Welcome to Hiroshima
Another long weekend provided the perfect chance to explore a new prefecture and leave Kyushu for the first time since arriving. This trip allowed me to tick off two new prefectures. Bringing my total visited prefectures to 7!
Traveling by bus was enjoyable, as the one I selected made a few stops along the way, allowing me to grab pictures and enjoy the ever-changing scenery. The bridge between Honshu and Kyushu was my favorite section, the beautiful mountains of Kyushu make way for the lower rolling hills of Honshu.
Hiroshima was dark by the time I arrived, however the big city atmosphere was very quickly picked up. The station was massive and the city has a sprawling subway network. Big buildings crowd the skyline and the city is abuzz with many different languages. Hiroshima is high on many a tourist’s checklist. I bumped into a traveler from Switzerland who chatted with me for a little.
The hotel I stayed at was small but its location was very convenient as it was by the station. Hiroshima is a city of trams similar to its sister city Nagasaki. Both are very convenient for traversing and exploring. I wasn’t able to see one of the few surviving tram cars that still run to this day after surviving the bombing of Hiroshima. But if you can glance at a tram numbered 651, 652, and 653, take a little moment. These three trams are still in service and are a little reminder of the city’s sad past.
Hiroshima is full of nightlife and there are many amazing places to eat. I will be following this blog entry soon with one more geared at the Atomic Bomb museum and surrounding areas. I will also be writing a blog on the famous Miyajima/Itsukushima island. But tonight’s blog is mainly to promote the current Hiroshima and some of the things I found fascinating.
I had the chance to visit the botanical gardens to visit the famously pretty bridge. At the right angle, this bridge looks like a circle, There are a few bridges similar in Japan, catch them at the correct angle and they will no doubt provide a very pretty image. This one in particular reminded me of a bridge from a C Drama! It has very steep steps at the bottom but once at the top, you can easily imagine a secret rendezvous between the star-crossed leads.
The garden is nice and worth adding to your list it can be a little crowded. Hiroshima is a tourist hotspot so just allow yourself extra time at places. I only spent a few days in Hiroshima but I am expecting there to be more out-of-the-center things to explore that could provide a break from the busy city pace.
