Hiroshima is a city that has made peace its work. On 6 August 1945 the first atomic bomb used in war was dropped here, and most of the city was destroyed. The skeletal dome of the former Industrial Promotion Hall, now the Genbaku Dome, stands by the river as it did then, preserved in ruin, and the Peace Memorial Park beside it holds a museum, a cenotaph and the Flame of Peace. It is a serious place and deserves unhurried time, and visitors are quiet there.
The city itself is now lively, with more than a million people, broad avenues, trams that rattle through the streets and a cheerful food culture. Okonomiyaki here is layered rather than mixed, with noodles and cabbage and egg on a hot plate, and the oysters from the bay are famous. The city lies on a delta, with seven rivers dividing it into islands, and bridges and riverside walks make it easy to explore. The castle was rebuilt after the war, and Shukkeien, a small garden, gives a calm hour.
Beyond the city, the Seto Inland Sea offers some of the best riding in western Japan. The island roads across the Shimanami Kaido, with bridges linking small islands toward Shikoku, are famous with cyclists, and the quiet coastal roads give views of fishing boats and orange groves. Miyajima, the sacred island with its floating torii gate, is a short ferry trip from the western edge of the city, and deer wander the streets there.
Fuel is plentiful, though the centre is dense with traffic. Expect trams, which sometimes share lanes, and watch the rails when wet. Spring and autumn are comfortable, while summer is hot and humid, with a rainy season in June. The mountains inland, toward the Chugoku range, offer twisty roads and few cars, a good contrast to a day among memories.