Our day began meeting in the hotel lobby at 7am, after a quick breakfast of cereal and fruit in our rooms (the girls had Coco Pops, the boys had Frosties, and Ross and I had granola – we will get to more authentic Japanese foods later 😂).

We hailed two taxis to take us to Kyoto train station after our Google research told us it was a 31 minute walk. We stood waiting at a ticket gate entrance for our tour guide, and even asked for assistance when she didn’t appear. Then Abi thankfully noticed on a map that there were THREE Shinkansen ticket entrances, so we hot-footed it up to the “central” one where we found our guide waiting. The second trip this year where Abi has noticed a sign in time for us not to miss a connection!

Our guide took us up to the correct platform to catch a bullet train to Hiroshima, chatted about countries and children and travel, and showed us how to read our tickets correctly and what to do with them. Ross and I were both planning topics of conversation with her for during the day, thinking she was going to accompany us for the whole day, when the train arrived, she helped us board, and then promptly waved goodbye! Once at Hiroshima station we met another guide called Sachi, who did accompany us for the rest of the day. One person took an extra two minutes to show up which meant we left at 10.02am instead of 10am, and Sachi was very apologetic.

We boarded a coach with around 20 other tourists and were taken to the Atomic Bomb Dome, near to the centre of the bomb explosion. We could not visit the centre as it is a private property although it used to be a hospital in 1945. From the Dome we walked through the Peace Memorial Park, visited the Sadako crane statue, and were given an hour to explore the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

Ross has been struggling with back pain this morning, so he looked at the exhibits quickly so he could take some time resting before our next long walk. The kids all had to be ushered out to meet the guide on time, and wished they had more time to spend at the exhibits there. I felt the time was just long enough to make me appreciate the many blessings we have and where we live, but also enough time for me to get cranky about war and what humans do to each other!

The Japanese believe it is their duty to have this memorial area and promote it to educate people and emphasise how the world needs peace, and not to engage in nuclear warfare again. They were clear that Japan started the aggression, and were also thankful at how the world has responded since the war to help care for those affected by the bombing and also the contributions made to their memorials.

One interesting fact I read was that by 1952, the locals had started to move on with their lives and were forgetting the effects of the nuclear explosion in 1945. Yes, 1952! So survivors started making video recording of their experiences so their own nation would never forget.

We then boarded our coach again and were transported to the Miyajima ferry terminal, where we stopped for lunch before the ferry ride over to Miyajima Island. Lunch was authentic Japanese and enjoyed by all – authentic Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki topped with pork, cabbage, bean sprout and noodles, and a sweet soy sauce. It was cooking on a little hot plate in the middle of the table, ready for us when we sat down in the restaurant. Ross and Sam are intending to try and recreate it when we get home.

After lunch the ferry transported us over to Miyajima Island. This is considered one of the most scenic sites in Japan, containing the Tori Gate and the Itsukushima Shrine. We were given time to tour both and then just stroll on the island, known as the historic site of Shinto, literally translated as “the way of the Gods”.

Certain foods and souvenirs were highly recommended by our tour guide, so on the way back to the ferry meeting point we tried some Miyajima coffee from where they roast their own coffee beans (well, I drank two coffees because Ross saw the kids’ coffee icecream and regretted his choice, so I made a sacrifice and drank his coffee so he could get an icecream. I’m generous like that 😉)

The girls purchased some decorative rice spoons, and the boys purchased a specialty treat of the area (which I’d love to describe in more detail but the ones who know the ingredients are asleep on our bullet train home while I write this, so stay tuned….I’m not asleep thanks to my two coffees!)

Another specialty of the island is grilled oysters. We noticed many oyster leashes surrounding the island as the ferry approached. Tom came with me to join a long line waiting to order some grilled oysters, but the wait was so long I had to abandon the plan or we wouldn’t have made it back in time for the ferry 😢

Once the coach returned us to Hiroshima station we had half an hour to explore their department store called Ekie, before we found our platform, train and correct car to travel back to Kyoto 🥳

The bullet train is very quick to get between cities, but long enough for the tired to rest, and for the blogger to post! I guess we will find something for dinner when we get in to Kyoto and turn in again early. Abi and Sam are used to holidays with me and just aim to “survive the rushing and enjoy the experiences”. Jess isn’t as used to the way I holiday, and did ask me if a little sleep in was possible 🤭……tomorrow morning? Yes. But then not again until….ummm…..probably the day after we get home! 😉

There are so many restaurants in and around the train stations. We decided to stop at Kyoto station for dinner before we headed back to our hotel (a short taxi ride to save us the long walk). The kids picked an authentic little Japenese restaurant which served us miso soup, green tea, Japanese pickles and other sides with our chosen meals. I just need to add proof here that I am learning how to use chopsticks out of necessity, and am even mastering them for the consumption of rice!