Chasing Sakura Day 6 - A-Bomb Dome / Memorial Peace Park, Hiroshima

Assalamualaikum. Konnichiwa.

Before I start...heartiest congratulations to my bestie cum kawanverangancuticutisedunia; Mrs Ernie on the arrival of her second child (20 May 2014). Dalish is officially a big brother now. Macam biasa, cuma mampu wish through alam maya jak. Baby sudah besar baru lah aku ada kesempatan menjenguk. 

Hope u enjoyed ur confinement! Sudah habis kan kau list down makanan waktu berpantang. U're consious with what u consume even before u gave birth so I guess u won't have problem with "kau ndak boleh makan ni, ndak boleh makan tu'. Super happy for u, Dalish & Mr Azwan. Looking forward to my next visit which only Allah knows when it's gonna be. Insha Allah.

Ok, lets continue where I last left (here). 

One of the highlight of my visit to Japan. Be prepared there will be quite loads of informations & facts in this entry. Quoted from various sources in the internet. And some I picked from my recent visit.

That morning (9 April 2014) I woke up early. I was so excited. Finally, I managed to fulfilled my own promise. Alhamdulillah. Once everyone is ready, we checked out from the hostel & left our bags at the storage room. 

Yours Truly before the entrance to our hostel. 

It was a walking distance to the prominent features of Hiroshima. Magnificent view of sakura tress lining up the river. 

Built to strengthen resolve for building peace. 

MUST never repeat the war again...must never repeat the A-Bomb catastrophe.

Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students. A replica of six doves are put scattered around the tower to symbolized peace.

"To make up for the shortage of labour, the government enacted The Student Labour Service Act (1944) that required middle school & higher grades students to work in munition factories. In Nov 1944, many students were required to demolish homes & buildings to create fire breaks; to limit the expansion of fire in the event of air-attacks. Of roughly 8,400 students 6,300 of them died on the day of the bombing. Behind the tower is the list of the dead & this tower was built based on donated funds."

I preferred to roamed the ground of this memorial park alone. If only I could freeze time I'd be able to cover the whole place in a day. Reality sucks! 

A historical witness that conveys disaster of the first atomic bombing in mankind history. It also has become the symbol of the vow to pursue the abolition of nuclear weapons & enduring peace. 

Background of the boy-and-girl statue is Aioi Bridge. The bridge that stood at the time of the bombing was completed in 1932. It was reconstructed after the was but gradually deteriorated & a new bridge was built which in 1983. 

It was said the main target of the bombing was this bridge. But the bomb slightly missed; exploding in the air over Shima Hospital located 300 metres away. The fierce blast however deformed the bridge's girders, handrail of the northern side fell into the river & part of the sidewalk was lifted up. 

View taken from the Aioi Bridge.

Looking at this blooming tulips, I couldn't imagine how it looks like after the bombing. The city once shrouded heartbreaking tragedy. This is near the Peace Clock Tower. I was too carried away reading the information I forgot to take picture of the tower.

"The chime of the tower resounding everyday at 0815, the time when mankind received its baptism of the atomic bomb for the first time; calls out to the world "No more Hiroshima". We pray that the day for lasting peace may soon come to mankind" A memorial epigraph in front of the tower. 

When the atomic bomb exploded, the blast ravaged the building in an instant. Heat blazing from above consumed the entire building killing EVERYONE in it. Some walls escaped total collapse as the blast attacked from straight overhead of the building. 

A world map is engraved on the bell's surface; a map without national boundaries.

"We wish the sound of the bell resound in each corner of the world & reach the hearts of each and every human being."

Walking further up the park...is another monument that invites sorrow in my heart. 

A gold crane modelled after an ancient bronze bell; made as a wind chime initially hung under a bell inside the tower. Currently the bell & golden crane are exhibited at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

Flame of Peace.

"Pedestal designed to resembled two pressed hands together at the wrist; palms pointing up to the sky. This expresses condolence for victims unable to satisfy their thirst for water, as well as the desire for nuclear abolition. The flame was burnt continuously since it was first lit on August 1, 1964. It symbolized the anti-nuclear resolve to burn the flame "until the day when all such weapons shall have disappeared from the earth."

I wish! 

Cenotaph for the bombing victims. It was built with the desire to construct Hiroshima after the bombing. Stone chest in the centre holds the registry of the names of persons who died from the bombing regardless of nationality. To dates a total of over 200,000 names are registered.

