7 June, Wednesday
Today was mostly travel as well. Left hotel around 9:45 and
headed for Tokyo Central via yet another line, one stop later we reached the
station. I am always surprised by which direction the trains come from, a long
way from figuring out the system! Anyway, found our way to the station, through
the station and onto the platform (even the right one!) and caught the 11:03
Shinkansen (bullet train) to Shin Kobe Station for a transfer to another
Shinkansen to Hiroshima.
Arriving at 3:50pm, so 5 hours travel at very fast speeds.
The whole way, which seemed new to us, seems more built up and populated than
our other travels to date (we had already done the Tokyo-Nagoya section when commencing our
Nakasendo hike). Around Osaka was the first time we had seen significant
building on surrounding hills. The Kobe to Hiroshima section was through a lot
of tunnels, arrived at Hiroshima to walk out the door of the station and our
hotel was right there… attached to the station! Didn’t have to cross a road or
anything, it has a flash as lobby and a very nice room… bonus! As we had booked
on Booking.com after the travel agent had booked us in another town 30km away..
so really pleasantly surprised at the result.
The station has a whole food hall, shopping mall included so
a very nice spot to be. We dropped our bags in the room and went snack hunting,
ending up eating a meal of noodles from one of the station restaurants, very
good it was too! After some domestic duties (ie hand-laundry washing) we went
for a walk.
Firstly to the Shukkeien Garden, which was closed! Passed
the Peace Crane Memorial, at a school which is Noboricho Junior High School,
then through and around the grounds of the Hiroshima Castle. Just starting to
get dark and only a few people about so a lovely time to visit. Tee shirt
weather too so very pleasant.
Walked all around the castle grounds and the Hiroshima
Gokoku Juna Shrine then back around the outside of the moat (dodging seemingly
lots of cats) before getting back to the hotel by 9pm. Rather less frantic than
last nights Tokyo expedition and a nice way to unwind.
8 June, Thursday
The forecast is for rain all day, not ideal for exploring.
After our bread based breakfast at one of the station eateries we trained to Miyajimaguchi
Station.. a 30 minute trip and then a 5 minute walk to ferry port and the ferry
over to Miyajima, an island in Hiroshima Bay (also called Itsukushima Island).
It is known for its ancient temples and giant orange Torii gate which marks the
entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine. The shrine was first built in the 12th
century, a well photographed site as the gate appears to float on water at high
tide… and for that matter so does the temple. Ranked as one of the 3 best Japan
views.
Miyajima means “Shrine Island”. The island has many quiet
deer wandering around, they warn you on the ferry to be careful and not wave
food (or your ferry ticket) about or they will eat it! The deer were very
content when we saw them, most unlike ticket snatchers. The island was very
busy, lots and lots of school groups… obviously field trip season.
We wandered through the old town first, finding a couple of
temples which encompassed views back to the mainland, and then the Toyokuni 5
story pagoda. The pagoda was built in 1407, a piece of Buddhist architecture.
We walked through the Itsukushima Shrine and then wandered the area a little.
Still no rain but quite murky, particularly on the hills so although we
intended to climb Mt Misen at least part of the way we decided against doing
so. Had to find lunch first anyway!
After going to a local grocery store for bread and banana’s,
we ate them overlooking the bay. Miyajima is famous for its oysters, with
oyster farms evident. The other famous thing is Momiji Manju, maple leaf shaped
sweet cakes filled with red beans or other less traditional fillings like
chocolate. In the interests of research we purchased a couple of freshly made,
still warm, examples.. yum!! They sell them by the box full as gifts, and we
watched them being made at one store.
The shopping street of Miyajima was mainly one street
although others are dotted around. Souvenir shops which seemed to be
celebrating their deer (fluffy deer hats) or Momiji Manju shops, or
restaurants/cafes. About 12:30 the rain started so instead of fighting the
crowds, and umbrellas, we made a gracious exit and trained back to our hotel. A
lovely island, well worth the trip… it was all on our Japan Rail Pass (train
and ferry) too so a bonus.
Still raining tonight so a quiet arvo doing a bit of blog
etc. Dinner tonight downstairs at the stations restaurant complex, fried rice
for Caro and some sort of chicken soup and rice for Noel. All for about $NZ15.
Can’t believe how good this hotel is, such a perfect easy location with food
halls and small supermarket over 2 floors. A huge choice and busy which is
always a good sign.
9 June, Friday
Weather as fine as expected so an explore Hiroshima day. 30
minute walk to the peace memorial park and went to the Hiroshima peace memorial
museum. Quite confronting and a very silent stream of people moving through.
August 6 1945 at 8:16am
The first part of the museum focused on the personal side,
the effects on the people, the personal stories of looking for lost ones, the
victims, the burns, the black rain. The destruction with exhibits of fused
metals, glass, pots, concrete. Clothing people were wearing, lunchboxes they
were carrying etc.
The second part which we hurried through was the specifics
of the bombs creation and subsequent dropping onto the city. Very sad and
massive destruction at the time. 90,000 to 166,000 died within four months of
the bomb being dropped. An estimate of 237,000 people killed, directly or
indirectly, over the next five years from burns, radiation, cancer etc. And
that has not included the birth defects or the delayed cancers.
