City reborn

Hiroshima has rebuilt itself into a modern, vibrant city. Except for its hotchpotch of trams clanking about its way, the Peace Memorial park and museums, and a reconstructed castle, there is little to remind visitors of its rich past.

What touched me most was the story of Sadako and her paper cranes as told in the Peace Memorial museum. She has become a symbol of hope and a representative of nuclear fallout victims.

We stayed three days in Hiroshima, took a leisurely tour of the city, and made a day trip to Iwakuni before proceeding onwards to the island of Miyajima.

Quick Tips:

Like any major town or city, Hiroshima has its own shopping arcades and local delights. Hiroshima oysters and okonomiyaki (a pancake like dish grilled on a hotplate filled with shredded cabbage and other ingredients) are must-tries. The latter makes for a cheap, filling meal as it costs as low as 400 yen. Check out Okonomi-mura (11-2am) at Shintenchi Plaza building behind Parco department store. There are about 30 little restaurants crammed over three floors all specializing in okonomiyaki. Some have English menus so be sure to ask for it. The atmosphere is noisy and lively, but be prepared to come out of the building smelling like an okonomiyaki!

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Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to move around in Hiroshima is by tram. Purchase the one-day trip card from the tram station located outside the JR Hiroshima station. It costs about 600 yen for unlimited rides for the day.

Most major sights are within walking distance so a good pair of shoes and a good map of Hiroshima are essential. You can pick up copies of the map at any hotels, major retail shops, or at JR Hiroshima station.

The original castle was destroyed in 1945 by the atomic bomb blast. The present castle is a reconstruction of the original. Built in 1958, it is a five-storied timbered tower that houses exhibits tracing the history of Hiroshima, in particular, the Castle, its life and culture. The observatory platform on the 5th floor gives visitors a bird's eye view of the surroundings.

The park surrounding the castle seems to be a favorite with amateur painters and families. There are some relics that survived the atomic blast scattered around. We had a picnic lunch there before climbing up to the castle. We soon realised it was not a good idea. The minute we opened our bentos (rice box), we had a persistently picky pigeon that insisted on sharing our lunch. When my friend threw bits of leftovers in an attempt to appease it (since her shrieks did not scare it away), more pigeons joined in. Needless to say, we finished our lunch in record time.

Visit this castle only if you have not visited any of the other castles elsewhere or if you want to learn more of the history of Hiroshima. Otherwise, this castle is pretty unimpressive.

Admission for the castle is 320 yen (unless you produce the Seto Inland Sea welcome card) and opens from 9am - 5:30pm. It is closed from Dec 29th to January 2nd.

How to get there:
Take the tram or streetcar and get off at Kamiya-cho, after the Atomic bomb dome. From there, follow the street signs, it's about 15 minutes walk north from there.

The A-bomb dome is the most prominent and poignant reminder for all about the devastating effects of the nuclear bomb. It was once the Hiroshima Prefecture Industrial Promotion Hall and is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage. Students from all over Japan visit this site to learn the lessons of the past and lay thousands of colorful paper cranes, the symbol of peace.

Scattered around the peace park are other memorials like the Memorial cenotaph, Children's Peace monument, monument in memory of the Korean victims, peace bell and the atomic bomb memorial mound to name a few.

The Children's Peace monument was inspired by Sadako, a 12-year-old girl who died of leukumia in 1955. She was a victim of the lingering effects of the A bomb. She started folding origami paper cranes with the hope that she would get well. Paper cranes have since become a symbol of peace. Countless of colorful papercranes can be seen scattered throughout the park, near or surrounding the monuments.

Visitors can view some of her paper cranes, some as small as a 1 yen coin displayed in the Peace Memorial museum.

It was here that I learnt about the plight of the 50,000 Koreans who died during the nuclear bomb explosion; and that the Japanese were not the only victims who died of the nuclear explosion on 6th August, 1945. The Koreans had arrived to Japan then and worked as forced labourers. This memorial was erected much later as a bitter reminder.

Admission to the Memorial Peace park is free. In evenings, floodlights lit the dome as an eerie reminder to all.

How to get there:
Take the streetcar and get off at Genbaku Domu-mae (A-bomb dome). You won't miss the stop because it's the only tram stop that has an announcement in English. If you missed the announcement, look out for the A-bomb dome on the left.

On August 6th, 1945, at precisely 8:15am, Hiroshima fell victim to the world's first atomic bombing. This museum was built in 1955 and comprise of two wings, the East building that traces the events leading to the nuclear explosion and the West building that displays artifacts from the atomic bombing and show the after effects. It also tells of the city's international efforts against nuclear war and nuclear weapons build-up.

Until today, the second generation of the bomb victims are active in lobbying against nuclear armnament in the park. Visitors are asked to sign petitions against building and use nuclear weapons. In the Peace Memorial museum, visitors can approach volunteers (identifiable by their jackets) who were survivors of the A bomb explosion in 1945 for personal testimonies. However, you have to be fluent in Japanese to converse with them. Otherwise, visitors can proceed to the West building where there are pre-recorded video of the testimonies of survivors, many were school children or young adults then. The video clip has English subtitles.

One particular exhibit that traces a victim's struggle to return home from school after the nuclear fallout reminded me of Hayao Miyazaki's Grave of the Fireflies. One of Japan's wartime efforts to protect women and young children were to send them away from cities into rural areas. As such, many children were separated from their families became orphans during the war.

Sadako's story is also retold through photographs. Her paper cranes are carefully displayed.

Comparisons between the Peace museum and park here and in Nagasaki were inevitable. Both seek to drive home one message: to eliminate all nuclear weapons for the sake of world peace.

How to get there:
Take the streetcar bound for Hiroshima Port (Ujina) and alight at Chuden-mae, in front of Chugoku Electric company.

The museum opens from 9am - 6pm and closes from Dec 29th to Jan 2nd. Admission is 50 yen (or 40 yen if you produce the Seto Inland Sea welcome card). Ask for an English pamplet. There are also English pre-recorded audio guides to the museum for 300 yen per recorder.

This beautiful miniture garden is modelled after Xi Hu of Hangzhou, China. It dates back to 1620 and was damaged by the A bomb. This little garden is an oasis away from the bustle of downtown. A perfect little spot for quiet contemplation; at least, until the next coach-load of elderly visitors. Don't be surprise if you see fish leaping out of the pond (not sure why though) but it makes the visit interesting.

To get there:
From JR Hiroshima Station, take a Hiroshima bus bound for Asahi-machi or a Hiroden bus bound for Yokogawa Station, and get off at "Shukkeien Iriguchi".

The garden opens from 9am - 6pm and costs 250 yen per person (so produce the Seto Inland Sea welcome card for the discount).