HIROSHIMA

18th - 20th Oct 2019

The Cenotaph in Peace Memorial Park. The Flame of Peace is at the end of the pond.

It was a 3 hour Shinkansen train ride south-west via Osaka, Kobe and Fukuyama to Hiroshima. These main railway stations are super modern but have numerous complicated routes within them which makes navigation a bit of a challenge. However, signs and announcements are in English as well as Japanese, as are the sensible and short announcements on the trains, and there is always an Information Office or helpful station staff around to help the bemused Brit tourist. The train was full with many enthusiastic Rugby  supporters on their way to Oita for the forthcoming England v Australia match. It was drizzly rain when I arrived.

I discovered that there is a very useful 'Hop on Hop off' (HoHo) bus from the station which operates on three circular colour-coded routes around the city. It is also free with a Japan Rail Pass. It dropped me off close to my hotel (again booked at a v reasonable price on arrival). It was called the Chisum and similar to the APA ones I used previously.

As you undoubtedly know, Hiroshima is infamous for the first atomic bomb, nick-named Little Boy, dropped on it by a US B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay, at 8.15am on 6th August 1945. The explosion instantly killed about 80,000 people and a further 130,000 more died of radiation exposure and other secondary effects, including burns, in the following months. Many more after that. Horrific.

What they refer to as the 'hypocentre' of the explosion occurred about 2000ft above the city directly over a building now known as the 'Atomic Bomb Dome' (left). It was an Industrial Promotion Hall and unlike other buildings, mostly wooden, in the surrounding area was left  ruined but standing although everyone inside it was killed instantly. It is now a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Right: An aerial photo of the city after the explosion. Wipe out! The Atomic Bomb Dome (the hypocentre) is just to the right of the apex of the central two rivers. In between these two rivers for about 500m south is now the 'Peace Memorial Park'.

This photo was taken from a large video cleverly showing before and after shots of the city.

The Peace Memorial Park contains several monuments and visitor centres. Including (left) the Children's Peace Monument.

Right: The Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound. In a vault under this are interred the ashes of thousands of unidentified or unclaimed victims of the explosion.

Left: Nearby is the 'Bell of Peace' at which visitors are encouraged to swing a long pole to ring a large bell hanging in the centre.

Right: The instructions.

Left: The Peace Memorial Hall. A softly lit (contemplative) subterranean hall with a fountain at the centre  surrounded by a circular panorama of Hiroshima and the names of its neighbourhoods at the time of the bomb. An adjoining room shows the names and photographs of some of those who perished.

Right: The Cenotaph which is at one, southern, end of a long pool. At the other end, framed by the monument, is the 'Flame of Peace' and beyond that the Atomic Bomb Dome across the river.

Left: There was a sort of parade here by a group of schoolchildren who, in a well-disciplined performance, were laying wreaths at the foot of the Cenotaph.

Right: At the southern end of the park is the 'Peace Memorial Museum'. Two large buildings connected by a central gallery. It contains many remnants and remains of the bombing such as tattered scorched clothing and bits of debris plus many gruesome photographs of victims. There are  moving videoed interviews with survivors (fortunately with subtitles).

Left: A child's tricycle dug from the wreckage with a photo of the child who owned it with his mother. Lots of things like this, such as a half melted watch stopped at 8.15.

Right: A model, before and after, of the Atomic Bomb Dome building.

Left: ...and a model of the two bombs. 'Little Boy' (Hiroshima) on the right. 'Fat Man' (Nagasaki) on the left.

Right: The fountain on the far side of the museum which represents something significant but I've forgotten what.

Left: The busy night-life of the city centres around the Naka ward; a large area of garishly lit streets with numerous bars, shops and restaurants. I was there on the Saturday when England were due to play Australia in the Rugby World Cup. I tracked down the Molly Malone Irish Pub which I suspected might be showing the match. 

