Green, friendly and truly at peace: Why Hiroshima is so much more than its tragic past

Japan’s City of Peace is filled with delightful surprises at every turn, from its spacious green riverbanks to sacred island shrines, write Steve John Powell and Angeles Marin Cabello

Hiroshima. Shukkeien Garden (ANGELES MARIN CABELLO)

“What’s it like to live in Hiroshima?”

It’s a question we’re often asked. Many people, aware of the city’s tragic past, imagine it’s a grim, grey place. However, as the heads of state attending this year’s G7 Summit (19-21 May) will have discovered, Hiroshima is a bright, friendly city, full of delightful surprises.

Sandwiched between the Chugoku Mountains and the Seto Inland Sea, Hiroshima is called the City of Water for the seven rivers which run through it, carving the city into a series of islands (Hiroshima means “wide island”). These multiple waterways give Hiroshima a spacious, uncluttered feel, with miles of green riverbanks for jogging, cycling or just contemplating the world from a riverside café.