Miyajima

Nice view!

The next morning we have breakfast at the ryokan restaurant.  It's a nice combination of Japanese and Western items (unlike our room). ​ They have thick bacon and hash browns, which is always good! Almost everyone is wearing their yukatas, so we fit right in.  About half the guests are westerners and half are Asian.

Steve, enjoying sitting in a "real" chair.

Breakfast of champions!

The ryokan main entrance, complete with carp pool and fountain, shaded by trees.

After taking some scenic photos around the ryokan we walk 10 minutes to the entrance of the ropeway.  Along the way we see deer.  They're wild and roam around the island.  Some have good size antlers, something I've never seen in the deer in the south US.  They generally don't bother you, unless you have food. It's illegal to feed them, but they've learned people can provide refreshments.  Apparently, they love ice cream - we saw them practically bite the cone out of people's hands (and if they didn't share the ice cream, they seemed just as happy to eat your t-shirt instead). They didn't hurt anyone, but they would move right up to you, and people and kids could pet them.  

Ryokan garden in daylight

Someone has a sense of humor.

Hey, that's us!

 

Will pose for ice cream!

I find the ropeway a little scary!

Once we reach the ropeway we take it up near the top of Mount Misen. We have beautiful views of the islands and the Seto Inland Sea, and can see Hiroshima in the distance.  We're about 500m above sea level and it's a gorgeous day, with beautiful weather - 80 and mostly sunny.

my panoramic photo

After taking lots of pictures we hike about 20 minutes to Reikado Hall​, home of the eternal flame.  Supposedly, it's been burning nonstop since the early 800's (when Buddhism started being practiced on the island).  It was used to light the Flame of Peace memorial in Hiroshima.  We also see ​Misenhondo Hall ​a​nd ​Sankido Hall.​  At that point we decide not to hike 10 more minutes uphill to reach the summit - the pictures can't be better than what we've already taken (or maybe we're tired of climbing - Steve is having Mt. Fuji flashbacks).

the eternal flame (inside)

Reikado Hall

Also around are cute little Buddha states - they're almost as good as the Jedi & Harry Potter ones we saw in Vietnam. 

I don't know if the pearls go with the hat...

He looks like a coach yelling at his team to hustle.

​Something interesting while we're climbing - people keep saying konichiwa (hello) to us as we go up. No one ever says hello like that to you in Japan. The only thing I can think of is ​people are doing a "health check" for you. If it's too strenuous for you to talk while you're hiking, then you need to take a break. This must be considered good hiking etiquette - it's always initiated by the person going downhill, to check on the people working harder as they climb uphill. Once we realize what's going on, we start saying konichiwa to everyone we pass on the way down.​

It's not floating during low tide!

After taking the ropeway to the base of the mountain we walk through the small town. There are lots of souvenir shops, street vendors and restaurants. Apparently, the other thing Miyajima is known for ​a​re rice scoops. Every shop sells them, and will write your name or other expressions on the paddle (I have no idea what they say, because it's always in Japanese.  Eat more?  Rice is healthy? This looks good?). Somehow we walked down the street without seeing the world's largest spatula, over 5 meters long. I guess that means we'll have to go back!
 

5-story pagoda in daylight - just as pretty

Making fresh momiji manju (cookies)

As we walk by the shops and restaurants we see some regional specialties, which we decide to skip.  I like Pretz sticks and I like oysters, but I'm not sure if the two should go together.  And one restaurant serves rice burgers - as in rice in place of a bun.  How does it not break apart in your hand?

At least they're cheap - only $4!

Like the hat & pearls above, I don't see
these flavors going together.

 

Your choice of four different flavored burgers.

It's pretty good!

We also learn Miyajima has their own beer - appropriately with a deer on the label.  We don't skip this!

We also can't pass up the mojito booth.  I order a grapefruit mojito and Steve has a kiwi one. No open container laws here, so we can walk down the street carrying our drinks. At the end of the road we arrive at the traditional craft shop.  I'm excited to see some hand carved ginkgo leaf wooden plates.  I remember seeing them almost two years at the traditional craft shop near us.  I still don't want a 5-plate set for over $1000, but they have some individual plates for sale, so I'm able to buy one to display at home.

Making the mojitos!

The manhole covers here are decorated with maple leaves (painted, not forged like I've noticed in other cities). 

Some are painted red, some green.

After returning to our ryokan, we're ready for our dinner - shabu shabu tonight. We also enjoy talking with our server - we have dinner earlier and she must have more spare time. Turns out she lived in NYC for a bit in college, so we're able to make comparisons with Tokyo (she was in college there, too). She loves Broadway shows and had seen a lot while she was in New York.

tonight's menu

the roll-your-own sushi course

Steve making up his roll...

...and getting ready to eat it.

After dinner we have shiatsu massages, which helps​ my back.  Normally I like sleeping on a futon, but these feel as hard as concrete. Instead of being one thick mattress, it's four thinner pads. Steve helps me out on our second night and grabs some more from the closet, so I sleep on 6 layers. That's better!

 
The next morning Steve wakes up early so he can stream some college football games. Then after breakfast it's time to head back home. This was a fabulous weekend getaway!

Japanese-style train picnic