If you look straight ahead, you’ll spot a massive, modern structure with curved green rooftops and geometric glass sections-just follow the path up past the trees, and you can’t miss the distinctive silhouette of the Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium.
Welcome to the final stop of our tour-the Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium, proudly known to locals as the Green Arena! Take a deep breath and imagine the sounds of cheering crowds and bouncing basketballs, because you’re standing in front of the beating heart of Hiroshima’s sports and entertainment scene.
But this gymnasium wasn’t always here in this shape. Let’s roll back about 150 years. In the days of samurai, the land you’re standing on was filled with the grand houses of warriors, right beside Hiroshima Castle’s main keep. Then, in the era of the Meiji Restoration, the sound of marching boots took over as the Japanese army set up its command here, filling the area with drills, cannon fire, and the shouts of soldiers. But everything changed in seconds on August 6, 1945, when the atomic bomb leveled the heart of Hiroshima-a silence that hung heavier than any crowd inside the arena ever could.
After the war, Hiroshima was determined not just to rebuild its homes and industry but to reclaim life and hope through culture and sport. So, in 1962, the people of Hiroshima built the original Prefectural Gymnasium here, making this land a symbol of rebirth. That gym hosted everything: from volleyball games to music festivals, from boxing matches to martial arts spectacles-sometimes even televised ones! Word on the street is, if these walls could talk, they’d ask for a vacation after all the action.
Fast forward to 1994 and, like a superhero getting a costume upgrade, the gymnasium was rebuilt for the Hiroshima Asian Games. Enter the modern facility you see now, complete with the enormous Green Arena that can hold nearly 10,000 people. The arena has a floor big enough to land a small spaceship-48 by 80 meters-with a four-sided giant screen hanging from the ceiling for replays and dramatic countdowns. Besides the main arena, there’s a smaller hall, dojos for martial arts, an archery range, a fitness plaza, meeting rooms, and even a cozy restaurant when you need energy after all that sporting-or cheering.
Hiroshima’s own volleyball heroes, the JT Thunders, call this place home, and soon the local basketball legends, the Hiroshima Dragonflies, will battle it out here too. But it’s not just about balls and goals. This place has seen all sorts of events: from epic world volleyball championships, to the World Basketball Championship, to pro wrestling where drama sometimes spilled past the ropes. In fact, a legend of the ring, Mitsuharu Misawa, tragically lost his life here, reminding all just how dramatic and real sports can be.
But don’t think it’s all sweat and bruises. The gymnasium has hosted grand music events too-imagine the air trembling as hundreds of cellos fill the hall, or picture Led Zeppelin rocking out here in 1971, donating the show’s proceeds to victims of the atomic bomb. That’s right, right here, rock and roll and peace joined hands.
If you peek around, you might spot athletes dashing to practice, the occasional famous face at an exhibition, or kids dreaming of their own glory. And every so often, there’s this little echo bouncing around, carrying stories from police music bands, peace music festivals, and, most recently, world leaders at the G7 Summit using the gym’s halls as the international media center. In other words, this place isn’t just a gym-it’s a living history book and a playground for hope.
So, whether you’re inspired by the echoes of victory cheers, the soft brush of bows from the archers, or the distant memory of guitar riffs and applause, remember that you’re standing in a spot that’s blended the pain of Hiroshima’s past with the joy and hope of its present. It’s a story with energy, heart, and an absolutely huge roof.
Thanks for joining the adventure through Naka-ku-maybe you’ll come back to cheer on a new champion, or just to enjoy the buzz of a city that never gave up!
If you're keen on discovering more about the summary, facility overview or the major competitions and events, head down to the chat section and engage with me.
