Day 1 - Miyajima

Day 2 - Peace Memorial Park

Welcome to Hiroshima Helen! Our first day we went to Miyajima Island off the coast of Hiroshima.

The legend of Miyajima is that no one is allowed to die or be born on the island, thus there are no hospitals or graveyards. Also, trees are not allowed to be felled, so they grow freely, and that also means wild animals can roam freely, such as these here deer, or in Japanese, shika.

And when I say "wild" animals, I might be exaggerating slightly. Because really, these deer were about as wild as the "wild" squirrels at UCLA who attack you for your Panda Bowl.

These statues lined the walkway to the main part of the island. And oh look... more deer.

Otorii - This is the most photographed place on EARTH. Well, so says Lonely Planet. It's voted one of Japan's 3 most beautiful places, and it's just schnazzy cause it looks like it's floating. I mean, don't be fooled, it's not, but still!

Cause let's face it, I could have gotten that picture from a tour book. But now I have PROOF!

There was a Noh play being shown in the Shrine next to the 5-tiered pagoda. It was cool and all, but the music is fairly repetitive, so Helen and I took our "Wow, cool," moment, then politely snuck out the back.

It's a pagoda. If you've seen one you've seen them all. It's big. It's red. And it looks nifty in photos.

It's Nature. Helen was less impressed than myself because she actually lives near Nature. Me? It felt like the first natural running water stream I had seen in eons. And look at all the sakura blossoming!

The sign for the Monkey Park at the top of Mt. Misen. Alas, there were no monkeys, only signs warning about the potential monkeys. But we did get to see more deer. Oh goody.

Helen and I had a nice hike to the top of the mountain, and at the top, we pulled up a boulder and had our planned picnic of Teddy Grams, apples, Milky Ways, and cold green tea. From our boulder, this was the view in front of us. One of the signs also informed us that the land mass way far off is Japan's third island, Shikoku. Stunning.

Sakura is just truly pimp.

And these are only the ones I actually posted. ;-)

Coming back down the mountain and heading back towards the ferry, the sun was in a different place in the sky and reflected differently off of the Otorii, so I took a few more shots. Just in case you thought I photoshopped myself in before.

Helen saw another tourist doing this and gave me the idea. This was a stone lamp that gets lit after sunset, and they line the path like the big statue before. I just liked the way it framed the gate.

The A-Bomb Dome, one of the only remaining buildings to survive the attack. The rubble still litters the inside, relatively untouched, and very unsettling. You should see how it used to look.

The sign accompanying the Dome, I hope it's readable for most of you.

The Park really was remarkable. An oasis in the middle of a bustling city, a lovely reminder of unlovely things.

This arch is where they hold the Peace Convention every year. Through it, you can catch a glimpse of the Undying Flame and beyond that the A-Bomb Dome.

The Undying Flame will only be put out when the last nuclear weapon on earth has been destroyed. In the background, you can see the Peace Memorial Museum Building. That's a whole nother story that can only be told in person and over a bottle of wine.

The Peace Bell. Throughout the day you can hear people ringing it.

Shukkeien Garden, a recreation of a Chinese Garden somewhere in, well... China. This is quintessential Japan, Nature and Beauty framed by enormous skyscrapers. Heh. Ah well. That's a mother and her son in the foreground.

Hiroshima-jo, or, Hiroshima Castle. The real one was naturally destroyed, so this one was recreated in 1958. The inside is basically a museum of recovered artifacts like samurai outfits, and a whole floor dedicated to weaponry. It was SWEET. The top has a lookout so you look out on all of Hiroshima.

Spring in Japan was perfectly personified in Hiroshima, and I'm very very happy I made it down. I'm even happier I got to take Helen with me. And hey, sakura is always a happy note to end on. =)