Spring Break: Day 6

My parents plane left sometime in the afternoon, and with my Shinkansen ticket to Hiroshima at 5:00, we had to part ways with each other fairly early.  I escorted my parents to Osaka, and we had enough time to visit a few stores and buy some “last minute things.”

I went as far as the southern most station of the Osaka loop line–all of my luggage in tow–before saying goodbye.  Honestly, it was the hardest goodbye I’ve ever had.  It was harder than when I first left for Japan, and five times harder than when I first entered college.  As I kissed and hugged them both, I was holding back a large bulge in my throat.  I could see they were both holding back tears, too…even my dad.

I’ve seen my dad cry very few times in my life.  There is something about crying men that gets to me, because as I stepped off that train and turned to watch them go, I felt myself breaking down.

Coming to Japan has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life, and I was 100% sure of that as their train disappeared.  It was the first time since coming to Japan that I seriously considered going home.  I was alone again.  I was losing tears as they trickled down my cheeks, unable to stop or hide them as I headed for a different train.  People glanced at me, but no one asked if I was all right.  I couldn’t communicate to anyone what I felt–because I had no idea how to say in Japanese, “I miss my parents.  I miss my home.”

By the time I reached Osaka Station–the main station, and the same one that the Shinkansen leaves from–I was back in control.  I was sad…lonely…but I was ready for the next adventure.

My parents left with me a good amount of money for food and hotel fairs during my visit to Hiroshima.  I was meeting my friends Kelly and Allie, and I would be staying in a ryokan located on Miyajima island for two nights.

The Shinkansen (the alleged “bullet train,” which travels over 186 mph) cost me about $200 both ways between Osaka and Hiroshima, and that was with my student discount.  I’d already bought the tickets a few weeks prior with Kelly, so I had them all ready as 5:00 rolled around.  Wen you buy shinkansen tickets, you have to buy not only the ticket to ride the train, but also a ticket to sit.  If you don’t buy the second portion you could be standing in the general seating car…and if it’s a particularly long trip, that could be rather painful.

The trip to Hiroshima was about 90 minutes long.  Like any other train, it stopped at my station and the line of us boarded.  I had a reserved seat alone, and settled by the window.  It was not as crowded as I had expected, and it was not nearly as air conditioned as it should have been.

As the train sped off, we stopped only briefly at a few stations along the way.  If you’ve ever ridden in an airplane, the experience just before the plane takes off–the fast, rather bumpy one–? That’s exactly what it feels like to ride the bullet train.  The entire time I was half expecting it to fly off of the tracks.

Once in Hiroshima, I was instructed by my friends to buy a 2-Day pass for the electric railways, the ferry, and the rail up to Mt. Misen in Miyajima.  It’s hard to buy anywhere else but the main station, so it was the first thing I found.  It cost about $20, and in the long run it saved me a lot of money (the rail to Mt. Misen itself is $20 alone).  I highly recommend getting one if you visit.

I met Kelly and Allie around 8:00, and for dinner we went to a fancy tempura restaurant. Kelly and her mother had been here a few years prior, and so we were prepared for the prices.  For our $28 dinner, we received high quality tempura cooked right in front of us by the chef.  There was also a guy in charge of tying bibs around our necks.  Awkward…but extremely cool.  In any case, it was the best tempura I had while in Japan.

We took the electric railway to the ferry–about 30 minutes south of Hiroshima’s downtown area.  We were a little late, but we caught one of the last ferries across to Miyajima island.

The island itself is quiet at night, since most of the tourists only come during the day.  There are no hospitals on Miyajima, nor are there any cemeteries.  It is considered a very sacred place of the Gods, and so no one is supposed to be born or die here.

I dragged my luggage along the silent streets.  The ryokan was a 20 minute walk from the ferry–through both sand and gravel streets.  Not that I was complaining!  The smell of the ocean and the silence (aside from my extremely loud rolling-suitcase) was just what I needed!

Unfortunately, the ryokan itself was run by a crazy lady.

By ryokan standards, we found the runt of the group.  The crazy lady repeated herself and forgot to bring us tea or fresh cups (as is custom each time boarders return to their rooms).  The bathroom was so filled with air fresheners that you couldn’t breathe.  Also, the bathroom was shared by everyone, which urinals right in the open as you entered.  If you were extremely unlucky…there would undoubtedly be a man using it at just that exact time that you needed to pee.

Honestly, the whole place made me feel dirty.  You could hear the people in the next room as if there were no room at all.  The futons were no more than fluffy blankets and the batteries for the TV were left dead.  There was no lock for the shared bathtub, but a sign that read “open” or “close.”  We were obviously paying far more than this place was worth.