Hiroshima – more history and an unforgettable night out

Japan – April 2018

The last story about my trip to Hiroshima with Tina ended with us returning to the city from Miyajima. After a short break and a nap at the hotel, we are ready for a night to celebrate Tina’s last evening in Japan. She has to catch the bus to the airport at 5 am the next morning and we’re joking about how she should just go there straight from the night club we’re planning to go to. 

But first we want to check one last sightseeing attraction off our bucket list. Shortly before sunset we walk down the slim cobblestone street along the pond surrounding Hiroshima Castle. The walkway is lined with blooming cherry blossom trees. Just like the other pedestrians in the area we can’t help but stop every 3 meters or so to take yet another picture of the oh so pretty flowers. The castle tower with it’s number of curved roofs makes for a beautiful backdrop too. 

When we finally arrive at the main entrance, we learn that the museum closed 15 minutes earlier. So we resort to studying the engraved sign outside to learn a bit about the history of the impressive building. The original castle was finished in 1599 and destroyed completely by the 1945 bombing. In 1958 the castle tower was reconstructed and is now used as a museum for pre-modern artifacts. A little disappointed that we don’t get to see the apparently finest view of Hiroshima from the top of the tower, Tina and I take a couple more pictures and then head back to the cherry blossom lined street.

Having done our research beforehand, we head straight to the downtown area on the central island, where most of the international bars and clubs are located. We first end up at an Irish Pub overlooking s busy main street and order some fries as an appetizer and 2 pints of craft beer. A pint later we head back out on the streets and make our way to a bar called Step1 at Club Cream. We follow the signs leading up to a discrete white door on the second floor. And there it is – the surprisingly empty international bar/club we were looking for.

There is a long bar, a bunch of small high tables scattered throughout the long room and a dance floor at the other end of it. Though the whole room is painted in black, it’s rather light in there. Tina and I head to the bar and order some beers, before sitting down at one of the high tables. Not long after, a guy with blonde hair walks up to us and starts to chat with Tina. We learn that he’s from Vietnam and studies in Hiroshima. As there are not too many other people around yet, we keep talking with him and his friend though we’re not really interested in keeping up the conversation.

About an hour later people start to pour in and soon after the place is packed. Tina and I give our all on the dance floor, while not knowing most of the songs they’re playing. At one point we head to the restroom, where we meet an incredibly nice girl from India who lives in Hiroshima, as her dad is a doctor here. We end up chatting with her in front of the mirrors for a good 30 minutes. Still kinda amazed at the fact that making friends in nightclub restrooms is a universal thing that doesn’t know borders, we return to the dance floor. Only to bump into the two Vietnamese guys from before. They buy us some more drinks and we dance for a while.

Then, after one of the two tries to kiss me, I check my watch in order to look for an excuse to leave the place. Horrified, I notice that it’s 3.30 am already. I show Tina and without a second glance at the guys we gather our jackets and rush out into the warm spring night. It should have only been about a 20 minute walk to the main station, where our hotel was located. However, at some point I am too confident in my navigational skills and we end up walking up a hilly road into a fine neighbourhood far away from the city centre.

At 4.30 am I give up and we return to the main road to flag down any passing vehicle. We’re lucky and only a few seconds later a small angular car drives up next to us. The friendly driver asks us in English where we’re going and we say that we need him to take us to the train station. He tells us that it’s only a few minutes away and we should hop in. Trying to make space in the crowded car, Tina & I find a spot to sit down and off we are. Literally 3 minutes later we arrive at the station and quickly run to our hotel. Tina grabs her packed suitcase and rushes back to the station to catch the bus to the airport.

And once again, I am left alone in a big city far away from home after an epic night out with Tina to celebrate our last day of holidays. Do not miss out and head over to the post about our reality check in Cape Town during the last celebration of that kind.