Miyajima

So, I arrived in Hiroshima and the lovely ladies I am meeting up with are out Adventuring on a little island off the coast called Miyajima. We haven't checked into our hostel yet, but I don't feel like trekking out on my own to find it.  So, I stash my bag in a locker and head out in search of the island and my friends. 

I feel pretty confident about navigating the train system, after all I do it all the time in Osaka when covering at other schools.  However, when I have to cover a school I always have a map with me, that has written directions on it.  And the destination written in Kanji.  For the first time, I am on my own.  Left to my wits and street wise know-how to figure out a way to get where I want to go.  Oh, dear!  Panic starts to well up from the depths of my soul.  I don't know what I'm doing.  And I only sort of know how to ask how "where is ..." 

A few deep breaths and a relaxed demenour will get you far in life.  I casually stare at the fare board and hope against hope that they have Miyajima written in English somewhere.  Blessed be, they do!  I take a quick mental picture of the Kanji and set off to find my platform.  A good tip here is to look for the train station stops map, which you will often find on the platform, and count how many stops from your origin point to your destination.  Even though they announce every station, sometimes it can be difficult to understand what they are staying.  Japanese pronunciation and English pronunciation of Japanese words to not sound like the same word!  Even if you are pronouncing your vowels correctly for Japanese!  I arrive at my destination without further ado.

A quick transfer to the ferry and I'm on my way.  This island is quite famous for it's red gate.  It's huge and build off shore so that when the tide is in it looks like it is floating on the water.  There are a lot of temples and shrines and pagodas and deer.  What follows are some pictures from the island.  Enjoy!

A ferry, but not the one I was on. :P

Red Gate as seen from the ferry.

Wild deer roaming around eating all your paper!

And going into shops!

Fancy a rickshaw ride, from a cute Japanese boy?

Smaller stone gate, heading toward the big Red Gate.

Here we are as the tide is in.

People playing in the tide.

Wedding at Itsukushima shrine.  I didn't want to pay to go in and interrupt the wedding.

5 Storied Pagoda at the top of a hill.

One of many shrines and praying places.  I think this one is Daiganji Temple.

Tahoto pagoda at the top of another hill.  Near a nature walk.

Daishoin Temple.  A real temple with monks working.

Daishoin Temple.

At the entrance to Daishoin Temple.  Which is the way I left, because I came in through the back.

Prayer tubes at Daishoin Temple.

Daishoin Temple, minature statues.

There were a lot of these lining a path to...?

A close up of a particularly creepy little statue.

Donation box at the entrance.

Plum Blossoms and a purification area.  You are meant to wash your hands before you enter to pray.

The tide has gone out and the friends have come up.

Deep fried goodness.  Mine was red bean, Jill and Merran had cheese, I think.

We all love Ken Wantanabe, so Jill decided to give him a kiss!

 So that was Miyajima.  Next post will be arrival night and day at the museum.  I may include some pictures for our night out if I get some from Merran.  I am off to Kobe tomorrow then 3 days in Kyoto.  I'm going to spend my Golden Week close to home.  I think I'll hit Toyko and Fuji later.