Orizuru Tower
Orizuru Tower, constructed in 2016, is a sleek new Hiroshima landmark. Overlooking the A-bomb Dome and commanding a superb view out over the city, the building is named for, and themed around, the origami cranes that have come to symbolize the prayers of Hiroshima’s people for the victims of the atomic bombing. Just as the paper birds also signify hopes for a peaceful future, Orizuru Tower is a symbol of Hiroshima as a forward-looking city.
A spiraling ramped staircase leads to Hiroshima Hill, the beautifully designed observation deck on Orizuru Tower’s top floor. Unfolding across an expansive and gently sloping floor and built with natural wood, Hiroshima Hill is both calming and contemporary. A windowless design lets in fresh breezes from outside, as the cityscape below fans out into the mountains beyond. On clear days, the Miyajima World Heritage site 22 kilometers away can be seen.
Below Hiroshima Hill, the 12th-floor Orizuru Square features hands-on digital activities. Here visitors can create their own larger-than-life avatar made of digital origami pieces before folding their own paper crane. After making a silent prayer for peace, visitors can drop their crane down the Orizuru Wall; a transparent chute then transports it down to ground level, where the colorful origami cranes pile up. The total number of orizuru amassed since the tower opened is displayed on the first floor, where there is also a cafe, as well as a shop selling Hiroshima souvenirs.