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For other uses, see Hiroshima (disambiguation).

Template:Infobox City Japan 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 on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea in 1589 by Mori Terumoto, 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 Domain 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
Atomic Bomb Dome the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, a remnant of the city near ground zero of its nuclear bombardment.
Atomic Effects- Hiroshima City

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 Monday[8], 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 80,000 people. By the end of the year, injury and radiation brought total casualties to 90,000-140,000. [9] Approximately 69% of the city's buildings were completely destroyed, and 6.6% 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.[10]

After the war

Folded paper cranes representing prayers for peace and Sadako Sasaki.
Current Atomic Bomb Dome (left) and modern buildings
Hiroshima at night

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.[11] More than half the bridges in the city were destroyed, along with heavy damage to roads and railroads, further devastating the city.[12]

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.[13] 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.[14]

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.[15][16]

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.[17] 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.[18] 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)
File:Symbol-akiku.gif Aki-ku 78,176 94.01 832
File:Symbol-asakitaku.gif Asakita-ku 156,368 353.35 443
File:Symbol-asaminamiku.gif Asaminami-ku 220,351 117.19 1,880
File:Symbol-higashiku.gif Higashi-ku 122,045 39.38 3,099
File:Symbol-minamiku.gif Minami-ku 138,138 26.09 5,295
File:Symbol-nakaku.gif Naka-ku 125,208 15.34 8,162
File:Symbol-nishiku.gif Nishi-ku 184,881 35.67 5,183
File:Symbol-saekiku.gif Saeki-ku 135,789 223.98 606
Population as of October 31 2006

Demographics

Hondori shopping arcade in Hiroshima

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.[19] The total area of the city is 905.08 km², with a density of 1275.4 persons per km².[20]

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.[20] Following the atomic bombing in 1945, the population dropped to 137,197.[20] By 1955, the city's population had returned to pre-war levels.[21]

Economy

Hiroshima port and ferry terminal

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.[22] 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.

Mazda 787B at the Mazda Museum in Hiroshima

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]).[23] 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.[24] 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

File:DSC00046.JPG
Hiroshima Castle
Shukkei-en
A national treasure, Fudōin Kondō was built in 1540

Hiroshima has a professional symphony orchestra, which has performed at Wel City Hiroshima since 1963.[25] 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, draws many visitors from around the world, especially for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, an annual commemoration held on the date of the atomic bombing. The park also contains a large collection of monuments, including the Children's Peace Monument, the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims and many others.

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, Fudōin, Mitaki-dera, and Hijiyama Park.

Cuisine

A man prepares okonomiyaki in a restaurant in Hiroshima

Hiroshima is known for okonomiyaki, cooked on a hot-plate (usually right in front of the customer). 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 and Otafuku are two popular brands). 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 Municipal Stadium

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.[26] 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.[27] 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
File:Sanfrecce-bear.jpg Sanfrecce Hiroshima Soccer J. League Hiroshima Big Arch 1938
File:Jtthunders.gif JT Thunders Volleyball V.League Nekota Kinen Taiikukan 1931
File:Maplelogo-d.jpg Hiroshima Maple Reds Handball Japan Handball League Hirogin no mori Taiikukan 1994

Education

Satake Memorial Hall at Hiroshima University

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.[28]

Transportation

Local public transportation in Hiroshima is provided by a streetcar system, operated by Hiroshima Electric Railway called "Hiroden" (広電) 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 Numbers 651 and 652). There are seven streetcar lines, many of which terminate at Hiroshima Station.

Hiroden streetcar

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.[29] The Skyrail Midorizaka Line is a monorail that operates between Midoriguchi and Midori-Chūō, serving three stops.

Hiroshima Station entrance

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.[30] 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.[31] 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). 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:[32]

Monicasaki, Lisashima

Within Japan, Hiroshima has a similar relationship with Nagasaki.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "The Origin of Hiroshima". Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  2. ^ a b c Kosaikai, Yoshiteru (2007). "History of Hiroshima". Hiroshima Peace Reader. Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation.
  3. ^ a b Terry, Thomas Philip (1914). Terry's Japanese Empire. Houghton Mifflin Co. pp. p. 640. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  4. ^ Jacobs, Norman (1958). The Origin of Modern Capitalism and Eastern Asia. Hong Kong University. pp. p. 51. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  5. ^ Sanko (1998). Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome). The City of Hiroshima and the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation.
  6. ^ United States Strategic Bombing Survey (June 1946). "U. S. Strategic Bombing Survey: The Effects of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki". nuclearfiles.org.
  7. ^ "Japan in the Modern Age and Hiroshima as a Military City". The Chugoku Shimbun. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
  8. ^ The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of History and Heritage Resources
  9. ^ Radiation Effects Research Foundation
  10. ^ Ishikawa and Swain (1981), p. 5
  11. ^ Makurazaki Typhoon
  12. ^ Ishikawa and Swain (1981), p. 6
  13. ^ "Peace Memorial City, Hiroshima". Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  14. ^ "Fifty Years for the Peace Memorial Museum". Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  15. ^ Surviving the Atomic Attack on Hiroshima, 1945
  16. ^ Nuclear Files: Library: Media Gallery: Video Files: Rare film documents devestation at Hiroshima
  17. ^ "And That's Official". GetHiroshima. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
  18. ^ "Two killed in west Japan quake". The Japan Times. March 25, 2001.
  19. ^ "Population of Japan, Table 92". Statistics Bureau. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  20. ^ a b c "2006 Statistical Profile". The City of Hiroshima. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  21. ^ de Rham-Azimi, Nassrine, Matt Fuller, and Hiroko Nakayama (2003). Post-conflict Reconstruction in Japan, Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, East Timor. United Nations Publications. pp. p. 69. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Parker, J. (2004). "In Praise of Japanese Engineering; In Praise of Hiroshima". Circuits and Systems. 47th Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems. Vol. 1. {{cite conference}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (|book-title= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ HIVEC - Hiroshima Vehicle Engineering Company
  24. ^ 広島市：ひろしま西風新都
  25. ^ Wel City Hiroshima
  26. ^ "Carp owner dies". The Japan Times. July 12, 2002.
  27. ^ Graczyk, Wayne (March 4, 2007). "New stadium in Hiroshima looking good for 2009 season". The Japan Times.
  28. ^ "History of Hiroshima University". Hiroshima University. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  29. ^ "Astram Line". Design Soken Hiroshima Inc. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  30. ^ "Shinkansen". japan-guide.com. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  31. ^ "Access-Sea Transport". Chugoku Bureau of Economy,Trade and Industry. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  32. ^ 広島市の姉妹・友好都市

References

  • Ishikawa, Eisei, David L. Swain (1981). Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Physical, Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings. Basic Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Kowner, Rotem (2002). "Hiroshima". In M. Ember & C. Ember (eds.) (ed.). Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures (Vol. II). Grolier. pp. pp. 341-348. ISBN 0717256987. {{cite book}}: |editor= has generic name (help); |pages= has extra text (help)

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
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