Two days in Hiroshima
Earlier this year I was asked if some people from Japan could visit the Wilson Centre to see the services we provide for children. Yoshi and his wife and two other people (one was a physiotherapist) spent an hour or more with us..and when they left invited me to see their place of work the Seibu centre in Hiroshima when I visited Japan...nothing could have prepared me for their generous hospitality. Yoshi and his two daughters and his grand daughter picked Helen and I up from Hotel Flex on Sunday morning ..he had borrowed a friends Toyota Previa? so that we could all fit in and took Helen and I to the ferry to cross to Miyajima.
This has to be one of the worlds most beautiful places -breathtaking. We walked around the temple that was set over the water and were lucky to see a very traditional wedding ..It amazed us that this took place in front of tourists who were on the whole most respectful..couldnt help but be as it was so formal and solemn. We then walked up hundreds of steps to the Daisho-in Temple which is one of the most prestigious Shingon temples in Japan ( the Dali Lama visited there last year. )I am unable to describe the feelings and the beauty of this place..but have to say that two well travelled Kiwis were considerably moved!! I do hope we can show you the photos. Yoshi then took us back after the ferry ride to the Peace Park where Helen and I spent two or more hours absorbing the history and all the grief that went with rememberance of the bombing. The most moving for me was the art exhibition where people who had lived through the bombing were asked to draw their experiences and to write a description. These were most vivid.
Yoshi and his daughters Maiko and Yuriko and grand daughter 3 year old Rino took us to dinner at a fish restaurant before returning us to our hotel. They were so kind and hospitable.
The next morning Yoshi and Maiko took us to the Seibu centre where we were met by the Director and given a two hour tour of this centre. They provide a service for preschool children and was most impressive.Similar service to the Child Development service provided by Child Disability services at Wilson Centre..but the Seibu service was based at this very new building rather than the staff working out in the community. The facilities were very high tech and inclusive of families (mothers actually ) especially for the childs first year when the mother is required to be with her child at all times. There was a similar feeling to that where I work. Afterwards the Director who is a Paediatrician took us all to lunch at a restaurant where the staff had prepared a welcome to Japan icecream dish especially for us for dessert. We felt very special and quite overwhelmed. It was really hard to say goodbye to these kind and generous people and Helen and I hope to repay Yoshi for his kindness when he and Yuiko come to NZ later in the year.
And so to Kobe by Shinkansen which has to be the most luxurious way to travel at 300 ks an hour.As we said earlier this is a great hotel. H and I went department store sightseeing and then to dinner at Dinner Road where we had Tofu salad and tempura and two large glasses of Sake...off to the reconstruction museum as every good health and safetly person should do..this is about the 1995 earthquake here ..kia kaha L
This has to be one of the worlds most beautiful places -breathtaking. We walked around the temple that was set over the water and were lucky to see a very traditional wedding ..It amazed us that this took place in front of tourists who were on the whole most respectful..couldnt help but be as it was so formal and solemn. We then walked up hundreds of steps to the Daisho-in Temple which is one of the most prestigious Shingon temples in Japan ( the Dali Lama visited there last year. )I am unable to describe the feelings and the beauty of this place..but have to say that two well travelled Kiwis were considerably moved!! I do hope we can show you the photos. Yoshi then took us back after the ferry ride to the Peace Park where Helen and I spent two or more hours absorbing the history and all the grief that went with rememberance of the bombing. The most moving for me was the art exhibition where people who had lived through the bombing were asked to draw their experiences and to write a description. These were most vivid.
Yoshi and his daughters Maiko and Yuriko and grand daughter 3 year old Rino took us to dinner at a fish restaurant before returning us to our hotel. They were so kind and hospitable.
The next morning Yoshi and Maiko took us to the Seibu centre where we were met by the Director and given a two hour tour of this centre. They provide a service for preschool children and was most impressive.Similar service to the Child Development service provided by Child Disability services at Wilson Centre..but the Seibu service was based at this very new building rather than the staff working out in the community. The facilities were very high tech and inclusive of families (mothers actually ) especially for the childs first year when the mother is required to be with her child at all times. There was a similar feeling to that where I work. Afterwards the Director who is a Paediatrician took us all to lunch at a restaurant where the staff had prepared a welcome to Japan icecream dish especially for us for dessert. We felt very special and quite overwhelmed. It was really hard to say goodbye to these kind and generous people and Helen and I hope to repay Yoshi for his kindness when he and Yuiko come to NZ later in the year.
And so to Kobe by Shinkansen which has to be the most luxurious way to travel at 300 ks an hour.As we said earlier this is a great hotel. H and I went department store sightseeing and then to dinner at Dinner Road where we had Tofu salad and tempura and two large glasses of Sake...off to the reconstruction museum as every good health and safetly person should do..this is about the 1995 earthquake here ..kia kaha L
posted by Helen and Lyndsay at 5:06 PM
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