Hondōri

Hondōri (本通) is a commercial area in Naka-ku, Hiroshima, Japan, which centers on the Hondōri street which today is a shopping arcade. Hondōri, which means "Main Street", runs from Hatchōbori to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Hondōri was also previously called Hirataya-chō.[1] Hondōri prospered in the early 20th century, and in 1931, lily-of-the-valley lanterns were installed which allowed shops to stay open late.[2]

Hondori shopping arcade in 2007

Atomic bombing

The entire shopping area along Hondōri was destroyed by the 1945 atomic bombing, due to the blast and fire. Shimomura Jewelers, located in a reinforced concrete building with an iconic clock tower, was severely damaged but like a number of concrete buildings in Hiroshima, it partially survived. The blast caused its side walls to severely tilt over.[1]

The Teikoku Bank building, originally built in 1925,[3] also survived the blast, although its roof collapsed, a wall was destroyed, and it received other structural damages. By May 1950, the Teikoku Bank building had been restored and the Takaki Bakery (Andersen Bakery) opened in the building in 1967.[4][5]

Present day

In the 1950s, Hondōri was reconstructed and now it is a modern shopping arcade, which connects the Peace Memorial Park, across Rijō-dōri, to Parco department store and Hatchōbori.

Hiroshima's Hiroden (street cars) stop at the Hiroden Hondori Station. The Astram Line also serves Hondori, with the Hondōri Station as a terminal station.

Okonomi-mura, located near the east end of Hondōri, was the top food theme park destination for families in Japan according to an April 2004 poll.[6][7]

References
  1. "Walking streets of rubble 1". Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  2. "Hondori Shopping Arcade". Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  3. "Virtual Museum - Special Exhibit". Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  4. "Kamiya-cho and Hondori". Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Archived from the original on 2006-04-23. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  5. "Old wing of Hiroshima Andersen building: Company team studies rebuilding". Hiroshima Peace Media Center. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  6. 「お好み村」が家族で行ってみたいフードテーマパークで1位に！ ["Okonomi-mura" the #1 food theme park families want to visit!] (in Japanese). Hiroshima Home Television. May 3, 2004. Archived from the original on December 11, 2010.
  7. 牛田泰正 (Yasumasa Uchida) (Spring 2007). 観光地における飲食業 [The food and drink industry in sightseeing areas] (PDF) (in Japanese). p. 50. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 11, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2010.

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