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Published: March 19th 2009
Day 9-11
Leaving Takayama by local train, then two Shinkansen to Hiroshima. The local train was running late so instead of 10 minutes to navigate between platforms we only had 4. Quite a sight to see us running down the steps with fully laden packs on backs. The Japanese must think those westerners are a strange crowd. We made it with 1 minute to spare.
Hiroshima is quite a large city, and it has trams. We caught a tram to our hotel which being in the city was smaller but still in ryokan style. The owners made us very welcome.
We set out for an orientation walk that evening which our leader did in each town pointing out the necessities such as ATM’s, laundry, convenience stores and of course the extremely handy 100 yen shop (like a $2 shop but better). I really is 105 Yen though with tax!
We walked through the park and saw the statue to commemorate the little girl who folded 1000 origami paper cranes in the hope that would make her better. She was 2 when the Atom bomb dropped in Hiroshima and become ill at 10. She died at 12 but
her story inspired so many that a paper crane folding movement occurred and even now they are being made and displayed in the park coming from around the world. Today it is a symbol for peace and the hope that nuclear weapons will be removed forever.
On to a walk through a very impressive covered mall that went over at least two large city blocks. When Hiroshima was rebuilt they did it on a grid so it has a bit of a Melbourne feel to it. Hiroshima even has a dodgy area (this was how it was written on the English version of the city map) which was a street with clubs and bars that looked pretty nice for a dodgy area as far as I could tell from a quick stroll through with the group. Perhaps as the night got older things changed.
It was then dinner tme. Tonight a traditional Japanese pancake (Okonomiyaki) cooked on a large hot plate the length of a U shaped table that seated about 20 people. First the egg, bean shoots, then noodles, bacon and a whole lot more that I didn’t see added every few minutes and then folded over
and heated through. Topped off by a good smothering of bbq sauce (or that’s what it tasted like). Tasted fantastic and lots of fun eating it with chopsticks while we watched Japan play baseball on the screen above. They won that match but lost the next day. Baseball is very big in Japan - the local team in Hiroshima are the Carps!
Next morning we were off to a local Island called Miyajima via tram, train and ferry. Famous for its Tori gate that sits in the sea and appears to be floating at high tide. We decided not to get there really early so missed the high tide viewing but still impressive, as was the local temple complex. A wedding was occurring and we saw some of the event.
The island is full of deer who love to follow you looking for things to eat (paper will do - on a previous tour one of the group lost their rail pass to a hungry deer). They are cute but when they are following you and wanting food not so endearing. There is a great steep chair lift to the top of the mountain for stunning views of
Tori gate
View from ferrythe nearby islands. It was a little hazy as so often Asia seems to be. Monkeys are famous here too but I didn’t see any. The island is very scenic and worth the visit. You could really spend all day there, however it was time to go back and do some laundry!
The next day was spent at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park. The display setting the background and the moments leading upto the dropping of the bomb, and then the bombing itself and its aftermath was extremely moving. The lasting image of the building tha came to be called the A bomb dome, is a constant and haunting reminder of the terrible events that occurred. Throughout Hiroshima there are many monuments and an overriding sense that the whole city is part of a quest for lasting peace.
After dinner that night we went to a local establishment - the Hypocenter- where you could try and hit baseballs pitched at you from a machine or a simulated baseball pitcher as well as pool and table tennis etc. (about 9 floors worth). I mush admit I enjoyed the game of table-tennis having finally shaken off my cold.
If only the table was a bit longer more of my shots would have been winners!
Before leaving the following day we were fortunate enough to be able to hear the story of a local person who was a survivor from the A bomb. His school was 2 kilometres from the centre and he was inside and facing away from the blast. He saw the planes go over and wondered why they flew so high and even thought how beautiful they looked. Moments later and the flash and blast occurred, the school roof collapsed but he got out and after trying to take a friend to the local hospital (where he saw so many terrible things on the way) he left the city and went the long way around to the north where his mother was; thus largely escaping the residual radiation. He was 16 and is now 80. Quite a remarkable man who is spending his retirement sharing his recollections and advocating for peace.
Overall Hiroshima is an impressive city and will certainly stay as a clear memory for me.
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magicj66
Steve
fantastic pics
your journal is really giving a good insight to what you are seeing. hope you have had a great birthday. Steve J