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JAPAN GUIDE: Hiroshima (in brief)

Hiroshima Atomic Dome

Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Hiroshima is perhaps one of the most notorious cities in the world. Scene of the first attack in history using an atomic weapon, Hiroshima is largely unknown outside of Japan other than for this particularly sad reason. In fact, there are several other reasons for which Hiroshima should be famous but these are largely overshadowed by the acts of August 4th 1945 when the atomic bomb was dropped on the city, subsequently killing over 70,000 people (or more by some counts).

The following directory contains a list of links that cover most aspects of the bombing. http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Japan/Prefectures/Hiroshima/Cities/ Hiroshima/Community/History/Bombing_of_Hiroshima/

Hiroshima Children's Memorial

The lighter side of Hiroshima: Hiroshima is perhaps most famous within Japan for Okonomiyaki, one of the staples of Japanese food and perhaps the quintessential Japanese fast-food. Made of yakisoba (a type of fried noodle), cabbage, moyashi (bean sprouts), okonomiyaki no kiji (batter), and a range of fillings all topped with a special sauce that lures you in from the street, Okonomiyaki is the symbol of Hiroshima. "Okonomi" means "like", "yaki" means fried or cooked, so okonomiyaki is roughly "as you like it".

Restaurants (over 2,000 in Hiroshima serve just okonomiyaki) generally consist of a counter with a metal surface heated from underneath, and customers sit at stools in front of the counter while the okonomiaki is built in front of them. When put together, it is served with a "kote" or small shovel-like tool for cutting up your okonomiyaki. Some restaurants just give you the ingredients in a bowl, and you make your own. There are restaurants all over Japan serving Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, but the best place to eat is:

Okonomi Village
On the south side of Shintenchi-Nishi Park (Alice's Garden) in Naka-ku, there is a 7-story building whose second, third, and fourth floors are occupied by 28 eating establishments. Located in the center of Hiroshima, Okonomi Village (Okonomimura) has become one of the city's principal sights of interest. The establishments vary in type, with some catering to daytime patrons and some to the nighttime crowd. Including tourists, about 3,000 people are served daily at these eateries.
Capacity: 400 persons
Business hours: 11:30am-2:00am
Information: Hiroshima Shintenchi Okonomimura Food & Beverage Association
Phone: (082) 241-8758; Fax: (082) 241-2210

Hiroshima Tram

The second reason for which Hiroshima is famous is trams. There used to be trams all over Japan, but with the switch to buses and the expansion of the rail network, most cities removed them. After detonation of the atomic bomb, cities all over the world sent aid to help rebuild the city - and cities all over Japan sent trams as they removed them. The city consequently has an excellent urban transport system that takes you almost everywhere quickly and cheaply, but not many of the trams look the same.

Itsukushima Jinja

One must-see is the Itsukushima Jinja, a Shinto shrine located on Itsuku Island in the bay outside Hiroshima. Originally built in the 6th century, the shrine has a famous floating Torii under which you had to pass by boat. Torii are painted red and located outside all Jinja, as demons and evil spirits cannot pass through red gateways. Catch the tide right and the view is exceptional. Otherwise there is a lot of mud!