#Shukkeien

[ilikedetectives]

Shukkeien, Hiroshima

[flying-postcards]

Sent to BELARUS on 19th of October 2024

[darklightsworld]

Hiroshima 2024/09/09-13

Day 1-2

Long time no see... again... This was the worst summer ever. As in, officially the hottest ever with three times as many days over 35°C than usual. Somewhere around 55 days... orz Kyoto does know how to welcome me back ^^; So, I was laying low and dying every time I needed to step out of my flat. It turned out that this ground floor (and not wood) apartment does not heat as fast as my previous ones, so I could get through the day without air-con, but barely, so not much productivity until the evening from me, when I turned it on. You might ask why not the other way round? I cannot sleep in the heat (even in winter I turn the heating off for the night), and without sleeping I'm useless, so I use the air-con from evening to morning. This also meant that I was hardly doing anything for sightseeing, some exhibitions here and there, but it was just too hot.

Still, I thought it can't be that I'm not traveling during the holiday (especially since I'm having a holiday the first time in six years...), so I went to Hiroshima for the first time. It was a mistake. I expected lower temperatures in September, but no, around 35°C every day, and it was hellish. No trips in summer ever again. (I'm starting to feel like schools should just power through summer with air-conditioning and save the longer holiday for fall, September-October, when you can actually enjoy it too. Anyway, I took five days for Hiroshima to make it a slow trip, one that I could survive despite the heat - it was difficult anyway.

Day 1

Not living in the countryside is heavenly for transportation. Hiroshima is very close by Shinkansen, so I ticked off some basic sightseeing on the first day already. Like the Atomic Bomb Dome and the park (skipped the museum, I just didn't have the energy in the heat); Shukkeien Garden, a small but gorgeous park; Hiroshima Castle, which is more of an observatory with historical exhibition - like Osaka Castle, but much smaller. It doesn't have air-conditioning though (or too weak), so I had to spend five minutes in front of a high power fan, because I was about to pass out (not exaggerating...). Quite telling that all the people who came out of the castle flocked to the tiny shop selling ice cream - me included ^^; I closed the day in the shopping district afterward.

Day 2

I tried to take it easy, but the morning was hard. I wanted to visit some shrines and the Peace Monument just north of the station on a hill. It turned out to be a hill with tons of shrines, hiking routes, and I only saw a portion of everything there. It was 433 steps uphill in 35°C in a long skirt (pants stick to you too much). The steps were a bit steep in the second half too (not pictured). Every now and then they had some wise things to say (see above) while mentioning how much was left XD At the top there was this monument with a statue - concrete with metal and no shade at the benches anywhere!!! The view was great, but difficult to rest before going back down... I could refresh at the Hiroshima Museum of Art, fortunately. They had a nihonga exhibition, and since I have a new course to teach starting this semester that deals with mostly premodern Japanese visual arts, it was a useful exhibition for me. I closed the day walking around Ujina island, one of the islands near the coast. I love the sea, I love islands, so it was a nice preparation for the main dish of this trip: Miyajima. There were beaches, but it's the wrong side of the tide with every seashell and debris washing out there. It is also sandy, and I don't like sandy beaches. Anyway, the view was nice.

tbc...

[everydayjapanphotography]

Hiroshima: Shukkeien gardens

[itsmarjudgelove]

Hiroshima, Shukkeien...

Photo:© (Sanga Park/licence S.L.75)

[davidstanleytravel]

These turtles have found refuge on a tiny island in the central pond at Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima, Japan.

[myjapan-me]

Shukkeien Garden, Hiroshima

[wilsweb-asientour]

Tag 35. 07.08.2023

Friedenspark-Museum. Heute standen wir später auf. Wilson erledigte noch ein paar Stockholm Admin-Themen und dann aßen wir Frühstück. Im Anschluss liefen wir in den Peace Memorial Park (Friedenspark) und stellten uns fürs Museum an. Nach ca. 20 Minuten durften wir rein, also liefen wir in die Ausstellung.

