Day 3: Miyajima
This is the tenth of 20 posts in the ongoing series Japan 2009.
Though tourists were leaving the island as the last ferries departed for Miyajima-guchi, we still had a couple of hours before dinner at Momiji-so. We decided to explore the island town of Miyajima a little bit.
A man digs for clams along the shore.
One of the island's deer rests in the shade under a boat beached with the low tide.
The deer seem to think they rule the town. To some extent this is probably true.
(far right) In a country so tightly constrained for space these sorts of narrow buildings aren't uncommon, but this house, with its two neighboring empty lots, stood out.
It was late, and we headed back to the inn for dinner. It was one of the best meals we had in Japan, a multi-course affair of local seafood, vegetables, and the best piece of fried fish I've ever had in my life.
Ava's vegetarian, so she received different dishes than I did. We had a few gourmet set meals on the trip, and she got to eat things that were different than what everyone else in the place received.
In a ryokan style inn the staff change the room while you're at dinner. The low table is moved aside and the futon bedding brought out.
That evening we sat by the windows, watched the koi, and practiced our modeling faces in case we were suddenly cast in a beer campaign. (Photo credit: Ava)
And next morning we woke early and rushed back down to Itsukushima shrine before breakfast.
The tide had come in, and the shrine was now floating on the water.
As was the o-torii.
We spent the morning looking out at the shrine and gate.
The town was still quiet, the shops closed as we walked back up the hills for breakfast. Without the tourists around the small island town felt like a small island town.
But we weren't done with Miyajima just quite yet.