January 9, 2026
The flight from Hong Kong flew directly over Hiroshima Bay on this clear day. The airport is quite small and a very long way from the city. While there is a direct bus that takes about an hour, I opted for the bus-train combo (1). The train ride passed through quiet towns before arriving at Hiroshima.
A wooded ridge to the north of the station beckoned. In addition to a city map, the local tourist bureau gave me a stylized hiking map of the wooded ridge to which I had pointed. A stroll through the city ensued before the short, steep, climb up 400+ steps (and as many feet of elevation gain). The trail had temples and zen sayings (in Japanese & English) along the way.
At the summit of Mount Futaba (2), the Stupa/Pagoda of Peace calmly reflected the late afternoon sun. A few others were enjoying this sunny winter's day on the ridge. I descended via a road in the gathering darkness.
After dark, I walked to the Hiroshima Peace Park, built at the epicenter of the atomic bomb explosion at 8:15 am on August 6, 1945. A hush falls as soon as one crosses the bridge into the Park. There is a simple pool with an eternal flame, a stark clock made with bent metal, and the remains of the Exposition Center, which was only partially destroyed due to its stone and steel construction. Various captioned photographs posted here and elsewhere in the city tell the story of that day.
(1) I thought I had purchased a combination ticket. I discovered at the unstaffed train station I had not and that the railway ticket machine only took local cash, which I lacked (there was no ATM either at the airport or the station). A kind local man bought me a ticket (a), refusing payment in any currency I had (b), or even my offer of assistance with his bags.
(a) Two locals actually offered to get the ticket; kind people here. (Although not the customs official, who seemed quite concerned I might be smuggling tobacco or gold bullion into Japan. After she searched my bag (i), I did declare I had a gold wedding ring.)
(i) Only the second time my bag was searched by customs in all my years travelling.
(b) I had not planned to come to Japan at all on this trip, but the Pingxi Mountain railway in Taiwan where I had planned to do some hiking was not running due to typoon damage. The weather forecast was also unseasonably warm for southern Japan, and the flight to Hiroshima was cheap.
(2) At about 450 feet above sea level, I would call it a hill, not call it a mountain. The same character applies to mountains and hills.
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