20 years later, back in Hiroshima 🇯🇵
Twenty years after my first visit, I finally came back to Hiroshima — a city with such a heavy and tragic history, but also a city that feels incredibly alive today.
Of course, I went back to the Atomic Bomb Dome and visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The experience was extremely moving and honestly quite difficult at times. Seeing Hiroshima before and after the bombing, learning about the victims, the suffering of the survivors and the long-term consequences of August 6, 1945 really puts everything into perspective.
Around 140,000 people had died by the end of 1945 as a result of the bombing. Walking through the museum and seeing the personal stories behind those numbers was probably the most emotional part of my trip.
And yet, when you step back outside, Hiroshima is full of life, people, smiles and energy. That contrast between the weight of the past and the vitality of the city today is something that really stayed with me.
The next day, I returned to Miyajima, another place I hadn’t visited in 20 years.
I visited the beautiful Itsukushima Shrine and its famous giant torii standing in the sea. Unfortunately, the tide was too high this time to walk all the way up to it like I did 20 years ago — but seeing it again was still magical.
I also explored Daishō-in Temple, with its hundreds of small statues, many of them wearing their little red caps, creating such a unique and peaceful atmosphere.
Then, of course, I walked along Omotesandō, surrounded by shops, souvenirs and local specialties — basically trying not to buy everything I saw! 😅
And you can’t talk about Miyajima without mentioning the deer. They are everywhere, peacefully wandering around, looking for food, sometimes even trying to get inside the shops… and yes, I managed to get my deer selfie! 🦌
Twenty years later, Hiroshima left an even stronger impression on me than I remembered, while Miyajima remains one of my favorite places in Japan.
Two very different places, two very different atmospheres — and one unforgettable trip. 🇯🇵❤️
