From National Treasure Fudo-in Temple to the Daimyo Garden of Shukkeien Garden and the Cathedral of Prayer

This course takes you from Fudo-in Temple, where a National Treasure Main Hall (Kondo) that survived the atomic bomb remains, to Shukkeien Garden, a daimyo garden restored after suffering catastrophic damage in the bombing, past the adjacent Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum, and onward to the Memorial Cathedral for World Peace, where prayers are offered for the atomic bomb victims and world peace.

History and Local Charm

Located along the Ota River in Higashi Ward, Hiroshima City, Fudo-in Temple stands on the site where Aki Province's Ankoku-ji Temple was established during the Muromachi period. Later, Ankokuji Ekei, who became the head priest, constructed or rebuilt most of the temple's structures. Even during the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945, the temple was spared from destruction because it sat at the foot of a mountain, making it a precious temple for Hiroshima, which lost much of its cultural heritage. Meanwhile, Shukkeien Garden, which Asano Nagaakira, the first lord of the Hiroshima Asano Clan, began constructing in 1620 (Genna 6), suffered devastating damage from the atomic bomb and underwent restoration work for roughly 30 years after the war. Immediately following the bombing, priests from a nearby Catholic church cared for the wounded inside this garden. Father Hugo Lassalle, the parish priest at the time, decided in 1946 to build a cathedral commemorating world peace, and the Memorial Cathedral for World Peace was completed on August 6, 1954.

Key Highlights

• ​Fudo-in Temple​​: The Main Hall (Kondo) within the grounds is the only National Treasure in Hiroshima City. Considered to date to around 1540 (Tenbun 9), it boasts the largest scale among medieval Zen Buddhist halls. The Momoyama period two-story gate (Romon) and the bell tower dating to 1433 in the Muromachi period are also national Important Cultural Properties.
• ​Shukkeien Garden​​: A circuit-style garden designated as a national Place of Scenic Beauty, where visitors can enjoy changing scenery while strolling around a pond. The stone arched bridge crossing the center of Takuei-chi Pond, named Koko-kyo, retained its historic form despite sustaining significant damage in the atomic bombing. Surviving A-bombed trees, such as a large ginkgo, remain within the grounds.
• ​Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum​​: A prefectural art museum located right next to Shukkeien Garden. Its collection centers on three pillars: "Art related to Hiroshima Prefecture," "Art of the 1920s and 1930s," and "Crafts of Japan and Asia," and it also houses Salvador Dalí's Dream of Venus. From the lobby and rest areas, you can gaze upon the seasonal views of Shukkeien Garden.
• ​Memorial Cathedral for World Peace​​: Designed by architect Murano Togo, this was the first post-war building designated as a national Important Cultural Property. In addition to designs evocative of Japan, such as lighting shaped like lotus flowers and a phoenix atop the dome, it gathers gifts from around the globe, including a pipe organ presented by the city of Cologne, Germany.

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The recommended duration is approximately 5 hours. Fudo-in Temple is about a 2-minute walk from Fudoin-mae Station on the Astram Line. From Hiroshima Station, take the JR Sanyo Main Line to Shin-Hakushima Station and transfer to the Astram Line. After viewing the Main Hall, two-story gate, and bell tower, the next stop, Shukkeien Garden, lies about 3 kilometers to the south, so take transit back toward the city center. Shukkeien Garden is right by the Shukkeien-mae stop on the Hakushima Line streetcar. After leisurely circling the path around the pond at your own pace, head to the adjacent Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum. From there, walking about 500 meters south brings you to the Memorial Cathedral for World Peace. Viewing is not permitted during masses or other liturgical services. Please tour quietly, keeping in mind that it is a place of prayer. From the cathedral, it is about a 5-minute walk to the Kanayama-cho tram stop of Hiroshima Electric Railway.

Summary of the Experience

A Muromachi period Main Hall that escaped the atomic bomb, a daimyo garden restored over many years after the bombing, and a cathedral built with the support of people around the world to mourn the victims. Each location quietly conveys the wounds Hiroshima suffered and the prayers that have continued ever since.