Hiroshima's history and it's future

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Having successfully negotiated our way from the station to the hostel we were able to dump our bags in our private ensuite room and begin sightseeing straight away. Almost immediately after leaving the hostel the rain began to fall in biblical proportions. We were able to grab an umbrella and commence without too much difficulty. We boarded the tram to the Atomic Bomb Dome. This is a building which was very close to the epicentre yet remarkably its shell and metal dome like structure withstood the bomb. It was decided that the building should remain as a monument to those who lost their lives. As we crossed the peace park we arrived at the “Children’s Peace Monument” Sadako Sasaki was exposed to the A- bomb when she was 2 years old but survived however when she was 12 she was diagnosed with radiation related Leukaemia. During her illness she folded origami paper cranes in hope of a cure. She folded 1000 before she died. Her school friends decided that there should be a monument to the children who had lost their lives because of the bomb. Now school children all over the world fold paper cranes and leave them at the monument as a sign of peace. Further into the park is the Cenotaph which is a little like an archway and as you look through it you can see the flame of peace and the A bomb dome all in a perfect line. We didn’t stay in the park long as the heavy rain and grey sky was only adding to the sombre mood.

“At 8.15 am on August 6th 1945, the city of Hiroshima fell victim to the world’s first atomic bombing. The entire city was virtually levelled; thousands upon thousands of lives were lost. Many of those who managed to survive suffered irreparable physical and psychological damage. By the end of December 1945 the acute effects of radiation had subsided and the bomb had taken 140,000 lives.”

The Bomb
“With a blinding flash the bomb detonated 600 metres above the city centre. It was 3 metres long and weighed 4 tons. 50% of the energy from the bomb was released in the form of a blast or shock wave, 35% heat rays and 15% in the form of radiation. At that instant of detonation, the temperature at the centre exceeded a million degrees Celsius generating a huge fireball. Within 1 second of detonation it had extended to its maximum diameter of 280 metres. Temperatures on the surface reached 5000 degrees Celsius”

The museum was divided into different sections. At first it began with the history of Hiroshima and how it developed into a military city and then it went onto the war and all of the different struggles and wars between different countries at the time. It showed how USA begun to study how to develop an atomic bomb in 1939 and that by 1942 they launched the Manhattan project which would build the bomb. It was successfully tested in July 1945. Why did they drop the bomb? Well according to the museum it was for many different reasons but mainly to bring an end to the war and to stop the Soviet influence and power. We discovered that the U.K and Russia both knew about the bomb and how all 3 powers had agreed that the bomb would be used on Japan. They had a shortlist of cities from which to choose but ended up picking Hiroshima because it didn’t have an allied prisoners of war camp.
Upstairs it the exhibits looked deeper into nuclear arms in the world today and the effect they would have on the world. The USA, Russia, U.K, France and China are the main nuclear countries but there are many others who have not told the world of their capabilities. I was shocked to learn that after the Hiroshima bomb Britain then tested their own nuclear bomb in 1952 despite clearly knowing the consequences of such an act. Russia has also tested a nuclear bomb which is said to have 3100 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Further shocking facts about nuclear bombs and their capabilities of destroying the entire planet followed. Up until now it had all been rather factual and although terrible as of yet not too emotional but then the next exhibition hall had recounts from survivors, pictures of burnt and melted skin, clothes and items of those who were never found. This really put the whole museum into perspective immediately.

Although all of this sounds a little depressing Hiroshima has rebuilt itself as the city of peace. This is not done in a cheap way but rather with a genuine hope for peace. The mayor of Hiroshima writes a letter to each government on behalf of the people of Hiroshima highlighting their disgust each time a nuclear weapon is made and or tested. There are thousands of letters sent to a whole range of countries. They believe that the only way we can achieve peace is to eradicate nuclear bombs completely. Throughout the museum there were groups of school children and this is a daily occurrence as Japan aims to educate all of its children by showing them the result of war and highlighting the need for peace. It all sounds a little depressing but we really believe these places should be visited as it’s all too easy to avoid anything like this and therefore not recognise that it even happened. Visiting such places keeps alive the memory and hopefully will go some way to stopping any future atomic wars.

When we left the museum it was still raining and dark. We made our way to the nearest undercover arcade and went about trying to locate an Irish pub we had read about called Molly ..... We sat down to a well deserved pint and fish and chips. A short tram ride back and we were soon drying of and chatting to some other people back at the hostel. We were both really tired and so planned to get up late and have a slow morning the next day.

What a difference a day makes. 24 little hours and it was sunny hot and life was good. We slept in until 9 ish and then had cheese on toast for breakfast at the hostel and a nice cup of tea/coffee. We couldn’t waste such a beautiful day and so made our way to an island called Miyajima. We went here mainly to see the Ohtorii gate which is an orange gateway in the sea leading to the Itsukushima Shrine which was first built in 593. This shrine has recently been designated a UNESCO world heritage site. The whole island was bathed in sun and covered in tourist delights. We took the ropeway up towards the top of the Mt Misen the views were spectacular that was until I read the sign about venomous snakes and monkeys which looked like baboons. Although beautiful it was not beautiful enough to keep me at the top for long enough to encounter a baboon. Having said that as we headed back to the cable car a large red bottomed monkey came skulking from around the corner which instantly meant that I hid behind Jacks but not before I thrust the camera into her hands. No real photo was taken because Jacks was busy rescuing a German girl from a chasing monkey. We all made a hasty retreat, even the monkey.

Down at the bottom of the island we mooched about looking at temples, shrines and pagodas and dodging the semi tame deer which wander freely around the village when we happened upon some Australians school kids screaming and shouting. A bite, a nibble and suck later I had my feet out of the water and Jacks had hers well and truly in it. We were at the doctor fish shop. We paid to sit with our feet in a small pool while tons of tiny or not so tiny fish nibbled off the dry skin. I had been saying I would like to do this as my feet are not taking to travelling as well as I am but my fear of animals biting me did not really make the experience pleasant. I would stick my feet in and after on fish touched me I would pull them out screaming again. Jacks on the other hand took to this like a fish to water (excuse pun) and the fish found her feet to be particularly tasty. They swarmed around her feet and ankles and took an interest in some of her 30 bites on her legs. She swears blind that they are healing much better because of the fish.
A short ferry and train ride followed and we were back at the hostel. We have realised that the cheapest way to eat here is to buy food from the 7 eleven convenience store which is sort of fast food anyway and then just heat it up. It is proving much cheaper and we have had cheese on toast for breakfast which has also saved us some yen. We had a relaxed night at the hostel chatting to some other travellers and getting tips. If it weren’t for the weather on that first day I think we would have found Hiroshima prefecture to be a vibrant and interesting place with fantastic scenery and we would recommend others visit here.

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