June 25

Today we took a boat to Tsukushima, also known as Miyajima, a small island in Hiroshima Bay. There were different options to get there but we took the one way, one transport option, a boat near our hotel.  The boat would take credit cards but, like most of Europe two summers ago, the credit cards required pins!  That option does add another layer of security but didn’t help us today!! So we needed to go in search of an ATM.  We found one at a very close Seven-Eleven.  Yes! These are everywhere!! Some literally blocks apart.  We r saw them in the Philippines too!  Anywho, we got some cash and grabbed a breakfast pastry and two coffees and headed back to the boat.  It was slow for the first 20 minutes as the boat traversed the river and then it sped up for 25 minutes as it was then on the bay!  Boats are always a great way to see a city from a different perspective.  We weren’t allowed outside since it was low tide and then we were going too fast.  In this case, the inside offered great views. 

Miyajima is known for its forests and ancient temples. Just offshore, the giant, orange Great Torii Gate is partially submerged at high tide. It marks the entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, which was first built in the 12th century. When we came ashore, it was low tide so it really wasn’t in more than a foot or so of water at the most; it is undergoing renovations so there was some scaffolding around most of it but it is still neat to see in real life. During high tide the gate looks like it is floating! 

The island’s key shrine is the Itsukushima Shrine. Like the Torii Gate, the shrine's main buildings are built over water, except when it is low tide—like while we were there! There are many shrines all over the island, both small and large.  Many people stop to offer up a prayer, some chant, some tap a gong.

There are also wild deer on the island that have become accustomed to people. The deer literally wander around the same sites as the tourists, down the street, up the stairs, and in the evening they sleep along the walking paths.  We heard many warnings about the deer eating personal belongings so to watch out for them.  It was funny to watch when a deer started following someone and the person it was following was completely unaware!! 

At 500 meters (just over 1600 feet) above sea level is Mount Misen, the highest peak on the island. On clear days, it offers spectacular views of the Seto Inland Sea and even Hiroshima. There are also a number of Buddist structures near the peak. A ropeway tram leads up the mountain from town, but it is also possible to climb up on foot.

It is said that Buddhism was first practiced on Mount Misen by Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Shingon sect and one of Japan's holiest religious persons. Near Misen's summit stand several temple structures which belong to the Daisha-in Temple at the base of the mountain.

We opted to take the ropeway tram up as we knew we wanted to leave for Nagasaki yet this evening. We thought we’d tram up and walk down.  Good idea! 

We had a two-seater for the first part, taking care to distribute our weight evenly (!) and then we were asked to SQUEEZE into a bigger car.   Since we weren’t going back to our hotel but rather directly to the train station, we had our backpacks with us!! We mimicked turtles! We existed and made our way to stop #1, an observatory near the ropeway.  What a view!! The Summit was another 30 minute hike, mostly UP steep and natural stone steps and walkways. 

There are three hiking trails leading up Misen.  Of the three, one offers the nicest views and is not as steep as the other two. Another, while the shortest, is also the steepest, leading mostly through the forest. Using any course, it takes 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the summit from town and for our purposes, back down again! When we bought our one-way tickets up, our ticket seller told us there would be steps down, and she suggested the “easiest,” the Daisho-in Course.  Easy-peasy! 

Except the steps were uneven so some slanted forward and some backward and some to the left and some to the right!  Some were STEEP and some shallow, so my “Maggie” knee flared up big time.  Going up is “easier,” except for being out of shape, thus out of breath; down hill is always “easier” but can be trickier for me with exceptionally uneven surfaces.  Andrew could and does hike pretty well anything, up or down.  He's a regular speed demon on any hike!  

When we had our dog Maggie, she LOVED going on walks and would quite often pull me along! Once while at the forest she pulled me down a trail and I landed up twisting my knee so now, on occasion, it flares up big time. So my right knee didn’t want to walk down and I had to side-step it, which actually doesn’t hurt much. What I really needed was my walking sticks as they are amazing for knees and taking the stress off.  But alas my sticks were at home as we didn’t know how they’d be perceived with switching so many planes.  They made it when we went to Europe as a “carry-on” but didn’t when we were heading back home and had to be checked! What a nightmare! 

By the time we reached the bottom, we were still within the recommenced time limit but now both my knees ached from favoring my right one.  It didn’t help the stress level when you see FOUR signs as you are descending warning you to watch out for the VERY venomous Japanese viper!! And to call 119 if you are bitten!  119? A typo maybe since the Japanese do read right to left? Even though it was translated into English perhaps the numbers didn’t? That was a long decent.  I am thankful that we didn’t see any snakes. FOUR warning signs!! FOUR!  

There are many shrines up and down, some small and some large.  Some people stopped to pray, others offered flowers or a trinket.  One very interesting sight was the Reikado (Hall of the Spiritual Flame). The building (hall) protects a flame, which Kobo Daishi is said to have lit when he began worshiping on the mountain. It has been burning ever since, so over 1200 years (!) and was also used to light the Flame of Peace in Hiroshima's Peace Park.

We found the ferry to take us back to the mainland and then an electric trolley to get us to the train station.  It’s time to go to Nagasaki.  

Traveling by train is really a lovely way to travel.  We have the rail pass for the week and only have to book specific seats when we know where we are going and when.  We just head to the ticket counter and they help us! It also covers ferries and busses!

Thus far Japan has to be THE cleanest place in the entire universe. We still see nearly no trash!  None at the train stations inside or out, none walking to and fro, none near the bus stops or zillions of vending machines found everywhere, none even on the island! It’s even hard-pressed to find leaves fallen on the sidewalks! Andrew says it’s in their culture—keep it clean as you go, put things away as you go.  I’m getting better at that as we are getting older (Less is really more at this stage of life!), but can see tons of room for some improvements! They were even cleaning the railings of the entrance ramp on the island!  The railings! Outside! Every bathroom has had someone near that was keeping it clean. People were stationed in the parks raking.  They have recycling stations everywhere and they were being properly used—not like at home where you regularly see trash in the bottle bins!!  Just wow. 

It wasn’t like that in the Philippines at all.  There was trash everywhere there could be and the smell.  😲 It is amazing how culture impacts everything.  Both Manila and Hiroshima were completely destroyed and rebuilt from the ground up.  They started from nothing, so much potential.  

Speaking of toilets—some are “Western” which look like ours, some are holes in the ground (squat!), some have heated seats (!), some have lovely water sounds as you go, and some flush as you’re going to keep the bowl clean!  Most do not have paper towels but air machines or ?? Thank goodness for my purse as it pretty well holds anything that could be needed for any scenario!  In the Philippines you had to bring your own toilet paper —-remember note above about my purse! 

We arrived at the station with a little time before we left so we optioned a late lunch/early supper. We wanted another special pancake so found a restaurant that had one pictured in the window. They didn’t offer this, so we each got something else; my chili bowl was so good!! Rice, chili-type of seasoning, pork, onions, and egg. OMG!  Andrew said his noodles with pork was good too! 

Back to trains: the Japanese eat rice for every meal; it’s one of their staples in their diet.  Every extra space is dedicated to rice production.  From the train we saw fields and fields of rice.  And greenhouses, and gardens.  In fact, there are very few yards. It is lovely to watch the world live as you ZIP by on a fast train!

We ended up exiting our train one stop before we needed to as our hotel was located between the two stops and closer to this one.  We walked(!) and found another traditional room, small, dated, but clean, this one complete with an ash tray and directions to not smoke in bed! Amazingly the room didn’t smell of smoke at all.  As with the last one, it came with a kimono and slippers for us to wear. 

Time for some Advil and a good night’s rest.