The odd thing about Hawaii, is that it is a very Japanese place. They are everywhere. As we all know, there were a good number of Japanese living in Hawaii long before Pearl Harbour.
As some of us know, those from Japanese heritage were interned in camps after the attack, both here and on the mainland. Even those born here, still Japanese, still locked up. Trust issues much? Bugger.
Anyway, there are Japanese everywhere today. This is clearly a major tourist destination for them. I would actually go so far sat to call it the Tokyo of the Tropics. It's like having a holiday in Asia, but with US dollars. I enjoy holidays in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, so it's all good.
There are tour buses and trolley buses everywhere. Everywhere! And at least a third of them are on private charter to Japanese groups. So despite a shaky history on the trust front, the Japanese are obviously happy to be here. A lot!
One of the bus companies dedicated to the Japanese tours have a really cool looking fleet of buses.
Have a look at the whale tail coming out of the roof at the back.
Very cool, huh?
But wait!
Japanese?
Whales?
But don't they...?
I wonder what the tourist call this vehicle...
Sushi-bus?
And then I started to wonder how these guys dress when they go out on a whale-watching cruise.
Sorry. Too easy.
But seriously.
We took a tour of the USS Arizona at Pearl
Harbour today. Interesting place, and a strange balance of emotions there too.
After a 30 minute documentary in a theatre at the visitor centre, we all hop on a boat and cross over to the memorial next to Ford Island.
The memorial is a strange building, draped across the sunken ship like a solemn and gentle restraint, pinning it delicately to the bottom of the bay.
The reason I mentioned the Japanese is this...
The attack at Pearl Harbour was a defining moment for both WW2, and for America itself. As a result, there has been a distinct anti-Japanese sentiment in the USA from those who lived through the war.
You would expect that sentiment to not only have persevered, but to be at fever pitch in Hawaii. After all, right on this spot was the first time when the US was not only publically caught with it's pants down, but also bent spread-eagled across the table.
And yet the whole time we were at Pearl, there was not a hint of racism, hatred, or even blame.
In fact, there were a number of Japanese tourists on the tours around us. Nobody made them feel anything but welcome.
As some of us know, those from Japanese heritage were interned in camps after the attack, both here and on the mainland. Even those born here, still Japanese, still locked up. Trust issues much? Bugger.
Anyway, there are Japanese everywhere today. This is clearly a major tourist destination for them. I would actually go so far sat to call it the Tokyo of the Tropics. It's like having a holiday in Asia, but with US dollars. I enjoy holidays in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, so it's all good.
There are tour buses and trolley buses everywhere. Everywhere! And at least a third of them are on private charter to Japanese groups. So despite a shaky history on the trust front, the Japanese are obviously happy to be here. A lot!
One of the bus companies dedicated to the Japanese tours have a really cool looking fleet of buses.
Have a look at the whale tail coming out of the roof at the back.
Very cool, huh?
But wait!
Japanese?
Whales?
But don't they...?
I wonder what the tourist call this vehicle...
Sushi-bus?
And then I started to wonder how these guys dress when they go out on a whale-watching cruise.
Sorry. Too easy.
But seriously.
We took a tour of the USS Arizona at Pearl
Harbour today. Interesting place, and a strange balance of emotions there too.
After a 30 minute documentary in a theatre at the visitor centre, we all hop on a boat and cross over to the memorial next to Ford Island.
The memorial is a strange building, draped across the sunken ship like a solemn and gentle restraint, pinning it delicately to the bottom of the bay.
The reason I mentioned the Japanese is this...
The attack at Pearl Harbour was a defining moment for both WW2, and for America itself. As a result, there has been a distinct anti-Japanese sentiment in the USA from those who lived through the war.
You would expect that sentiment to not only have persevered, but to be at fever pitch in Hawaii. After all, right on this spot was the first time when the US was not only publically caught with it's pants down, but also bent spread-eagled across the table.
And yet the whole time we were at Pearl, there was not a hint of racism, hatred, or even blame.
In fact, there were a number of Japanese tourists on the tours around us. Nobody made them feel anything but welcome.
Perhaps it's somehow cathartic, probably for all.
Good to see.
Good to see.
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