GetHiroshima Mag Summer 2016

BE MORE THAN A TOURIST

Seasonal

Going Out

Visitors

Destinations

Festivals

Dining & Nightlife

Maps

Ohnan

Beaches & fireworks

Events

Sights

Setouchi Art Triennale

Yukata

Art

Getting Around

Haikyo

THE SUMMER ISSUE 2016

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10

getting around

Streetcar lines Hiroden Line #1 (Hiroshima Station > Hiroshima Port) Hiroden Line #2 (Hiroshima Station > Miyajima-guchi) Hiroden Line #3 (Hiroden Nishi Hiroshima > Hiroshima Port) Hiroden Line #5 (Hiroshima Station > Hijiyama-shita > Hiroshima Port) Hiroden Line #6 (Hiroshima Station > Eba) Hiroden Line #7 (Yokogawa Station > Hiroden Honsha mae) Hiroden Line #8 (Yokogawa Station > Eba) Hiroden Line #9 (Hatchobori > Hakushima) Astram Line (Hondori > Koikikoenmae)

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Transport Museum

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JR Train Lines Nishihara

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WELCOME As this issue comes off the press in downtown Hiroshima, Barack Obama will be just a few hundred meters away. His visit, the first by a sitting US president has been much anticipated, and, by the time you read this, we may have an idea of how much impact it has had in furthering Hiroshima’s aim to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

GetHiroshima Mag Issue 10 June, 2016 Circulation 10,000 copies Published quarterly by GetHiroshima Next issue September, 2016 Printed by Hiroshima Chuo Printing Co., Ltd. Motoaki Tahara Editor-in-chief Paul Walsh

広島市の街中でこの号の印刷が完了する頃、原爆の 恐ろしさを歴史上初めて経験した街広島にようやく待

Whatever the outcome, on August 6, thousands will gather to remember those lost in the attack, in the center of a city that has risen from the ashes to become one of the most attractive cities in Japan.

The road to this remarkable recovery is the subject of a manga history of Hiroshima’s recovery, which we introduce in this issue.

望の訪問を果たすバラク・オバマ氏が、そこから数百 メートルのところにいることになります。現役アメリカ 大統領の初めての訪問というだけあり、歴史的な訪問 となるでしょう。この号を読む頃には、広島と長崎を 破壊したこの兵器を世界から廃絶するという、広島が 掲げる目標を押し進めるにあたり、今回の訪問がどれ だけのインパクトがあるかを私たちは知ることになり ます。

Summer in Hiroshima is not only a time to remember tragedy, but also to celebrate life. It’s the season for colorful yukata, fun festivals and spectacular fireworks. Our partnership with Ohnan in Shimane continues. Exploring this beautiful part of the region over the past few months has rekindled the excitement I felt when first finding my way in Japan many years ago. We hope this issue will inspire you to head out on your own adventures this summer. Let us know what you get up to at info@gethiroshima.com or by tagging us with #gethiroshimamag.

Paul Walsh

その結果がどうであれ 、一面の灰から日本で最も魅 力的な都市の一つとなったその街の中心、そこに毎年 ８月には何万もの人たちが集まり、あの攻撃で亡くな った人々の慰霊をします。街のその驚くべき回復への 道のりは、広島の復興を題材とした漫画に描かれてお り、この号でも紹介しています。 広島の夏は、悲劇を思い出すだけではなく、人生を祝 う時でもあります。カラフルな浴衣や楽しい祭り、そし て豪華な花火の季節。海で水とたわむれ、山ではパド リングで川遊び。私たちと島根県邑南町とのパートナ

Design team NININBAORI http://nininbaori.co.jp/ Art Direction: Judith Cotelle Katsuyoshi Kunimasa Ryouta Kumagai Manon Grisi Ludivine Constanti Contributors David Billa Jade Brischke Kismet Cordova Damien Cordova Judith Cotelle Goto Izumi Matt Mangham Alex Rey Charlie Rose JJ Walsh Photography Judith Cotelle www.jud-hiroshima.com Jumpei Ishida Charlie Rose http://charlieroselovelove.com/ Mish Vampiro Photography http://www.mishvampiro.com JJ Walsh Goto Izumi Hideki Rodrigues Sofarina Paul Walsh

ーシップは続いていて、美しいこの地域を知っていく ことは、私が２０年以上前に初めて日本に来る時に感 じた興奮を再燃させてくれています。今号は、いつも より多く掲載された写真を楽しんで、そしてこれらの

Cover: SUIKO Photo: Junpei Ishida

写真が、見た人それぞれの夏の冒険に駆り立てるきっ

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GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

/03

CONTENTS 02/ Getting Around 03 / Welcome 04/ Contents 05 / GetHiroshima Picks 06 / Summer Festivals 09 / Kagura 10 / Beaches and fireworks 16 / Eat the day!

21 / Art 28 / City Maps 32 / Place Listings 36 / Events 43/ Fashion & Shopping 54 / Matt’s Moment

FEATURES 12 / Active Ohnan Explore Ohnan’s impressive Dangyokei Gorge, hidden rivers and try some highland adventure.

18 / Carp Girl Fashion See what Hiroshima’s real “Carp Girls” are wearing.

22 / Setouchi Art Triennale David Billa shares some of his favorite pieces from this year’s ongoing festival of art.

24 / Hiroshima’s Revival Spreading Hiroshima’s message of hope through manga.

27 / 8.6 Hiroshima’s annual day of remembrance.

37 / Ducking and Diving in Tsuyu You can’t beat the rainy season, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying.

38 / After the fireworks Yukata and popsicles under the tracks.

44 / SUIKO One of Japan’s most highly rated graffiti artists talks to Judith Cotelle at his Hiroshima HQ. 48 / Hiroshima Slaps and Tags Discover Hiroshima’s gallery of street art.

50 / Goto Izumi’s Deep Hiroshima Feel the pull of Setouchi haikyo.

04\

GetHiroshima picks You’ve been to the Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima. What next?

PEACE PAGODA

FAN FANTASTIC

KAGURA

Walk up Mt Futaba from Tōshō-gū shrine along a path that takes you under 100 red torii gates through an old growth forest to great views from the Peace Pagoda at the top.

Love for the Hiroshima Carp is unequivocal.

Baseball fan or not, a home game is always memorable. Soccer lovers can enjoy the Japanese stadium experience at a Sanfrecce game.

Ancient myths and folktales performed in extravagant costumes to frenetic drum rhythms, complete with dry ice, fireworks and exploding cobwebs.

City center shows at Kenmin Bunka Center every Wednesday night (p. 9)

MITAKI TEMPLE

EAT!

SHIMIZU GEKIJO

Cure Kyoto “temple fatigue” and calm the soul in the gorgeous verdant grounds of Mitaki Temple, 20min walk up the hill from Mitaki station (3 stops from Hiroshima on the Kabe Line).

Okonomiyaki is both a meal and a culinary performance. Oysters and tsukemen cold noodles in spicy dipping sauce are also local specialities. Wash it all down with some great local sake.

Step into the world of Japanese vaudeville performed by itinerant troupes with very loyal fans.

3hr shows at 12pm & 6pm (¥1900) or catch the 1hr finale for just ¥1000. http://bit.ly/shimizugekijo

SHUKKEI-EN GARDEN

ISLAND HOP

OUT ON THE TOWN

Wander through the miniature landscapes in this city center garden or take a seat by the lake and watch the koi carp, turtles and birds. Lovely rain or shine.

Hiroshima Port is the gateway to the islands of the Inland Sea. Sleepy Ninoshima is the nearest. Don’t have great sea legs? Stroll the Ujina waterfront or walk over to Moto-ujina island.

We urge you to eat, drink, and yes, make merry with Hiroshima people. It’s only then that you can get a real appreciation of what a special place Hiroshima is and truly feel its message of peace.

GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

/05

summer Festivals Beautiful yukata. Dancing in rice paddies and dancing for the dead. Gorgeous bullocks. And fireworks, lots of fireworks. The heat makes the beer and shaved ice taste all the better, so why not blow off some steam at a festival or two this summer ?

Hiroshima’s 3-day Toukasan yukata festival ushers in the long warm months and it is the most festive of all the city’s events. It also heralds the coming of the rainy season, which is the time for planting the rice fields, an event so central to Japanese culture that it has its own colorful rituals. Miyajima’s most spectacular shrine festivals are also at this time of year. Last but not least, you haven’t done a Japanese summer without spending an evening at a summer festival which culminates with a fireworks display.

TOUKASAN / 6/3-5 - HIROSHIMA

Yukata summer kimono get their first airing of the year at this fantastic festival. Chuo-dori is taken over by dancers, drumming and yukata fashion shows, but Shintenchi Park is where it’s at. You can join in with the dancing and the cheap festival treats keep kids happy and parents solvent.

MIBU-NO-HANA-DAUE / 6/5 - KITA-HIROSHIMA

A rice planting ritual said to have roots in the middle ages. Colorfully decorated bulls are led through the streets and paraded in a rice field. Saotome rice planting maidens sing as they plant, accompanied by traditional music. Arrive early to see the bulls up close at Mibu Shrine before they head out.

06\

RITUAL RICE PLANTING / 6/12 - SHUKKEIEN GARDEN

If you miss Mibu-no-hana-daue, you can see a smaller scale ritual right in the city center at Shukkei-en Garden the following weekend. There are no bulls here, but as well as rice planting, drummers perform several traditional dances. The performance spanning the walkway across the lake is quite a sight.

KANGENSAI / 7/20 - MIYAJIMA

A nautical event in which a portable shrine is carried from Itsukushima Shrine and transported by boat to shrines around the island and on the mainland, Miyajima’s most elaborate festival dates from the 12th century. The boats return just before midnight for a spectacular finale inside the “floating” shrine.

FIREWORKS /

Summer is all about the fireworks and you can catch a display just about every weekend (weeknights too during the mid-August Obon holiday). Some of the most easily accessible and spectacular displays are at Hiroshima Port, on Miyajima and at Iwakuni’s Kintai Bridge, but check the full list on pg 8 and map on pgs 10-11.

GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

/07

|| 6/3-6/5 Tokasan Yukata Festival

KIRIKUSHI OKANGENSAI / 7/16

|| 6/5 Mibu-no-hanadaue ritual rice planting,

Kita-hiroshima

A small, but colorful festival in the port town of Kirikushi on Etajima Island. There are stalls and a stage, but the main event is the floating of small straw boats, illuminated by candles, on the stream which flows through the town. It’s very picturesque, but also a very local affair and you may find you are the only off-islander there.

|| 6/5 Shoubu Tea Ceremony, Shukkei-en Garden || 6/9 Uma-tobashi Jigozen Shrine, Hatsukaichi || 6/11 Hasumi Firefly Festival, Ohnan, Shimane || 6/12 Ritual rice planting, Shukkei-en Garden || 6/25 Gion Festival, Onomichi || 6/26 Innoshima Island Festival, Innoshima || 7/2 Takehara Tanabata Festival, Takehara || 7/3 Tanabata Tea Ceremony, Shukkei-en Garden

ONOMICHI GION MATSURI / 6/26

|| 7/15-7/17 Tenjin Festival, Onomichi

Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri is one of Japan’s best known festivals in Japan. The port town of Onomichi also holds a Gion Festival in July which starts from its own Yasaka Shrine. It isn’t as elaborate as that of the former capital, but the energetic culmination of the festival on the waterfront will certainly get the heart racing and the cameras clicking.

|| 7/16 Okagensan Festival, Kirikushi, Etajima || 7/17 Mizuho Summer Festival, Ohnan, Shimane . || 7/17-18 Sumiyoshi Shrine Summer Festival . || 7/17 Tadanoumi Gion Festival, Tadanoumi, Takehara || 7/17 Iwakuni Port Fireworks Festival, Iwakuni . || 7/20 Kangensai, Miyajima || 7/20 Mushiokuri Matsuri, Ohnan, Shimane || 7/23 Hiroshima Port Dream Fireworks .

SUMIYOSHI SHRINE SUMMER FESTIVAL / 7/ 17-18

|| 7/23 Miyajima-san Kyousan Innoshima Suigun

Fireworks Festival, Innoshima . || 7/23 Numata Hongo Fireworks Festival, Mihara .

Along with Toukasan and Autumn’s Ebisu Festival, Sumiyoshi Shrine’s summer festival is one of Hiroshima’s “big three” grand festivals. That said, it’s quite low key and most of the people there are from the local neighbohood. There are a bunch of stalls, traditional boats that make the rounds of other shrines, kagura performances and a few fireworks.

MIHARA YASSA FESTIVAL / 8/12-14 - MIHARA Every August the whole of the usually sleepy city of Mihara pitches in and puts on the Yassa Festival.

