Japan

Our last port! I can not believe how fast this trip has gone! The last half of the voyage went by quicker than the first half because we only had a few days on the ship before we reached another port. Sailing to Kobe took only two days; we arrived on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at 0800. Disembarkation took longer than usual. There were many activities going on. We took a group photo on the back of the ship. Kate and I stood and waved from 7th deck. After that we had a briefing with two US diplomats, lunch, and the ship was cleared for us to get off. Lindsay, Meg, Allie, Kate and I took to the streets of Kobe to explore. We originally wanted to go to Hiroshima but we decided to save that trip for later day. The weather was a little gloomy but we were all so excited to be here. We went to the train station to figure out the system and buy tickets for our other trips. While in the station we noticed an aroma that was heavenly. Little waffles were sold at a vendor so we decided to treat ourselves. There were delicious! That night we (Lindsay, Meg, Allie, and I) went to a baseball game in Osaka. The Hansin Tigers played the Swallows. Halfway through the fifth inning it began to sprinkle. Within five minutes it was pouring. The crowd was ecstatic and the teams kept playing regardless of the rain. The team spirit was very apparent which made it impossible to not join in. We tried some “game food” which was interesting to say the least. There was squid on a stick and teriyaki chicken. We ended up getting a few beers and sampled some food. We left before the game completed and caught the train back to Kobe. It was such a fun and unexpected experience!

Thursday was a fantastic day. Kate and I went with SAS to Nara and Kyoto. These two areas are referred to have the “most significant sites associated with the developments of Japan’s political, artistic, and religious identity.” It took two hours to get to Nara which was the first capital in the 8th century. The capital then moved to Kyoto for 1,000 years and is now in Tokyo. We arrived to the oldest temple in Japan, Horyu-ji. It was built in 607 CE and contains some of Japan’s rarest treasures. Following that we went to lunch at Hotel Fujita Nara. This meal was so good! We had sushi, rice, chicken, and a light desert. Green tea was served as well, all the good things that I was hoping to be able to have while in Japan. After lunch we visited the deer park. Thousands of deer where all over the grounds and the deer were a lot smaller than the ones I am used to seeing. They were very aggressive at times. We bought little biscuits to feed them but ended up having to run from them. One even bit me from behind! I got some great pictures! The deer park was next to the Todaiji Temple which houses a huge bronze statue of the Great Buddha. It was enormous when we stood by it. There was a service going on as well so we caught a little bit of that and had time to explore the area. The Kasuga shrine was interesting however I don’t know too much about it. We checked into our ryokan, a tradition Japanese inn. It was just as I hoped it would be like. We put on yukata robes which are similar to kimonos and had a tea service in our open and tranquil rooms. Dinner was served at the hotel and this meal was by far the best. We all sat on the floor and had someone cooking for us. We ate almost every kind of vegetable and had thinly sliced meat. I also enjoyed another cup of tea. It was perfect. After a few hours of lounging a group of us decided to go into Kyoto for a while. We ended up taking the subway to an area closer to downtown. We walked along the streets and took in all the sights. On almost every corner there were vending machines with beer and other alcohol in them…very different than home! We went into a few pubs and then went to a place called Sam and Dave’s. It was pretty slow but we had the opportunity to chat with the bartenders who are from Canada originally. They gave us great insight about living and working here. They even showed us an Internet café that was close by. This place was intense! There were massaging chairs at almost every computer station. They served free drinks and even offered tanning! I have never seen anything like this! After an hour we headed back to catch the last train at midnight. When we got back to the ryokan we slipped into our futons for a wonderful and peaceful night of sleep.

All day Friday was spent in Kyoto. Our first stop was at the Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. This sight was breathtaking. Situated on a clear and calm pond stood the majestic structure stood three stories high and was completely covered in gold foil. The day was a vibrant blue which offset the pavilion and the pond brilliantly. I can’t wait to develop my pictures from this place; I hope they will be able to translate its beauty. The second stop was at Nijo Castle. Most of the cherry blossoms that Japan is famous for had already bloomed but there was an entire area with the pink and white flowers. The castle tour informed us about those that used this place. It was very important for rulers to meet as well as the Shoguns. A tempura lunch followed the castle visit. Again this meal was tasty. I have concluded that Japanese food has been my favorite on this trip. The last stop was at Kiyomizu Temple which is famous for its wooden veranda suspended over a deep gorge. The trees were so lush and green. The entire area was engulfed by this natural beauty. Then it was back to the bus to head back to the ship. Kate and I got a little courageous so we decided to stay in Kyoto for another night. We were expecting to be completely helpless with the language barrier…however we booked a hotel and got train tickets to Hiroshima in less than 20 minutes. It was too easy! The people here are so quick to help though which made it better. We checked into our hotel which was much nicer than anticipated because it was so inexpensive! We got dinner and had some wine. After a little cat nap and cleaning up we were back on the streets to have a good time. We ended up running into two other guys from SAS. We went back to Sam and Dave’s but it was too early again. The Japanese don’t start partying until 12 or 1 in the morning. It was only 10:30 so we went to a little pub where we had a few drinks. From there something caught our eye that we couldn’t pass up… Karaoke! This is extremely famous in this country. The wait to get into a room was twenty minutes but once we got in it was a blast. Now, I have a terrible voice but there is something about Japanese karaoke that got me going!

