Hiroshima and Miyajima

On an appropriately gloomy and rainy day, we traveled to Hiroshima to visit the A-bomb memorial museum.  The first part of the museum is heavy on facts and information about Hiroshima prior to the dropping of the bomb.  

The second part of the museum has photos, clothing remnants, and other graphic displays that really convey the horror of what happened.  The tricycle in the photo belonged to a three-year old boy, who was riding it in his backyard less than 500 meters from ground zero.  He died the next day, and his father buried him with the tricycle in the back yard so that he would be able to ride it in heaven.  One of the saddest things I've seen in a long time.   

The Hiroshima Dome building in the city center remains as a symbol of the pain and suffering that the people of Hiroshima endured.

From Hiroshima we traveled by train and ferry to the island of Miyajima.  Known as the "Island of God," Miyajima is home to a beautiful Shinto shrine on the water, Itsukushima, which was built in 593 (like most Japanese shrines, it has been rebuilt several times).  It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

We had a relaxing evening in a seaside hotel with kaiseki, beer, sake and our first karaoke.  Hopefully those videos don't get posted to YouTube... 

We returned to Osaka on Monday, and I was picked up by Ohmichi-san, my host for the week.  After a brief visit to his office (he has a 6-person architecture firm) to pick up his son Makoto, we went to his fitness club.  

Wow, do I wish I had photos of that.  Since I don't, I'll just drop some random photos in and describe the experience.  The fitness club is in a fancy hotel (I don't remember which one) and we parked in the basement.  I asked Ohmichi-san if I should get my running shoes out of my bag, and he said "No, rental." 

So we got to the front desk, checked in, and were each issued a matching two-tone lavender-on-periwinkle outfit of acrylic shirt and shorts, along with a pair of light yellow socks.  Oh, and a speedo to put on underneath.  Placed shoes in a shoe locker, then proceeded to the locker room to gear up.  Walked down into the fitness area, where I was handed a pair of running shoes.  

There were three treadmills, three stair climbers, a handful of weight machines and two vibrating belt machines.  A small rack of chrome-plated dumbbells that topped out at 10 kilos.  A raft of pink exercise mats in the center of the room, where a uniform-clad trainer led group stretches.  After a 25-minute treadmill run, I followed Ohmichi-san to our next station, the sauna.  

I could only take about ten minutes of it, then entered the main bath area.  Short plastic stools in front of low mirrors with hand showers to rinse off, then one can enter the hot bath.  After the bath, on to the "hair combing room"-- two long counters with chairs and sterilized combs, razors, and various hair tonics.  

Then into the lounge area, for a choice of coffee, beer, milk, water, or soda.  Smoking section or non-smoking section, or one can recline in a lounger equipped with a television.  Then completed the circuit to the locker room to get dressed, retrieved shoes from shoe locker, and the experience was complete.

Haiku #11

sake sushi beer
karaoke bar next door
fly me to the moon