The Five Yen of Happiness! - Hiroshima 70 years on

The Five Yen of Happiness – Hiroshima, 70 years on

One of things that people in the UK ask when I returned is what Hiroshima is like.

And I have to be honest… it’s another ferro-cement city – like any other in Japan.

From the ANA Crowne Plaza

More Ferro-cement…

Trams running in the down-town core

Hon-dori Shopping Street

On the outskirts

However, 70 years ago on the 6th August 1945, – things changed in this city, when a B29 bomber (Enola Gay) dropped “Little Boy” – the first nuclear bomb dropped in war.

It was exploded 2,000ft above Hiroshima – with the effect of a 12-15,000 tons of TNT exploding, causing destruction with a five-mile radius of the blast

Its effects were deadly, with killing between 90,000–166,000 people, with many more succumbing to radiation sickness, burns and other things.

Not much remains of the events of that day – however, if you go to Hiroshima – one of the most sobering things is the A-Bomb Dome.

The Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall was completed in April 1915, and is one of the surviving buildings of the bombing of Hiroshima.

After the bombing, the majority of the building survived, and was named “The Atom Bomb Dome”.

Between 1950 and 1964 Peace Park grew up around the area of the Atom Bomb Dome, and in 1996 – became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Just seeing it is humbling, as well as a point to pause for thought.

More views of the The Atom Bomb Dome.

Of course, there is plenty of reading for those who wish to understand the impact of what happened to The A-Bomb dome on the 6th August 1945.

There are plenty of arguments for and against the nuclear bombs being dropping over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I won’t engage (or tolerate them) here as this is a travel blog, not a fighting ground.

What did happen on the 15th August 1945 is that Japan surrendered to Allied Forces and the Instrument of Surrender was 2nd September 1945 – marking the end of World War II.

The Hiroshima Atom Dome from the Bridge leading to Peace Park

From a personal perspective, it is very emotional experience – I can’t put into words the sorrow I felt there. Certainly, it is a place for contemplation, thought and how descriptive the human race can choose to be.

But then we look at flight, at travel, the smiles and happiness when the human race works together for peace – and Peace Park is a reminder that the events of 6th August 1945 and 9th August 1945 should never happen again.

Hiroshima rebuilt itself as it recovered be it the city itself, its castle and a lot more – and as I stated in the introduction, is a ferro-concrete mass that you’ll see in any Japanese city.

But if you dig beyond the concentrate of the station the city, and head to peace park, it’s not hard to see the emotions in the city.

If you do head to Peace Park in Hiroshima, make time to visit – as well as time to contemplate the events that lead to world we live in today.

NEXT: Off to Kyoto

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The Five Yen of Happiness! – Hiroshima 70 years on

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