The festival runs from Friday night to Sunday, with local performers, a flea market, booths and parades of locals doing the catchy Yassa Dance of which Mihara locals are fiercely proud. The whole things finishes with a big fireworks display.

TAMATORI-SAI / 8/20 START AROUND 12:00, MIYAJIMA The annual tamatori (literally ‘ball grab’) is said to be based on a ritual dating hundreds of years.

After a ceremony in Itsukushima Shrine, a ball is placed on a platform suspended from a scaffold over the water. Men launch themselves from human pyramids and try to mount the platform and capture the ball and secure good fortune for their team.

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|| 7/23 Mizuo-cho Water Festival, Onomichi || 7/23 Nagato & Senzaki Fireworks Festival . || 7/23 Numata Hongo Fireworks Festival, Mihara . || 7/30 Onomichi Sumiyoshi Fireworks Festival . || 7/30-31 Takehara Sumiyoshi Festival, Takehara || 7/30 Yaekangensai, Kita-hiroshima || 7/30 Hikari Fireworks Festival, Yamaguchi . || 7/30 Matsue Suigosai Fireworks, Matsue, Shimane . || 8/1 Eba Fire Festival Eba, Hiroshima city || 8/1 Kure Fireworks Festival . || 8/1 Japan Sea Fireworks Festival, Hagi, Yamaguchi . || 8/1 Otake/Wakigawa Fireworks Festival . || 8/6 Nishiki River Festival & Fireworks, Kintai Bridge,

Iwakuni . || 8/6 Hamakko Fireworks Festival, Hamada . || 8/11 Miyajima Fireworks, Miyajima . || 8/12-14 Yassa Festival, Mihara . || 8/13 Yanai Goldfish Lantern Festival, Yanai . || 8/13-15 Fukuyama Summer Festival . || 8/15 Kisa Fireworks Festival, Miyoshi . || 8/20 Tamatori Festival, Miyajima || 8/20 Miyoshi Fireworks Festival, Miyoshi . || 8/20 Setoda Summer Festival, Ikuchijima Island . || 8/27 Innoshima Suigun Fire Festival . || 8/27 Takehara Fireworks Festival, Takehara . || 8/28 Innoshima Suigun Sea Festival || 8/28 Shobara Summer Festival Fireworks . www.gethiroshima.com/events

.= Fireworks

kagura spectacular folk theater for the masses

A giant, multicolored, eight-headed serpent writhes back and forth across the stage, attacking and entwining a sword-wielding hero. Engulfed in smoke, sparks spitting from its multiple jaws, the beast bites, spins and leaps, occasionally snapping at young children brave enough to come to the front of the stage. The hero, of course, eventually triumphs, severing each of the heads in turn, to the delight of the audience.

This is the thrilling conclusion to Yamata-noorochi, a crowd-pleasing tale from Japanese mythology, often performed as the finale at kagura festivals and competitions.

Kagura is a diverse art form with a variety of performance styles. That performed in northern Hiroshima and Iwami in Shimane is characterized by energetic dances in elaborate (and heavy) costumes, accompanied by stirring rhythms. While

you may not understand the dialogue, the exciting fight scenes, lots of dry ice, fireworks and lightning-fast costume changes keep the uninitiated entertained.

In Hiroshima city, kagura is most often seen at autumn shrine festivals. Every Wednesday, however, troupes come in from the countryside to perform at Kenmin Bunka Center near the A-bomb Dome. Non-Japanese readers are provided with basic English outlines of the two pieces to be performed. There’s also an opportunity to check out the masks and costumes up close and get some souvenir snaps after the show.

Those who would like to delve deeper into the world of kagura should make a trip out to Monzenmura Kagura Village in Midorii in Akitakata. Here, around 20 troupes take turns in performing in the “Kagura Dome” and the facility also has restaurants, shops, a hot spring and accommodation.

H I R OSH IMA K AGURA I N HIROSHIM A CITY CE N TE R Every Wednesday Night at

∼Hiroshima Prefectural Citizen’s Culture Center∼ (Rijo Kaikan Kenmin Bunka Center)

SUMMER SEASON: June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 July 6, 13, 20, 27 Aug 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

300m from Peace Memorial Park Admission: ¥1,000 Doors open: 18:00 First performance: 19:00-19:40 Intermission: 19:40-20:00

August 13 (Sat) Gala Performance

Second performance: 20:00-20:40

Celebrating Hiroshima Culture Award Win

http://www.rccbc.co.jp/event/kagura/

Tickets sale starts at 12:00, Open: 13:00, Start: 14:00, Close: 18:00

GetHiroshima All seats unassigned. Tickets on sale from 17:00 on day of performance.

Photo session with players and costumes on stage after the show / Summer 2016 from 20:40

/09

BEACHES & FIREWORKS Japan isn’t Thailand, and Hiroshima isn’t Okinawa. While the region isn’t going to win any international prizes for its beaches, they compare well with those in the Tokyo area and, at the height of summer, they provide a welcome opportunity to enjoy a refreshing dip in the water, feel the sand between your toes and relax in the shade of a palm tree.

Iwami Seaside Park

When it comes to beaches in this region, you are rewarded in proportion to the effort you put in to get to them. Designated swimming beaches along the Inland Sea coast can’t be described as dirty, but many do tend to be littered with random debris - small plastic spacers used to separate the shells, used to grow oysters, that hang on wires below the rafts that dot Hiroshima’s waters, seem to be everywhere - and unless there are very dedicated clean up crews at work daily, you’ll be pushed to find a beach completely litter free. The more remote, the more chance of litter free sand and crystal clear water - you may even discover a tiny cove and have stunning vistas all to yourself.

Hiroshima folk, especially its youth, make the most of what they have. During the swimming season which starts around the Umi-no-hi Marine Day holiday in late July, and runs until the end of August, many head to beaches near and far especially at weekends and during the mid-August Obon holiday.

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SHIKOKU

GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

/11

active ohnan Ohnan’s elevation means that summer is a little cooler in these parts than at sea level. Daytime temperatures still get pretty high in August, but a few degrees make all the difference, making area a great place to escape the heat.

With green, green mountains and rice fields in every direction direction, gushing rivers and (hopefully) blue skies, summer in Ohnan is so gorgeous it would be a crime not to get out and enjoy it.

The Dangyokei gorge is a spectacular spot and our number one recommendation this season. The Nigori River has carved beautiful, smooth slots through a wide, flat expanse of rhyolite rock that sits between steep cliffs, dotted with waterfalls. June brings fireflies to the riversides, July is a month of festivals, and, in August, family mountain adventures and the thrill of downhill mountain biking can be had on the slopes of Mizuho Highland. Finish off your day with a soak in an onsen and a great meal.

Gotsu

Hamada

Shimane Pref.

Ohnan Mizuho IC Chiyoda JCT

Hiroshima Pref.

Hiroshima

Pick up maps and pamphlets at the Tourism Association at Kouboku-no-mori Garden. http://www.ohnan-kanko.com/english/

DANGYOKEI 断魚渓 With easy access, spectacular scenery that you can get right into, plus a park perfect for picnicking and enjoying a paddle, this gorge is a must see.

Dangyokei is approximately 9km from Koubokuno-mori Garden, just off Route 261 (exit left just before entrance to the Dangyo Tunnel). As the walking paths that extend a few hundred meters along the gorge have recently been refurbished, Dangyokei provides a great outdoor experience with only a modicum of effort.

FUKASHINO RIVER 深篠川 A river walk for the adventurous and sure-footed. Access is through the campsite opposite the road to Dangyokei. The path eventually leads to the 859m Mt. Kanzan trailhead.

You’re likely to encounter some slippery friends, so be careful where you step !

A​ lthough getting around Ohnan is easiest with your own transport, the Hiroshima-Ota bus does make a stop at ‘Dangyokei’ in front of the Fukashino River campground, a few hundred meters from the gorge. Please note that it is at least 5km to the nearest food store from here.

seasonal events / matsuri Hasumi Hotaru Festival / 6/11

Kanekobara Mushiokuri Odori / 7/20 Hasumi Hotaru Festival: When conditions are right, fireflies can be seen by the Nagata River throughout June, but it’s extra fun on festival night with a chance to catch local Iwami Kagura.

Kanekobara Mushiokuri Odori: This is a traditional dance performed in yukata to protect crops from pests that starts around the Yakami area and ends at Suwa Shrine.

Mizuho Summer Festival / 7/16

Yamanba Festival / 8/14 Mizuho Summer Festival: Izuwa hosts Ohnan’s biggest festival of the year. Stalls, Iwami Kagura and, of course, a fireworks display.

Yamanba Festival: In most of Japan, Yamanba is a terrifying old mountain crone who eats people.

In Ohnan, she’s a kindly old grandma who helps people. Locals decorate Yamanba-themed floats to say thanks.

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mizuho highland

During Obon and on weekends and holidays July 18 - August 30, Mizuho Highland’s ski slopes are open to the public for mountain biking and hiking. Or, just ride the gondola and enjoy the cool air and great views from 1200m.

mtb

3.5k m dow nhill course 2km beg inner trail MTB Par k & Pump Trac k the summit (free bike s Kids ’ balance bike course at for 2-6yr olds) dul ts) ¥52 0/hr (kids) Bike rental from ¥1030/ hr(a Gon dol a 00 (kids) Day pas s ¥38 00 (adult), ¥17 0 (kids) ¥83 , ult) One way ¥10 40 (ad

bb q

gre en- go- rou nd mo unt ain run fes tival 8/2 8

and No fuss, no shopping, no hauling. Show up enjoy a little bbq on the terrace.

- Beef ¥800 - Pork ¥700 - Veget ables ¥300 - Sausages ¥500 - Marshmallows ¥300 urant .

More food and drink s available at the resta

Teams of 3-5 people run as many loops of a 3.5km course as they can in 6 hours. ¥21,000/team or ¥6500 for individual entries who want to be put on a team. http://g reen-go -round.r un/

eat the day!

Local residents share some of their favorite dining spots to keep you covered, morning till night.

breakfast

CAFFE PONTE

by Paul Walsh

With its prime location, on the edge of Peace Memorial Park, and the opportunity to start the day al fresco on its terrace, Caffe Ponte deserves a special early morning mention in the summer season. Choose from a simple salted bread roll with tasty salad and a drink (¥580), one with a good portion of scrambled eggs (¥880) or an indulgent creamy oyster gratin roll (¥880). Drinks available with the sets include espresso and Ponte’s famous fresh-squeezed OJ. Pay a little more for a latte or cappuccino. Be warned, the terrace is so convivial, breakfast can easily slide into lunch, and you may even find yourself still there at dinner.

Tel: 082-247-7471 / Open from 10:00 (08:00 on weekends, holidays and from 07:30 every day in August) and breakfast is served until 11:30.

1-9-21 Otemachi, Naka-ku, map C p.31 [B-1] 2

lunch

KISSA MEKURU

by Alex Rey

Run by two women in a quiet back street of Tokaichi, Tea house Mekuru [喫茶め くる] is a lovely modern Japanese cafe to retreat to if you need to unwind a little.

Housed in an unremarkable building, the exposed walls, wooden furniture and cute little book nook make for a very attractive space to relax over lunch. Lunches start at ¥880 (The drink set is an extra ¥200) and comes with salad, soup and 3 side dishes. On my visit I had the keema curry. Tasty and filling. The eggplant side dish was particularly nice. There is no English menu so you may have to muddle through. It is very popular too, so I’d suggest arriving after the 12-1pm rush, but before 2pm!

Tel: 082-296-9023 / 08:00-18:00 (Lunch 11:00-14:00) 1-6-9 Tokaichi-machi, Naka-ku, map C p.31 [A-1] 4

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coffee

ONENESS COFFEE

by Judith Cotelle

Oneness Coffee is a charming Coffee Shop in Mikawa-cho (between Namiki-dori and Chuo-dori) that is also a men’s apparel (shoes, denim etc) and sundries shop.

The menu is limited to a nice selection of single origin hand-dripped coffees (¥550 a cup) and some sweets. Coffee beans are on sale too. Naturally-lit by large bay windows, the wooden interior, contrasted with a raw concrete ceiling, serves to make taking a break at Oneness Coffee a cool, but relaxing experience. Their brand identity, with its handcrafted touch, is also beautifully designed. Follow their Instagram @oneness_coffee for daily doses of coffee love.

