Photo Diary from New York Japan

A day in July, 2003 --- The Bullet Train
1. I take the Shinkansen (Japanese Bullet Train) from Tokyo to Hiroshima (more info with map). Shinkansen is the fastest train in Japan and its speed is 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles/h).   See pictures of many types of Shinkansen if you are interested!
2. Less than an hour from Tokyo, you can see pastoral scenes, and also the occasional huge factories. This is around Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, or somewhere between Yokohama and Nagoya.
3. You are in Kyoto (another guide and general info), facing the Gojuu-no-tou (five-story pagoda) which belongs to Tou-ji (East Temple).
4. You are now approaching Osaka (another guide), the largest city in the western half of Japan.
5. Four hours from Tokyo, you arrive in Hiroshima (another guide)! This is Hiroshima train station.
6. This is the view of Hiroshima City from a building near the train station.
7. You are now looking another direction from the same point as above. A streetcar is running on the bridge.   The streetcar is a characteristic feature of Hiroshima City, and citizens like it very much.

Jul. - Aug., 2003 --- Hiroshima, Japan
	1. Unlike most cities, the center of the commercial and business district in Hiroshima City is a little away from the train station. Here is the central area, Hondoori.
	2. This is the Hondoori Shotengai (Hondoori Shopping Street). When I moved to Hiroshima in 1977, it already had a full arcade.
	3. Hiroshima Jou (Hiroshima Castle).

4. Hiroshima Heiwa Kinen Kouen (Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park), where the Atomic Bomb Dome is.   This long building is the Genbaku Shiryoukan (Peace Memorial Museum, or Atomic Bomb Museum). Please visit the site and go to 'VIRTUAL MUSEUM' and then 'Let's look at the Special Exhibit,' to look at the pictures.
5. The front of the Genbaku Ireihi (Memorial Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims). There are always a lot of visitors from all over the world.
6. You can see the Atomic Bomb Dome through the arch of the Cenotaph.
7. You run into some VIPs and many reporters covering their visit. A man next to me says he thinks the man with the flowers is Iranian. Really? Please tell me who he is if you know him!
8. This is the Genbaku Dome (Atomic Bomb Dome), from the south.
9. North of the Dome, there is the Hiroshima Shimin Kyuujou (Hiroshima Municipal Stadium).
10. The Atomic Bomb Dome from the northwest, standing on the Aioi bridge. This bridge was the target of the Atomic bomb because of its unique 'T' shape.

	11. Although Hiroshima is a relatively big city, beautiful scenes of nature still remain. Look at this! You are looking at the Oota-gawa (Oota River). This is only 2 kilometers (1.3 miles) west from the Atomic Bomb Dome.
	12. Looking north from the same place as the picture above.
	13. Moving north 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles).     If you want to know more about Hiroshima, this site is also good to know: The City of Hiroshima.

Another day in July, 2003 --- The Seto Inland Sea
1. I come to a town on the coast of the Seto-naikai (Seto Inland Sea). This is my father's hometown and I am here to visit my family's grave. It is 30 kilometers (20 miles) away from Hiroshima City, but still in Hiroshima Prefecture..
2. How beautiful! Because this sea is 'inland,' it is very gentle. The waves are calm and the water is not too cold.   When I came here as a child, I didn't feel anything about this scenery, but now I really appreciate how beautiful it is.
3. My father's family here are fishermen. Today on the ships, they are drying shrimp.
4. The family's house right in front of the sea. It is big and very comfortable.

008-1: Jul. - Aug. I, 2003  <<     >>  009: September 2003

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