Hiroshima, March 25, 2026

Today we are in Hiroshima. The city is known for the first atomic bomb drop on August 6, 1945, at 08:15. Our main goal was, therefore, the Peace Park with the iconic Genbaku Dome and the Peace Museum. We are now seasoned public transport users and took the bus there. Although we were relatively early, there were already incredibly many people. By the time we left the museum, there were even more. The experience is indeed impressive, especially the before/after images are moving. Overall, however, we found the museum in Nagasaki better, albeit even more disturbing. Perhaps it was also due to the crowds, and that might necessitate a different concept.

After the visit, we walked to Hiroshima Castle. Unfortunately, the weather did not improve as predicted. The rain increased rather than decreased. Hiroshima Castle was built in 1590 and was completely destroyed by the atomic bomb. Most notably, the entrances, a temple, and the tower were rebuilt around 1950. Other parts are currently under construction. Unfortunately, the tower is currently closed due to renovation work.

We then went to a fancy shopping center, where there was naturally an abundance of sweets. Exquisite confections, the finest chocolate, etc. - for example, two dark truffles cost nearly 10 CHF. We then sniffed various types of tea and bought some.

Given the weather, we decided to take the longest tram line (No. 2, red line) to the end station. After 36 stops, we arrived at Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi. The line runs along the sea at times, and from Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi, the ferry to Miyajima on Hatsukaichi Island operates. The place is famous for the iconic Torii of the Itsukushima Shrine and Mount Misen. Since the weather was still bad and we will come back to Hiroshima again, we want to visit the island next time. The island is indeed one of the three most beautiful landscapes in Japan. There, we had a small Japanese lunch with ramen and tantanmen. Then we took the tram back to the ship.

Hiroshima has about one million inhabitants and is a very busy city. Even in Tokyo, you can still find small, old houses near the center. In Hiroshima, this is comparatively rarer.