Today it’s time to move again, and this time, we’re moving on to the most southern of Japan’s main islands: Kyushu. We will spend one night each in Kumamoto and Kagoshima (if the recently erupted volcano Sakurajima lets us, that is), before leaving civilization behind and discovering the island that was inspiration to Studio Ghibli’s Mononoke Hime: Yakushima.
Hiroshima was good to us. After the emotionally devastating experiences in the Peace Memorial Museum, we decided to take it slow and spent the next morning in the hospital. No worries, I just needed to start taking care of my nasty cold, and the hospital was easier to locate than a private doctor’s clinic. We’ve already had the experience of seeing a doctor in Kyoto for Danie’s allergies, now it was my turn. And what can I say, you might not see lots of famous monuments in such a place, but you definitely make some interesting experiences. After waiting in line in various places for what felt like the whole morning, I finally managed to get myself some pills and we were able to return to our little hostel (how fast you learn to call a place “home” on a journey like this). As we had discovered an interesting looking leaflet, we decided to go to the theater that night. We paid 1800 yen and were entertained for more than 3 hours time, there’s really nothing wrong with that, is there. The show we saw was by an all men troupe, involving lots of make up, cross-dressing, traditional (and not so traditional) dancing by some very attractive young men flirting with the audience like there was no tomorrow. Definitely an experience if you have an evening to spare in Hiroshima.
Because we saw another good looking leaflet in our hostel, we decided to stay a day longer and take a day trip to a gorge close to the city, where we spent yesterday, hiking through a beautiful little valley, and even bathing in the mountain stream (before some giant mutant insect things forced us to run off, screaming like little girls).
Hiking time
Also recommended in Hiroshima: The local specialty, Okonomiaki, a filled pancake kind of meal we sampled first on Miyajima and then again at a lovely place in the city where the fact that they had a vegetarian menu and even bothered to tell me the dressing wasn’t vegan (and that they had another, vegan, one at hand) almost made me weep with gratitude.
Okonomiyaki
Time to board the next bullet train. Take care, Hiroshima.