6 August 1945. 08:15 am. The citizens of Hiroshima were doing their daily routine. Unaware of the upcoming danger that would change their lives in a blink of an eye. Reports say that survivors had seen a flash of blinding light followed by a loud booming sound. An estimated 70,000-80,000 people were killed by the blast and another 70,000 injured at that moment. Many more died due to radiation and other injuries on top of being ill and malnourished after years of ongoing war. The US Air Forces had succeeded their mission, leaving behind a gigantic mushroom clouds and a city burnt to the ground.

71 years later, Hiroshima commemorated the event. People from all around the world gathered in Peace Memorial Park. Italy, USA, Canada, to name a few. A ceremony was held for public. Everyone prayed for this kind of cruelty will not happen again in the future. Everyone prayed for one thing which was reflected in the place they all were: peace.

I didn’t go there, though. I went to Miyajima, which is famous for its floating torii (red gate of Shinto shrine) of Itsukushima Shrine. I took a tram ride instead of train. Tram is one of Hiroshima’s main public transportation. It is cheaper albeit slower, and I just wanted to feel what it’s like to be a local. Oh, it has a stop right in front of A-Bomb Dome too. Talk about convenience in Japan. I got off the tram, rode a ferry, and voila! The floating torii immediately caught my eyes. One thing that visitors may not have known before is the presence of many wild deer. Maybe it’s just me, or... I don’t know. Anyway, soon after I arrived on the island, one deer kindly “welcomed” me. It even chewed my shirt to the point where a stranger had to help get it off me.

I walked up to Senjoukaku and had a rest for a while there. I also bought ichigo-goori (strawberry shaved ice) which was perfect to beat the heat. Inside the shrine was really crowded. I guess that’s just the way it is with popular tourist destination.

You can buy the shrine stamp and omikuji (fortune telling paper) too! I got kyou (bad luck) *sobs*.

After a good long walk around the shrine and the museum, it’s time for lunch. I ordered a set meal consists of the local specialties: anago meshi (eel on top of rice) and kaki furai (fried oysters). By the time I finished eating, the tide was low so I could walk under the torii. It has many coins on it but no one took them, of course. 

Then I headed back to Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima. They hold an annual event called Peace Message Lantern Floating Ceremony, or simply tourou nagashi, a ceremony in which paper lanterns are floated down a river. You can purchase a tourou (paper lantern) for 600 yen at the designated booths and write (or draw!) your message there. It has four sides so you have plenty of space to write whatever you want. Get in line to float the lantern, the volunteers will help you with the wood frame and light the fire.They also light up candles (on which there are drawings made by children) on the street but I didn’t make it in time to see them because of the long line. But it was far from boring as there was a live music performance to enjoy. There was a film screening about the World War 2 and the bombing too. Overall, it was a wonderful night, one that surely can’t be forgotten.