Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum

Above, the main building of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Much as I like Tokyo, I do try to leave it to see other parts of Japan whenever I visit the country.

One place visitors should see is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum .

The city of Hiroshima was the first city to be the target of an atomic bomb. Seeing Hiroshima as it is today, one would never guess that the city was destroyed by the atomic bomb.

Above, the museum contains these dioramas of "before and after" views of Hiroshima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On August 6, 1945, a newly-developed atomic bomb (named "Little Boy") was dropped from the B-29 bomber Enola Gay at 8:15 a.m. over Hiroshima during World War II. The bomb was detonated at the detonation height of about 1,900 feet (580 m) above the city. About 70,000–80,000 people were killed immediately and another 70,000 people were injured. More died over the years of radiation-related illnesses.

Above, the memorial cenotaph with the stone chest in the center which contains the registry of names of persons who were killed from the bombing. It currently contains 221,893 names. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Peace Memorial Museum and Peace Memorial Park were established to memorialize those who perished from the atomic bomb attack and to work for world peace so that atomic and nuclear weapons are never used during war again.

Above, across the Motoyasu River from Peace Memorial Park is the A-Bomb Dome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In August 2004, I visited Peace Memorial Park and Museum (nearly 59 years to the day of the bombing) during G-TOUR.

The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan contains information on Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum on page 44 as the A-Bomb Dome was briefly shown in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). Also, the a-bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were inspirations for Godzilla.

A visit to Hiroshima and nearby Miyajima Island would be worth the journey.