Tel: 082-244-3785 / Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 9:00-20:00 Sat, Sun, Nat Hols 11:00-20:00 102 Rokko Mansion 10-23 Mikawa-cho, Naka-ku, map B p.30

drink & dessert

dinner

ABURIYA HACHISUKE

5

by Kismet Cordova

Nothing says summer quite like barbequing food over glowing charcoal. A relatively new robatayaki (lit. “fireside-cooking”) restaurant in Nakamachi, Hachisuke’s warm atmosphere makes cooking your own food over a charcoal hotpot both fun and delicious. Whether you sit at the long wooden bar or one of the tables facing the open-air balcony, friendly owner Ryo Fukagawa makes the place feel cozy and welcoming. An English menu is forthcoming, but in the meantime his expert recommendations are always the way to go and he will happily cater to your palate.

Our recent favorites were grilled avocado and smoky dried flounder paired with smooth, Hiroshima-made sake. After dinner, pop over next door to Ryo’s other establishment Hachiro’s, a well-decorated, speakeasy-style joint serving classy drinks and Cuban cigars.

Tel: 082-246-2584 / 5:00pm-12:00am, Monday-Saturday (Located across from Hiroshima TV Headquarters between the ANA & Mitsui Garden.)

5-15 Nakamachi, Naka-ku, 2F, map C p.31 [B-2] 1 Website: https://www.facebook.com/aburiyahachisuke/

ITALIARE

by Jade Brischke

Italiare is an Italian grocery that doubles as a wine bar at night. I was more interested in the wine selection than the desserts on offer, but my companions were very happy with the sweet ‘snacks’ available. Light and cheap, they satisfy your cravings and are easy on the wallet. My friends opted for grissini with a chocolate dipping sauce and the experienced staff helped recommend a complementary wine. With a beautiful garden in the back, complete with a more intimate private Japanese style room, it’s the perfect place for a date or a girls’ night out.

Tel: 082-942-0888 10:30-20:00 (Friday & Saturday until 24:00) 1F Okamoto Building, 2-4-17 Yokogawa, Nishi-ku, map p.28 [B-2]

3

If you would like to share one of your favorite dining spots in a future issue send us a 100 word description with a photo or two to eattheday@gethiroshima.com GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

/17

FASHION

hiroshima street fashion: carp girl Edition

Words / Photos: Charlie Rose http://charlieroselovelove.com/

rikako

Age: 25 / Occupation: Graphic Designer I only dress casual, like this, a couple of times a month, but it’s comfortable and easy to move around in. I love my red triangular necklace.

Favorite place to shop in Hiroshima: Vintage clothing stores

miki

Age: 25 / Occupation: Banker I always dress like this when I go to Carp games. I love my sneakers because they’re easy to walk around in.

Favorite place to shop in Hiroshima: PARCO

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Hiroshima’s people are well known for their love and passionate support of the local baseball team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. A recent increase in the number of female fans has resulted in a new Japanese term to enter the zeitgeist, Kaapujoshi or ‘Carp Girl’. As the summer heat approaches, catch up with the Carp Girls and you’re sure to catch Carp fever too.

yuko

Age: 28 / I almost always dress in simple, casual clothes ☆ I have a lot of navy blue items and love jeans because they match everything ♪ I also like to add a little sparkle to my outfit with some bangles.

Favorite place to shop in Hiroshima: Zara

yui

Age: 28 / Occupation: Civil Servant I love wearing denim jeans or skirts on my days off and when I can get away with it, casual T-shirts as they go with anything♪ Favorite place to shop in Hiroshima: UNIQLO! GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

/19

S AK E TOWN SAI JO The home of award-winning sake.

Visit 7 traditional breweries in the historic Sakagura district.

Higashihiroshima City

Hiroshima Miyajima -guchi

S AKE MAT SUR i 201 6 (Oc T. 8- 9)

Shiraichi

Onomichi

Takehara

A-bomb dome

Miyajima



HIROSHIMA AIRPORT

Saijo

Kure

Saijo celebrates its sake brewing heritage every October. More than

From Hiroshima City (JR Hiroshima station) to Saijo in Higashihiroshima City,

200,000 people come to watch the parades, tour the breweries,

35 minutes by JR train (Sanyo Line)

browse the stalls and sample around 1,000 varieties of sake in the

From Hiroshima Airport to Saijo, 15 minutes by bus to JR Shiraichi station

“Sake Hiroba”.

+ 10 minutes by train from JR Shiraichi station.

Higashihiro shima CI T Y of ficial T OURIS M AP P

shuto navi

酒 都 な び

Do wnl o ad fro m her e fr ee Google Play

App Store

5 langu ages EN FR 日

20\

中繁

中简

ART

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art

Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum

Hiroshima Museum of Art

Well-designed building in Hijiyama hilltop park. Interesting

One of the largest art museums in Western Japan with a

Works by Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and many more great

sculptures and statues are dotted around the outside of the

large collection of Japanese nihonga painting, traditional

modern European painters in this small, but perfectly

Asian art crafts and 1920s and 1930s art. Map A p.30 13

formed museum near Hiroshima Castle. Map C p.31 11

10:00-17:00 Admission to the collection exhibition: Adult

09:00-17:00 Admission to the permanent collection Adult

09:00-17:00 Admission to the general exhibition: Adult

¥370, College students ¥270, High school students, seniors

¥510, College students ¥310, High school students and

¥1000, Seniors ¥500, College & high school students ¥500,

¥170, Junior High School and younger free.

younger free.

Junior high school and elementary school students ¥200

082-264-1121 https://www.hiroshima-moca.jp/

082-221-6246 http://www.hpam.jp/

082-223-2530 http://www.hiroshima-museum.jp/

museum that can be viewed for free. Map C p.31

8

Admission until 30 minutes before closing. Special exhibition charges vary and usually include admission to permanent collections. Closed Mondays (unless National Holiday when closed the following business day).Hiroshima Museum of Art and Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum open everyday during special exhibitions.

EXHIBITIONS

1945±5

Venice: Five Centuries of the World’s Most

July 30-October 10

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art

Alluring City from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Gallery G Map A p.30 5

Hiroshima Museum of Art Until June 12 / Adult ¥1400 High school/college ¥1000

Private art space opposite the Prefectural Art Museum which

Elementary/junior high ¥600

holds weekly free exhibitions by local artists, designers and artisans. 082-211-3260

Shunsuke Matsumoto, Landscape with the Diet Building 1942 Collection: Iwate Museum of Art

Great Dinosaur Exhibition: Reviving Dinosaurs around the World

Canaletto “San Giorgio Maggiore: from the Bacino di San Marco” about 1726–30 Bequest of William A. Coolidge 1993.34 Photograph @2016 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The 4th NEW KENBITEN Annual Competition of Art in

Hiroshima Prefectural

Hiroshima Prefecture

Art Museum

Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum

July 23-September 4 / Adult

July 2 - July 17 / Adult ¥510, University & High School ¥310,

¥1200, University & High

Junior High & Elementary ¥100

School ¥1000, Junior High &

Shomei Tomatsu: NAGASAKI

Elementary ¥600

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art May 28-July 18 / Adult ¥1030, University ¥720,High school &

The 70th anniversary of Sazae-san

Fumiyo Kōno Kono Sekai

seniors ¥510, Junior High & younger free

The Best of Machiko Hasegawa

no Katasumi ni (In This

Hiroshima Museum of Art

Corner of the World)

9 July-21 August / Adult ¥1200, University & High school

Through Manga and Anime

¥900, Junior High & Elementary ¥500

Kure Municipal Museum of Art July 23-November 3 / Adult ¥1000, University ¥600, Seniors ¥500, High school & younger free

Jichu Chinese primary school (now:Confucian Shrine), Oura-machi, 1963 © Shomei Tomatsu - INTERFACE

GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

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setouchi art triennale summer

Words / Photos: David Billa http://setouchiexplorer.com

David Billa of Setouchi Explorer shares some of the highlights of his visits to the spring session of the Setouchi Art Triennale. Everything apart from the Snuff Puppets appearance can be viewed during its summer season July 18-September 4. Tag your own favorites with #gethiroshimamag and your pic might be featured in our autumn issue!

snuff puppets make landfall

beyond the borders - the ocean

(lin shuen long)

The Seed Ship returned from Taiwan and can been seen at Takamtasu Port.

sora-ami:knitting the sky

(Yasuaki Igarashi)

This installation moves to Honjima for the autumn, where net making workshops with fishermen and islanders will be held and the nets displayed.

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feel feel bonsai

(masashi hirao × setouchi cogeiz)

(Kagawa Prefecture Bonsai Products Promotion Council). Just beautiful, very beautiful.

island theatre megi

(yoichiro yoda)

The Island Theater Megi is very cute, and it’s a real cinema showing old American movies on the island, so even if it looks a bit “cheap” it’s really awesome.

naoshima hall

(hiroshi sambuichi)

I really like this traditional-looking but new community center by my favorite architect, Hiroshi Sambuichi, who spent two and a half years researching the elements on Naoshima, to be able to create a building ideally matched to local conditions.

/ Dream of Olive

(Wang Wen Chih)

I found the exterior of this bamboo structure on Shodoshima a bit disappointing, much less impressive than the previous iterations of similar works, but the inside is just great.

oiwa island 2 / the room inside of the room

(Oscar Oiwa)

Although Oiwa Island 2 isn’t new (it was on Ibukijima in 2013 for one month only) it’s now on Shodoshima for the whole year and it’s just awesome.

The Room Inside Of The Room is another piece by Oscar Oiwa, another piece by Oscar Oiwa, this one on Ogijima.

It’s funny, but what I really like best about it is the painting.

2016 Setouchi Art Triennale Summer season July 18-September 4 http://setouchi-artfest.jp/en/

GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

/23

Hiroshima’s Revival:

Painting a picture of the remarkable recovery of the A-bombed city Last year, local broadcaster, RCC, commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima A-bombing with a series of projects under the Mirai e (To the future) banner. These included special TV programs, the restoration and running of one of the streetcars that survived the bombing and a specially commissioned manga which told the story of Hiroshima’s remarkable recovery by focusing on some of the men and women (though mostly men) who helped get the devastated city and its people back on their feet. The 250 page book has been translated and is now available in English.

Manga has long been used to convey complex and nuanced stories and “educational manga” on historical and other non-fiction subjects are commonly used to reach mass audiences. The Hiroshima bombing and its aftermath has most famously been described in the semi-autobiographical Barefoot Gen by A-bomb survivor Keiji Nakazawa who was in elementary school at the time. Three decades later, Fumio Kouno, who was born in Hiroshima over 20 years after the bombing, penned Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms. Kouno examines the impact of the bombing across generations. How it is ever present in the lives of survivors and the shadow it casts in those of their children.

and water and get the railways, streetcar and banking systems back into some kind of working order in a matter of days. Descriptions of how some of Hiroshima’s largest retail chains grew out of entrepreneurs trading on the black market, the development of the Mazda Motor Company and the efforts of local politicians and business leaders to reimagine Hiroshima as a “Peace City” follow.

Also introduced is the post-war history of several educational foundations, a lovely story about classical music cafe Musica and how a former fighter pilot stood up to gangsters and built Nishikido, purveyors of maple leaf-shaped momiji-manju cakes. The birth of the Hiroshima Carp is, of course, also covered.

The book Hiroshima’s Revival: Remembering how people overcame destruction and despair deals with the bombing itself in 3 short pages. It then goes on to describe how people worked to restore power

The inspiration for the book, executive director at RCC, Shingo Senda, says came from Afghanistan.

Afghan officials make regular trips to Hiroshima for study and training, and find the city a great source

of hope. Exhibits at the Peace Memorial Museum powerfully depict the horror of August 1945, but do little to answer their questions about just how a city, burnt to the ground, where it was said not a blade of grass would grow for 75 years, rebounded so spectacularly. He felt that this was a story that should be shared more widely, not only with people from overseas, but also closer to home.

Shingo Senda

24\

“I remember attending a lecture by local historian, Ryohei Tanabe, who contributed the book’s afterword. Tanabe told us how, just two days after the bombing, 12 local banks set up desks in the bombed-out shell of the Hiroshima Branch of the Bank of Japan and started paying out deposits to survivors with nothing but their word to back them up as most people had lost their passbooks and paperwork in the bombing. Even though many were injured themselves and so many of their colleagues dead, these bankers felt compelled to do what they could to help, paying out money to help people who had lost everything to start to get back on their feet. I’d never heard this story before so I was as surprised as I was moved.”

“When we came up with the idea of producing a kind of textbook detailing the history of the recovery, someone suggested the manga format as the visual presentation had greater potential to cross language barriers. The president of bookstore Futaba Tosho (the founder of which is one of the people highlighted in the book), introduced RCC to the publisher of some of Japan’s best-selling manga, Shogakkan. Shogakkan, in turn, put them in touch with Tezuka Productions (the company founded by the godfather of Japanese manga, Osamu Tezuka, creator of Atom Boy, and to whom the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of great concern). RCC did all the preliminary research, gathering evidence, oral testimony, reference photographs etc, from which writer Takeo Aoki created the dialogue-centered narrative that manga demand.”

