Last Day in Hiroshima

Posted on 2006/09/30 07:52:51 (September 2006).

[Tuesday 26th September]
Today was the last day of our long weekend in Hiroshima. Our train back to Tokyo was booked for 4PM, so we had the morning and afternoon to do various bits and pieces. We spent most of the morning hanging around Chie's family's apartment before heading out just before lunchtime.

Most of the afternoon was spent trapsing round the centre of Hiroshima on wedding planning related duties. It occurred to me how remarkably short my patience was with this kind of thing! We looked at a couple of hotels, restaurants etc which had rooms that could be hired out, but none really jumped out as a great venue to me (especially considering the price!). However, one interesting sounding plan for the reception did present itself - there's a company which offers chartered cruises around the sea inbetween Miyajima (the island where the ceremony will be) and Hiroshima port on the mainland. This almost instantly became my number one favourite plan - a lot more fun than just a gloomy banquet hall in some hotel. The initial quote we got was a little off-putting though, but Chie is determined to see how much she can haggle them down to - after all, at the time of day we are asking, the boat would otherwise be moored in the dock doing nothing. So we'll see.

Also as part of the wedding preparation stuff, I tried on the traditional Japanese costume that I would probably be wearing for the ceremony. I didn't look quite as rediculous as I had anticipated. The costume hire fee for the day is, seemingly like everything else wedding related in Japan, quite extortionate. However, Chie seems pretty keen that this is the one area we're not going to compromise on. I suppose it would look kind of rediculous if we just wore regular suits and dresses, given the venue for the ceremony and everything. Although I didn't want to admit it to Chie at the time, once I put my costume on, I did actually think to myself - wow, this is pretty cool. I think secretly I quite like dressing up for special occasions - it reminded me a bit of my graduation robes. I guess it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have this kind of ceremony, with all the traditional trimmings, and so I have to admit my original hardline attitude to the money etc is beginning to weaken a bit.

So after all of that, we got on the Shinkansen at 4 and headed back to Tokyo. The four hour trip is a bit of a drag, especially towards the end, but at least it is very smooth and comfortable - I think I even managed to get a bit of sleep, which is pretty unusual for me on the train.

I have since learned this type of men's kimono, worn at weddings, is called a "hakama".

Posted by John at 2006/12/06 03:47:18.

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