Bars and clubs are often stacked on top of each other on various floors of buildings. The signs (left) tell you where they are.

The Molly Malone Pub was on the fourth floor of such a building. I was correct. There were lots of Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Micks and Taffs in there to watch the matches. Quite a packed and very good-humoured crowd. I stuck to a diet of Irish stew and pints of Kilkenny beer. Such is my adventurous foray into Japanese cuisine.

I stayed for the following New Zealand v Ireland game. 

The manager here was indeed a genuine, and amusing, Irishman from Cork.

Left: Next day, courtesy of the marvellous HoHo bus, I visited  Hiroshima Castle (Hiroshima-Jo). Originally built in 1589 but was totally flattened by the bomb in 1945. It was rebuilt in 1958. It was one of the Shogun/Samurai residencies and is surrounded by a large park and impressive moat.

On the five floors are various museum pieces but most of the descriptions are only in Japanese. At one place you are able to dress up in a complete Samurai costume. Right; Just to look a bit of a prat I restricted myself to putting on a Samurai hat.

Left: There are great views from the fifth floor viewing balcony looking south across the park and moat towards the Peace Memorial Park.

Almost forgot to mention; Hiroshima takes its name from this island surrounded by water. It means (I think) 'Wide Island'. Bet you didn't know that. 

Right: An interesting 'pet shop' in one of the main streets. Little hyper-active 'toy' dogs are kept in glass tanks where shop assistants go around non-stop cleaning them out. They have very big price tags. I can't think how many they sell, but it looked a bit cruel if you ask me. How long do they keep them before their sell-by date I wonder?

Left: A well-dressed lady standing guard outside one of the tourist info centres.

Right: In the foyer of my little hotel was this display. I began to notice that they take Halloween seriously in Japan. There were many other Halloween themed displays around the place. I suppose the American influence is to blame.

Left: On the HoHo bus. Note the driver, as per standard, with hat, mask and of course white gloves.

That was my whistle-stop tour of Hiroshima. Decent enough place. Continuing the bomb theme, off next south to Nagasaki.

MORE KYOTO. DAY 2

17th - 18th Oct 2019

I decided to take a look (on behalf of a reader who suggested it) at the Kyoto Railway Museum. It was within walking distance of my hotel, just west of the main station. The walk took me through Umekoji Park in which I got lost until I met a crocodile of small schoolchildren whose teacher I think said (English is not well understood outside the tourist spots)  she was taking them to the museum. So I decided to follow, and I got there. In case you are worried I am NOT a 'spotter' or 'anorak' or 'railway nerd'! Neither do I make a habit of joining in at the rear of a crocodile of schoolchildren.

Left: Incidentally I noticed several of these very well behaved strings of children at various places on their way to museums and suchlike. Each group was identified by colour coded hats...useful for the teachers to identify their little charges if they ran off. 

The museum, on three floors, is incredibly smart and modern with a large outside display area. It has many interactive displays and amusing dioramas plus a large restaurant.

Did you know that it was a Scottish gentleman, a merchant and industrialist called Thomas Glover (1838-1911), who built the first Japanese railway? He was also involved in shipping and importing things like armaments to Japan. He features quite prominently around the country as I came to discover.

There were lots of ancient and modern trains on display as you might expect, including a model of the yet to be put into service Shinkansen Alpha X. This train will travel at over 400kph.

Right: This is not it.

Left: A restaurant car serving breakfast when I went past.

Right: There is a magnificent model railway, about 40 paces in length, which runs through a complex computer controlled night and day programme featuring all kinds of train presently in service. Impressive.

Left: A pedal powered machine which ran around a rail track. Popular with the youngsters. Behind it is one of the newer bullet trains.

Right: This, as I'm sure you recognise, is a fine example of a 151 Series electric railcar hollow shaft meter type parallel Cardan driving bogie.

Left: One of several groups of hat colour-coded schoolchildren. The orange group.

