Hiroshima

August 6, 1945The first atomic bomb used in wartime almost completely destroyed Hiroshima. By the end of 1945, an estimated 140,000 people had died from its effects. The city has since stood as a warning against nuclear weapons. Every year on August 6, a memorial ceremony takes place in the Peace Memorial Park; in the evening, lanterns are floated on the river.ReconstructionIn the decades after the war, Hiroshima was rebuilt as a modern city. The castle and the Shukkei-en landscape garden were reconstructed, whereas the ruins of the Atomic Bomb Dome were deliberately preserved as the explosion left them.Carp and OkonomiyakiIn daily life, two things characterize the city: the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team, whose games at Mazda Stadium are among the most atmospheric in the country, and the layered Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki.

Getting ThereShinkansen: Hiroshima is on the Sanyō-Shinkansen line, about an hour and a half from Osaka and roughly four hours from Tokyo.Airport: A bus runs from Hiroshima Airport to the main station in just under an hour.In the CityTram: Hiroden lines connect the station, Peace Memorial Park, and city center; payment is by IC card or cash upon exiting.Sightseeing Bus: A loop bus service connects the main attractions, starting from the station.To MiyajimaTake the JR train or tram line 2 to Miyajimaguchi, then transfer to a ferry for a roughly ten-minute crossing. From the Peace Memorial Park, there's also a direct high-speed boat.