Home » Japan » Japan Summer of Peace, Love, Festivals, Beer, Mountains, and Rock and Roll

The temperature heats up, the humidity is on overdrive, and all the students are off for the summer. As for me, what summer vacation? Although no students are at school and there is nothing for me to do, I have to be there! I could be traversing the many incredible destinations in Asia, yet I guess instead it has been a summer of saving money, and relaxing in Hiroshima. So, what did I do to fill the rest of my time in July and August? Well, tons! In fact, it was a great summer relaxing, doing fun things, meeting all the new JETs, and definitely doing all things humanly possible to beat the humidity and heat.

Japan Summer of Peace, Love, Festivals, Beer, Mountains, and Rock and Roll

Casey Lary
2007-03-08 21:19:48

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mainland. Fireworks are a big deal in Japan. If you leave Japan without seeing some, you have missed out on a big part of their culture.

PEACE
August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima City, flattening it to the ground. Every year there is a memorial for the victims who were killed by the bomb. Again, I opted out of the morning ceremony, and ended up going to the evening memorial. The peace park is swamped with people. It is a good day to go, as many different people express their views of peace. There are artists, musicians, and there was even a 'lie in' for peace, where people laid around the atomic bomb dome to advocate peace. Brian and I enjoyed the beautiful sunset as lanterns were sent down the river. We even bought our own and floated it down, spreading peace and love from California. This is definitely a day in history that is tragic and should never be forgotten, especially with all the talk of nuclear warfare taking shape in our world....

BEER GARDENS
Definitely one of the best parts of the summer...Japanese Beer Gardens. All you can eat and drink on a patio for 3500 yen (roughly $35). The food is pretty nasty, but the beer flows like water. We had our Leaver's Party at a beer garden, and managed to go when I had some visitors. I managed to befriend a group of jazzercise ladies at the Mutsukoshi beer garden, who then proceeded to give me a demonstration of jazzercise. I don't know what I am thinking when I am drunk or how I get myself into these situations! These only
come out in the summer though!

FAMILY POOL
So yes, there are beaches in Japan, yet they are so far! Instead I would often call Jeff and say, 'hey wanna go to the pool?' The family pool in central Hiroshima became our favorite watering hole during the summer! We thought it would be completely swarming with kids, which to an extent was true. Yet definitely not unbearable! A great way to relax ...