| Description |
Looking west toward the Nakajima-honmachi area from Motoyasu Bridge. From left are the Fuel Hall, Fujii Shoji trading company, Hiroshima branch of Nippon Kani Kasai insurance company, and Mitsui Bank's vault. Motoyasu Bridge was part of the Saigoku Kaido, a major roadway connecting Kyoto and western Japan that existed since the time when the Mori Family ruled the area in the 16th century. The bridge was hit by the bomb's blast from nearly directly above, and the capstones placed on top of the newel posts were displaced to the left and right. All of the bridge railings fell into the river. From that, it was estimated that the hypocenter was located along a line extending from the bridge. The Fuel Hall was originally built in 1929 as the Taishoya Kimono Shop when the shop relocated to Nakajima-honmachi from the Saiku-machi area. After the kimono shop was closed due to a textile control ordinance in 1943, it was acquired by the Fuel Rationing Control Union of Hiroshima Prefecture in June 1944 and used as the Fuel Hall. Although close to the hypocenter, the building's reinforced concrete structure helped it avoid total destruction. After the war, the Hiroshima City government acquired the building and used it as a base for reconstruction. It has been used as the Rest House since 1982. |
