miyajima
 

ive heard alot of damage was done to either the torii or the actual shrine on miyajima and was wondering if anyone knows if the area is still under restorative construction? id like to take my parents there if the construction has finished.
thanks.

I previously posted a website address I had found that has info on the reconstruction, see:
http://www.miyajima.or.jp/miyakan2/

It was supposed to be reopened by mid-Oct. 2004, but the ropeway was going to be out of order til March 18, 2005, a few days ago. If all goes as planned, I will be there on Wed. of this week in the afternoon and early evening, so check my trip report in first part of April for info- or if you are going sooner post back your dates and I will try to get you info later this week on the state of things there.

thank you so much emd1, you guys are so cool! i never knew this site existed until by chance i borrowed a fodor's from the library and found the website in it. im planning to go on the 27th or 28th of march depending on the tides.. (i did see that post and havent checked them yet, but have two days to play with)... so if you do end up posting before then thatd be fantastic, if not please dont trouble yourself. thanks again and enjoy. i have been to hiroshima before and just one piece of advice, look for the clock monument set permanently at 8:15 about halfway down the park. with your back to the museum, heading towards Abomb dome, its on your right. under the clock (underground) is a memorial hall for the victims of the bomb and it's quiet and not overrun with tourists, in fact no one ive talked to about it has ever been there or heard about it. it wont take more than 30mins of your time if youre on a tight schedule and its mind blowing. the hiroshima peace museum is an overload to the senses in its in your face presentation and it's really educational and of course you shouldnt miss it. however, i really think the intimacy of the memorial hall, the computer 'books' activated by the pamphlets given out at the front door which tell the stories of survivors being blown under floorboards and carrying siblings out of burning houses was the most moving display ive ever seen. a very convincing stand for peace indeed. they also have a computer library if you want to search the fate of anyone that you might have known or lost from that time and video loops of people telling stories accompanied by actual footage. there is an honour wall of those who didnt make it by way of a massive wall of tv's that displays an everchanging array of people. its just more personal than the big museum and i really recommend it.

I was in Miyajima on 9th & 10th this month. The construction at the Itsukushima Temple was still going on and will for months it looked like but the temple was open for visit. I'd say 10% at most of the premises were damaged. I was not disapponited with my visit to Miyajima (was my first time). The red torii gate seemed intact. The 5 story pagoda was scaffolded and I wondered if that was also because of the typhoon. I walked to the gate on the seaweed covered ground in the afternoon of the 1st day. The tide got higher then and maybe by 5pm, the base of the torii was completely under the water. The most beautiful sight came at sunset. The water reflected the color of the orange sky. There was a white sagi (heron) - considered a holy bird. - standing alone half in the water near the torii. Then 3 deers (they are everywhere in Miyajima!) approached it but never got too close to scare the bird away.

Daninjapan and Kappa,

Just read your posts. We are planning a day trip from Kyoto to Hiroshima and Miyajima on April 22. I had planned to go to Himeji for that morning, but my husband wants to see the "A Dome" so your comments are good for him. We have been to the Nagasaki museum and really didn't want to do another heavy museum site.

Also I would like to see a little of Miyajima. I thought sunset might be a good time to see the Island. Maybe it will soften some of the construction. Have tried a site for tide info that KimJapan gave, but can't find the area. Did you find out about the tide ahead of time?

Thanks for your post.

kappa and cwn

thanks so much for the info kappa, im glad to hear the shrine is open again. cwn, im glad i had some info that could help you out. i do remember reading your post and sorry i didnt write to you personally about it, i had just finished work and spent ages reading these posts before asking my question, and couldnt remember who it was that mentioned not wanting to go the museum again...was really tired, blah blah blah...
anyway, i have recommended the place to a few of my friends planning trips to hiroshima (i live in japan but am not an expert on anything here!!) and i urge people so strongly to go there that i usually talk them into going and all have really ...i dont think 'enjoyed' is the right word... theyve all been moved by the experience, so i hope you go there. they have a guestbook at the door on the way out so you can write a comment on your way out, if youre so inclined, to show your appreciation for the efforts of hiroshima city in promoting peace. enjoy your trip! you are stopping at himeji on the way, arent you? if so, the castle does have alot of english signage but they do also have volunteer guides who speak english. you may be able to get in touch with a tourist information centre in himeji to ask if any will be volunteering the day you'll be there. the only number i have is from

http://www.sci.himeji-tech.ac.jp/Him...00000000000000

that website.
numbers are: himeji tourist information 0792 85 3792
and
himeji tourist information association: 0792 21 2512
its one of the most celebrated castles in the area and worth stopping off for... especially if you have a rail pass and two hours to spare. i doubt you'll be disappointed, esp if you get a guide.

