David's Trip Report--Japan- November 2013
Jan 5th, 2014, 07:54 AM
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Kavey, yes I did. I ended up going to back to Kiyomizu-dera, as well as Fushimi Inari and Tokofuji in order to get stamps from those places I had visited before buying my shuin-cho.
Jan 5th, 2014, 02:23 PM
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I'm very glad that I've FINALLY had a chance to catch up on your engaging trip report. Thank you for bringing back some wonderful memories!
It's very clear that you did some extensive independent research to plan this trip, and it certainly seems like that paid off quite well -- you ended up with some experiences that matched your interests and that rarely, if ever, get mentioned by other Fodorites. Kudos!
I'm looking forward to reading more. In the meantime, I hope you are keeping warm!
It's very clear that you did some extensive independent research to plan this trip, and it certainly seems like that paid off quite well -- you ended up with some experiences that matched your interests and that rarely, if ever, get mentioned by other Fodorites. Kudos!
I'm looking forward to reading more. In the meantime, I hope you are keeping warm!
Jan 5th, 2014, 06:00 PM
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Really enjoying your report. We were in virtually the same cities at the same time as you. It was my second trip and my husband's first. We spent two days at Hakone Ginyu and felt very fortunate to see Mt. Fuji so very clear the entire time since I only caught a glimpse before it clouded up on my first trip, too. I'm hoping you finally got to see it well! Looking forward to your next installment.
Jan 5th, 2014, 11:15 PM
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Nice... I imagine it was quite enjoyable to see those places at different times of day too?
We timed our visit to Fushimi Inari quite well as we reached the senbon torii as the sun was low in the sky, which meant the light and shadow was just wonderful!
We timed our visit to Fushimi Inari quite well as we reached the senbon torii as the sun was low in the sky, which meant the light and shadow was just wonderful!
Jan 7th, 2014, 08:56 AM
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Thanks kja. Yes it has been BRUTALLY cold here the past few days. Yesterday's low/high temps for the day were -23F/-12F and the windchill was as low as -48F. Even by Minneapolis standards, that is COLD!
For me, researching and planning the trip is 1/2 the fun of taking the trip. I guess that's my Type A, somewhat anal personality. But hey, I've never yet taken a trip where I felt I've wasted precious time because I didn't know what to see or how in general to get there.
Glad everyone is enjoying the report. The next couple of days are pretty hectic between work and evening activities, but I will try to get the next chapter written here before the end of this week. To those in the eastern 1/2 of the US--STAY WARM!!
For me, researching and planning the trip is 1/2 the fun of taking the trip. I guess that's my Type A, somewhat anal personality. But hey, I've never yet taken a trip where I felt I've wasted precious time because I didn't know what to see or how in general to get there.
Glad everyone is enjoying the report. The next couple of days are pretty hectic between work and evening activities, but I will try to get the next chapter written here before the end of this week. To those in the eastern 1/2 of the US--STAY WARM!!
Jan 12th, 2014, 06:13 PM
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November 16 and 17: Kyoto
After another nice breakfast that morning at Hotel Mume, I caught the subway and from there, a bus to the northeastern part of Kyoto to walk the Philosopher’s Path and visit the many temples and shrines along the way. The weather was beautiful as I began my walk at the northern end of the Philosopher’s Path. The koyo along the entire path were very beautiful, with many photo opportunities along the way. Along the way, I visited Ginkaku-ji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion), Honen-in Temple, Anraku-ji Temple, Otoya Jinja (shrine), Nyakua-ji (Shrine) and Eikan-do Temple. Each were very nice in their own way, but the HANDS DOWN winner for most beautiful koyo goes to Eikan-do. The reds, golds, greens, oranges, yellow were absolutely spectacular. Granted, one is seeing the work of master gardeners at each of these temples but who cares—the colors at Eikan-do were breathtaking! And the most incredible part is that people said that Kyoto was still likely 10-14 days away from peak colors. I can only imagine. When I returned home, I had 16x20 prints made up of my favorite photos from Japan, from framing and hanging in my Japanese-themed master bathroom. The koyo of Eikan-do are one of those 7 photos—they were that good! The gardens of Ginkaku-ji were also lovely and I enjoyed walking briefly through the cemetery of Anraku-ji. Including temple and shrine visits and strolling the path, I would guess I spent probably 3-4 hours, of course obtaining ink stamps and calligraphic signatures at each.
