A Day in Hiroshima

In all my years in Japan, I'd never been to Hiroshima, so I made that my next sight-seeing destination. I arrived at around noon yesterday, and made my way to the Heiwa Kinen Koen (Peace Memorial Park). Hiroshima's modern history is well-known, I think, as the first city to have an atomic bomb dropped on it. This happened on August 6, 1945 at 8:15 in the morning. The Peace Museum puts names and faces to that day, personalizing the tragedy. Some have said that the museum is propaganda; in a way, it is - it tugs at your heartstrings, and seeks to discourage future atomic weapons. I was really interested in the history, and the personal accounts.

One of the main sites, and now a World Heritage site, is the Genbaku (A-Bomb) Dome - the bomb almost directly above this building, and it's disintegrated dome is a strong reminder today.

Genbaku - A-Bomb Dome

Peace Park, Memorial

[caption id="attachment_287" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Peace Park, Memorial Cenotaph and Genbaku Dome"][/caption]

Genbaku Dome seen through the Cenotaph

As I said, the museum contains many photographs - some very gruesome - and displays of victims' belongings. This is a recreation of what that day looked like in the immediate aftermath.

Display at the Heiwa (Peace) Museum - replica of victims immediatly after the blast

This watch, recovered at the site, is stopped forever at 8;15 a.m.

The watch of one of the victims, whose body was never recovered. It is forever stopped at 8:15 a.m., the time the bomb was dropped

This tricycle I found most moving. It was being ridden by little Shinichi Tetsutani that morning. His father buried his son's remains, along with the tricycle, in the back yard. He exhumed the body in 1985 to bury his son in the family tomb, and the tricycle was put on display at the museum.

The tricycle of 4 year old Shinichi Tetsutani, who was out playing on his trike when the bomb dropped.

Having had enough of this depressing tour, I took the street car (first time I've ever ridding a street car ever!) back to Hiroshima station, and checked in at my hotel - the Ark Hotel, part of the Route Inn chain. Later, I went for an evening walk along the river, and found Cafe Rigolo, lovely cafe with outdoor river-side seating.

Cafe Regalo

And finally, back at the hotel, I went to the top floor where I washed away the grit and gore of the day in a hot bath while looking at a view of the city.

Today I'm expecting to be more pleasant, with a trip to Miyajima, officially known as Itsukushima. It's one of the most famous visited places in Japan, and I'm looking forward to spending the day taking photos of shrines, and hiking Mt. Misen. I'm also looking forward to spending the night at the Kinsui Villa http://www.kinsui-villa.jp/