My Historical Visit - Hiroshima
We reached Hiroshima at around 2:40 pm, took a taxi straight to our hotel. The Rihga Royal hotel was in the center of the town and as per Mariko san, a cheerful & friendly lady at JTB, Shinagawa ; it is counted as one of the hiroshima's best Hotels.
Well i bet its is...the view from my room on the 19 floor was really kind of awesome..
Later in the evening we decided to cover up the close by things..and started off from our hotel in the evening..right across the hotel a big screen was showing a live Sumo wrestling...well apart from that we could feel the heavy winds blowing around the place..when something tickledmy mind..."Oh my gus..is it the Typhon...oh nooo"..well the thought was clear up when we entered the Hondori market and we were kind of hungry so thought of locating a indian restaurant nearby...hopefully i got some info before headed to hiroshima..good news was that there was an indian restaurant "Nanak" quite near to the hondaori shopping mall..and we could find it pretty easily without any problem.. place was not that bad either..enjoyed a light meal there and we were off to see the A- Bomb Dome.This building was built by a czech architect "Jan Letzel" and was a prefectural Industrial promotion hall in the past and later during the War times it became a quasi-governmental and rationing offices.
The 6 August 1945 nuclear explosion was almost directly above the building (the hypocenter was 150 meters / 490 feet away), and it was the closest structure to withstand the explosion. The building has been preserved in the same state as immediately after the bombing, and now serves as the reminder of nuclear devastation and as a symbol of hope for world peace and elimination of all nuclear weapons.
The Day 2 started off from a light breakfast at Starbucks in the Subways and we followed the direction on the map to locate the Peace Memorial Museum. Most of the structures in the vicinity of the Museum were dedicated to the people who were killed during the incidence that happened 62 years ago. The Musuem displayed the after bombing artifacts like a watch stopped at 8:15 am, burnt clothes of school children, a tiffin with food which looks like black dust soon after the bombing and the white reality that could have happened on the people of the Hiroshima.Well even my heart could not bear the terrible horror that could have hapened on that morning..
After the dread realization of the after effect of Nuclear bombing at the museum, we headed to Miyajima island by a street-car which is the cheapest mode of transportation inside the hiroshima city.It took us a mere 45 minutes journey to Miyajima Guchi where in we had to get on a 5 minute ferry ride to reach the Miyajima island.During the ferry ride to the Miyajima island we could see the flooting Torii Gates.The holy island of Miyajima is a sacred site of both Shintoism and Buddhism and one of the most enchantingly beautiful places on Earth.Miyajima’s primary temple, the Itsukushima shrine, was first constructed in 593 AD and later enlarged to its present size in 1168.Just over a couple of distance we went uphill to see the serene beauty of the Buddhists temples.The statue of the buddha lying on the foor and the enlighted room with lanterns above a numerous number of gods were the most facinating sights on this small hly island.After the tiring walk on the island we were kind of worn out and need some stuff to fill in our empty stomach & soothe our hunger for food.Just across the corner we found japanese restaurant serving some delicious yakitori dishes and he couldn't resist ourselves to eat the food. The kind of hunger we were in got us to eat this delicious food here at Miyajima. Once the late afternoon lunch was ver we headed straight headed back to our hotel.After the hectic day in the Miyajaima island on the Hot summer with the sun, it was really tiresome for me to go out. So i decided to take dinner at in my room. I surfed through the menu and found "Okonomiyaki " on their hotel menu.I knew that this is the soul food of hiroshima but somehow ii forgot about that thank god that i could able to find the dish on hotel menu. i ordered it straight ahead..it took me sometime to finish it though..it was different from the rest of the food i have ate before but like the taste though..Later in the night i had chat with my family back in INDIA and showed them the city through my vaio camera via internet..well my family was atonished after seeing the enlighted city with big megastructures.Well after a hectic summer outing and heavy dinner i decided to go to bed and take a nap and start the last day afresh.