Upon leaving the south end of the Philosopher’s Path, I then walked a considerable distance back west to catch the subway back to Mume. I stopped and had street food along the way—something that I had no idea what it was but can only describe as Japanese pizza-full of tasty vegetables.
By the time I made it back to Mume and rested up for a ½ hour or so, it was about 3:00 and I decided that I better get hopping if I was going to make it to my last planned destination of the day, the spectacular Kinkaku-ji or Temple of the Golden Pavilion. The wonderful staff at Mume provided me with the bus # and bus stop to take to get to Kinkaku-ji, as well as warned me that at this time of the day, I was probably looking at a 45-minute trip. (The temple closes at 5:00 p.m.). In the end, the bus trip took closer to an hour and ten minutes, absolutely CRAWLING through Gion before picking up speed further north. I made it to Kinkaku-ji at approximately 4:30—nowhere near enough time to see the Golden Temple and the gardens, particularly as dusk was approaching. I made a quick tour through the grounds, snapped some dusk photos of the Golden Pavilion, and decided that I would return on Sunday when I had more time and daylight to do the temple justice.
Sunday dawned as another beautiful day in Kyoto. It was time to first backtrack to Fushimi Inari shrine and Tofoku-ji Temple to obtain ink stamps and signatures as I had not yet started my collection when I first visited them. Then, it was back onto the bus for the long ride out to do justice to Kinkaku-ji. The Golden Temple absolutely sparkled in the Sunday sun. As most of you know, this version of Kinkaku-ji was rebuilt in 1955 to replace the original that had been burned down by a deranged monk. The top two floors of the temple are covered in real gold leaf. I found the phoenix on top of the temple to be particularly poignant—a symbol of Kinkaku-ji literally rising from the ashes. Along the way through the beautiful gardens, many of us stopped to observe (and photograph) a regal stork (or was it a crane?) that was holding court in the lovely temple gardens. Again, the photo opportunities were lovely and numerous. Kinkaku-ji was one of my favorite temples in Kyoto, right up there with Kiyomizu dera and Eikan do. From there, it was another one hour bus ride back to Gion and then time to check out of Hotel Mume.
When I returned to Mume, it was time to say goodbye as I was only able to book 3 of my 4 nights there. Again, I can’t say enough about what a wonderful place this was to stay and how kind and thoughtful the entire staff were. In fact, the wonderful staff had even transported my wheelie bag a few blocks down the street to my new home for the night, Yuzuya ryokan, so that I didn’t have to deal with it. Yuzuya is located immediately next door to the Yasaka Jinja shrine. It was a very nice, albeit rather expensive for what was offered ryokan. At the ryokan, I met Takumi (sp?), a handsome young Japanese man who assisted me during my stay. I changed into my yukuta and enjoyed a kaiseki dinner that evening which was delicious. After dinner, I soaked in the common bath and then relaxed in my room the rest of the evening. Tomorrow, it would be off to Hiroshima and the start of my 3rd and final week in Japan.
Tomorrow: Hiroshima--the A-Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum.
After another nice breakfast that morning at Hotel Mume, I caught the subway and from there, a bus to the northeastern part of Kyoto to walk the Philosopher’s Path and visit the many temples and shrines along the way. The weather was beautiful as I began my walk at the northern end of the Philosopher’s Path. The koyo along the entire path were very beautiful, with many photo opportunities along the way. Along the way, I visited Ginkaku-ji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion), Honen-in Temple, Anraku-ji Temple, Otoya Jinja (shrine), Nyakua-ji (Shrine) and Eikan-do Temple. Each were very nice in their own way, but the HANDS DOWN winner for most beautiful koyo goes to Eikan-do. The reds, golds, greens, oranges, yellow were absolutely spectacular. Granted, one is seeing the work of master gardeners at each of these temples but who cares—the colors at Eikan-do were breathtaking! And the most incredible part is that people said that Kyoto was still likely 10-14 days away from peak colors. I can only imagine. When I returned home, I had 16x20 prints made up of my favorite photos from Japan, from framing and hanging in my Japanese-themed master bathroom. The koyo of Eikan-do are one of those 7 photos—they were that good! The gardens of Ginkaku-ji were also lovely and I enjoyed walking briefly through the cemetery of Anraku-ji. Including temple and shrine visits and strolling the path, I would guess I spent probably 3-4 hours, of course obtaining ink stamps and calligraphic signatures at each.
