Hiroshima

 

(hĭr'ōshē'mə, hērō'shmä) , city (1990 pop. 1,085,705), capital of Hiroshima prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on Hiroshima Bay. It is an important commercial and industrial center manufacturing trucks, ships, automobiles, steel, rubber, furniture, and canned foods. The city is also a market for agricultural and marine products. Founded c.1594 as a castle city on the Ota River delta, Hiroshima is divided by the river's seven mouths into six islands. After 1868, Hiroshima's port, Ujina, was enlarged, and rail lines were built to link it with Kobe and Shimonoseki. Hiroshima was the target (Aug. 6, 1945) of the first atomic bomb ever dropped on a populated area; almost 130,000 people were killed, injured, or missing, and 90% of the city was leveled. Much of the city has been reconstructed, but a gutted section has been set aside as a “Peace City” to illustrate the effects of an atomic bomb. The Peace Memorial Museum is there. Since 1955 an annual world conference against nuclear weapons has met in Hiroshima. Hiroshima prefecture (1990 pop. 2,861,699), 3,258 sq mi (8,438 sq km), is generally mountainous, with fertile valleys. Rice and oranges are grown extensively, cattle are raised, textiles are manufactured, and shipyards are plentiful. Hiroshima, Kure, and Onomichi are among the important cities of Japan.

Hiroshima City
広島市

Location
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku, Sanyō
Prefecture	Hiroshima prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area	km² ( sq mi)
Population (as of January 2007)
Total
Density	/km² (/sq mi)
Location	34°23′N 132°27′ECoordinates: 34°23′N 132°27′E
Symbols
Tree	Camphor Laurel
Flower	Oleander
Symbol of Hiroshima City
Hiroshima City Government Office
Mayor	Tadatoshi Akiba
Address	〒730-8586 Hiroshima-shi, Naka-ku, Kokutaiji 1-6-34
Phone number	082-245-2111
Official website: Hiroshima City

The Japanese city of Hiroshima (広島市, Hiroshima-shi^?) is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest of Japan's islands. It is most known throughout the world as the first city in history subjected to nuclear warfare with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II by the United States of America.

Hiroshima gained municipality status on April 1, 1889 and was designated on April 1, 1980 by government ordinance. The city's current mayor is Tadatoshi Akiba who assumed the office on February 23, 1999.

History

Hiroshima was founded by Mori Terumoto in 1589, on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, who made it his capital after leaving Koriyama Castle in Aki Province.^[1] Hiroshima castle (Rijo) was quickly built, and Terumoto moved in in 1593. Terumoto was on the losing side at the Battle of Sekigahara. The winner, Tokugawa Ieyasu, deprived Mori Terumoto of most of his fiefs including Hiroshima and gave Aki province to Masanori Fukushima, a daimyo who had supported him.^[2] The castle passed to Asano Nagaakira in 1619, and Asano was appointed the daimyo of this area. Under Asano rule, the city prospered, developed, and expanded, with few military conflicts or disturbances.^[2] Asano's descendants continued to rule until the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century.^[3]

Hiroshima served as the capital of Hiroshima han during the Edo period. After the han was abolished in 1871, the city became the capital of Hiroshima prefecture. Hiroshima became a major urban center during the Meiji period, as the Japanese economy shifted from primarily rural to urban. Ujina Harbor was constructed in the 1880s, allowing Hiroshima to become an important port city. The Sanyo Railroad 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.^[2] New industrial plants, including cotton mills, were established in Hiroshima in the late 1800s.^[4] 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 exhibition of new products. Later, its name was changed to Hiroshima Prefectural Product Exhibition Hall, and again to Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall.^[5]

Atomic bomb

Main article: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

During World War II, the Second Army and Chugoku Regional Army were 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.^[6]

During spring and summer of 1945, firebombings of Tokyo and other cities of Japan led to widespread destruction. There were numerous air raids in Hiroshima. To protect against potential firebombings in Hiroshima, students were mobilized to demolish houses and create firebreaks.^[7]

On August 6, 1945, the nuclear weapon Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima by the crew of the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay, directly killing an estimated 70,000 people. By the end of the year, injury and radiation brought total casualties to 90,000-140,000. ^[8] Approximately 69% of the city's buildings were completely destroyed, and 6.6 percent severely damaged.

