Monthly Archives: February 2019

Moments of Reflection and Peace in this Beautiful Park.

15 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

We took the bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima. This is such a wonderful way to travel, certainly as good as flying if not better.  Once arriving in Hiroshima our first place to visit was  the Peace Memorial Park.  Our hotel was right by the main train station so it was easy to take the local tram from the station over to the park.

20181023_153948

 

20190215_092327

Hiroshima Peace Memorial in the centre of Hiroshima, is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima, the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack, and,  to the memories of the bomb’s direct and indirect victims.  Visiting Hiroshima is a sobering experience when one considers the devastation that was wrought in August 1945. The fact that the site is now a vibrant city is a credit to the Japanese people. Hiroshima Peace Park is a very tranquil area which provokes thoughts and memories of the devastation caused by the atomic bomb.

20181023_12534820181023_12544020181023_125553

In Peace Park you can see various sites related to the atomic bomb. Before the bombing, the area where the park is located today served as the political and commercial centre of the city. That is why this area was chosen for bombing. Four years after the disaster, they decided not to rebuild the buildings, but to turn the area into a peace park; a park in memory of the 70,000 people killed directly by the bombing and tens of thousands of people who were killed the following year as a result of its effects, a total of 160,000 people. Here you will also find one of the only buildings left in the park after the bomb was dropped on the city. The building is now called A-Bomb Dome which is now  on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

20190211_140703Beautiful and serene, the park definitely has a significant role to play in the hoping for world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons from the world while reflecting on the history and not repeating it again. It is a wonderful place just to walk around with so many features including the Children’s Memorial, the Cenotaph, the reflecting pool and eternal flame, the Peace Bell that you can ring, the Peace Clock that strikes at 8.15 every morning, signifying the time when the bomb detonated, the Memorial to the bomb victims and many statues and fountains. It is a gorgeous park with the river flowing along one side and the Atomic Dome on the other side that can be reached via the Aioi Bridge.

20181023_124923

20181023_12464620181023_12442020181023_124306

The Japanese people are very determined and the result of the post-war is proof of this. They rebuilt the country on the basis of education and culture. This park in Hiroshima, despite the historical sadness it carries, also brings much to us about the new Japanese era.

Advertisements

Vivacious and Exciting – Dotonbori

05 Tuesday Feb 2019

Posted by in Dotonbori, Osaka. Japan

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

I loved this place. It was crowded and colourful.

Dotonbori is the bright heart of Osaka running along the Dōtonbori canal from Dōtonboribashi Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge.

Dotonbori is a popular place for tourists looking for great street food with a good variety. For the food lover this is a perfect place to be.

20181020_141205

Dotonbori is great for shopping and for cheap eats. We were there from late morning to late afternoon but if we wanted to experience the whole district we could have been there for much longer. We loved exploring the little lane ways where it was much quieter with many quaint little local restaurants.

We arrived at Dotonbori and found our way to the canal where the well known neon sign (Glico man etc) can be seen. If you stay long enough and stare at Glico running man, you will see that he is actually running and running and running from day to night to day to night. It is crowded but the pedestrian traffic is smooth.

20181020_143503

We stopped for lunch at one of the many noodles restaurants in Dotonbori. This was my first experience of ordering food via a vending machine. Possibly or probably, Japan is the capital of vending machines in the world. Many ramen, soba and udon restaurants in Japan often have vending machines where you have to buy tickets before taking seats. At first I was not sure if I could use the machine, however one of the staff from the restaurant came out to help us. I soon realised that it is a great method. The ordering process was so efficient, it certainly prevents customers leaving without paying and the staff do not need to deal with money at all. They can concentrate on the cooking and serving.

20181020_133226

Before we put our money into the machine, we chose which meal we wanted. There were pictures for all meals.

20181020_133158

After we purchased our tickets we went inside and handed them to a staff member who advised the kitchen staff of our orders and showed us to our seats which were at a long bench. It was tiny inside but everything was clean and efficient. I noticed that there were baskets placed on the benches with 5 raw eggs in each which diners could add to their noodle dishes if they wished. We took our seats and sat back and waited for our meals to come. I ordered the Pork ramen which was the best noodles I have ever eaten.

20190119_071331

It was a tremendous experience which I could recommend.

20181020_141610

Dotonbori is a must for any traveller looking for good food in Japan. This is a canal district that has many restaurants serving staples like takoyaki, ramen, sushi, etc. There is a fair bit of shopping, also, but definitely the food is your true aim. It is very crowded and vibrant here but not to be missed when you are in Osaka.