Upon leaving the south end of the Philosopher’s Path, I then walked a considerable distance back west to catch the subway back to Mume. I stopped and had street food along the way—something that I had no idea what it was but can only describe as Japanese pizza-full of tasty vegetables.
By the time I made it back to Mume and rested up for a ½ hour or so, it was about 3:00 and I decided that I better get hopping if I was going to make it to my last planned destination of the day, the spectacular Kinkaku-ji or Temple of the Golden Pavilion. The wonderful staff at Mume provided me with the bus # and bus stop to take to get to Kinkaku-ji, as well as warned me that at this time of the day, I was probably looking at a 45-minute trip. (The temple closes at 5:00 p.m.). In the end, the bus trip took closer to an hour and ten minutes, absolutely CRAWLING through Gion before picking up speed further north. I made it to Kinkaku-ji at approximately 4:30—nowhere near enough time to see the Golden Temple and the gardens, particularly as dusk was approaching. I made a quick tour through the grounds, snapped some dusk photos of the Golden Pavilion, and decided that I would return on Sunday when I had more time and daylight to do the temple justice.
Sunday dawned as another beautiful day in Kyoto. It was time to first backtrack to Fushimi Inari shrine and Tofoku-ji Temple to obtain ink stamps and signatures as I had not yet started my collection when I first visited them. Then, it was back onto the bus for the long ride out to do justice to Kinkaku-ji. The Golden Temple absolutely sparkled in the Sunday sun. As most of you know, this version of Kinkaku-ji was rebuilt in 1955 to replace the original that had been burned down by a deranged monk. The top two floors of the temple are covered in real gold leaf. I found the phoenix on top of the temple to be particularly poignant—a symbol of Kinkaku-ji literally rising from the ashes. Along the way through the beautiful gardens, many of us stopped to observe (and photograph) a regal stork (or was it a crane?) that was holding court in the lovely temple gardens. Again, the photo opportunities were lovely and numerous. Kinkaku-ji was one of my favorite temples in Kyoto, right up there with Kiyomizu dera and Eikan do. From there, it was another one hour bus ride back to Gion and then time to check out of Hotel Mume.
When I returned to Mume, it was time to say goodbye as I was only able to book 3 of my 4 nights there. Again, I can’t say enough about what a wonderful place this was to stay and how kind and thoughtful the entire staff were. In fact, the wonderful staff had even transported my wheelie bag a few blocks down the street to my new home for the night, Yuzuya ryokan, so that I didn’t have to deal with it. Yuzuya is located immediately next door to the Yasaka Jinja shrine. It was a very nice, albeit rather expensive for what was offered ryokan. At the ryokan, I met Takumi (sp?), a handsome young Japanese man who assisted me during my stay. I changed into my yukuta and enjoyed a kaiseki dinner that evening which was delicious. After dinner, I soaked in the common bath and then relaxed in my room the rest of the evening. Tomorrow, it would be off to Hiroshima and the start of my 3rd and final week in Japan.
Tomorrow: Hiroshima--the A-Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum.
Jan 17th, 2014, 04:35 PM
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MinnBeef I am enjoying this so much. I don't know if we can ever make it back to Japan, but if we do, Matsumoto is definitely on my list!
I am very impressed with your patience in waiting for sushi. My deal with spouse to get him to go to Japan was to stick to fairly simple food (i.e. he is not a sushi fan) so I am enjoying your food 'vicariously.' There, you needn't feel guilty about portions, you were eating for two.
You keep teasing about Fuji-san so I will be patient.
I am very impressed with your patience in waiting for sushi. My deal with spouse to get him to go to Japan was to stick to fairly simple food (i.e. he is not a sushi fan) so I am enjoying your food 'vicariously.' There, you needn't feel guilty about portions, you were eating for two.
You keep teasing about Fuji-san so I will be patient.
Jan 17th, 2014, 04:53 PM
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By the way it's too late for you, but I will post this for anyone needing a faster public transit option to Kinkakuji.
Take the subway to Kitaoji, and only then a bus to Kinkakuji-mae. Way, way faster in Kyoto to use the subway. I've a map link posted in my trip report if anyone needs further detail.
Take the subway to Kitaoji, and only then a bus to Kinkakuji-mae. Way, way faster in Kyoto to use the subway. I've a map link posted in my trip report if anyone needs further detail.
Jan 20th, 2014, 09:33 AM
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Hi everyone. Thanks for the nice feedback. I need to get back to the trip report. I've started a new job and it's been understandably busy. Going to try and get the Hiroshima and Miyajima segments put together this week.
