Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県 Hiroshima-ken^?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island.^[1]

The capital is the city of Hiroshima.^[2]


Hiroshima prefecture lies in the middle of Chūgoku. Most of the prefecture consists of mountains leading towards Shimane Prefecture.

The province is facing Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea. Hiroshima Bay opens on the Inland Sea.^[4] The prefecture also includes many small islands.

The sheltered nature of the Inland Sea makes Hiroshima's climate very mild.

The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province.^[3] This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded history. Hiroshima is a traditional center of the Chūgoku region and was the seat of the Mōri clan until the Battle of Sekigahara.
Hiroshima is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites:

• The Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, one of the few remnants of prewar Hiroshima following the atomic bombing in 1945;
• The Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, famed for filling with water and appearing to "float" during high tide.