"Let all the souls here rest in peace. For we shall not repeat the evil."

The Peace Memorial Park area is once a land of Nakajima District; historical town that prospered as one of the foremost downtown areas in Japan. When the bomb was dropped, it exploded over this district. Causing violent death not only to the residents but also many National Militia Unit members & mobilized students. And the cityscape vanished instantly.

The tree that survived the bombing.

Walking along the path next to the river; going back to the hostel to pick up our bags. This pink sakura somehow soothed my aching heart. 

Bound for Kyoto. Sayonara for now Hiroshima. 2 days aren't enough to explore but what to do; time is our main constraint. Sob.

Hiroshima has always been a place I have long want to visit. I've heard the city's name ever since I was little. Albeit not literally knowing what actually happened to the city, I know it was once destroyed by a nuclear bomb.

I will set my foot upon this city; one day. A promise I made to myself long time ago. So when I was given the chance to visit this Land of The Rising Sun; immediately I put Hiroshima on top of the list. I don't mind if I have to skip the other cities including Tokyo. That's how importance & special Hiroshima is to me. I studied a bit about this city before the visit in order to get a clearer picture of what had actually happened there. 

And I thought I've read enough. But the visit proved me wrong. Standing amidst the 'history', I found myself blending with the surrounding. Without conscious,  I shed some tears. Yes I am emotional like that.

My biggest regret for this visit was the museum. If only I know the museum wouldn't take more than 4 hours to tour, I will be more than glad to enter. Although the other members don't want to. My blogger friend; DJ went in. Reading her entry about the museum made me wanna knock my head hard. Admission fee is only ¥50 & audio guide rental is ¥300! My greatest loss. 

Never mind that for I've made a clear notice to myself. If I were to visit Japan again, I will definitely be back to this city. Period. 

Once we reach Kyoto Station, we went to the locker room to stored our bags. Yeah, at this point of time we're already familiar with the station's layout. 

Another train ride to one of Kyoto's scenic area. Later ~~~~

To be continue. Until we meet again in my next entry. Insha Allah.

eryantierdabdulkarim

Chasing Sakura Day 2 - From Osaka to Tokyo

Assalamualaikum. Konnichiwa.

Ok sambung cerita second day di bumi Jepang. 

Part paling cliche'...aku bangun paling awal. Pastu siap² mandi manda, aku heret anak gajah turun lobi. Nasib dalam aku meng-KkaebSong-kan diri the night before, sempat aku kemas barang². 

Tujuan turun awal sebab mau masak nasi. Agenda semalam yang terbengkalai. Memang ada bawa nasi himpit siap dari Msia. So pagi tu aku just koyakkan pelestik mini nasi himpit tu, masuk dalam tupperware, isi air & masuk dalam microwave. In 15 minutes, beras telah menjadi nasi. Erm, jadi bubur sikit sebab aku terlebih taruk air. Masak nasi guna microwave ni memang kena lebihkan sikit air compare to sukatan bila masak guna rice cooker. Dalam kes aku, air terlampau melebih² aku taruk. 

5 April 2014

Fukushima, Osaka

While tunggu nasi masak. Aku hentam makan bread inti sambal bilis. Just like dinner-cum-supper semalam. Pastu sediakan bekal juga. Erm nasi aku masak tu untuk breakfast. Sedap sekali makan berlaukkan sambal bilis. Hidup berjimat di negara orang, semua pun harus sedap. Drink aku cuma dalam gelas merah tu. Ms C menumpang glamor koleh 'inti' milo.

Sebelah kanan (under the bridge) adalah exit untuk JR Fukushima Station. Hanya 1 exit jak yang ada untuk station ni. 

Sila lah alert with every information on the board. Kalau info tulis jam 0832, maka naiklah train yang tu. Sebab the next train memang tujuan ke lain. Unless ur destination dalam laluan train tu, ndak apalah. Alert juga dengan tanda circle or triangle tu. That signs indicate where the door of each train car.  

Pasal tu aku cakap, paling senang mau faham transportation system di sini. Walau berselirat mana line diorang, cukup tau ur departure & arrival points...confirm sampai.

Terus teringat zaman naik Putra LRT dari Uni Station di Kerinchi. Just ni gambaran Uni Station versi old school gitu.

