MIYAJIMA - World Heritage Site.
Brett and I made a day trip to Miyajima, outside Hiroshima, to the famous floating shrine and arch of Miyajima island. The weather was gorgeous. I cannot stress this enough. We were both in such good spirits even before we got to the island just because the weather was so perfect. If you want to visit Japan, COME IN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER. Anyways.




The first thing we saw as we got off the ferry was: tourists. And then, scampering between the tourists, and sometimes assaulting the tourists, were DEER. Of all sizes and temperaments. There were little DEER FOOD stands (like hot dog carts, but with packets of biscuits for the deer) all over the place. The biscuits aren't that tasty though, I don't see why it's such a big seller.


A huge old shrine sits atop a hill. The massive woodwork, worn down to a dark brown…floorboards polished from centuries worth of footsteps…old old faded artwork painted on boards were suspended from the ceiling (see next pic). Everyone was quiet and spoke in hushed tones. We sat on mats and were treated to a performance by a woman (cultural interpreter?) dressed in traditional kimono who played a thingey (like a Japanese guitar with a piece of flat wood instead of a pick) and sang too. When she first spoke to introduce the piece, her voice was soft and gentle and barely audible, but when she sang, it took on a new power. It was haunting, spacious, and altogether beautiful music. Behind her, you could see the mountains of Miyajima covered in trees rising up behind her while a hawk circled and soared...




These are, for lack of a better term, sake kegs. It puts the Canadian kegs to shame, doesn't it. You almost don't even want to tap it, it's so beautiful.



Here is a bit of the inside of the floating shrine. It was low tide today so you could see the gravelly sand a few feet beneath the boards. The shrine was first built 1600 years ago...whoaaaa...


This is me doing a lame pose beside the famous arch which is waaaay bigger than it looks from the ferry ride to the island. The bottoms of the posts look like tree roots are reaching into it; it looks as if they built the arches out of trees that grew there...