TBTuesday: Thanksgiving and the big 3-0 in Hiroshima

Yes, I just made up my own throwback day, but that is because I am sitting here on the couch giving myself high fives (also known as clapping) for actually finishing these "Japanese Adventure" posts within the year and I just couldn't wait to post it! Before my most recent lag in blogging, I was one post away from being "caught up" and then life got exciting and busy and now I am behind again...such is life! I probably wont get a lot of sympathy for being behind because I am having fun...so enough complaining! Here we go, Hiroshima!

View of Hiroshima from our hotel

We found ourselves in Hiroshima the day before Thanksgiving. It was raining when our train arrived so, naturally, we stepped off the train and began walking the wrong direction toward away from our hotel. For the last, but not the first time on our trip, we hauled our luggage around in circles looking for our final destination. Once located, our hotel in Hiroshima was nice: very comfortable, great breakfast (which is saying a lot, trust me), and right across the street from Peace Memorial Park and Museum. We were pretty hungry when we got to our room, but instead of finding a place to eat (since again we were hungry between lunch and dinner and everything is closed), we opted for hands full of trail mix and granola bars. Only slightly satiated, we headed off to tackle the museum.

View from hotel- you can see A-Dome in this picture.

What we didn't know was that the Peace Memorial Museum is broken into two parts (buildings): the history of the city and the timeline leading up to the dropping of the atomic bomb, and the aftermath of the bomb on the city and its inhabitants. We also (stupidly) didn't know that the museum closed at six. We took our sweet time taking in the history- not knowing the importance of pacing ourselves in the short amount of time we accidentally allowed for the museum. I think we only ended up giving ourselves about two hours. In addition to our short time frame, this mama-to-be suddenly became very hungry (and felt faint! Woe is me!) right at the end of the pre-bomb portion. I insisted that we break for a snack at the museum snack bar....RIGHT THIS INSTANT! As Eric sat and watched me inhale yakisoba, he realized the museum closed at six. We looked at the clock and it was 5:20. This meant that we had only given ourselves a waaaaaay tooooo short 40 minutes to take in the aftermath of the bomb portion of the museum. The part we both really wanted to see and felt was important to witness. We made the best of our time, but both felt very rushed. Luckily the museum staff was really nice about letting the rest of us (we weren't the only ones lagging behind) finish the museum at a decent pace. They gave us some extra time and spared us any mean looks. Needless to say, if you ever find yourself visiting the Peace Memorial Museum (and I hope you do), please set aside ample time. It is an excellent museum and well worth lots of time.

After leaving the museum, we spent a little time walking around Peace Memorial Park, but it was getting cold and dark and was still rainy so we didn't stay out too long. Instead, hoping for nicer weather in the morning, we planned to hit the park again early the next day before heading off on our day trip.

For dinner we planned to try Okonomiyaki, a dish associated with the Hiroshima area of Japan. I would compare it to an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink omelette or pancake. It is layered batter, cabbage, pork, squid or octopus, Yakisoba (noodles), fried egg, and Okonomiyaki sauce. It is served all over Japan, even in Misawa, but we had heard about a small joint in Hiroshima famous for the dish. We set out on foot to try and find that place as it was close to our hotel. Using the GPS on Eric's phone we walked around and around a four block radius looking for this place. We knew it HAD to be close, but we just couldn't seem to find it. Eric kept reading aloud a description of the outside of the restaurant he had found online. We stopped in front of the door, which ended up being the door of the restaurant, not once, not twice, but three different times to debate what we were doing wrong and why we couldn't find it. Finally, we pulled our heads out of our own you-know-wheres, looked up, and realized that we had pretty much been standing in front of our destination all along.

A little frazzled (we were hangry), but overall relieved, we walked in and took a seat at the bar. The restaurant was cozy; nothing but a few tables and a bar in front of a large, hot griddle. The food was delicious and we enjoyed watching the chefs make the different variations of the dish. Unfortunately neither of us can remember the name of the restaurant nor its location. All we can say is that if you do go to Hiroshima, try the Okonomiyaki...somewhere. We were glad we did.

Full and exhausted from our long day of travel and effort to cram as much as we could into one afternoon, we fell into bed and power slept in preparation for our final day of adventuring.

