BANNERDAYS: Hiroshima, City of Peace

Five of our original group - we and the McKinley's (John, Sue, and James) - took the bullet train to Hiroshima, led again by Oka-san. ( She was so essential to our activities and well-being that we began to wonder how we'd survive without her when we returned home.) We found ourselves in a large, modern city. Our walking tour of downtown took us to a world-class department store with an extensive food court on the top floor. Of course, it's always nice to see a familiar face, so Sue and I snuggled up to Ronald to enjoy the dramatic surroundings. (Yes, that man is eating a hamburger, talking on a cellphone and taking in the view. Best McDonald's ever.)

Dinner was the treat we'd been anticipating - a Japanese savory pancake called okonomiyaki, a Hiroshima speciality. Our biggest problem was choosing from the 25 restaurants in one building, all offering their own take on this popular item. As the pictures illustrate, we think we picked the best. Between two pancakes are sobu noodles, cabbage, sliced pork, a fried egg and special sauce. We managed to eat it with chopsticks, a feat in itself.

MIYAJIMA ISLAND
This has been a sacred place in the Shinto religion for centuries. The view of the Itsukushima Shrine's Red Gate floating on the sea as we approached by ferry was mystical. The shrine stands on piers above the water, and once a year or so the tide rises through the floorboards, resulting in the monks closing it to visitors. Oka-san encouraged us to hurry, so we could experience the shrine with water lapping at our feet. They closed the gates behind us.

Fun to see kayakers making their way through the gate. We walked into town and tried a local speciality, grilled oysters. We shared one and then wished we had tried more.

The two people below are enjoying the tickling sensation of small fish nibbling away on their calluses. We didn't try it, but perhaps the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz can add this experience to its list of attractions. Lots of giggling going on.

We rode the trolley back to downtown Hiroshima and ate lunch at an upscale shopping center. The integration of old and new in Japan is one of its best features.

We learned later that after the bombing, trolleys were running within a few days, amazing considering the devastation. Countries from around the world donated their surplus trolleys, so that's why they each have a unique look.

From a plaque at the A-Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome):

The A-Bomb Dome is the ruins of the former Industrial Promotion Hall which was destroyed by the first atomic bomb ever to be used in the history of humankind on August 6, 1945. The atomic bomb was detonated in the air at an altitude of approximately 600 meters almost right over the hall. The explosion by a single bomb claimed the lives of over 200,000 people and the city area of about 2 km radius was turned into ashes. In order to have this tragic fact known to succeeding generations and to make it a lesson to humankind, the reinforcement work of the ruins has been done by the contributions of many people who desire peace both within and out of the country. The ruins shall be preserved forever.

The Peace Memorial Rose Garden (in winter rest)

Students from Australia on a Peace Mission to
bring origami cranes to Hiroshima where they
joined millions of other paper cranes sent and brought
by school children throughout the world.

The eternal flame

Our reverent, beautiful Oka-san praying.

Peace Memorial Park filled with visitors and students

The following photographs represent an impression of our time in the Peace Park Museum, the experience sometimes too difficult to articulate. Our mind and hearts don't want to believe what happened in Hiroshima 67 years ago. But it did happen. In so many ways, though, the miracle of a people's resilient spirit also touched and inspired us.

Sadako Sasaki

A small part of Sadako Sasaki's Thousand Cranes made in her
attempt to have her wish granted. Though she died before she
could finish them, her classmates made 350 cranes so that 1,000
cranes could be buried with her. Her spirit and light live on
in all who remember her and come to Hiroshima to pray for peace.

In 1981 Pope John Paul II said:
"God's hope is one of peace, not one of pain."

And in 1984, Mother Teresa proclaimed:
"So that the terrible evil that brought so much
suffering to Hiroshima may never happen again,
let us pray together and remember ---
works of love and prayer are works of peace."