Research about the effects of the attack was restricted under Allied occupation, and information censored until the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty in 1951, restoring control to the Japanese.^[9]

After the war

On September 17, 1945, Hiroshima was struck by the Makurazaki Typhoon (Typhoon Ida), one of the largest typhoons of the Shōwa period. Hiroshima prefecture suffered more than 3,000 killed or injured, about half the national total.^[10] More than half the bridges in the city were destroyed, along with heavy damage to roads and railroads, further devastating the city.^[11]

Hiroshima was rebuilt after the war, with the 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 for military purposes.^[12] Several U.S. civic leaders and scholars were consulted about the rebuilding plan.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[13]

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 in order to facilitate translation services 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.^[14][15]

Geography

Hiroshima (which means wide island in Japanese) is located on the broad, flat delta of the Ōta River, which has 7 channel outlets dividing the city into six islands which project into Hiroshima Bay. Enkogawa and Kyobashigawa are river channels that pass through the eastern side of the city. The main downtown area lies between Kyobashigawa (on the east) and Motoyasugawa (on the west). Downtown districts include Nagarekawa, which is a popular entertainment district, though includes some dodgy sections.^[16] Naka-ku is the business and shopping central district and the main shopping areas run along and out from the covered mall, called Hondori, which is located to the west, between Nagarekawa and the Peace Park. Aioi-dori goes past the main department stores and the A-bomb (Genbaku) dome, it is a primary east-west road through the center of Hiroshima. Hatchobori is located to the north of Aioi-dori, and north of Hondori and Nagarekawa. Hiroshima Castle is a major landmark, to the north of Jonan-dori. Hiroshima's baseball stadium and arena (only at this location until 2008), as well as Chuo Park are located in the area between Hiroshima Castle and the A-Bomb Dome. Heiwa-o-dori (Peace Boulevard) is a major east-west artery through Hiroshima. The Peace Park in Hiroshima is located between Motoyasugawa and Kyuohotagawa. Eba is an area of Hiroshima, located on the west side of the city, between Kyuohotagawa (Honkawa) and Tenmagawa.

The city is almost entirely flat and barely above sea level. Hiroshima is sandwiched between the Chugoku Mountains to the north and the sea to the south. Numerous small islands are located in Hiroshima Bay, including Miyajima, Etajima, and Ninoshima. Hiroshima is located in a seismically active region. On March 24, 2001, a major earthquake with magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale had its epicenter in Hiroshima Bay. Major earthquakes previously included one with magnitude 7.2 in 1857, another in 1905, and one in 1949 with a magnitude of 6.2.^[17] Hiroshima has mild winters with very little snowfall, hot and humid summers (up to 43 degrees C in August,2007), and generally abundant rainfall.

Wards

Hiroshima has eight wards (ku):

Emblem	Ward	Population	Area (km²)	Density (per km²)
	Aki-ku	78,176	94.01	832
	Asakita-ku	156,368	353.35	443
	Asaminami-ku	220,351	117.19	1,880
	Higashi-ku	122,045	39.38	3,099
	Minami-ku	138,138	26.09	5,295
	Naka-ku	125,208	15.34	8,162
	Nishi-ku	184,881	35.67	5,183
	Saeki-ku	135,789	223.98	606
Population as of October 31 2006

Demographics

As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 1,154,391, while the total population for the metropolitan area was estimated as 2,043,788 in 2000.^[18] The total area of the city is 905.08 km², with a density of 1275.4 persons per km².^[19]

The population around 1910 was 143,000.^[3] Before World War II, Hiroshima's population had grown to 360,000, and peaked at 419,182 in 1942.^[19] Following the atomic bombing in 1945, the population dropped to 137,197.^[19] By 1955, the city's population had returned to pre-war levels.^[20]

Economy

Hiroshima is the center of industry for the Chūgoku-Shikoku region, and is by and large centered along the coastal areas. Hiroshima has long been a port city and Hiroshima port or Hiroshima International Airport can be used for the transportation of goods.

Its largest industry is the manufacturing industry with core industries being the production of cars (Mazda) car parts and industrial equipment. Mazda Motor Company, now controlled by the Ford Motor Company, is by far Hiroshima's dominant company. Mazda accounts for 32% of Hiroshima's GDP.^[21] Mazda makes many models in Hiroshima for worldwide export, including the popular MX-5/Miata and Mazda RX-8. The Mazda CX-7 has been built there since early 2006^{[citation needed]}. Other Mazda factories are in Hofu and Flat Rock, Michigan.

General machinery and equipment also account for a large portion of exports. Because these industries require research and design capapilities, it has also had the offshoot that Hiroshima has many innovative companies actively engaged in new growth fields (for example, Hiroshima Vehicle Engineering Company [HIVEC]).^[22] Many of these companies hold the top market shares in Japan and the world, or are alone in their particular field. Tertiary industries in the wholesale and retail areas are also very developed.

