Sunday - on to Hiroshima
We took the train from Osaka to Hiroshima in the morning, and went directly to the island of Miyajima (also known as Itsukushima), in the bay of Hiroshima, with our bags in tow. The ferry was very nice, and not more than 20-30 minutes. The luggage lockers on the island worked out well for us.
Most of the sites on the island are walkable from the ferry. There are deer throughout the island and they mingle with the people in all of the open areas. The island is most famous for an enormous red gate in the water. But there are also many dozens of beautiful old shrines and other religious buildings, many of which are still in operation.
Miyajima (宮島) is a small island less than an hour outside the city of Hiroshima. It is most famous for its giant torii gate, which at high tide seems to float on the water. The sight is ranked as one of Japan's three best views.
While officially named Itsukushima, the island is more commonly referred to as Miyajima, Japanese for "shrine island". This is because the island is so closely related to its key shrine, Itsukushima Shrine. Like the torii gate, the shrine's main buildings are built over water.
Miyajima is a romantic place, best enjoyed by staying overnight at one of the island's ryokan. While there are usually many daytime tourists, in the evening the area becomes much quieter and more peaceful. There are also wild deer on the island that have become accustomed to people. In the day the deer wander around the same sites as the tourists, and in the evening they sleep along the walking paths. Unlike in Nara, the deer on Miyajima must not be fed.
We got back to Hiroshima a bit late and were wandering in the city a bit, trying to find a good spot to sample Okonomiyaki, a savory style noodle pancake that is famous in this area. There may have been some grumbling along the way. We finally found an ideal spot, only to be told that they were too busy to accommodate us. We set up on the sidewalk to regroup and despair a bit, and the host came running around the corner to tell us that he had a spot for us after all. The Okonomiyaki were delicious! And we decided to leave our mark on the place.
We ended the night with a walk from the restaurant to our airbnb in the middle of the city, a short walk from Peace Memorial Park.
