Journal #15... Hiroshima

Today we go up early enough for a casual ride to the train station to get the bullet train to Hiroshima.  While waiting we talked to two men...one from England and one from Wales who were traveling together around Japan.  They had planned to have a guide for the Hiroshima day and they were going to the island where 5)3 floating shrine with the Tori's in the water. 

We decided not to do that but fearing that we wouldn't have enough time we did trade in our tickets for an hour later,  in retrospect we could have made it ok, but would have had to hurry and would miss the waiting room watching many many sumo wrestling matches!  

After we changed our tickets we boarded the orange bus...one of three.... and got off at the Hiroshima Castle.  

 

Whereas most castles are in the mountains, this one is a flatland castle.  In 1589 Terumoto, the successor from his grandfather, who had been the feudal lord of most of the region, established  this castle in 1589 moving there in  1591.  Asano Nagaakira became the lord of Aki and the eight counties around and the family held that position for 250 years. 

In 1871 when they abolished the feudal system the castle turned into a military facility.  On August 6th ( the day that will live in infamy for the Japanese)  the castle, and of course Hiroshima and a lot more  was destroyed by the atomic bomb blast.  In 1958 the tower was reconstructed as a museum of sorts.   There was a lot more besides the castle tower before the bombing but all else is left in ruin.

There were six levels and I made it to the fourth where there were beautiful painted fabrics, on the third were many shogun swords and uniforms.  On the second there were more of the same and Michael dressed up for a picture.  I told him to smile, but he told me shogun warriors don't smile.  I took his picture  anyway, then made a wisecrack and when he smiled I clicked it again so have both.  Carol took a picture of both of us together, but only he was a warrior,

 

 

Back we went to the bus for our next stop at The A- Bomb Dome.  This is the remains of a huge building after the bomb leveled the city.  It is kept as it is to remind of the devastation of war.  The entire Peace Park is a reminder of the horrors of war and the hope of Peace.  If only we could get people to put aside greed and the war for power and actually get to live in peace!

 

 

All three of us rang the beautiful and beautifully sounding Peace bell and made a prayer for a better world.  I got a couple good shots of Michael ringing the bell.

 

 

Michael went off to take a picture of the Peace Clock put up by Lions International and I hung around to lament that I hadn't worn my St.Patricks Day shirt I had actually bought for this day!  I should have kept better track of dates!  Oh well, there is always NEXT year!

 

 

Michael took a picture of the Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound where many of the dead were buried together, but I opted to refrain from that.  I did find an area that had been decorated by children. After reading the story of Sadako and the One Thousand Cranes, a story about a healthy young girl who gets leukemia from the radiation.  She thinks if she makes a thousand cranes for good luck and good health she will live.  The children had made rainbows of strung cranes...way over a thousand to decorate an area of Peace Park.  I will include those and you can see that close up they are made of thousands of cranes fitting close together.

 

 

We saw the Figure of the  Merciful Goddess Kannon of Peace.  she looked like the Kannon we saw in that shrine with her 999 other friends, only without all the arms.  I some how missed the Flame of Peace, but I'm sure if the flame had gone out I would have heard about it.  Michael got the shot he wanted through the arch of Peace to see the A-Bomb Dome.  It turned out pretty great.....see!

 

 

From there we went to the Museum.  Some of it was unavailable to us as they were refitting for earthquake safety.  This is one of the buildings:

 

 

The museum we saw was quite depressing.  There were videos of people who were there and left vid through the war.  Their testimonials were horrific, how they had lost people in their family right in front of them in the blast or months later from the radiation,  Then there was lots of objects that had gone through the blast... horribly damaged clothes, a tricycle, etc. There was a huge display with the town, the video showed the bomb flying down from the sky and the explosion and the devastation that followed.  Why can't people put away their greed and lust for power and let us live in peace?  The hawks in the world need to spend a couple weeks locked in that museum together!

By then we were starving and since this place is far from restaurants we went to the small cafe in the museum.  It had a very limited menu and we each ate something different.  I can't remember what Michael had but Carol and I had a really weird concoction.  There was a picture of it but no explanation.  I found out it was a special dish from Hiroshima so I had it.  It  was a thin pancake thing covered with a moisture of noodles and cooked cabbage, covered with another pancake thing and smothered in Bulldog sauce....a mixture of Worcestershire, soy sauce and ?   It had a long name and I didn't write it down.  I didn't care for the thin pancakes and left that part and the bulldog sauce but the middle part was surprisingly tasty.  Since I had made such a mess of mine another lady let me photograph hers.

