We started our day at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. I think it is amazing that the Peace Memorial opened September 1949, 4 years after the bomb was dropped on the city.
A short bit on the pronunciation. Say all the vowels, hir o shim a, not here o shima. I think Harry Truman said "here o shima". Because we cannot read Japanese script it is written phonetically.
The museum had many artifacts from the bomb. If you question it's destructive power, take a look. The model of government building, which still stands, is a stark contrast. That is the "bomb dome" and therefore received the biggest hit.
We walked through Peace Park. The Peace Park is located at the "bomb dome". Along with the building there are statues, flower gardens, ponds and origami peace cranes. Our Japanese guide instructed us on folding a crane and explained our ineptitude. When they are very young they are taught origami, so their fingers know how to do that from a very young age. I still enjoy origami even if my corners aren't exact.
After the bombing the city was rebuilt on a grid which makes it easier to navigate but the transportation is not that good. The buses are okay but trains are not that good.
Back to the bus to catch a ferry to Miyajima Island, a divine island. Limited auto traffic on the island, notice the car that came on our ferry with us.
The island is known for its floating torii gate, Itsukushima Jinja, built in 1875 from huge camphor trees. Because the gate is built out in the water at high tide it looks like it is floating on the water. The Istukushima Shrine, from 1168, is also built over water.
There was a wedding taking place while we were there.
There were also some of the national treasured deer here too. Again they try to eat any food (or tickets, or newspaper) you may have.
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Local train back to our hotel. Dinner. Packing.
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