Day 12 June 28

On our way to Hiroshima today. We have a last  wander around Fuji before hopping on the bus to Hiroshima. Well the bus to the bullet train. Our JR Pass doesn't allow us to ride the Norzomi which is direct and super fast but we get a ticket on the Hatari instead,
It takes a couple of hours and we reach Hiroshima around lunchtime. Briefly checking in to our first and only hotel on the trip and we're confronted with the ingrained smell off cigarettes. It's hard to escape the smell in Japan because every one is at it. Makes me want to take it up again but of course I won't.
Walk to Peace Park where we look at the different memorials to where they first dropped the atomic bomb. It's pretty amazing and full of history. Hard to believe that they actually did it. Kids are full of questions. The museum is particularly thought provoking as we see the personal effects and stories of young children who died. This includes the story of Sadaka and the thousand paper cranes which I have read a few times to pupils.There is a big display of paper cranes around the children' memorial. The Peace Dome is pretty impressive too if that's the right wording. is We spend a few hours in the park then go for a walk around Hiroshima.
On the way we had seen a robot shop and Remi and I go and have a look. It's full of robots and arcade games. Remi plays Pac Man. I talk to the shop keeper about robots and buy another one for my collection. The shops are just so interesting here I could look for days and probably will.
We have dinner in a restaurant full of locals. The food is delicious and includes Miso soup. Lots of stuff I don't know the name of but all tasty. We wander slowly back to the hotel. It's halfway through the holiday and we are getting a bit tired.