A Trip to Hiroshima

Last Monday I was at Hiroshima attending the Japan Concrete Institute (JCI) http://www.jci-net.or.jp/index-e.shtml Symposium with a friend from Makassar Indonesia, Rita.  A collaboration Symposium with Korea Concrete Institute and Taiwan Concrete Institute.  Many researchers and Professors from these three country came to present their current research findings and I was so impressed on their up-to-date research work.  Some of the presentation that chase away my sleepy mood (hehehehe...it was due to lack of sleeping time tau..bukan sebab boring ) was about the `Self- Repairing/Healing Mortar` presented by a Professor from World Class Ranking Tokyo University, The Coupling Beam`, The UpTake of CO2 and Nano Materials by a young energetic Assistant Professor from Korea.



It was my first trip by Shinkansen ( the high speed rail in Japan).  It took about an hour from Hakata Station in Fukuoka to Hiroshima Station. Yupp...memang berdesuuuuppp.....hahahahaha.....laju  270km/h. Dup dap dup dap je dalam hati.  Hiroshima is located at the south part of Honshu Island and Shinkansen pass through the underground tunnel constructed below the sea. Masa dalam terowong..bergegar2 `bullet`nie. At each stop, the announcement is in dual language; Japanese and English but on my way back to Fukuoka I am not dare to `have a nice sleep` in the Shinkansen bimbang terlepas Fukuoka....as I am travelling alone.

http://english.jr-central.co.jp/shinkansen/index.html







There are three categories of Shinkansen; Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama. The difference? TIME.

Example: From Fukuoka to Hiroshima by Nozomi took about 1 hour trip. For the same destination using Hikari will take more than 1 hour, maybe 2h, and definitely the price will be different.



I choose Nozomi type (almaklum le boleh claim kan, hehe) and there are two coaches categories; (1) with reservation and (2) non-reservation.  With reservation meaning you are purchasing the ticket with seat number but for non-reservation...jeng jeng jeng.....if full, (as was told) you might stand up for the rest of the journey unless there is passenger get off at any station. But so far as an unqualified observer (boring nau menunggu sebab dok takut sangat tersesat, mai eki (stesen) awal sangat dari masa tiket), I have seen no passenger standing in the shinkasen.

I arrived safely at Hiroshima around 8.30 am and took another local train to Symposium venue.  Along the way in the electrical train, I looked around and compared it with Fukuoka, having a chat with my friend until I realized.....

`Oh my, I am here now, over 60 years ago where the first atomic bomb was dropped by US army in World War II`

This is the place and I can feel the sad emotion for a few minutes.  How was the situation after the bombing? How Japanese government and citizen built their strength and survive from this attacks? What was their feeling towards US during that day until now? I will not forget what had happened in Tanah Melayu but killing people by atomic bomb was a heartless action.

But from this history, as Islam I always believe THERE IS WISDOM BEHIND THIS.  Japan had moved forward, after 16  years from the attack, they hosted the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 and won 361 medal. In the same year, Shinkansen was introduced to the world and all these events took part to let the world know that they have recovered and ready to be on the track.

And now, Japan is one of the economic leader in Asia.

Mmmm...emotional plak sekejap....well, my english might bring headache to an english expert. Truly say, I am not good in English, verbally or writing because my mother tongue is Malay L.  I am learning to be good and better in English.  Saya budak baru belajar cikgu...hehe
Anyhow, the pening part of this post are......it started with the symposium, and then shinkansen and end up with non-related topic with the post title....hahahahahaahaha......my mata sudah mengantuk tahap keluar ayaq mata dah nie.

Ok, have a nice day ahead
Till we meet again, babai