Hiroshima is actually one of the most pleasant cities of Japan. The
streets are modern, cleaner, more attractive.
This is an ironic, and of course hardly compensatory positive result of the
complete destruction of the city in 1945.
We spent most of our time there in Miyajima, but also explored the Atomic
Peace Park with its overwhelmingly sad (and deserted) museum and
memorials. While most of Japan's tourist sites are crowded and expensive,
we were the only people in the museum (admittedly near closing) which costs
40 cents to enter.
We also enjoyed the local Hiroshima specialty, a pancake
dish called Okonomaniyaki, in a building dedicated to the food. It
was a quick tour, but I would like to return to Hiroshima to really see it.
 | | (1280 x 853 - 103K) |
The A-bomb Dome (last remaining pre-nuke building) against the sunset in Hiroshima
| |
|
 | | (1280 x 853 - 117K) |
Another view of the Atomic Bomb Dome. It was almost right under ground zero.
| |
 | | (1280 x 853 - 138K) |
Map of Hiroshima in the peace museum, showing the buildings left standing and the location of the bomb.
|
 | | (852 x 652 - 56K) |
One of the famous watches, stopped at 8:15 AM by the blast
| |
 | | (1280 x 853 - 119K) |
Clay roof tiles, fused together by the blast
|
 | | (1280 x 816 - 74K) |
Atomic Peace Park, with modern Hiroshima behind it
| |
 | | (1280 x 886 - 154K) |
This memorial is surrounded by tens of thousands of paper cranes. Children bring them all the time, carrying on the legacy of the bomb victim who thought she might get well if she made enough paper cranes.
|
 | | (1280 x 853 - 136K) |
Our restaurant in the Okonomiyaki building. This building features 17 restaurants, all serving the same dish -- a Hiroshima specialty. The chef makes a crepe on the grille, and adds noodles, pork, spices and toppings you pick, along with a special sauce, nori and fish flakes. We were guided by a local Japanese guiding some other gaijin saying this was the bar the locals eat at. In fact, sitting next to K are two locals we met, who later gave us a ride to the station. The dish was delicious!
| |
 | | (1280 x 853 - 122K) |
A group of teenagers gather to be rebels -- in groups of course -- called boso-zoku. The police watch them gather, and crowds come to see what they will do, but the police seem unable to follow them once they start.
|
 | | (1280 x 853 - 123K) |
More of the rebels -- with uniforms -- gathering in Hiroshima at night
| |
