Monday Morning Star Count.

I’m still trying to figure this out, but I have an idea. I need to make more hexagons.

Hiroshima Toshogu Shrine

This historic shrine was constructed in 1648 to honor Tokugawa Ieyasu.  

As with all shrines and temples in Japan, there were many steps. 

This is the google translate of the sign below.

Miyao Castle Ruins and Mt. Yogai

Historical information from the J-Castle website - 

The castle was built by Mori Motonari in 1555 on the island of Miyajima. It was a very small castle in a visible location intended to lure Sue Harukata into a trap. Sue took the bait in September 1555 and took an overwhelming force (approx 10,000 men) to the island. He built the To-no-oka fort on a hilltop Itsukushima Shrine and Miyao Castle on Sept 16 and easily attacked and took Miyao Castle on September 21. While Sue was preoccupied with Miyao Castle, Mori took Sakurao Castle, one of Sue's most critical castles on the mainland. In a thunderstorm on October 1, the Mori positioned their forces for a dawn attack on the castle. The Sue forces were defeated, those that fled the island by ship were hunted down by the Murakami, allies of the Mori. Sue Harukata himself, seeing the hopelessness of his situation committed seppuku.

As a sacred site, no castle had been built on Miyajima Island where blood could not be shed. After the battle, Mori removed all the bodies of the fallen, scrubbed down bedrock and buildings where blood had been shed and even removed blood soaked soil. In the following years Mori Motonari also funded several construction projects for the Itsukushima Shrine. No further castles were built on the island after Miyao Castle was abandoned.

This is at the bottom of the hill.

This view is just half of the stairs.

As I climbed higher, I saw there are more steps.

This shrine is at the top of the stairs.

Looking back down.

This is the area where the castle stood.

Nothing left, but the historical story.

Friday Finish - Mola Pillow Finish

About 18 years ago, I received this mola panel as a gift from someone who traveled to Panama. I didn’t know what to do with it. 

Finally, I decided to back it and make it into a little pillow.

Miyajima and Itsukushima

From Miyajimaguchi train station, there are two ferry options to get to Miyajima. I chose the JR ferry, because I was traveling with the Japan Railway Seishun 18 Kippu train pass, so I was able to take the JR ferry at no additional charge. I did still have to pay the island tax (I think it was 100 yen).

This was my view from the ferry.

Itsukushima is best known for what people call the floating torii gate. It’s not actually floating, but appears to be, at high tide. The shrine itself sits in the inlet that the torii gate is in and dates back to the 12th century. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

About 500 free roaming deer live on the island.  Even though it has been illegal to feed them since 2008, many people don’t seem to know that and feed them anyway. Some deer are too bold. I saw one chasing a small older woman and biting at her white paper bag.

I will have a separate post about Miyao Castle ruins later.