March 2025
March 2025 |
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See Just pictures of our time in Hiroshima
This would be our bus ride to, and Bullet Train return from, Hiroshima.
After breakfast (which I didn't eat) we checked out of our hotel and headed south for what would be a 5-hour bus ride in total to Hiroshima.
Because we were taking the bullet train back to Osaka from Hiroshima, we could only take an overnight bag for our 2 nights in Hiroshima. Although this required some forethought, I had no problem fitting enough stuff into my backpack.
About a quarter of the way to Hiroshima we visited the White Heron Castle, in Himeji. The white roof of this UNESCO World Heritage-listed complex is said to evoke the wings of a heron taking flight. This is the most visited castle in Japan and the site offers some wonderful views of surrounding Himeji city.
I stayed on the bus as I was recovering from the night before. Fortunately David took some nice pictures here.
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The White Heron Castle |
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The Bikan Historical Quarter |
After breakfast we boarded a ferry for the short trip to Miyajima, an
island known for its forests, ancient temples, Aquarium,
and lively shopping area.
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On the ferry approaching Miyajima |
Back in Hiroshima we visited the Atomic Bomb Dome, otherwise known as
the Genbaku Dome, or the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. A shell of a building
that was one of very few left standing after the United States bombed
Hiroshima in 1945. In Hiroshima today, locals have mixed feelings about
the UNESCO World Heritage-listed structure: some see it as a reminder of
war, while others consider it a tribute to the lost that ensures we'll
never forget the tragic events that took place here.
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The Atomic Dome |
After that, we had a short walk to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which contains many poignant, yet important, exhibits. The flame in the cenotaph is intended to burn until the last nuclear weapon has been destroyed.
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The Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Museum |
After breakfast we departed Hiroshima via the bullet train to Osaka.
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Boarding in Hiroshima Riding on it wasn't a big deal
except that we got to Osaka in about 2 hours. The train was
nice, but the views from it were not spectacular. It was either
in a tunnel or had guard rails that were hard to see over. |
Upon arriving back in Osaka we enjoyed a walking tour of the Dōtonbori area. One of Osaka's most popular tourist destinations.
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Dōtonbori area - SUPER crowded!! David and I bought some stuff at the Don Quijote store there, a tourist destination in itself. |
Later, we checked in again at the Osaka Hotel, which was non-eventful.
That evening we would all enjoy a traditional Japanese dinner courtesy of Inspired Vacations. We went to some restaurant, sat on seats at ground level, and at bite-sized samples of lots of exotic foods. By the advice of my doctor (David) I was still nursing my gut so I nibbled the the various plates.
We got up early as usual and had breakfast. Our flight was scheduled to leave a 4:50 pm. We packed, said goodbyes to everyone...again! We checked our bags into short-term storage at the hotel. Then we went on a treasure hunt for a Japan Starbucks mug for June using GPS. We saw that it was inside the JR train station, but took awhile and several queries for directions to finally find it. I got the mug and eventually a cup of coffee and a scone, which was heaven!
We got to the airport hours early using another private car and got checked in and through security. I walked around and eventually bought some snacks at a convenience store. It was just like a 7-11 in Japan with LOTS of fresh food and snacks and very efficient checkout.
The flight home went as usual, except that we both had been up since about 6 pm and the flight left at 5 PM so that was 11 hours, a 10 hour flight. We got our bags and went through customs in about 1 hour. My long-time friend Rich picked us up (Thanks Again!) and we had a 2 hour drive to the north bay. So by the time I got home I had been awake for about 24 hours. I ate and went right to bed for a couple of hours.
See more pictures of our time in Hiroshima
GOOD TIMES, and thanks to David for making this an EPIC adventure!