The morning I traveled to Hiroshima, I was sitting on a bullet train. I watched the scenery rush past the window.
The ride felt like any other trip at first.
People were talking quietly, checking their phones, or looking out the window.
However, I knew I was heading somewhere different.
That name appeared in school and in conversations about history.
As a Japanese-American, I was curious about what it would feel like to finally see it for myself.
Before exploring the city, my family and I took a cruise to a small island near Hiroshima and spent the night there. One of the first things I noticed was the deer. They were everywhere. They walked through the streets, around shops, and alongside tourists as if they owned the island. What surprised me most was how comfortable they were around people. The island felt peaceful, and it was hard to imagine that such a quiet place was close to Hiroshima, a city known for such a tragic history.
The next day, we headed into Hiroshima. The Atomic Bomb Dome stood out to me. I had seen pictures of it before, but seeing it in person was different. The building looked almost frozen in time. What struck me was that it remained standing. Much around it was destroyed. Standing there, I found myself staring at it longer than I expected. It was one thing to read about history in a textbook. Another thing was standing in the exact place where it happened.
After that, I visited the Peace Memorial Museum. I expected to learn more about the bombing, but what affected me most were the stories of ordinary people. Looking at the exhibits made me think about the civilians who had no control over the decisions being made around them. They were simply living their lives when everything changed. Seeing their experiences presented in such a personal way made the history feel real.
As someone who is both Japanese and American, the museum made me think about the connection between Japan and America. I also reflected on Hiroshima and the civilians who suffered. I felt sympathy for the civilians who suffered, especially the families and children. At the same time, I understood that the history behind the war is complex. I left realizing we can acknowledge different perspectives while still feeling compassion for those caught in the middle.
Not every memory from Hiroshima was heavy, though. One of my favorite parts of the trip was the food. I tried Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki with beef and oysters. Before visiting, I had no idea how important oysters were to the region. Once I noticed them on menus, I started seeing them everywhere. It became a funny part of the trip because almost every restaurant seemed to have some kind of oyster dish.
Looking back, Hiroshima was not what I expected. I thought I was visiting a place defined by its past. Instead, I found a city full of life, great food, beautiful scenery, and people moving forward while still remembering their history. As a Japanese-American, that experience made the visit feel even more meaningful, and it is something I will remember for a long time.
Ryuichi – omoroi life member
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