The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki crippled Japan. The loss of civilian life was extremely widespread and the structural damage complete. After the war ended, these sites of atomic warfare were converted into memorials of peace and remembrance for those who died as a result of the atomic bombs.

At Hiroshima, the location of the explosion has been converted into a park where several monuments are located, including the famous ruins of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. Also called the Hiroshima Peace Memorial or the A-Bomb Dome, it is the shell of a building that survived the blast of "Little Boy." Its skeletal dome structure reminds us of the deaths that occurred there.

Several other monuments and plaques have been installed in the park over the decades. One such plaque from 1952 dedicates Hiroshima as a city of peace and states, "Let all the souls here rest in peace for we shall not repeat the evil."

Although most of these locations are technically parks, it is strongly recommended that you leave the picnic basket in the car…seriously.