Our day trip to Hiroshima started with a ride on the Shinkansen bullet train. Travelling at speeds of up to two hundred miles per hour we covered the two hundred and five mile journey in a mere one hour and forty minutes.
The Shinkansen bullet train was amazing, it departed Osaka right on time and arrived in Hiroshima right on time. Not only that but is was spacious, clean, quiet and a really smooth ride. It was a really enjoyable train journey. We love the Japanese train system!
When we arrived in Hiroshima we boarded a local train to Miyajimaguchi and from there we caught a ferry to Miyajima island. Visiting Miyajima was recommended to us when we were in Halong Bay and we were not disappointed with the recommendation at all.
“From the top cable car station there were stunning views.”
Approaching the island by ferry we could see the Itsukushima Shrine O-Torii (Grand Gate) rising up out of the water. With blue sky and the sun shining the O-Torri looked majestic with the green hills of the island behind it.
Miyajima is home to lots and lots of wild deer, many of which are not afraid of walking around the town and pedestrianised areas of the island. As soon as we were off the boat we were accompanied by a deer on the hunt for food from tourists.
We walked through the town and up to Momijidani Park. Here we followed winding paths around gorgeous Japanese gardens, crossed little wooden bridges and spotted deer amongst the trees and foliage.
The park is located at the foot of Mount Misen and from here we caught cable cars up Mount Misen to enjoy the view from above. From the top cable car station there were stunning views out across the lush green islands dotted around the vast expanse of blue water. It was such a clear day we could even see all the way back across to Hiroshima City.
After enjoying the views from Mount Misen we headed back down to the ferry and caught the train back to Hiroshima City.
Here we visited the Peace Memorial Park, constructed in the centre of the city right below where the atomic bomb went off on the sixth of August, nineteen forty five.
The A-Bomb Dome stands in the memorial park as a reminder of the horror that occurred in Hiroshima during the Second World War. The structure that stands is believed to have survived the explosion because it was directly beneath it. Pretty much all buildings and anyone or anything that stood around it were destroyed for miles.
The Peace Memorial Park was beautiful with wide open spaces and different memorials throughout the park. It was a park that local people used alongside the visiting tourists and it was very poignant to think that a place with such life now was a literally a bomb site seventy years ago.
We thought Hiroshima was a lovely city. Around the edge of the park we could see the city of Hiroshima built out of the ashes with modern buildings reaching up to the sky, the river reflecting the city scape across it’s surface and lined by green banks and trees.
We furthered our knowledge of what happened when the atomic bomb went off by visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Reading and hearing about the stories of real people at the time of the bombing and what life has been like for those that survived was more than sad. It was disturbing.
As Rich and I walked out of the museum and back through the Memorial Peace Park we both agreed that we hope to never witness such horrors and discussed at length whether it is right or wrong for countries to even possess weapons that can cause such devestation.
If we could live in a world where peace ruled and there was never the threat of an atomic bomb (or worse?) being used again we would all live in a much happier place. I doubt we’ll see that in our lifetime but there is always hope for the future.
Arriving back at Hiroshima Station we had a cup of tea whilst waiting for our train to arrive. This was when we discovered another amazing thing about Japan, they have tea bag coasters! I’ve never seen this in England and I have no idea why they haven’t caught on.
There was no puddle of tea left on the table or my saucer from my used tea bag, my tea bag coaster made sure of that. I had a specific place to put my used tea bag and I loved it. Japan is ace!
I made the most of our time on the bullet train and got some blogging done on the way back to Osaka. Arriving back at half past seven in the evening we had thoroughly enjoyed our day out, seeing the sights, learning about history and discovering tea bag coasters.
What a day!
Lambs on the loose 