Fukuoka-Osaka

I arrived in Osaka on a night bus at 5 a.m. The bus was not great, and it was a bad choice to take the middle seat. On arrival, I walked to the main train station as things started to open up. I used the toilet and bought a ticket for the fast “bullet” train Shinkansen to Kobe later in the afternoon, 11.300 JPY.

I first tried to visit the Shukkeien Garden but it was still closed until 9 a.m. From there I moved to a Hiroshima (Carp) castle. The castle from 16 the century was the seat of the regional daimyo. It was rebuilt after the bomb.

There is a 5-store main keep (museum, also opens at 8 a.m.), walls, a moat, a Gokoku Shinto shrine, and 3 trees that survived an atomic bomb.

I passed the stadium, arena, and museum before finally I arrived to Peace Memorial Park (UNESCO). A sad memento of what people can do to each other. On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the civil population killing around 150.000. The main reminder of this event today is Genbaku Dome, once exhibition hall.

Crossing the bridge you find yourself by the clock that each morning at 8:15 sounds, a time when a bomb was detonated. The Children’s Peace Monument with the Sadako Sasaki statue on top with boxes of cranes on the side representing perished children. Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound, ashes of half of the victims. There are many other things, like Peace Bell, Peace Flame, and Museum, I left this place quite sad.

I walked back to the train station. I took a train, 320 JPY, and a ferry for 500 JPY to Itsukushima Island. There is Itsukushima Shrine with Torii in seawater. I paid entrance 500 JPY. On the island are many sacred places besides the famous one and narrow streets with traditional houses.

Also, deer are walking around… I tried oysters there for 700 JPY. This delicacy is fresh and tasty. Now it was time to return to Hiroshima train station by ferry and train.

At Hiroshima station, I tried Okonomiyaki for 750 JPY. The city is known for this famous local food, pancakes with noodles, cabbage, and sauce. I picked a place where I waited 15 minutes just to get in. There I watched how they made it, but I wasn’t impressed by the taste.

It was time for a ride with the Japanese bullet train Shinkansen. It was comfortable, and fast. But after the Korean train, again I wasn’t impressed. Tried to sleep a bit.

In Kobe, I moved to Chinatown and walked around until I found a restaurant with wagyu beef. I ordered a plate of different meat cuts and grilled (yakiniku style) it myself, dipping it in sauce before eating it. With beer, I paid 8500 JPY. Interesting and tasty experience, grilling and cutting pieces with scissors.

With a bus for 290 JPY, I returned to the train station and took another train to Osaka for 370 JPY. On arrival, I moved by metro for 290 JPY to Hotel Diamond. I paid for a single room with a shared bathroom just 1600 JPY. I was surprised that for 9 € I could get a decent place to sleep. After resting I took a shower and drank ice-T for 100 JPY and went to bed – tatami. It was not good for my back.