Hiroshima Electric Railway
The Hiroshima Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (広島電鉄株式会社, Hiroshima Dentetsu kabushiki gaisha) is a Japanese transportation company established on June 18, 1910, that operates streetcars and buses in and around Hiroshima Prefecture. It is known as "Hiroden" (広電) for short.
Native name | 広島電鉄株式会社 |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Hiroshima Dentetsu kabushiki gaisha |
| Company type | Public (Kabushiki gaisha) |
Traded as | TYO: 9033 |
| Industry | Transportation (streetcar, bus), real estate |
| Founded | June 18, 1910 |
| Headquarters | 2-9-29 Higashisenda-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-8610, Japan |
| Owners |
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Number of employees | 1,377 |
| Website | www |
The company's rolling stock includes an eclectic range of trams manufactured from across Japan and Europe, earning it the nickname "The Moving Streetcar Museum".
From January 2008 the company has accepted PASPY, a smart card ticket system.
This is the longest tram network in Japan, with 35.1 km (21.8 mi).
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the USA took place on 6 August 1945. 185 employees of the company were killed as a result of the bomb and 108 of its 123 cars were damaged or destroyed. Within three days, the system started running again. Three trams that survived or were rebuilt after the bombing continue to run 75 years afterwards.