Jan 31st, 2014, 08:09 PM
#52
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Sorry for the short delay in installments everyone. The new job has been quite busy and I've just returned yesterday from a few days in chilly Houston--high temperature around 35 degrees F. This winter weather has been absolutely INSANE! Good to be back on these forums and reliving my wonderful memories of Japan.
November 18: Hiroshima
I awoke at Yuzuya that morning, had breakfast, bathed and checked out of the ryokan. Handsome Takumi bid me farewell as the taxi took me to Kyoto Station to catch the Shinkansen to Hiroshima. The train ride to Hiroshima was pleasant, punctual and uneventful, as were all JR train rides. I arrived at Hiroshima Station about 1 and 45 minutes later. I had elected to stay at the Hotel Granvia due to its incredible convenience, being located right at Hiroshima Station. The Granvia combined very modern, functional décor with a terrific location and a very reasonable price (about 18,000 yen for a double bed as I recall). After checking in to the Granvia, I made my way to the streetcar (which stopped right outside the Granvia) and began my day of touring Hiroshima, stopping first at the A-Bomb Dome.
The A-Bomb Dome is incredibly sobering, both in daylight and even more sore at twighlight. It’s amazing how close you can get to the ruins, although there are a number of signs warning that if you cross any closer, an alarm will sound (which I never doubted for a second.) It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. I photographed the Dome from all angles. While this is not absolute Ground Zero, it is within a few hundred yards and I could not help but look up into the sky and think about the horrors of what that day must have been like. The Dome is immediately adjacent to the Motoyasu River and it was very sad to think about the people who jumped into the river on that day in an effort to try and escape the intense heat. While one might debate both sides of the argument for dropping that bomb, there is no debate as to the sadness and horror that it must have caused to countless innocent civilians. A “must visit” when in Hiroshima but a sobering one at the same time.
From the A-Bomb Dome, I walked across the river and made my way to Peace Memorial Park. I walked past the Eternal Flame, a flame that will remain lit until all nuclear weapons are removed from the face of the Earth. From there, I stopped at the Children’s Peace Monument, which is dedicated to all the children who died in the bomb blast and in particular, a little girl named Sadako who 10 years after the blast, developed leukemia and believed she could be cured if she folded 1000 paper cranes. Unfortunately, she died before finishing her project. From there, I stopped at the Cenotaph, which is a coffin-like stone structure. Each year, the names of those who have died during the previous year as a result of the atom bomb are added to the Cenotaph’s roster. After pausing here, I made my way to my primary destination in Hiroshima, Peace Memorial Museum.
In short, the Peace Memorial Museum is incredibly well done. I thought it very fairly portrayed Japan’s role in both pre-World Ware II atrocities as well as the war itself while at the same time, not shying one iota way from the horror of the bomb itself. The yellow-helmeted Japanese schoolchildren showed up early in my museum visit and I decided to let them pass me by as I wanted to linger at many of the poignant exhibits. Several that struck me in particular were displays of the watches that stopped at 8:15 a.m.-the moment the bomb exploded; the display of various artifacts that were found in the bombed ruins (Kannons, teapots, etc.) and in particular, the personal stories of several individuals who perished in the bomb. There was also a small exhibit dedicated to Sadako, including several of the tiny paper cranes she folded in an effort to be healed. It was incredibly sad and yet heroic at the same time. I probably spent a good 3 hours at the museum. By far, it was my favorite museum I visited in Japan.
From Peace Memorial Park, I walked to Hiroshima-jo. I admired the castle from the outside but did not feel a desire to tour the inside. I made my way back to the A-Bomb Dome to capture some photos at twighlight. The ruins take on an incredible eeriness at dusk--the bombed out dome silhouetted against the dusk sky. I then walked to the streetcar line, catching the car that took me back to the Granvia. By this point it was time for dinner, which was a simple tenderloin steak and vegetables at one of the hotel's restaurants. (Hey every so often I needed to just enjoy simple, American food). I really didn’t do anything else that evening as I knew I was going to be checking out early tomorrow to catch the boat to one of my most anticipated stops in Japan-the beautiful island of Miyajima.
Tomorrow: Miyajima Island, the Floating Torii and Itsukushima Shrine, the incredible koyo of Red Maple Valley Park, a trip up Mount Misen, and a wonderful stay and kaiseki dinner at Iwaso Ryokan.
