Festivals

Hiroshima is a very photogenic city and my favorite place to take my camera and just walk around here is Yokogawa. Yokogawa is in the in the western part of Hiroshima, just over the bridge from the Shin-Harushima area. The neighborhood is known for its arts scene and historic Showa feel. Indeed, the area has a very different feel from downtown Hiroshima as it’s one of the few areas in the city that has retained its shitamachi (下町) or low town status. In fact, before the bombing, it used to be the central area of Hiroshima, rather than Hondori. Yokogawa Station itself may have some new shops surrounding it, but if you poke around the backstreets, you’ll find a wonderful mix of Showa Era shops along with alternative places that don’t fit the normal mold in Hiroshima, as well as many great art murals.  Most people arrive at Yokogawa Station via either the train (JR Sanyo or Kabe Line) or the Hiroden or streetcar. At one point, there was significant bus travel as well and the first omnibus used in Japan is on display at the station. As the central area around the station, you can find Fresta, the local…