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Published: June 29th 2015
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Atomic bomb dome
This building is directly under where the bomb was detonated. Other than Tokyo, Hiroshima was my favorite place I visited in Japan. It's a small, unassuming city with plenty of river walks and tasty food, and its history is ubiquitous and palpable.
Anyone visiting here should absolutely read John Hershey's novel Hiroshima. It was published just a year after the bombing and it brilliantly laces together the lives of several survivors who basically never should have survived the blast. After visiting the museum, these people weren't just in the blast zone where some survived- they were in the area where practically no one survived (beyond a few days). Reading the novel ahead of time was so much more valuable than just reading the descriptions on the historical landmarks; actually, it enhanced my understanding of the landmarks around the city that tell brief stories about the condition of that area and its distance from the "hypocenter."
It's funny that already when I tell most Westerners that I've visited Hiroshima, they inevitably ask if the city is safe today from radiation, etc. I probably would have posed the same question prior to researching my visit, but it was, according to the aforementioned novel, said to be basically safe for humans only
three days after the blast. Even by that time the radiation levels were only four times the normal levels on Earth, far less damaging than having a basic CT scan.
I didn't spend too long at the museum. It's pretty good, but it was packed and half of it was under construction (it does need an update). It costs only 50 yen (40 cents) to enter, as it should. There were hundreds of Japanese schoolchildren on end-of-the-year field trips waiting to enter- in most cases to present their paper cranes in memory of Sadako Sasaki, a girl who died of leukemia as a result of the radiation from the bomb. The museum has some powerful exhibits -- a lot of artifacts from the city -- but one can only look at so many melted keepsakes and so on. It's not boring; it's just emotionally tiring, which I suppose is the point. Some of the photos made me wince and I wanted to get through there quickly. There are some wonderful video testimonies at the end... I wish they had a more comfortable place to sit and watch them. Some that are really difficult to read are on atomicbombmuseum.org.
So, some things about the city besides its destruction. The food was really interesting and a nice change from other parts of the country. Though I love the freshness and simplicity of the food I ate in Tokyo, it was satisfying to try the heavier and heartier meals in the South. Okonomiyaki is really interesting (see photos) and would be a hit as a breakfast food in the States. Hiroshima style tsukemen are cold noodles that you dip in spicy sauce and slurp up. A bib is needed. The ones we got were on a spiciness scale between 0 and 20; I chose 18/20, just below what looked like insanity. It definitely cleared out my sinuses and was a really enjoyable experience (see photo).
Being from Pittsburgh, I appreciated the confluence of the (albeit smaller) two rivers to form a third in Hiroshima. As expected, the Japanese keep it simple here, but there are miles and miles of trails along all sides of the rivers and near "the Point" -- perfect for a run or walk.
Accommodations:
In hindsight, we probably should have spent a few more dollars for a traditional tatami-style hotel, but we needed to
Bridge after bombing
This is the bridge in the gardens; contrast it with the next photo. book quickly, so we went with a double room in a hostel. K's Hostel was fine, but it was the equivalent of a Kia or Hyundai, and there we were on a special trip without an interesting place to stay in. The room was tiny but clean. I hit my head on the doorway over and over, but I guess there's not much they can do about that. The kitchen is fine and the common area is attractive, but it didn't seem to stimulate much conversation or interaction among the guests. I guess there are fewer and fewer hostels out there with much character. We liked it enough to stay at their Kyoto location as well, but that was more about convenience and price.
There are more photos below.
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