Miyajima Island
Date: 04/02/07
Getting closer to the island on the ferry. Ohtorii gate is on the lower right.
Path to Itsukushima shrine
Date: 04/02/07
One of the stone gates leading to the shrine, with Ohtorii gate in the distance.
K-chan and her deer
Date: 04/02/07
Like in Nara, sika deer were all over the island. The deer are considered messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion and left to roam free around the island.
Food for me?
Date: 04/02/07
The deer are very used to human presence as well as getting biscuts from them. This particular one kept following Kristen down the path to the shrine.
Persistant little fellow, isn't it?
Date: 04/02/07
It eventually figured out that she didn't have any biscuts and left to seek better prospects.
A tide pool at the shrine
Date: 04/02/07
Itsukushima shrine was built right on the shoreline, so pools like these would fill at high tide.
Itsukushima with Senjokaku
Date: 04/02/07
Like most Shinto shrines, Itsukushima was painted in a very bright orange color.
The Shishiiwa cable car station
Date: 04/02/07
Here we've walked maybe a kilometer from the building, and we're roughly level with it in terms of elevation.
A view from the path to the summit
Date: 04/02/07
It's still pretty hazy, but it's starting to clear up.
Reikado hall
Date: 04/02/07
This building, across from Misen Hondo, holds an eternal flame that's said to have been burning for over 1200 years. I could only step through the door for a moment before being overcome by the smell of smoke.
Reikado hall with Sankido hall above
Date: 04/02/07
Sankido, up at the top of the steps, is the only temple in Japan that worships ogres.
Another shot of Shishiiwa station
Date: 04/02/07
Here, we are very much above the cable car station.
Another shot of the station from the path
Date: 04/02/07
Still further up the hill and higher again from the station.
The top of Mt. Misen
Date: 04/02/07
Finally made it to the top of the mountain. The brochure says the time required to make it this far is about 26 minutes from the cable car station. I believe we took significantly more time than this.
Elevation of the summit
Date: 04/02/07
529.8 meters is approximately 1,738 feet. Most of that wasn't hiked though as we took the cable car most of the way up.
Shots from the top of the mountain
Date: 04/02/07
At the top of the mountain was a two story observation platform. It cleared up enough by the time we got up there to get some shots of the sea and land around the island.
Shot of the mainland
Date: 04/02/07
This part of the mainland has the rail station and ferry terminal we went through to get to the island.
The ropeway cable cars
Date: 04/02/07
Shot from the cable car on our way back down the mountain. We really didn't feel like walking back, even if it was all pretty much downhill.
Ohtorii gate sans water
Date: 04/02/07
By the time we got back down from the mountain, the tide had gone out and people were walking right up to the gate. It a popular tradition to place coins in the wodden cracks of the legs of the gate and make a wish.
Itsukushima from the front
Date: 04/02/07
Now that the tide had gone out, it was easier to get a shot like this.
Another advisory sign
Date: 04/02/07
The english on the sign is clear enough, but the illustration leaves a little to be desired as it would appear that girl is about to enjoy a fresh handful of deer raisins.
Another shot of the island
Date: 04/02/07
Much like the picture I took from the ferry on the way to the island except much clearer since the hazy burned off during the day. You can clearly see the shrine, temple, pagoda, and Ohtorii gate now.
Reflections of a tower
Date: 04/02/07
A shot of Kyoto tower reflecting off of Kyoto station taken when we got back.
