It was my first time visiting Hiroshima City, and the first thing that made an impression on me was Hiroshima Castle. There were tourist attractions watching over the castle, and it felt a bit strange to see the town and castle integrated together.
Although the castle tower and other buildings have been reconstructed, it has such a wonderful, powerful atmosphere that you almost feel as if they have been left exactly as they were in the Edo period. It feels like the present and past are integrated, and the castle looks completely different depending on the angle you view it from.
Performing a sword dance at Hiroshima Castle, the symbol of Hiroshima
This was the first time I performed sword dancing at Hiroshima Castle, but because it was a trip with "Japan Travel Samurai," I was able to dance while thinking about how I could behave like a samurai at a castle. I think I was able to come up with a sword dance with depth.
By the way, my costume this time was a red kimono and white hakama. The sword and fan were also red, so I chose it because I thought, "Since this is Hiroshima, it's got to be Carp red!" Maybe because of that, I felt like the locals accepted me even when I walked around in a kimono, and it was a lot of fun.
I also went to Mazda Stadium, the home field of the Hiroshima Carp, but I have never played baseball, so it was my first time at a baseball stadium. Even though there was no game going on, I felt the breeze of youth... The people walking around were also refreshing (lol). I also performed a sword dance here, but when I stopped to do a baseball-like sword dance, I was asked, "Do you want it to look like after hitting a home run?", which was difficult...
The Atomic Bomb Dome gives a glimpse of the tragedy of that time.
Speaking of Hiroshima, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, both World Heritage sites, are a must-see. I was amazed to be able to see the Atomic Bomb Dome in person, something I had only seen in textbooks until now.
The inside of the Atomic Bomb Dome is still covered with bricks and rubble, but apparently there is an organization that preserves it to convey the horror of the atomic bomb. I really felt the weight of leaving something that would not have remained as it was at the time there and conveying it. It's a popular tourist spot, but I think it's the kind of place where everyone holds their breath while looking at it.
In the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park where the Atomic Bomb Dome is located, there are the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Cenotaph for the Victims of the Atomic Bomb, and other memorials and monuments, but this area felt like it was on a different timeline than the rest of the area. It was a place that conveyed the town's desire to "leave the memory of the tragedy of the town behind."
Miyajima, the Island of the Gods, and Itsukushima Shrine, a World Heritage Site
We took a ferry from the main island to Miyajima, where Itsukushima Shrine, another World Heritage Site in Hiroshima Prefecture, is located. It took only about 10 minutes, so it was easier than I thought.
It is a tourist destination visited by many people from both within Japan and overseas, but even though it is in Japan, it has a tropical atmosphere, but it is also Japanese-style... it is a bit of a mysterious island. I heard that Miyajima was originally worshiped as a sacred island, and the sacred atmosphere created by the white sand beaches and red shrines makes this very clear.
Itsukushima Shrine is said to have been built by Taira no Kiyomori, but it felt more like an old capital than a shrine. I performed a sword dance in front of the large torii gate, and it was fun to dance in such a wonderful place, with the sky, the sea, and the large torii gate. The sea was a little lukewarm, though (lol).
I was shown a picture that suggests swords are used in the Bugaku dance of Itsukushima Shrine (Editor's note: Taiheiraku), so I would like to look into it further. Learning about the history of the performing arts that flourished on Itsukushima will give me new ways of showing things and a variety of emotions. It would also be interesting if I could use the thoughts I gained this time in future performances.
Shiori Kaburagi also pays attention to the temples of Miyajima
In Miyajima, I visited two temples, Daiganji and Daishoin. Daiganji is a temple that is so important that it has a no-photography area. On the other hand, there were young boys playing kendama in the temple grounds, and I felt that it was a place where the life of the town was integrated into the temple.
Daisho-in Temple, which is associated with Kukai, is characterized by a long staircase that begins after passing through the Niomon Gate. Along the way, there are things that seem like training, such as "put your handprint on it and chant Namu Amida Butsu" and "put your feet on the footprint and chant a mantra," so I thought it would be a good temple to go to and sort out your feelings.
Hiroshima and Miyajima cuisine is the best!
This time, I enjoyed various Hiroshima and Miyajima gourmet foods. At "Okonomiyaki Mitchan," I had authentic Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (Hiroshima-yaki), which may anger me, but it was incredibly delicious. I had it at a food stall before, but I realized that just having eggs and noodles on top can't be called Hiroshima-yaki. All the ingredients were soft and delicious...the authentic taste is different.
In Miyajima, I had grilled oysters with lemon beer. The taste of lemon beer varies from shop to shop, but this is a mature lemon beer with a slight bitterness, and it goes great with the grilled oysters! Fried oysters and gratin were also perfect snacks to go with the beer. At Fujiiya Miyajima Main Store, I had freshly baked, fluffy momiji manju, which was exceptional with its sweetness that melted naturally in my mouth.
Hiroshima and Miyajima are simply the best! I highly recommend everyone to go there.
