The Moto Wanderer: Berry's SEAJ trip Day 59: Bunnies and Bombs (8/3/15)

Got an early start to my day and had breakfast in the hotel; I just cant get behind the having fish for breakfast thing. I take a train to Mihara where I catch a local train along the coast to Tanadoumi (pretty views of the ocean and the coastal cities on the way and notice they create beach swimming areas along the coast which is interesting to see).

Picture of the water from the train. Beautiful coast!

Berry is ready to get over to meet some bunny friends.

I think I made it to the right train station.

After getting off the train, I make my way to the port where I catch a ferry to Bunny Island :) As soon as we disembark, I see bunnies lounging all over the island. They are conditioned to come up to you (you can buy food where you buy the ferry tickets) so I got some bunnies coming up and sniffing me and Berry and letting me take pictures until they lose interest in me. Explore the island a little bit before finding the gas museum; the island was a toxic gas factory before/during WW2. The museum is small but informative about the repercussions people who worked in the factory are having to deal with even today; their government is supposedly taking care of these people which is great to hear since they put them in harms way with improper equipment to handle such a deadly weapon. After exploring a little more of the island, I head back to Mihara to catch a train to Hiroshima (the reason I came to this area of Japan and am staying in Fukuyama). Explore the Peace Park and the museums in that area and it is at this moment I realized why I had to get a hotel in Fukuyama (70th Anniversary of the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima).

View from the boat back at the coastal town

Panoramic view from the ferry.

Some old japanese fishing boats out on the water.

We made it to the island which happens to also be a national park.

Tomoko got me this shirt that had my name on front and back pronounced in japanese. As we were standing in line to get the ferry ticket, I heard some local girls pronouncing my shirt and I just started laughing. This is us with the local island inhabitants.

Berry making friends with the locals. He is a friendly bear.

They know how to do this bunny picture game.

We got some bunnies out in them there hills.

Berry listening to the ocean like a rabbit. Cause why not?

I spy a lighthouse. Lets walk over there.

Shrine on the island. Bunnies are taking this thing over too but Berry still wanted to check it out.

Berry couldnt resist making even more friends.

We made it! yay!

Nice view of the bay from bunny island. Berry just wanted to enjoy the water/islands for a lil bit.

Poison gas museum? what could possibly go wrong? :)

One of Berry's creepiest friends yet hahaha gas mask horse.

Bye Bye Bunnies!

Heading back to the coast to head towards Hiroshima

Checking out a map of the local train vs the express trying to figure out if I should take the long route to Hiroshima or back track to the main station to catch the express. Berry is weighing the options.

The area by the peace museum is covered with giant tents and chairs all lined up underneath. The Peace museum is amazing (and only 50Y). Had the audio guide which helped learn about the displays. The museum is done well showing the various aspects of the bomb (radiation, heat, wind, etc.) and how it would impact structures, people, etc. Seeing the displays, and hearing/reading the explanations really puts the bomb in perspective. When learning about it in school you just know it is a deadly weapon of once inconceivable power; however, when you see these pictures and hear the stories, it makes it real and you feel for these people who were innocent bystanders and suffered immensely in the name of war. Makes you hope more and more for a peaceful future as no one should ever have to experience what they experienced. After that, I explored the park a little more and saw the dome that withstood the blast and still stands.

Berry enjoying the view of beautiful Hiroshima.

Walking towards the museum and came upon this lovely view.

Cool view of the building that survived the bomb.

Berry checking out the Peace museum from afar. Look at all those tents being set up.

What better way to start the tour of the peace museum than a staging of post bomb landscape. Set the mood from the beginning.

Berry was wondering if that this was still active. good question.

People's shadow burned into the stone from the bomb. Such an incredibly disturbing thought that people one second were sitting on these steps, next they are incinerated.

Blast radius.

So the amount of destruction that happened was a result of 2% of the power packed into the bomb? WTF? I dont want to know what the full payload would have been capable of doing had it all reacted.

Berry and I strolling through tent city in preparation for the anniversary in a few days.

Berry paying respects to those lost 70 years ago.

Let us check out this peace memorial which sits in the same park as the museum.

Circling through the museum on the downward spiral. cool place!

Statue/memorial that had a voice recording associated with it.

Amazing this building survived the bomb.

Berry getting up close with the ground zero building.

View down the river of ground zero structure and surrounding area.

Berry patiently waiting his turn to go see the bell of peace.

Berry wants to ring that bell for peace!

Berry ringing that bell!

This was a paper crane memorial to raise awareness for bomb survivors I believe. Forget exactly, but each of those booths had a different display of cranes.

Memorial in the park.

After exploring the park more, I walked back to the JR stop to get to the train station walking by the Hiroshima castle which seems similar to the others I have seen thus far, however this one had sat on a moat which allowed for some pretty pictures of the reflection. Get back to the hotel and get some rest after grabbing a dinner as I have more exploring tomorrow.