Looking forward to our first ride on the Shinkansen, but with regrets for all the things we hadn’t had time to see in Tokyo, we moved on. We weren’t sure if we would have to take the local train with all of our luggage or if we would be able to take a taxi. Using Japanese SIM cards in our phones enables us to contact each other and to use WiFi everywhere, but we are not able to make calls, local or otherwise. So getting taxis became a challenge. But the force was with us and within minutes of reaching the main street we got a cab. There are two main stations in Tokyo for the Shinkansen. Both seemed to be equidistant from our little house so I opted for the one where there might be less traffic. Tokyo is huge and we went into an area where we had never been. It was an amazing ride. First, mile after mile of tall buildings. This is no Chicago or even New York with dense centers and lower rising peripheries. This is all “downtown”. There was one area where three levels of roadway rose above us and then we immediately descended to an underground tollway that went on for more miles. I don’t think we have anything like this in the states.

The train ride was uneventful, but we did get to see Mt. Fuji.

We stayed at the Vista Hotel in Hiroshima, which was a luxurious change from our little house in Tokyo. Arrived just in time to check in. Then the family went to the Peace Memorial while I went to Shukkeien garden. I went to the A-bomb Peace Memorial on a previous trip, when it affected me deeply. I think every American should see it, but probably once is enough. Shukkeien garden was destroyed by the bombing with the exception of one bridge.

It’s much different now.

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