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Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine (広島護国神社)

The Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine is located on the site of Hiroshima Castle, and is the largest shrine in the city center. Various festivals are held at the shrine, including the Especially 600,000 people visit the shrine in January As Hatsumoude (first visit of the new year) . Another popular festival is the Tondomatsuri. Held on January 15, every year it attracts many people who come to see the huge bonfires to pray for good health and family safety. If you are lucky, you might also see a wedding ceremony in the traditional Japanese kimono style, however you will have to watch from a distance.

Moment of Joy

The Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine is known as a shrine where Hiroshima’s professional baseball team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carps, visit every year to pray for victory. As a result, the shrine is a popular place to pray for victory and attracts many visitors. At the shrine, you can also see the statue komainu (guardian dogs) that withstood the blast of the atomic bomb. On the back side of the pedestal on which the guardian dogs sit, cracks caused by the blast and heat rays of the atomic bomb are still visible.