Miyajima and Hiroshima

After b’fast at the Rihga (which was not as good as the Tokyu), we met our 1st guide in the lobby and hopped in a taxi for the very short ride over to the Kyoto train station, actually a hotel right across the street where we met three other tourists who were from India. Walked across the street to the station and received our Shinkansen tickets with the admonishment not to lose them (seems reasonable?).  We walked through the ticket turnstile and the guide instructed us that we had 20 minutes to spare before entering the platform.  I heard her say that we would meet back in front of the waiting area at 08:20h before heading to the platform.  Myles thought she meant she would be meeting us there upon returning from Hiroshima that evening at around 8:20 pm.  He said I wasn’t listening.  So up we went to the platform gate indicated on the ticket to await our Nozomi Shinkansen to Hiroshima.  I should note here that the itinerary provided by Exotik Journeys was not very clear in this department.  The plan was revealed that we would travel to Hiroshima and back via bullet train, the bus part was only locally in Hiroshima/Miyajima.  Anyway, as we awaited the train, our 1st tour guide came frantically up to us with obvious anxiety.  Apparently I was listening.  All was well as we were regrouped and boarded the correct train.  It became obvious why the stress at the next station where 10 more Indian folks boarded the Shinkansen all sporting Sunrise tour stickers.  All 16 of us were seated together in reserved seats on this car.  So clearly, the tour organizer has the group designed to be together when met at the Hiroshima platform.  Once we arrived in Hiroshima, we were met on the platform by our 2nd guide,  the lovely Fumikosan which means beautiful mountain girl or some such.  She herded us to the exit where it became apparent why the admonishment to not lose our tickets was necessary (not us!).  Any way, the bus ride to the ferry terminal was brief with a stop across the moat from the Hiroshima Shiro (castle) watch tower which was built on the now familiar stone pedestal.  The walk on ferry across the inland sea to Miyajima island was only 10 minutes passing through oyster farming structures.  Miyajima is an island famous for the Itsukushima Shrine and the floating O-Torii gate (which unfortunately is being renovated and was completely shrouded in). We walked along the shopping district with many restaurants and souvenir shops and then through the shrine itself.  This shrine was active with a family attending for the blessing of the very young children.  Religious activity in Japan is an amalgam to three main deities, Shinto, Buddhism and Christianity.

Apparently, birth is celebrated via Shinto, life’s major events (like marriage) in Christian style, and death with the Buddhists.  We strolled through the shrine with play by play from Fumiko.  Then back through the open air arcade where we tried some craft brew and a couple of grilled oysters (ham and cheese!) before buying some maple leaf cakes and heading back to the ferry.  Once back across the inland sea, we bused over to the center of Hiroshima and by the Hypocenter (ground zero) where the Uranium bomb detonated about 300 m beyond its targeted bridge and above a hospital at about 600 m high. We then drove by the “atomic bomb dome” which was the only building left standing after the blast in the vicinity of the hypocenter.  The theme of the park sculptures and exhibits is that the horrors of nuclear devastation must never be allowed to be seen again.  One moving story about a young girl (Sadako Sasaki) who survived the initial blast but succumbed to cancer 10 years later had made origami swans for good fortune in hopes of recovering from leukemia.  The monument lining up a view of the Atomic Bomb Dome was also very impressive. 

The Peace Park and museum was disturbing and fascinating at the same time.  Not sure I can do any justice to what we saw and heard there.  Of course, I was the very last member of the group to exit the museum after trying to absorb as much as possible from the exhibits.  Certainly this part of our trip was worthy of the effort to visit.  Bus back to the platform and a comfortable bullet train ride to Kyoto culminated with a taxi ride to Rihga in the pouring rain.  By now, Tsukareta,  Onaka ga Suita, Nodo ga Kawaita we opted for the Chinese restaurant in the hotel and shared a couple of dishes that were really great, then off to bed.