That said, I got to Hiroshima without trouble. However, after scouring the train station I was unsuccessful in finding a map. As a result I was a bit disoriented leaving the station, and used my phone for a map, but did not know where I was exactly. So, it turns out I was facing north, away from the city center. Either way, from where I stood I saw a shining dome atop a small mountain not too far off in that direction. I figured it must be something to see and from there I could know where I was and plan my day.
The hike was really steep and climbed up a very windy road. Along the way I passed a few good vantage points of the city. As I reached the end of the road I came to part of what I'd seen from below. From far off it looked like a large grey wall beneath a shining dome. And in a since it was. It was a series of terraces, climbing steeply up the face of the hill, and each terrace was a row of strobe graves. It was pretty powerful, and even more so when looking down from the top. On the top I found the dome, and learned that it is the Futabayama Hill Peace Tower, and was donated my a few muslim groups from India (if memory serves). Similar, it and the graves were in memory of those who died in the bombing.
On a lighter note, the view from the hill was tremendous. I could see all of the mountains that surrounded the city and even across the city to the opening into the ocean. It was pretty spectacular. From there I could identify the major river in the city and the train station, and with that and my phone I figured out about where to go for the day.
So I climbed down the mountain and headed south past the train station. After a few bonehead moves of crossing bridges after consciously thinking not to, and turning around, I made it to my goal without issue. That is to say I made it to the green space I had picked out on the map... but I'd gotten 2 of these spaces confused. Either way, I had wanted to get here. The majority of the walk took me through a well groomed sidewalk with flowers and trees along the riverside. Every dozen meters or so was a plaque in the sidewalk. Each one labeling the walk: Promenade of Peace. Then I arrived at Hijyama Park.
The park is currently the home of the contemporary art museum. As such it has a lot of large outdoor statues... that don't make much sense to me. However, this park is an elevated hill with lookouts in each direction across the city. At the southern view, there was a picture, taken from that spot after the bombing. In the picture you saw mountains in the distance, and rubble everywhere else. Looking up, you saw all the buildings that are there now, and you imagine all the buildings that were there before...
From here my route took me west across 2 rivers to the Peace Memorial Park. The walk between the two parks and two rivers is known as Heiwa Odors, or Peace Boulevard. It was very wide and very open, with a huge walking path. There was not that much else to it. However, the end of the walk had me arrive at the Peace Memorial Park. If there were one place to embody the memorial of the atomic bombing, this park would be its home.
There are a number of buildings on the premises. I believe these include a museum... but I am uncertain. I was enticed by an arch that stood out alone in the center of the open park. When I reached it it was pretty impressive. It was an arched tunnel, only a few meters long and maybe 2-3 high. It was not really a tunnel, but more of a roof for a stone box with a short inscription. The arch and box stood in the near side of a shallow rectangular man-made pond. At the other end, stood torch that is set to always be burning. It's stand is cement and fans out to become the width of the pool as it holds the flame in the very center. From my end I could see through the arch, over the flame, and across the river. There stood the building now known as the A-Bomb Dome, one of the eeriest ruins I've ever seen.
But, I started out by reading about the arch. But it was not the arch that mattered. The plaque that lay at the edge of the water read the following (please forgive the formatting. I know where the line breaks are but am uncertain of how it ail transfer into the blog):
Memorial Monument For Hiroshima, City of Peace
(Memorial Cenotaph For The A-bomb Victims Erected 6 August 1952)
LET ALL THE SOULS HERE REST IN PEACE
FOR WE WILL NOT REPEAT THE EVIL
This monument embodies the hope that Hiroshima, devastated on 6 August
1945 by the world's first atomic bombing, will stand forever as a city of peace.
The stone chamber in the center contains the Register of Deceased A-bomb
Victims. The inscription on the front panned offers a prayer for the peaceful
repose of the victims and a pledge on behalf of all humanity never to repeat
the evil of war. It expresses the spirit of Hiroshima - enduring grief,
transcending hatred, perusing harmony and prosperity for all, and yearning
for genuine lasting world peace.
As I read those words, and knew the magnitude of what happened where I stood, I was a bit in shock and had tears in my eyes by the end of the passage. Reading it again know has the same effect. Everyone should stand there once, and everyone should read those words.
My last stop was at the A-bomb dome itself. The bomb exploded 160 meters southwest of the building and 600 meters in the air. As a result, the force of the explosion was straight down on the building. While most things were incinerated, the cement and steel reinforced walls and supports remained. In the years following and during reconstruction of the city, some groups desired to keep the ruins as a reminder to the world of what was endured. Others wanted to remove it as it was a reminder of painful memories and loss. However, as the city began to rebuild, the movement to preserve it grew. It has since become a member of the World Heritage Convention and is both protected and preserved my a number of groups.
I then walked back to the train station and headed back to kyoto for dinner and an early bed. It was strange to stand in that park and feel as I did. The park itself was so pretty that it was simply the knowledge of what transgressed that carried so much weight. I stood and watched businessmen walk by on walks they must do everyday. For me its something that I can't imagine getting used to being there. I am very glad I went there today.
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