Hiroshima. Just the name invokes a reaction.
We traveled by Bullet Train to get to Kintai-Kyo Bridge. We signed up for this excursion not knowing that we would be taking the Bullet Train from Tokyo to Kobe; but we did feel like experienced veterans as we negotiated through the maze at the station.
We hopped on a bus to get to Kintai-Kyo Bridge. It is a historical wooden 5 arch bridge in the city of Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The pedestrian bridge was built in 1673, spanning the Nishiki River in a series of five wooden arches. The bridge is located on the foot of Mt. Yokoyama, at the top of which lies Iwakuni Castle. It has been destroyed several times by floods but is still a remarkable sight. We then wandered through Kikkou Park, which includes the bridge and castle, is a popular tourist destination in Japan, particularly during the Cherry blossom festival in the spring and the autumn color change of the Japanese maples. It was declared a National Treasure in 1922.
The bridge was nice, but the park was better. There were several shrines that were accessible and beautiful landscaping.
From there we went to lunch at a tucked-away restaurant. It was a traditional bento box but highlighted by their local specialty: lotus root.
After a short ride to city center of Hiroshima we arrived at ground zero of the atomic bomb dropped in 1945. It was a sobering experience especially when being described by a guide (Takeshi-san) whose family was impacted. The group was able to get him to vary from his normal “pitch” to a first-person description. He shared workforce dynamics and explained that most able-bodied men were dispatched to the front lines. To make up for a lack of labor, the country used boys and girls aged 12-16 to work in the factories, shops, and essentials of the local economy. Children 6-11 were evacuated to remote areas to live with extended family. Women, older men, and children up to the age of 6 were kept in the city center. The way he described the aftermath of the bomb on the people of Hiroshma was riveting. He described survivor’s guilt and how his mother (who was evacuated) never spoke about the bomb. He also described, and exhibited, the country’s commitment to eradicating atomic weapons of war.
The memorial is what remains of a building near ground zero; it’s a concrete structure with a dome. Stretching from that is a memorial park with a mass gravesite of thousands of unidentified casualties, a celebration of children, a flame that will continue burning until all atomic weapons are destroyed, and an arch structure looking down the park.
We were all moved by the love and commitment that Takeshi-san exuded.
