Hiroshima

On my last visit to Iwakuni to help out with their endodontic needs I was able to visit Hiroshima because my return flight was delayed by a day. The day was beautiful and sunny. The main "attraction" is the Peace Memorial Park, which is basically ground zero for where the atomic bomb hit. The picture above shows one of the few remaining buildings that are still left. Because the blast attacked the building from virtually straight overhead, some walls escaped total collapse. Along with the wire framework of the dome, these form the shape that has become a symbol. At some point it became known as the "A-bomb Dome."

The picture of above is of the Kintai bridge in Iwakuni. It is one of the three most famous bridges in Japan. From the time of its conception, it took almost a decade of research, experiment, and test construction before the bridge was completed during a period of three months in 1673. One year later, this bridge was washed away because the footing of the stone piers was weak. Improvements were made and a stronger bridge was constructed. This one lasted 276 years until a large typhoon washed it away in 1950, but it was rebuilt in 1953.


I thought that the number of signs along this side street in Hiroshima was amazing. The city itself is beautiful and very clean. It was very sobering to walk through the museums about the atomic bombing, but really interesting to see all the pictures and items from right after the event.