Page 7 - japan

facilities had been located near the hypocen-

ter, and the few doctors left standing had no

idea what hit them. That evening, radioactive

materials in the atmosphere caused a poison-

ous “black rain” to fall.

In the days ahead, many survivors began to

come down with strange illnesses, such as

skin lesions, hair loss, and fatigue. Between

70,000 and 140,000 people would eventual-

ly die from radiation-related diseases. Known

as hibakusha, the survivors were also subject

to severe discrimination from other Japanese,

but have since been at the forefront of Japan’s

post-war pacifism and its campaign against

the use of nuclear weapons.

Most of the memorials related to the atomic

bomb are in and around the Peace Memorial

Park, reachable by tram line 2 or 6 to Gen-

baku Dome-mae. Coming from JR Hiroshima

Station, you’ll see the Peace Park on your left

just before crossing the T-shaped Aioi Bridge,

which is thought to have been the target of

the bomb.

Once part of the busy Nakajima merchant

district, this area was destroyed almost in its

entirety by the bomb. Today, there are more

than fifty memorials, statues, and other struc-

tures in the Park. Some will be obscure in their

meaning; others are immediate and devastat-

ing. There is no entry fee, save for the Peace

Memorial Museum, and access to the grounds

is not restricted at night.
okonomiyaki, which literally means “cook it as

you like it”. Often (and somewhat misleadingly)

called “Japanese pizza”, it is better described

as a type of savory pancake made with egg,

cabbage, soba noodles, and meat, seafood or

cheese.

Hiroshima is also famous for its oysters (avail-

able between October and March) and a ma-

ple-leaf-shaped pastry called momiji manjū.

(Momiji is the leaf of a Japanese maple tree.)

The suburb of Saijo is famous for its sake

breweries and this annual boozy blow-out. For

the price of entry, attendees can drink their