Right: The turntable outside surrounded by engine sheds which were all occupied by various ancient engines.

Left: There is a working steam engine which makes short trips down a line and back taking passengers. I didn't go on it because the next trip would have delayed me and anyway I thought that it would have been a bit boring just sitting in one of the open sided carriages; going nowhere.










Right: The driver on the footplate. It made a very loud 'whistle' before setting off, and produced much steam and smoke.
....and he's wearing white gloves, of course.

Left: A display was dedicated to old and modern railway logos. There were hundreds of them. I pick out these two only because I was hoping one would read 'Kamikaze'.

For some reason there was no mention of the contribution made to Japanese railways by British and Allied  POWs in WW2.

Right: Off next to Nijo-Jo (Nijo Castle) which is near the old Imperial Palace in the north-west part of the city. It was the fortress of the Shoguns, built in 1603 and surrounded by a moat and substantial walls 

Left: The moat was teeming with carp which swarmed to the surface, mouths agape, if anyone chucked a bit of bread in. I noticed some small children who thought this was fascinating and, not having any bread to throw in, threw in pebbles instead. I don't think the fish can have been very impressed. The greediest ones probably sank.

There is an impressive palace inside which housed the Shogun and his entourage to demonstrate the Shogun's prestige and to signal the demise of the Emperor's power. 

One walked around a series of long (squeaking) passageways past many rooms which were mostly empty but had elaborate murals on the walls (left). We were informed that most of these were replicas; the originals are in a museum. Again, photography was strictly prohibited.

The Shogun was a bit paranoid about security and as a precaution he had 'nightingale' floors fitted which make squeaking noises when you walk on them making it difficult for any intruders to move about quietly, as well as concealed chambers where bodyguards could keep watch. They certainly did squeak a lot.

One room (right) had some figures in it supposedly representing outlying Provincial leaders being addressed by their boss. 

Around the Palace are some rather magnificent gardens (left) and there is a pleasant 'tea shop' where I stopped to enjoy a cup of tea and tasty bit of cake with jam and thick cream. Their equivalent of a Cornish scone I suppose.

Right: Just outside the castle is a shop selling Samurai swords. There was a large selection and a security buzzer to get in.

.....with good reason as some of them were very expensive. This one (left) had a price tag of 270,000 Yen (over £2000). 

Right: There are lots of these box-like cars about the town. I also noticed them in Yokohama and Kushiro. They are of different makes; ugly, but are obviously very popular,

On walking back to the station I also saw this gentleman driving a Morgan (left) out of a garage. He was more than happy for me to take the photo and I rather hoped he would give me a lift. No such luck.










Wherever you walk the chances are you will pass a garden like this (right). They like their gardens with trees, ponds and ornamental bridges. They don't much go in for flowers.
My garden specialises in weeds.

The following morning I decided to take a stroll up to the Higashi-Hongan-ji, the Eastern Temple of the True Vow. It is just north of the railway station. I was told the Buddhist monks there do a lot of 'chanting'. Unfortunately, as I discovered, they do it at 6.00am which is an inconvenient time of day because I am asleep then.

Left: The main gate.

Right: The grandiose buildings inside. The Main Hall is supposed to be the second largest wooden structure in Japan. Again, photography inside is strictly forbidden and there are 'wardens' to watch you.

Left: In the courtyard is this drinking fountain with an elaborately carved statue of a swan (I think) at one end. The water comes out of its beak. You are meant to take a sip of water using silver spoon-like things left on the side (on chains!) and presumably offer up a prayer, or something. I did and, so far, have not suffered any ill effects.

Right: Inside the Main Hall. Many empty rooms with murals but the main one houses lots of Buddhas including this big one sitting on his throne surrounded by very gaudy golden decoration. I expect this is where the monks do their chanting.

Kyoto is a pleasant city, I concluded, with many interesting things to see and do.

I departed on the 11.46am Shinkansen for Hiroshima. More to come from there.