The Mums (Carol and Susan) in Japan


We arrived home from Kyoto and the next morning, again up at 5:30am and off to Tokyo.

(Photos by everyone involved)

Day 7 - a Rest Day


I stayed home while the others went shopping at Toki Outlet mall.


That night we went to our local Yakiniku restaurant where you order your foods and BBQ it yourself in the middle of your table.

Day 8 - Another early morning - to Hiroshima

Another Shinkansen trip

Miyajima Island

"Retaining the purity of the shrine is so important that until 1878, no deaths or births were permitted at the shrine. To this day, burials on the island are still forbidden." - Wikipedia Quote


Once we arrived in Hiroshima we took a local train and a ferry out to the beautiful island of Miyajima. On the way to the island, we passed the red Torii gate in the water, considered one of the three prettiest vies in Japan, oh.. and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site as well,


The famous Torii gate and Shinto temple from the ferry on the way to the island. The temple was the main destination on the island.


The island is famous for it sacred (hungry) deer who assault new tourists looking to be fed.


A lady and her dog.


There are many tourist shops on the island. We tried some little cakes.


A view of the gate.


People queuing to take a photo at the end of the pier, the :best: photo spot.


The beautiful Shinto shrine and stage are built out over the water so that people could visit the island without touching it.


Lots of bad luck. Fortunes that are too bad are tied at the temple so that the bad luck does not follow you home.


Sake barrels


Wandering around the shrine


A view from behind the shrine

So off again. We left the island and retraced our steps into Hiroshima, so that we could visit the other must see Hiroshima landmark, Peace park.

Peace Park (Heiwa Koen)

Peace park in Hiroshima is located on an island near the epicenter of the first atomic bomb blast. It contains a number of memorials and a terrific museum.


Hiroshima was bustling with people in the middle of a major city festival. The park was full of people and sounds. We walked around with loudspeakers blaring "Lets twist again, like we did last summer." - A bit of a strange experience


A huge decorated crane in the park (See the photo above)


The Hiroshima Peace Memorial museum contains a factual and moving description of What happened and why it happened. It is a moving and sad experience that focuses on people involved.


A diorama of the middle of Hiroshima (The island in the photo is now peace park.


The effect of the bomb


Inside the terrific museum. A watch stopped just after eight am at the time the bomb exploded.


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A tree that survived the blast


A symbol of being able to survive and prosper despite the bombing


Children's memorial with boxes containing thousands of folded cranes


Children's memorial


A photo of the Industrial Promotion Hall


Now a world heritage building, the Industrial Promotion hall was the nearest surviving building to the site of the bomb.


Peace Bell


Peace Bell


Memorial to the Korean victims of the bomb (built by the korean community as they had not been included in other memorials)


Very fast shinkansen

The return Shinkansen trip was very fast.
It left Hiroshima at 5:30pm and arrived in Nagoya at 7:44.
2 hours and 14 minutes to travel 479km - including stops at four stations along the way.

For Comparison, Melbourne to Albury is 314km . Melbourne to Mount Gambier in South Australia is 412km. An average of around 220km per hour.




Previous Visit

Pam and I have been to Miyajima and Hiroshima before. If you want to have a look at some other photos then try here

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