Hiroshima Peace Museum

At 8:15 am on August 6th, 1945, the atomic bomb "Little Boy" was dropped over the city of Hiroshima. Three days later another bomb was dropped over Nagasaki. Six days later, Japan surrendered to the Allies.

The unspeakable horrors that were inflicted on civilians for generations cannot be described in words.

Visiting the Hiroshima Peace Museum was on our must-do list when we were planning this trip. As a family, we had watched a documentary about Hiroshima together and a couple of weeks ago saw the famous film "Grave of the Fireflies" by Isao Takahata.

Last time I visited (2007), there was an exhibit where you could actually walk through a simulation of what it was like after the bombing. It felt insanely real. They have since decommissioned it, saying that the images, artefacts and personal anecdotes from survivors are enough to tell the story; there is no need to relive the nightmare and recreate it.

There is one particular story that stands out from all of this horror and that is of little Sadoko. She was 2 when the bomb dropped but developed leukemia later and died at age 12. When she was sick she pledged to fold 1000 paper cranes. She never completed her goal but the crane is now a symbol of peace.

There is no way to end this post but to ask ourselves: what is the price of peace for you?

After visiting the peace museum, we bought the book "Sadoko and the Thousand Paper Cranes" with instructions on how to fold a paper crane. Weary and quite simply emotionally drained, we got a snack at a 7-11, sat upstairs and folded our cranes.

Remains of the Genbaku dome (atomic bomb dome).

You can see the peace flame burning in the distance. It is said that when the world gets rid of all nuclear weapons, this flame shall be extinguished.

A very sobering video of what happened in Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945.

Millions of paper cranes from children all over the world.

Ringing the Sadoko Children's Peace Monument.

Kumano Kodo Pilgrimmage

Today our alarm went off at 7:30 and we were at 7-11 by 8am to buy our breakfast on the go. The choice is staggering and I just want to try everything.

7-11s and Family Marts are the convenient convenient stores that sell a lot of things, but for us it is the cheap and delicious food and drink options that keep drawing us in. Plus there is a 7-11 or Family Mart on pretty much every block, so they are really hard to resist.

If you do find yourself stuck, hungry and thirsty, just walk a minute more and you will encounter one of the ubiquitous vending machines which sell everything from hot black tea to sweetcorn soup. Just make sure you have some cash.

Today we had a long train journey to Tanabe where we started the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage. We have been researching this for months and we were finally here. We decided to hike the Nakahechi route, mainly because the mountainous route would be too snowy to traverse in the winter.

We then descended underground to Osaka train station to catch our train to Tanabe. We were expecting throngs of people this time of day but it was surprisingly empty!

Tai's theory is if you just stand still nobody will bump into you. But just to try it out, we had about ten minutes until our second train and he merged himself with all the commuters as they were getting out of a train and making their way up the stairs. 

Luckily he's wearing a bright green jacket and is fairly tall (in Japan) so sticks out like a sore thumb.

So, the Kumano Kodo. It was probably the highlight for us in Japan. We had planned, researched and booked the route well in advance and it was still better than we expected.

Walking through bamboo forests, soaking our sore bodies in onsens afterwards and dining on some of the best Japanese food I have ever tasted in the coziest ryokans (traditional Japanese inn with tatami mats). 

Here are a lot of pictures to share and for us to look back on in the future:

Crocheting on our way to Tanabe to start the Kumano Kodo.

Nap time already?

And then, the ocean in all its glory!

At the Kumano Kodo Tourist information centre in Tanabe.

We are off, smiles and all!

1st stamp for our pilgrim passport.

Near the beginning pilgrims can squeeze through a narrow opening in the rock called, "A test of faith".

It was really a small hole.

Lots of steep steps today.

Happy to be out of the busy city and in the lush, green forest.

Many oji shrines are along the Kumano Kodo.

Signing our Chinese name in the guest book at the shrine.

At the cozy MaSaRa hatago (traditional pilgrimmage inn), a gorgeous French-Japanese
couple and their cute baby. We had authentic french onion soup and Wagyuu blanquette for dinner! In Japan! What a wonderful surprise.

Overlooking the small town of Takahara on the Kumano Kodo.

Futons and tatami = best sleep ever

Yunomine Onsen

Why does it smell so eggy?!

Vending machine for the win!

Here at Toganoki Teahouse we met this wonderful Japanese lady who gave us all beautiful origami folded kimono bookmarks and insisted on taking photos of us from many angles she was so kind. ありがとうございます。お世話になりました！

The hosts' son showed us his pet crickets.

Sweetest hosts ever!

This ryokan had Catan!

Not much energy left...

We made it!

Yes we are!

Next up: the Camino Santiago! Planning for it in March 2024.

Tired but very fulfilled. 
Arigatou – ありがとう Kumano Kodo!