When we stepped out the door the rain had stopped. There were a few puddles on the ground but only enough to let us know that our luck was still with us. My mom said her late friend must be on this trip with us and watching over us with her parents.
I just tried to upload some photos and something is not allowing me to do it. Therefore I'll just have to do this post with only text.
We took the train to Hiroshima and went to the Genbaku Dome (Atomic Bomb Dome). My mother wanted to come to this memorial but I wanted to shield her from the pain here as much as I could.
My mother's loyalty and home is America but her heart belongs to Japan although she was born in Hawaii and is an American citizen. She was raised in Japan while I am 100% American and proud of it.
There I was, sitting at the Hiroshima Peace Museum and awash with emotions of pain, horror, guilt, anger and sorrow. My mother's last image of Hiroshima was through a train window when she went past just a year or two after the blast on her way to Hawaii leaving her family and all she'd known toward an uncertain future.
Today she walked through the museum and could only say, "War, all war is bad. The innocent suffer."
After leaving the museum and monuments, we stopped at the train station and my mother mentioned that Hiroshima is known for its okonomiyaki. The book calls it an egg based savory pancake with soba noodles, vegetables and other fillings. We decided to give it a try were glad we did. It was something different to enjoy after a rather solemn day.
Our hotel tonight is quite lovely and we're all enjoying it. Tomorrow will be a full day of sight seeing at Itsukushima Island in Miyajima.
Here is our Hiroshima tram to the Genbaku Dome.
The Children's Peace Monument was inspired by the Sadako's tragic struggle to survive the Atomic Bomb disease.
We then visited the Peace Dome and the Memorial. Going through the Hiroshima Peace Museum was very difficult. My mother commented that although one bomb did horrendous damage other cities were also bombed and many lives were lost in other places.
After such a challenging day, our next challenge of finding a place to eat was a delight.
My mother told us that okonomiyaki was a Hiroshima favorite so we had fun watching this cook prepare it before our hungry eyes.
The okonomiyaki was quite tasty. I wish we could have it here in Hawaii, too.
I'm almost glad that you weren't able to post pictures. This post was so profound and meaningful that it stands on its own.
ReplyDeleteYou had a tough day.
ReplyDeleteHistory is a tough thing.
It must be very painful to visit the Hiroshima memorial. Thank you, though, for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteWar is such a terrible thing. I hate to think of what happened there.
ReplyDeletewow, we've been on vacation for 21 days now-amazing. I too visited the Hiroshima memorial and it was guilt producing for me an American that had bombed a country and killed so many innocent civilians. I was always told it helped saved other lives as it put it an end to the war but I guess only God knows if that is true. My stepfather who fought in WWII in the South Pacific said we didn't need to bomb Japan as they were in the process of surrendering. All way is useless but fought for power and land. If women were in charge of the world, it would be different...
ReplyDeleteThat last comment should read all WAR is useless.
ReplyDeleteHello Kay !
ReplyDeleteVery sad evenement, but we must remember, for saying together : WAR IS USELESS !
Have a good day !
Your mother is right, all war is bad. We hear talk in the campaign that we must fight for victory in Iraq, but there are no victors in war, only sufferers.
ReplyDelete