Miyajima and Hiroshima

After seeing Himeji Castle, Korakuen garden and Okayama castle, I didn’t arrive into Hiroshima until late. Too late to see any sights; I attempted to book a cheap hotel.

Having booked a place through hostel world and marked it on my map, I headed to find it. I walked around for maybe two hours in this neighborhood before giving up. Being sure of the map location given by the reservation sight (but apparently not sure enough), I didn’t write down the address or phone number so no-one around me could even help.

Now I didn’t have a place to sleep or even know where to go to find one. I just started walking around towards the busier areas and asking hotels when I found them if they had rooms. Two hotels and two “no room” responses. My feet hurt and I was tired of carrying my bag around… so when the third place said yes, I just paid and went up to my room. It was only after I got into the room that I began to notice I had just checked into a love hotel! I found this pretty amusing that I was in a love hotel, all by myself.

One great feature though was the bathtub. There was a very large bathtub along with a separate shower. So I was able to fill the bath with nice hot water, take a shower, then soak and relieve the pains of the day. Ahhhhh…

Miyajima

The next morning I was up early to head off to Miyajima to see the famous Torii gate. A train ride to the ferry, ferry ride over to the island, then a short walk and there it was. The torii was cool to see sitting out in the bay like it was, but what I found even more interesting was the temple on a hill above. Also called the hall of 1,000 tatami mats, it was never completely finished by it’s starting benefactor. It has some very old paintings and sculpture hanging on the ceiling beams and an immence wooden floor big enough to fit 1,000 tatami mats.

Hiroshima

Back in Hiroshima, I visited the A-Bomb dome. This was a building almost directly under the atomic bomb blast that struck Hiroshima and thus was mostly spared from destruction. A reminder for all, the devestation that man can bring upon himself.

Next to the A-Bomb dome was created “Peace Park” with various art, and other reminders of the effects of war and a call for peace. Sights like the peace bell, the phoenix trees which survived the blast and have continued to grow around their scars, poems and sculptures by famous artists, and the peace flame.

What is sadly evident though is that as a race of people we haven’t learned the lessons and continue to destroy each other in wars and in our daily lives. The never ending conquest for “more” even though what we have now has never been appreciated.