Pening for the first time. Pastu suddenly master sudah train route di sana. Itu sebab si Hyperdia juga banyak tolong sebenarnya.

5 April 2014

Haruka Express Boarding Platform

2 friends from my uni years, a friend from high school & her SIL. Ni lah ahli rombongan aku pigi Jepang baru ni. 

Our first destination on the second day was Kansai International Airport. 

Hoi!! Cepatnya balik Bie, padahal bukan semalam kau sampai? Well, orang ada² kan! Mestilah mampu singgah Japan untuk sehari semata tengok sakura di Kyoto jak. Mampu sangat. Ptuii! Datang pun naik economy class, merasa naik business class pun sebab ehsan upgrade. Tapi tu pun dengan sombongnya reject offer kakak kaunter. Huhu. Belum habis cerita kecewa ndak naik business class ok!

As said before, one of my friend arrived sehari lambat dari kami. Memang semangat jemput Ms H sebab rindu sama dia. Ok, correction. Rindu sama cheesecake dia. Plus, she is also my saviour. Nampak jak dia pagi tu, terus aku happy gila rasa mau peluk kuat². First; aku ndak kan kesejukan sudah sebab minah ni bawa jaket aku. Second; sebab dia bawa cheesecake khas untuk aku dari Malaysia. Home-made with love gitu. 

Aku sempat beli scarf di Uniqlo, KIX lepas jumpa Ms H! Alkisah mau bergaya sangat, takut kunun leher kesejukan. Chit!

We made our move lepas settled activate JR Pass Ms H, pastu beli Icoca card. Just like what we did the day before. Gambar train Haruka sudah aku post before. So ndak payahlah tempek lagi.  Dari KIX kami turun di Shin-Osaka. And from there we took the bullet train to Tokyo.

Wooohooooo! Akhirnya!! Walau Korea top my list, mestilah experience untuk naik shinkansen tidak harus diabaikan. Beli JR Pass harga dekat RM 900 tapi kau ndak naik shinkansen, memang terbaiklah perangai bazir duit. Yes?

And masa ni juga, aktiviti flashing JR Pass sama officer di train station bermula. Rasa VVIP sangat, limpas lorong khas gitu. Good bye autogate from now. Jumpa kita di Tokyo nanti sebab some train di sana JR Pass adalah ndak laku. Sob.

Rupa dalam Shinkansen Hikari. Non-reserved coach. Selalunya car #4 to #6 adalah untuk non-reserved seat. Sepanjang di sana, ndak pernah kami reserved seat sebab malas mau singgah kaunter. Lagipun memang banyak seat kosong dalam coach non-reserved tu. 

Ada certain car yang allow smoking. So ndak lah mati kutu perokok tegar. Pastu selalu nampak sign, switch ur mobile to silent mode. And yes, selama di sana ndak pernah dengar lagi phone diorang berbunyi dalam train. Tetiba jak, "Moshi moshi". Hormat penumpang lain konsep utama. 

Selama di sana juga aku jadi pemawas pegawas tegas. DJ, bukan adik ko je jadi pengawas tau! 

Kesian! Time sekolah dulu cikgu ndak suka sebab selalu jadi trouble maker. So harapan untuk mengawas punah. Masa di Jepang lah, aku realisasikan impian sendiri. Tiap kali Ms P or Ms C terlebih volume bercakap/ketawa, terus aku buat bunyi shhh. Siap lekat jari di bibir. Lantaklah kan diorang bengang sama aku. Kita kena hormat culture di negara orang. Motif kena hormat kenapa?

Gambar blur tanda aku on the move. Like, perlu kestau? 

Tujuan nya mau cakap dalam shinkansen ada plug untuk charge ur gadget(s). Dengan syarat bawa charger dengan mata plug yang betul. Jangan jadi macam aku. Beli mahal tapi tinggal di rumah. Melepas gian rindu kampung, plug-2-mata-bulat yang aku hangkut pi sana. Hampagas! Terpaksalah beli adapter. Memang time berjalan, aku suka bazir duit beli benda yang ntah papa. Orang ada² kan memang gitu. Pfftt.

