Hiroshima

 Friday 30 June

Day 11

With our Shinkansen booked for 943am from Kyoto, there was no real rush this morning. We were awake by 730 and began our lazy morning routine of beroccas and tea/ coffee, followed by yogurt. We then began packing up our last minute things before checking out of the hotel at 830am. We pushed our cases back down the main road to the the Karasuma subway station. Used the elevators to get to the platform and boarded a waiting train. Soon after, we were deposited at Kyoto station and finding elevators to get to the Shinkansen station. With plenty of time to spare, we were able to take our time, follow elevator signs and we were soon clocking on through the gate with our JR pass that was now working properly, after having new ones issued on Tuesday. 

We found the waiting area booth and parked up the cases. I left Paul, so I could check the path to the platform. An easy elevator trip sussed. I then returned to sit with Paul. I decided to purchase a copy of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes from Apple Books, to read while here and was surprised to read the inscription; For Laura who remembered Sadako

We decided to head up to the platform at 930am and wait near the door 6 entry gate. We watched other bullet trains pull in and leave, before ours finally turned up. We promptly found our seats and made ourselves comfy. The train moved on to Osaka, stopping briefly at 9.58am and then it was on to Shin- Kobe for 10.11am, just short sections. 

We had to alight the train at Kobe and wait on the same platform for our connection. It was perfect, not having to make a trip up and down stairs to a different platform. So glad we found a helpful guide in Kyoto, otherwise we may have made the switch at Osaka instead. 

We had 20min, before our Sakura Bullet Train was due to arrive. From the platform we could look out over a cold, cloud covered Kobe. We watched the cable cars climb over the forest mountains that were slowly being covered by low lying cloud. I had checked the weather for Hiroshima this morning, we are due a couple of days of constant rain. 

Our train arrived just before 1030am and we entered car 8, unfortunately at the wrong end, so had to battle down the aisle with other suitcase wielding passengers. This train is smaller than the others, so it was a bit cosy sitting in our seat with our main bags between our legs and our cabin bags stowed away above our heads. 

I watched the signs of life roll passed the train window. The Japanese way of living and layout of suburbs becoming more familiar. Everything is quite boxy; homes, vehicles, bento. The view was ever changing, from farming, to industrial, to mountains and rivers and of course, tunnels. There were plenty of tunnels bored through the various mountains. 

We could see rain rolling in at different times, an ominous warning for our day. At 11.50am, we finally pulled into Hiroshima Station, not bad timing. We made our way from the platform, through the gate and straight to a ticket machine. I was keen to book our onward journey to Osaka for Sunday morning and was hoping to avoid joining the long queue. As it was a direct train, I found the process quite easy and before long, I had our tickets printed for the extra room seats. 

We then attempted to head out the exit, before returning to a visitor information centre, where we collected a map and directions for our hotel. Lucky, as we would have headed out the wrong exit. We made our way to the south end and then it was onto the straight in the rain. We followed the directions we were given and 500m later we were inside the lobby of the Royal Park Hotel, looking a little worse for wear.

We left our bags at the counter, as we weren’t able to check in until 3pm. Grabbed some things we needed from the cases and then braved the weather with our wets and a brolly. Our first destination was Hiroshima Castle about 30 min walk from the hotel. We could see the castle before we reached the grounds, as the building stood tall. A moat surrounds the stone castle wall and we followed this until we reached the walkway over the water and entered the grounds.

We made our way inside the old wooden building, depositing our shoes on the rack and the brolly in a bucket and then wandered along the wooden floor in our sodden socks, leaving wet footprints, as we roamed. There was ninja artwork on display for the recent G7 Summit and old artefacts that have been unearthed. What was left of the old building was interesting to check out.

With our shoes back on our feet, we wandered around the garden finding an eucalyptus tree. We read the sign post and it turns out the tree survived the atomic blast and continues to thrive today. We then checked out Gokoku Shrine. Here we read about a ritual that happens at this time of year, to ensure the remaining 6 months are prosperous. There was a large grass hoop in which you had to bow, and do figure 8s around and through. Each time you met the hoop you bowed. You had to turn to the left first, then go right and then go back through on the left and the you were free to continue to the alter. We watched others do this, before we both had a go. When in Rome!

After spending time at the temple, we stopped briefly for an ice cream, worked out where we needed to head and proceeded to follow google in the direction of Hiroshima Peace Park. Our first stop though was food. We came across a large, multi-story shopping centre with plenty of boards advertising restaurants, we ducked into the closest, a Chinese, to avoid the incoming downpour of rain. 

With the seafood rice and warming soup consumed, we made our way along the wet streets, taking what shelter we could under the umbrellas. We finally reached the Atomic Bomb Dome. The building, prior to the nuclear blast on August 6, 1945, was an arts and culture centre. It sat 600m below the the blast and while much of what was around it was obliterated, it’s sturdy brick construction saw some of it continue to stand. It was going to be demolished, during the rebuild of the city, but it was decided it should stay as a mark of remembrance. It is quite a sight to see in person and left me with a lasting feeling of sadness for those who stood no chance and yet hope, that we may never see this again. 

We wandered from here to a memorial statue and then over a bridge and into the Peace Park. Here there is a Peace Pond that surrounds an eternal flame. The flame is to be extinguished when there are no more nuclear weapons in the world. It was a shame it was peeing down so much, as I would have liked to wander more of the beautiful and peaceful park. I didn’t even get to lay my paper cranes, as I’d left them back at the hotel. I did however get to see the memorial for Sadako.

After taking some refuge under a building, along with a school group. We then navigated to Hiroshima Neighbour Brewery, where we could take refuge from the rain for a bit. We were both soaked on the outside. Paul was also soaked on the inside, as the humidity was still quite high. 

After a couple of beers and a quick Family Mart stop, we returned to the hotel for 4.15, checked in and were given the room key to 705. We made our way up and we’re pleasantly surprised that we had a river view room, where we could watch the traffic go by and the river fill with water. 

We unpacked, made ourselves at home, had long soaking baths and dried off. The rain had really settled in and it was making it difficult to see out of the window. We new it would be raining, but this much is nuts. 

By 630pm, we were ready to face it all again. We had all the wet gear we needed and we hit the soggy pavement in search of okonomiyaki, the dish created here in Hiroshima. I had watched a travel blog on YouTube earlier, so decided to just follow to their suggested eatery about 1.5km away. As we walked, we got closer to the entertainment district. The familiar brightly lit billboards and streets, made it easy to navigate, even if the umbrellas added an extra hazard. I stopped to take a few pictures, but it is difficult to manage. Paul helps out with the brolly holding, to ensure the gear isn’t getting wet. 

We finally made it to the building, caught the elevator to the 3rd floor and were surrounded by restaurants only serving okonomiyaki. You basically chose one you liked the look of, sat down, chose your style and then had it cooked in front of you on a giant, metal hot plate. We chose the last restaurant that had no patrons, ordered up and then watched the magic of the meal being prepared before us. It tasted as good as it looked and before we were finished, the little restaurant for 10 was full. We spoke to a group of young ones and were surprised to find one of them was from the southern suburbs of Perth, on exchange. Australia is a small place!

We left the crowds to it and went on to Raku Beer Bar, where Paul tried a Japanese Dubbel. He enjoyed the beer, but we were both so full, that we were keen to return home. With google set once more, we traipsed the glistening road back to our hotel, stopping for our breakfast things first and then it was into the lobby for 830pm and ready to head to bed.