Unfortunately there is no escape from linking Hiroshima with the A-Bomb dumped there during the war, killing upwards of 100,000 in the process. Luckily it’s quite a nice city, now with plenty open spaces, and apart from the museums and required reminders to the world dotted around the city, you would never know the tragedy that hit the city.
Here’s a picture of a kids little bike and the damage that was caused to metal during the blast, and a before and after model of the city.
What was impressive was a list of telexes sent by the mayor of Hiroshima to the relevant authorities, registering their objection to every known nuclear bomb test since. Can we stop doing stuff like this to each other?
I did the compulsory tour of the museum which was a real eye opener, if not a depressing one.
If you want a superb guide to Hiroshima, check out the Get Hiroshima! website and pick up their clear map when you hit town.
I arrived at the start of the ‘start of summer’ festival so went out for a bit of a mad night out with the crowd in the hostel which was cool. We wandered around the stalls and nibbled away at various street stall food while supping a carry out beer or two. Some of us (not me) participated in the local dances, then we went to find a bar one of the guys wanted to have a drink at, went into a different one, but had a drink anyway. We then moved onto a different bar, and all five of us had a different sake so we could sample a variety. The conversation went from finding out why an American in the group wanted to fight for her country, to the goings on in Myanmar, and everything inbetween. We almost witness our first bar brawl in Japan but it only got wild enough for one of the locals to kick a table (erm, it had nothing to do with us!). A few too many beers, and the night ended while I managed to avoid going to a karaoke bar…….needless to say I was a bit hungover the next day!
In the first bar….
The sake bar 🙂