On the last day we had actually planned to visit Kure city but later changed the plans to go to Shukkeien Garden.Shukkeien literally means "shrink scenery garden", as it displays a Chinese scenery in miniaturized form with a pond, small islands, bridges and various plants.Well it was nice place to stroll around in the garden with bridges connecting small islands within the area of the garden.
The trip to hiroshima was going to end sooner and the thought of the daily vicious (Office <> Home) circle was taking over my mind...well this is really one my memorable trips i ever made in japan.. but i will go with the memories of those innocent people who perished in that incident that happened in the past and the message of peace & love..
The Spirit of Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a city on which an atomic bomb was dropped.
Hiroshima is a city with many memorials for the lives lost.
Hiroshima is a city which continually seeks peace.
Everyone, look at Hiroshima's path over the last century.
Distant memories, bitter remorse and alarm at an age past.
Everyone, please, look at what the atomic bomb brought.
Suffering pain, anger, and apprehension toward an uncertain future.....
Hiroshima in this nuclear age, will continue holding high the flame of hope.
Hiroshima's origins can be traced to the end of the 6th century and beginning of the 7th century when the area began to prosper.At the time, Hiroshima was divided into two regions, Aki and Bingo. Towns prospered along transportation routes through the mountains and on the inland sea.
In August 1945, the city of Hiroshima was destroyed instantaneously with the dropping of the atomic bomb. Neighboring cities also suffered damage as a result of the war. Afterwards, through the ceaseless efforts of Hiroshima citizens, the region made an impressive recovery and is now continuing to develop as a center of government, economics, and culture in the Chugoku-Shikoku Region.
My Journey to Hiroshima started early on the Morning of 14 July with one of friends on the World's one of the Most Fastest machines..designed none other than the Japanese itself ..so called the Shinkansen or u may call it Bullet Train. We went onboard of our journey on Shinkansen 700 Series with bags packed for 3 days 2 nights with a forecast of an violent Typhoon headed straight towards the japan's east coast.Well but this could not lower our plans to explore the city destroyed by mere americans.The train left Tokyo just as scheduled with 2 indians(i guess) in it...started of quite slow though in misty atmoshere with slight raining in the close proximity but still i assume the speed was somewhere around 90-100 kph...but as gradually we were in the outskirt of the city the train got it rhythm and we were kind of in sonic stage..as per the JR Dept the Shinkansen can reach upto a speed of 300 kph and the average speed is estimated to be aaprox. 287 kph..definately we were around that range ! The train had to cover a mere distance of 1000 km in just less than 5 hours torning apart numerous number of mountains and every time it does so left us choked ears....we travelled through Shizouka, kyoto, Shin-osaka and ultimately landed at the hiroshima.. it did good as well when it reached the destination at the scheduled time..man this stuff..maintaining the perfect timings is kind of obsolete in my INDIA..can't blame any one thats the hard part of the reality..
We reached Hiroshima at around 2:40 pm, took a taxi straight to our hotel. The Rihga Royal hotel was in the center of the town and as per Mariko san, a cheerful & friendly lady at JTB, Shinagawa ; it is counted as one of the hiroshima's best Hotels.
Well i bet its is...the view from my room on the 19 floor was really kind of awesome..
Later in the evening we decided to cover up the close by things..and started off from our hotel in the evening..right across the hotel a big screen was showing a live Sumo wrestling...well apart from that we could feel the heavy winds blowing around the place..when something tickledmy mind..."Oh my gus..is it the Typhon...oh nooo"..well the thought was clear up when we entered the Hondori market and we were kind of hungry so thought of locating a indian restaurant nearby...hopefully i got some info before headed to hiroshima..good news was that there was an indian restaurant "Nanak" quite near to the hondaori shopping mall..and we could find it pretty easily without any problem.. place was not that bad either..enjoyed a light meal there and we were off to see the A- Bomb Dome.This building was built by a czech architect "Jan Letzel" and was a prefectural Industrial promotion hall in the past and later during the War times it became a quasi-governmental and rationing offices.
