The past in Hiroshima is also represented by the HiroshimaCastle which is over five stories tall and is surrounded by a moat. Sometimesreferred to as ‘Carp Castle’, it was built in 1589 by the feudal lord MoriTerumoto. Unlike many castles during the Meiji restoration, it survived. However,like the rest of the city, it was destroyed in 1945 and then rebuilt after thewar with amazing attention to authenticity. What I found the most touching wasthe Children’s Peace Monument, close to the A-Bomb Dome. Here you find the statueof a girl with outstretched arms and a folded paper crane rising above her. Thestatue is based on the true story of a young girl who died from radiation fromthe bomb. She believed that if she folded 1,000 paper cranes, she would becured. Today, the monument is perennially draped in thousands of paper cranesfolded by school children across Japan.
There’s more of history for anyone looking for it.That’s what brought me to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum which is splitinto the east and the west wings with the former being more educational. Aguide, speaking fluent English, explained to me the decision to drop the bomband verbally painted a sorrowful picture of the lives of Hiroshima’s citizensduring World War II and after the bombing. In the west wing were exhibits of clothing,watches and other personal effects worn by victims of the bomb as well asdetails about health effects suffered by the victims. “The purpose of theseexhibits is to drive home the need for a war-free world,” the guide said.
Though I did not have the time to explore anythingelse, there are other attractions and landmarks such as the Shukkeien Gardens, theMazda Museum and the nearby Miyajima which is reached by ferry from Hiroshima.It has been considered a holy place for most of Japanese history. In the past,women were not allowed on the island and old people were shipped elsewhere todie, so that the ritual purity of the site would not be spoiled. The island ismost famous for its floating gate which appears to float on the sea during hightide. But what I did indulge in before leaving the city was a bit of atraditional shopping experience at the Ai Yu Ichiba Market located next to the station.Incidentally, you won’t find here any tourist souvenirs or globally franchisedsupermarkets but just old style Japanese grocery stores, seed sellers andsweets stores. Enchanting, to say the least!
