September 3rd, 2017 – Hiroshima, Japan: Miyajima Island

A perfect day trip from Hiroshima City is a visit to the sacred Miyajima Island. While the island is most famous for its near-domesticated deer population and  “floating” torii gate, Miyajima has several additional attractions, including Mt. Misen, a beautiful, red, 5-story pagoda, and a vibrant shopping area. Miyajima is only accessibly by boat (approximately 4 USD round trip for a ferry trip). I started my tour at Itsukushima’s large torii gate, but since it was low tide, I decided to press on and return at the end of the day. This particular spot, as you can imagine, is swamped with tourists. As you walk from the ferry landing, a path takes you through a shaded road lined with souvenir shops and restaurants. Miyajima is famous for their oysters, and these are served at almost every corner! I found a great spot named  “Miyajima Coffee” and stopped there for a delicious ice coffee and some Wi-Fi. It was a great spot to sit down for a short respite.

After browsing the shops, I started the hike up to the ropeway station which leads to the top of Mount Misen. The ropeway station is about a 30 minute walk from the ferry landing, mostly uphill. It takes approximately 2-3 hours of hiking to get to the top of Mt. Misen without the ropeway, so I would only recommend this option if a longer stay has been planned (an some cardio in preparation!). The gondola ride to the top has expansive views of the entire area. If you visit on a clear day like I did, you will  have the great opportunity at the top to soak in beautiful vistas of the entire Seto Inland Sea, including many islands.

The last ferry boat back to the mainland usually departs in the early evening (around 6 PM), so I had to stop touring and head back to downtown Hiroshima at the end of the day. Had I had more time, I would have liked to book a night’s stay on the island for a more personal experience at night after most of the tourists have left. Regardless of duration of stay, I enjoyed my time exploring and photographing the beautiful Miyajima Island!

September 2nd, 2017 – Hiroshima, Japan: Atomic Bomb Peace Memorial Park and Mitaki Temple

A trip to Hiroshima is not complete without the sobering, but important, trip to the Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Memorial Park, and associated monuments. Located at the epicenter is the Peace Memorial Museum. The museum was my first stop, and takes approximately 30 minutes to walk through. Several videos and photographs of the tragedy can be seen, to include personal stories of people living in Hiroshima immediately before and following the attack. The museum has a search center devoted to remembering those who lost their lives by providing details on their lives before the bomb. One interesting fact I learned was that there were American POW’s that were killed during the attack. I spent some time reading the stories and trying to envision the ordeal. It is hard to fathom the destruction that the atomic bomb caused, but the museum does an excellent job describing it.

The Atomic Bomb Dome is located a short walk from the museum, and consists of some large buildings that have not moved or been reconstructed since the attack. It is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is draw-dropping.

Another must-visit location in the Hiroshima Peace Park is the Children’s Peace Monument. It is has several glass pillars filled with folded paper cranes. Legend has it that if you fold 1,000 cranes, you will be cured from whatever ails you. Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who suffered from radiation-caused leukemia, attempted this but died shortly before she completed all 1,000. Visitors fold cranes in her memory and donate them to the site. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Peace_Monument)

During the last part of this busy day, I took a short train ride three stops out of the city to visit Mitaki Temple. Mitaki Temple has a fascinating history. It was originally built in Hirogawa, Wakayama, in 809. However, after the atomic bomb destroyed Hiroshima, it was dismantled in 1951 and rebuilt just outside the city to comfort the grieving locals. Today, the temple serves as a reminder of the strength and commitment of the Japanese people. After the atomic bomb devastated Hiroshima, critics did not think the city could be built or inhabited in less than 75 years. Today, Hiroshima is a modern, bustling city that draws tourists from all over the world to experience it’s special culture.

September 1st, 2017 – Hiroshima, Japan: Carp Castle and Shukkeien Garden

Hiroshima has been on my Japan bucket list since I began to research this fascinating country. Finally, I was able to take a weekend to go visit! I spent two full days in Hiroshima, and organized each day carefully to maximize my stay. Hiroshima is much smaller, and therefore less crowded, than Tokyo and does not rank in the top 10 largest cities in Japan. The layout of the city is especially convenient for walkers and bikers, while their public transport system is phenomenal as well.  While a long weekend certainly is not long enough to see everything in Hiroshima, I visited all the popular places, spent some time exploring off the beaten path, and thoroughly enjoyed my trip.

My first stop was Hiroshima Castle.The castle complex is surrounded by a large moat, which encloses a shrine, gate area, and the museum in the castle itself. A running trail, approximately 2 km, surrounds the moat, and several trees and park benches available to provide a relaxing atmosphere. The castle is open to the public (for a small fee) to climb to the top and enjoy the castle’s history throughout the museum. Most of the material in the museum is in Japanese, but enough is also written in English so I could understand most of the writings. Near the location where the current castle sits are ruins of the original foundation before it was destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945. The castle’s history begins in 1590 when it was originally constructed. After the Meiji Restoration, the castle served as a military headquarters, most notably used in WWII for the 2nd General Army, to dissuade Allied Forces from invading the mainland of Japan. I enjoyed walking through each level of the museum, which covered the entire history of the castle, and seeing the view of Hiroshima from the top. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima_Castle)

Located nearby is  the serene Shukkeien Garden. Shukkeien Garden was created shortly after the construction of Hiroshima Castle to provide a relaxing area for tea ceremonies. This garden has several sections that mimic different types of scenery (Shukkeien means “shrunken scenery garden” in English). There are beautiful tea houses that surround the center lake, with signs outside discussing their purpose during the Edo Period. The lake has several small islands which are designed to look like turtles and cranes, with a little imagination. A stone bridge with an arch in the middle bisects the lake, and provides a place to feed the fish as well as a beautiful view of the entire area. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed visiting this garden and highly recommend visiting this location and following the entire outside path that surrounds the garden. It is truly a gem in the heart of the city. (Source: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3403.html)