Miyajima Island near Hiroshima, Japan
Mon 05 Aug 2013Cresting the wave of culture is Miyajima Island located near Hiroshima.
This small island is just off the coast of mainland Japan making it about 15 minutes on the ferry. If you have a JR rail pass, that's all you need to get on (come to think of it, I never had to show it).
The ferries are coming and going all day, so its hard to wait more than 15 minutes (I just missed one). The adjacent train station of Miyajimaguchi is 5 minutes tops.
On the island the first thing you will see is the deer wandering around. They are quite domesticated and will sniff you out the moment you open some food. More fun still is watching them try and eat your brochure... and they will put up a fight for it! Later in the day, one even snatched a business card that I had given to an Italian lady.... and moments later, it was gone!
On with the show, around the waterfront is an array of interesting shops, with locals making the incredible claim that the rice paddle was first used on Miyajima. I understand that the monk in question never patented the idea and died in poverty, which I think would have made him quite content.
Around the corner and the tourist hordes have moved to the sand flats at low tide and trying to push over the famous floating gate... or at least leaning on it for a photo. Lucky there is no Tsunami today, otherwise their smart phones and Dslr's would end up a bit damp.
Even though not nervous, the thought has me cast my eyes to hillside for a made scramble if warranted. I tightened the straps on my backpack.
Around the waterfront and the various shrines (Shinto) have a entrance fee. Actually, that's how you can tell a Shinto tourist stop from a Buddhist - the Buddhist ones ask for a donation! (I will report back later once I have done more surveying of this theory.
Up the hill and sure enough there is a Buddhist temple with plenty to look at, and plenty of opportunity to donate. The evidence of the 1825 monk carve-a-thon has resulted in a room full of little statued warriors.
Even though we are now a good 100 metres above sea level, the thoughts of Tsunami return and Google maps suggests a route toward summit on the Northern side of the sculptured watercourse. The granite boulders must have been turned out a 100 years ago, and one imagines 20 monks leaning on an old school lever of sorts to move them into place.
Further up the hill, the water is spring spilling from high in the mountain is spilling over a large rocks for a nice waterfall. There is the idea to swim and the "togs" are in the backpack, but I defer in case I might contaminate the water for the monks below.
Back at the waterfront, the closing shops (at 5pm) offer a range of simple food stuffs, aged by the hot day. Most are worth sampling, prior to the HDR photo opp as the sun drops behind the floating gate.
Tips:
- Check the tide times so you can be on the island when the floating gate is actually floating.
- Take something bitter tasting to feed the deer (Fosters?)
Related Links:Waterfall PanoramaFamous gate at low tide