Die Ausstellung war berührend, anders kann man sie nicht beschreiben. Wir verbrachten 3.5h im Museum und lasen jeden einzelnen übersetzten Text. Unsere Emotionen und Gefühle können wir schwer beschreiben, wir saßen selbst daraufhin im Park in Stille. Die 140.000 Zivilisten, die hier starben, erlitten einen schrecklichen Tod, und auf einer Art und Weise, die NIE wiederholt werden darf. Babys, Schulkinder, immatrikulierte Studenten, Mütter, Väter, Großeltern - alle litten. Falls ihr die Möglichkeit habt nach Japan zu reisen, dann ist Hiroshima das Reiseziel schlechthin. Die Eindrücke, die wir sammeln konnten werden wir nie vergessen.

Wir liefen danach in ein Gyudon Restaurant, quasi japanischer Reis mit fein geschnittenem Rindfleisch und einem gekochten Ei. Eine billige und sättigende Mahlzeit. Der Shukkeien Garten hatte dann leider geschlossen, also liefen wir in ein 7-11 und holten uns Frühstück für morgen und Bier (sorry Mama). Gute Fahrt an die Leipziger in Schottland, viel Spaß den Hartmanns im Amiland und zu allen fleißig arbeitenden Stationären in Deutschland viele liebe Grüße! Ciao.

Day 35. August 7, 2023

Peace Park Museum. Today we got up later. Wilson took care of a few Stockholm administrative matters, and then we had breakfast. After that, we walked to the Peace Memorial Park and queued up for the museum. After about 20 minutes, we were allowed in, so we entered the exhibition.

The exhibition was moving, that's the only way to describe it. We spent 3.5 hours in the museum and read every single translated text. It's hard for us to describe our emotions and feelings; we sat in silence in the park afterward. The 140,000 civilians who died here suffered a terrible death, in a way that should NEVER be repeated. Babies, schoolchildren, enrolled students, mothers, fathers, grandparents - all suffered. If you have the opportunity to travel to Japan, then Hiroshima is the ultimate destination. The impressions we were able to gather will never be forgotten.

Afterward, we walked into a Gyudon restaurant, a kind of Japanese rice bowl with thinly sliced beef and a boiled egg. An affordable and filling meal. Unfortunately, the Shukkeien Garden was closed, so we went to a 7-11 and got breakfast for tomorrow and beer (sorry, Mum). Safe travels to the folks from Leipzig in Scotland, lots of fun to the Hartmanns in the States, and many warm regards to all the hardworking residents in Germany! Goodbye.

[japanitinerary-2025]

12 day trip from -to Tokyo. 

Here's a suggested 12-day itinerary for your Japan trip:

Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo

Arrival: Land at Tokyo airport (Narita or Haneda).

Activities: Check into your hotel, take it easy, and explore a nearby area (e.g., Shinjuku or Ginza).

Day 2-3: Tokyo Highlights

Day 2:

Morning: Visit Asakusa (Sensoji Temple) and Tokyo Skytree.

Afternoon: Explore Akihabara for electronics and anime culture.

Evening: Enjoy dinner in Shinjuku and visit the Robot Restaurant or Golden Gai.

Day 3:

Morning: Visit Meiji Shrine and Takeshita Street in Harajuku.

Afternoon: Stroll through Omotesando and Shibuya (see the Shibuya Crossing).

Evening: Relax in Odaiba with views of Tokyo Bay.

Day 4-5: Hakone

Day 4: Travel to Hakone (2 hours by train from Tokyo).

Visit the Hakone Open-Air Museum.

Enjoy an onsen experience at your ryokan.

Day 5:

Take the Hakone Loop: Pirate Ship Cruise on Lake Ashi, Hakone Ropeway, and Owakudani Valley.

Return to Tokyo in the evening or stay another night in Hakone.

Day 6-8: Kyoto

Day 6: Travel to Kyoto (2.5-3 hours by shinkansen).

Visit Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) and Ryoan-ji Temple.

Stroll through Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

Day 7:

Morning: Explore Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine (thousands of red torii gates).

Afternoon: Visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple and the historic streets of Higashiyama.

Evening: Walk in Gion, the geisha district.

