Hiroshima

Another whirlwind day!  14 hours of touring, shoo wee!  Probably our most memorable day for many reasons.  We started off in Kyoto and took the bullet train to Hiroshima where we met our guide Hedio (pronounced he-day).  Together, we took another train and than a beautiful ferry ride to Miyajima Island to see the great floating gate or Itsukushima Shrine.  As you can see, the torii emerges from the sea and appears as if it is just floating.  And, to some extent it is.  Only the weight of the structure (60-70 tons) anchors it in the water.  This shrine is a World Heritage Site.

This part of Japan is known for its Samurai warriors, so of course Greg threw me in to fight one before we could get onto the island!!!

This is a picture of our guide Heido.  He was fantastic; very organized and knowledgeable.  We learned a lot.

Oh, on the island are lots and lots of unencumbered, free- roaming deer.  I think he wants something in my rucksack!

Here you can see how glorious the torii looks with the mountains in the background.
Photographer: G. D. Sutton

In front of the torri is the shrine which feels as if it is floating on water.  Again, the mountains frame this island and make it seem even more majestic.

Greg and I on the floating shrine with the pagoda behind us.

A view of the shops in the small island village.

Next, we took a train to the A-Bomb Dome.

Below are various pictures of the A-Bomb Dome.  Prior to being bombed the the A-Bomb Dome was a market.  While much of this structure is melted, charred or evaporated -- the remainder is still standing is because the atomic bomb exploded directly overtop of the A-Bomb Dome meaning some of the structure was spared.  As you know, the entire surrounding area was vaporized.

This picture shows how Hiroshima has grown and overcome to be a flourishing city by the sea.
You can see the A-Bomb Dome Building in the back drop.

We also saw: the Peace Clock Tower (which rings everyday at 8:15 am the time the bomb was dropped), the Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound (where 70,000 body remains are buried), the Flame of Peace (which will not burn out until nuclear weapons are abolished and has lit the torch for 2 Olympic games), a tree which survived the atomic bomb, and the Peace Memorial Museum.  All very moving and emotional.

On a lighter note.....on our way home Greg met some friends!!!

And, I battled Pokémon!