# Day 19 - Rebirth ## A fresh take After two long glorious days of sun and cycling, we were ready for a quiet morning to recuperate. We finally emerged from our hotel room at The Knot around lunch time and found ourselves at a rooftop lunch spot called Lave Grill & Deli, which served up healthy mix & match lunch sets. Throughout our trip we have thoroughly enjoyed eating the traditional Japanese meal configuration comprised of moderate portions of rice, soup, pickles, and a handful of main and side dishes. Our lunch at Lave was particularly inspiring to us as it demonstrated ways of incorporating western influences into this style of eating, and gave us new ideas about how we might continue eating this way at home. ![[photos/day 19 - 1.jpg]] ## Caffeine quest We saw a plethora of small boutique coffee establishments, and Manu was on a mission to try the best of the best. First we hit up Sidestand, a funky little coffee counter situated inside a small store selling biker-focused leather goods. His latte was perfectly pleasant, but nothing special, other than the adorable bunny-shaped latte art the barista had crafted. Next we visited a coffee shop called Bagtown for an affogato. The espresso was a little extra bitter just as it should be to combat the sweetness of the ice cream, however the ice cream was completely frozen solid and did not melt with the espresso poured over it, which sort of ruined the overall effect. ![[photos/day 19 - 2.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 3.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 4.jpg]] ## Visiting the Peace Park One feels an odd internal dissonance walking around Hiroshima. The city feels modern and cheerful, with a noticeably young population, however it is difficult not to be haunted by the knowledge that one of the most horrific events in human history took place on the ground where we stood, as though the ghostly image of a city turned to ash is overlaid on the now lively streets. We couldn’t come here without paying our respects and gaining a better understanding of the atomic bomb explosion, so we headed over to the Peace Park, which houses a multitude of monuments dedicated to various aspects of the a-bomb tragedy as well as the museum. We saw an advertisement for a short river cruise, and decided it would be a great way to see more of Hiroshima than we could on foot. The cruise included an English audioguide which explained various points of interest, such as a large tree which had survived the blast and government-built apartments created to house displaced citizens. Our guide was so thrilled to learn that we chose to come to Japan on our honeymoon, and excitedly asked us all sorts of questions about our trip. She even went as far as translating the answers to her questions for the other patrons on the boat so they could get in on the excitement too. ![[photos/day 19 - 5.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 7.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 6.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 11.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 12.jpg]] ## A plea for peace The most famous spot in the Peace Park is the Genbaku Dome—the only structure left standing near the site of the explosion, which has since been preserved to remain exactly as it was after the blast. Nearby are several structures honoring those who lost their lives or were greatly affected by the bomb. Visitors from all over the world bring paper cranes to offer their support. The central focus of the area is the cenotaph containing the names of all who lost their lives, and the Flame of Peace that has been burning since 1964 in protest against the use of nuclear weapons. We took our time walking from monument to monument reflecting on all that they represent. Finally we entered the Peace Museum. The museum focused primarily on telling the stories of the people who lived in Hiroshima when the bomb was dropped, of the lives lost, and of the immeasurable suffering experienced still to this day by survivors. The permanent exhibit ended by giving an update on the current state of nuclear affairs in the world, and sending the imploring message that the existence of these awful weapons must come to an end. ![[photos/day 19 - 8.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 9.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 10.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 13.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 14.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 15.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 16.jpg]] ## Tower of okonomiyaki Our readers may recall that we tried a Japanese specialty called okonomiyaki earlier in the trip. However, there are two main types of okonomiyaki—Osaka style and Hiroshima style—and which version reigns supreme is quite a contentious debate. Naturally, we had to weigh in ourselves. Our quest brought us to Okonomi-mura, a rather comical and bizarre food “theme park” devoted entirely to okonomiyaki. It spans four floors of a tall narrow building, and houses over twenty-five open-front okonomiyaki restaurants. Essentially identical, each restaurant is merely an L-shaped grill with a few stools around it. Customers belly up to the counter and are given the popular option of eating their okonomiyaki right off the grill! While Osaka style is a mishmash of shredded cabbage and other ingredients tossed together in batter and grilled, Hiroshima style is a layered dish with cabbage, egg, noodles, and a thin crepe all sitting atop one another. It was excellent theater watching our chef construct his masterpieces, and we couldn’t wait to dig in. Manu was firmly in the Hiroshima-style camp, preferring all the distinct textures, while Sophia felt the noodles and pancake were overkill. Unfortunately what both styles had in common was that they did NOT agree with our stomachs. It may be a fair while before we decide to indulge in okonomiyaki again. ![[photos/day 19 - 17.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 18.jpg]] ![[photos/day 19 - 19.jpg]]