Since aku bawa charger yang ada 6 usb ports, maka yang lain semua pun menumpang. Si Afif cakap, meletup kang kalau charge banyak² sekaligus. Alhamdulillah, berkat level percaya tinggi si Err sama teknologi Jepang ni...nothing as such happened during our journey. By the way, free wifi is provided dalam shinkansen ni.

Dalam train juga ada provide lavatory (harus guna bahasa ni sebab kan naik bullet train; level kapal terbang juga ni). And sink di luar. Bukan semua gerabak ada so sila check layout train di pintu each coach. Memang best untuk orang pundi kencing kecil macam aku. 

Tiap kali lepas guna, the moment u open the door...automatically the seat cover will go up. Ndak tau apa motif kejadian gitu. So bila mau guna, just touch that square censor to lower it. Siap ada Braille tu. Memang user-friendly tahap gaban! 

Kan sudah cakap memang macam konsep dalam kapal terbang. Ada stewardess tolak cart jual makanan minuman.

Our lunch. Kami kedekut Yen untuk beli makanan dari Kakak Stewardess. So kami bawa bekal siap² dari hostel. Roti pun roti lah. Inti sambal bilis macam semalam & pagi tu juga. Ouh diet ku! Ms G ndak sempat breakfast so dia lunch berat sikit dari aku masa ni.

Notice the ample leg room in this train? Tinggi aku cumalah serendang, jadi ndak da kerja aku mau taruk beg di storage atas. Lainlah si Ms G & Ms H yang sepanjang galah tu. So aku letak beg di area kaki jak. Pun masih ada space untuk aku lunjur kaki. Seat pun boleh inclined baik punya. Comfortable gila! 

"Kan bagus kalau seat & leg room dalam kapal terbang gini...selesa habis!"

"Ya kan. Dalam business class gini lah kan seat dia. Tapi yang tu boleh baring terus."

Apa? Business class? Kenapa tu topik kena ulang lagi? Ok, mari tidur. 

Aku terbuai dek lagu Hindustan Ms P & Ms C pasang. Diorang duduk belakang aku jak. Kerlas kan layan Hindustan walau di bumi si Naruto. 

Suddenly, dalam aku lena diulit intan...

"Bie, Bie...tu Fuji kan. Tu..tuuuu"

"Mende?" Gosok mata. Muncung sedepa. Muka kelat sebab terkejut. 

"Tu belah kiri ko! Bukan gunung Fuji ke. Kan? Yang famous tu. Ke bukan? Salah?"

Aku pusing kiri. Orang yang duduk seat sana semua tengah keluar handphone/camera. Klik klik non stop. Masa tu aku blur lagi apa sangat semua orang mau gambar. Sekali bila tengok luar jendela. Apa?? 

Terus kalut cari camera. Terus kelibut cari port ngam untuk ambil gambar. Lucky ada seat ni kosong sebab yang duduk tu pigi lavatory. Aku pun apalagi. Non stop gambar. Yang banyak...BLUR. Sebab shinkasen laju sangat. Masa ni lah aku harap train ni slow down tau! Dalam banyak aku snap, ada 2-3 biji jak yang mampu buat aku senyum. Oklah, janji nampk depan mata walau dihalang tingkap tren. Sob.

Subhanallah. Couldn't say my gratefulness enough.

Prior the trip, I told myself that chances for me to see Fuji-san is gonna be slightly thin. Because I was told that she will only show herself during the winter season. Winter had passed for a month already. It's spring season when I was there. Little did I know, dalam ndak menaruh harapan tu...Allah hadiahkan view ni. Bersyukur sangat! Words cannot explain how I felt upon seeing this. Biarlah dalam train bergerak sekalipun. Impian pigi Kawaguchiko maupun Hakone...kan terlebur masa di Malaysia lagi. Dapat view yang ni pun sudah lebih  dari cukup.

5 April 2014

Tokyo Station

3 hours of long journey...akhirnya menjejak Tokyo. Just for the record, train fare (shinkansen) from Osaka-Tokyo cost nearly RM 285.00. But with JR Pass, it is free. Pasal tu berbaloi beli JR Pass ni kalau mau travel banyak tempat (states hopping). Tapi it's not worth it kalau setakat mau cover certain area i.e Kansai. 

