A Miracle call in Hiroshima
HIROSHIMA
RECAP OF HIROSHIMA
Hiroshima was an emotional stop for me. Two big things happened while I was there, which is outlined in the daily diary posts below.
There is undoubtedly a somber energy over Hiroshima. People visit there to mourn the past. One cannot visit and not be moved. To imagine what the people of Hiroshima went through is difficult. There is a sadness in the air.
I suppose in those moments, we draw near to what consoles us. As explained in my daily diary, I certainly did call out to God in Hiroshima. I very much felt moved in this city, and glad I visited.
Day 9 – Oct 25 – Part 1
Leaving Osaka, of course not without incident. I went early, knowing I must catch a subway first from Sakai to Shin-Osaka (not to be confused with Osaka). From Osaka, my express train to Hiroshima.
Leaving my hotel, I went to put all dirty towels in bathtub for service people as I always do to make their life a little easier. I pulled my blanket back to be sure I got everything, and there was my passport in my little pouch under the blanket. How many close calls on a trip like this as there are so many things to remember every moment of the day.
While checking out, I asked the front desk girl .. how could I purchase some of your pyjamas that you offer at this hotel? She said, oh sorry.. we do not sell them. I asked, which brand are they? So I could find them online, I loved them and would wear them all the time. She said, oh, no brand.. just our hotel brand. Then we were interrupted by some ladies who had been on my hall super loud and rude all night and morning. We made a few comments to eachother as they were not Japanese, I told her how wonderful Japanese people had been while I was here. As I walked out, I said, alright so there is no way I can pay you for a pair of those pymamas? She said, one moment. She went to the back and came back with a plastic bag, said shhhhh… and passed it to me. What? Wow… she passed me a pair of the pyjamas I loved. I asked her for a photo since she was so kind.. photo below. I thanked her countless times, I will cherish my grey no name brand Sakai / Osaka pyjamas.
Made it to Shin-Osaka on the right train. I got to the right platform for my express train and boarded the 9:05am train instead of the 9:08 train. Every train is sold out and usually they sit for a few minutes while people board. I walked on as soon as it rolled up and it almost immediately started moving. Every seat was full, including mine. Long story short, I boarded the wrong train, 3 minutes early. How would I know they would not wait 3 minutes, when that train had exactly the same stops as mine? And how many sold out trains, 3 minutes apart could there be leaving from and going to the same place? Is there no end to people here!?
I plunked myself onto an empty seat at the back and a sweet couple with children looked at me and asked to see my ticket. They kindly explained, I could exit at the next stop and board my train 3 minutes later, which I did. (pic of this sweet family below) Again, there was someone in my seat but thankfully he was a teenager sitting in the wrong seat. Here I am, on an express train to Hiroshima.
Day 9 - October 25 – Part 2
One day in Hiroshima. From all the folks I met traveling, I was told the one worthwhile thing to do in Hiroshima is to visit Myajima Island, so that’s what I did.
Took a fast train in, checked my bags into my hotel and left for the day. Took a ferry over to the island. Lovely spot!! So many people walking around, little shops and food. The most famous shrine called ITSUKUSHIMA JINJA.
I took a very difficult 30 minute phone call the moment I disembarked the ferry. I am certainly still on the clock in business and as a mother 24/7 while I am traveling so these calls are never far from my mind.
I saw one person on their deck today! I look at all decks and it has to be a million I see every day. Nobody on their decks. It occurred to me that it may be because they try to avoid the sun. Many walk around with umbrellas. Interesting how in the West, we pay big bucks to take our holidays where the sun is and lay in the sun all day long.
Though many decks have laundry hanging, none have people here. I will venture to say it has to do with the sun. I just wonder, do people have dinner parties in Japan? Every residential type building I have seen has been old and more run down, and no people around those buildings. It begs the question!
Pic posted below of a family all carrying heavy backpacks, I was just so very grateful that was not me. That’s how I backpacked through Australia many years back but not this time around. Friendly deer walking throughout the island, trying to snatch paper from our hands, they love to eat paper, the one in this pic almost got mine!
I must say I did feel very spiritual walking this island. I walked and prayed over my family all day on this island. I thanked God for the blessings and asked for protection over my family.
So many school field trips I saw today. Met some great people from London and Ireland. Posted below is a school with school yard and field, all with high fences. Another pic of kids playing basketball together.
I chatted with a family, their daughter’s 7th bday party. She and her 3 year old brother fully dressed in Japanese attire. I asked if I could get a photo with the 2 kids, the parents were beyond thrilled about this, so we took the photo. They wanted to explain everything to me.. and everyone was throwing up peace signs so I joined in. Cute family.
Having another glass of the $4 bottle of wine I bought yesterday with 2 japanese buns. One pizza bun, one matcha bun, both so tasty and $1 each. Plus, some chicken cheese nuggets. Too tired to go out tonight.
Came back and checked back in to my hotel. Another bunk bed. I will NEVER in my life book bunk beds again. It is a single room but the space is underneath and the bed is up high. Every time I need something I need to crawl down. But these stairs are rickety and painful and not like a normal bunk bed. Only one night here!
Day 10 - October 26 – Part 1
Well ,that was likely the worst ‘bed’ I have had so far on this trip. Not in terms of comfort, but the accordion style doors to each room make a shocking loud crashing noise every time a girl opens or closes her door. It is silent in the area, until a door moves. Surely, they could come up with a better door for these rooms. The location was great, clean, new and high end feeling. However, in a place like this where people come and go at all hours of the day – or night, a crashing echoing shocking noise every time someone touches their door seems like a super illogical choice.
