DAY TRIP: From Osaka to Miyajima & Hiroshima

We explored 2 places in Hiroshima which is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site:

Miyajima Itsukushima Shrine
Hiroshima Peace Memorial

MIYAJIMA

Miyajima is a small island known as "Shrine Island" in Hiroshima Prefecture. The island is famous for its Itsukushima Shrine with a floating red torii gate. The shrine consists of multiple buildings including a prayer hall, a main hall and a noh theater stage connected by boardwalks above the sea.

Floating Torii Gate

The floating red torii gate is a symbol of the island standing 18m high constructed in 1168. The gate seems like it is floating during high tide. You can take a closer shot and walk to the gate during low tide.

What to Eat at Miyajima:

Momiji Manju

Momiji Manju is a maple-leaf-shaped cake with different fillings like custard, chocolate and adzuki bean jam.

Oyster at Kakifukumaru & Kakiya

HIROSHIMA

Peace Memorial Park

The Peace Memorial Park was built after the war by the city of Hiroshima as an advocate to world peace. The park with a total area of 122,000 m2 was completed in April 1954.

Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims

The cenotaph was designed by Kenzo Tange, a professor at the University of Tokyo. It is designed as an arch-shaped house to shelter the souls of the victims. The inscription on the monument reads "Let all the souls here rest in peace; For we shall not repeat the evil." The names of all the victims were recorded regardless of nationality.

Children's Peace Monument

Sasaki Sadako was 2 years old when the bomb happened near her home. She was blown out of the window with no apparent injuries on her body. However she was diagnosed with leukemia due to the radiation exposure in November 1955. Sadako died 8 months later, she is only 12 years old at the time. The Children's Peace Monument was built to commemorate Sadako and all innocent children as a result of the bomb.

Atomic Bomb Dome

The Atomic Bomb Dome is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 1st atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima at 8.15am on 6th August 1945. This building was the Hiroshima Prefecture Industrial Promotion Hall at that time. Although the building was badly damaged, it wasn't completely destructed with the remains seen as of today.

The Dome attracts millions of people each year to act as a reminder of the damaged and suffering caused by the bomb. It is a symbol of telling the world to fight for a stop for nuclear weapons and bring world peace.