The clouds of yesterday turned to steady rain as we rose and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast of fruit, muesli and pastries (from Miyajima), washed down with tea and coffee. We took our time with it and it was delicious and filling. It turns out that the '2nd' quality fruit is much cheaper than that sold in the supermarkets, if one has the right connections with fruiterers.
Thence a drive into the hilly to visit a tea ceremony, to be performed by a group of Shizuka's colleagues. But we arrived too late, and it was already over.
Our next destination was Shukkei-en Garden, situated by one of Hiroshima's many rivers, with elegant bridges spanning its carp stocked lake, umbrellas sheltering the peonies, lately in bloom from the steady soaking rain. On the lakeside, expertly trimmed topiary azaleas were just coming into bloom. The paths were running with water, but a bride, groom and family turned up for photos, tricky in the rain.
Thence a drive into the hilly to visit a tea ceremony, to be performed by a group of Shizuka's colleagues. But we arrived too late, and it was already over.
Our next destination was Shukkei-en Garden, situated by one of Hiroshima's many rivers, with elegant bridges spanning its carp stocked lake, umbrellas sheltering the peonies, lately in bloom from the steady soaking rain. On the lakeside, expertly trimmed topiary azaleas were just coming into bloom. The paths were running with water, but a bride, groom and family turned up for photos, tricky in the rain.
the real ground zero
A simple plaque marks the spot where, on 6 August 1945, from a clear blue sky, destruction was rained down on an unsuspecting city. A group of schoolchildren are visiting at whilst we observe.
From this place, it is but a short walk to the symbol of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, now known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome). It stands by the Motosuya River, by the T-shaped Aioi Bridge, which was the target of the Enola Gay on that terrible day. The skeletal remains of the building are a stark reminder of the arbitrary brutality of the mass bombing of cities by any weapon.
In the steady rain we tolled the Peace Bell, and on our way the the through the Peace Memorial Park, passed by the statue of Sadako at the Children's Peace Memorial, where crowds of schoolchildren waited under umbrellas. Sadako Sasaki died of a radiation induced illness, one of the many young victims of the bombing. Sadako is folded paper cranes through her illness, hoping that, ancient Japanese tradition held that one who folds a thousand cranes can have one wish granted. However, physics trumped superstition, and Sadako died, though to this day, paper cranes are folded, in the hope that one day sanity will prevail, and nuclear weapons will be beaten into plowshares to threaten humanity with destruction no more.
We walked past the Peace Flame, flickering on its outstretched palm plinth, and the parabola of the Memorial Cenotaph, where lay wreaths placed by recent visiting dignitaries (including, sad to say, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, whose tin ear for diplomacy led her to state that she thought the elimination of nuclear weapons was 'impractical' at a disarmament conference in Hiroshima the previous day).
Shizuka left Minuk & I to visit the Peace Memorial Museum, which attempts to explain the why the decision was made to use the bomb, why in particular Hiroshima was chosen as the first target, and then shows, with devastating clarity just what that act did to real human beings, both during the event, and in the years after the event.
From this place, it is but a short walk to the symbol of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, now known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome). It stands by the Motosuya River, by the T-shaped Aioi Bridge, which was the target of the Enola Gay on that terrible day. The skeletal remains of the building are a stark reminder of the arbitrary brutality of the mass bombing of cities by any weapon.
In the steady rain we tolled the Peace Bell, and on our way the the through the Peace Memorial Park, passed by the statue of Sadako at the Children's Peace Memorial, where crowds of schoolchildren waited under umbrellas. Sadako Sasaki died of a radiation induced illness, one of the many young victims of the bombing. Sadako is folded paper cranes through her illness, hoping that, ancient Japanese tradition held that one who folds a thousand cranes can have one wish granted. However, physics trumped superstition, and Sadako died, though to this day, paper cranes are folded, in the hope that one day sanity will prevail, and nuclear weapons will be beaten into plowshares to threaten humanity with destruction no more.
We walked past the Peace Flame, flickering on its outstretched palm plinth, and the parabola of the Memorial Cenotaph, where lay wreaths placed by recent visiting dignitaries (including, sad to say, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, whose tin ear for diplomacy led her to state that she thought the elimination of nuclear weapons was 'impractical' at a disarmament conference in Hiroshima the previous day).
Shizuka left Minuk & I to visit the Peace Memorial Museum, which attempts to explain the why the decision was made to use the bomb, why in particular Hiroshima was chosen as the first target, and then shows, with devastating clarity just what that act did to real human beings, both during the event, and in the years after the event.
.... a deathly silence in there...
The most notable thing about the the Peace Memorial Museum is the deathly silence that descends as one makes ones way through the exhibits. I can only compare it to the utter silence of Auschwitz, as visitors try to comprehend what led one group of men to visit such terrible destruction on the civilian population of its enemy, whilst imagining the experiences of those who witnessed and survived the horror of the bombing.
One can imagine how leaders wearying of years of war and death, and seeing more of the same before them, might have sought a quick conclusion to the horror. They cannot have imagined the horror of what they had done.
The museum unflinchingly shows the effects of this primitive nuclear weapon - on bricks, on mortar, on wooden homes and on flesh and bone. The tragedy is that our leaders do not hear or see the futility of maintaining their stockpiles, or hear only the ugly whisperings of the rapacious and warmongering arms industry and so maintain their arsenals of these abominable weapons at ruinous cost to their citizens, and at great risk to the wider world.
We signed the petition supporting the destruction of all nuclear weapons, thereby proving both of us more sensible than Julie Bishop, and headed off into the rain to find Shizuka, who had promised to take Minuk to a real supermarket.
One can imagine how leaders wearying of years of war and death, and seeing more of the same before them, might have sought a quick conclusion to the horror. They cannot have imagined the horror of what they had done.
The museum unflinchingly shows the effects of this primitive nuclear weapon - on bricks, on mortar, on wooden homes and on flesh and bone. The tragedy is that our leaders do not hear or see the futility of maintaining their stockpiles, or hear only the ugly whisperings of the rapacious and warmongering arms industry and so maintain their arsenals of these abominable weapons at ruinous cost to their citizens, and at great risk to the wider world.
We signed the petition supporting the destruction of all nuclear weapons, thereby proving both of us more sensible than Julie Bishop, and headed off into the rain to find Shizuka, who had promised to take Minuk to a real supermarket.
Home cooking
Minuk did enjoy the YouMe supermarket, where the vast array of real Japanese produce on display was vast impressive. The vast size of the seafood section is a real eyeopener - bigger than the meat section in most Australian equivalents. We eschewed the 3000 Yen mango (or in fact the 1000 Yen watermelon, so beautifully individually wrapped and packed.
Back at the apartment, a fine meal had been prepared, principally by Shizuka's mum. We enjoyed sashimi, rolled our own temaki (hand rolls) (filled with fish or oysters), and a spread of kushiage - many different breaded, deep fried morsels of meat, fish or vegetable on a skewer, which are dipped into sauce. We drank pinot grigio or sake (or both!) and were well satisfied.
Back at the apartment, a fine meal had been prepared, principally by Shizuka's mum. We enjoyed sashimi, rolled our own temaki (hand rolls) (filled with fish or oysters), and a spread of kushiage - many different breaded, deep fried morsels of meat, fish or vegetable on a skewer, which are dipped into sauce. We drank pinot grigio or sake (or both!) and were well satisfied.