 

 

By then it was time to get back to the train station.  We did stop at an art museum, but the only artist I recognized was George's Rauolt. 

I slept on the way back to Kyoto.  We did have dinner at the train station here.  Michael had carbonara, Carol had beef steak and onion rings, and I had fish and chips... a big break from Japanese food.

When I got back to the room I sent a few things by email and was out like a light.

So that's the scoop on Hiroshima.

 

The traveling trio

Addendum:

The mystery is solved.!!  That Hiroshima meal is called okonomiyaki.  Thank you, Joan Boomer!  Maybe Ross can analyze the ingredients of what Carol calls Bulldog sauce.

I am glad to hear that number three of the Golden Pavilion is most everyone's favorite as that is mine.  I plan to have it framed as a remembrance of this trip!  I have no idea what wall space in my house I will find.  Erick is fond of  # 5 and Donna, Linda, and Janet were just showing the love when they praised #2.

I am so glad to see the folks who are still following this and enjoying photos.  Michael took some wonderful pictures of yesterday's temple. I will figure out how to send them today as they tell the story well.

This trip has been such a joy!  We will never be able to thank Carol enough for being our guide.  I know she is perplexed that we are more uncouth  than she hoped for, but we are learning to stand on the left in escalators, not stack our plates at restaurants,  talk more softly,  not taking pictures of people's car logos to find out what they are, etc.  It has been a challenge but we are coming around.  She comments often, and we see it, that the Japanese dress well.  Our wardrobe doesn't compare  ,but they only have those beautiful clothes in size 5 here!

 

 

Journal #16... Exploring the City of Nara's Todai-Ji Temple

Today was another special treat.  We got on the Train to Nara.  The first day I now realize that although we were on the train toward Nara, to see the many many Tori's we were off on the second stop, still actually in Kyoto. This time we went for forty five minutes until we arrived in Nara.  At one time it was the capital of Japan.  The first temple was established in 752.  It burned down several times and was rebuilt.  Like the temple in Kyoto, it claims to be the largest wooden structure in the world.  I don't know how to believe as each is quite enormous.  The many pillars that support it are gigantic as they must  hold up the roof of mega tons of heavy tiles.

One thing for sure, it has the largest brass Buddha in  the world.  It too had some early damage.  The lower part is the original  1300 years old. The  chest area is eight hundred years old and the head is three hundred years old.

It sits on a huge beautifully etched brass lotus flower with a lotus plant beside him in brass.  There are several  other statues but pictures can say it all.  Honestly, I am so tired tonight getting the Hiroshima part written and sent that I'll just send the pictures and you can google the Temple!

Get ready to be impressed.  We were!

 

Love from the Traveling trio

 

Journal #17... Nijo-jo Castle in Kyoto

Today was the highlight of the trip for me. 

 

 

 

After my waffle and ice cream breakfast we subway'ed to Nijo-jo Castle.  Starting in 1602 it was constructed by the feudal lords for Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu.  Overtime there were lightening strikes and fires but it was always rebuilt.

The rooms of the castle have been restored as Tokugawa had them and are quite amazing.  I was struck by the soft gold of the walls dusted with gold powder but not glitzy and bright.  The photos I'm sending you don't nearly do it justice.  Photos were not allowed so I bought the book  to photograph and sadly not all of the rooms are there.  Each room had a different theme.  One favorite was that of the tigers.  Since there were no tigers in Japan the artists had to rely on Chinese drawings and the use of hides.  At that time the Chinese thought  that the leopard and the tiger were in the same Family and that the baby had leopard spots.  Maybe the deer gave them that idea, but in another room the tiger mother is nursing her young and they all have leopard spots.  Although the tigers don't look exactly like tigers, the rooms are magnificent.  Tigers were chosen for one of the rooms theme to receive dignitaries who would surely be impressed and somewhat intimidate as well.  

There were rooms that featured birds ( pheasant, peacock, cranes, eagles, geese).  I loved the peacock room as well as the crane room.  There was no furniture, just beautiful tatami mats.  The walls don't go all the way to the top to allow ventilation of the air.  But above the wall just below the air space are intricate wood open carvings that match he motif in such a wonderful way.

