May 16 - Hiroshima
PLEASE NOTE: I have not had the chance to watermark all of my photos, and it will take me a great deal of time, as I published this and my other blogs between 2010-2017. I ask you to respect my property. Feel free to use them as long as you credit me as follows: Photo by Jody McBrien, learningtheworld.org. Thank you.
We got moving from Soka early on Tuesday to take a train to Shin Yokahama where we boarded Nizomi 21, one of the fastest of the Shinkansen trains.
With speeds reaching about 180 mph, we made it the 420 miles to Hiroshima in three hours (including about 4 stops)!
We reached our hotel, the Righa Royal Hotel, a 33-story hotel just minutes from Hiroshima Castle, the A-bomb Dome, and the Memorial Peace Park. It is a beautiful 4-star hotel. The view from our room is amazing.
Once we settled in, we went to reception to see if we could book a second night. The hotel was booked full for a conference. We really wanted an extra night so we could also go to the art museum in the morning and still take in Miyajima, so I went online and discovered the whole city was booked full! I found a hotel with a Japanese style room available and right across from Miyajima Island, so I booked that, emailed our Airbnb host to say we would arrive one day later, and we headed out into the city.
We began at Hiroshima Castle. The mote and gate are impressive. The grounds, less so. We walked to the castle and enjoyed its beauty but decided not to pay the fee to walk to the top, as we already have such a great view from our hotel.
Next, we walked to the other side of the hotel and reached the A-bomb dome. En route we passed an enormous group of Japanese youth walking to and lining up for what appeared to be an evening rock concert.
The A-bomb building was designed by a Czech architect in 1915 and used to house various expositions. The building was just 160 metres from the hypocenter of the bomb explosion, and everyone inside was killed instantly. However, parts of the building remained standing. In 1996, it was designated a UN World Heritage site. It represents the people's prayers for peace in Hiroshima. It is certainly a sombre reminder of why these bombs should never be used again.
The strip of land across from the dome and between two rivers is home to the quiet and beautiful green area known as the Peace Park. It was designed by a Japanese architect and completed in 1954. It houses many memorials to those who were killed by the bomb.
We returned to the hotel and went to the 33rd floor to a French restaurant for dinner. The restaurant was elegant and over the top for what we would typically do, but we enjoyed the remarkably good food. I had fabulous beef, and Dick tried a popular Hiroshima white fish. For the price, the dishes were very small - just right in size for us, actually, but too pricey. Still, we did enjoy it and our full, informative day.
NOTE: June 2018 date on post is republish date, not date of the event.
We got moving from Soka early on Tuesday to take a train to Shin Yokahama where we boarded Nizomi 21, one of the fastest of the Shinkansen trains.
With speeds reaching about 180 mph, we made it the 420 miles to Hiroshima in three hours (including about 4 stops)!
We reached our hotel, the Righa Royal Hotel, a 33-story hotel just minutes from Hiroshima Castle, the A-bomb Dome, and the Memorial Peace Park. It is a beautiful 4-star hotel. The view from our room is amazing.
We began at Hiroshima Castle. The mote and gate are impressive. The grounds, less so. We walked to the castle and enjoyed its beauty but decided not to pay the fee to walk to the top, as we already have such a great view from our hotel.
Bridge over the moat
View of the castle from a distance
Statue on the grounds
Tori gate on the grounds
A castle guardian
Hiroshima Castle
On the grounds
Next, we walked to the other side of the hotel and reached the A-bomb dome. En route we passed an enormous group of Japanese youth walking to and lining up for what appeared to be an evening rock concert.
The A-bomb building was designed by a Czech architect in 1915 and used to house various expositions. The building was just 160 metres from the hypocenter of the bomb explosion, and everyone inside was killed instantly. However, parts of the building remained standing. In 1996, it was designated a UN World Heritage site. It represents the people's prayers for peace in Hiroshima. It is certainly a sombre reminder of why these bombs should never be used again.
The strip of land across from the dome and between two rivers is home to the quiet and beautiful green area known as the Peace Park. It was designed by a Japanese architect and completed in 1954. It houses many memorials to those who were killed by the bomb.
Note the eternal peace flame and the Dome through this memorial
The Children's Peace Memorial
Children's Peace Cranes
We returned to the hotel and went to the 33rd floor to a French restaurant for dinner. The restaurant was elegant and over the top for what we would typically do, but we enjoyed the remarkably good food. I had fabulous beef, and Dick tried a popular Hiroshima white fish. For the price, the dishes were very small - just right in size for us, actually, but too pricey. Still, we did enjoy it and our full, informative day.
An appetizer
Nightfall from our room (Hiroshima Castle is left center of the photo)
NOTE: June 2018 date on post is republish date, not date of the event.
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