Hiroshima-Hiroshima to Iwakuni/I met Whitesnake

Yesterday, I left the hostel on the late side. It was my last day in Hiroshima. I planned on a quiet day, but someone at the hostel mentioned that I should go to a nearby town, called Iwakuni, which had a pretty bridge, and some other stuff. So i walked from the hostel to the train station, which was a long walk, but it was a nice day so i no problem with it.

After the walk, I bought two train tickets: one to my next destination of Osaka and the other to Iwakuni. The train ride was about an hour-I actually fell asleep and woke up at the last stop. After asking a woman how to get there, she directed me to a bus that goes right to the bridge.

The bus ride was about 20 minutes long, and I was at the bridge, which was a 5 arch bridge, built in 1673 (and replaced many times since). it was a beautiful bridge, in a nice town.

I crossed the bridge, and took a tram up to the castle, called the Iwakuni castle, which was originally built in 1608, but burnt down long ago. The new castle was built in the same style in 1962, and is actually 3 miles from the original castle,(chosen for the great view).

i went into the castle-there was an exhibit of Samuri swords. I then saw the museum of white snakes. White snakes are supposed to bring good luck, and people pray to the white snakes. From a cartoon film at the musuem, it seems like the reason people like the snakes is back in the olden days, rodents used to eat the food, but of course the snakes ate (or at least scared away) the rodents, so people like the snakes. The museum explained how the white snakes ribs expand to eat mice (and other targets much larger than themselves), and how they pee and poop at the same time. There we're also various snakes to look.

After the museum, I walked around the town, and had an ice cream. I met some folks walking their pet ferret, and then took the train back to the hostel. I actually took the train to a tram, which took longer but was cheaper. I found a restaurant serving Okonomyaki, which is a type of pancake-it was good and filling. I found the hostel and had some drinks with the guys here.