Hiroshima Flower Festival 5/4/2010

It's Tuesday afternoon and we're riding our bikes over the old (pedestrian) bridge to Iwakuni Station after school. Someone told Stan about a flower festival going on in Hiroshima, so we decided to check it out. Tomorrow is Friendship Day (5/5) and those cars & busses on the "new" bridge (to our right) are actually parked & waiting to get on the air station early tomorrow morning.


That's Stan ahead of me on the bridge. This is such an easy way to get downtown. And it really doesn't take much longer because of traffic.


Oh look at this cool set of cement stairs going down from the neighborhood street into the river. When we get to the end of this bridge, we take a left and get back on Hwy 188 to go to the station.

The main bridge on Hwy 188 (to our left from the pedestrian bridge) going toward downtown is still under construction and Children's Day carp banners are flying all over the cranes!


Hard to tell from here, but these banners are HUGE and very ornate.


It's a holiday week and there's a street performer near Iwakuni Station. I've never seen this before!

Cute sign at a station from inside the train.


Look at these recycle bins on a station platform.


Do you think Americans would EVER learn to take the time to separate their trash like this?


Beautiful buildings overlook a river as we approach Hiroshima. What a fabulous view from those windows!


On the down escalator from the platform at Hiroshima Station. Those are a series of ads for Mamma Mia next to the handrail. Sure caught my attention!

On the streetcar heading toward Peace Boulevard.


This must be it - but where are the flowers?


Well, here are some purple pansies in a planter, but there must be more ? ? ?




Food booths, music everywhere & dancers performing though.

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Gigantic origami replica of "good luck" crane on display at Peace Boulevard. Regular readers may remember seeing this when we were viewing Christmas lights back in December. We're on the same street today.


Aha! A sign confirms we're actually at the Hiroshima Flower Festival - we were beginning to wonder . . . so - where are all the flowers we came to see?


Stan walking near some tropically-dressed young women - from Okinawa, maybe?


Well, apparently he didn't impress them - they're continuing on . . .


Beautiful hi-rise building in downtown Hiroshima.

Stan's checking out a cute little car that runs on electricity. Check out more HERE, but don't forget to arrow back for more great photos!


Energia (the g is soft) is the name of the local power company.


They also sponsored this cute jumping place for children.


Does the sun on the logo indicate Energia uses solar energy? We see more and more solar panels on roofs every year, as well as windmills.


Oh this lady on the bench has the right idea. (And notice that shoes are off so the bench won't get dirty from shoes!)

A giant Super Mario is waving at us from across the street.


Oh - now Mario's arms are straight out & we see that inside is another jumping place for children. Lots of fun stuff, but still no flowers . . .


Coke is everywhere!


Heard some great folk music & followed it to a pavilion where this group was performing.


Sponsored by one of the local universities.

I really enjoyed listening to this music - great harmony! Click on the arrow & take a look & listen below:

Aha! We finally found some flowers at the Flower Festival!

Cute girls passing out brochures from their booth.


Sign at their booth - I agree with this!


Street sign in Hiroshima.


Flower statue. Mr Donut is a Japanese donut shop that makes a donut that looks like the lion's mane - made up of 8 donut holes, but I don't know how they make them stay together. They're really yummy though. Read the Mr Donut link above & discover how it's related to Dunkin Donuts in the US - very interesting.

Children catching baby goldfish to take home. Oh, that's going to cost their parents. The fish need a bowl, food, aerator, rocks, bigger bowl, decorations . . .


But for now, they're having such fun!


Standing on a bridge looking into one of the rivers that run through Hiroshima.


Oh look at these cool barges - restaurants? I'd love to eat here sometime!

Looking at the crowd, tall buildings and beautiful trees in downtown Hiroshima at the Flower Festival.


Pretty pink flowers on the trees.


Balloon sculpture at an outdoor picnic area. Yay - a place to sit!


The name seems appropriate for diners . . .


Each table has a wet cloth for wiping clean when you're finished. How thoughtful.


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