Streetcars, Sunsets, and Shrines: A Gratifying Hiroshima Day

Greetings once more from centre-city Hiroshima! This evening has been a stunner. A very gratifying day. In a rare turn of events, I actually decided to have a beer while writing this. Despite the low price and overwhelming accessibility, I’ve hardly drank at all whilst in Japan to date. But today felt like a good time for some reason. So, here we are. Low-carb Kirin Green Label in hand. The beer is quite good. Life is excellent.

Tonight, we plan on visiting a small little husband-and-wife teppanyaki restaurant literally a stone’s throw from our apartment. It looks like an absolute gem of a wholesome establishment. We actually planned to go there two nights ago, but they were randomly closed. I kind of think the idea of stops opening and closing whenever the owner feels like adds to the charm of these family-run Japanese restaurants. You have to actually be there to find out whether they’re serving tonight or not.

We just got home from the World Heritage Miyajima Island. I actually didn’t know this place existed before coming to Hiroshima surprisingly, but it become a no-brainer addition to our four-night stay after just the slightest bit of research. Look, it wasn’t perfect, but it definitely deserves the reputation. We picked a sunny Saturday to visit. The island was in full flight, for better or worse. I think that added to the whole experience, but it was certainly busy. Perhaps we would’ve stayed for sunset on a quieter occasion, but I think the half-day trip served us well this time around.

The main drawcard is of course Itsukushima Shrine, the floating torii gate which many a photo foregrounds. For good reason. It was quite spectacular. I also like the dynamic influence of nature here, too. Once the tide pulls away, the wooden behemoth becomes accessible by foot across the sandbar. Then, eventually, it floats once again. Unfortunately, the neighbouring five-story pagoda was under renovation, but it didn’t bother us that much. Culturally significant Japanese buildings constantly undergo planned refurbishments. It is harmonious with the concept of impermanence that is central to Japanese spirituality and is the reason these attractions are timelessly preserved for the increasing swathes of tourists visiting each year.

Anyway, at the shrine, we met a group of three young women who were all our age! Their youthful energy, cordiality, and English proficiency were all striking, and it was incredibly refreshing to have other young people to speak with. They went to high school together in Kagoshima. Afterwards, moved to three distinct cities. Fukuoka, Hiroshima, and Tokyo. I wonder whether moving away from home after high school is fairly normal in Japan. Just an interesting thought that came to mind. Either way, it was heartwarming personally to just appreciate that this reconnecting trip panned out for them. I felt at home chatting with them, and we might even catch up in Tōkyō!

In some respects, I likened this island in my head to Hamilton Island, perhaps just reaching for a comparison from home. But it was a comparison that made me reflect on just how amazing this island actually was. Yes, it was overrun and very touristy. It shared some of the same physically beautiful landscapes, resort getaways, and beaches of Australian islands. But, the way each component weaved into each other was starkly different. Luxury, culture, and nature perfectly intermingled. Crucially though, this idyllic place was actually accessible, and also resoundingly affordable compared to expectations. Given the tourist-centric demographic and sensationalisation, you might anticipate a matcha ice-cream to be precisely the type of purchase to steer clear from. But actually, we bought on for less than $5, were given a massive serving, and enjoyed it thoroughly, without feeling any sense of being coerced into purchasing things or regretting succumbing to a tourist trap.

You can also escape the crowds easily. You can find jewels of natural beauty and tranquility among the many side paths in Momijidani Park. Here, we skipped across rocks parallel to a flowing stream of the clearest water you’ll ever witness in your life. If it weren’t for the soothing sound, you may have missed the stream entirely on first glance. Deer lay placidly at our feet, sometimes offering the occasional peculiar sound, or a friendly sniff for food. Like in many similar places, their developed lack of skittishness around people was notable.

When we decided to was time for home, it was so incredibly simple. A beautiful, multi-level ferry with an amazing view. Ten minutes across the water. $2. Straight into the station and onto an incredible streetcar-train hybrid within three minutes. This train is honestly awesome. Within the city, it functions as a tram. An urban streetcar à la Melbourne CBD. But once it passes the inner-city border, it seamlessly converts into any other normal overground train. It speeds up, joins the local prefectural rail network, and off you go! Also, no matter how far you travel the fee is only ¥240. Which is excellent value, considering we rode it all the way to the final stop for nearly an hour. Overall, without waiting around for a single second, we went from centre-city to an island over an hour away for ¥440, in complete comfort. That is incredible.

Today has been awesome. I’m glad I set aside this time to write about it earlier in the day. My writing practice has been slipping a bit, I think just because I’ve got so much I feel I need to catch up on in the rear-view mirror, but I want to continue the daily habit, and fill in the blanks where I can.

I’m enjoying the Hiroshima experience. Our accomodation is nothing special, but outside has been wonderful. A sobering digestion of atomic bomb history punctuated by incessant rain one day, followed by beautiful sunshine and an island day trip the next. Life around the itinerary could be cleaner, but this morning I felt great. Solid sleep. Hard threshold run. Called my brother while cooking a hearty mid-morning breakfast. Sipped recently expired drip coffee we stole from our previous accomodation. Smiled. Remembered how many little tasks I’m neglecting. Remembered that everything is just fine. See you again tomorrow!