I cycled from Yamaguchi prefecture to Hiroshima to visit the Peace Memorial Park and the A-Bomb Dome.
Peace Memorial Park:
One of the most prominent features of the city; the park is more than 120,000 square meters. Before the blast, the area was the political and commercial heart of the city, one of the reasons it was chosen as a target.
The A-Bomb Dome:
One of the few structures left standing after the bombing. The ruins of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall have been kept in the same state as immediately after the blast. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
1949, August 6: The city decides the area would not be redeveloped but instead developed into a peace facility, acting as a sign of hope for world peace. The park was designed by Kenzo Tange, a professor at Tokyo University, and three others.
Death toll: About 140,000 in Hiroshima and 70,000 in Nagasaki.