The Japanese city of Hiroshima was once the most powerful castle town of Mori Terumoto, and also the headquarters of the Imperial family. Located on the delta of the Otagawa River, the city has a long history and for two hundred years the local Asano Clan resided there. From 1591 it was the centre of power of Western Japan.

Terumoto built the first fortress with a five-storey main tower. As with European castles, Japanese castles also served military purposes. The interior of the castle is now used as a history museum of Samurai culture.

At the beginning of the Edo Era, castles were transformed from military bases into luxurious royal residential complexes, along with fine gardens. For that reason the Shukkei-En was built for the feudal lord on the Kyobashi River, an enchanting four hectare landscape garden with ponds, small bridges and pathways leading through the garden.

On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 in the morning, the first American nuclear bomb in history was dropped over Hiroshima. It exploded five hundred and eighty metres above the so-called Atom Bomb Dome, an apocalyptic moment that brought indescribable suffering. The skeleton of the former Chamber Of Commerce was preserved as a peace memorial and is now the central point of the much-visited Peace Park.

Peace Park was designed by famous architect, Kenzo Tange, who was entrusted with the project in 1949. He created the Pond Of Peace with its Eternal Flame as well as the cenotaph, a concrete arch that commemorates the early Christian burial objects of the Kofun Period, a sign of both grief and strength.