I camped on a riverbank. As I'd seen in a YouTube video before, Japanese people often camp by rivers, so I wanted to give it a try too. Today was a rest day. Even so, I had loads of things to sort out, so I spent most of it in an internet café looking for a place to live in Tokyo and looking for work. My mouse broke, so I bought a new one too. Still, I had time to visit the Atomic Bomb Dome and Hiroshima Castle, and there was quite a heavy atmosphere at the Atomic Bomb Dome. It was the same as when I went to Auschwitz, but this time it suddenly hit me. The cruelty of what happened welled up in me and I was deeply moved.

I feel like I can't quite put my finger on the reason for Hiroshima's darkness, or rather its dark atmosphere. Of course I think the war and the atomic bomb have had an effect, but on top of that it just feels dark in general. There aren't many streetlights, and the ones there are aren't bright. Even so, the light from the signs makes the streets shine strikingly in patches. There are also rows and rows of hostess clubs and adult entertainment venues, so it has an underground feel as well. Lots of shady salarymen slip quietly through the back streets. There are plenty of rowdy types too. And even though central Hiroshima is big, it's seriously run-down. Even the street signs are made of something like paper. It feels completely different from other cities, and I really quite like that distinctive atmosphere.

After five days in the countryside, suddenly arriving in Hiroshima was quite a shock. There were just too many people. It was interesting all the same. I've also been incredibly busy lately, and because I hadn't been able to take a proper rest, I'd become pretty tired. I needed to rest mentally as well. I had Hiroshima-yaki too!

At the coin laundry I met a climber called Akie. She runs a climbing gym in Hiroshima. When I said I was from Sheffield, she replied that she knew it, which really surprised me. Apparently she knows the Peak District because she's a climber.

I didn't have time to write my diary, but Hiroshima was really interesting. At night the city centre was really lively, and the signs were all sparkling, which was amazing. It's completely different from the countryside. Ever since I came to Japan I've been reading lots of Japanese and enjoying it. It's a bit odd, but I really love kanji. Kanji is everywhere in Japan, so it's like a theme park. Lately I've also quite enjoyed reading food packaging, which is good for my health too. And Japan's road signs are way cooler than the UK's, aren't they?