Tenjin-machi was one of the neighborhoods of the Nakajima District, which thrived as a center of amusement, shopping, and eating. It was a long, narrow strip extending north and south, divided into north Tenjin-machi and south Tenjin-machi. The bustling nature of this neighborhood inhabited by numerous merchants is described in the panel entitled "Traces of the Former North Tenjin-machi Area" standing next to the monument.
However, because Tenjin-machi was only 500 meters from the hypocenter, homes were destroyed and residents were killed instantly. Because Tenjin-machi and neighboring areas were designated as building demolition areas, all the students in middle schools who were working on these projects were killed along with them.
Flames still raging at nightfall prevented people from entering the area to search for relatives. Reduced to a burnt plain, the area became Peace Memorial Park after the war, and the neighborhood disappeared. (The South Tenjin-machi monument is located on the Peace Boulevard side [south side] of the Motoyasu riverbank.)