Our info on this port is as follows:
Located in the southwest of Japan, Hiroshima, the main city of the Chugoku region, is set within a striking natural landscape of mountains, sea and rivers. Home to more than one million inhabitants, it’s famous as the site of the explosion of the world’s first atomic bomb, dropped by the U.S. in August 1945. This cataclysm is sensitively documented at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and associated Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The city offers visitors a great deal more than the tragedy of the recent past. In addition to the memorials to the events of World War II, there are an array of shrines and temples, as well as the city’s reconstructed castle, which was originally founded in the 16th century.Nature lovers will be charmed by the historic Shukkei-en Garden, commissioned in 1620, and Miyajima island, one of the most scenic spots in Japan. The city is home to a number of art institutions, including the Hiroshima Museum of Art, which houses a collection of Impressionist and Japanese oil paintings, the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art and the quirky Mazda Museum. There is also an array of excellent restaurants and bars—the city is known for its okonomiyaki, a type of savory pancake—as well as a popular oyster festival each year.
Our tour description read:
Visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where you'll see brightly-colored paper cranes everywhere. Origami or paper-folding is a traditional Japanese craft and has become a symbol of peace. The Children's Peace Monument was built with funds donated by people all over Japan and it is estimated that approximately 10 million cranes are brought to the Children's Peace Monument each year in the name of world peace.
Tour the Peace Memorial Museum. See exhibits, videos and items that survived the bomb. Learn about the scope of destruction and extent of the bombing zone. See haunting images of shadows etched into buildings and sidewalks.
You'll also view the Atomic Bomb Dome. The old Industry Promotion Hall was one of the few buildings near Ground Zero to survive the blast. Its dome was vaporized and now symbolizes the perils of nuclear warfare.
Continue to the Shukkeien Gardens, whose name that translates into English as "shrink scenery." Modeled after a landscape in Shukkeien, China, the gardens were built in 1620 by a feudal lord. As the name implies, they are a stunning miniature landscape of forests, valleys and mountains. Stroll through the gardens along pathways and over bridges, winding your way to a pond with an oasis of teahouses and waterfalls.
From here, you'll head back to the pier. Relax as you reflect on a full day of events on the ride back to the ship.
I’m glad we did this tour in reverse. It was nice to start this day with a beautiful leisurely stroll through the Japanese Garden before experiencing the heaviness of visiting the site where the first ever Atomic bomb was dropped on a population. From the Atomic dome on the North Side to the Museum on the South Side, they have done a very nice job in showing the world this past devastation coupled with the call out of, never again. We returned to the ship for lunch at about 2 pm and decided that with the heat of the day that we would stay on board and enjoy what the ship had to offer in the afternoon and evening. The Rolling Stones lounge band moved to the outside pool area this evening for two sets which was very nice to see many have a good time dancing poolside.
Some pics of our day, hope you enjoy…
A worker pruning the old trees.
A Teahouse.
Only 3 Trees survived the Atomic bomb, this is one of them.
Came upon a photo shoot… Luck us.
This bridge is the only structure in the park to survive the blast from the bomb.
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