A lot of people know about Hiroshima as the city that was bombed with a nuclear bomb in World War 2. However, the city is also a place that has a lot of history and in some cases that history was destroyed and rebuilt. That is the case of Hiroshima Castle which was completely destroyed by the atomic bomb, but inn 1958 a replica of the original was built. The original castle dated from 1590 and was the residence of the daimyo of the Hiroshima Domain.
Table of Contents
Who Would Like Hiroshima Castle
Who Would Dislike Hiroshima Castle
Our Final Thoughts On Hiroshima Castle
Location Of Hiroshima Castle
Knowing where you are going is very important. With the Hiroshima Castle you will definitely want to avoid getting lost, but if you do Hiroshima has plenty for you to take in. Here is the address to help out in finding the castle.
21-1 Motomachi, Naka-ku
Hiroshima 730-0011 Hiroshima Prefecture
History Of Hiroshima Castle
As you can imagine as most places in Japan that are in Hiroshima the castle was bombed and destroyed in the war. However, it was rebuilt as a replica of the exact same castle that was built in the 1590s and that was completed in 1958.
The original castle was built by Mori Terumoto who was one of the Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s council of Five Elders. He ended up building the castle between the years of 1589 and 1599.
Hilton Hiroshima
The location of the original castle was soon the delta of the Otagawa River. This was actually well before the start of the city of Hiroshima and it was actually the regions that was called the five villages. The castle made it easier to govern the regions of Shimane, Yamaguchi, Tottori, Okayama, and Hiroshima prefectures.
Hiroshima castle would face a lot of battles and in 1600 Mori Terumoto who was in the castle would be forced out of the castle. That comes from the loss of the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. He would retreat to Hagi which is the Yamaguchi Prefecture and there he would become the lord over Aki and Bingo provinces which are part of the modern day Hiroshima Prefecture.
Fukushima Masanori would replace Mori and would have to make some repairs to the castle. That comes from the fact that in 1619 as you can imagine a flood damaged the castle. However, the repairs are some that Masanori would not be able to enjoy as he was moved to the Nagano Prefecture and Asano Nagaakira would take over the castle.
Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel
The Asano family would continue to oversee the region until the feudal system was abolished in 1869 in the Meiji Restoration. After the Meiji Restoration the castle would come to serve as a military facility and would be the Imperial General Headquarters during the First Sino-Japanese War. In fact, if you are taking a tour or visiting the castle you can still find some of the GHQ buildings foundations just a hindered paces or so from the castle towers.
During the last few months of World War 2 the castle would regain its military history. The castle would serve as the headquarters of the 2nd General Army and the Fifth Division. This was to help deter an Allied force from landing in Hiroshima, but the castle was destroyed with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.
Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel
Features Of Hiroshima Castle
The castle is a replica of the original which was destroyed. However, the modern construction does provide a lot of modern safety features. At the same time, though, the modern construction keeps the same type of appeal as the older and original construction of the castle.
- Has a museum that houses artifacts that are completely original to the area.
- The carp are completely amazing and definitely full of life.
- A couple of trees that are on the grounds have been noted as survivors of the atomic bombing.
- Quite a bit of space for you to explore and simply hang out in the history.
Cost To Tour Hiroshima Castle
At the time of the publication here it has been reported and has been confirmed that the cost of the grounds is still free. So that definitely makes it a great place to go and adventure to enjoy without having to spend a fortune to check out. For the castle itself you do have a very small fee to pay to get into the castle.
Koko Hotel Hiroshima Ekimae
- The grounds are free to tour.
- Has an extensive museum area to check out.
- Carp in the moat area are fun to stand and watch.
- Two trees that are on the grounds survived the atomic bomb.
- Location is key and very peaceful to enjoy.
- The replica castle uses modern concrete for safety, but is built in the same style.
- Hiroshima castle is smaller than most of the other castles that are available to tour in Japan.
Who Would Like Hiroshima Castle
A better question would be more along the lines of who would not like the castle? I mean you have plenty of history, but also a lovely setting for the castle. So here are the main two groups that we think are going to really love taking a tour of this castle in Japan.
The first group would be anyone who is interesting in Japanese history. Now, to be even more specific would be anyone who wants to know more about the history of Hiroshima Prefecture. This makes it easier for you to get the history of the region in a single place. At the same time you can start to see the castle as a place to visit.
With the second group of people that would like to see this place would be those that are looking to relax in a popular city. The castle has plenty of grounds for you to explore, but with the location it is a very peaceful space for you to check out as well.
Who Would Dislike Hiroshima Castle
While I really like the castle, I do have to say that people who want to see a legitimate castle from the 1590s would not like this castle. The Hiroshima Castle was destroyed in the atomic bombing and had to be rebuilt. So for anyone that is looking to get the authentic 1590 castle appeal and look then you will be disappointed.
Sheraton Grand Hiroshima Hotel
Our Final Thoughts Of Hiroshima Castle
Lovers of Japanese history are sure to rejoice at the castle. The place has the look and appeal of the original castle, just rebuilt. However, the Hiroshima Castle even gets the beauty of the rivers and the moat with the carp. All of these combined, but most importantly the museum that you can visit for a nominal fee make this one of the best places to check out when you are in Hiroshima.
