Miyajima

Shinto Shrine 

5 Story Pagoda

Sushi: Fluke, Tuna, Squid

Pork Shabu-Shabu

Rice with Mushrooms and Sea Bream

When we got up in the morning and went for breakfast it was raining very hard. Potential bummer! We didn’t come this far to let a little rain deter us, so we dressed and prepared to go to the Shrine (it is actually a large complex of buildings). The rain gods took mercy on us and the rain had stopped. We headed out for the Shrine (it is very close to our Ryokan). The Shrine is a low series of interconnected open buildings all painted the same Vermillion (red-orange) as the famous Torii-gate situated in the water. We walked all around the complex and visited the small treasure museum. The entire area is sacred and there are many shrines on this island. It is definitely a tourist destination and there are lots of people that come by ferry for the day, but they don’t ruin the experience.

There are two main streets. One simply follows the coastline next to the seawall. It is very well maintained and swept clean (I guess you could see cleanliness is close to godliness here). The other parallel street is filled with gift shops and restaurants. The restaurants actually outnumber the gift shops. Many of them have stalls in the front that sell take-away food. As you walk down the street you are bombarded with smells of grilling oysters, udon, noodles, sweets, yakitori skewers, etc. It is a delight to the senses.

After visiting the shrine complex we returned to our hotel to rest. It was time for udon soup. Cathy had Tempura topped Udon, I enjoyed the best of both worlds ordering Udon with fresh Miyajima Oysters. The oysters were plump and delicious. I had an exceptionally good massage at the hotel then took a bath in their public bath. The Ryokan has two public baths one for women, one for men. And each sex has both an indoor and outdoor bath.

When you stay at a Ryokan they provide you with a Yukata and jacket to wear. In the Ryokan you don’t need to wear anything but the Yukata. No dressing for dinner required. It makes life simple. Each day they give you a new fresh one. They are tied with a thick sash, and are fun to wear. The Ryokan serves dinner. It is a traditional meal called a Kaiseki dinner. The order of the meal is formalized and the individual courses are very intricately prepared. Because we spent 4 consecutive nights in Ryokans, we have had 48 courses of food. It has been fun to compare the various preparations. The Ryokan usually has very few rooms so that the chef is preparing these intricate dinners for just a few appreciative diners.

Final thought about Miyajima. We are glad we came, the setting is spectacular, the shrine is amazing, we loved the wild deer and the street food. But ultimately for us, Miyajima is sideshow to the horror of Hiroshima. Hiroshima is a deep reflection of how awful man can be. Miyajima is an example of how life goes on.