Day 8:

Take a day trip to Nara (visit Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park, and Kasuga-taisha Shrine).

Return to Kyoto in the evening.

Day 9-10: Hiroshima & Miyajima

Day 9: Travel to Hiroshima (2 hours from Kyoto by shinkansen).

Visit Peace Memorial Park and Museum, Atomic Bomb Dome, and Shukkeien Garden.

Day 10:

Take a ferry to Miyajima Island.

Visit Itsukushima Shrine and see the iconic floating torii gate.

Hike or take the ropeway to Mount Misen for stunning views.

Day 11: Back to Tokyo

Take the shinkansen back to Tokyo (4 hours).

Spend the evening shopping in Ginza or relaxing.

Day 12: Departure

Final exploration of Tokyo if time permits.

Depart from Tokyo airport.

Let me know if you’d like more details on transportation or specific spots!

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[a2japanbestjapantravelagent]

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[jambolaja]

Fukuoka-Osaka

U Osaku sam stigao noćnim autobusom u 5 ujutro. Autobus nije bio sjajan, a bio je loš izbor da zauzmem srednje sjedište. Po dolasku, otišao sam do glavne željezničke stanice jer su se stvari počele otvarati. Iskoristio sam toalet i kupio kartu za brzi “metak” voz Shinkansen do Kobea kasnije popodne, 11.300 JPY. Prvo sam pokušao da posjetim Shukkeien Garden, ali je još uvijek bio zatvoren do 9…

[flying-postcards]

Sent to GERMANY on 17th of June 2024

[loganinjapan]

Day 18 ACTIVITIES

I'm in Hiroshima, which is the most west I'll be able to get in Japan on this trip. It's also my final solo excursion for the trip. It's a shame that I won't get to visit Nikko, Hokkaido, Fukuoka, Kumamoto or Akita. I'll have to save those for next trip. The reason I wanted to choose Hiroshima is because I felt it was a very important city to visit as an American. The history regarding WWII and the atomic bomb is a lot, and I feel a lot of people (not just Americans), including myself, aren't aware of the pure scope of what truly happened. I framed my day to go through a journey of hurting, hoping, and healing. - Hurting, as in learning more about the atomic bomb attack and seeing the true effects it had on the people of Hiroshima and Japan. - Hoping, by seeing buildings still standing like the Atomic Bomb Dome and observing monuments dedicated to ensuring something like the atomic bomb attack never happens again. - Healing, by seeing the Shukkeien Gardens and its beauty, a sign that a city can rebuild and regrow, even when faced with one of humanity's deadliest creations. Peace Museum: No jokes here. This was a very somber and sad, yet necessary experience. I got in around 7:45 AM and it was not too crowded, felt very heavy, and it was very quiet. I got through the main exhibitions in about 40 minutes, and I saw a lot of things that opened my eyes and made me feel uncomfortable, which I guess is the point. There was a section that had "Discretion Advised" signs - this was about the reality of the attack and the effects on the citizens. There was a lot to see. Tattered clothes, photos of burned men, women and children, pieces of metal and iron fused together by the sheer heat of the fireball. There were photos of children killed in the attack with their names listed. A tricycle, burned to a crisp, was on display to see. I could hear sniffles from other visitors, and I myself felt like I was starting to get choked up. One can easily say "Just nuke 'em" when faced with an adversary, but your whole perspective changes when you see the effects for yourself. This museum made me reflect on my views on war/conflict. I encourage everyone to visit this museum. Peace Park: After the museum, I took some time to walk around and collect my thoughts. I saw a few monuments and then found a spot overlooking the rivers and the atomic bomb dome. I think I spent about 20 minutes just taking in the scenery? Not sure. I was ahead of schedule (I had planned to go to Hiroshima Castle but it fell through). Eventually, I grabbed some coffee at a small cafe. After a stop at the Pokemon Center to buy stuff, I was off to the Shukkeien Gardens. Shukkeien Gardens: I enjoyed this a lot! There were a lot of scenic spots for photos and I got to see a bunch of carp. Like, a lot! The walk was really nice and it was just a nice peaceful experience. I'd love to return someday. Afterwards, I found a small Anglican church and prayed, then talked with one of the staff member after. I said goodbye to Hiroshima and made my way to Kobe. It's finally time for my Food Frenzy! These restaurants are part of Japan Eat's series in the Sannomiya food street and are highly rated by him. Food Frenzy: - First up is Itiottei, a curry place that Japan Eat gave an S Tier and the #1 spot. I was excited for this, but it turned out to be underwhelming. The tonkatsu was pretty standard and the beef curry didn't shine as bright as I hoped it would. It was still good though. It gets an 8/10. - Next up is Kouyouen, a Chinese restaurant that Japan Eat said had legendary gyoza. This spot lived up to the hype! The gyoza was absolutely delicious and super good. The best gyoza I've ever had. It earns a solid 10/10. - The final spot is Steakland, a touristy spot that serves Kobe beef. I sat down at the teppanyaki grill and watched the chef go to work. My Kobe beef was pretty good! I was pretty full so I didn't need the sides, but they gave me them anyways. I'm gonna give this spot a 9/10. I crashed at the hotel and ended up doordashing CoCo for dinner. Gotta love that curry.