“In researching the book, I went back through all RCC programming and found only a single one hour program that focuses on Hiroshima’s recovery. Nor has much been published on the subject.

The bombing was such a tragic event that there has long been a sense that focusing on the rebuilding of Hiroshima is in some way disrespectful to the thousands that perished. With so few sources, we relied heavily on official histories of private companies and educational institutions. Once I embarked on the project, people with incredible stories, who had no idea about what I was working on, started to find me. It was as if the universe was sending them to me.”

Senda is almost overwhelmed by tears as he relates one such story. “It only receives two frames in the book, but the head of the Hiroshima branch of Daiichi Seimei Life Insurance, Ekisen Kikushima, returned to Hiroshima from a business trip four

days after the bombing to find his family and most of his employees had been killed. It might be reasonable to expect an insurance company to refuse to payout for deaths due to acts of war, but Kikushima authorized the paying out policies, which they began to do a few days later from a makeshift office in Nishi-hiroshima. Daiichi Seimei paid out over 3200 policies in the following 10 months, all on the honor system. When the payments were eventually checked against official records, it became clear that their customers had shown great honesty and there was very little discrepancy in the figures. This had only been recorded in a publication distributed to Daiichi Seimei employees and was little known outside of the company.”

Compared to publications like Barefoot Gen, the tone of the book, while tinged with sadness, is unusually positive. Such an approach comes not without risk in Hiroshima, where not approaching the topic of the bombing without appropriate gravitas can result in vociferous criticism. This is evidenced by a kind of disclaimer which asks for understanding that the producers of the book appreciate that there are a variety of opinions regarding many aspects of this part of Hiroshima’s history. It calls for understanding with regard to the selection of stories and the style in which they are presented. Senda says that the response has almost all been positive and that he, personally, hasn’t heard any complaints that the subject matter has been treated too lightly.

GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

/25

Official corporate histories are not known for critical self-examination, but Senda is insistent that all possible measures to corroborate the content of the book have been taken by himself and his staff. There are, however, elements that may not be entirely historically correct. When talking about wanting to pay tribute to the creative vision of the people who planned the new “Peace City”, symbolized by the grand 100m wide road that became Hiroshima’s Peace Boulevard, and the efforts to secure funding for reconstruction, he brings up former Chair of the Hiroshima City Council, Tsukasa Nitoguri. The now deceased Nitoguri once told Senda in an interview that he had had an audience with Douglas MacArthur, at which the Supreme Allied Commander gave the all important Peace Memorial Construction Law his blessing. Senda says that try as he might, he could find no independent evidence of the meeting, but chose to take Nitoguri at his word and included it the book.

Nitoguri and MacArthur

Senda also confesses that there was some tension between the desire of the writer to entertain and of RCC’s wish to document fact. There were several instances when they had to tell Aoki that he was stretching the truth too far. One piece of artistic licence that was allowed, however, is the sole appearance of the occupation forces. Two amused soldiers screech to a halt in their jeep, music blaring from the radio, and jump out to take photos of school children having a lesson out in the open. They are chased off by an irate teacher with a hard stare.

There is of course a limit to the amount of information that can be included in such a volume and manga has its limits when it comes to explaining complex issues. Deeper issues are alluded to, such as the mixed response to the city’s first “Peace Festival” on the second anniversary of the bombing and the presence of the yakuza crime syndicates. Others are dismissed matter of factly.

The restarting of some of Hiroshima’s streetcar services within days of the bombing is perhaps the best known symbol of Hiroshima’s resilience.

In October 1945, the students of the girl’s school run by the transport company (the only women

26\

The manga reads right to left as it would in Japanese and the katakana sound effects remain unchanged

featured in the book) who drove the trams find that their school is being closed before they are able to graduate as male drivers start to return. Accepting their lot, “overcoming their hardships they lived on strongly”.

And, to show that political machinations were not completely set aside in the post-war years, Hideichi Ishimoto, the heroic manager who scraped together the first Hiroshima Carp baseball team (which could have been called “The Hiroshima Atoms”), is forced out of the team and out of the city. He is portrayed 20 years later, sitting alone, recovering from a stroke, tearfully watching the Carp’s first league title on TV. Until, however, this history is compiled in a verified text, Hiroshima’s Revival is a valiant effort at providing a broad and accessible overview of the economic revival of Hiroshima told from the point of view of some of the actors themselves.

And, along with Elizabeth Baldwin’s translation of A-bomb Mayor by Shinso Hamai, it is one of the few descriptions of the Hiroshima’s postwar recovery available in English.

Senda hopes that this English translation volume will be read by Hiroshima’s many international visitors and be a source of hope to people in wartorn countries. He was gratified to hear that the G7 foreign ministers who visited in April all received copies, but on mentioning seeing a young boy buy a copy at the Peace Museum, “That made me so happy,” he beams.

Hiroshima’s Revival: Remembering how people overcame destruction and despair Manga: Tezuka Productions Story: Takeo Aoki English adaptation: Pauline Baldwin Available at the Hondori and Hiroshima Station branches of Futaba Tosho and at the Hiroshima Peace Museum for ¥1000. The digital version can be purchased from futababooks.com at http://bit.ly/ hiroshimarevivaldigital [ja] The Japanese version「まんがで語りつぐ広島 の復興 原爆の悲劇を乗り越えた人たち」can also be purchased on Amazon Japan in hardback or for Kindle.

8.6 HIROSHIMA DAY

Every year, thousands of people fill the city and this day of peace is often far from peaceful.

Police in riot gear jar the senses. At 8:15am, however, when the peace bell is struck, except for a sole protester surrounded by police officers, all go silent in and around Peace Memorial Park and only the sound of cicadas chirping in the summer heat can be heard.

ARTISTIC AND UNOFFICIAL COMMEMORATIONS

In Hiroshima the A-bombing is ever

In recent years, more and more events - ranging from lectures and workshops to music concerts and DJ nights - are being held around town on

present. It’s not that it is constantly on the mind of people as they go about their daily business, but it is always in the background. Everything that happens here, happens in the context of it happening in the world’s first A-bombed city. Here, even the most mundane of activities can be viewed as an affirmation of life, a testament to survival and manifestation of hope realized.

The anniversary of the bombing is, however, a day on which the citizens of Hiroshima reflect on the tragedy and pay remembrance to those who perished in the blast and from its after effects.

Hiroshima Day, Peace Day or hachi-roku (“eight-six”) as it is often referred to here in Hiroshima, is also the day when the rest of Japan and the world turn their attention to Hiroshima.

FLOATING OF PEACE LANTERNS As night falls the police melt away and the crowds return to the Motoyasu River between the A-bomb Dome and Peace Park, to take part in the poignant, but somewhat less sombre tourou nagashi floating of lanterns. Thousands of people, including lots of families and small children, many in bright summer yukata, make their way to the riverside and set lanterns decorated with wishes for peace afloat on the river. It’s a beautiful sight and with the musicians playing on the riverbank, the mood is very different from the daytime ceremonies.

August 6. For well over a decade DJs have held the free “Summer of Love” gathering in Hanover Park across the road from the A-bomb Dome, until the (usually good natured) police shut things down. Keep an eye on GetHiroshima.com for details.

Float your own lantern Make a ¥600 donation at one of the tents (open from 6am) opposite the A-bomb Dome and a lantern will be set afloat on the river for you after dusk from a designated boat.

For the same ¥600 donation you can design your own lantern cover which you can affix to a lantern on the concrete bank of the Motoyasu river after 6pm, from where you can set it afloat yourself.

NB you can expect a long wait in line to float your lantern from the designated spot.

This day attracts all sorts of people, for whom “Hiroshima” necessarily holds many different meanings. Relatives and friends mourn those lost in the blast and the chaos that followed. Politicians jet in and disappear just as quickly. There are many peace activists as well as right wing groups; and of course there are the tourists.

For the latest information about events on August 6 check GetHiroshima.com.

GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

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A

Mitaki Temple

B

C

City map

OSHIBAKOEN

OSHIBA

MISASAKITAMACHI

MITAKIHONMACHI

1

OSHIBA PARK “Koutsuu Traffic Land”

JR MITAKI STATION

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Ota gaw a-h (dr osu ain age iro can al)

MITAKIMACHI

MISASAMACHI

uo

oh

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a-

KUSUNOKICHO

as

hi

Kabe

4 Ry

Kit

Highw ay

ine

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b Ka

o

RYUO PARK

UCHIKOSHICHO

ba

sh

Hakushima

i

RYUOCHO

JR YOKOGAWA STATION

in Line

Sanyo Ma

Yokogawa-eki

inkansen

Sanyo Sh

2

HAKUSHIMA KITAMACHI

YOKAGAWACHO

3

YOKAGAWASHINMACHI

YAMATECHO

Shin-Hakushima San yo

Ma

in L

M

isa

sa

ba

ine

Sa

sh

ny

i

NISHI HAKUSHIMACHO

Yokogawa-1chome

oS

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aw nm

TERAMACHI HIROSE KITAMACHI

e4

Jonan-

dori

CHUO PARK

Hirose Primary School

Tera-machi SORAZAYA PARK

HIROSEMACHI

FUKUSHIMACHO

Outdoor Family Pool Open July-August

KAMITENMACHO

C

ashi

Tera m

MIYAKOMACHI

TOKAICHIMACHI

dori

ori Hiros eb

Legal Administration Office Cinematographic and Audio-visual Library

achi-

NISHITOKAICHIMACHI

Aioi-d

Aioib

ashi

Hiroshima Naka Post Office

HONKAWACHO

SAKAIMACHI

Hirode Tenm n a bashi

KANNONMACHI Nishi-Kannon-machi

aw tag

Ho n

Koami-cho Dobashi

ori

PEACE PARK Motoy asugaw

a agaw

Tsuchiya Hospital

Rou

te 2

(Ko

kud

A on

i-se

neh

i

Funairi-machi

o)

Kan Shin non bas

h

Bunka Koryu Kaikan

Na Kan kajima zakib ash i

FUNAIRI NAKAMACHI

n-g

Heiw

B

Aster Plaza Kozaki Primary School

HORIKA

KAKOMACHI

ashi H

OTEMACHI PARK 2

Heiw

a-o-

H

SEIBUKAGAN RYOKUCHI PARK

OTEMACHI

Bu

PARCO

Former ALICE SHINTEN Bank of FUKUROMACHI GARDEN Japan Don Fukuromachi FUKUROMACHI Fukuro-machi SHINTENCHI Quijotte Primary PARK PARK School H H H NAKAMACHI Shirakami Shrine Crystal Plaza H MIKAWACHO NAGAREKAW H

a-oh

NAKAJIMACHO

ash

de)

Hiroshima Information Plaza

iki-d

KAWARAMACHI Mifu

Mitsu

u-do Labi ri E

arca

ori

FUNAIRIMACHI

Ebis red

Nam

Tenm

4

Kannon Primary School

Tokyu Tate-machi Hands AioiH dori / De nsha -do H Fukuya TATEMACHI

HONDORI

a

Midor ohas i hi

OTEMACHI PARK 1 H

KAMIYACHO

HATCHOBORI

Mitsubishi Tokyo Hondo ri (c UFJ Bank 4F ove

Rijo-d

i or Ku

ko

-d

o-dori

Hiroshima Bank Sumitomo Mitsui Bank

Hondori

Heiwa-

NISHIKANNONMACHI

28\

OTEMACHI

Ho nk bas awa hi

DOBASHICHO

Kamiya-cho Higashi

Kamiya-cho Nishi Mizuho Bank Rijo Kaikan Sun Mall

yasu Moto shi ba

HONKAWA PARK

KOAMICHO

Prefectural Office (Kencho)

SOGO

(Ky u-o

Tenm bash a i

TENMACHO

Honkawa Primary School

NEKOYACHO

Jogakuin

KYUGUCHIMON PARK Chuo Police Station Chokaku YMCA Templ Prefectural Office East Office Momiji Bank

Kencho-mae

Bus Center (3F)

Genbaku Dome-mae

a)

Honkawa-cho

wa

Tenma-cho Fukushima-cho

ri

Hiroshima Municipal Hospital

H

FORMER BASEBALL STADIUM SITE

ENOMACHI PARK

n-do

HANOVER PARK

ka

Kannon-machi

H

Jona

Tennis courts

HONKAWACHO

Tokaichi-machi

ENOMACHI

HIGASHIKANNONMACHI

Immigra Offic

wa

3

KAMIHATCHOBO Gokoku-jinja Shrine

Sorazayabashi

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ahir

o-d

ori

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Nak

OGAWACHIMACHI

Hiroshima Castle

Motomachi Primary School

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C KOMACHI

H Hiroshima Chuo Post Office

dori

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ace

H

Blvd

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aku

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out

Hakushima Primary School

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ri

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ess

HA

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im

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Motomachi Senior High School

a

hi

as

eb

Hir

Joh

Johoku

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at

m

Ya Nakahiro Junior High School

Enryuji Temple (Tokasan)

