Summer Holidays - Hiroshama and Osaka

July 14, 2018

Summer Holidays - Hiroshama and Osaka

Finally, I will cover off the last two stops on our Japanese adventure - Hiroshima and Osaka. Our final stops in Japan did not disappoint and were very different from each other. Hiroshima is small and humble and Osaka is huge and crazy fun.

1. Accomodation - when planning our trip to Japan, we decided to stay in Airbnb accomodation for most of the trip. When we booked in January 2018, Airbnb was the most popular option for most families travelling to Japan. However, early this year the government changed the licensing arrangements for the hosts and we had 3 or our 4 bookings cancelled. So we ended up having to stay in hotels which is much more expensive when you have 4 people. The one Airbnb apartment that did remain available was in Hiroshima and it was fabulous - close to everything, very spacious and gave us the the options to do some well needed laundry ....... I believe the Airbnb situation will resolve itself and it will again be the most popular option but be careful if booking in the short term.

2. ABomb Dome, Peace Park and Hiroshima Peace Museum - We were very moved and saddened by the visual sights and remains from when the Atomic Bomb was dropped in 1945. The Abomb dome and the surrounding parklands make for a somber walk and good history lesson for the kids. The Hiroshima Peace Museum was a very interesting place to visit but did house some very disturbing images and exhibitions of the war and the current state of play with global nuclear weapons. I would highly recommend spending a few hours around this area of Hiroshima and taking in the history and appreciating the feeling that is felt throughout the city.

The bomb exploded 600 metres above here and the feeling is so very eerie.

A monument in memory of all the children displaced and lost in the War.

The Cenotaph, the Peace Flame and the ABomb Dome in the background

3. Hiroshima Children's Museum - unfortunately the weather wasn't too great when we were in Hiroshima and that meant we needed to escape to some inside space for a few hours. I did some research and had heard that the children's museum was interesting and fun. It is very centrally located just across the street from the Peace Park and we would agree on its value. Our boys, 10 and 12 years, really enjoyed the exhibitions and the hands-on activities kept them entertained for a couple of hours. It is a free museum to enter and most of the exhibits have some English on them. A fun way to spend a couple of hours inside.

fun in the museum

4. The Hiroshima Carp Baseball team - we managed to get tickets to another baseball game and went to see the Tokyo Giants play the local team, the Hiroshima Carp. Hiroshima baseball fans surely do love their baseball and their team - it was a sea of red from start to finish. The stadium is walking distance from the city and is an open air ground with views of the passing Bullet Trains. The seventh innings stretch is a great experience when all the Carp fans blow up red balloons and let them all go together after singing the team song. The atmosphere during the night was brilliant and the local fans were very welcoming to us and wanted us involved as much as they were. If you are able to get tickets to a game, you really should.

Now, on to Osaka, our final Japanese stopover:

5. Dotonbori - one of the most famous areas within Osaka is Dotonbori, where the nightlife is great and the famous 'Glico Running Man' sign is situated. We enjoyed wandering around and seeing all the hustle and bustle of city life. Shopping appears to be a national sport in Japan, and there is no shortage of stores with a great variety of things to buy. This part of town is a hive of activity all day long and there is always something to see and do.

6. Umeda Sky Building - what an amazing view from this building, and it is a sensational architectural design. The Umeda Building is located within the main city area near Umeda and Osaka stations, so easy to access. There are two interconnected towers, even though the original plan was to have 4 towers but due to the recession it has remained as only two buildings. The elevator takes you most of the way and then there is an internal escalator that completes the climb to 170 metres. There is also a walkway between the two buildings located at about 150 metres. The donut shape dome on top provides fantastic views of Osaka. We were lucky enough to beat the crowds up to the top and then there was a big influx of people for sunset which was sadly hindered by some cloudy conditions. We loved this building and it's location is fabulous with loads of good bars and restaurants within walking distance.

the escalator was a little claustrophobic but was a great addition to the architecture.

yes, that is a highway going through the building.

7. Osaka Free Walking Tour - I had read about this great walking tour provided by Masa which started from Dotonbori. We thought we would join and see how it went - an it was great !! Masa was born and raised in Osaka and then moved to America for 25 years, and on returning to Osaka, he thought he would enjoy showing tourists his 'home' town. He was a wonderful guide who showed us all around the southern area of the city centre. His ability to keep all parties interested was very unusual and the 3 hour walk flew by for all of us. We managed to see the Animae area of town, a local market, some cafe maids, and even a Hello Kitty carpark. I would highly recommend looking up Masa when you're in Osaka.

8. Osaka Castle - Osaka Castle is a little further out of town and is one of the most prominent and famous buildings in Japans history. Its construction commenced back in 1583 and has had a number of restorations since then. It is set on about 15 acres of lush grounds and the castle is at the very top surrounded by a large moat. We did go in and climb to the top of the castle and then spent some time looking at all the history and artefacts that are placed around each of the 7 public floors of the castle. Most of the exhibitions had some English labels but the interactive options were solely in Japanese. I would recommend visiting for some Japanese history and culture.

9. Universal Studios - our final day in Japan and how could we not visit a theme park ?? We decided on Universal Studios and we absolutely loved it. Our tips for a fun day out are:

Go on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to avoid the weekend crowds.
Arrive early and hit the most popular attrications first - currently that is Harry Potter and Despicable Me.
Have a hearty breakfast and try and do as many rides as you can before stopping for lunch.
Use the single line entry if you can to reduce wait times.

We were very lucky and the park was not super crowded and we managed to do nearly everything we wanted, when we wanted. Must do if in Osaka !