Spring of Prayers

This fountain was constructed with the intent of offering comfort and dedicating the water to the souls of the atomic bomb victims who died yearning for water, often uttering the phrase, "Water, water."
It was built by Hiroshima Bank and donated to Hiroshima City in November 1964 (Showa 39). At the time, it was reputed to be the most luxurious fountain in Western Japan, featuring 567 jets across a span of 27 meters east-to-west and 19 meters north-to-south, spraying 11 tons of water per minute up to a height of 10 meters. It is illuminated at night.

The site of the current Grand Fountain initially featured a small fountain pond. This fountain pond was installed in April 1958 (Showa 33) in front of the southern facade of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (now the Main Building), which was the venue for the Hiroshima Reconstruction Grand Exposition.
Initially, the plan was to build an exposition theme tower, but coincidentally, the Japan Federation of Specialty Store Associations (Cooperative Association) had donated one million yen to Hiroshima City with the request that the funds be used for a facility to mourn the atomic bomb victims. As a result of deliberations, it was decided to create a fountain pond to serve as a water offering (mizukuyō) to the atomic bomb victims.