Trip to Japan

The first photo was taken inside the Hikari Express bullet train on its way to Fukuoka, or Hakata, in the island of Kyushu.

The next one of a cherry tree in full blossom at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, more precisely, in the suburb of Urakami, which is exactly where the second atomic bomb was dropped on the 9th of August, 1945.

Moving to another part of the city is easily done by taking a tram for 100 yen.

Now to downtown Nagasaki. With a population of 450,000 it is a nice small city, and the farthest I was from Tokyo.

Glover Garden is located on a hill overlooking Nagasaki harbour, where a number of heritage buildings have been collected. The next picture is of the No. 2 Dock House of the Mitsubishi Shipyard. Built in 1896, it served as dormitory and was located next to the No. 2 berth.

A Saturday morning photo shows a view over the main street of the Urakami suburb of Nagasaki.

Then the romantic view of the Spectacles Bridge which resembles a pair of glasses as it reflects on the waters of the creek. Its Japanese name is Megane Bashi.

Sunday was over to Hiroshima, and then 30 minutes by train and a short ferry crossing to the Island of Miyajima for a view of the Floating Torii and a visit to the Itsukushima Shrine.

Miyajima Island was a sacred place in ancient times and the commoners were not allowed to set foot on the island. The boat would disembark people who would enter the shrine through the floating torii. The next photo is one the Torii in low tide as people take the opportunity to stroll around it.

And then on to Hiroshima, Monday morning, that happened to be a rainy day. But no complaints, there were only two of those in fifteen days of travel in Japan. The photo is of Hiroshima Castle seen across the moat. It was originally constructed in 1589, but destroyed in the Second World War, this one is a reconstruction dating from 1958.

After walking round the castle moat, entered the grounds and took this next photo showing an alley carpeted with cherry blossom petals that had been dropped by the rain, creating a very nice effect.

Late in the day the rain cleared, and went for a visit to the Shukkeien Garden which dates back to 1620, modelled after Xihu, in Hangzhou, China. It was destroyed in 1945, but restored to its original condition. Its name means "Shrink-scenery garden" and it attempts to re-create grand vistas in miniature.

Next is a view of downtown Hiroshima with a couple of trams, late in the afternoon. The city has a population of about 1,090,000 people.

The super rapid Nozomi Express bullet train in the foreground of the next picture, with the Hikari Express in the background, another type of bullet train.

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