 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 winner of the battle, Tokugawa Ieyasu, deprived Mōri Terumoto of most of his fiefs, including Hiroshima and gave Aki Province to Masanori Fukushima, a daimyō (Feudal Lord) who had supported Tokugawa. From 1619 until 1871, Hiroshima was ruled by the Asano clan.

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

The San'yō Railway was extended to Hiroshima in 1894, and a rail line from the main station to the harbor was constructed for military transportation during the First Sino-Japanese War. During that war, the Japanese government moved temporarily to Hiroshima, and Emperor Meiji maintained his headquarters at Hiroshima Castle from September 15, 1894, to April 27, 1895. 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 mills, were established in Hiroshima in the late 19th century. Further industrialization in Hiroshima was stimulated during the Russo-Japanese War 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 Hiroshima Peace Memorial, a World Heritage Site since 1996, permanently remains the only structure still standing and is a state of preserved ruin.

During World War I, 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 was appointed for that city.

  • Gallery
  • Old Mitsui Bank Hiroshima Branch (1928) Old Mitsui Bank Hiroshima Branch (1928)
  • Map of Hiroshima City in the 1930s (Japanese edition) Map of Hiroshima City in the 1930s (Japanese edition)
  • Old Hiroshima Army Weapon Depot Old Hiroshima Army Weapon Depot

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

Main article: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki § Hiroshima

During World War II, the Second General Army 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 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 firebombings in Hiroshima, school children aged 11–14 years were mobilized to demolish houses and create firebreaks.

On Monday, August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m. (Hiroshima time), the American Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the Enola Gay, flown by Paul Tibbets (23 February 1915 – 1 November 2007), dropped the nuclear weapon "Little Boy" 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 research on the human effects of the attack, were restricted during the occupation of Japan, and much of this information was censored until the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco in 1951, restoring control to the Japanese.

As Ian Buruma observed:

News of the amazing explosion of the atom bomb attacks on Japan was deliberately withheld from the Japanese public by US military censors during the Allied occupation—even as they sought to teach the natives the virtues of a free press. Casualty statistics were suppressed. Film shot by Japanese cameramen in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the bombings was confiscated. "Hiroshima", the account written by John Hersey for The New Yorker, had a huge impact in the US, but was banned in Japan. As Dower says: "In the localities themselves, suffering was compounded not merely by the unprecedented nature of the catastrophe ... but also by the fact that public struggle with this traumatic experience was not permitted."

The book Hiroshima by John Hersey was originally published in article form in the magazine The New Yorker, 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. Hiroshima narrates the stories of six bomb survivors immediately before and four months after the dropping of the Little Boy bomb.

Oleander (Nerium) 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.

  • Gallery
  • Hiroshima August 1945 Hiroshima August 1945
  • Hiroshima in October 1945, two months after the bombing Hiroshima in October 1945, two months after the bombing
  • Old Teikoku Bank Hiroshima Branch (1945) Old Teikoku Bank Hiroshima Branch (1945)

Postwar period (1945–present)

Emperor Hirohito visiting Hiroshima in 1947, where he held a speech encouraging the city's citizens in the aftermath of the war. The domed Hiroshima Peace Memorial can be seen in the background.

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. 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 Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was opened in 1955 in the Peace Park. The historic castle of Hiroshima was rebuilt in 1958.

Hiroshima also contains a Peace Pagoda, built in 1966 by Nipponzan-Myōhōji. Uniquely, the pagoda is made of steel, 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 (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. The city government continues to advocate the abolition of all nuclear weapons and the Mayor of Hiroshima is the president of Mayors for Peace, an international Mayoral organization mobilizing cities and citizens worldwide to abolish and eliminate nuclear weapons by 2020.

On May 27, 2016, Barack Obama 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 Ōta River delta, on Hiroshima Bay, facing the Seto Inland Sea on its south side. The river's six channels divide Hiroshima into several islets.

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Hiroshima has six sister cities:

Within Japan, Hiroshima has a similar relationship with Nagasaki.

Economy and infrastructure

Downtown Hiroshima
Hondōri Shopping Street
Hiroshima Zero Gate

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, Hiroshima Telecasting, Shinhiroshima Telecasting, and the RCC Broadcasting. Radio stations include Hiroshima FM, Chugoku Communication Network, FM Fukuyama, FM Nanami, and Onomichi FM. Hiroshima is also served by NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, with television and radio broadcasting.

Education

Former Faculty of Science Building No. 1 at Hiroshima University
Satake Memorial Hall at Hiroshima University in Higashihiroshima City

University

Hiroshima University was established in 1949, as part of a national restructuring of the education system. One national university was set up in each prefecture, 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 Higashihiroshima City. By 1995, almost all campuses were relocated to Higashihiroshima. 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 and Actor's School Hiroshima.

Notable people

Transportation

Hiroshima Airport
Astram Line

Airways

Airport

Hiroshima is served by Hiroshima Airport (IATA: HIJ, ICAO: RJOA), located 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of the city, with regular flights to Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Okinawa, and also to China, Taiwan and South Korea.

Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, 43 kilometres (27 mi) south-west of Hiroshima, re-instated commercial flights on December 13, 2012.

Railways

High-speed rail

JR West
Hiroshima City Network

Trains

JR West

Hiroshima Rapid Transit

Skyrail Service

Tramways

Hiroden route map

Hiroshima is notable, in Japan, for its light rail system, nicknamed 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.

Roads

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

Sealane

Ishizaki Kisen
First Beach
Other

Culture

Shukkei-en

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

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which includes the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, 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'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

Hiroshima Flower Festival 2011

Cuisine

A man making an okonomiyaki at a restaurant in Hiroshima

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

Edion Stadium Hiroshima
Mazda Stadium, home of Hiroshima Toyo Carp

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, 1967 and 1969. After adopting their current name in 1992, the club won the J.League in 2012, 2013 and 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 over 77 years ago, 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 Island, also known as 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:

  1. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
  2. The Atomic Bomb Dome
  3. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
  4. Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima
  5. Hiroshima Castle
  6. Shukkei-en
  7. Mitaki-dera Temple
  8. Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine
  9. Kamiyacho and Hatchobori (A major center in Hiroshima which is a shopping area. It is directly connected to the Hiroshima Bus Center)
  10. Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park
  11. Hiroshima Botanical Garden

Other popular places in the city include the Hondōri shopping arcade.

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Further reading

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