The 6 August 1945 nuclear explosion was almost directly above the building (the hypocenter was 150 meters / 490 feet away), and it was the closest structure to withstand the explosion. The building has been preserved in the same state as immediately after the bombing, and now serves as the reminder of nuclear devastation and as a symbol of hope for world peace and elimination of all nuclear weapons.
The Day 2 started off from a light breakfast at Starbucks in the Subways and we followed the direction on the map to locate the Peace Memorial Museum. Most of the structures in the vicinity of the Museum were dedicated to the people who were killed during the incidence that happened 62 years ago. The Musuem displayed the after bombing artifacts like a watch stopped at 8:15 am, burnt clothes of school children, a tiffin with food which looks like black dust soon after the bombing and the white reality that could have happened on the people of the Hiroshima.Well even my heart could not bear the terrible horror that could have hapened on that morning..
After the dread realization of the after effect of Nuclear bombing at the museum, we headed to Miyajima island by a street-car which is the cheapest mode of transportation inside the hiroshima city.It took us a mere 45 minutes journey to Miyajima Guchi where in we had to get on a 5 minute ferry ride to reach the Miyajima island.During the ferry ride to the Miyajima island we could see the flooting Torii Gates.The holy island of Miyajima is a sacred site of both Shintoism and Buddhism and one of the most enchantingly beautiful places on Earth.Miyajima’s primary temple, the Itsukushima shrine, was first constructed in 593 AD and later enlarged to its present size in 1168.Just over a couple of distance we went uphill to see the serene beauty of the Buddhists temples.The statue of the buddha lying on the foor and the enlighted room with lanterns above a numerous number of gods were the most facinating sights on this small hly island.After the tiring walk on the island we were kind of worn out and need some stuff to fill in our empty stomach & soothe our hunger for food.Just across the corner we found japanese restaurant serving some delicious yakitori dishes and he couldn't resist ourselves to eat the food. The kind of hunger we were in got us to eat this delicious food here at Miyajima. Once the late afternoon lunch was ver we headed straight headed back to our hotel.After the hectic day in the Miyajaima island on the Hot summer with the sun, it was really tiresome for me to go out. So i decided to take dinner at in my room. I surfed through the menu and found "Okonomiyaki " on their hotel menu.I knew that this is the soul food of hiroshima but somehow ii forgot about that thank god that i could able to find the dish on hotel menu. i ordered it straight ahead..it took me sometime to finish it though..it was different from the rest of the food i have ate before but like the taste though..Later in the night i had chat with my family back in INDIA and showed them the city through my vaio camera via internet..well my family was atonished after seeing the enlighted city with big megastructures.Well after a hectic summer outing and heavy dinner i decided to go to bed and take a nap and start the last day afresh.
On the last day we had actually planned to visit Kure city but later changed the plans to go to Shukkeien Garden.Shukkeien literally means "shrink scenery garden", as it displays a Chinese scenery in miniaturized form with a pond, small islands, bridges and various plants.Well it was nice place to stroll around in the garden with bridges connecting small islands within the area of the garden.
The trip to hiroshima was going to end sooner and the thought of the daily vicious (Office <> Home) circle was taking over my mind...well this is really one my memorable trips i ever made in japan.. but i will go with the memories of those innocent people who perished in that incident that happened in the past and the message of peace & love..
The Spirit of Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a city on which an atomic bomb was dropped.
Hiroshima is a city with many memorials for the lives lost.
Hiroshima is a city which continually seeks peace.
Everyone, look at Hiroshima's path over the last century.
Distant memories, bitter remorse and alarm at an age past.
Everyone, please, look at what the atomic bomb brought.
Suffering pain, anger, and apprehension toward an uncertain future.....
Hiroshima in this nuclear age, will continue holding high the flame of hope.
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