Remember last post how I said I finally didn't feel like I was on vacation anymore? Well that's nothing that a little trip out of town couldn't fix, so last weekend I took a ride on the Shinkansen to Hiroshima. I went without much of a plan, but I knew I wanted to see the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, so that's where I started once I arrived.
I went into the museum first
It was a somber experience, to say the least
I had learned a bit about the bombing back in high school, but the American school system tends to skim over anything that they're not super proud of, so it was pretty sobering to see just how devastating the bomb really was.
The worst thing ever invented
There was a school field trip going on while I was there
I felt like signing this petition was the least I could do
I didn't take too many photos in the museum but I walked through it for a good hour or so before making my way outside to see all the monuments in the park
I did indeed step forward and toll the bell for peace
The Children's Peace monument was particularly touching. It was inspired by Sadako Sasaki, a girl who survived the bombing as a toddler but nine years later developed leukemia from the radiation.
She folded hundreds of origami cranes before she died at the age of twelve, and the paper crane as become synonymous with Sadako and the thousands of children affected by the bomb
After the park I wandered into a little downtown area of Hiroshima nearby, and seeing a big stuffed E.T. put a smile on my face for the first time in several hours
It was mid-afternoon and I wanted to get to Miyajima before sunset so I hopped on a local cable car train
Miyajima is an island near Hiroshima only accessible by ferry. Its actual name is Itsukushima, but it is known to the Japanese as Miyajima, which translates to "shrine island."
The late afternoon ferry ride provided gorgeous views
I was greeted by this cutie right off the ferry. He actually just wanted to eat the piece of paper I was holding, but whatever.
There was a lot more to Miyajima than I ended up seeing, including a ropeway over the mountain, but I'm sure I'll be back again
I walked down a cute little strip of shops and eateries
Snack time! These savory fried things on a stick seemed to be the local favorite, so I thought I'd try one
Bacon and asparagus. Delicious. Not the healthiest thing I could eat but whatever I'm on VACAY
A lot of little shops sold personalized...paddles? I don't know what they are for but you could get your face drawn on one
This "floating" torii in the water welcoming people to the Itsukushima shrine is super famous and beautiful
The Itsukushima shrine
Again, the garbage system here in Japan is always top-notch
They even had a specific place to put the wood skewers from those fried snacks
Gave my hands a rinse before entering
Some children's art projects of the shrine were on display
After the shrine I explored more of the town
I found a ryokan, a traditional Japanese hotel, and decided to spend the night there
The toilet did not disappoint. The seat was heated and there were loads of buttons to press.
The view out my window
This was the first time I've ever had something from the minibar in a hotel room!
After relaxing in my room for a bit watching the sun set I ventured back into the town for dinner. The street full of shops that had been bustling just a few hours ago was totally empty.
There was one place still open for dinner
Vegetable tempura
Fried rice with soup
Can't say no to that
Oishiiiiiii
This nice lady set up my bed when I came back from dinner.
I wore the yukata they provided down to the communal bath in the basement. I was the only one there, and I gave myself a nice wash and then relaxed in the hot tub for a while.
A breakfast came with the price of the room. I got to choose between Japanese and Western, so I decided to see what a traditional Japanese breakfast was like. I set my time when I checked in for 8:30am. In the morning I took a little longer and didn't get down to the restaurant until 8:40, and my breakfast was already set up waiting for me.
Some of this stuff I didn't know what it was or if there was a particular way I was supposed to eat it. I mostly mixed it all with rice.
After I checked out of the hotel I enjoyed one last morning walk on the island before heading back to the ferry and then back to Osaka
It was a much-needed little escape from my apartment and a reminder of how fortunate I am to have this time experiencing this beautiful country. I came back to work the next day refreshed and ready to go.
Speaking of work, we're going to incorporate a new Christmas song into our sets. A whole new song, so exciting! I'm not being sarcastic, after four months of singing the same eight songs, singing a new one is a huge breath of fresh air. Plus we're adding scarves to our costumes! Huzzah! Alright, until next time, matanee!
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