November 18: Hiroshima
I awoke at Yuzuya that morning, had breakfast, bathed and checked out of the ryokan. Handsome Takumi bid me farewell as the taxi took me to Kyoto Station to catch the Shinkansen to Hiroshima. The train ride to Hiroshima was pleasant, punctual and uneventful, as were all JR train rides. I arrived at Hiroshima Station about 1 and 45 minutes later. I had elected to stay at the Hotel Granvia due to its incredible convenience, being located right at Hiroshima Station. The Granvia combined very modern, functional décor with a terrific location and a very reasonable price (about 18,000 yen for a double bed as I recall). After checking in to the Granvia, I made my way to the streetcar (which stopped right outside the Granvia) and began my day of touring Hiroshima, stopping first at the A-Bomb Dome.
The A-Bomb Dome is incredibly sobering, both in daylight and even more sore at twighlight. It’s amazing how close you can get to the ruins, although there are a number of signs warning that if you cross any closer, an alarm will sound (which I never doubted for a second.) It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. I photographed the Dome from all angles. While this is not absolute Ground Zero, it is within a few hundred yards and I could not help but look up into the sky and think about the horrors of what that day must have been like. The Dome is immediately adjacent to the Motoyasu River and it was very sad to think about the people who jumped into the river on that day in an effort to try and escape the intense heat. While one might debate both sides of the argument for dropping that bomb, there is no debate as to the sadness and horror that it must have caused to countless innocent civilians. A “must visit” when in Hiroshima but a sobering one at the same time.
From the A-Bomb Dome, I walked across the river and made my way to Peace Memorial Park. I walked past the Eternal Flame, a flame that will remain lit until all nuclear weapons are removed from the face of the Earth. From there, I stopped at the Children’s Peace Monument, which is dedicated to all the children who died in the bomb blast and in particular, a little girl named Sadako who 10 years after the blast, developed leukemia and believed she could be cured if she folded 1000 paper cranes. Unfortunately, she died before finishing her project. From there, I stopped at the Cenotaph, which is a coffin-like stone structure. Each year, the names of those who have died during the previous year as a result of the atom bomb are added to the Cenotaph’s roster. After pausing here, I made my way to my primary destination in Hiroshima, Peace Memorial Museum.
In short, the Peace Memorial Museum is incredibly well done. I thought it very fairly portrayed Japan’s role in both pre-World Ware II atrocities as well as the war itself while at the same time, not shying one iota way from the horror of the bomb itself. The yellow-helmeted Japanese schoolchildren showed up early in my museum visit and I decided to let them pass me by as I wanted to linger at many of the poignant exhibits. Several that struck me in particular were displays of the watches that stopped at 8:15 a.m.-the moment the bomb exploded; the display of various artifacts that were found in the bombed ruins (Kannons, teapots, etc.) and in particular, the personal stories of several individuals who perished in the bomb. There was also a small exhibit dedicated to Sadako, including several of the tiny paper cranes she folded in an effort to be healed. It was incredibly sad and yet heroic at the same time. I probably spent a good 3 hours at the museum. By far, it was my favorite museum I visited in Japan.
From Peace Memorial Park, I walked to Hiroshima-jo. I admired the castle from the outside but did not feel a desire to tour the inside. I made my way back to the A-Bomb Dome to capture some photos at twighlight. The ruins take on an incredible eeriness at dusk--the bombed out dome silhouetted against the dusk sky. I then walked to the streetcar line, catching the car that took me back to the Granvia. By this point it was time for dinner, which was a simple tenderloin steak and vegetables at one of the hotel's restaurants. (Hey every so often I needed to just enjoy simple, American food). I really didn’t do anything else that evening as I knew I was going to be checking out early tomorrow to catch the boat to one of my most anticipated stops in Japan-the beautiful island of Miyajima.
Tomorrow: Miyajima Island, the Floating Torii and Itsukushima Shrine, the incredible koyo of Red Maple Valley Park, a trip up Mount Misen, and a wonderful stay and kaiseki dinner at Iwaso Ryokan.
Jan 31st, 2014, 08:44 PM
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Congratulations on your new job! I hope it brings you many rewards -- including lots of time for travel and for indulging your love of cooking! And thanks for continuing your trip report.
My compliments to your ability to capture some of the experience of Hiroshima in words. I never felt able to do so, but I hear some of my thoughts in what you have written. Thank you so much! And a special, if bittersweet, thank you for reminding me of the display of watches. I had forgotten them; you brought back that moment when I gasped upon seeing them.
