Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims, Memorial monument in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Japan.
The Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims is an arched granite structure in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park designed by architect Kenzo Tange. Beneath the arch sit stone registries holding hundreds of thousands of names, kept in volumes that are updated each year.
The memorial was dedicated on August 6, 1952, seven years after the bombing. The structure was positioned to align through its arch with the Atomic Bomb Dome in the distance.
The stone bears an inscription addressing all souls equally, regardless of nationality or background. Families place flowers at the base throughout the year, and many pause here to bow before continuing through the park.
The site is open at all hours and sits centrally on the main axis of the park between the museum and the Flame of Peace. The paved surroundings make it easy to approach, and most visitors spend a few moments in quiet reflection before moving on.
The arch shields the name registers from rain and direct sunlight while framing a view toward the Atomic Bomb Dome. Many visitors notice that raindrops collect on the stone surface and flow slowly toward the carved inscription below.
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