Rest House, Tourism office and historic building in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Japan
The Rest House is a three-story concrete building in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park that now functions as a tourist information center, retail space, and exhibition area. The rooms spread across several levels and offer both information about the park and a place to rest and reflect.
The house was built in 1929 as Taishoya Kimono Shop and belonged to the few structures that survived the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945. Of the 37 people in the building, only one employee in the basement survived and later gave testimony.
The building still bears traces of the 1945 explosion visible on its outer walls, showing visitors how close the detonation center was. Inside, preserved parts of the original basement recall that this space once served as shelter from the immediate blast.
Visitors find maps, guided tours through the park, and bicycle rental here, making it possible to explore the area independently. A cafe on the ground floor offers an opportunity to catch your breath between the different memorials around.
The foundation and lower structures still date from before the bombing and rest on the same ground as the original commercial building. The basement rooms, now part of the exhibition, were once the deepest point of the department store and saved the life of the sole survivor.
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