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.
This is an area of Japan I have never visited in person. On the other hand, I have seen plenty of images taken by others, as well as on TV. Seeing the deer reminds me of Kinkazan in Miyagi Prefecture, where the deer seemed to rule the island on my visit in the early 1980s. Seeing a deer queuing up outside a coffee shop was a first, though!
I loved Miyajima. In fact, one of my favorite photos I ever did was of the torii -- enlarged to very big! I remember feeding the deer too -- no one told me it was illegal. And once saw one chasing a fellow down the street who apparently had food in the bag he was carrying! The shrine was beautiful. Thank you for the memories.
This is an area of Japan I have never visited in person. On the other hand, I have seen plenty of images taken by others, as well as on TV.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the deer reminds me of Kinkazan in Miyagi Prefecture, where the deer seemed to rule the island on my visit in the early 1980s. Seeing a deer queuing up outside a coffee shop was a first, though!
I loved Miyajima. In fact, one of my favorite photos I ever did was of the torii -- enlarged to very big! I remember feeding the deer too -- no one told me it was illegal. And once saw one chasing a fellow down the street who apparently had food in the bag he was carrying! The shrine was beautiful. Thank you for the memories.
ReplyDelete