Shopping and Other Useful Places
The Takasu Hiroden station (referenced in directions below) can be found by following the first part of the getting to and from HIT directions. Some of these directions assume you know how to ride the Hiroden. If not, check out the getting to and from HIT directions for the basics, and ask the program advisors/volunteers for help.
Post Offices:
- In Takasu, there is a post office along the train tracks, about one block from the Hiro-den stop. Look for the bright red drop box. Depending on the route you choose to take from the dorm, you will probably walk right by it. In between the double doors is a post office ATM which accepts international debit/credit cards. Inside is a full service post office (Airmail, SAL, Surface) and banking services.
- In Rakurakuen, there is a post office further down the street from the Hiroden station. Just walk the other direction from the school and it'll be on your left hand side.
- At the university, there is a collection of ATM's on the fourth floor of the main building. (On the walkway across from Abade Cafeteria.) The one at the far end is a post office ATM. The others are hit and miss, they might or might not accept your card.
Health Clinics:
- On campus, there is a health clinic available to free of charge. You will be shown where it is on your tour. In case you don't remember, it is just to the left and back of the main staircase in the main building on the first floor. I'd recommend taking someone with you since the nursing staff does not speak English. The doctor does, but having an extra person to clarify questions really helps. When it comes to your health, you don't want any misunderstandings. This is the first place you should go if not feeling well.
- In Rakurakuen there is a health clinic where you can go for more serious complaints. You should not attempt to go to the clinic unless it is an emergency or someone from the program is taking you. This clinic is not free. You will need to pay on the spot with cash and be reimbursed by your insurance later. This health clinic is between the hiroden station and the river on the right hand side of the street. (Facing toward the river.) Look for the open parking lot, the clinic is just a little bit beyond. It is not marked in English, but look for the hours sign on the front walkway.
Groceries:
There are two grocery stores and a collection of smaller stores in Takasu.
- Sparks Groceries - Go to the hiroden station, cross the tracks, and make the first left. (The diagonal street on the far side. Continue down this street as it passes a small park. The road will turn and the entry to the grocery store is right there. Look for the parking lots and roped off parking. It's hard to miss.
- Yours Groceries - Go to the hiroden station, cross the tracks and go straight. Continue for 2-3 small blocks. Yours will be on the left hand side, clearly marked in English.
- Drug store - Continue 1 block past Yours, it'll be on your right hand side. It is a large store and look for the turning blue cross.
- Seven-Eleven - Looking for a midnight snack, or it's dinner time and don't feel like cooking? Make a right from the dorm and walk two blocks. The Seven-Eleven is on the right hand side.
- Den-den Electronics - This small store across from the Seven-Eleven has things like CDs, network cables and other small electronics you might need.
Restaurants:
This is by no means an exhaustive list. This is just to get you fed for the first couple of days and let you know about some of the places we liked. I'd recommend just buying cereal or pastries for breakfast. Its not worth trying to find a restaurant open for a mid-morning breakfast. Also, do some research before you leave and make sure you know what some of the dish names are, particularly if there are certain things you can't or won't eat. All of the Restaurants listed below are a fair walk. The okonomiyaki shop and the closer ramen shop are only about a 1/4 mile, but the other two are a solid mile plus.
- Close Ramen Shop - Cross the hiroden tracks. At the intersection on the far side, turn and follow the (left) slanted street for about 100 yards. The ramen shop is on your left. Its a building by itself. I never eat here myself, but I was told that it was good, but not as good as the one mentioned below. Probably around 500 Yen for a meal.
- Okonomiyaki Shop - Cross the hiroden tracks and continue down the straight street. The Okonomiyaki place is on the right hand side near Yours. (A little before if I remember correctly.) Quite good food, and not just okonomiyaki, despite what I'm calling it. A meal here will cost you around 1000 Yen, but it's good food.
- Yoshinoya - Yoshinoya is the fast food of Japan. As such it's cheap and quick, but surprisingly it is also quite good! Picture menus make ordering easy and the prices are clearly marked on the menu. This is a good place to go your first couple of days when you're just learning the basics. To get to Yoshinoya, cross the hiroden tracks and follow the straight street until the first MAJOR intersection. Make a left and follow this street for about 3/4 of a mile. (FYI, there is a Kentucky Fried Chicken which you'll pass on the left.) When you come to the intersection with the four way walk way and the freeway overpass, cross to the far diagonal corner and continue down the cross street. (A right) Yoshinoya will be approximately 300 feet on the left hand side. Look for the yellow/orange sign with Hiragana and English. Expect to spend 400-700 Yen.
- Far Ramen Shop - The ramen shop is about three hundred feet or so beyond Yoshinoya. (Before you cross the bridge.) This ramen shop has the best ramen I tasted while in Japan. Very good and at 280 Yen a bowl, very cheap too! I recommend both the plain ramen and the miso ramen. (~450 Yen)
Here are a couple useful pieces of Japanese to know no matter when you end up going:
- いくら です か。＝"Ikura desu ka?" = "How much does it cost?"
- （）を ください。＝"(ITEM) o kudasai" = "ITEM please." or "I'll have ITEM."
- べつーべつ ください。"Betsu-betsu kudasai." = "We'll pay separately."
General Shopping:
- Shoko Center Mall - Shoko Center is one of the intermediate stops between Takasu and Itsukaichi (HIT). Shoko Center is a large mall with a wide selection of stores. Most importantly, there is a 100 yen store in the basement where you can buy all sorts of useful items and gifts to bring back. To get there, just get off at the Shoko Center hiroden stop, then walk over the bridge/overpass to the mall.
- Downtown Shopping District - The downtown shopping district is insane. It continues many stories up, and at least two below, street level. Ride the hiroden into Hiroshima (the opposite direction from Takasu as HIT) and get off at one of the 2-3 stops following Genbaku Domu. (This'll take a while. ~20-30 minutes [rough estimate!]) You'll see this area on your tour of the city too, so that'll help orient you. Hondori, the main shopping street is a block south of the Hiroden tracks. WARNING, the hiroden stops running at around 11pm. If you miss the last train it will cost you ~$20 per cab (up to 4 people) to get back.
