Hiroshima｜A page of history of World War II and the atomic bomb. The Gokoku Shrine has become a symbol of victory for the Hiroshima Carp team

Speaking of Gokoku Jinja Shrine, it is a little different from ordinary shrines. It deifies the Self-Defense Force officers and police officers who died in the line of duty, which is roughly like the Martyrs' Shrine. Among the prefectures in Japan, only Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture have Gokoku Jinja Shrines. The Gokoku Jinja Shrine in Hiroshima was first built at Mizusho Reisha Shrine in Futaba-no-Sato in the first year of the Meiji era to commemorate the soldiers who died in the Boshin War. It was moved next to the gymnasium in 1934 and was later completely destroyed after the atomic bomb. Reconstruction began at its current location in 1956, and the public officials who died in the atomic bomb are commemorated at the same time. If it is the Martyrs' Shrine, there should not be many people visiting it on ordinary days. However, it is the opposite for the Hiroshima Gokoku Jinja Shrine. During the New Year's Day, 600,000 people will come here every day to worship. In addition, the local Hiroshima football team, the Toyo Carp, will come here to pray for victory at the beginning of the season. Rather than being a shrine dedicated to legendary gods in Shintoism, it is more like a spiritual symbol of Hiroshima residents after the atomic bomb. There are many varieties of fortune sticks here, including carp fortune sticks, twelve zodiac fortune sticks with the image of Licheng, and limited editions of the Goshuin for the 24 solar terms. 📍Address: 〒730-0011 21-2 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima Prefecture 🚗Take Hiroshima Electric Railway and get off at Kamiyacho-Higashi Station, then walk for 13 minutes. #MarchGoodPlaces2025