広島へ We went to Hiroshima!

So the other week the train was running a special where you could buy a return-trip bullet train ticket to Hiroshima, which also covered all local trains in the area, for just over $100.  Trust me, this is super cheap.  I heard about it from a friend and three of us ended up going.

We left on a Thursday, catching a 9:13 train out of Kobe, which took about 1 hr, 15 min.

On the Shinkansen!!

I was a bit disappointed, because the train goes so fast you can't really see the countryside...


After we got to Hiroshima, we took the tram to the J-hoppers hostel.  (Hiroshima has an extensive tram system, good for going anywhere in the city and only costs about $1.50.)  We dropped our luggage at the hostel and walked over to the Peace Memorial Park, which is about 5 min from the hostel.  We spent most of the rest of the day in the park and museum (we got there around 11/12 and left after 7).  It was beautiful and sad and I was really grateful for the time to walk by myself and think and digest. I prefer not to comment further, but I will give you a couple pictures.

making okonomiyaki...

After, we had Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki for supper.  It was not nearly as good as Kansai-style, but we had fun.

doesn't it look tasty?

I also had oysters, a Hiroshima specialty. Hiroshima Prefecture produces about 60% of Japan's oysters.

I would like to mention that we walked basically across town and back for this.  Hiroshima city is much smaller than Osaka, or even Kobe.  I like it :)












We got back to the hostel before 10, checked in, and went to bed.

Day 2:  We got kind of a late start, because we were going to Miyajima, which is a famous shine, and the idea was to see it at high tide and low tide, so we didn't have to be there until about 12, when high tide occurred.

So we go up, had breakfast at Vie de France, a chain bakery that also has a location at the station near my house, took the train about an hour, switched to the ferry and thus arrived at Miyajima.

Here's the shrine at high tide...

As you can see, it looks like it's floating on the water.

And then, to kill some time until low tide, which was around 6, we took the ropeway to the top of the highest mountain on the island.  We also adopted this British girl who was traveling Japan on her own and needed someone to share a ropeway car with.  She was pretty cool.

ropeway.  very high up.

top of the mountain

apparently this rocks are famous...

we also had a late lunch.  I love udon.

Afterwards, my companions walked down the mountain, while I elected to take the ropeway.  (Cause I'm getting old.)  Then we got to see the shrine at low tide, which was really super fun.

This has been rebuilt several times.  I think this is about the 8th generation.

You would think this thing is anchored to the ground.  It's not.  It's so big that its own weight keeps it from being washed away.

heehee.  this guy was so funny :)

there were so many wee little creatures left behind after the tide went out.  I was amazed!  and thrilled!

After that we went back to Hiroshima and had Irish food for supper.

That's chicken wrapped in BACON.  it was epic!

also, this is getting really long, so I'm gonna do the last day later.  maybe tomorrow.