[mikem-dawnm-japan]

Tuesday 21st May - Day 15

This morning we headed for the beautiful wooded island of Miyajima which is famous for its giant torii gate, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Itsukushima Shrine. We took a coach for about 40minutes from Hiroshima and then joined the ferry, as foot passengers for the 10 minute crossing. The island has many sika deer wandering the streets, they are very used to the visitors and are quite tame, feeding them is not allowed, however this does not stop them from trying their luck at snatching bags or snacks that unwary visitors are not keeping an eye on! The area is famous for its oysters and walking down the Main Street every other stall is selling oysters in some form or another. It also sells maple leaf shaped cakes (momiji manju) made from sweet bean paste, which have a variety of fillings from cheese to chocolate, many shops also sell these specialities.

We walked as a group to the shrine, it is on the edge of the inland sea making it a very picturesque location with the mountains in the background. The shrine is dedicated to three goddesses; goddess of the sea, goddess of traffic safety and goddess of good fortune and fulfilment of wishes. First built in 593, it was remodelled in 1168. The vermillion colour of the shrine and the torii gate is considered to keep evil spirits away. The corridors in the shrine total 260m as they pass by the main shrine, the stage, the music rooms etc. the torii gate weighs 60 tons and stands 16.5m high, the roof is made of thatched cypress bark. The present gate is the 9th since the first was built in 1875.

After the visit we had a couple of hours of free time, some of the group joined Kas to see the Daishoin Temple, however, we decided to head back to the town, stopping off for a refreshing drink of local lemon soda. We wandered the stalls and picked up a few gifts and searched for a restaurant that was serving oyster burgers, as Mike had set his heart on trying one … we found a small place close to the ferry terminal Mike got his burger and I had a delicious vegetable tempura dish. We had been fortunate in that the morning had been relatively quiet but as we left more and more coach loads arrived. We headed back to the hotel.

Mike decided to have a nap whilst I went back to the Peace Park, which was just a few minute walk from our hotel, as I wanted to capture some more photos. We had been recommended to visit the Shukkeien Gardens, about a twenty minute walk from the hotel, we were pleased that we decided to visit. The gardens, adjacent to one of the art museums was very pretty and peaceful, set in the midst of the city. Originally constructed in 1620 for the feudal lord of Hiroshima. The idea behind the garden was to collect together in miniature a series of views of Hangzhou, China. There is a large central pond, with more than 10 islets, around the edge are mountains, valleys, bridges, tea cottages and arbors with a connecting pathway joining them all. In 1945 the garden was destroyed by the bomb but the garden has been restored to its former glory. The gardens receive about 250,000 visitors each year.

The afternoon was very warm and we were both very tired so decided to have a small meal and then go back to pack up for moving on tomorrow.

[itsmarjudgelove]

Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima, Japan

[davidstanleytravel]

The Kyobashi River runs along Kosai-ho, the Fragrant Tea Garden, at Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima, Japan.