port city at s.w. end of Honshu Island; founded in 16th century as a castle town, later became a military center; first city to be hit by an atomic bomb, on Aug. 6, 1945; device dropped by U.S. Army Air Force killed between 70,000 and 80,000 and left many to die of radiation poisoning; city underwent reconstruction beginning in 1950; site of Peace Memorial Park and other monuments to victims of atomic bomb; textiles, rubber products, machinery, canned goods, sake; sacred island Itsukushima nearby; pop. 1,079,600