Saturday Kate and I boarded the bullet train to Hiroshima. We slept most of the way since it was a 2 hour ride. When we arrived we took a cable car to the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. The museum is dedicated to the explosion of the atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. Approximately two hundred thousand people perished in this tragedy and left many injured for life. While inside the museum we read about the history and events leading up to the bomb. Pictures were very graphic but there was no way I could look away. Similar to the museum in Vietnam I wanted to know the other side of the story. At that moment I felt sick to know that my country was responsible for all this destruction. I saw charred clothing and other artifacts that depicted the intense heat from the explosion. Temperatures were said to have reached 7,000 degrees Celsius, melting statues, buildings, and imprinting human shadows on granite steps. The pictures of the skin that literally melted off people’s body were so gruesome, images that I will never be able to forget. One exhibit told the story of the 1,000 paper cranes. A little girl was exposed to the radiation leftover from the bomb and at the age of 10 (eight years later) she was diagnosed with Leukemia. Her hope was to build 1,000 paper cranes because she heard a story that by doing this she would be cured. Sadly, she died before she could finish all 1,000. Her friends from school and her family completed her dream and she was buried with all her cranes. It is such a moving story, one that humanizes the decision such as dropping the bomb. People who are capable of doing these kinds of harms should learn that their decisions affect beautiful and innocent people. Again I just couldn’t fathom why someone would want to engage in such evil. When we left the museum we walked around the gardens of the park. On the Memorial Cenotaph there is an inscription that reads, “Rest in peace for the error shall not be repeated.” This hope is what inspires people from all over the world to come to Hiroshima to witness what the first atomic bomb accomplished. Hopefully those who see it will be able to make these words into action. There is too much hatred and evil in this world, I do not have to tell anyone that. But what I feel in my heart is that we could all come together and be kinder, more humane. I know these seem like naïve and lofty dreams but after seeing all the devastation in Vietnam and now in Hiroshima they have been planted within my heart and soul. I have almost gone around the world and I have seen much. But I can’t help but think of what I didn’t see or what is hidden from me. My mind always goes to the current war in Iraq. People are dying every day. People on both sides are suffering, and for what? Maybe those responsible for making the big decisions should actually look into the eyes of a child then decided if they want to detonate…

The rest of the day consisted of reflection about this place, as well as our journey thus far. Kate and I traveled back to Kobe that evening. We had a good chat, a life chat. We are so grateful for our lives and those in it. However, we decided that we now have the ability as well as the responsibility to do something, to make positive change so that everyone can have a higher quality of life.

Our last night in Japan was a good one…we had dinner and went out around 10 pm. Kate, Ashley, and I went with another group to the downtown area. We hopped from bar to pub. Everyone was enjoying themselves, however the point that this was our last night in a foreign port lingered over us. We all noted how grateful we are but this trip has been the time of our lives and with that we called it a night.

Sunday was bittersweet. I had a fabulous time with Ashley, Kate, and Ben. We wanted to go to Osaka for a Cherry Blossom Festival at the castle but found out it was cancelled. So we didn’t know what to do while in Osaka. We were about to walk out of the train station when we saw a poster for Universal Studies…we found our solution. It was really a quick and random thing to decide but we were all up for it! The lines were packed and wait times were hours. We did get to go on the Back to the Future ride which was worth the wait. The rest of the afternoon we ventured through the park and took a ton of pictures. Our favorite part of the day was taking pictures with Woody Woodpecker, Shrek and Princess Fiona, Hello Kitty, and a penguin from March of the Penguins! It definitely brought be back! Around 3 we went to eat at Hard Rock café. This is the first American food for most of us, other than McDonald’s. Then we took the train back to Kobe. Kate, Ashley, and I got coffee and had another life chat to conclude our day as well as our time in Japan. The Explorer set said precisely at 11 pm and headed for home…