History and Essential Information to Know Before Visiting the Atomic Bomb Dome, a World Heritage Site

Originally, the Atomic Bomb Dome was a facility called the Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition Hall, built in 1915 to display and sell products from across Hiroshima Prefecture.
Designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel, the building was characterized by its brick construction, three stories, and oval-shaped dome.
Beautiful, modern, and European in style, which was unusual at the time, it featured bold geometric decoration known as the Secession style.
The Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition Hall gradually became a Hiroshima landmark beloved by local residents, and it bustled with events such as the Hiroshima Art Exhibition and expos.
It was later renamed the Hiroshima Prefectural Product Exhibition Hall in 1921, and then the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall in 1933.

The Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall made a major contribution to the cultural development of Hiroshima, but as the war dragged on, it ceased operations in 1944.
Then, at 8:15am on August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb in human history was dropped east of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall and exploded at an altitude of Approx. 600 m.
The blast and heat rays instantly destroyed buildings within a radius of 2 m of the hypocenter, causing a tragedy that took countless lives.
The Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall was also almost completely destroyed in its main sections from the first through third floors, but the dome miraculously withstood the impact, so the framework and outer walls remained, leaving it only partially destroyed.
Although some windows and floors also remained, the building was eventually burned out in the fire, leaving only exposed steel frames and bricks.
In this way, the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall gradually came to be called the Atomic Bomb Dome.

After the war, reconstruction progressed across Japan, and bombed buildings were repaired or demolished.
As for the Atomic Bomb Dome, various opinions were voiced, including demolition, because it brought back memories of the tragedy, and preservation, to convey the reality of the bombing, and the debate continued for some time.
Gradually, opinion began to lean toward demolition because of the financial burden of preserving it and the risk of collapse, but a diary written by hibakusha Hiroko Kajiyama changed the course of events.
Here is one especially well-known passage from her diary in the original wording. * Sangyo Shoreikan = Atomic Bomb Dome

“Will only that painful Sangyo Shoreikan continue forever to tell the world of the dreadful atomic bomb?”

If you are interested, we encourage you to read the full text.
Kajiyama, who experienced the bombing at the age of 1, died of myelogenous leukemia, believed to have been caused by radiation, at the young age of 16 while in her first year of high school.
This diary deeply moved many people, leading to fundraising and signature campaigns calling for preservation, and in 1966 the Hiroshima City Council passed a resolution for the permanent preservation of the Atomic Bomb Dome.

The year after the resolution, preservation work on the Atomic Bomb Dome began and was completed with donations and other support, and periodic repairs continued under the management of Hiroshima City.
In 1992, after Japan agreed to the World Heritage Convention, calls to register the Atomic Bomb Dome as a World Heritage Site grew stronger, and the Hiroshima City Council submitted a written request to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
However, the Atomic Bomb Dome did not meet the nomination requirements stated in the World Heritage Convention, such as protection under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, and the national government remained reluctant, also due to political concerns about avoiding provocation of other countries.
Still, momentum grew through written opinions from municipalities in the prefecture and the formation of citizen groups, and the total number of signatures calling for World Heritage registration eventually exceeded 1.65 million.
Supported by these efforts, the Agency for Cultural Affairs revised the cultural protection law, and in 1995 the Atomic Bomb Dome was designated a national historic site and also nominated for World Heritage status.
Then, in December 1996, the Atomic Bomb Dome was officially registered as a World Heritage Site.

A single atomic bomb took countless precious lives and changed the lives of survivors and their bereaved families forever.
The Atomic Bomb Dome, preserved in the state it was left in after the bombing, conveys to those of us living today the devastation caused by the first atomic bomb, a nuclear weapon, ever used in human history.
As the number of survivors continues to decline year by year, it will also continue to serve across generations as a witness to history.
It also holds significance as a symbol of the pledge to continue calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons and for world peace.
To ensure such a tragedy is never repeated, this painful history must never be forgotten.

Established to pass down the devastation of the atomic bombing to future generations, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum displays a wide range of materials, photographs, and models related to the bombing.
Its permanent exhibition is made up of six sections, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of and experience Hiroshima before and after the bombing, the overall scale of the damage, and the danger of nuclear weapons.
Through painful and vivid exhibits such as damaged personal belongings, the anger and grief of bereaved families, and the lives of survivors who lost everything, you will once again feel the cruelty of the atomic bombing.
In recent years, the number of international visitors has also increased, and many leave with shocking impressions of the reality of the damage and the threat posed by nuclear weapons.

The Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims, officially named the Hiroshima Peace City Memorial Monument, is a stone monument erected in prayer for the reconstruction of Hiroshima, which was devastated by the atomic bomb, as a city of peace.
With the wish to protect the souls of the atomic bomb victims from the rain and dew, its roof is shaped like a clay haniwa house.
The monument is also engraved with the words, “Please rest in peace, for we shall not repeat the error.”
To help international visitors correctly understand the meaning of this inscription praying for true world peace, multilingual explanation boards in English, Chinese, Italian, and other languages have been installed, so be sure to take a look.

Hiroshima Specialty Okonomiyaki Reichan is a specialty okonomiyaki restaurant located on the first floor of ekie, the commercial facility directly connected to Hiroshima Station.
Founded in 1957, it is known as a long-established restaurant with more than 65 years of history.
Its okonomiyaki is carefully grilled one by one, layering sweet cabbage, specially ordered noodles, pork, eggs, and other ingredients to bring out the full flavor of each ingredient.

Yakiniku Furusato Danbara Main Store is a yakiniku restaurant chain centered in Hiroshima Prefecture.
Everything from the production and shipping management of Sakakiyama Beef to wholesaling and processing is handled by Yakiniku Furusato Danbara Main Store.
Never freezing the meat at any stage from slaughter to serving is the Furusato style, bringing out its freshness and rich flavor.

Yagenbori Hassho is one of the most popular okonomiyaki restaurants in Hiroshima City.
There are lines in front of the restaurant every day, and it has been featured in many kinds of media. Okonomiyaki takes 20–30 minutes to cook.
The Chinese noodles inside the okonomiyaki are grilled until crisp, and that texture is irresistible.