Bright and early on Xmas day - catching the train from Fukuma to Hakata.
Catching the shinkansen.
Shinkansen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"The Shinkansen (新幹線, Shinkansen?) is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the 210 km/h (130 mph) Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network (2,459 km or 1,528 miles) has expanded to link most major cities on the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū at speeds up to 300 km/h. Test runs have reached 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to a world-record 581 km/h (361 mph) for maglev trainsets in 2003."
Why anyone travels by airplane in this country is beyond me. Spacious, peaceful, comfy... I dig on the shink.
In Hiroshima an hour and a half or so later. Catching the ferry out to Miyajima/Itsukushima.
We're going thataway.
For the second year in a row we're hanging out at a
World Heritage Site on Xmas. Last year was the
Great Wall of China, this year it's Itsukushima Shrine.
Itsukushima - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"Itsukushima (厳島, Itsukushima?) is an island in the Inland Sea of Japan. It is popularly known as Miyajima (宮島, Miyajima?), the Shrine Island. Itsukushima is part of the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture. The island was the town of Miyajima prior to the 2005 merger with Hatsukaichi.
Itsukushima is famous for the Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to records, the shrine was established in the time of Empress Suiko. The warrior-courtier Taira no Kiyomori gave the shrine its present form. In 1555, Mōri Motonari defeated Sue Harukata at the Battle of Miyajima. Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a large building, the Senjō-kaku, on a hill above the shrine."
Pic from the ferry.
Said ferry.
"Please pay special attention to your babies." You can't make this stuff up.
Proof the gods do smile on me. [HA!]
Sandy teases the stone dogs. Later, they came to life, animated by the spirits of demons, killing 17.
The famous torii gate. The slightly less famous Sandy.
Creepy white horse statue with red eyes. No idea what that's about.
Low tide.
No idea who this dude is, but it makes for a dramatic shot, ne?
The deer contemplates going into the shrine, then realizes it's "Exit Only."
"Wonderful scenery is seen by least." Wait, what?
"The people without time should be careful." Indeed.
Hmmm.
Monkeys are indeed around here.
For Dad Snider.
Saddest. Monkeys. Ever.
Baby monkey!
Pagoda coolness.
Really low tide.
Sandy gets her torii love-on.
Oysters, a specialty in Hiroshima.
Momiji Manju, another Hiroshima specialty.
Manjū - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"Manjū (饅頭, Manjū?) is a popular traditional Japanese confection. There are many varieties of manjū, but most have an outside made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat and a filling of an (red bean paste), made from boiled azuki beans and sugar."
Chocolate, cheese, cream and azuki varieties.
Sandy's manju haul.
The day's second World Heritage Site [one last year, two this year... do we have to find a place with three next year?]
Hiroshima Peace Memorial - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"Hiroshima Peace Memorial, commonly called the Atomic Bomb Dome or A-Bomb Dome (Japanese: 原爆ドーム Genbaku Dome), in Hiroshima, Japan, is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996."
At night.
End of the day wrapup/dinner at
Ohana, a Hawaiian restaurant.
At this point I'm sure I've overly romanticized the hell out of my 4 years in HI, but I sure do miss it sometimes.
Food was gooood.
Walking back...
...to the hotel. Day 1 complete.
No comments:
Post a Comment