Sampai Tokyo, terus macam ada feeling sebak masuk dada. Aku sudah sampai Tokyo?! Selama ni tengok Ultraman, layan Gaban, nonton Oshin tapi my favourite are the dramas Pride & Shomuni. Sangat unsangkarable aku akhirnya menjejak. Masa di Osaka & Kyoto ndak da pula feeling ni. Maybe sebab Tokyo tu lagi mesra telinga untuk aku. Dulu mana tau apa tu Osaka, ceruk mana Kyoto. 

Suka...sebab? It's in my fav color. Sekian.

In Tokyo, stand on the left side if u don't intend to climb the escalator. But in Osaka, u should stand on the right side. 

Dari Tokyo Station naik JR train & transit di Akihabara. The closest we got to see the town. Masa ni semua sibuk mau cepat sampai hostel. Dari pagi turun naik train kan. 

Alkisah, before sampai hostel tu si Err tersalah baca map. Dengan bangga aku bawa ahli lain tawaf area Asakusa. Salah corner di junction jak, teruslah terlajak sesat. Adalah dalam 10 minutes gitu kan berjalan hilang arah. Masa ndak jumpa landmark yang patut aku nampak in 2 minutes after leaving the train station, aku sudah tau yang kami aku sesat. 

Then baru sedar, Asakusa View Hotel patut ada sebelah kiri. And I have to be on the opposite road. Kiranya memang silap pusing tadi. Patut ke kanan tapi aku menonong lintas jalan & ambil kiri. Aku memang confident kalau patah balik & start dari station memang akan jumpa. Tapi untuk sedapkan hati ahli lain (takutlah kan manatau sesat lagi), kami stop di 1 pondok polis ni. Nasib aku ada print map hostel. Ayam itik bahasa kami bercakap BUT magically I could understand the office. 

So kami pun patah balik. Ahli lain ntah sudah menyumpah dalam hati kali. Dengan beg AF diseret sepanjang masa, anak gajah di belakang. Maafkan saya! Dari station, we took the right corner instead. And Alhamdulillah, ndak lama jalan...nampak landmark yang aku cari dari tadi. Ndak payah lintas jalan apa pun untuk sampai hostel ni dari train station. Just silap kecil jak, teruslah sesat.

Asakusa Tsukuba Express Station; Exit 3. The easiest & nearest station to the hostel. Sometimes kami turun di Asakusa Subway (Toei Line); Exit 3. Pun dekat sama hostel cuma yang tu kena lalu Sensoji Temple & Nakamise Street. 

Untuk train yang bukan under JR, kami guna Icoca card yang kami beli the first day we arrived. Beli di Osaka (or other Kansai regions) akan dapat Icoca. Kalau di Tokyo it will be Suica. More about this, read here. 

On the way dari Tsukuba Express to the hostel, ada 1 kedai makanan halal kami nampak. Turkish ka Lebanese aku lupa tapi memang ada sign halal di luar kedai tu. Erm, si Err bijak lupa ambil gambar. Masa tu memang tau, kalau lapar tengah malam & meroyan mau makan luar...boleh singgah kedai tu. 

Covered walkway. Kedai kiri kanan. 

While on our way to the hostel, suddenly muncul mamat ni semua from one corner. 

Huiyoooo Abang Besar baru balik shopping. Bawa anak buah yang semua pegang paperbag from the same shop. Baru beli suit kali kan. Tapi paling menang Abang Taiko yang ndak pakai suit tu. Sorong basikal kau! 

Sampai hostel. Check in. Pastu rest lebih kurang. Kami keluar balik. Masa adalah emas bila di tempat orang ni. Jadi kalau mau rest, tunggulah malam nanti.

Us before the Sakura Hostel, Asakusa. Our nest for the next 3 nights we're in Tokyo.  

From Asakusa, we alighted at Shimbashi Station (Yurikamome Line). Malam tu kami naik train with rubber-tired wheels to the artificial island of Odaiba. 

View of some street in Tokyo; during the night.

Patut naik waktu siang, baru nampak area Tokyo. Tapi ndak apa, view malam pun cantik. Cuma gambar dari dalam train ndak cantik. Terang benderang reflection muka sendiri pegang kamera, mampu? 

Cerita pasal Odaiba aku sambung next entry. And please know, aku frust sebab gundam yang aku cari & idam² untuk bergambar bersama tu...aku ndak sempat cari. Cousin aku dua kali pigi Tokyo, dua kali jumpa dia. Ndak hadil!

eryantierdabdulkarim