Hiroshima
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Hiroshima (広島) is the name of a city and prefecture in Japan. Hiroshima city is the capital of Hiroshima prefecture, and the largest city in the Chugoku region of western Japan. About a million people live in Hiroshima.
[edit] History
In the late Sengoku period and Edo period, Hiroshima was the capital of local daimyos. A big and beautiful castle, Hiroshima-jo was built. Its nickname is Rijo, meaning Castle of the Carp.
[edit] Atomic bombing
Hiroshima was the site of a nuclear bombing near the end of World War II. The bomb exploded over Hiroshima at 8:15 on the morning of August 6, 1945. Much of the city was destroyed. About 75,000 people were killed instantly. About 60,000 people died soon after because of radiation sickness. More people died later because of cancer or other illnesses caused by the radiation, but no one knows how many. A building near the blast center still remains and is called the Atomic Bomb Dome.
[edit] Itsukushima shrine
Near to Hiroshima, there is a small island. An old shrine named Itukushima shrine is here. It is said that Itukushima shrine was built at the end of the 5th century. Today Itsukushima shrine and the Atomic Bomb Dome are registered as World Heritage sites.