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ArchivesTravel

A Paper Crane For Hiroshima

written by Brenna Holeman December 10, 2010








Peace Park and the A-Bomb Dome
Hiroshima, JapanI visited Hiroshima this past July, in what felt like the peak of the summer heat. It is difficult to write about Hiroshima because it was such a strange experience for me; on one hand, I loved the city, charming and quiet compared to the bustling chaos of Osaka or Tokyo. But underlying it all, of course, is the tragic history that is so interlaced with the city’s everyday pulse.

I arrived in the city as the sun was setting, after taking the Shinkansen from Osaka. After a short tram ride to my ryokan-style hotel, I ventured out into the streets, walking toward what is, in many ways, the centre of the city, the A-bomb dome. Illuminated by green lights, it was beautiful and powerful, miraculously still standing there after all the horrors of 1945. When the bomb dropped on August 6th of that year, it changed Japan (and the rest of the world) forever, demolishing almost all buildings within kilometres of the drop and killing thousands of people – and yet that building remained.

I won’t go into anymore of that day or the aftermath of the bomb, because there are so many more detailed and eloquent accounts of it all, but it is impossible to visit the city and not feel the effects of that event. Hiroshima is moving on, though, and full of optimism and kindness – I had a great time at restaurants, baseball games, and on long walks through the lovely city (which I’ll write about another day). Visiting Hiroshima was one of the best and the most humbling moments of my time in Japan, and I couldn’t recommend it enough.

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Brenna Holeman

Brenna Holeman has travelled to over 100 countries in the past 15 years, many of them solo. She's a big fan of whisky and window seats.

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2 comments

Katie @ Domestiphobia.net January 21, 2012 - 5:58 pm

I once had the opportunity to meet the navigator of the Enola Gay, the plan that dropped the bomb. I hated meeting him. He didn’t seem sorry. He didn’t understand the difference between soldiers and innocent lives. To him, it was all war.

Reply
This Battered Suitcase January 22, 2012 - 8:35 am

Wow, I can’t imagine talking with him…I wouldn’t know what to say.

Reply

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About Me

About Me

Hi, I'm Brenna

My name is Brenna Holeman and I drink a lot of whisky. No, wait. That’s not how I want to start. After travelling to more than 100 countries over the past 15 years, many of them solo, I tend to write about travel a lot, but I write about other things, too: getting dumped, buying way too much jewellery, and yeah, OK, whisky (none of those things are related, I swear). You’ll find a mix of advice, opinion pieces, and stories on this blog, but either way, I hope to make you want to read more. And up next? I'm about to become a single mom to a beautiful baby boy, the biggest solo adventure I've ever been on. For more about me and what you'll find on This Battered Suitcase, click here .

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INSPIRATION

Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

About Brenna

This Battered Suitcase is not only about the where and the how of travel, it's about the who and the why.

Originally from Canada, all I've ever wanted to do is travel. After eleven years of solo travel and over 90 countries, I'm currently living in London and fulfilling my other dream of becoming a writer. If I'm not travelling, I'm writing about it, either for my blog, my job, or my book. I firmly believe there is adventure everywhere, so long as you keep your eyes (and your mind, and your heart) open. Join me as I continue to look for these adventures. Hopefully you'll find your own, too.

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Last stops: Manitoba, Canada

Currently: Manitoba, Canada

Up Next: Manitoba, Canada (are you sensing a theme?)

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Please note that some links on This Battered Suitcase are affiliates (at no extra cost to you); I only recommend products I use and love. This Battered Suitcase is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

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