Many students were working that morning of the bomb drop, demolishing old
houses to establish firebreaks to assist in the event of bombs.
We left the museum to join our pre-booked bike tour. 4 of us
on the tour, a Swiss/Spain couple and us. Taken through the park on a 2 hour
tour, on e-bikes. Moet (our guide, possibly not spelt that way) had
grandparents who had lived through the bombing. One should have been on student
duty but was sick that day… he lost his brother though.
We stopped at various spots in the park, which was the
epi-centre of the bomb, then cycled 2km away to view what was part of the
hospital: a concrete structure with metal window frames (twisted and buckled).
The effects of the blast were far reaching. 160 trees survived or recovered
from the bomb, now some have been grafted and being planted. One was planted by
G7 officials last month.
We were shown the tram car station, amazingly the owner had
trams running 3 days after the bomb in order to give hope to the people. Tram
653 was completed burnt out but is running today as a moving memorial to the
event.
Left our bikes in a central town park as the peace memorial
park was getting closed off in readiness for a flower festival being held this
weekend. Obviously a huge annual, except during Covid, event.
After the tour we lunched at a craft brewery downtown, then
walked back through the peace memorial park to get some photos. There were
numerous school groups about, along with the flower display people, very busy
indeed.
Walked to the Shukkeien Gardens via the castle grounds. Lots
of carp in the moat that we hadn’t noticed the other night, very obviously used
to being fed! A wander around the gardens, historic garden with construction
starting in 1620 during the Edo period. The gardens were open to the public in
1940 and became a refuge for people following the 1945 blast.. it had suffered
extensive damage however. A lovely place to explore with carp and turtles vying
for food, there was also a wedding ceremony at one of the shrines by the lake
and photo’s happening also.
Back to the hotel for a cuppa then we walked up the hill to
the peace pagoda that we were able to see from the railway station. Erected in
1966 as a prayer for everlasting peace, a steep climb through a cemetery but
worth the views of the city. Back to the hotel with the plan to have a drink at
the 22nd floor rooftop bar (we are on floor 10) but very busy so
instead went to find our dinner. A Hiroshima specialty called Okonomiyaki… an
egg, cabbage, noodle, pork and tortilla type dish cooked separately and layered
so that the tortilla is on bottom. Cabbage, egg, cheese, noodle all layered on
top. Half each and very nice it was too. Had to queue to await a table, there
were 6 chef’s cooking on hotplates in front of the diners. 2 kitchen staff
keeping the food supply topped up to the chefs, one barman and 3 or 4 table
staff. Very, very busy but fascinating to experience.
Purchased train tickets for tomorrow’s trip to Kyoto.
10 June, Saturday
A slower start this morning as our train didn’t depart until
10:33, so another bakery breakfast at station complex. We then found our train
had been delayed 10 minutes, which put the next trains back as well… ours was 7
minutes late by the time we left… unheard of in Japan!!
We had a 20 minute scheduled change time at Shin Osaka so
that was reduced to 10 minutes which resulted in a slightly panicked, and
quick, walk through the station to find the next platform. Made it so then a
quick 20 minutes to Kyoto. All bullet trains, highest speed reached on phone
GPS was 297k/h !!
Kyoto station was busy and we had to get the subway for 3
stops, also busy. Dropped our bags at our hotel and went exploring. Lunch first
priority, rice and omelette at a small, family run café… probably don’t get
many westerners but obviously some as they gave us spoons without even offering
chop-sticks… we felt a bit put out!!
A walk around the grounds of the imperial palace, quite
different from what we have seen before. Wide gravel avenues with grass areas
unkept and trees, no gardens. The palace was used as a residence until 1868
when the emperor and capital moved to Tokyo. There were 2 long walled complexes
with several ornate gates, but that was it really. We could have toured one
part but chose not to, it seemed all very plain compared to the other grounds
we have seen on our travels to date.
Then walked to the Nijo-jo castle, a world heritage site.
The Castle was built in 1603 on the orders of Tokugawa leyasu, a shogun. The
same chap was involved in the construction of the Nikko castle we visited a few
days ago. A big moat and stone walls, we went through the Ninomaru-goten palace
mainly to see all the wall hangings in the various rooms. Paintings of pine
trees are to denote everlasting strength as they are evergreen and designed to
intimidate visiting shogun’s. There was also a tiger room, even though there
has never been tiger’s in Japan. Many softer rooms with cheery blossoms and
snow topped mountains.
Wandered to the base of the keep tower, very busy and very
hot. Still lots of school groups about. The Kyoto palace and garden seems to be
plainer than others seen to date. Appears to be lots of European tourists
about.
6pm we met our Intrepid guides and group for our cycling
trip… 12 clients on the trip, only met 10 as 2 running late due to flight
disruptions, plus a van driver and 2 guides as well as meeting a different
guide who will lead us on the Tokyo section at end of tour. After all the
introductory info most of us went out for a meal with guides.. with a guide
ordering lovely food it also seems like an easy group to be with.
