In my heart, Hiroshima

Since visiting Hiroshima, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. When I was in elementary school, our class read a book called "Sadako and the 1,000 paper cranes." A story of a 2 year old girl who survived the dropping of the atom bomb, to be diagnosed with Leukaemia at age 11. Her goal was to fold 1,000 paper cranes so she could be granted one wish, to live. Sadako passed away a year later.  I read this book, her story,  2 more times on my own and never forget her. It was the first real introduction to Japanese culture that I remember. I knew that visiting the peace park, and ground zero would be moving. I wasn't expecting it to move me in the way that it did. I found a statue raised for the memory of Sadako. Her arms stretched out with a paper crane, that instantly brought me to tears. Behind her was glass boxed filled with multi coloured rainbow cranes that have been sent to her from all over the world. I learned so much more than I could have ever imagined, of the horror that took place at 8:15 am that August day... When you hear real testimonies of survivors, see clothing shredded from radiation of non survivors, and stand on the spot that Hiroshima was flattened, it all becomes... very real. I am sorry Hiroshima. I thank-you for your dedication of peace, and to your dedication of remembering. It will be something that will stay with me forever now.

After reading that, its heavy. So you can imagine that day was very emotionally draining for us. We took it easy that night, and the next day processing everything. We found our favourite Japanese dish, Okonomiyaki- The Hiroshima style of course. (Hiroshima style is where they add noodles and an abundance of cabbage, compared to the Osaka style where the pancake is more substantial with no noodles.) There is a spot in Hiroshima that has 3 floors of a building dedicated to it. Filled with hot plates, and different stands of locals serving up their best version of the dish. You walk around and go where feels right! For us it ended up being with two old ladies doing the same recipe for 50 years, they giggled at the way we ate it and taught us how to do it right! We loved them and their dish so much, we trekked half an hour the next day to do it all again for breakfast! That afternoon we took the ferry to the island of Mihajima. It was actually a great, little tourist spot. If I could do it again, I would have liked the stay the night here. More peaceful, soak it in alone with the lanterns guiding the way. We ate delicious black sesame ice cream, had domesticated deer follow us around all day, and got lost in an incredible traditional Japanese wood carving shop. There is the famous "floating shrine" that marks this island, we did not see it floating. But it still was definitely majestic.

Life in the last standing building affected by the drop of the Atomic Bomb.

The theatre. The Atomic bomb was dropped right on top. There were many more buildings than you'd think that withstood the bomb. But they demolished them as it was very triggering for the people greatly affected.

What it looked like before

And after...

This looked like angel wings to me.

The golden paper crane attached to a bell, in the statue in memory of Sadako.

The full statue, with the colour paper crane images below

Out from the Okonomiyaki building

Pulling up the island of Mihajima

We got off the ferry and had no idea there was domesticated deers on this island. So Yoshi and I was hanging out and takin photos with this deer. Only to turn around and see about 30 sleeping behind us..

This one really looked dead. I poked her, she was o k 

Wood carving shop!!!! Un-manned, so we spent a long time ogling. 

Hung around this little garden to escape the wind

The "floating shrine" head above water!

I was ducking behind this later to sneak a photo of Yoshi, and I felt like somebody was looking at me. I shrieked a little when I saw what it was^.

School children playing in the waves.