Overview

About the Castle

Hiroshima Castle was built by Mōri Terumoto, hegemon of the Chūgoku region, on the delta of the Ōta River in Tenshō 17 (1589), and bears the elegant name "Carp Castle" (Rijō). Terumoto's grandfather, Mōri Motonari, was the most powerful daimyō in the Chūgoku region, renowned for the teaching of "The Three Arrows," and Terumoto became one of the Five Great Elders under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Following the model of Hideyoshi's Ōsaka Castle, Terumoto built Hiroshima Castle and developed the castle town, establishing the foundation for Hiroshima as an urban center. At the Battle of Sekigahara, Terumoto was positioned as supreme commander of the Western forces (though Ishida Mitsunari directed actual operations), and after defeat, his domain was reduced to the two provinces of Suō and Nagato.

Architecture and Structure

Fukushima Masanori subsequently received the domain, but Masanori's unauthorized repairs to the stone walls incurred the bakufu's displeasure and resulted in his dismissal—an incident that symbolically demonstrated the severity of the Buke Shohatto to the realm. In Genna 5 (1619), Asano Nagaakira was assigned to the domain, and thereafter the Asano clan governed Hiroshima Domain with 426,000 koku until the Bakumatsu era. On August 6, Shōwa 20 (1945), the atomic bomb detonation caused all structures, including the main tower, to collapse instantly. Located merely approximately 900 meters from the hypocenter, Hiroshima Castle was the fortress that suffered the direct devastation of atomic bombing most closely.

Present State

The main tower was rebuilt in Shōwa 33 (1958), and its interior was transformed into a museum introducing samurai culture and the history of Hiroshima. Hiroshima Castle is the sole and unique fortress bearing the history of reconstruction from atomic devastation, a presence transmitting to posterity both the memory of war and the cultural heritage of the samurai. The Ninomaru's front gate, flat turret, long turret, and drum turret were faithfully restored in wood in Heisei 6 (1994), conveying the appearance of the castle in its former glory. Its location adjacent to the Peace Memorial Park is the sole place where one can experience both Hiroshima's past and present simultaneously.

Battles and Engagements

The fact that Hiroshima Castle was rebuilt from atomic devastation reflects Hiroshima's spirit of recovery and revival within the history of the samurai. The restored structures of the Ninomaru are faithfully reproduced in wood, allowing one to walk through the spatial experience of samurai culture firsthand. Hiroshima also serves as a gateway to Miyajima (Itsukushima Shrine), and by visiting both the ancient battlefield where Mōri Motonari defeated Sue Harutaka at the Battle of Miyajima and the World Heritage shrine buildings simultaneously, one can gain an even deeper understanding of the history of martial prowess and beauty in the Chūgoku region. Hiroshima is also nationally renowned for its food culture, including okonomiyaki and oysters, and visitors can enjoy a culinary journey combined with castle sightseeing.

The Spirit of Bushidō

Mōri Motonari's spirit of "A Million United Hearts" (Hyakuman Isshin) resonates with the power of the citizens who supported Hiroshima's reconstruction, and the castle is a city where the spirit of the samurai lives in the modern age. Pleasure boats operate seasonally on the inner moat of Hiroshima Castle, and the sight of the castle walls viewed from the water surface has a distinctive charm. Hiroshima Castle is an indispensable base for understanding the history of the Chūgoku region, and offers a single location where one can experience the grand narrative from the Mōri family's unification of the Chūgoku region through atomic devastation to reconstruction.

Connection to Swords

Mōri Terumoto, builder of Hiroshima Castle, was the grandson of the legendary Mōri Motonari, who conquered the Chūgoku region. The Mōri clan — famous for Motonari's 'three arrows' parable — valued martial culture and enthusiastically collected swords. Aki Province (western Hiroshima) had active swordsmiths since ancient times, while Bingo Province (eastern Hiroshima) was home to the Mihara smithing group, founded by Masaie, known for producing practical blades in large numbers. The Hiroshima Castle tower exhibition displays swords associated with the Hiroshima domain, and a combined visit with Fukuyama Museum of Art offers a comprehensive tour of Aki and Bingo sword culture.