6am I got up since many others were making noise lol . I took my time, went over to Hiroshima Station and caught a streetcar bus to Peace Park Hiroshima. Just before I left, Jorg called me and said she needs to talk with me. This is a rare occurrence so it must be urgent.
The moment I hit the street, I called her back. She was in tears, telling me her miracle that had just happened. Oh God, thank you.
Jorg went home to Kelowna last week for her reading break from UNI for a week to see family and friends. This morning, she left home to go back to college. She started by saying, “Mom, God was watching over me today.”
On her drive, she followed a woman for a few hours they drove together through the mountains between the Okanagan and Calgary. They had passed each other a few times on the drive, but she was following this car with a woman about my age driving. At one point, Jorg’s car was losing power. She had experience with this from when she had her little red Mercedez and at that time, we learned it needed oil. Knowing this, she pulled into a gas station that she saw to ask if everything was ok. The attendant there told her that she was ok to carry on but maybe get her oil changed in Calgary if she likes.
She was only off the highway about 4-5 minutes as she recalled her account to me. She pulled back on the highway, and within a few minutes she saw many cars pulling to the side, people running and screaming… she had no idea what was happening. As she was driving through, she turned her head only for one second to see what was happening, and as she turned her head, she happened to see exactly this. The woman she had been driving through the mountains with, her car was decimated into pieces and as she looked over, a man was just rolling her over and Jorg saw her bloody face and said, “Mom, I could see she was dead”.
Jorg was pretty shaken up, as was I. She said, “mom my car was losing power, having issues it was not in my head. It was doing what my Mercedez did before. And since I left that gas station, my car has been running perfectly.”
She pulled off the highway for a total of 4-5 minutes after driving with this woman for a few hours. And in those 4 or 5 minutes, Jorg is confident what she saw was that woman was killed in a single motor vehicle accident. Also, Jorg said she had her cruise on following this woman.
It is difficult for me to think this through. Thank you Lord. I just scrolled up right now to read what I wrote yesterday about the island and how I prayed protection over my family all day yesterday. I have chills. God is good. All the time. I am in full gratitude and a little shaken up this morning as I write this. Jorg’s car had a temporary issue, so she pulled off the road for 4 or 5 minutes. During those 4 or 5 minutes, the woman she had her cruise on behind and had been driving with for hours, was in an unexplained car accident and Jorg says she was not alive. To think of what would have happened, had she not pulled off the road.
To top it off, I went to Hiroshima Peace Park this morning, which is a monument of what remains of the building that was directly below the first nuclear blast in August of 1945. Hiroshima was the first military target of a nuclear weapon in history. At 8:15am that day, the U.S. Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on the city. Most of Hiroshima was destroyed. It has been rebuilt and has a population today of almost 2.1 Million. Interestingly, Hiroshima had reached a population of over 380,000 prior to the bombing, but their population had steadily decreased because of a systematic evacuation ordered by the Japanese government. They were dropping leaflets warning of impending bombing of the city, and asking leaders to surrender – which they eventually did. At the time of the attack the population was approx. 255,000. Together with the 2nd bombing at Nagaska, these together claimed I believe 260,000 lives over time with all the cancer it caused over the next several years.
This park was filled with people reminiscing this event, and praying. It was somber. Moving!
I came back to my hotel to grab my bags, and in time just before the free breakfast buffet closed. How amazing!
Hiroshima. I strolled around the Miyajima island after a tough call, in prayer and gratitude. Asking for protection of my family. Then today, Hiroshima Peace Park. And Jorg’s miracle today.
Hiroshima, you have touched my heart. I am grateful for a beautiful life and protection.
I met a lovely couple from Australia, Karen and George. Spent 7 weeks in Japan. We had a heartwarming chat about the culture of this country.
Off to find my train now to Fukuoka, my last night in Japan.
I must mention, on my fast train to Fukuaka, my $1.50 sunglasses from Winnipeg dollar store fell into the aisle. A Japanese woman drove right over them with her huge suitcase. They reappeared as good as new. Let’s see if my $1.50 sunglasses can make it from Winnipeg to Kelowna and all through Asia and back home again. Haha.
PICS BELOW
The kind girl in Osaka who gave me the no name grey hotel pyjamas!
Guess the video does not work, check my Facebook to see the video of this bullet train of mine to Hiroshima
This kind family helped me disembark this train and get on the correct one
Sometimes, these trains are just too much!
Scads of school trips everywhere I went in Japan
Showing a school playground in Japan!
Also a school field in Japan, so rare to see a piece of land this large
Trust Hotel, my home in Hiroshima
Showing a school and fields right beside a freeway and Train Station, every square meter is maximized. This would be where families watch their kids play sports
Boarding the ferry to Myajima Island
ITSUKUSHIMA JINJA shrine, most famous in Japan .. it is a floating shrine
Reminiscing my backpacking days with Sally Gobert when we were 19 yrs old through Australia, Fiji and New Zealand carrying huge packs like this everywhere we went
People I hung out with from London and Ireland
Beachtime if we wanted it
A large temple we could pay 100 yen to enter, take our shoes off and say a prayer
Beautiful quiet space
We were in a village of homes, shops, restaurants
Cooking squid body, video on my FB
This 7yr old girl’s birthday party with her 3 year old brother. Their parents so thrilled that I would chat and wish her a happy bday, we all had to take photos, too cute
All teens seem to get along through sports, and all interactions I witnessed
Crashing, echoing, accordion door hallway
Stairs up to my bunk
1 pizza bun, 1 matcha bun, chicken cheese nuggets and a glass of vino for dinner tonight
