Daily Diary 7/9: Hiroshima and Miyajima

After a long day of travel and hopefully a night of rest, everyone filtered in and out of the hotel restaurant for breakfast which offered a wide selection of both western and Japanese options. Once everyone was fueled up and ready to go, we depart the hotel lobby at 9:00 A.M. for what would be a long day physically and emotionally. Our first stop of the day was the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. We took the streetcar, and before we could reach the Museum, we were met with the A-Bomb Dome right as we exited the station. The Dome served as a powerful reminder of the destruction that was caused by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

The A-Bomb Dome

Breakfast with Andrea and Kitty

We then made our way over to the Museum where we were given an hour and a half to take in what would be a moving experience. The exhibit began with a dark room with a 360 degree panorama picture of the city of Hiroshima on the wall - a powerful image of the widespread destruction. Then, the museum took us down a dark hallway where at the end we were met with an extensive exhibit about the personal stories of some of the people that both perished and survived. One story the museum highlighted that seemed to resonate with many members of our group was the story about Mr. N. [insert story]. After leaving the portion of the museum with the personal stories, one walked along a well lit pathway with a view of the surrounding gardens, and when one was in the middle, there was a clear view of the A-Bomb Dome. This portion of the museum provided a great opportunity to reflect about the destruction of humanity that was caused by the dropping of the atomic bomb and to remember the victims who not only lost their lives that day but suffered from the physical and emotional trauma of that day. The museum then presents a display about the development of the atomic bomb as well as the history surrounding nuclear arms leading up to the present day. The museum opened my eyes to the pain and suffering that the victims and survivors faced in a way I had not been exposed to before.

The wall of photos and art capturing the suffering

A quote from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

After the museum we proceeded to walk through the gardens on our way to our lunch and discussion location. As a group, we had a debriefing session on the top floor of Orizuru tower. By visiting the museum before going to the viewing platform, it put a whole new perspective on how I viewed the city after seeing images of the destruction. Shandy also pointed out in our discussion that after having learned that many people jumped into the river in an effort to alleviate the pain of the burns, she now viewed the river in a different light. We were then given the opportunity to make origami cranes as a way to remember those who suffered from the atomic bomb attack and promote a future of peace and absence of nuclear weapons. We then had a delicious group lunch at the cafe on the ground floor of the building. Many of us chose to supplement our meal with an ice cream dessert which also contained maple leaf cookies which would become a group favorite.

An origami crane

We then travelled by street car and ferry to Miyajima Island. The island is home to a small village with traditional Japanese architecture - a stark contrast to what we have been experiencing in the large cities - and the famous Itsukushima Shrine. Upon arriving to the island we were greeted with many deer that just freely roamed around the tourist areas. Some of us were even able to pet one! We proceeded to walk along a beautiful tree lined promenade which took us to the Itsukushima Shrine. The shrine was a beautiful place of worship and made for great photo ops. It also provided a peaceful setting for reflection.

Group photo in front of the great Torii

The great Torii Photo by Shandy Kim

Our group was given free time to wander around the village area and many of us broke off into smaller groups depending on what everyone wanted to do. Cassie and I walked through the part of the town that was on the opposite side of the of the shrine from where we entered. We then headed up to see the pagoda on the hill which overlooked the village and had a fantastic view of the water and mountains across the way. We also wandered through the shopping street where we got some more of the maple leaf cookies that I mentioned earlier.

The Five-storied Pagoda Photo by Margaret Connor

After the period of free time, we reconvened for a delicious Japanese group dinner which provided a comfortable space to enjoy a meal and relax together after a long day. Before we departed Miyajima, we were given one last hour to explore. However, Anna, Cassie, Haley, Josh, Andrea, Kara, Stephanie, and I spent our time relaxing on the beach and watching the sun set before we made our way back to the hotel via ferry and train.

Today proved to be exhausting emotionally and physically. Walking through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was a heart wrenching experience that provided a clear look at the pain and suffering caused by the atomic bomb dropped on the United States. It also highlighted the dangers of nuclear weapons in a more general sense and how they threaten to destroy humanity. The museum tied into our course discussions about the future of security in Japan and how they looming threat of a nuclear armed North Korea would have very real consequences for the people of Japan. Our visit to the Itsujushima Shrine demonstrated the importance of religious sites in Japanese society and how these sacred spaces are embedded in the fabric of Japanese culture and identity.