Changes

[[Mori Terumoto|Môri Terumoto]] began construction on a castle located on an island in the delta of the Otagawa (in [[Aki province]]) in [[1589]]. The work on the moats and walls was finished in [[1593]], but it took until [[1599]] for the ''tenshu'' and other buildings to be completed. Môri called this part of his lands [[Hiroshima]] (wide island). Shortly after the [[Mori clan|Môri clan]] found themselves on the losing side at the [[battle of Sekigahara]] in [[1600]], this part of their holdings was given to the former [[Toyotomi clan|Toyotomi]] loyalist, [[Fukushima Masanori]]. The castle suffered severe flood damage in [[1617]]. Fukushima asked the [[Tokugawa shogunate|shogunate]] for permission to repair this damage, but never received an answer. Undaunted, he proceeded with repairs in [[1619]]. This provided the Tokugawa with the excuse they needed to strip Fukushima of this fief, moving him to a much smaller fiefdom near [[Kawanakajima]]. [[Hiroshima han]] was then turned over to the [[Asano clan]] who held it until the [[Meiji Restoration]] in [[1871]]. As happened to many castles during this era, all of the buildings except for the ''tenshu'' were destroyed by the government (castles were seen as a potential center for rebellions against the Imperial government).  

[[Mori Terumoto|Môri Terumoto]] began construction on a castle located on an island in the delta of the Otagawa (in [[Aki province]]) in [[1589]]. The work on the moats and walls was finished in [[1593]], but it took until [[1599]] for the ''tenshu'' and other buildings to be completed. Môri called this part of his lands [[Hiroshima]] (wide island). Shortly after the [[Mori clan|Môri clan]] found themselves on the losing side at the [[battle of Sekigahara]] in [[1600]], this part of their holdings was given to the former [[Toyotomi clan|Toyotomi]] loyalist, [[Fukushima Masanori]]. The castle suffered severe flood damage in [[1617]]. Fukushima asked the [[Tokugawa shogunate|shogunate]] for permission to repair this damage, but never received an answer. Undaunted, he proceeded with repairs in [[1619]]. This provided the Tokugawa with the excuse they needed to strip Fukushima of this fief, moving him to a much smaller fiefdom near [[Kawanakajima]]. [[Hiroshima han]] was then turned over to the [[Asano clan]] who held it until the [[Meiji Restoration]] in [[1871]]. As happened to many castles during this era, all of the buildings except for the ''tenshu'' were destroyed by the government (castles were seen as a potential center for rebellions against the Imperial government).  

[[Emperor Meiji]] lived in the castle for seven months during the [[Sino-Japanese War]] of 1894-95, and during the [[Russo-Japanese War]] of 1904-05, the castle was used as a barracks for troops.  

[[Emperor Meiji]] lived in the castle for seven months during the [[Sino-Japanese War]] of 1894-95, and during the [[Russo-Japanese War]] of 1904-05, the Japanese Supreme Command (''daihon'ei'') was relocated to Hiroshima in order to be closer to the warfront;<ref>Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', UC Press (1998), 129.</ref> the castle was used at that time as a barracks for troops.  

The castle's most tragic entry in the annals of history came in 1945 when it was destroyed by the first atomic bomb. The ''tenshu'' and attached buildings were completely obliterated. However, in a testament to the effectiveness of the Japanese style of building walls, the ''ishigaki'' remained relatively untouched.  

The castle's most tragic entry in the annals of history came in 1945 when it was destroyed by the first atomic bomb. The ''tenshu'' and attached buildings were completely obliterated. However, in a testament to the effectiveness of the Japanese style of building walls, the ''ishigaki'' remained relatively untouched.