Hiroshima/Miyajima

27.02.-28.02.2018 HIROSHIMA/MIYAJIMA

Disclaimer: I apologize for the image quality, something went wrong while uploading them and I currently don’t have the time to fix it – really sorry

We took the Shinkansen from Osaka to Hiroshima and after dropping off our stuff, we went to see the Peace Memorial Park in the City Centre. In the middle of the park is the famous A-Bomb Dome, a building that was about 160m horizontally away from the hypocentre and was partially able to maintain it’s general structure because of the blast coming more from above than from the side.

A-Bomb Dome from the opposite side of the river

The Peace Bell is only an arm length from the Dome, it is supposed to be rung by everybody passing it, it represents the wish of Hiroshima for a world without nuclear weapons or wars. There are many other memorials in the park as well, for example one dedicated to the children killed directly and indirectly by the atomic bomb.

Peace Bell 
Children’s Peace Monument
Fountain in the Peace Park

Also part of the park is the Peace Memorial Museum, which gave detailled information on how and why it even came to the developement of atomic bombs (thanks Einstein – even though he later stated the letter he signed was his deepes regret), how and why the decision was made to target Japan and the consequences of the drop.

They also showed interviews with survivors, sorted by how far away they where from the Hypocentre, the stories were absolutely terrifing, but also gave me a deeper understanding of the situation.

We ate in a small pub that day and judging by the customers, it felt a bit like the kind of place you go to drink your pension away while watching some sports. The food was excellent though, I had a See Eel Rice bowl and Manu a Hanger steak.

The hostel we were staying at was seriously pretty, everything was in a modern, wooden and pleasantly chill style. The cafe in the middle of the two hostel-builings was run by the hostel manager’s husband, it all felt very welcoming.

BGC 39 (0)

We spent the whole next day on Miyajima, an island only 10 minutes away from Hiroshima by ferry. The island is famous for Itsukishima Shrine and its Great Torii, which is located at the beach (the gate is in the water at high tide and on the ground at low tide). When we got there, it was about half-tide – impressively beautiful.

Anlegedock Miyajima 
Great Torii

We also went to the 5-storied padoga “Gojunoto” not far above the Shrine on the way to the railway up Mount Misen, which was unfortunately closed for maintenance. For lunch, I had “Fish Rice”, which was pretty weird to eat and Manu ate fresh oysters on rice and egg.

Fish Rice
Statue

Since it started raining even before noon and it didn’t seem like it would stop anytime soon, we decided to give the Miyajima Museum of History and Folklore a try. They remodeled a traditional Japanese house into a museum you could walk through and visually explained the process of carving a spoon and gave detailled information on some (apparently) important battle that took place in the area a LONG time ago – without destroying the Shrine or the Great Torii though! The garden was very beautiful as well, however it was really cold there.

Museum of History and Folklore Garden

This evening, we decided to spare no costs and payed the highest-rated sushi restaurant of Hiroshima a visit. I have to say, it was well worth it, since we really ate especially well that day and in the end, the bill wasn’t even that high. At first, we ordered a variety plate, then individual Sushi and Maki – delicious.

BGC: 41 (2)

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