Hiroshima history

Foundation and First Mentions

The history of the city of Hiroshima dates back to the late 16th century. Before this time, the territory was a marshy delta of the Ota River with several sandy islands in the bay of the Seto Inland Sea. The official date of foundation is considered to be 1589, when the powerful feudal lord Mori Terumoto began the construction of a castle on the largest of these islands.

It was the geographical feature of the area that gave the city its name: "Hiroshima" literally translates from Japanese as "broad island". The castle was completed in 1599, becoming the core around which the castle town grew rapidly.

Key Factors of Development

The transformation of Hiroshima from a construction site into a thriving regional centre was driven by a combination of strategic and economic factors:

• Geography and Logistics. Its location in the river delta with access to the Seto Inland Sea made the city an ideal transport hub. Numerous river branches served as natural moats for the castle's defence and simultaneously as convenient canals for cargo delivery.
• Political Will. Mori Terumoto's decision to move his headquarters from the mountain castle of Yoshida-Koriyama to the plains marked a shift in eras in Japan. It was a transition from a defensive strategy in the mountains to administrative and economic management on fertile lands.
• Status as Domain Capital. In the Edo period (1603–1868), the city became the capital of the Hiroshima Domain (Han). Under the rule of the Asano clan, it secured its status as the most important political centre of the Chugoku region, ensuring stability and population growth.

Early Cultural and Economic Features

From the very beginning, Hiroshima developed as a classic "jokamachi" — a castle town with strict planning and social structure.

• Economy. Thanks to its convenient port and river routes, the city became a centre for trade in rice, iron, timber, and cotton. Crafts serving the needs of the samurai class and the growing urban population developed actively here.
• Urban Structure. The city was clearly zoned: high-ranking samurai lived closer to the castle, while merchants and artisans occupied their own quarters. This contributed to the formation of a unique urban culture where warrior traditions coexisted with merchant enterprise.
• Development of Arts. During the Edo period, Confucian schools and traditional arts, such as the tea ceremony and Noh theatre, flourished in the city, supported by the patronage of local rulers.

Timeline of Hiroshima's History

The history of Hiroshima is a journey from a strategic castle town to a symbol of peace and rebirth. Below is a brief timeline of key events reflecting the most important stages in the city's life.

• 1589 — Daimyo (feudal lord) Mori Terumoto begins the construction of Hiroshima Castle, laying the foundation for the future city.
• 1619 — The Asano clan becomes the ruler of Hiroshima and governs the region throughout the Edo period, promoting the city's economic and cultural growth.
• 1871 — Following the Meiji Restoration and the abolition of the feudal han system, Hiroshima becomes the capital of the prefecture of the same name.
• 1894–1895 — During the First Sino-Japanese War, the Imperial Headquarters and the Diet of Japan are temporarily moved to Hiroshima, underscoring its strategic importance.
• 1915 — Construction of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall is completed; the building would later become known as the "Genbaku Dome" (A-Bomb Dome).
• August 6, 1945 — The city is subjected to atomic bombing, leading to colossal destruction and loss of life.
• 1949 — The Japanese Parliament passes a special law proclaiming Hiroshima a "City of Peace" and laying the foundation for its reconstruction as a memorial.
• 1954 — The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum opens, dedicated to preserving the memory of the tragedy and promoting ideas of peace.
• 1958 — The population of Hiroshima exceeds pre-war levels, testifying to the rapid pace of the city's recovery.
• 1996 — The Hiroshima Peace Memorial ("Genbaku Dome") is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a symbol of hope for world peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

The development of Hiroshima is a story of transformations, from an important military and industrial centre to a global symbol of peace. Key transformations shaped the modern appearance and spirit of the city.

Main Stages of Hiroshima's Development

• Industrialisation in the Meiji Era (late 19th – early 20th century). After the Meiji Restoration, Hiroshima began rapidly turning into a major industrial and military centre. The construction of the port and railway line facilitated the development of heavy industry, including engineering and shipbuilding. The city became a vital supply base for the Japanese army.
• Role as Temporary Capital (1894–1895). During the First Sino-Japanese War, the Imperial Headquarters and the Japanese Parliament were temporarily relocated to Hiroshima. This move highlighted the city's strategic importance and strengthened its administrative and military status.
• Atomic Bombing (August 6, 1945). This event became a tragic turning point in history. The city was almost completely destroyed, resulting in immense human casualties and devastation. This event forever changed Hiroshima's identity.
• Proclamation as "City of Peace" (1949). The Japanese Parliament passed a special law declaring Hiroshima a "City of Peace" and allocating state funds for its restoration. This law laid the foundation for a unique reconstruction plan centred on ideas of peace and memory, rather than simple infrastructure recovery.
• Post-War Reconstruction and Creation of the "Peace Axis". As part of the reconstruction, the Peace Memorial Park was created at the hypocentre of the explosion. The project by architect Kenzo Tange formed a symbolic "peace axis" connecting the A-Bomb Dome, the Cenotaph, and the Peace Memorial Museum, which defined the new urban and cultural look of the city.
• Economic Miracle and Industrial Development. Beginning in the 1960s, Hiroshima experienced a boom in economic growth, like all of Japan. The city became home to the headquarters of the Mazda automotive corporation, which is one of the key engines of the region's modern economy.
• International Recognition (1996). The inclusion of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (A-Bomb Dome) in the UNESCO World Heritage List marked international recognition of its significance as a symbol of hope for peace and the rejection of nuclear weapons.

