Located on the grounds of Hiroshima-jô (Hiroshima Castle), Hiroshima Gôkoku Jinja is one of many war shrines found across the country. Similar to war memorials found across the United States, these shrines are founded following major conflicts to commemorate those fallen, the main difference is that peoples’ souls are enshrined within. Hiroshima Gôkoku Jinja was originally constructed in the mid 19th century to honor those who lost their lives in the Boshin War, the war which reinstated the emperor as the head of political power. The shrine was later expanded to enshrine thousands more souls following the conflicts between Japan, Russia, China, and the Americans. The shrine was moved to its current location during the reconstruction of the city following the first ever atomic bombing in 1945. Famously, the main tori gate at the entrance to the shrine was one of only a few surviving stuctures to survive the atomic blast the morning of August 6th and was immortalized in a panoramic photo from the hypocenter of the blast.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 9.

The main draw to this shrine is honestly the tori gate. It’s amazing to imagine such a seemingly simple structure surviving such a massive blast despite everything around it being completely leveled. The buildings have a very nice clean cut look with just enough traditional influence that you know you’re at a special location. The castle behind the shrine is often the main crowd magnet to the shrine so don’t be surprised to see some people walking by or through the shrine in samurai armor from the Edo period (tosei gusoku). There really isn’t anything that seriously draws visitors to the shrine other than the tori and the castle, but I would still recommend people take a minute to visit the shrine. It’s not far from the central shopping district of Hiroshima and offers a lovely reprieve from the bustle of the city.