After a thrilling Zodiac approach, our tour began with a glimpse of the infamous vermillion torii gates marking the watery entrance to the lovely Itsukushima Shrine on the sacred island of Miyajima. After winding our way along the massive-planked boardwalk past enormous lion dogs, an ancient Noh stage, and monks selling amulets and fortunes, some of us continued on to the enchanting 12th century Buddhist temple, Daisho-in. Native deer, abundant on the island, added to the charm.
After lunch on board, we made our way to nearby Hiroshima for the afternoon. In the shadow of the Atomic Bomb Dome, one of the few buildings left standing in the city center following the explosion, our guides led us through the Peace Memorial Park and explained the mission of the park and neighboring museum – to pass on the message of peace and urge us to abolish nuclear weapons once and for all. One especially moving part of this tour was a visit to the Peace Monument, where we donated paper cranes from last night’s origami session. The powerful Peace Memorial Museum was a sobering end to an important day, leading to many thoughtful discussions over cocktails and dinner.