For me this Palace was far more impressive than those in Europe.  I find the glitz, patterned carpets, gold guilding, ornate furniture,  fancy vases, and large paintings of royalty too over the top for me!  Each of those rooms seem so much the same and overdone.  This simple Palace with painted walls that would impress the masters, gave that soft, soothing feeling of peace.  The only sounds I could hear were the soft chirping bird-like sounds made as people walked on the floors with their stockinged feet.  They believe it is the loosened nails in the floor that sing as people walked.  I LOVED it.  Yes, Versailles, you  can't compare!

 

 

From there we went to the gardens.  The only flowers are the Cherry blossom trees ( sadly a week from blooming) and the walls along the back side of camellias...in full bloom.  Instead there are paths going along by pools with rock and beautiful, trimmed pines.  They have one very very rare palm....there is even a room in the castle dedicated to it  (sorry no picture) that can not stand the cold weather.  It is covered with a rice straw "coat" to keep it warm.  Although I love flowers and English gardens, this simple pine garden matched the Castle perfectly.  Behind the Castle was the palace.

 

Enjoy this wonderful place!

Love    Three weary but enlightened travelers

 

 

Journal #18... Meals On Our Last Full Day In Kyoto

Breakfast as I pictured for you earlier... waffle with chocolate ice cream cream filled with berries and cream on the side was pretty wonderful.

For lunch we entered The Cube, a big department store, from the train station and had pasta.  Carol  had carbonara. Michael  had shrimp with cream sauce and I had spaghetti with meat sauce....all really good and we all scarfed it down.  

By dinner we were beat tired and wanted to find something near the hotel.  What I call the chicken place was touristy and much like the first meal we had here so Michael went on line to find something near.  He found a noodle house that someone had given 4 1/2 stars only that it was hard to find and was only one $.  

It was in a most obscure location alright and the bill was only 800 yen (about $9.47) so that was  right on.  From the onset, it was weird and Carol was pretty turned off .  I thought the uniqueness was worth the chance.  You wait in a long line...usually that means the food is good, with only one girl who could speak English.  She was there with her family bringing her friend from Holland to this experience.  Well, when we take out-of-towners  to a place to eat, we go to favorites so that was sounding good.  

When we got to the end of the dark hall there was a machine that took your order.  There were only three choices :

1. hot pot whereby you put cold noodles in a pot of boiling broth and slurp

2. ramen 

3. something else I can't even remember. 

We all chose ramen as Carol has been wanting that and we haven't done that yet.   

Next we had to choose what kind of noodle, wheat or regular....no problem there we all chose regular.  Next we needed to choose what meat.  There was:

1. beef intestine, 

2. pork

3. something else.  I can't remember that either, probably because I was so freaked out by the beef intestine! 

You could have an egg in it, no thanks and there would be tea to drink.

When we got around the corner we saw a long counter of butcher block.  Two guys cooks were making the food and a young girl was washing up.  Everyone slurped in a hurry and like the girl told us it did go pretty fast.  Carol was still thinking this was a tourist trap, come on Carol, BEEF INTESTINES,!!!?

Michael ate all his and the two of us ate what we could.  Although the discovery was interesting and made for fun journaling, the taste was no where near 4 1/2!  They use a broth that for pork, tasted pretty fishy.  I hope that wasn't left over from the beef intestine.  Never having that before maybe it has a fishy taste.  The meat was cooked but he took it out of the fridge and crisped it up with a blow torch!   I had seen that on the street so wasn't to freaked out for that.  For me the tea was great and I had four cups.  I don't like hot tea and this was weak iced tea straight from the fridge and serve yourself  

Anyway, on the way home Carol and I bought two Fuji  apples that were HUGE for 270 yen ($2.54).  We shared one which was delicious and cold and will have the other today.  ( I am writing this at 3:30!am because I can't sleep.). 

Michael and I got back to the hotel and retrieved our laundry.  It was six yen to wash but about ten to dry.  We won't do that again! That was over fifteen bucks, and we did the work and no ironing done.

Oh I'll try to sleep as we leave for Hase today and I still have to figure how I'm going to stuff everything I've bought so far in my suitcase!  Yikes I have Hase and Tokyo to go!

I hope you are still with us,

The noodle eaters from Kyoto

 

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