| The name "Hiroshima" usually conjures up a picture of | | | | designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. If |
| the mushroom cloud that rose from the devastated | | | | you go to Miyajima on August 14, you can see a |
| city on August 6, 1945. It was the first time an atomic | | | | brilliant display of 3,000 fireworks that takes place on |
| bomb had been employed over a populated area, and | | | | the sea in front of the shrine, lighting up the night sky |
| it hastened the end of World War II. But today's | | | | and the torii gate. You'll also enjoy colorful autumn |
| Hiroshima is a bustling city of a million people that | | | | foliage, clear skies and cool breezes. |
| boasts some of Japan's most well-known tourist | | | | The spring is also a beautiful time to visit here. You'll |
| attractions for both the history buff and the casual | | | | see the cherry blossoms for which Japan is famous, |
| traveler. | | | | and from May 3-5 a parade of flower floats and other |
| The city's first must-see site, of course, is the Peace | | | | events draws over a million visitors to the Hiroshima |
| Memorial Park and Museum, located in the area | | | | Flower Festival. |
| around the atomic bomb explosion's epicenter. The | | | | So where is Hiroshima, and how do you get here? It's |
| focal point of the Park is the Atomic Bomb Dome, one | | | | about 550 miles west of Tokyo, in the Chugoku |
| of the few buildings that partially survived the blast, and | | | | Region, the westernmost region on Japan's main island |
| the one building that has been allowed to remain | | | | of Honshu. To get there, take your choice - air, bus, |
| standing as evidence of the devastation caused by | | | | local train or bus. If you're in a hurry, the flight from |
| the blast. In 1996, the Dome was registered as a | | | | Tokyo's Haneda Airport takes about 90 minutes. A trip |
| UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. | | | | on the direct nozomi train, Japan's famous bullet train, |
| The second must-see site is the island of Miyajima, | | | | will take about four hours from Tokyo. If you want to |
| located 40 minutes from the center of the city by train | | | | experience some of Japan's countryside, take the local |
| and ferry. Miyajima houses the Itsukushima Shrine, | | | | train, which takes about 15 hours and typically involves |
| which sits on the water like a pier and is regarded as | | | | about six transfers. Or, you can take a night bus, which |
| one of Japan's three most beautiful sights. You've | | | | takes about 12 hours. |
| probably seen post card pictures of the shrine's | | | | However you choose to get to Hiroshima, it's an |
| graceful vermillion-colored torii gate, which looks like a | | | | experience that will make your visit to Japan truly |
| Japanese alphabet character rising out of the | | | | special and historic. |
| shimmering sea. A national treasure that is thought to | | | | Interested in this subject? |
| date back to the sixth century, the shrine has been | | | | |