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Published: July 30th 2010
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My Yukata
In my room at Iwaso MiyaJima (7/27/10 to 7/28/10) I could have stayed much longer in Hiroshima: the weather was cooler, the area was small and easy to navigate and the nightlife was fun (I'll write about that later!)
But Miyajima was calling.
When I planned this trip, I wanted to take one day to quietly process, relax and unwind (a little pampering was on the menu too). So I booked a night at the Iwaso Ryokan on Miyajima Island near Hiroshima. My experience at the Ryokan and on the island itself was a treasure I will forever value. Miyajima is a must-add for any Japanese itinerary. I rank it up there with Cinque-Terra as one of my favorite spots in the world.
I took a ferry from Hiroshima to Miyajima and arrived before my room was ready, so I decided to explore the nature trails on the island. I started by taking an aerial tram to the top of the mountain. Even with the light haze in the sky, the views were picturesque--one side, a mountain wall of green trees, the other, the harbor and skyline of Hiroshima across the bay.
The four-hour walked that followed was a combo of nature
Me and Torii Gate
The morning I was leaving walk, buddhist soul searching and stairmaster. I have to give props to my friend Laurie who has been taking stairs instead of elevators, motivating me to do the same. As a result, I was much better prepared for the hours of stair-walking on this mountain walk. Even still, my calves shook and ached by the end of it.
The hike was peppered with unique and beautiful shrines and temples, my favorite being the Daishon Temple. The grounds were so massive. Set against a creek and mountain foliage, this was a worthy finale after hours of cardio.
I did have one disappointment... I didn't see any monkeys. There were deer a-plenty, but my LP said there were monkeys too. While I kinda fearfully wondered how my monkey encounter might unfold, I still wanted to see one--even if it led to rabies, a torn-off face, or having my balls ripped off (as wild monkeys are known to do on occasion). All right, maybe seeing a monkey wouldn't be worth all that, but it would have made for one heck of a journal entry (a high-pitched one, if that)!
After the climb, I checked into Iwaso. OMG!!!! WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!
The mountain Tram
I'm in the car in front My room was in the original ryokan built at the turn of the 20th century. I had an enclosed veranda that overlooked a creek where deer came to drink. I was in peaceful heaven.
It was here I also experienced an Onsen: A traditional Japanese public bath. Iwaso was built on a hot spring, and there were giant Japanese baths in the basement. What a relief for my over-exerted legs and a back that has been trekking around Japan with a 17 kilo load.
After my bath, I walked around the quaint town in Miyajima. It was lovely. I snacked on eel in a steamed bun and visited the Torii gate where I sat on a sea wall and wrote a bit.
The Torii Gate, a red structure in the middle of the harbor, is one of the most photographed sites in Japan. I had always seen it as floating in the water and was surprised to be able to walk to it (through mud and seaweed) during low tide. It was funny to see boats anchored in a dry bay.
The other random site on the island was the world's largest wooden rice scoop. I
View from the Tram
The day was hazy, but still a beauty didn't even know this was a category in the record books, so I took a picture of it. It was pretty big though--the length of a city bus. Random.
The highlight of Miyajima, however, was dinner.
I wrapped myself in my Japanese robe and experienced a multi-course meal brought to me by a geisha room attendant. This was an experience as amazing by myself as it would have been to share with someone special.
The presentation of the food was exquisite. I was a little nervous to try some of the unknown seafood delicacies, but found every bite to be delicious--even the whole fish and whole miniature crab (that I popped into my mouth--claws and all.
After writing in my journal, I retired for the evening with a well-earned and quite restful sleep.
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Jill
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Monkeys
Hey, I saw monkeys in Peru - right off the Manu and Madre de Dios river banks! And, of course, in trees.