TA H

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ae

D

E

F

MT. USHITA

1

MT. MITATE

Ushita

3

SHIN USHITA PARK

HIGASHI-KU SPORTS CENTER (BIG WAVE)

Kohei bash

i

USHITA PARK

Supermarket

Hiroden Streetcar

Post Office

Astram Line Monorail

Tourist Info

Covered arcade

Â¥100 Bicycle Parking

Foreign Currency Exchange

Public Bath

International ATM

Airport Bus

Play area

Meipuru~pu bus

Hiroshima Free Wi-Fi

Hotel

Futaba-no-sato walk

Hiroshima Jogakuin University

USHITAASAHI Ushita Primary School

USHITAWASEDA

USHITAHONMACHI

H USHITANAKA

ta hi hi Us bas o

2

ab

as

hi

HAKUSHIMA NAKAMACHI PARK

Ka

nd

HAKUSHIMA NAKAMACHI

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HAKUSHIMA Ikari Shrine KUKENCHO

USHITHIGASHI

higa

hin

kan

wa

sen

USHITAMINAMI

Peace Pagoda

Kinko Inari Shrine

HIGASHI AKUSHIMACHO

Onaga Tenmangu Shrine

MT. FUTABAYAMA

Nigitsu Shrine

MT. ONAGA

Hakushima

To

kiw

Teishin Hospital

YAGAMACHI

Toshogu Shrine

ab

as

hi

Kokuzenji Temple

HIKARIGAOKA

Shokoji Temple

FUTABANOSATO Detention Center

ORI

YAMANECHO

Tetsudo Hospital

ation ce

HIKARIMACHI H

Fu

SHUKKEIEN GARDEN

ta

ba

KAMIOSUGACHO

-d

Futaba Junior High School

or

i

Jogakuin Junior High School

n-mae

Jogakuin High School

KAMINOBORICHO

ri

OSUGACHO

i

Hatchobori

HASHIMOTOCHO PARK H

Inari-machi

Inarioha

shi

Matoba-cho

H

H Yanagibashi

eb

HIGASHIKOJINMACHI

H

ori

ish

D

HIGASHIHIRATSUKACHO HIRATSUKA PARK

ri

ny

oM

ain

e

MAZDA ZOOM ZOOM STADIUM

i

Ozu

COSTCO

4

-do

ri

shi

ri do

aba

jiy Hi

nsen

Lin

DANBARA

E

F GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

HIJIYAMA PARK Hijiyamashita

ri

Geibi Line

Danbara-1chome

higawa

H

Kyobas

ANAKAMACHI

do

Shinka

sh

a ob

am a-

Yage

hi hi as bas Hig ima h os

o-

NISHIKANIYA

Hiroshima Mall

Ta

MATSUGAWA PARK

on

ONAGAHIGASHI

NISHIKOJINMACHI

MATOBACHO

Hir

NISHIHIRATSUKACHO

H

Sa

MINAMIKANIYA YAYOICHO

WACHO

Sanyo

ori

o-d

bon

nbori

-dori

YAGENBORI

Ak

HIGASHIKANIYACHO

H

INARIMACHI

KANAYAMACHO

ri

i ash

b

jin

Ko

ae-d

-dori

ONAGANISHI

ATAGOMACHI

A

Ake

H

B

dan

KOJINMACHI

wa

AWACHO

H

H

ENKOBASHICHO

a kog

Momiji Bank

H

H

Enkobashi-cho

hi

bas Enko

Kyobashi

H H Kanayama-cho Hiroshima Bank

MATSUBARACHO

En

EBISUCHO

Hiroshima Bank

Ekim

Ebisu-cho

ukoshi

Hiroshima Station

Fukuya

KYOBASHICHO

HASHIMOTOCHO

WAKAKUSACHO

H

H

NOBORICHO PARK

a-do

or

Kam iy bas anagi hi

Memorial Cathedral for World Peace

NOBORICHO

utsu

H

-d

Ek o- ima ha e sh i

Noboricho Primary School

TEPPOCHO

NCHI

ku

H

H

ori

ho

H

H

JR HIROSHIMA STATION

Jo

H

3

SHINKANSEN

H

TOBUKAGAN RYOKUCHI PARK

KAMI NOBORICHO PARK

Haku shim a-do

uji le

hi

ebas

Saka

Heiw

H

H

Noboricho Junior High School

Onaga Primary School

Hiroshima Bank

Shukkeien-mae

do

ONAGAMACHI

Katei Saibansho-mae

DANBARAHINODE

/29

6 5

ta

Shukkeien-mae

station area Jogakuin Junior High School

H

Jogakuin High School

Jogakuin-mae

eb

KAMINOBORICHO

ri

Noboricho Primary School

TEPPOCHO

ashi

Saka

-d

Hiroshima Bank

or

i

SHINKANSEN

H

OSUGACHO ho

ku

6

-d

3 Hotel Flex

Memorial Cathedral for World Peace

i

WAKAKUSACHO

H

H

H

ATAGOMAC

Hiroshima Station

Fukuya

Kam iy bas anagi hi

H

7

or

10

H

H

JR HIROSHIMA STATION

Jo

H

TOBUKAGAN RYOKUCHI PARK

H

H

ba H

Noboricho Junior High School

KAMI NOBORICHO PARK

hima -do Haku s

Fu

17

Hiroshima Bank

HIGA

MATSUBARACHO

Ek o- ima ha e sh i

A

KAMIOSUGACHO

SHUKKEIEN GARDEN

13

Hana Hostel ENKOBASHICHO 2

NOBORICHO

H

HASHIMOTOCHO PARK

Inarioh

ashi

YAGENBORI Tate-machi i-dor

i

PARCO SHINKAN

ALICE GARDEN

Takeya Primary School

Ts

OKONOMI MURA

MACHI

uru

mi

ba

ori

ri do aam jiy Hi

11 Molly Mallone’s

Merchant of Venice Sky Walk

sh

Escalator 10

6 i Washington Hotel

DON QUIJOTTE

Koba 8

iya

Namiki-dori

H

B

Chuo-dori

Hij

ma

Bourbon 4 Square

Vegan Cafe Hijiyamabashi

bas

hi

H

9 Mac

New King 12

Danbara Shopping Center

DANBARAYAMAS

DANBARAMINAMI

Choi Choi Ya 2

16

H

2 BBB

BILLY THE KID

namiki / nagarekawa area

Bon Voyage Enryuji Temple (Tokasan)

H

30\

5 Centre Point

Micks 9

Tropical Bar Revolución 15

FUKUROMACHI PARK

H

DAN

Hijiyamashita

3

19 Youin 6 Hallelujah

1

Bar Edge H

Oneness Coffee 5 H H

-d o

Fuji Grand Shopping Center

Butsudan-dori

HIJIYAMA PARK

SHINTENCHI PARK

Kinzagai-dori

TSURUMICHO

MINA

DANBARA

a

PARCO HONKAN

H

H

KIRIN BEER

i

2 Yamatoya

shigaw

HIRATSUKA PARK Kinzagai-dori Hondori

HIROSHIMA BANK

Yagenbori-dori

nbor Yage

H

HIGASHIHIRATSUKACHO 3 Cinetwin Hondori

Danbara-1chome

Nagarekawa-dori

wa-d

reka

Naga

i i sh sh ga ba Hi ima Ebisu 2 Popeye sh Ebisu-dori Shrine ro Hi Ebisu-dori Ebisu-dori

Kanayama-cho

MOMIJI BANK

MATSUGAWA PARK

Kyoba

TANAKAMACHI

or

Ebisu-cho MITSUKOSHI

LABI

NISHIHIRATSUKACHO

-d

T

hi

as

ob

h ais

6 Hatchoza FUKUYA

Southern Cross YAYOICHO 14

H

MATOBACHO

ae-d

/ Densha-dori HAioi-dori Yanagibas hi

Ekim

ori

KANAYAMACHO

NISHIKANIYA

Hiroshima Mall

a

INARIMACHI

KAWACHO

ae

18

H

TENCHI

CHI

Matoba-cho

H

aw

RIKAWACHO

Inari-machi

kog

Hiroshima Bank

Momiji Bank

NISHIKOJINMACHI

En

EBISUCHO

HIGASHIKOJINMACHI

H

H

H H Kanayama-cho

Mitsukoshi abi

hi

bas

jin

Ko

b Ake 7

ri

H

H

Kyobashi

ri

-do

ono

KOJINMACHI

H

ae

Ebisu-cho

ri

b

Enko

H

14

im

Hatchobori

a-do

KYOBASHICHO

HASHIMOTOCHO

Ek

NOBORICHO PARK

Enkobashi-cho

ashi

2

B Cinematographic and Audio-visual Library

H

11 Tennis courts

C

Legal Administration Office

ri

n-do

Jona

YMCA

H

H

Chokakuji Temple

Jogakuin-mae

KYUGUCHIMON PARK Chuo Police Station Prefectural Office East Office

Momiji Bank

16

Enryuji Temple (Tokasan)

H

5

Jogakuin High School

Shukkeien-mae

Jogakuin Junior High School

H

H

Noboricho Junior High School

KAMI NOBORICHO PARK

KAMINOBORICHO

H

KANAYAMACHO

YAYOICHO

hi

ebas

D

Saka

H

TOBUKAGAN RYOKUCHI PARK

3

H

or i

OSUGACHO

Hijiyamashita

8

3

JR

Fukuya

Hirosh Ban

H

H

Mato

MATOBACH

-d

Jo ho ku

1

H

2

MATSUGAWA PARK

Inari-machi

KYOBASHICHO

Kam iy bas anagi hi

H

Kyobashi

shi

Inarioha

INARIMACHI

i i sh sh ga ba Hi ima sh ro

H Yanagibashi

Hi

i

sh

iba

shigaw

a

D

Hijiyamabashi

rum

Kyoba

HIRATSUKA PARK

shi

Ts u

HIGASHIHIRATSUKACHO

NISHIHIRATSUKACHO

H

Hiroshima Bank

H H Kanayama-cho

HASHIMOTOCHO PARK

HASHIMOTOCHO

Noboricho Primary School Memorial Cathedral for World Peace

NOBORICHO

TEPPOCHO

H

Takeya Primary School

TSURUMICHO

TANAKAMACHI

i or -d ae

H

MIKAWACHO NAGAREKAWACHO

H

oro

er-d

met

13 im Ek

Fuji Grand Shopping Center

Momiji Bank

NOBORICHO PARK

Ebisu-cho

Hatchobori

Mitsukoshi Labi

dori

sha-

Den

Tokyu Hands

HATCHOBORI

E

EBISUCHO HORIKAWACHO

-dor i

bisu

Fukuya

i-do ri /

Tate-machi Aio

de)

arca

TATEMACHI

H

Hiroshima Municipal Hospital

Kencho-mae Prefectural Office (Kencho)

Kamiya-cho Higashi

i

2 HANOVER PARK

FORMER BASEBALL STADIUM SITE Bus Center (3F)

SOGO

ash

Outdoor 1 Family Pool Open July-August

Aioib ashi

Kamiya-cho Nishi

Genbaku Dome-mae Hiroshima Naka Post Office

1

Hiroshima Bank

1

KAMIYACHO 1

Sumitomo Mitsui Bank

3

red

i (co ve

HONDORI

Mitsubishi Tokyo Hondo r UFJ Bank 4F

Mizuho Bank

Hondori

Rijo 15 u Kaikan oyas Sun Mot shi 5 ba Mall 11 OTEMACHI 1 2 3 1

5 4

H

1

NAKAMACHI

/ Pe a

aku

FUJIMICHO

d/ Hy

ce B lv

H

Buts PARCO Hiroshima uda n-do Information ri Former ALICE SHINTENCHI Plaza 3 4 Bank of FUKUROMACHI GARDEN Japan Don Fukuromachi FUKUROMACHI Fukuro-machi YAGENBORI Quijotte SHINTENCHI Primary PARK PARK School H H

