Another fabulous contractual requirement gave me two extra days in June on top of a weekend. We decided to make the most out of the time and head to Hiroshima for a few days. It was a brilliant choice as we enjoyed trips down memory lane and the best zoo ever.
When we came to Japan as tourists in 2014, falling in love, getting engaged, and deciding we simply had to live here, a strong memory was a beautiful traditional garden in Hiroshima. At the time, we had been lucky enough to see a traditional bride and groom taking photos in the spring sunshine. In turn, we had taken photos of smiling turtles and hungry coy carp.
On visiting the garden of Shukkei-en again, the memories had not lived up to how calming and pretty the garden actually is. We enjoyed walking round the serene space and feeding the carp once more. Worth the visit for anyone lucky enough to take a trip to Hiroshima!
Unsure what to do with our second day, we hit upon the idea of visiting a zoo that has always seemed too far away for our weekend trips. Asa Zoo was fabulous! The cages were mainly well sized and the animals seem happy. It also uses the styles of Chester Zoo in the UK, where cages have been replaced by open spaces and deep ravines that prevent the animals escaping.
We spent the day slowly wondering around the large zoo (which, by the way, only cost us ￥500 – about $4) and enjoying lots of different animals. Our favourite, the Red Pandas, were in a wicked fun mood and spent the time being cheeky to one and other. We cuddled guinea pigs, chatted with parrots, and watched an otter move with incredible fluidity in a tank whilst chasing fish! A brilliant day all round, helped I am certain, by the fact it fell on a Tuesday and the zoo was basically empty.
That evening we celebrated with a meal in a restaurant we had visited in 2014. We didn’t mean to mind you, it was, perhaps, a happy accident we ended up there again. Although, the food itself was pretty poor (as it was in 2014), it did provide Dan with a series of overpowering flashbacks and sense of deja vu! We then took a walk along the river to make our way to one of the most psychedelic bars on earth! One drink there was enough…
Another wonderful trip to Hiroshima; we will be back!