im so sorry cwn! got carried away with himeji... no i havent checked tides yet, but i can agree with kappa and say that miyajima is beautiful at sunset regardless of the tides. i dont know where youre from but i think anywhere near water is worth being in at sunset. what you want to see in the peace park is best seen with the light of day, as long as you get to miyajima by say, 3pm (assuming youve done himeji in the morning!) you can wander around, see the shrine, get the cable car up the mountain (be sure to check what time it stops operating - from memory around 4:20 but could be wrong on this) and either walk down or get the cable car down. i enjoyed walking down.. not strenuous but lots of little shrines on the way. takes about.. oh an hour maybe? try to get back down to see the sun set and the colours.. pinks, oranges and the lanterns light up along the shore line. i know the whole tourist attraction is the torii floating on the water but i sure got more enjoyment out of the deer, the mountain walk, the cable car ride, and the giant oysters cooked on the street ( the size of your palm!) and the hiroshima yaki (hiroshimas take on okonomiyaki) featuring... oysters, than the torii gate. so imo the tide being up at that time is merely a bonus.

Wow,thanks much! This really helps get things in order!

We live on the Texas Gulf Coast and agree about water and sunsets!

I know our day sounds like a lot of ground to cover, but my husband is the restless type and likes to move fast. It is my job to try to keep things flexible in case we fine something special along the way.

I have used the trail schedules to plan the day. Yes, we do want to stop at Himeji(be there went it opens) first and move on to Hiroshima. We can do this and be at the Peace Park early afternoon. we can then judge ourtime. Your plan for Miyijima sounds good for us especially the oysters and the "yaki". I would really like being there at sunset. The high tide would be nice, but you can't have everything!

My husband loves trains. The sites and food sound wonderful, so it ought to be a great day! Thanks.

cwn, the following page is the tide calendar in Miyajima for April 2005. It's in Japanese but with English remarks, you will be able to figure out how to read without problem.

http://www.miyajima.or.jp/sio/2005apr.pdf

You are visiting Miyajima on 22 April. On that day, the tide situation is as follows.

High tides (when you should be able to see the torii gate "floating"): 08:34(317cm) & 20:53 (323cm)
Low tides (When you can walk to the gate) : 2:25 (38cm) & 14:45 (60cm).
That's about the same as when I visited Miyajima on 9 & 10 this month.

For daninjapan who is visiting there either on 27th or 28th this month, this may be too late but March calendar says for : Hightides 10:40 & 23:01/ Low tides 4:35 & 16:49 for 27 March and about 30 minites later for 28 March.

Good luck to you both!

hello, kappa, glad to see you here.

I don't have time to read all the posts since my last message as I just got in to the hotel for the night and am due to rise at 6 a.m. to catch the shinkansen for Shinagawa and on to Narita on NEX.
I will just add that we were at Miyajima yesterday afternoon for 4 hours and guess what. No, not that-- we all know the shrine is still under refurbishment. The thing is that it was snowing!! Yes, real snow. It was very very cold, and then wind chills added in. Even the deer looked cold.
So I take back what I told alan64. No way I would do a March trip to Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima, etc. without my fleece lined jacket, silk long johns, light gloves, and ear covers. Boy, was I glad I had them yesterday. And today for that matter. I spent one of the best days of my life in the village of Ohara, half hour outside of Kyoto in the mountains, but again, it was snowing.

alan64 is leaving today. Hope he sees this.

Hai, so do I. I will post a separate message for him right now.

Hi,

I wonder what it will be like in three weeks?! I though it was spring in Japan! Of course, it was 42 degrees last night on the Texas coast!