Hiroshima

Sunday, May 29

This day began early as we had a nearly 6-hour train ride from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Experiencing the Shinkansen for the first time was something that I’d really been looking forward to. You hear a lot about the bullet trains: how fast they can go, how smooth the ride is, etc. It was everything I expected. The ride was long, but very relaxing. Also, we finally go to see Mt. Fuji! Albeit, far in the distance and mostly obscured by cloud cover. 

Once we arrived in Hiroshima, the rain still hadn’t let up. Luckily we bought umbrellas earlier in the week, because well, it rains a lot in Japan. It turned out that the rain was sort of fitting for somber mood of the day we’d have, because after we arrived, we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Here we experienced an in-depth walking tour all over the surrounding park, visiting some of the very few locations that managed to survive the atomic bombing. Our English-speaking tour guide showed us how the bomb still impacts life in Hiroshima. 

One of the things that stood out to me the most was the fact that none of the plant life was older than ~70 years. So many trees and everything that makes up the beauty of the city today had to be entirely reconstructed. We ended the tour back at the museum where we were able to look around the indoor exhibits and learn more about the immediate aftermath of the bomb. As an American, it’s always something about our history that you learn about, but to see everything first hand was very powerful and unforgettable. I really loved the perspective that the Museum has on it, because it’s very forward-thinking. War is a horrible thing and it’s very hard to point fingers and lay blame. Dwelling on the past is dangerous, so the Museum’s goal in educating visitors and preserving the city’s history is to make sure that nothing that devastating and unthinkable ever happens again.

After leaving the Museum, we spent the rest of the night walking around and exploring modern Hiroshima, reflecting on everything we’d learned. We visited shops and had okonomiyaki for dinner, which was my absolute favorite new Japanese food I tried so far. It’s sort of like a savory pancake covered in all sorts of meats, veggies, and other toppings, then grilled. I need to find somewhere back home where I can get one, because they were amazing.

Our night was quiet and relaxing as we made our way back to the ryokan where we were staying. Tomorrow we leave early as our very short stay in Hiroshima comes to a close.