Crystal

H

dori

a-o-

KOMACHI

Heiw

10 Plaza

1 Dormy inn Chuden-mae

H

Shirakami Shrine

H

OTEMACHI PARK 1

7

H

wab

PARK

TOKAICHIMACHI

2

HONKAWACHO

Honkawa-cho

9

PEACE PARK

12

a-oh ashi

Heiw

H

Kokutaiji High School

Hei

HIROSEMACHI

A

13 15

Tokaichi-machi

4 Honkawa Primary School

HONKAWA PARK

Ho nk bas awa hi

14

Tsuchiya Hospital

H

8 17

OTEMACHI

SEIBUKAGAN RYOKUCHI PARK

OTEMACHI PARK 2

Hiroshima Chuo Post Office Naka Ward Office

Kokutaiji Junior High School

TAKARAMACHI

Hij iya

ma ba

Ek

NISHITOKAICHIMACHI

1

5

DOBASHICHO

HONKAWACHO

NEKOYACHO

J-Hoppers

12

NAKAJIMACHO

4 Ikawa Ryokan

Bunka Koryu Kaikan

Aster Plaza

KAKOMACHI

Shiyakusho mae

KOKUTAIJI PARK

A

ri

/31

i

sh

ENOMACHI

ENOMACHI PARK

SAKAIMACHI Koami-cho Dobashi

KOAMICHO

2 KAWARAMACHI

Na Kan kajima zakib ash i

Funairi-machi

Kozaki Primary School Nakajima Primary School

Otemachi Commercial High School

Hiroshima City Hall

TAKEYACHO

C

ori

ae-d

a-do shim Haku ori

i

Shin-sum iyoshi bashi

HIGASHI SENDA PARK

Naga

o- ima GetHiroshima / Summer 2016 ha e

ri

Chuo

wa-d

reka

B

do

a-

am

nbor

Yage

ori

iki-d Nam

a) Ta Shopkanobas hi ping Stre et

B

Takanobashi

dori

jiy

i

i-dor

KAMISHINONOMECHO

SAKI

Ekim

dori

aw

i-dor mach Tera

shiba shi

hi ibas Meij

18

Jizo-

Sky Walk Escalator

HIJIYAMA

Hi

-dori

NBARAHINODE

ri

UNAIRIMACHI

3 Sum iyo

A

-do Ozu

AMIKANIYA

awa

Geibi Line

Rijo-

COSTCO

MAZDA ZOOM ZOOM STADIUM

yasug

e

Ky a( aw

nk Ho

tag

nsen

ONAGAHIGASHI ONAGANISHI

u-o

Shinka

Sanyo

ri do o-

ASHIKANIYACHO

on eb Ak

CHI

Onaga Primary School

Moto

Lin ain oM ny Sa

city center

C

onmachi

Junior High School

List of places

Map A: p.30 Map B: p.30 Map C: p.31

CULTURE

HE ALTH & BE AUT Y 1

Family Pool - Map C [B-1] (Open July - August)

2

Green Arena Gym & Pool - Map C [B-1]

6

Kanawa ASSE - Map A

3

Higashi-ku Sports Center (Big Wave) - Map p.28 [D-1]

1

A-Bomb Dome - Map C [B-1]

7

Kanawa Kaki Meian - Map A

4

Jeanne d’Arc (Waxing Salon) - Map p.28 [B-2]

2

Children’s museum - Map C [A-2]

8

Kissui - Map C [B-2]

5

Laff Hair Design - Map C [B-1]

3

Cinetwin Hondori - Map B

9

Micks - Map B

6

M’n Chiropractic - Map A

4

Former Bank of Japan - Map C [B-2]

10

Mokuren Okonomiyaki & Teppanyaki - Map A

5

Gallery G - Map A

11

Nagataya Okonomiyaki - Map C [B-1]

6

Hatchoza Cinema - Map B

12

Otis! - Map C [A-2]

7

Hiroshima City International House - Map A

13

Rojiura Teppan Kotaro - Map C [C-3]

1

Global Lounge - Map C [C-1]

8

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art Map C [D-3]

14

Sarii-chan Okonomiyaki - Map A

2

Popeye Media Cafe Ebisu-dori - Map B

9

Hiroshima City Tourist Information - Map C [B-2]

15

Tokaichi Apartment - Map C [A-1]

3

Popeye Media Cafe Hondori - Map C [C-1]

10

Hiroshima International Center - Map C [B-2]

16

Vegan Cafe - Map B

11

Hiroshima Museum of Art - Map C [B-1]

17

Viale - Map C [B-2]

12

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum - Map C [B-2]

18

Warung Matahari - Map C [B-3]

13

Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum - Map A

19

Youin - Map B

14

International Exchange Lounge - Map C [A-2]

15

Rijo Kaikan Kenmin Bunka Center - Map C [B-1]

16

Salon Cinema 1/2 - Map C [B-3]

17

Shimizu Gekijo - Map A

1

Bar Edge - Map B

18

Shukkeien Garden - Map A

2

BBB - Map B

3

Bon Voyage - Map B

4

Bourbon Square - Map B

5

Centre Point - Map B

1

Aburiya Hachisuke - Map C [B-2]

p.17

6

Hallelujah Kitchen & Bar - Map B

2

Caffe Ponte - Map C [B-1]

p.16

ACCOMMODATION

NIGHTLIFE

INTERNE T

FASHION SHOPPING 1

Fujisei - Map C [B-2]

2

Houkago Kimono Club - Map C [A-1]

3

San-biki-no-koneko - Map C [B-2]

PL ACES FE ATURED IN THIS ISSUE

1

Dormy Inn - Map C [B-2]

7

Kemby’s - Map C [B-2]

3

Italiare - Map p.28 [B-2]

p.17

2

Hana Hostel - Map A

8

Koba - Map B

4

Kissa Mekuru - Map C [A-1]

p.16

3

Hotel Flex - Map A

9

Mac - Map B

5

Oneness Coffee - Map B

p.17

4

Ikawa Ryokan - Map C [A-2]

10

Merchant of Venice - Map B

5

J-Hoppers Hiroshima - Map C [A-2]

11

Molly Malone’s - Map B

6

Washington Hotel - Map B

12

New King - Map B

13

Organ-za - Map C [A-1]

14

Southern Cross - Map B

15

Tropical Bar Revolución - Map B

RESTAUR ANT & CAFES

SHOPPING

1

Artcafe ELK - Map C [B-1]

2

Choi Choi Ya - Map B

3

Graffity Mexican Diner - Map C [C-2]

1

Outsider Book Nook / Global Lounge - Map C [C-1]

4

Kanak - Map C [B-2]

2

Yamatoya - Map B

5

Kanawa (Kaki-fune) - Map C [B-2]

kanak Delicious, healthy, additive-free Indian food right next to Peace Park. Excellent lunch sets. Indian pub-style atmosphere at night with many a la carte dishes to choose from as well as curry meals.

Curry lunch sets from ¥780 Free refills of rice/nan at lunch Vegetarian, vegan and Halal food.

A la carte Kids sets ¥500 ~¥590 (ex tax) Party room available

Lunch 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:30) Dinner 17:00-22:30 (L.O. 22:00) 082-236-7308 Map C p. 31 [B-2] 4

Dormy Inn

Hana Hostel

On Peace Blvd, very close to Peace Memorial Park. Free WiFi in all rooms. Free washing machine. Great traditional bath.

Single: ¥6500, Double: ¥9000, Twin: ¥11,500 082-240-1177 map C p.31 [B-2] 1

Clean and friendly. 3min from Hiroshima Sta. Common lounge and kitchen. Dorm beds from ¥2500, Private twin rooms from ¥3200/person.

No curfew, Free LAN/WiFi, Rental cycles 082-263-2980 map A p.30 2

Hotel Flex

Ikawa Ryokan

Stylish riverside hotel, rates include breakfast Singles ¥6825, Doubles from ¥11,555 The upper floor suites are really cool.

082-223-1000 map A p.30 3

Cozy, home-like atmosphere.

Japanese and Western rooms. Coin laundry.

S from ¥5940 / Twin ¥9720 / Tr ¥14,580 Quad ¥17,280 / Breakfast ¥756 www.ikawaryokan.net info@ikawaryokan.net 082-231-5058 map C p.31 [A-2] 4

J-Hoppers Hiroshima

Washington Hotel

Friendly base in an interesting neighborhood near Peace Park.

No curfew, Kitchen, Rental cycles Dorm beds from ¥2500, Private rooms from ¥3000/person map C p.31 [A-2] 5 082-233-1360

Hospitality, amenity and security right in the heart of Hiroshima.

All rooms equipped with great bathrooms and separate lavatory. WiFi in all rooms

Artcafe ELK

Cafe Lente

2nd floor cafe near Peace Park. Good sandwich lunches, drinks, vegetarian menu. Ask about vegan and gluten free dishes and their vegan desserts. International exchange spot.

10:30-22:00 (L.O. 21:30) 082-247-4443 map C p.31 [B-1] 2F 1

Escape the Miyajima crowds at this beautifully designed cafe. Wooden terrace. Great view of the floating torii gate, especially after dark.

From 11:00 Located along the water inlet between Kiyomori Shrine & Miyajima Aquarium.

Choi Choi Ya

Graffity Mexican Diner

Shiho serves Hiroshima tsukemen, yaki-ramen (fish stock base), side dishes and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.

Eat, drink or both at the counter or a street-side table.

Can get quite lively late at night.

20:30-03:00 Closed Sundays & hols that fall on a weekday map B p.30 2

A spacious family-run diner serving homemade Mexican and US style foods. Great fresh salsa, highly rated margaritas and a good selection of tequila.

11:30-14:00 (L.O. 13:20), 18:00-24:00 (L.O. 23:00) 082-243-3669 map C p.31 [C-2] 4F 3

Micks

Mokuren Okonomiyaki & Teppanyaki

Lively and friendly izakaya. Casual atmosphere with good food, Japanese & western. Great selection of local sake.

http://washington-hotels.jp/hiroshima/ 082-553-2222 map B p.30 6

Sun-Thur 18:00-3:00, Fri, Sat, days before Hols 18:00-5:00 Closed Wed 082-249-6231 map B p.30 9

Traditional and creative Hiroshima Okonomiyaki and a wide range of grilled teppan dishes on the 6th Floor of the Full Focus building across from Hiroshima JR Station. Local oysters, sake and ice cold draft beer too.

10:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:30) 082-568-7850 map A p.30 10

Nagataya

Otis!

Great okonomiyaki and plenty of space to sit, a stone’s throw away from Peace Park. Excellent understanding of vegetarian needs.

Tex Mex and home-cooked food for meat eaters & vegetarians. Their vegetarian menu is one of the best in the city & includes vegan and gluten free dishes. Kids very welcome. Eclectic BGM & live music.

11:30-22:30 (L.0.)

082-249-3885 map C p.31 [A-2] 12

Mon-Fri 11:00-20:30 (L.O.) Sat 11:00-21:00 (L.O.) Sun, hols 10:30-20:30 (L.O) (Closed Tue & 4th Wed) 082-247-0787 map C p.31 [B-1] 11

Rojiura Teppan Kotaro Young grill master Kotaro serves delicious seasonal dishes & drinks just off Peace Blvd.

17:00-02:00 (L.O. 01:30) Closed Tuesdays 082-249-1953 map C p.31 [C-3] 2F 13

Sarii-chan Okonomiyaki Affable, soccer-loving okonomiyaki-ist serving Hiroshima’s favorite dish and drinks near Hiroshima Station.

11:30-14:00, 17:00-23:00 Closed Saturdays 082-236-7303 map A p.30 2F 14

Tokaichi Apartment

Vegan Cafe

Quirky, smoke free cafe in Tokaichi with some very interesting seating options. ¥850 set lunches served until 16:30.

11:30-23:00 (lunch L.O. 16:30) Closed Tuesdays 082-231-9865 map C p.31 [A-1] 1F 15

100% vegan food made with fresh local vegetables and all natural seasonings. Our multi-dish set meals are heavily influenced by traditional Buddhist temple cuisine.

12:00-17:00 Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations recommended.

082-247-8529, map B p.26 3F 16

Bar Edge

Warung Matahari

Small underground club with a good sound system.

Excellent Indonesian cuisine prepared by Balinese chef Surasna. Vegetarian and Halal friendly. If you like it really spicy, ask Surasna to let you have it!

17:30-22:30 (L.O.) Closed Mondays 082-240-2082 map C p.31 [B-3] 18

082-248-8146 map B p.30 1

Youin 陽陰 washoku bar Cheerful and mild-mannered “Take” Shimosaka has created something quite remarkable. Youin is relaxed enough to just enjoy a few drinks, but also offers some quite excellent Japanese cuisine which would be crazy to pass up. Take’s skill is immediately evident on presentation of the meticulously prepared Kyo-ryori dishes of his native Kyoto and modern washoku. The flavors he draws out of his seasonal and all-natural ingredients are simply exceptional.