Stay warm!
My compliments to your ability to capture some of the experience of Hiroshima in words. I never felt able to do so, but I hear some of my thoughts in what you have written. Thank you so much! And a special, if bittersweet, thank you for reminding me of the display of watches. I had forgotten them; you brought back that moment when I gasped upon seeing them.
Stay warm!
Mar 4th, 2014, 09:26 AM
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Hi Amy. My bad, I have been meaning to finish this up and have gotten side tracked with both the new job as well as a winter escape last week to Puerto Rico.
I will try to finish this up this coming weekend. Thanks for your interest!
I will try to finish this up this coming weekend. Thanks for your interest!
Mar 9th, 2014, 12:50 PM
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Here are my next two days of trip report. Ovenbird-yes lots of photos. Agreed, the koyo were absolutely breathtaking. I had never seen fall colors so beautiful. Over 1500 photos. I will at some point try to get some put up onto Shutterfly.
November 19: Miyajima
Staying at the Hiroshima Granvia couldn’t have made things more convenient for both getting to Miyajima Island and ultimately catching the bullet train back to Tokyo. That morning, I made my way via streetcar to the stop where you catch the ferry over to Miyajima. My plans were to spend the day and night on Miyajima as many of your Fodorites had mentioned how wonderful the island becomes once all of the day trippers leave. You couldn’t have been more correct!
I must have snapped a dozen shots of the Floating Torii as we approached the island by ferry boar. The torii and shrine were at almost high tide when I docked around 10:15 that morning. Walking from the pier straight to the torii, I snapped another 2 dozen or so photos, from all angles and distances in the hope of catching that perfect shot that would become one of my lasting memories of Japan. After paying homage to the torii, I explored the Itsukushima shrine, which the torii serves as the “entrance” to. I watched a young couple in Japanese finery getting married. A warrior dancer and musicians accompanied the ceremony. To my pleasant surprise, the shrine also provided ink stamps and calligraphic signatures, just like the shrines and temples did in Kyoto. I obtained my 13th and final set in my shuin-cho. I used the rest of the daylight hours to explore the rest of Miyajima’s highlights, including the 5-Story Pagoda, Red Maple Valley Park and the cable car up to Mt. Misen. Red Maple Valley Park was breathtaking in all its “koyo-ed” glory. The colors here rivaled those at the Eikan-do Temple in Kyoto, and a photo of the koyo with this beautiful red-painted footbridge became one of my favorite photos from Japan and proudly hangs in 16x20 poster size with 6 other photos in my master bathroom.
Other highlights that day were eating grilled oysters from a vendor’s shack (the oysters were delicious in all of their barbequed smokiness and all that was missing was a glass of Blancs de Blanc Champagne to wash them down) and buying a beautiful Japanese scroll that also now hangs in my master bathroom (Mt. Fuji, a dragon and a carp.)
By twilight at around 5:00 p.m., I made my way back to the torii for some sunset shots and then made my way for the evening to Iwaso ryokan where I would spend the night. Iwaso is the oldest and most famous ryokan on the island and, while not cheap, was well worth the price imho. I had a top floor, corner room that looked out to the gorgeous koyo of Red Maple Valley Park, as well as to the Floating Torii, lit up a beautiful orange at night. After relaxing a bit, I made my way to the bathing area and enjoyed a wonderful soak in the baths before re-donning my yukuta and preparing for my kaiseki dinner. The food was delicious—probably my favorite of the 5 kaiseki dinners I had at different ryokans. Fish, beef, and more grilled oysters were just a few of the courses. After dinner, I just relaxed in the room, enjoying the crisp sea air and admiring the beauty of the lit up torii.
In summary, I had high expectations for Miyajima and it did not disappoint. For those who plan to visit Hiroshima, I would definitely encourage you to spend a full day and night on the island to best enjoy it in both its hustle and bustle as well as its tranquility.
November 20: Bullet train back to Tokyo
As I had arranged to have my main luggage shipped by the Granvia back to my hotel in Tokyo, it was easy to travel light throughout my time on Miyajima. I checked out of Iwaso, snapped a couple more pics of the torii as I made my way back to the pier, and caught a mid morning ferry back to the Hiroshima port. From there, I caught the streetcar back to the Granvia, where it was an easy walk to the train station. I boarded a 12:30 bullet train that, other than requiring one change of train in Osaka, would be a direct, 5-hour ride back to Tokyo. While I was excited to experience the bullet train in all its long-distance glory, I was most excited about the opportunity to see Mt. Fuji from the train. I had heard that this is one of the classic views of Fuji-san and the weather had been clear and beautiful throughout Japan since I had left Hakone with Fuji cloaked in clouds.
