The castle was constructed in the 1590s, but was destroyed by the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945. It was rebuilt in 1958, a replica of the original that now serves as a museum of Hiroshima's history
The main gate
The wall of second compound with holes which archers can shoot arrows through. I assume this is the first line of defense.
Looking toward to second compound across the moat from the lower part of the main compound.
A willow tree that survived the Atomic bomb
The wall of the main compound
Gokoku shrine in the lower part of the main compound
Holy water station where visitors can wash their hands in preparation for worship
People write down their hopes and desires on white paper and tie them here. I remember seeing similar things in Buddhist temples in Korea. It also reminds me of the wailing wall in the old city of Jerusalem. It always amazes me to notice things like this. Deep down people are not that much different from each other. Whatever the different titles we give to our own god we all believe in a god who listens to our prayers and looks after us. Some of us call him Father in Heaven, Shiva, or Allah.
A small shrine set up in memory of the school girls who first sent out the message from the underground compound to alert others that the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima
The wall of upper part of the main compound
There were a few foundation stones of the old buildings in the upper part of the main compound.
The castle tower.
It is used as a Hiroshima history museum. You can climb to the fifth floor deck and from there you have a great view of the entire castle ground.
The map of the castle.
There is a small entrance fee to enter the castle tower, but all the rest of the castle grounds were free. My favorite part was sitting on the bench at the top of the main compound. It was a nice place to sit looking down at the water and contemplating life, the universe, and everything.
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