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Published: August 6th 2007
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Always a festival on in Japan!
During Golden Week (basically lots of public holidays in a row) in Japan, Rebekah, Cate and I went on a short holiday to Hiroshima. After 4 hours sitting on the floor of the Shinkansen bullet train, as we left it too late to buy reserved seat tickets, we arrived at Hiroshima Station. We finally found our accommodation, Ryokan Sansui, and then were taken for a short walk down the road, to a hole in the wall and a narrow passage that lead to our room! We took the stairs up to find our huge room, it was very nice!
We spent the afternoon exploring our surroundings, finding out that the annual flower festival was on…so great atmosphere and festival food! We walked along Peace Boulevard, through Peace Memorial Park to the A-bomb Dome.
On August 6, 1945, the world’s first atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima. The heat rays and blast burned and crushed nearly all buildings within 2 kilometres and killed thousands.
140 000 (40% of the city’s population then) were killed instantly or within a few months by the bomb. Even today, the number of people in Hiroshima who have died from
radiation-related disease continues to grow.
As everything was in walking distance, we went back to the Peace Park at night to see all the beautiful candles lit and see the A-bomb Dome lit up.
Miyajima (literally “shrine island”)
I love Miyajima! It was just a 20 minute train ride, then 10 minute ferry ride away. The island just had a nice feel, lots of nature, cute little streets lined with souvenir shops and restaurants, and one of Japan’s three most scenic views - Itsukushima Shrine and its huge ‘floating’ torii gate. Miyajima’s symbol is a maple leaf and like every city in Japan, they make a traditional sweet. Miyajima’s specialties are delicious maple leaf shaped cakes filled with either, chocolate, custard or bean paste. Better still, you can buy them hot and deep fried!!! Mmmmm!
A walk through the city
On our third day, we walked to Shukkeien Gardens, right in the middle of the city, then on to Hiroshima Castle where festivities were going on for Boy’s Day. We walked back along the Motoyasu-gawa River and through the Peace Park again to the Memorial Museum. The museum was very interesting but also sad of
course. (Only 50 Yen for entrance, I was surprised). I was very impressed by the amount of artifacts collected from the atomic bombing. There was burned clothing, a charred lunchbox, melted glasses, parts of mangled building and many detailed gruesome survival stories. There were photos taken just after the bomb and also horrifying photos of victims with diseases, skin infections and fingernail deformities.
Sunday at the station, just before we left, we ate Hiroshima’s specialty, Okonomiyaki. It is make on a flat hotplate with batter, bacon, cabbage, egg, pork, a special sauce and Hiroshima’s special ingredient, yakisoba noodles - it was fantastic!!!
Unfortunately the train was packed again and we had to sit on the floor! It was so funny to see that some Japanese people were prepared not to get a seat, so brought their own to sit in the aisle in!
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Let me be the first
to compliment your lovely photos - obviously you have got your new camera all worked out!