Early morning today, cause we had to catch the 08:45 train to Hiroshima. After some freaking amazing Japanese curry, we went in a train to take us to a station where our shinkansen to Hiroshima departed. Interestingly though, I sat down next to a Japanese businessman, and we had the cutest convo ever. So at first our group came into the train and obviously it was super chaotic and people were talking way too loud (everybody is super silent and peaceful here). So first I said good morning in Japanese, and when I saw he was a bit agitated with all the noise, I whispered: sumi masen (sorry…).

Then the train left the station and I was just reading my book, when he started to couch. I offered him my ice tea (which had the same taste as the other one but way less strong, so okay), but he did not need it. He did start to talk to me: was I part of the group? I told him yes, and that we were from The Netherlands. Then he gave me a little present, a little stuffed toy to hang on my phone. However, our phones do not have that thingie anymore, so I hang it on my bag. So sweet.

Next thing I know we are having this whole conversation about everything: his job, his son, I showed him a picture of my cat, of the Zaanse Schans, he gave me 100 tips to see in Kyoto, he told me about the food, it was so much fun. Partly we just did it in Japanese, which went surprisingly well, and partly he spoke in his phone which translated things to strange English, hihi. It was such an amazing encounter, he was so sweet, and enthusiastic: very Japanese. I offered him a Dutch Koetjesreep, which I hope he will like!

I was walking on clouds the whole morning, being so happy of my encounter with this beautiful person, but then we arrived in Hiroshima and obviously the atmosphere changed. Not that Hiroshima is not a beautiful place filled with amazing people: but we visited the atomic bomb museum. It may sound a bit strange but I thought the museum in Nagasaki was way better. The way it was told, displayed, the walking route, it was a lot more open and clear, whereas the one in Hiroshima is less modern, very crowded and it has a lot of repetitiveness.

After the museum we went to see the monument, which is a building that was there during the a bomb and then it was semi crushed. It is really beautiful and very dark at the same time, amazing. Then we had some food, we went shopping and walking around a bit, before we visited the replica built of the old Hiroshima castle, which obviously got destroyed in 1945. I loved the building, so gorgeous, but I loved a nearby shrine even more. It was a Tao temple, very pretty. I love temples, they always make me feel humble and peaceful, a bit like most people feel when they see a plane in the sky.

Anyway, afterwards we went to the hotel (the Tokyu Rei Hotel) and I was meeting my other roommate, which I will have for two nights before I get a few nights to myself, yay! My parents and I went to dinner at Café de Paris, which is a very cosy restaurant near the hotel. The staff (waitresses and kitchen!) yelled something welcoming when everybody came in, and when people left they would yell again. I looooved it. I am so happy that Tripadvisor exists, it is filled with gems: the restaurant of yesterday was also a Tripadvisor find.

The only thing is that my vegetarianism is still an issue, they simply do not understand. Thankfully they had mozzarella and tomato though, so I really enjoyed that very much. And I had cake two times today, I should really start eating more healthy, but walking around simply makes me so hungry all the time, and they have all these interesting things I want to try.

Now I am typing this in my hotel room, waiting for my room mate to come back so I can go to sleep. She does not appreciate it (I think) when I write, cause it makes noise. Hopefully she’ll stay away a little longer. Okay, that was not happening, hihi, she is here. Talk to you tomorrow, very excited, we are going to visit Miyajima, which is filled with cute little deer. Oh dear! 😀