Train to Hiroshima

Today we leave Tokyo after spending the past 9 days there.  We are really looking forward to heading out and traveling the country by train.  We purchased a 3-week Rail Pass that gives us unlimited access to trains owned by JR (Japanese Raiway Group).  It cost ¥66,200 => $466 USD each.  This may seem like a lot, but the cost for a ticket from Tokyo to Hiroshima alone would have cost us ¥19,560 => $138 alone.  In the next three weeks we plan on traveling all over southern Japan, so I know it will easily pay for itself.

Our first train trip will be Hiroshima.  We arrived at the station and had to figure out how this works.  Each train has a name and a unique number, so if you see 509 on the ticket, just look for 509 on the boards and you should easily navigate the train station.

And here comes our train now...

Isn't this the coolest looking train you have ever seen?  This is the famous Japanese Shinkansen or Bullet Train that can travel up to 199 miles per hour...WOW!  This trip will take us 5 hours to travel 516 miles, and that is with a 30 minute layover in Kobe.

During my research, I learned that we should book a seat on the left side of the train traveling from Tokyo to Hiroshima in order to get a good view of Mount Fuji.  Unfortunately it is a cloudy, rainy day, so this is the only view of Mount Fuji we got to see:

We arrived at our hotel in Hiroshima around 4 PM, dropped our bags in the room, and then headed to Happy Hour in the hotel lobby.  They provided complimentary snacks, wine, and a cocktail of the day.  This is an awesome hotel with a great view of Hiroshima out the window. 

See that couple in the foreground?  When I was returning from getting a refill I said hello to them and then we wound up joining them.  This is Anne Marie and Tony from Australia and they are an awesome couple.  After hanging out with them a bit we decided to get dinner together.  I had already scoped out a brewery and they said they were game...our kind of people!

When we arrived at Kemby's Brewery we weren't expecting what we saw.  This place was crowded and it happened to be open mic night, so it was also a bit loud.  Nobody seemed to mind, so we sat and placed our order.

Check out this crowd. This seems to be the place that expats hang out.

See those guys at the table to the right of me?  They are Australian Naval Officers who's aircraft carrier is docked in Hiroshima.  We had some great conversation with them.

Yum....beer!

And what better food to go with the beer than pizza...Chicago-style pizza at that.  Chicago doesn't have to worry about the competition in Japan...it wasn't the best, but it was good.

Around 10 PM we all decided to head back to the hotel and call it a night.  Back in the room the hotel provided leisurewear to wear around the room and to wear to the communal bath.  Don't I look cute in it?

After getting all dressed up I headed down to the bath.  When I was in Japan 28 years ago I used a bathhouse so I am familiar with how to use it.  This one was really nice and the bath was super hot, so I didn't stay long.  When I got back to the room it was pretty much the end for me now that I was warm and relaxed.

Tomorrow we walk around Hiroshima so we are expecting a somewhat somber day.  Until then...