14.5.19 Never again Hiroshima

14.5.19

Off to Hiroshima

Farewell Osaka and welcome to my last unknown place to explore in Japan. Although that's not entirely true. In Hiroshima, I will explore the sacred island of Miyajima, and then I can't claim to know this city after 5 days in Tokyo. So off to Hiroshima with the Shinkansen. When packing, I always realize that I have accumulated a lot by now and there is no more space in my suitcase. I have resorted to a bag system. I will get myself a tote bag so that I can pack everything tightly again. I then boarded the Shinkansen in Shin Osaka and immediately felt relieved that everything went so smoothly. I have also already reserved my seats for my 4.5-hour return journey from Hiroshima to Tokyo, so I am already finished planning this part of the trip. Then I took the bus towards downtown Hiroshima and to the Sunshine Hotel, which is located directly opposite the atomic bomb Dome. I got off the bus at this Dome and took my suitcase and other belongings and walked to the hotel. Passed by that place which has become a memorial for peace, where one of the few buildings that still stood in close vicinity after the atomic bomb explosion. It is even more impressive that many descendants of the victims are now openly dealing with the issue and raising awareness about nuclear armament and nuclear power plants, and are generally advocating for a more peaceful world. That deeply impressed me, as well as the Peace Memorial Center where the victims are commemorated, but also where the museum provides detailed information on how Hiroshima happened, the consequences of nuclear radiation, and the ongoing effects in terms of global armament. The museum is heavily supported by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and therefore only costs 2 € admission, which is a joke considering the size of this huge museum and the great media used to depict this catastrophe. I had tears in my eyes several times when I read about how children who lost their parents before their eyes years later wrote poems and painted pictures about this catastrophe. And for me, the phrase "never again Hiroshima" became very clear. It is about us understanding ourselves as one people and that humanity should live together peacefully because we are all equal. A task for us humans. That's why I gladly rang the Peace Bell.