My views do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
August 23, 2025
I was IPM when Diamond Princess docked in Hiroshima last year, so I let it go, unsure if I would ever have the chance to visit. Little did I know that I would return to Japan so soon! A couple of residents said that they liked Hiroshima and said the memorial was especially powerful at night. We weren’t docked close to the city center, but Michele, Steven, Victor and I ventured out anyway.
We were on the hunt for pizza, but couldn’t find anywhere that was open. This led Victor and Steven to start musing about opening a pizza place in Hiroshima – clearly there was a gap in the market.
Instead we found a burger place.
The memorial was a short walk (not my idea 😉) away. The air was warm but much more comfortable at night, and there were no crowds.
We almost had the place to ourselves.
Hiroshima had a different vibe than the other cities we’d visited. It was much quieter, with a palpable stillness. We stood among the remains that weighed of destruction – structures that begged to not be forgotten or repeated.
Should we look for the nightlife? It was a Saturday night, but it didn’t feel like one.
We found a rooftop bar that was closing in about an hour – not that we were plannning to stay out until dawn. From there, we found a different view of the city.
The next morning, Steven, Michele and I met our guide at the ship. She whisked us into a taxi that took us to the ferry terminal.
Our first stop was Miyajima Island- the famous shrine where the gates rise from the water.
This island was awesome.
As advertised, deer wandered freely.
We walked through the shrine:
There were lanterns all over the place.
There was a ceremony being conducted in one of the buildings. I’ll post the video on Facebook.
Next, we wandered through the shops. The island had such wonderful energ. Maybe it was the spirituality of the place, but even now, looking at the photos makes me feel so happy. It feels like I’m not writing enough to adequately describe how magical it felt, but at the moment I have more feelings than words.
One shop sold lucky symbols.
I bought one for Victor, but I couldn’t decide which type of luck to choose, so I picked Jizo- I figured that covered whatever he wanted.
I love oysters, but I inevitably throw up after eating them. Fresh from the Seto Inland Sea, Hiroshima Prefecture supplies at least 60% of Japan’s oysters. When I saw this beer, I decided to tempt fate:
At the ferry terminal there was a tribute to Mont Saint-Michel in France, celebrating their friendship.
One of the tours I most regret missing while working for MSC was visiting Mont Saint Michel. When I ran out of time on the ship, I surrendered and delegated the visit to next time I’m in France. Hi Mont Saint Michel! Maybe, like Hiroshima, we’ll meet again sooner rather than later!
And then it was time for lunch. While researching Hiroshima, the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki – or “Hiroshima-yaki” – a layered savory pancake with noodles, cabbage, pork, egg, and sauce was at the top of my must-do list. Our guide took us to a restaurant we never would have found on our own and led us to a table reserved for us in the back. She introduced us to the owner and ensured that Steven would be able to order a pancake with nothing he was alergic to.
Steven was finally able to eat local food without stress. The owner went back and forth a few times to clarify exactly what he could and couldn’t eat.
The pancake experience was everything I wanted it to be – and more. The food was delicious, we were the only foreigners in the restaurant and there was a special ritual to eating the pancakes with the spatula. I was so glad the food was soy-free for Steven and recognizable enough for Michele to enjoy it as well!
We’d done the fun part – now it was time for the serious stuff.
and then returned to the memorial site we’d visited the night before.
We all agreed that we were glad we’d come for the nighttime preview. The space was still haunting, but now it was hotter and crowded with tourists. The nighttime visit had given us the chance to offer reverance without rushing – something that was more difficult in the sunny crowds.
This time, we continued through the park.
The Dome, the park and the museum are all aligned.
Our guide led us through the crowds of the packed museum, pointing out exhibits she thought we’d find meaningful and guiding us past bottlenecks of people. It was a harrowing experience.
With a little time left before returning to the ship, we hurried through an underground mall – identified by Steven the night before- and made our way to Hiroshima Castle.
We explored the castle grounds but decided to skip going inside to reduce the risk of missing the ship.
It was a day in a unique city full of spirituality, incredible food, delicious drinks, great friends and some history that should never be forgotten.