082-249-7129 / 2F Nakagawa Bldg, 8-11 Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku 20:00-05:00 Map B p. 30 19 facebook.com/youin.hiroshima

BBB

Bon Voyage

All teams welcome at Ayaka’s “Baseball Baka Bar”. Ballgames on screen, an original cocktail for every team, OK to BYO food, and a $30 all night all-you-drink deal.

The menu is in US$ so check her daily rate for ¥ prices!

20:00-03:00 (from 17:30 if there’s a night game) Closed Monday, 082-541-7288 map B p.30 2

International bar with counter and 2 discount rooms in which to chill. Nice cocktails and some great food too.

Bourbon Square

Centre Point

Relaxed counter bar near Shintenchi Park. Great selection of bourbon, whiskies and fresh fruit cocktails. Plus some of the best tasting draft beer in the drinking district.

Mon-Sat 18:00-03:00, Sun 18:00-24:00 082-242-3668, map B p.30 2F 4

Nagarekawa bar catering to a late night crowd that prides itself on its whiskey selection. DJs spinning at weekends, good source of local nightlife info.

Mon-Thur, Sun 18:00-02:00, Fri, Sat 18:00-04:00 082-249-2380 map B p.30 3F 3

Tue-Thur 20:00-03:00, Fri, Sat 20:00-05:00, Sun 20:00-01:00 map B p.30 5F 5

Koba Rock loving BOM is one of Hiroshima’s most welcoming and entertaining bartenders. He whips up some very tasty food too.

Kemby’s www.facebook.com/kembyshiroshima High quality food in a casual atmosphere. Kemby’s has all the bases covered with tapas, pasta,Tex Mex, gourmet sausages, seafood and their famous burgers. Owner Prakash prides himself on his wine list and is happy to help you make the right choice.

The full drink menu includes international beers on draft and a selection of imported craft beers. Happy hours 17:30-00:30 selected alcohol ¥200 off Sun-Thur 17:30-24:30 (Food L.O. 23:30) Fri & Sat 17:30-01:00 (Food L.O. 24:30) / 082-249-6201 map C p.31 [B-2] 7

18-00-01:30 (L.O), Closed Wednesdays 082-249-6556 map B p.26 3F 8

Mac Legendary Hiroshima watering hole with massive CD collection.

18:00-late Closed Sundays 082-243-0343 map B p.30 2F 9

Merchant of Venice

New King

Chilled out drinking space with subdued lighting offering some interesting Japanese themed cocktails at the bar counter or in the darts lounge.

19:00-04:00 (L.O. 03:30) Closed Mondays 082-240-1155 map B p.30 3F 10

Trendy and Pink, 2F bar run by the guys behind local hip men’s underwear boutique.

21:00-05:00 082-247-4487 map B p.30 2F 12

Organ-za Bohemian queen, Goto Izumi's avant-garde center of operations. Great decor, food, drink and bizarre stage shows.

Tue-Fri 17:30-01:30 (L.O.), Sat 11:30-01:30 (L.O.) Sun 11:30-23:30 (L.O.) Closed Mondays 082-295-1553 map C p.31 [A-1] 2F 13

Molly Malone’s

www.facebook.com/mollymaloneshiroshima Hiroshima’s authentic Irish pub. Great beer, great food, great service. The place to watch Premier League soccer.

Tues-Thurs 17:00~01:00 / Fri 17:00~02:00 / Sat 11:30~02:00 / Sun + Nat Hol 11:30~24:00 / Closed Monday / 082-244-2554 map B p.30 4F 11

Tropical Bar Revolución Nobu’s popular 8F hangout, friendly and relaxed complete with balcony.

Southern Cross Spacious ex-pat bar particularly with an antipodean theme. Room to breathe in a smoke free atmosphere. www.facebook.com/southerncrosshiroshima 18:00-01:00 082-236-3396 map B p.30 4F 14

Outsider Book Nook/Global Lounge Used English books to buy or exchange. Internet, cafe & meeting place. Lunches daily, bar from 19:00 Fri & Sat.

18:00-03:00~04:00 Closed Sun, hols map B p.30 8F 15

Mon-Thurs 12:00-21:00 Fri & Sat 12:00-23:00, Closed Sun, hols 082-244-8145 map C p.31 [C-1] 1 1

Yamatoya

Jeanne d’Arc (Waxing Salon)

Produced in limited quantities yet reasonably priced, a bottle of Hiroshima's top quality local Japanese sake makes for a great souvenir. www.piconet.co.jp/yamatoya/

Private waxing salon. Only for women.

Reservation: http://www.wax-hiroshima.com/original7.html

09:00-22:00 Closed Sundays 082-241-5660 map B p.30 2

10:00-19:00 090-5699-36-69 map p.28 [B-2] 3F 4

Laff Hair Design

M’n Chiropractic

Ippei’s skills and service have made him a huge hit among Hiroshima’s international community.

Dr. Naoki Morimoto trained in the US, speaks English and is highly recommended by one of our writers. Consultation & treatment ¥5000/ session http://mnchiropractic.jp/ Appointments by reservation only 080-962-5091 map A p.30 3F 6 Wed afternoon,Thurs, Sun & Nat Hols

082-504-7636 (English line) map C p.31 [B-1] 5

TO ADVERTISE 広告掲載のお問い合わせ

Media Cafe Popeye Hondori / Ebisu-dori So much more than Internet in 2 city centre locations Internet access (PC), Free soft drinks, Shower rooms available (additional charge), Overnight stay OK Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Popeye Ebisu-dori map B p.30 2 Popeye Hondori map C p.31 [C-2] 3

CALL: 082 225 7466 info@gethiroshima.com

日本語 OK

www.gethiroshima.com

EVENTS HIRODEN STREETCAR FESTIVAL f June 12 - 10:00-16:00

MORNING FAR FAR NEW MOON PARTY

f Get up close to, in and under Hiroshima’s streetcars at Hi-

f July 29-31

roden’s Senda-machi yard. Heaven for train geeks, and little

f Ganne Moon Beach,

Etajima Island

kids will love it too, but there is also a good deal to interest the casual observer.

3 day pass ¥4000 July 31 06:00~ ¥2000 Limited to 200.

A weekend of music under the stars and the sun on a lovely beach. Mixed genre pre and after parties Friday and Sunday nights, with a 24 hour session starting at 3pm Saturday heavy on the psy-trance.

ONOMICHI SATURDAY NIGHT MARKETS

HIROSHIMA SUNDANCE 2016

f Every Saturday June 11-July 23 - 18:00-21:00

f Tsutsumigaura Beach Park, Miyajima

f September 4

f As much festival as shopping expedition, on Saturday

nights in June and July Onomichi’s usually quiet shotengai ret-

Hiroshima’s biggest “beach” party at

ro shopping arcade buzzes with people buying knick knacks

Tsutsumigaura Beach Park on Miya-

and playing traditional festival games. It gets particularly

jima. A day of live music, DJs, dance

colorful from the end of June when the arcade is festooned

shows and sports, plus international

with Tanabata star festival.

food and drink stalls.

SENDA WASSHOI FLEA MARKET f 6/5 (6/26), 6/19 (6/26), 7/10 (7/31), 7/24

(7/31), 8/21 (8/28) Dates in () backup date in case of cancellation due to bad weather. f Higashi-senda Park

www.gethiroshima.com/events

HALLELUJAH KI TC HE N

&

B AR

www.facebook.com/hallelujah.kitchen.bar

Have a drink and some light food while enjoying the reggae, ska and rocksteady soundtrack or enjoy a full dinner. Western and Japanese food (fish, meat, salads, pasta etc is available). The staff don’t speak a lot of English, but are very friendly and welcoming and there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself laughing with them until well into the early hours.

18:00-05:00 Closed on Monday | Tel: 082-247-0199 Nakagawa bldg II 1F, 8-11, Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku, Map B p. 30 6

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Words: Alex Rey / Photo: Vitorio Benedetti https://www.flickr.com/photos/vbenedetti/

ducking and diving in

tsuyu

Rainy season pretty much sucks, but with a bit of local knowledge you can cruise around town without getting (too) soggy.

Tsuyu, Japan’s rainy season lasts through June and into the middle of July. It doesn’t rain every day, but when it does, it’s pretty relentless, so, if you arrive in the middle of a downpour, how best to get around?

Taking Hiroshima Station as your starting point you will want to exit on the South Side, where the trams can be found. You can buy an umbrella at the 7/11 there. If you can find one before you arrive, Japan’s famous 100 Yen shops, Daiso, sell rain wear. Unfortunately there isn’t one in Hiroshima Station.

To Peace Memorial Park You can head first to the A-Bomb Dome, or to the Memorial Museum. To get between the two you will need to walk through the park. If you really can not bear to get wet, and don’t mind missing the museum, take the tram (2 or 6) from the station to Genbaku Dome Mae. However, if you want to see more of the park I suggest jumping on a bus at the front of the station. Take a number 24 or 25. Buses such as the 21 pretend they go to the park but the stops they drop you at are a little walk away. The bus stop will be announced in English and is across from the museum, on Peace Boulevard, next to the Gates of Peace. After visiting the museum you’ll have to walk through the park to see the A-bomb Dome. You’re on your own here...

You can of course take a taxi from the station to Peace Park. Be warned though, many of Hiroshima’s taxi drivers didn’t get the memo about Japan’s excellent customer service. They will get

you there though. One exception is Tsubame, who most definitely did get that memo, and thought it didn’t quite come up to their own high standards http://www.tsubame.co.jp/english/.

Going Underground Once you are finished at the A-Bomb Dome, now would be a good time to head underground. Cross the streetcar road and turn right.

Immediately to your left you should see a non descript subway entrance with a pointy roof.

Head down it and you will find yourself at the car park of underground shopping centre, Shareo. If you missed the entrance, just keep your eyes open for any stairs heading underground in the centre of Hiroshima. You should end up in the dry.

Shareo is an unspectacular underground shopping mall, but it’s also a handy connecting corridor protected from the elements. In the shape of a cross under the streets of central Hiroshima, there are 2 ‘streets’ and 2 ’avenues’ (named for the directions of the compass, kita, minami, higashi and nishi all handily color-coded) with an event space in the middle. There are a few cafes (including a Starbucks) and restaurants here if you need a sit down and the 7/11 nearest the car park end has a sit down area where you can plan your next step. Hiroshima’s free WiFi service is also available around the plaza.

Central Plaza The centre of Shareo offers you dry passage up to the platforms of two streetcar stops; Kamiyacho Higashi and Kamiyacho Nishi. Handy if you are heading to Miyajima. You can also find an entrance to the SOGO department store. The escalators of SOGO also take you to the Hiroshima Bus Center, all without having to go outside.

From the Central Plaza: Shareo Nishi Street (blue) If you haven’t already been to the A-Bomb Dome, the far end exit on the left is your nearest to the Dome. The exit on the right takes you up to the old location of the baseball stadium in case you are heading to one of the events held there.

Shareo Higashi Street (pink) This street takes you down to the Hatchobori shopping area of Hiroshima. A drier, if longer, route can be taken by heading to the covered Hondori shopping arcade.

Shareo Minami Avenue (orange) Down this ‘avenue’ you’ll find the first stop of the Astram Line. It’s also the best way to access Hondori without getting wet. When you reach the station end, do a u-turn to your left and head up the stairs. You will exit at the entrance of the longest section of Hondori. Turn to the right and up and you will find yourself at the end of Hondori that leads to the A-Bomb Dome.

Shareo Kita Avenue (green) Down the end of this avenue you will find the second stop of the Astram Line (Kencho-mae). Turn left and up out of Shareo, at the end and you will find yourself in the basement of Pacela, another department store. Go right up the stairs if you are heading to the Hiroshima Museum of Art. It’s a short walk away. Pacela itself offers slightly more interesting eating options and on its 6th and 10th floors has excellent views of Hiroshima Castle and its grounds.

Good luck, and remember, this guide works just as well in the summer heat!

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After the Fireworks

Models: Ana Beatriz (Instagram: anabeatriz_094) Charlie Rose (Instagram: charlie_rose_love_love) Photos: Hideki Rodrigues www.facebook.com/rodkun07photography

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SHOPPING

Hidden Fashion Treasures of Hiroshima san-biki-no-koneko

３匹の子ねこ

Sun Mall’s 5th floor, is home to San-biki-no-koneko, ‘The Three Kittens’. The decor of this adorable little shop will make your inner ‘Cat Lady’ purr with delight.

However, even if kittens aren’t your thing, this well-priced vintage store is sure to have you smiling from ear-to-ear. As well as clothing, the shop is full of trinkets you’ll treasure and that make unique souvenirs for you, family, or friends back home, so be sure to stop by and check it out! Map C p.31 [B-2] 3

houkago kimono club During the summer months Itaha-san has over a hundred beautiful yukata available for rent at her kimono rental and teaching studio in Honkawa.