The architectural landscape of Hiroshima is a unique story divided into two radically different periods: before 1945 and the post-war rebirth. The events of the mid-20th century almost completely erased centuries of heritage but gave rise to one of the most ambitious urban planning projects in the world, turning the city into a symbol of peace and modernist architecture.

Pre-War Architecture: From Castle Town to Westernisation

Until 1945, Hiroshima's architecture reflected general trends in Japanese urban planning. Founded in the late 16th century, the city developed around Hiroshima Castle — a classic flatland castle that was its heart. The urban fabric consisted mainly of traditional wooden houses (machiya) and samurai residences. With the onset of the Meiji era (late 19th – early 20th century), buildings in the European style began to appear in the city, symbolising modernisation. The most iconic of these was the Industrial Promotion Hall (1915), designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel. Its brick building with a distinctive dome became one of the few whose skeleton survived the bombing, and today it is known to the world as the A-Bomb Dome.

Post-War Rebirth and the Era of Modernism

The atomic bombing of 1945 destroyed about 90% of the city's buildings, leaving behind ruins. However, as early as 1946, planning began for reconstruction, which became not just a restoration but the creation of a new identity. The winning project by the prominent Japanese architect Kenzo Tange defined the future of Hiroshima for decades to come.

Tange's plan was executed in the spirit of modernism and was based on the idea of creating an "Axis of Peace" — a straight line symbolically connecting key objects:

• A-Bomb Dome — ruins left as an eternal reminder of the tragedy.
• Cenotaph — a memorial arch monument to all victims.
• Peace Memorial Museum — the main building of the complex, a striking example of Japanese modernism, raised on massive pillars.

This ensemble, located in the Peace Memorial Park, became the new semantic and urban core of the city, embodying ideas of functionality, minimalism, and humanism.

Modern Appearance

Today's Hiroshima is a dynamically developing metropolis. The city's architecture, established in the post-war years, continues to evolve. Alongside iconic modernist structures, modern buildings in post-modern and high-tech styles are appearing, such as the Mazda Zoom-Zoom stadium. Historical ruins and modernist memorials coexist harmoniously with skyscrapers, shopping centres, and residential complexes, reflecting Hiroshima's journey from destruction to prosperity and its status as one of Japan's most important cities.

Notable Figures Associated with Hiroshima

The history of Hiroshima is rich with the names of people who have left a significant mark on the culture and history not only of the city but of all Japan. Among them are founders, artists, and symbols of an unyielding spirit.

• Mori Terumoto (1553–1625)

  A powerful daimyo (feudal lord) who founded Hiroshima in 1589. It was he who chose the site in the Ota River delta and began the construction of Hiroshima Castle, which became the core of the future city. His decision laid the foundation for the development of Hiroshima as an important political and economic centre of the region.

• Sadako Sasaki (1943–1955)

  A young girl who became a world-renowned symbol of peace and an innocent victim of the nuclear tragedy. Having survived the bombing at the age of two, she was diagnosed with leukaemia ten years later. According to Japanese legend, a person who folds one thousand paper cranes can make a wish. Hoping for recovery, Sadako began folding cranes in the hospital. Her story inspired the creation of the Children's Peace Monument in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and the paper crane became an international symbol of peace and the movement for nuclear disarmament.

• Issey Miyake (1938–2022)

  A world-famous fashion designer born in Hiroshima. He witnessed the atomic bombing at the age of seven. The tragedy he experienced influenced his work, although he rarely spoke about it publicly. Miyake became famous for his innovative approach to design, creating clothes from "a single piece of cloth" and experimenting with pleating and new technologies. He became one of the key figures who introduced the world to Japanese fashion.

• Tsutomu Yamaguchi (1916–2010)

  An engineer who is the only person officially recognised as having survived both atomic bombings. On August 6, 1945, he was in Hiroshima on a business trip, and after the explosion, he managed to return to his hometown of Nagasaki, where he survived the second bombing on August 9. Subsequently, Yamaguchi became an active advocate for nuclear disarmament and shared his story to remind the world of the horrors of war.

• Hideki Yukawa (1907–1981)

  A prominent theoretical physicist and the first Japanese person to receive the Nobel Prize (1949). Although he was not a native of Hiroshima, his life and work are closely connected to its post-war history. Shaken by the consequences of the nuclear bombings, he became an active campaigner for peace and one of the scientists who signed the Russell-Einstein Manifesto calling for nuclear disarmament. Yukawa led the scientific group that prepared the "White Paper on the Effects of the Atomic Bombing," which analysed the destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.