Japan 2013 - Kobe

The city, what i thought I will never visit :) And it would have been such a waste!
Kobe is really very lively, 賑やかです. Full of people and looks really expensive, in some areas like I am walking on a business or diplomat district.
The only famous building I knew, was that red port tower, so I chose a hotel next to it. My most expensive stay so far, however the hotel hadn't got really elegant rooms :(

The first shrine I visited was a shinto temple, called Ikuta. Beautifully equipped and that orange red color was so vibrant! And I was lucky to watch the miko dance - there were 4 priest girls practicing with live music. Has anyone seen Brave10? My first PS manipulated manga/anime drawing was the lovely blue-hair girl, Isanami, who was a miko.

Here it is my recording, and just for the reference, Isanami:

I found two big shopping area in the city: the Kobe Motomachi and the Chinese town :) Surprisingly the latter one was full of steam bun stands.

On my way back to the hotel I accidentally found a lovely jazz cafe, exactly the type I was looking for and imagined in many Murakami novels. Got my first Japanese curry and a local beer (and some nice twinkle from a very tall Japanese guy - not on the picture ;)):

That orange sun-shape thing is raw egg. The waiter was so lovely, that after I ordered this curry, in some minutes he run to me with his mobile phone and showed a translator with "raw egg", whether I can eat it or not :) The whole curry was sprinkled with cheese, it was really very yummy!

And here we go, the typical Kobe night shoots about the harbour, the Ferris wheel and my hotel.

Kobe Port Tower and the Maritime Museum 

In the morning I got this panorama from my hotel room:

And finally some foods from the stations (I was in a hurry) and my newest favourite drink: the Matcha Frappuccino from Starbucks!!!!

Japan 2013 - Hiroshima

On my second day I had a small and adventurous trip on the countryside to find a glass museum - Garaso no sato. The trick was to get off at the right bus stop - with some help of a local lady, who seated me next to the bus driver and asked him to tell me, when I have to leave the bus. They offered different workshops, but I did not chose any. They had a museum and a small castle for kids - I enjoyed the different distorted mirrors which made me a dwarf or a thin princess :)
And I bought some nice souvenirs in their shop :)

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Hiroshima and visiting the Peace Memorial Park.
The only building which left standing after the atomic bombing in the hypocentre, is the Atomic Bomb Dome. Previously it was a prefectural exhibition hall and designed by a Czech architecture.

The Park is on an island and has various building, statues for promoting peace and remember the people who died or suffered from diseases after the war.

Peace Clock Tower

Everyday at 8:15 it chimes.

Bell of Peace

Yes, I tolled the bell.
Lotus seeds were planted in the pond surrounding the bell and every year around the date of the Peace Memorial Day on August 6th beautiful flowers bloom. After the bombing, lotus leaves were placed on people's wounds to reduce the pain of burns and console their spirits.

 

Children Monument

All around the world people send 1000-crave origami sets, which became the symbol of the children - based on the sad story of Sadako Sasaki.

Fire of Peace

Memorial Monument for the people who died

If you look through it you can see the fire and the Dome

Inside the memorial room.

140.000 bricks for the approximate number of people who died during and after the bombing. 

The picture from bricks shows a photo of Hiroshima after the bombing. If you go closer, the districts of the city is written on some of them.

After this sad location at evening I went to the Shimizu Gekijo theater. I love Japanese style, it is so unique!

I think I was the youngest one in the room, which was full of pensioners :) When the time has come, some disco music started with vibrant lights... I was shocked that I'm on the wrong place, maybe on a house party for old people :)

The actors came out to show themselves, danced for the music, posed, flirted... I felt in love with a gray hair guy immediately... who turned out to be a woman in the second act :D That's my luck...
The style was really unique, there were lots of dancing, some singing, normal stage act, but also interactive play with us.

   

 

"My love" :) 

And finally some food, the typical okonomiyaki Hiroshima style. Delicious, but half portion is more than enough :) This white plate is very small, like the one used for tea cups.