Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine
Encyclopedia
Jinja (Shinto)
A Shinto shrine is a structure whose main purpose is to house one or more Shinto kami....
in Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Overview
The original shrine was founded in 1868, the first year of the Meiji periodMeiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, in Hiroshima. The shrine was established to mourn the Hiroshima-Han victims of the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
.
In 1934 it was dismantled and moved to where Hiroshima Municipal Stadium now stands, and in 1939 its name was changed to the Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine.
In 1945 it was destroyed by the atomic bombing, and was rebuilt within the Hiroshima Castle
Hiroshima Castle
', sometimes called ' is a castle in Hiroshima, Japan which was the home of the daimyō of the Hiroshima han . Originally constructed in the 1590s, the castle was destroyed in the atomic bombing in 1945...
in 1965 with the aid of donations from the citizens of Hiroshima.
The Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine is one of the most popular places for celebrating Hatsumode
Hatsumode
is the first shrine visit of the New Year in Japan. Some people visit a Buddhist temple instead. Many visit on the first, second, or third day of the year as most are off work on those days. Generally, wishes for the new year are made, new o-mamori are bought, and the old ones are returned to the...
and Shichi-Go-San
Shichi-Go-San
is a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys, held annually on November 15...
in Hiroshima.
See also
- Boshin WarBoshin WarThe was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
- Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and NagasakiAtomic bombings of Hiroshima and NagasakiDuring the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
- Hiroshima CastleHiroshima Castle', sometimes called ' is a castle in Hiroshima, Japan which was the home of the daimyō of the Hiroshima han . Originally constructed in the 1590s, the castle was destroyed in the atomic bombing in 1945...
- Japanese Shinto ShrineJinja (Shinto)A Shinto shrine is a structure whose main purpose is to house one or more Shinto kami....
- HatsumodeHatsumodeis the first shrine visit of the New Year in Japan. Some people visit a Buddhist temple instead. Many visit on the first, second, or third day of the year as most are off work on those days. Generally, wishes for the new year are made, new o-mamori are bought, and the old ones are returned to the...
- Shichi-Go-SanShichi-Go-Sanis a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys, held annually on November 15...
- Hiroshima Toyo CarpHiroshima Toyo CarpThe are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
External links
- Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine(in Japanese)