"A-Dome"

We woke early the next morning to sunny skies! Lucky day! The first thing on our itinerary was a walk back to Peace Memorial Park to take in the outside monuments and landmarks. To one side of the park stands the only remaining structure (A-Dome) from prior to the drop of the atomic bomb. It was preserved in the condition in which it was left after the blast. It is difficult to describe the feeling that comes over when standing before that building; especially as an American. War is an ugly thing. Other notable sections of the park included: a mound of earth that holds the ashes of 70,000 unidentified victims of the bomb, the Aioi bridge, rebuilt in its distinctive T-shape, which was the target for the bomb and thus the epicenter of the blast, Children's Peace Monument that honors the children who were killed; in this area origami paper cranes made by children around the world are displayed, and a peace flame, which will remain lit until all the nuclear bombs of the world are destroyed. As heavy and solemn as the museum and park are, there is also a palpable feeling of hope and determination on behalf of the city of Hiroshima to make the world a better place.

Children's Peace Monument

Aioi Bridge

Peace flame

We left the park and hopped on a streetcar, which we rode southwest to a dock on Hiroshima Bay. We boarded a ferry and headed out to Itsukushima, which is popularly known as Miyajima Island. Miyajima means "shrine island" and is the location of the famous floating torii gate and Itsukushima Shrine, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

We were so excited to see the torii gate, but when we arrived at Miyajima it was low tide so the bottom of the torii was exposed (meaning it was not "floating"). We took some pictures anyway, and were able to walk right up to the base of it, which was cool. After checking out the torii gate, we made our way up to a ropeway, which would take us up Mt. Misen for a bird's eye view of Miyajima. On the path to the ropeway, we ran into a bunch of roaming deer, just like the ones we'd seen in Nara. The ropeway experience ended up being a real-life series of, "but wait, there's more!" On the first stop, we thought we were witnessing the most beautiful views of our trip, then we realized we could take the ropeway up to another station, which we did. When we got there, we were sure we were looking at the most beautiful views of our trip, then we realized that we could hike even higher, which we did. "Look! The most beautiful views of our trip!" Then we realized we could hike even higher to a temple, where Buddhist monks have been tending a fire for more than 1200 years. We were tired and hungry, but we kept pushing ourselves up that mountain and it was well worth it. When we got to the temple we saw the fire, the monks, and the most beautiful views of our trip. No, seriously, the views at the top of Mt. Misen are considered, "one of the three most scenic views of Japan," said the Prime Minister. We were so lucky to be at Miyajima on such a clear and sunny day.

We were saving our appetites for oysters down in the village on the island, but were starving by the time we made it back to the second ropeway station and needed a little something to hold us over. We got some curry and a "beer snack," which ended up being a beer and a bag of seafood chips. We ate our snacks while enjoying the third most beautiful views of our trip.

Back down at sea level, the tide had come in so we were fortunate enough to actually see the torii gate "floating." We snapped a bunch more pictures then began our search for the perfect oyster. Unfortunately for me, oysters were on my "no no with a bun in the oven" list...but that didn't stop me from sampling Eric's perfect oysters. That sounds more suggestive than I intended....but that is neither here nor there. Eric and I each ordered a bento box style lunch at a nice little restaurant in the village; Eric got fried oysters and I had tempura shrimp. Both meals were absolutely delicious. Arguably one of the best of the trip. After lunch, we made our way back to the ferry and back to our hotel.

After resting up and refreshing ourselves, we went back out for a night on the town. It was November 28th, Thanksgiving in the States, and we needed to celebrate properly. Our friend, Megan, who we hung out with in Kyoto too, had made to Hiroshima by that point so we decided to celebrate together!

There was some brief talk of celebrating Thanksgiving at KFC (nothing says thankful like a bucket o' fried chicken), but once we realized it would be our last dinner of the trip, we opted for something a little more...cultured. We ended up at a Tapas restaurant called Zucchini.

Imagine that? Three Americans celebrating Thanksgiving at a Spanish restaurant in Hiroshima, Japan? Doesn't get much better than that!

But wait, there's more! At some point during dinner, Megan discovered that Eric's 30th birthday was the next day. Needless to say, the night did get better...at least for the two people who could enjoy the plethora of wine that arrived at our table (I kid, I kid, I had a fabulous night too, just not quite as fabulous). But I did have a more fabulous next day...and there is something to be said for that!

After dinner, and between drinks, we walked down the street of Christmas lights in Hiroshima...Japan can give the US of A a run for her money on Christmas light displays! It was the perfect way to end the night. Unfortunately (for Eric), the night ended in a hotel room with a bottle of Zima. Cheers to thirty! 

Eric spent his 30th birthday feeling, in his words, "like a million bucks," on an all-day train ride home to Misawa. We arrived back home completely and utterly spent, but so incredibly thankful for an AMAZING Japanese adventure. Truly a trip of a lifetime.