Piczo

Madness in Miyajima

The morning started when we all awoke from our sleep, to the sound of quiet. I later found out that the elections had stopped. We followed our morning routines and then headed down in the elevator to the 3rd floor breakfast place. Handing in our free breakfast coupons, we got plates and started taking what we wanted. I got a huge salad that I smothered in Sesame sauce, while Mom and Nana enjoyed bread, no surprise there. I went over the days schedule with them, and soon enough we were heading back to the room. The plan was to get our stuff and then buy a locker for it all in Hiroshima Station, like we did at Himeji. After we were finished, all packed, and ready to start the day, we checked out of the hotel. Then with our huge luggage bags, we planned on walking to the station. Instead on the workers at the hotel volunteered to give us a ride. Nana and Mom were s relieved as we filed into his mini van. At the station, we wished us luck, gave me a map of the city, and then returned to his post. We were in luck with 2 unused large luggage lockers near the Shinkhansen station. And after everything was squared away, I took my family to the JR local lines and waited for an early train to Miyajimaguchi. Since it was pretty early in the morning, the train hadn't yet become a sardine can. I still stood up, making sure that we didn't accidentally pass through the wrong station. I was on a roll for perfect train hopping, and I didn't want to lose the title. When we arrived at the said destination, the whole group of travelers also got off. We were on a bright colorful lovely little street in the Hiroshima coast line. At the end of the street was the dock for ferry to Miyajima Island, so the shops and vendors on the sides were hard at work trying to sell Omiyage. The most famous of which is the Momiji, or maple leaf shaped cake with filling. Most of the filling is flavored Green Tea or Bean paste, but Nana and I discovered Chocolate and Cream Custard that left us pretty happy. Soon we made our way to the ferry, where Mom and Nana used the Rail Pass and I paid the small round trip fee. The ride was freezing! It was still early in the morning yet, but I had to steal my Nana's extra jacket or I would have frozen. The wind whipped around us, as we slowly approached the main site of the day; O-Torii. Located several miles off the coast of Hiroshima city, the holy island of Miyajima is a sacred site of both Shintoism and Buddhism and one of the most enchantingly beautiful places on Earth. To come by early morning boat across the mist-enshrouded sea, slowly approaching the island and its holy mountain of Misen San, is to enter a fairy tale realm. Long before Buddhism came to Japan in the 5th century AD, Shinto sages lived as hermits in the mountain’s forested hills. After we arrived, unloaded the boat, and walked through the dock center, our first big shock of the day hit. Right in the middle of this beautiful island where hundreds of little deer walking right up to tourists and getting fed. Most of their antlers had been chopped off to protect tourists from aggression. And it seemed like they would eat anything. I watched them eat their food as well as a whole paper plate. Mom was overjoyed by this set up, while I couldn't help but crack a little laugh. Next we passed the deer and walked down a own-style cobblestone road toward signs poinging to the island's main red shrine. Stopping along the way for some store browsing, I even found something I liked; a little Red Torii like the Miyajima one. Because I have a fetish with Torii's. How weird is that? One of the 3 'Best Sights in Japan,' the floating Torii gate is astounding. The beautiful Otorri gate, standing in the sea and leading to the Itsukushima shrine, is the symbol of Miyajima Island. The present Otorii, the eighth that was constructed since the Heian period (794-1192), was built in 1875. It is 16 meters tall, and stands on its own support, having no part buried in the ground. Entering a Tori gates is said to be like entering the Holy area of the Gods. Thus since Commoners were historically not allowed to set foot on the island, and had to approach by boat, they had to enter through the gate. Whether it is floating, or merely stuck in the mud, depends on the tide. We were fortunate enough to see it floating. Since we had arrived early, we were very fortunate enough to see it without the huge crowds of annoying tourists. Instead we took our time and explored every little part of the surrounding area, taking us on a little beach stroll, to nearly every bathroom on the island, and seeing more of just the Shrine than the average tourist does. We paid the $3 fee to get onto the shrine, and we're soon fortunate enough to be exploring that as well. Itsukushima Shrine was first