Today is the first of what we hope will be many exciting day trips to see some of the most renowned sights of Japan. We haven’t activated our precious Rail Pass yet, but our destination is a short (and cheap) tram / local train ride away: we are heading to the small island of Miyajima, home to the famous sea Torii gate. This ancient wooden arch is one of the three iconic “views of Japan”, as decreed by 16th century scholar Hayashi Gahō, and it is still standing today, drawing hordes of local and international sightseers from nearby Hiroshima.
From our very central hotel, we jump on one of the main tram lines that criss-cross the city, flaunting all Japanese conventions by scarfing down a quick breakfast on the go - no time to lose! Halfway through, our entire train seamlessly transfers to a different track and continues as a local intercity line, taking us to the small station of Miyajimaguchi, where we grab a ferry to our goal. While the train was quiet, the ferry terminal is bustling and the boat is packed with sightseers - but still big enough that we can get a good viewpoint for the journey. It’s a short but scenic ride over the calm straight: the famous gate stands in the water itself, and our ferry loops quite close to it, giving us a beautiful perspective of the sea-side temple it leads too.
Minutes after landing, we notice an unusual crowd mingling with the many debarking tourists: deers! In Shintoism they are sacred animals, and on this island best know for its holy temples, they have free rein. With no predators, they are quite happily nuzzling at tourists’ pockets in the hope of a treat, posing for a selfie, or simply napping in the middle of the path!
The seaside avenue leading back to Itsukushima Jinja is packed but we make sure to get a good look at the gate from the shore. Originally, this would have been the main entrance to the temple, with the faithful coming in by boat through the massive pillars to cleanse their spirit before entering holy ground. Now, it’s mostly an attraction, although the temple is still operating, and a stone Torii gate has been built over the shore path in an attempt to purify the visiting hordes. Despite the bustle, it’s easy to find a quiet spot between stone lanterns to peek out at the gate. We’re lucky with the weather today: it’s wonderfully sunny, and the contrast between the red lacquered pillars and the blue waves lapping at their feet is stunning.
We don’t want to spend too long with the crowds though, and we soon escape along a steep staircase towards the interior of the island. Behind the seafront, there’s a maze of small alleys and stairways sneaking up the hills. Always picking the quieter ones, we skirt a beautiful pagoda, made all the more special by the many blossoming cherry trees around it. Further inland, we find a beautiful cherry grove with just a few island residents sitting under the trees, before heading along the back roads in a loop back towards the sea. It’s a nice, quiet escapade and we see a few small herds of deers resting in the shade away from people, before we find ourselves back on the tourist track leading towards the funicular.
The park surrounding the mountain advertises waterfalls and pagodas but especially with more company than we’d like it’s not that impressive and we soon turn back and head down towards the town again. Before we leave, we’re keen to secure some of the island’s specialty: Momiji manjū, maple leaf shaped shortbread-like pastries. The main shopping street is thronged, and there’s long winding queues in front of the bakeries there. We watch with interest some of the display windows which open into the kitchens, showcasing the baking process, but we don’t really fancy a long wait for the biscuits. Luckily, as we turn a corner into a quieter alley, there’s a lovely traditional looking bakery there and we can just walk straight in and order some of the cakes. They come with red bean paste filling - my favourite -, maple flavour, or even pickled cherry blossom and we have a happy snack wandering around town some more on our way back to the ferry.
On our short trip back across the water we get some last views of the stately gate rising out of turquoise seas - and a surprise escort of dolphins as a small pod skips and jumps along us for part of the way. We head back to Hiroshima the same way we came, and pick up our train tickets for tomorrow from the station - we’ve been scarred by our first contact with Japanese rail hubs at busy busy Fukuoka.
Ollie stays in the hotel to catch up on work while I preemptively search for an okonomiyaki restaurant. This noodle pancake is apparently a local specialty, which we’re keen to try, but we now know selecting a place to eat isn’t that straightforward! The restaurants recommended on the internet are impossible to get seats in, but luckily our hotel backs onto a maze of smaller streets full of little eateries, and I go round scoping out likely places. Nowhere will take a reservation but we can be there right after opening time, and we get choice seats in a typical, tiny place owned by a kind lady who immediately brings out some tea for us while she bustles around setting tables and seating a couple of other clients.
We order two Hiroshima-style pancakes and a side dish of Wagyu beef offcuts - why not while we’re here. The okonomiyaki are lovely, thick and packed with flavour, with plenty of soy shoots for a bit of vegetable, but really the meat is the star of the meal and I wolf down most of the side dish, which Ollie gallantly leaves for me. Despite our difficulties picking places we haven’t had a bad meal in Japan yet, rather the opposite - long may it continue!
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