Another result of the concentration of industry is an accumulation of skilled personnel and fundamental technologies. This is considered by business to be a major reason for location in Hiroshima. Business setup costs are also much lower than other large cities in the country and there is a comprehensive system of tax breaks, etc on offer for businesses which locate in Hiroshima. This is especially true of two projects: the Hiroshima Station Urban Development District and the Seifu Shinto area which offer capital installments (up to 501 million yen over 5 years), tax breaks and employee subsidies.^[23] Seifu Shinto which translates as West wind, New town is the largest construction project in the region and is an attempt to build "a city within a city." It is attempting to design from the ground up a place to work, play, relax and live.

Hiroshima recently made it onto Lonely Planet's list of the top cities in the world. Commuting times rank amongst the shortest in Japan and the cost of living is lower than other large cities in Japan such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, or Fukuoka.

Culture

Hiroshima has a professional symphony orchestra, which has performed at Wel City Hiroshima since 1963.^[24] 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 Animation Festival.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which includes the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, brings many visitors from all around the world, especially around the time of the annual commemoration called Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony. And there are Children's Peace Monument and Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims.

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, Mitaki-dera, and Hijayama.

Cuisine

Hiroshima is known for okonomiyaki, cooked on a hot-plate (usually right in front of you). It is cooked with various ingredients, which are layered rather than mixed together as done with the Osaka version of okonomiyaki. The layers are typically egg, cabbage, moyashi, sliced pork/bacon with optional items (mayonnaise, fried squid, octopus, cheese, mochi, kimuchi, etc.), and noodles (soba, udon) topped with another layer of egg and a generous dollop of okonomiyaki sauce (Carp or Otafuku). The amount of cabbage used is usually 3 - 4 times the amount used in the Osaka style, therefore arguably a healthier version. It starts out 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.

Media

The Chugoku Shimbun is the local newspaper serving Hiroshima. It publishes both morning paper and evening editions. Television stations include Hiroshima Home TV, Hiroshima TV, TV Shinhiroshima, and the RCC Broadcasting Company. Radio stations include HIROSHIMA FM, Chugoku Communication Network, FM Fukuyama, ITSUKAICHI Community Broadcast, and Onomichi FM. Hiroshima is also served by NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, with television and radio broadcasting.

Sports

Hiroshima is home to several professional and non-professional sports teams. Baseball fans immediately recognize the city as the home of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Six-time champions of Japan's Central League, the team has gone on to win the Japan Series three times. Kohei Matsuda, owner of Toyo Kogyo, was primary owner of the team from the 1970s until his death in 2002.^[25] The team is now owned by members of the Matsuda family, while Mazda has minority ownership of the team. The Carp play at Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, which was built in 1957. The stadium is located in central Hiroshima, near the A-Bomb Dome. The city is in planning stages for building a new baseball stadium near the JR Hiroshima Station, to be ready for the 2009 season.^[26] Sanfrecce Hiroshima is the city's J. League football team. In 1994, the city of Hiroshima hosted the Asian Games.

Symbol	Club	Sport	League	Venue	Established
	Hiroshima Toyo Carp	Baseball	Central League	Hiroshima Municipal Stadium	1950
	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	Soccer	J. League	Hiroshima Big Arch	1938
	JT Thunders	Volleyball	V.League	Nekota Kinen Taiikukan	1931
	Hiroshima Maple Reds	Handball	Japan Handball League	Hirogin no mori Taiikukan	1994

Education

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.^[27]

Transportation

Local public transportation in Hiroshima is provided by a streetcar system, operated by Hiroshima Electric Railway called "Hiroden" (広電, "Hiroden"^?) for short. Hiroden also operates buses in and around Hiroshima Prefecture. Hiroshima Electric Railway was established on June 18, 1910 in Hiroshima. While many other Japanese cities abandoned the streetcar system by the 1980s (during the 60s and the 70s, Japanese cities were anxious to get rid of their streetcar systems (Tram))^{[citation needed]}, Hiroshima retained it because the construction of a subway system was too expensive for the city to afford, as it is located on a delta. During the 1960s, Hiroshima Electric Railway, or Hiroden, bought extra streetcars from other Japanese cities. Although streetcars in Hiroshima are now being replaced by newer models, most retain their original appearance. Thus, the streetcar system is sometimes called a "Moving Museum" by railroad buffs. Of the four streetcars that survived the war, two are still in operation as of July 2006.(Hiroden model 650, (Japanese) Number 651 and 652). There are seven streetcar lines, many of which terminate at Hiroshima Station.

The Astram Line opened for the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, with one line from central Hiroshima to Seifu Shinto and Hiroshima Big Arch, the main stadium of the Asian Games. Astram uses rubber-tyred metro cars, and provides service to areas towards the suburbs that are not served by Hiroden streetcars.^[28] The Skyrail Midorizaka Line is a monorail that operates between Midoriguchi and Midori-Chūō, serving three stops.

