There was nothing easy about our stop today in the central Japanese city of Hiroshima, where in a few months time, on August 6’25, the 80th commemoration ceremonies of the nuclear bomb’s first use will unfold. For me, it was a day of reflection on the horrors of war that endure, irrespective of which side you are on in any conflict.
Home to 1.2 million inhabitants today, this bustling city is home to Mazda automobiles and toolmaker Ryobi has established a memorial park and excellent exhibition to commemorate the events of that defining day in 1945 that changed the world. Our private group, led by Mauritius born student of economics Preeti, toured the key sights at a pace that permitted each of us to reflect at our own speed.
After a fun lunch of local specialties, we continued our exploration of the town by taking the tram line to the outskirts of town before catching a ferry to cross over to Itsukushima island and its famous namesake shrine. The ferry ride took us past the famous Torii gate in the water in direct axis to the temple.
This particular Shinto shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of Susano-o-no-Mikoto commonly known as the sanjoshin or “three female deities”. They represent the goddesses of seas and storms. The location of the shrine at the edge of a turbulent sea is quite fitting.
The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site, and the Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as National treasures.
After we toured the shrine which is hugely popular with locals and visitors alike, we evaded the crowds by entering Daishoin temple filled with amazing treasures and centuries of stories dating back to 806AD.
This sprawling hillside temple offered respite from crowds and provided a chance to reflect on our overstimulated word. Of particular curiosity to me was the 500 Buddha statues, each dedicated to a specific skill or trait for which the owner knotted a red cap that is being replaced annually with a new one.
Our memorable day in stunning spring weather ended back at the ship 9 hours later. Full of memories and with heavy hearts, our ship sailed off at sunset. Stay tuned for more adventures in Japan.
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