established in 593. Built to worship the island as a goddess, the temple quickly became known through out Japan. Its first known written record from 881 includes it among other famous Japanese shrines. The precursor to the current Itsukushima Shrine and its gate were built in 1168 with funds from the Taira clan. Changes to the shrine's layout occurred after fires in 1207, 1223 and a typhoon in 1325. After this time, the shrine is thought to have retained the same basic layout. We took lots of Torii pictures, while we stood on the shrine watching the water slowly rise. When we got off it, Nana found a nice comfortable bench, while Mom and I made the climb up to a Buddhist Temple overlooking the main town. We were in awe at the gorgeousness of the Sakura. Even though we had seen them in every place we had visited, there was something really special about these particular ones. They were fuller or something. Miyajima is said to be a magical island, full of powers that made it mysterious while at the same time open to Holiness. Perhaps it was that. Back down, picking up Nana, we had a few options. We could return back to Hiroshima and take an early train to Kochi. Or we could do a long hike up to the Ropeway, where we would then get to see more of the Island. Nana's hip was taken into consideration, but so was that fact that both woman were loving Miyajima more than place we had visited yet. We decided to go for it, and were then trekking up a steep hill to get to Miyajima Ropeway. The climb was not easy for Nana, and when we arrived, she needed a long rest. So while I purchased the tickets, she sat down and enjoyed the surroundings of the island. In line for the Ropeway, we were put on with a weird Japanese couple. The ropeway took us high above the spiritual green mountains of Miyajima with the crystal clear Seto Inland Sea blanketing until the horizon. When we reached what we believed to the top, we were ushered up more stairs and onto another ropeway. This one was far more high up, and much more scenic. It was larger, and more people were crammed on. Everyone peered out the glass windows at the surrounding islands and blue waters surrounding the greenness of Miyajima. It was truly a spectacular view. Upon reaching the top, we discovered our second great shock of the day. There on the top of Miyajima's Mt. Misen, were wild Monkeys. Mom and Nana were ecstatic, but not me, because I do not like these animals. In fact as we climbed the highest point of the mountain, one of the animals walked across the path in front of meMom must have taken dozens of pictures, her favorite of which was a monkey with a deer. Nana was getting hungry, so back into the station, we ate the fruit that the women had brought along. Ironically enough, Nana ate a banana. When we were finsihed, we decided to try setting out for a hike of the mountain, but didn't make it very far. Nana and Mom were both really tired. SO we took the ropeway back down the mountain. And then trekked back to the main town, where we were surprised at how crowded it had become. There were hundreds of people fighting for a picture of the Torii and spots to get into the Shrine. We considered ourselves lucky that we had arrived so early. Soon we were back on the Ferry, later at the Miyajimagushi Station heading back to Hiroshima. When we arrived, the station was full of rush and confusion. Mom and I sat Nana on a bench in the Bullet Train Station, while she and I went and got the heavy luggage. When we got everything I brought them to the wrong platform. I forgot that we were going West and not East, like usual, so we missed our first train. But I wasn't worried, because we just got onto another train and things were fine again. Though it was pretty packed. I had to sit with an old Japanese man who pretty much talked my ear off, even though I really couldn't understand him. When the Bullet Train arrived in Okayama, we moved through the Bullet Train station and into the local trains, where we boarded the feared and hated Nanpu train to Kochi. I won't go into to it, but by the end of the ride, Mom was as sick as a dog. She made a funny comment, "Riding through mountains and little nothing towns, and I can't imagine a city being at the end of this ride." But we made it to Kochi, where Matsumoto-san, my counselor, and my current host family, the Osaki's, were happily waiting for us. I introduced everyone, and gave Mom and Nana their first insight into my second home. Matsumoto-san drove us first to say hello to the Masaki's then to our hotel, the Oriental Hotel. He bought us all a nice steak dinner, gave us our schedules, and then wished us well. The problem was that each of us had our own room, which meant no more late nights and wet pants from Nana. But I was so happy to be back at home in Kochi.