Sunday 16^th April 2017

Hiroshima to Matsue (298 kms)

This morning buses took us to the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Park. Hiroshima was declared a City of Peace in 1949. The Park has memorials to those who lost their lives on 6^th August 1945 and also to those who later succumbed to diseases as a result. The Memorial Museum has poignant exhibits of the belongings of many young students who were caught in the inferno- the clothes they were wearing, shoes and documents. Many of these were discovered by parents and families as they went searching for their loved ones.

We placed the paper cranes made on the boat yesterday in the area set aside for them, near the memorial to the young girl who was two years old when the bomb struck and twelve when she died of the effects of radiation.

We then drove north through the Chugoku mountains to the Prefecture of Shimane which faces the Sea of Japan. The mascot of this area is Shimanekko (neko means cat). The mascot wears a hat in the shape of the roof of the Taisha shrine.

Lunch was in the fish market in Hamada. Lots of locals were out to look at the cars. There was also a display of Caterhams, and Lotus 7 modern equivalents. The fresh fish was delicious.

Only one Regularity today through narrow twisting roads. Average speed started at 44kph then went down to 30kph.

We then drove through Iwami Ginzan, a World Heritage Site and old mining village with traditional houses and shops. We drove on to the Heritage Centre which has a silver mine museum. The mine produced fine quality silver for 400 years and it is believed that a third of the world’s silver was produced here in the sixteenth century.

Next was the Izumo Taisha shrine, one of Japan’s most important shrines, not generally open to tourists. We received another blessing here.

On the way to the hotel we drove around the grounds of the Matsue Castle (one of few original castles in Japan) which has survived earthquakes, floods and fires.

At dinner were privileged to have an Iwami Kagura performance. To the loud beat of large drums, four large dragons/snakes danced around to the story of daughters being taken away by them. Hard to describe but it was colourful energetic and fascinating.