In Japan: Hiroshima

Hiroshima is a beautiful city, full of trees and rivers, like a city built upon a garden. The atmosphere is leisurely, and the people are few. It's a first for me to feel so relaxed in Japan, and what a relief it is.

Of course, there is the dark past about the city, everywhere I go I was able to spot some charred remains of trees that people had refused to take down, in order to remind others of the bomb. The rivers were beautiful and pristinely green, it's hard to imagine so many people died on their shores.

Kie was not her usual self this time. Having just broken up with her boyfriend, I'm sure she's in no mood to tour the city with me. I am however glad to see her. Somehow she's much quieter around me, it makes me wonder which is the real Kie. The energetic girl I met in Toronto, or the quiet lass that I faced in Hiroshima. Perhaps even she had to cover up her cheerful self in Japan.

I met a nice old lady working in the hostel. She was eager to chat about the war, and the relationships between China and Japan. It was a pleasant chat, so much so that I forgot the time and was late for meeting Kie. Tonight I was able to have a long discussion regarding society and war with a high school boy in my dorm. He traveled by himself to Hiroshima, and is in love with clouds. Japanese are just like any other people, generally good natured, and just wish to peacefully go about their lives. They care little about politics, and are often confused why the rest of Asian dislike them. Even having been to Yasukuni, I cannot bring myself to antagonize them. Is so much hate really necessary?

I spent the rest of my day climbing Ushita mountain after parting with Kie. It was the most pleasant time I had in Japan. There wasn't a soul on the trail except for the singing of the cicadas and the dancing butterflies. I suddenly felt really Canadian, hiking in another country. Ushita mountain was 230 meters high, not very tall, but certainly a lot more interesting than Mt. Fuji and it's truck loads of people.

I'm glad I came to Hiroshima, even if it was just an afterthought. If I ever have to live in Japan, Hiroshima would be my first choice. Here or Okinawa, their food seems to be the only thing that I can stomach in Japan.