The JR West Hiroshima Station offers inter-city rail service, including Sanyō Shinkansen which provides high speed service between Shin-Ōsaka and Fukuoka. Sanyō Shinkansen began providing service to Hiroshima in 1975, when the Osaka-Hakata extension opened.^[29] Other rail service includes the Sanyō Main Line, Kabe Line, Geibi Line, and Kure Line.

Ferries are operated by JR Miyajima Ferry and Miyajima Matsudai Kisen to Miyajima. Hiroden provides service to Miyajimaguchi Station, which is located near the ferry terminal for service to Miyajima. Hiroshima Port is the main passenger ferry terminal for Hiroshima, with service to Etajima, Matsuyama, and other destinations. There is also an international ferry terminal which has service to Busan and Ulsan in South Korea, Shanghai, Dalian, Qingdao and Ningbo in China, Keelung and Kaohsiung in Taiwan, as well as Hong Kong.^[30] There is also a boat taxi service that runs along the ota-gawa channels into the city center.

Clean Transport Hiroshima is a great city to get around by bicycle, due to the many beautiful and convenient riverside paths that have been created to encourage pedestrians and cyclists. You can rent bicycles around the city, at some rental car companies, backpacker hostels, bicycle shops and other locations (see the GetHiroshima map (pick up at the station and hotels) for detailed locations). Most months in the year you can also pop across town in a Velo-taxi (bicycle taxi) for a few hundred yen. Locations for these bicycle taxi's are on Namiki-dori (next to Parco/Alice Garden) and on Miyajima island next to the ferry terminal. When parking your bicycle, you should use one of the many 100yen bicycle parking areas (find locations on the Gethiroshima map). Bikes not parked in these facilities are often picked up and taken to an area near Ujina port where you have to pay a fine to get your bike returned.

Hiroshima Airport, located nearby in the city of Mihara, provides air service within Japan to Tokyo, Sapporo, Okinawa, and Sendai. International air service is provided to Seoul, Bangkok, Guam, Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. Commuter air service is also available at Hiroshima-Nishi Airport.

Sister cities

Hiroshima has six overseas sister cities:^[31]

Montreal, Quebec, Canada Chongqing, China Daegu, South Korea

Hannover, Germany Honolulu, Hawaii, United States Volgograd, Russia

Within Japan, Hiroshima has a similar relationship with Nagasaki.

See also

• Barefoot Gen
• Kokura
• Yoshito Matsushige
• Masaharu Morimoto, celebrity chef born and raised in Hiroshima and perhaps the city's most famous former resident by way of the popular show Iron Chef

Notes

References

• Ishikawa, Eisei, David L. Swain (1981). Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Physical, Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings. Basic Books. 
• Kowner, Rotem (2002). "Hiroshima", in M. Ember & C. Ember (eds.): Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures (Vol. II). Grolier, pp. 341-348. ISBN 0717256987. 

Further reading

• Pacific War Research Society, Japan's Longest Day (Kodansha, 2002, ISBN 4-7700-2887-3), the internal Japanese account of the surrender and how it was almost thwarted by fanatic soldiers who attempted a coup against the Emperor.
• Richard B. Frank, Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire (Penguin, 2001 ISBN 0-14-100146-1)
• Robert Jungk, Children of the Ashes, 1st Eng. ed. 1961
• Gar Alperovitz, The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb, ISBN 0-679-76285-X
• John Hersey, Hiroshima, ISBN 0-679-72103-7
• Michihiko Hachiya, Hiroshima Diary: The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6 - September 30 1945 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1955), since reprinted.
• Masuji Ibuse, Black Rain, ISBN 0-87011-364-X
• Hara Tamiki, Summer Flowers ISBN 0-691-00837-X

External links

Hiroshima travel guide from Wikitravel

• Official website in English
• Peace Declarations in English
• Better World Links on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• Devotion to the Cause of Peace - The City of Hiroshima projects for male volunteers in the Red Cross Hiroshima Hospital and Kummanoto Hospital, caring for survivors of the atomic bomb
• Hiroshima Hiroden Streetcars
• Hiroshima City Travel and Event Guide
• Japan In Your Palm Hiroshima Travel Guide - PDA and Web
• Remembering the Korean Atom Bomb Victims
• How many died at Hiroshima?, analysis of the conflicting estimates
• Article on planning for the rebuilding of Hiroshima in 1946.
• Peter Rance's 1951 Hiroshima Photographs
• Satellite picture by Google Maps
• CityMayors article
• Nuclear Files.org Comprehensive information on the history, and political and social implications of the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
• CBC Digital Archives - Shadows of Hiroshima
• [1]GetHiroshima.com: Events, Eating out, Articles, Cinema listings- Everything you need to know to survive a short trip or a lifetime in Hiroshima.

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