Day 4 - Hiroshima - Peace and Okonomiyaki

Leaving the big smoke of Osaka today, we traded in the city sights for Hiroshima's more relaxed take on life - although it's still pretty urbanised - Google Maps doesn't do it justice.

I rose early and full of energy, whilst Adelaide was a little more begrudging; as we needed to be out of the hotel by 10 am, and on our Shinkansen at 11- sorry, I mean 10:59 - the difference matters in Japan! - I was keen to do a quick repack of all the things we'd bought, as well as make sure we weren't missing anything. Despite the slow start we still were packed and ready to leave half an hour before we needed to, so we soaked up the time by watching some unusual early morning educational kids TV - featuring two percentage detectives who were out to find a SpreeTV host who was short changing people on 20% and 20% (not 40%!) offers.

We headed out of the Shin-Osaka Station Hotel, and bought up our breakfast and morning tea snacks at Shin-Osaka station, consisting mainly of Konbini findings, pasteries, vending machine drinks, and I bought a Bento-box for the train. Finishing off our spree with some black coffees, we headed to the platform where I ate all of my pastries (a hot-dog, an apple pie and a chocolate waffle) washed down with a Vitamin C drink.

As we were half an hour early to the platform, we stood out like sore thumbs, as most of the local commuters turned up under 10 minutes before the departure time. The train arrived about 20 minutes before hand, and dropped off it's previous run of passengers off, before very organised cleaners jumped aboard to do a routine clean of the carriages in under 5 minutes. It was cool to see them completely re-arrange the train for the opposite direction of travel simply by spinning the seats around.

The Shinkansen - Probably an N700 (Adelaide hates fun)

With minutes to spare, everyone boarded, and we were away, rocketing through the country side at a comfortable 300km/hr. The efficiency of it all made me realise how cool it was, and that it was probably Nathan's ideal country (hint hint mum and dad). Despite doing Europe by Eurostar back in Highschool, it was unusual to be back on a train - as it seems to mirror air travel so closely. Adelaide read her book while I watched the world go by and eventually listened to my iPod. We only had to make three stops at Kobe, Okayama and Fukayama, before we disembarked at Hiroshima station. Off one train, and straight onto a tram, the streetcar delivered us to the Hondori stop, arguably Hiroshima's CBD.

After some geographical embarrassment (Adelaide swears the city has rotated 180 degrees since she was last here), we found Chizuru Ryokan nestled down a small side street, our accommodation for the next two nights. The owners (we still don't know their names) are a very lovely older couple, and accepted our bags at 1 o'clock, when check-in wasn't meant to be till 3. This allowed us to explore downtown, and we headed towards the A-bomb dome and museum.

Easy to miss

After being enthusiastically welcomed to Hiroshima by a local student in a group, we headed into the Peace Museum. It is being renovated at the moment due to the upcoming 70th Anniversary of the bombing of August 6th, 1945. Despite the changes, the museum was very informative and sobering about the atrocity carried out. Afterwards, we walked through the park and stopped to look at some of the statues erected there, most notably the Children's Peace Monument. Finishing up at the A-bomb dome (which unfortunately was undergoing a structural check to), we spotted some ominous clouds, and decided to make our way back to the Ryokan to check in. On our way we stopped off at Mister Donut for some afternoon tea (you guessed it, coffee and donuts), and took a stroll down Hondori shopping street.

The Museum

Looking down the monument to the A-Bomb Dome

Chizuru Ryokan is a traditional Japanese B'n'B, and much of the experience is still the same - the architecture is old style (meaning I nearly knock my head all the time), we took our shoes off when we entered, and we will be sleeping on Futons. We stopped for short time to sort our bags and rest our legs as well as prepare for tonight and tomorrow.

Comfy!

With restaurant advice inconclusive from Tripadvisor and some Googling, we got a tip from the owners that there was a delicious okonomiyaki place not too far from our lodging. It was still early, so the streets were a little quiet, but we soon found the place (called Okonomimura), and boy was it GOOD! We chose seats next to the hot plate (which Adelaide argues over my definition of "Teppenyaki seats"), and ordered some Gyoza as starters (amazing), as well as noodle, pork, egg and cheese okonomiyaki. It was a little hard to eat with chopsticks and was immensely filling (of course, I had to polish off Adelaide's after her valiant effort).

They look smaller in the picture

One to remember

Leaving Okonomimura and despite being stuffed, we spied a crepe van across the square, so we bought dessert of a chocolate crepe for Adelaide, and a ice-cream banana creation for me. (Mum/Dad, please install a crane at home). We wondered the streets of Hiroshima, and even went in circles a few times before we went into a corner-side bar for a nightcap, where we met an Aussie living in Hiroshima, who was out for her birthday. Her and the waiter introduced us to the concept of a service fee, where you get free food - like a compulsory charge on the transaction, but you got a small dish out of it. Kinda like mints. But not.

Anywho, we wondered back to the Ryokan, and are now in our comfy futons (as Adelaide calls them, marshmellows of warmth). Tomorrow brings Miyajima, temples and Hiroshima Castle. Until then, Goodnight!