I knew that the views of Fuji would come about 2/3-3/4 of the journey into the trip. I started to sense we were getting close when I could almost feel the excitement of some my fellow passengers (Japanese, nonetheless) and got myself and my digital camera prepared. I made sure I had the camera on the burst setting and waiting for Fuji-san to appear, like a child waiting for Santa Claus. (For those wondering, you want to sit on the LEFT side of the train as you head northward from Hiroshima to Tokyo). All of sudden, I saw a huge bluish cone with a large snow cap! No sooner did I see it than it disappeared as we headed into a tunnel. When we came out of the tunnel, the mirage was nowhere to be seen. Was that really it? For what must have been another 10 minutes moving at bullet train speed, there was nothing. All of a sudden, there he was—Mt Fuji in all its magnificence, in all its snow capped glory. I could have stared at it forever but of course being on the bullet train didn’t make that an option. My camera clicked away at warp speed and due to the burst feature, probably captured 200+ shots of the mountain as we sped by. I would say we probably got about 5 good minutes of Fuji viewing. I exhaled as the mountain finally passed out of sight. My Japan heart was at rest—Mt. Fuji was real and it was spectacular! I’m sure my reaction at first sight of Fuji-san was similar to that when I first saw the Eiffel Tower and the Hagia Sophia. It’s just one of those incredibly beautiful things that create a lasting memory in the camera of your mind.
Arriving at Tokyo Station at around 7:00 p.m., I made my way through the craziness and caught the subway back to the Mitsui Garden Ginza where I would spend the last two nights of my trip. After checking in, I made my way out to dinner and then settled back into my room around 9:30. Tomorrow would be another early day as I was planning to be in line at Sushidai by no later than 5:00 a.m. for one more incredible sushi breakfast. After that, the rest of the day was open—whether it be going back to Hakone since the weather was so much improved or perhaps just bumming around Tokyo. I would decide that in the morning.
Tomorrow: Another awesome sushi breakfast at Sushidai and disaster strikes the Mt. Fuji bullet train photos.
November 19: Miyajima
Staying at the Hiroshima Granvia couldn’t have made things more convenient for both getting to Miyajima Island and ultimately catching the bullet train back to Tokyo. That morning, I made my way via streetcar to the stop where you catch the ferry over to Miyajima. My plans were to spend the day and night on Miyajima as many of your Fodorites had mentioned how wonderful the island becomes once all of the day trippers leave. You couldn’t have been more correct!
I must have snapped a dozen shots of the Floating Torii as we approached the island by ferry boar. The torii and shrine were at almost high tide when I docked around 10:15 that morning. Walking from the pier straight to the torii, I snapped another 2 dozen or so photos, from all angles and distances in the hope of catching that perfect shot that would become one of my lasting memories of Japan. After paying homage to the torii, I explored the Itsukushima shrine, which the torii serves as the “entrance” to. I watched a young couple in Japanese finery getting married. A warrior dancer and musicians accompanied the ceremony. To my pleasant surprise, the shrine also provided ink stamps and calligraphic signatures, just like the shrines and temples did in Kyoto. I obtained my 13th and final set in my shuin-cho. I used the rest of the daylight hours to explore the rest of Miyajima’s highlights, including the 5-Story Pagoda, Red Maple Valley Park and the cable car up to Mt. Misen. Red Maple Valley Park was breathtaking in all its “koyo-ed” glory. The colors here rivaled those at the Eikan-do Temple in Kyoto, and a photo of the koyo with this beautiful red-painted footbridge became one of my favorite photos from Japan and proudly hangs in 16x20 poster size with 6 other photos in my master bathroom.
Other highlights that day were eating grilled oysters from a vendor’s shack (the oysters were delicious in all of their barbequed smokiness and all that was missing was a glass of Blancs de Blanc Champagne to wash them down) and buying a beautiful Japanese scroll that also now hangs in my master bathroom (Mt. Fuji, a dragon and a carp.)
