# Hiroshima Castle

- **Country:** Japan
- **Coordinates:** 34.402778, 132.459167
- **Location Text:** Hiroshima, Hiroshima

Hiroshima Castle, also known as Carp Castle, is a historic fortress located in Hiroshima, Japan. Originally constructed between 1589 and 1599 by the feudal lord Mōri Terumoto, the structure was built in the Azuchi-Momoyama architectural style on the delta of the Otagawa River. The site was so significant that it prompted the renaming of the surrounding area from Gokamura to Hiroshima, effectively establishing the city. For centuries, the castle served as the residence for various ruling clans, including the Mōri, Fukushima, and Asano families, functioning as a political center governing nine provinces during the late sixteenth century.

The castle's history is marked by both political shifts and tragedy. After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, control of the fortress changed hands under the new Tokugawa shogunate, which strictly regulated castle modifications. While much of the complex was dismantled during the Meiji era, the remaining structures faced total destruction on August 6, 1945, when the atomic bombing of Hiroshima obliterated the main keep. The original five-story tower, which stood 26.6 meters tall atop a massive stone base, was lost along with countless other buildings in the blast.

Today, the main keep has been reconstructed using concrete and steel to replicate the original 1599 design, having been completed in 1958. Unlike many historical sites that serve purely ceremonial roles, the rebuilt castle now functions as a museum dedicated to preserving and displaying Hiroshima's history prior to World War II. Several other outlying buildings have also been restored over time. The site remains a vital cultural landmark, offering visitors insight into the region's feudal past while standing as a testament to the city's resilience and recovery following the devastation of the mid-twentieth century.

![Photo of Hiroshima Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Keep_tower%2C_Hiroshima_Castle%2C_Southwest_remote_view_20190417_1.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima_Castle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)