Japan

I visited Hiroshima and Miyajima island in May. It was such an amazing experience for me. The city was just nothing like I expected at all. We all know what Hiroshima is very unfortunately famous for, so maybe, the average American tourist might naturally assume the city is not so beautiful and maybe the people aren't so friendly. But, I was just so incredibly impressed with Hiroshima in so many ways. It's a decently large city, but it doesn't have that large-city feel because there's a lot of greenery and several great parks.

This was the first trip I took by myself too, so I was pretty nervous about not knowing much Japanese and traveling a little farther than I had before on my own. But, the Hiroshima people were just so warm and friendly that I wasn't actually nervous once I got here.

I went to the Peace Park and Memorial Museum, which was definitely an experience I will never ever forget. At the park there were many groups of school children and they all stop and pay their respects at the memorials for the children victims of the bombing. They were singing the most beautiful, touching song in front of one of the main memorials. I have a video of that so if you want me to email it to you, just let me know and I can send it (I can't post videos on here).

I spent quite a bit of time in the museum and I just stood there in shock and disbelief at some of the incredibly horrific stories of what happened to the people of Hiroshima. Seeing the displays and photos of what happened to some of the children was very disturbing and I just stood there and sobbed at so many of them. Every foreigner that comes to Japan must visit the Peace Park and Memorial Museum in Hiroshima. It has given me such a worldly perspective.

But, at the same time, Hiroshima is such an amazingly inspirational city. Walking through the Peace Park, downtown between the large buildings or through the gorgeous Hiroshima gardens and castle, it's just so hard to believe that only around sixty years ago this city was completely destroyed. It's especially hard to believe because not only is the city so nice itself, but the people were just so wonderfully friendly, helpful and pleasant. Twice in just one day, two locals came up to me and asked me if I needed any help or if I was lost. Which, ironically at the time, it had been the only two times in Japan that I actually wasn't lost!

I stayed at an "It'll do" hotel that was just around the corner from the famous A-Bomb Dome, a constant reminder of the devistation of war. It's really chilling and surreal to look up at it. Again, something I will never forget, ever.

I did have a blast in Hiroshima as well. My hotel was near the baseball stadium and I started to go a game, but my boyfriend Jack was so awesome to find on the internet that there was a Pizza Hut in Hiroshima!! Which was more exciting than anything I could just about imagine at the time - of course besides him being there with me! I had eaten only Japanese food for about two months, so I was absolutely craving American food, especially pizza. Anyway, I ended up going back to my hotel and the very nice front desk staff lady was kind enough to order it for me. It was honestly the best pizza I've ever had in my entire life!

The next day, I took the train to the Hiroshima port and went to one of, if not the most beautiful place I've ever been, Miyajima island. I will go ahead and post a few of those pictures up now and write about it next time!