比治山陸軍墓地は、1877年の西南戦争から1945年の第二次世界大戦における戦没者が葬られ、かつての軍都広島の歴史と戦争の記憶を静かに伝える霊廟です。現在も敷地内には旧日本陸軍将兵約3,500柱の墓石が並んでいます。
The Hijiyama Army Cemetery is a mausoleum that quietly conveys the history of the former military city of Hiroshima and the memory of its wars, serving as the final resting place for soldiers who died in conflicts ranging from the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion to World War II in 1945. Today, the grounds still hold approximately 3,500 gravestones dedicated to former Japanese Imperial Army officers and soldiers.
一方で、陸軍墓地は単位日本兵を弔う場としてだけでなく、多国籍の慰霊の場という側面も持ち合わせています。敷地の奥へ進むと、日清戦争や北清事変の間に広島で亡くなった外国兵（中国兵・ドイツ兵・フランス兵など）の墓が存在するためです。特にフランス式の西洋墓苑（1900年頃造園）には、どうしても目を奪われずにはいられません。
However, the Army Cemetery holds an additional significance: it is not merely a place to mourn Japanese soldiers, but also a site for multinational commemoration. Deep within the grounds, there are graves belonging to foreign soldiers (including Chinese, German, and French troops, among others) who passed away in Hiroshima during the Sino-Japanese War and the Boxer Rebellion. Notably, the Western-style French cemetery (established around 1900) is particularly striking and captivating.
なお陸軍墓地は立ち入り禁止区域ではないため、誰でも自由に訪れることができます。墓苑を抜けた先には「比治山公園」の一部として、広島湾が一望できる展望エリア（旧日出の台）が開放されており、比治山随一の眺望が眼前に広がります。眼下に目を凝らせば、国の重要文化財にも指定された旧陸軍被服支廠を見つけることもできるでしょう。
Furthermore, the Army Cemetery is not a restricted area, so anyone is welcome to visit. Beyond the cemetery grounds, the "Hinode-no-Dai" observation deck (part of Hijiyama Park) is open to the public, offering a sweeping view of Hiroshima Bay—arguably the best panorama available on Hijiyama. By looking closely down the slope, you may also spot the former Army Clothing Depot, which has been designated a National Important Cultural Property.
陸軍墓地は、大声を出したりはしゃだりする場所ではありませんが、必要以上に身構える場所でもありません。平和の丘で風に吹かれて、心穏やかにこの美しい景色と対峙してみるのもいいかもしれませんね。
While the Army Cemetery is certainly not a place for loud noise or boisterous behavior, neither is it a place that requires visitors to be overly tense or guarded. Why not allow the wind to refresh you on this hill of peace and serenely take in this beautiful landscape, which holds such deep historical significance?