By twilight at around 5:00 p.m., I made my way back to the torii for some sunset shots and then made my way for the evening to Iwaso ryokan where I would spend the night. Iwaso is the oldest and most famous ryokan on the island and, while not cheap, was well worth the price imho. I had a top floor, corner room that looked out to the gorgeous koyo of Red Maple Valley Park, as well as to the Floating Torii, lit up a beautiful orange at night. After relaxing a bit, I made my way to the bathing area and enjoyed a wonderful soak in the baths before re-donning my yukuta and preparing for my kaiseki dinner. The food was delicious—probably my favorite of the 5 kaiseki dinners I had at different ryokans. Fish, beef, and more grilled oysters were just a few of the courses. After dinner, I just relaxed in the room, enjoying the crisp sea air and admiring the beauty of the lit up torii.
In summary, I had high expectations for Miyajima and it did not disappoint. For those who plan to visit Hiroshima, I would definitely encourage you to spend a full day and night on the island to best enjoy it in both its hustle and bustle as well as its tranquility.
November 20: Bullet train back to Tokyo
As I had arranged to have my main luggage shipped by the Granvia back to my hotel in Tokyo, it was easy to travel light throughout my time on Miyajima. I checked out of Iwaso, snapped a couple more pics of the torii as I made my way back to the pier, and caught a mid morning ferry back to the Hiroshima port. From there, I caught the streetcar back to the Granvia, where it was an easy walk to the train station. I boarded a 12:30 bullet train that, other than requiring one change of train in Osaka, would be a direct, 5-hour ride back to Tokyo. While I was excited to experience the bullet train in all its long-distance glory, I was most excited about the opportunity to see Mt. Fuji from the train. I had heard that this is one of the classic views of Fuji-san and the weather had been clear and beautiful throughout Japan since I had left Hakone with Fuji cloaked in clouds.
I knew that the views of Fuji would come about 2/3-3/4 of the journey into the trip. I started to sense we were getting close when I could almost feel the excitement of some my fellow passengers (Japanese, nonetheless) and got myself and my digital camera prepared. I made sure I had the camera on the burst setting and waiting for Fuji-san to appear, like a child waiting for Santa Claus. (For those wondering, you want to sit on the LEFT side of the train as you head northward from Hiroshima to Tokyo). All of sudden, I saw a huge bluish cone with a large snow cap! No sooner did I see it than it disappeared as we headed into a tunnel. When we came out of the tunnel, the mirage was nowhere to be seen. Was that really it? For what must have been another 10 minutes moving at bullet train speed, there was nothing. All of a sudden, there he was—Mt Fuji in all its magnificence, in all its snow capped glory. I could have stared at it forever but of course being on the bullet train didn’t make that an option. My camera clicked away at warp speed and due to the burst feature, probably captured 200+ shots of the mountain as we sped by. I would say we probably got about 5 good minutes of Fuji viewing. I exhaled as the mountain finally passed out of sight. My Japan heart was at rest—Mt. Fuji was real and it was spectacular! I’m sure my reaction at first sight of Fuji-san was similar to that when I first saw the Eiffel Tower and the Hagia Sophia. It’s just one of those incredibly beautiful things that create a lasting memory in the camera of your mind.
Arriving at Tokyo Station at around 7:00 p.m., I made my way through the craziness and caught the subway back to the Mitsui Garden Ginza where I would spend the last two nights of my trip. After checking in, I made my way out to dinner and then settled back into my room around 9:30. Tomorrow would be another early day as I was planning to be in line at Sushidai by no later than 5:00 a.m. for one more incredible sushi breakfast. After that, the rest of the day was open—whether it be going back to Hakone since the weather was so much improved or perhaps just bumming around Tokyo. I would decide that in the morning.
Tomorrow: Another awesome sushi breakfast at Sushidai and disaster strikes the Mt. Fuji bullet train photos.
Mar 9th, 2014, 06:42 PM
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Miyajima is lovely, isn't it? I took tons of photos on the ferry on the way there -- not thinking about the fact that it was raining, and that while my head was under shelter, my camera was not. Oops! I nearly ruined my then brand-new camera. It took 2 days and a lot of gentle dabbing to dry it out... I missed a ton of photo ops in the meantime, but am just SO grateful that the camera survived to let me take many, many more pictures later.
I hope that the fact that you are posting again means that you are settling into your new job and no longer so cold that moving one's fingers is challenge.
I hope that the fact that you are posting again means that you are settling into your new job and no longer so cold that moving one's fingers is challenge.
