Hiroshima

Hope you all had a wonderful and festive Thanksgiving! This year Greg and I decided to do something a little different we packed our bags and with friends headed to Hiroshima, Japan bright and early on Thanksgiving morning. We had a fun filled weekend with fabulous company, laughter and taking in all of what Hiroshima had to offer. We were able to ride the "bullet train," we toured Hiroshima Castle, Shukkeien Gardens, Hiroshima Peace Prayer Museum, and the island of Miyajima with its shrines and fabulous fall colors. We have posted several photos please enjoy!
This is the black rain that fell upon the remains of Hiroshima after the Atomic Bomb. This black rain contained not only oil and dirt that stained the walls of the buildings that remained but it also carried radiation which came in contact with survivors....most of these people become sick and lost their lives.
This is an old tricycle which may not look like much but it belonged to a 3 year old boy named Shinichi Tetsutani who was riding his bike on the morning of the Atomic Bomb he was exposed to the bomb and passed away that night. His parents had buried him in their yard with his beloved tricycle believing that in his death he would be able to ride it. Years later the family was moving and they excavated the land and donated the tricycle to the museum.The tram up to Mt. Misen

Our Hiroshima tour guide Akiko...her name means November Girl (Aki is for November) and (Ko is for girl). Did you know that Toyoda means rich rice field...the company tried to go with the founders original surname but the cars just didn't sell so they changed the name to what we now as Toyota.