Shukukeien Gardens

We contemplated what to do on the way back from the island. We’d talked to a young couple yesterday who’d been to the Gardens and they were very impressed so we thought we’d have a look.
Bit of a city tour on the green bus and we were there. Another picture perfect spot in the middle of a busy city. The Japanese really know how to do manicured gardens. There are so many, big ones, little tiny ones in front of apartments and houses.

Hiroshima is hosting the G7 in a couple of days which we knew nothing about when we booked although I did wonder why nearly every hotel was booked out. Consequently nearly every policeman in Japan is here. They are literally on every street corner. Even over on the island this morning. We got a couple of them to take photos for us, they were very accommodating. 😂

Made our way back into the restaurant area after the gardens. Still too early for dinner so we found a bar to have a drink. Had to pay ¥1100 to sit at the bar for half and hour but you got a free drink. Couple of very pretty girls behind the bar all dressed the same, black short skirt, white shirt, bit like Simply Irresistible. Umm we’re not really sure what sort of bar this is, seemed like once they’d got your drink they had to stay and talk to you. Hard work for our waitress, but she was doing her best. She wants to go to Australia later in the year and work for a year over there. So of course Graham gives her his card and invites her to stay with us. Well she was trilled and all the other girls came running over to look at the card. I wouldn’t be surprised if Monkey turns up on our doorstep in November. By this time our half and hour was up so either buy another drink or get out, Graham had another beer and we started quizzing the waitress where to have dinner, we’ll there was a big discussion across the whole bar and luckily one of their regulars or their pimp I’m not really sure which had a bit of English and he managed to tell us about a Sashimi restaurant only a few hundreds meters away.

Set off to find this place with only a photo and the vague directions from old mate. After a couple of wrong turns and some guidance from a young guy getting into his flash car, he actually followed us in his car around a few corners to make sure we got there ok.
Delicious sashimi, fish, prawns, caviar, eel, squid, bonito, very upmarket place all the chefs behind the bars in their gleaming whites.

When we’d left the bar we noticed a charcoal grill place across the way, so after leaving the sashimi we decided to check it out. It was another winner. Got some cooking lessons off the head Chef ( well not really a chef because they don’t cook any thing you do that at the table but the knife skills they had to cut that meat, amazing) They had the baseball playing in there and Hiroshima was winning. They were all very excited when we showed some interest.

When we got back to the hotel the funny little guy came running out to find us. Sorry sorry he keep saying, I’m pretty sure that the only English word he knows. He forgot to get me to sign the credit card slip, had probably been having anxiety attacks over it all day.Read more