Her English is limited so inquiries by email are appreciated. Rental (including fitting) is ¥3000 (hair arrangement +¥2000). Take your own yukata have it fit by a pro for ¥2000. Appointments by reservation only.

放課後キモノ倶楽部

fujisei

藤誠

On the first floor of Sunmall on Hondori, Fujisei sells yukata sets (some with a no-fuss ready-tied obi!) and accessories. Buy your yukata there and they’ll fit you for free or you can take your own and they will fit it for a charge. Map C p.31 [B-2] 1

http://houkagokimonoclub.com/ houkagokimonoclub@gmail.com 2F Reno Building, 2-4-30 Honkawa-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi Map C p.31 [A-1] 2 GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

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suiko Words / Photos: Judith Cotelle (artworks photos provided by SUIKO)

You may not know the name Suiko, but there’s a good chance you have walked past one of his huge murals in Hiroshima. You may have even seen his work on your travels around other parts of Japan or even overseas. SUIKO is a graffiti artist from Hiroshima who is as talented as he is prolific. In a rare opening in his busy schedule, I recently caught up with Suiko at his central Hiroshima HQ, Dimlight.

WHO IS SUIKO? Hiroshima based artist, SUIKO, is a major player in Japan’s street art scene and his work is known worldwide. Already eyeing an international career, he chose the name SUIKO while doing his postgraduate degree in Fine Arts at Hiroshima City University. He wanted an artist name that sounded Japanese, but could be either male or female. SUIKO comes from the Japanese word suikyō, a somewhat amorphous expression that can mean whim, vagary or eccentricity. It seemed to fit his insistence on doing things in his own way and in his own style.

His work is easily recognizable by his signature bubbly and fluid shapes, clouds and vibrant colors featuring mainly lettering and abstract shapes, but also animals. He started on walls, but SUIKO also expresses himself on wood panel or canvas, with acrylic as well as spray paint.

Nepal (2013)

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Things started to take off for SUIKO In 2005 when he participated in X-COLOR, a big graffiti exhibition held at Art Tower Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture.

After X-COLOR, he started to get invited to participate in exhibitions, events, projects, live painting in places as diverse as the U.S, Germany, France, U.K, Brazil, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Nepal, India, Tahiti, Australia, China, Hong-Kong, and Korea. He has collaborated with many other great street artists over the years.

It wasn’t long before he got noticed by the big brands. Coca-Cola commissioned him to redesign Dr Pepper bottles and Adidas hired him for a campaign in Shanghai. He has designed belts, headphones, caps, flip-flops and watches for Eckō Unltd., caps for New Era and watches for NumLock. But his first big corporate gig was with Walt Disney. He also creates designs for clothes, caps, sneakers, skateboard decks, watches and other accessories, for his own brand Dimlight or in collaboration with other brands.

Turkey

Yokogawa Cinema

EARLY DAYS SUIKO has always been into drawing since he was a kid. Later, he was really attracted to street culture; especially graffiti, but also skateboarding. He didn’t really know how to get into graffiti, so he started with skating. It was through the people he met in the skate parks and on the streets that he found his way into the world of graffiti and it was around 2000 that he threw himself into his true passion.

That first Disney offer, in the form a of a long email, all written in English, in around 2007/08, took him by surprise. They commissioned a canvas for the Disney Exhibition in L.A. and designs for caps, clothes and skateboard decks for the their streetwear brand: BLOC28 by Disney. It’s one of the collaborations he’s most proud of, or that marked him the most as it a clear sign that his work was getting recognition.

Disney Hong-Kong

GetHiroshima / Summer 2016

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AND NOW, WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT PROJECTS OR DREAMS? “Basically, all the things I haven’t done yet are potentially interesting and exciting. I don’t have any limit. I started with walls and now I do a lot of design for clothes or figurines. I want to do more collaborations with artists from different fields like video or architecture. The walls I paint have gotten bigger and bigger (he needs to use a mini-crane to paint them) and I think I’ve reached the max size I can do, so the next step is designing a whole building from scratch in collaboration with an architect. I have been attracted by huge stuff ever since I was a kid.”

IS GRAFFITI PERCEIVED DIFFERENTLY IN JAPAN TO ABROAD? “I don’t really get requests from within Japan.

There are still a lot of people who don’t understand or take it seriously, but it’s evolving slowly.

Abroad, even people of a certain age are interested in graffiti. I get a lot of requests for canvases or live painting in foreign countries. Last winter I was invited to Paris to do live painting with other Asian street artists at Drouot where the completed works were auctioned off. Once there, I got requests for new canvases. There are real art lovers who collect graffiti! I really doubt there are any of those here in Japan.”

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Swallowtail (2009)

DIMLIGHT, FROM THE HAIKYO TO THE SHOP Dimlight is a really cosy 3F space well lit by day in a really dark and dirty building, in the middle of a pretty dodgy part of Hiroshima. At the entrance, there’s a lounge space with a coffee table and comfy sofa, a bar counter to the right with turntables, and, at the back, wall shelves stacked with spray cans of all colors. Shelves covered with sneakers, caps, t-shirts, various goods, magazines, art books, CDs, records and works by SUIKO and other artists’ works cover the walls. It’s a kind of Ali Baba’s cave of street culture! SUIKO welcomed us with some good coffee, served in cups designed by himself of course. Dimlight seemed to be much more than just a shop.

“Yeah, you’re right, I don’t really consider Dimlight as simply a shop. The building is a haikyo (abandoned building) and in 2009, the landlord offered me a space here to use as a studio. It was just a load of dusty rubble, but with friends and some DIY, it slowly started to take shape. I had no plans to start a shop at that time. I would just come to paint, and, on weekends, friends who are also into street art would join me to play or make music, create, while enjoying some beers.

Then, one day I started to store the T-shirts and sneakers I was designing. People saw them and wanted to buy them. It started to turn into a shop, stocked with all the things that we liked or needed; like spray cans that are difficult to find in Hiroshima. I also use the space as a gallery to display and sell friends’ artwork. It’s a shop on weekdays, but a community space where all Hiroshima’s street culture scenes can gather at weekends. I only opened it to the public last year, in 2015.”

WHAT ARE DIMLIGHT EVENTS LIKE? “Actually, they are more like home parties than public events. We get together on Saturday nights with people in the street scene, people linked to it or friends of friends. We play sounds, MCs take the mike, we talk, make projects and we serve drinks. But, to be honest, if a total stranger showed up like a customer at a regular bar, it would be a bit awkward. If someone is really passionate and comes to say hello at the shop before, why not. But we tend to keep it mostly among ourselves. I also put up international graffiti artists here, just as they help me out when I travel overseas.”

WHY STAY IN HIROSHIMA? He attaches importance to the fact he chose to stay in Hiroshima rather than moving to Tokyo to start his career like many talented artists often do. First, he doesn’t think it’s necessary and he’s happy to enhance the appeal of his city by keeping the street art scene active. He travels a lot and always brings back new ideas, inspiration or trends to Hiroshima and tries to export Hiroshima abroad too.

I’m really happy that Dimlight has turned into a space where people, ideas and culture can mingle, inform each other and mix.

Some of SUIKO’s biggest walls in Hiroshima have been destroyed, but you can see some in Yokogawa, next to Yokogawa Cinema or from the train between Hiroshima station and Yokogawa Station. And don’t forget to check out his online portfolio at http://www.suiko1.com/.

Dimlight : 3F, 13-12 Kanayama-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima

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slaps and tags Words / Photos: Damien Cordova

Hiroshima is home to many museums. There’s the Prefectural Art Museum, HMOCA, plus many private galleries smattered around the city. But many people miss the colorful pieces of art that lie tucked around street corners and atop garbage cans. Whether it’s some quick spray paint or a sneaky sticker, you can often find a mini-gallery of some sort nearby. Bypassing stuffy galleries and not content to wait until they die to be put in a museum, Hiroshima’s street artists help make the city more colorful and encourage you to take a closer look at the world around you.

For more street art from around Hiroshima go to Instagram: hiroshima_slaps_and_tags / Facebook: https://facebook.com/Hiroshimaslaps/

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vol.

10

g o to iz um i 's de ep hiroshima

﹁退廃﹂

I am drawn to buildings abandoned, in decay. Dilapidated testaments to the fleeting nature of time, beautiful. Born of human desires, their lives terminated without mercy by events over which they have no say. Removed from the everyday, there is drama in these hollow shells. Further and further from our world they withdraw with the passing of time. There is no welcome here. The heart races with trepidation, but the pull is insistent.. On and on time goes.

Beauty and power grow in decay.

haikyo beauty in decay

私が廃墟が好きな理由� それは古びており儚く虚しく汚れていて美しい� 非日常のロマンスがそこにはあるからだ�

それは人間が自己都合で 作ったものを、 自己都合で機能を 停止した事に よる無情なる哀しみの 産物でもある。

なので風化すれば するほどに 生きている人間の 侵入を拒む。 その拒みが わかるだけに 胸が騒ぐ。

廃墟とは私に

そこに長い時

間あればある

ある�

と�て

美しい存在で

ほどに Warning Entering Japan’s abandoned haikyo is generally forbidden and often dangerous. GetHiroshima strongly recommends you resist the urge to cross the threshold.

Matt’s Moment

Calling Ariane

My wife collects strays. A small Parisian dancer standing at the side of a coastal road, with a sign saying Peace Park. A German in the dunes of Shimane with his young son, an engineer at a hot springs hotel restaurant, five weeks into a six month job on a tiny island in the Inland Sea and nearly deranged for lack of conversation.

Last year we even had a man from just northeast of Marseilles stay with us for several days as he bicycled most of the length of Japan.

Of course, such people have to want to be collected. It’s a style of travel I’ve never had the temperament to practice but have always envied.

That willingness to throw yourself into the air and see who catches you. I watched Yannick, our French bicyclist, approach one stranger after another and try to strike up conversations. He was delighted when it worked, and utterly unperturbed when it didn’t. My guess is that you end up with a more intimate experience of a place when you can roll this way. At the very least, you make more personal connections, and some of those relationships last for years. In fact, the first place Yannick had stayed on his jaunt across Japan was in the home of a retired salary man he had met bicycling in the opposite direction on a rutted track in Cappadocia.

On the website for something called the “Laboratory for Experimental Tourism” in France, you’ll find lists of dubious ideas in seven different languages. There’s some overlap, but it’s not complete. On some pages, for example, an item called “Breadcrumbs” suggests that, upon arriving in a

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new city, you search the phonebook for someone named Ariane. Call Ariane up and ask for her ten favorite places. If she volunteers to come along, so much the better. Another suggestion is to spend the day in bureaucratic spaces like social services centers or city hall, sampling the sandwiches in the canteen and making liberal use of any copy machine you stumble across. These are two of the more practicable ideas. Silly, but it does point to a jadedness among some travelers, who are weary of just seeing the approved sights (another recommendation is to visit those places and take only photographs with your back turned to them) and checking in and out of budget accommodations. In my own case, my one talent as a traveler has been to get away with ignoring signage, taking photos where I’m not supposed to or pushing through doors into the back rooms of museums and the administrative offices at major shrines. In Japan, especially in little neighborhood restaurants, this will often bring you to the foot of the owner’s unmade bed. Not exactly the stuff of spellbinding travelers’ tales.

How much easier and more pleasant to just talk to people, if you can. Maybe some of you reading this travel this way, expecting and finding hospitality far from home. You’d have to meet more people like my wife and fewer people like me to make it work, but with a bit of luck it must be quite wonderful. It’s also a style of travel that builds bridges between people (which is the hope that makes many of us pack our bags, surely) rather than just involving a transfer of cash. Instead of

simply leaving behind the better part of a month’s paycheck, you become a real if temporary presence in the lives of those you travel among.

It probably works best for a single traveler. It would be harder for a couple, and nearly impossible for a large group without a level of organization that would make it a different experience entirely.

A few weeks ago my youngest daughter and I slipped off to Shukkeien for a picnic. Just outside the fence, a European couple had overnighted on the riverbank and were breaking camp. As they carefully stowed their clothing and folded their tent, they were in the midst of a savage argument, snarling at each other to my little girl’s delight. At home, they might have retired to their respective corners. On the road that’s harder to manage.

Coiled and hostile as they were, it seems unlikely they were open to much of anything, at least for that afternoon.

I’m not suggesting solitude and self-reliance as a model. That can too easily turn cripplingly lonely, even dangerous. Every great travel story involves a cast behind the lead character. But commercial travel means that much of that help can be bought pre-packaged, making accidental discoveries and personal connections more difficult to come by, or even burdensome. Better, perhaps, just to pick up the phone and give Ariane a call.

Words: Matthew Mangham Photo: Judith Cotelle

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