Hiroshima Castle & Dome walk (4K)

Originally constructed in the 16th century, Hiroshima Castle lasted until the abolishment of the feudal system in the Meiji era without being used in combat, then being established as the base for the new Hiroshima Prefectural Office, before being converted into the local garrison for the Imperial Army. It even briefly functioned as a temporary Imperial capital. In the early 20th century, as the population of the city increased, the outer moats were filled in to prevent the pollution of the canals becoming problematic, with electric railroads being built on the reclaimed land. Unfortunately, due to its concentrated use as a military base, and location near the edge of the country, the city was targeted by the Allied forces at the end of the Pacific War for the first use of an atomic weapon against a populated area. The castle was approximately one kilometer from the hypocenter, and the only remaining building was the air defense operations room. As the city began to rebuild, many citizens called for the remaining moat to be filled and the area flattened for development, but the city and council wished to rebuild the castle, though cultural property officials opposed the reconstruction, arguing that the current state of ruins caused by the bombing was what made it valuable. In the 1950s though, as the ruins were designated a national historic site, momentum grew for the reconstruction of the main tower. In 1958 the construction was complete, now functioning as a museum, although the middle moat was filled in, leaving only the inner moat remaining to this day. Update: as of writing this, the tower has since been closed again due to structural concerns. Discussions are ongoing regarding a wooden reconstruction instead of the steel and concrete. South of the castle lies the reconstructed Gokoku Shrine, and the main gate - where as luck would have it, there was a Chrysanthemum festival being displayed! Beyond that lies an area of sports fields, arenas, gardens, and the Hiroshima Gate Park. I chose to take the underpasses through this area, quite useful in helping pedestrians not have to cross the main roads, and I had hoped to walk through the park, but there was a corporate expo being hosted, and I am not closely enough involved with the water industry in Japan! Finally, I visited again the Atomic Dome, which has been preserved in its post-bomb state (with structural reinforcements, the idea being to not rebuild it, but also to not let it degrade further) as a valuable reminder. Recorded: 29 October 2025, 12.00 Video: Insta360 Ace Pro 2 (Linear, HDR, Standard stabilisation) Photography: Nikon D7200, Tamron 16-300mm / Samsung S22 Support me through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=15918857 #traveljapan #hiroshima #hiroshimacastle 00:00 Jōhoku Station 01:30 Monument (search result mentioned a typhoon?) 03:00 Moat walk 08:24 Camphor Tree (A-bomb survivor) 10:55 Great Torii and eastern gate 13:40 Ruins of Hiroshima Imperial Army Headquarters 15:15 Hiroshima Castle Keep 16:30 Remains of Empress Shoken's Residence 18:14 Sakura pond 19:25 Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine 22:30 Chrysanthemum Exhibition 27:10 Southern moat view 28:50 Hiroshima Stadium Park 32:00 Underpasses 35:40 Japan Water Industries Exhibition 2025 37:20 Orizuru Tower 39:10 Atomic Dome 40:10 Thank you for watching!