I will warn you now: This is a very somber post.

I don’t remember the first time I went to Hiroshima. But there are other times I do remember. I remember going there and taking a brisk walk from the train station to Peace Park. On the way we would buy Bento boxes for lunch, since we knew we’d be hungry. We would normally buy them in the shopping area below the train station there. I’m sure it’s all changed by now, but there were many many stores where you could buy a variety of food.

After packing our lunches in our backpacks, we might stop at the convenience store outside the train station and stop to get some drinks. I would normally buy Calpis, which actually did taste very good and did a decent job of keeping me hydrated, despite the name.

As we would walk towards Peace Park, we’d carry on casual conversation about the train ride from Iwakuni, or we would laugh a little at the Engrish which we would see just about everywhere.

Once we arrived at Peace Park, which if you did not already know, was ground zero when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, we would go out in the middle of the field of grass and unpack our lunch. There’s something quite peaceful about peace park, with all the pigeons, and a variety of people wandering around.

There were many days like this. Sometimes they left me feeling a bit melancholy. Other times I was very chipper. All in all, Peace Park and the Hiroshima museum would always leave you just a little bit speechless. I thought I’d speak more about the museum, but I think I’ll just leave it simply at this: You have to see it to understand.

The Children’s Peace Monument is located in Peace Park, with thousands, more likely millions of paper cranes around it. Anyone can donate paper cranes. I’ve walked around the monument and saw a set of cranes that came all the way from a 2nd grade school classroom in Chicago, Illinois.

Peace Park was a Really good place to hang out, and just enjoy living. I Really do have some great memories of hanging out with friends sitting in the field in front of the memorial museum. Do you guys remember?

Have you been to Peace Park in Hiroshima? Feel free to tell us of your first experience there.

[tags]Hiroshima, Peace Memorial Park, memories, calpis, bento[/tags]

While stationed in Japan as I mentioned earlier, we would frequently go to Hiroshima. A trip to Hiroshima soon became a “welcome to Japan” tour from yours truly for any new clinic personnel arriving to Iwakuni.

I recall one time when one of our new Lab technicians arrived, we took her to Hiroshima. The week she arrived, it just happened to be the week that the Lucasfilm exhibit was in town. For some of us Star Wars nerds, this may have been the ultimate rush. My friend Jeff and I knew we simply had to go.

Now, I remember I was very excited to go on this trip, and we had quite a few folks with us. One distinct memory that stuck out in my mind was while walking to the exhibit, the new Lab Tech asked me, “Does she have to walk so fast?” referring to our friend Swan. I just simply laughed and told her that you kinda get used to walking fast in Japan, but there’s no need to keep up, she knows where she’s going and so do I.

I’ll discuss Hiroshima more in a future post.

It’s memories like this that continue to make me smile. Keep on remembering…

[tags]memories, Japan, Hiroshima, Lucasfilms[/tags]

While I was stationed in Japan in MCAS Iwakuni (1993-1995) I learned a lot of things about Japan. First of all, I was 24 years old then. When I last stepped foot in Japan prior to that, I was 15 years old. A lot of things can happen between those years. Those are life changing years. Since I was much older, and an adult then, I got to go to places that I never would have went to. Places like hostess clubs, love hotels, and such. Although honestly I never did get to go to a love hotel, as they were a bit spendy, especially when the yen rate was so horrible. Although hostess clubs weren’t any cheaper either!

But no, Japan is tons of fun. One memory I have while stationed there was what everyone called “The Chicken Shack.” Now, I’m betting that most people in Iwakuni are still calling it that. And if not, I don’t see why not! The Chicken Shack is actually a very expensive restaurant called Sanzoku. Now I’m betting you’re wondering why it’s called “The Chicken Shack” and you’d be of good mind to wonder about that. Because it is the place we bring all the new folks who get stationed there, and they serve chicken (which is always a safe food option in Japan), it’s thusly called “The Chicken Shack.” Never mind that it’s not the real name of the place. You learn that people give nicknames to a lot of places.

But The Chicken Shack was a very cool place. Very “Japanese-y” if you will. (forgive my Engrish.) The service was great, the people were friendly, and although they didn’t speak very well English, people always managed to get their point across and get the food that they wanted. I’ve Really got to find some old photos of that area and post them, to accompany this post.

Hey Iwakuni-ites, are you missing it? It was way too expensive there though. I think most of us Really preferred going just outside the front gate, and going to California Chicken. I miss that place, because you could pay in dollars there and the chicken was exceptional.

[tags]memories, Japan, food, chicken, Sanzoku, MCAS Iwakuni[/tags]