Back to the early morning starts, with an opportunity to watch the monks pray in the monastery and make an offering of good fortunate for a loved one.

It was then time for a traditional vegetarian monk breakfast, which looked decidedly similar to last nights evening meal…Lots of colour, but lots of uncertainty as to what we were eating and its taste!!

It was then time to start our return back to Osaka, before heading on to Hiroshima by bullet train. We had a little time to enjoy the last hour or so in Koyasan and have a brief walk around the nearby temple and gardens before we boarded a bus back to the funicular.

The views back to the mountainside were spectacular, particularly as the autumn colours are now starting to turn and we were seeing more and more red leaves.

It was another case of multiple forms of transport, bus, funicular, train x 2, subway into Osaka, before a short break for lunch at the main train station and then on to a bullet train for our 1hr 30min ‘flight’ on tracks to Hiroshima.

Whilst we were at Osaka station we had some time to kill and tried a Rikuro’s cheesecake and Imagawayaki. Both are very popular in the city and proved to be delicious.

It was soon time to board the bullet train and head west to Hiroshima.

Whenever we see these modern aerodynamic trains it really feels like you’re boarding a flight, such is the quality of the seating and service, plus they are travel at 300kph!

Before we boarded we decided to treat ourselves to a cappuccino from one of the vending machines which offered a huge range of options, even the type of coffee beans and milk.

Once in Hiroshima we went straight out with the tour group to visit the Peace Memorial and Museum. The first building we came across was the A-Bomb dome, the preserved remains of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall that survived the Atom Bomb, despite being very close to the epicentre and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nearby we then passed the Children’s Peace Monument statue, inspired by Sadako Sasaki and her thousand cranes, a beautiful tribute to the child victims of the bomb.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum proved to be a moving experience and offered a huge range of exhibits detailing the atomic bomb’s impact.

Hiroshima offers a compelling mix of history, culture and natural beauty and is a spell binding place. The peace park offered a living memorial to the 150,000 who died as a result of the atomic bomb in the city.

Seeing the frame of the Gembaku Dome, the only building to withstand the blast made for a moving sight particularly in the early evening dimming light.

Early evening we went out as a group for some street food at a nearby restaurant where we tried a local delicacy, Okonomiyaki. A savoury pancake with pork, cheese cabbage, bacon and noodles.

And of course we needed something to help it down, so Michelle went for a lemon sour (lemon & vodka) whilst Andy went for a mega beer of Hiroshima Lemon Ale.

After a busy & emotional day of travel and discovery of Hiroshima’s past, we headed back around 10.30pm for a much needed sleep.

Tomorrow we are heading to Miyajima Island, to see the floating torii gates and to climb Mount Misen.