Well, no need to tell you why Hiroshima is well known but going there makes it much more real and there are still plenty of reminders to the devastation caused. We saw the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Peace Memorial Museum, both very poignant. 200,000 people were either killed instantly or died in agony a couple of days after the bomb. The anniversary was not until 6 August but there was already a small remembrance service taking place where a few folk carried the burning flame (this will not be extinguished until the last nuclear bomb has been destroyed). While Hiroshima will never forget what happened, today it is a nice, (obviously) modern city which we enjoyed visiting. We also had the chance here to go and see one of the many fireworks displays(there are hundreds across Japan) - the Japanese love fireworks (and so do I).
Next stop on the road was the seaside “city” of Beppu - famous for its Hot Springs and Onsens. And it really does have lots of them and steam jetting out everywhere even in the middle of roads! So we opted to try a “Sand” Bath - where you basically bury yourself up to your neck in sand - just like at the seaside when you were wee but here the sand has been warmed for you and with the weight of the sand you end up really sweating. The result - you feel like you’ve had a work out even though you’ve been lying down relaxing - at last, a sport I like! It was also when undertaking this strenuous exercise that the Japanese “perfectionist” streak revealed itself. I wasn’t allowed to leave the changing room until my dressing gown was tied at the right side. Personally, I was just about to bury it and me in sand so I hadn’t thought that it would really matter!
So suitably revived we went on to Aso to see a live volcano. Well, at least Graham did. We travelled quite far to see this but when we arrived there were leaflets, signs, tannoy announcements and blue flashing lights specifically telling you not to go up to see the crater if you had asthma as you might die - damn and botheration!!…so Graham hopped on the cable car while I looked at tacky souvenirs. Graham assures me it was the best thing he has ever seen but he did bring me back a bit of volcanic rock!
However, there was no risk to my health at the next site in Fukuoka (well, only to my hearing) - a baseball game with the home team “Softbank Hawks”. (Note: in case you’re wondering we did not pick these places just because of their names - Aso & Fukuoka!). As with anything they like the Japanese really get into their baseball and it is a real family night out - everyone goes. We did learn a bit about baseball while there but it was really the crowd who were the most entertaining. They just spent hours making as much noise as possible. Everyone has “clangers” which they bash together, but not in any old way, they have “routines”. But despite the crowd support the Softbank Hawks lost, although this didn’t seem to discourage the supporters and they didn’t slump into a “Scottish depression”, which so often follows our defeats!
So our 14 day Japan Rail passes were nearly up and we had to head back to Tokyo before we were forking out £100’s for the train! But before we did, I had just enough time to go to the “Sneaker” laundry - a great invention - a specially designed washing machine and a wee drier like a microwave for your trainers - we NEED them in Britain! - our trainers are like new (unlike everything else we have with us which is now falling apart!)
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