We bought the JR Line tickets and made an overnight stop at Himeji
to see the biggest castle in Japan. Next day, we continued on by train
to Hiroshima on the West of Japan to see the famous
Itsukushima Temple which has been listed by UNESCO's World Heritage.
This old temple is so unusual as it was being built on strong stilts
in the sea waters!
1. This area is also known as Miyajima town.
2. There is a daily ferry boat that bring tourists to
Miyajima Island.
3. The slow and steady boat berthed at Miyajima Island.
This is the famous Island of Gods for all its many
shrines, mountains and miracle stories.
4. We walked out of the pier and could feel the heavenly spacious
grounds and refreshing clean air. I don't know this couple
who smiled so happily.
who smiled so happily.
5. So many little traditional cute shops and cafes line the narrow streets.
6. This island is very famous for their fresh & huge oysters!
Here they are baking & grilling them over slow fire.
Some ate with cheese and some ate with wasabi.
I ate none.
7. This friendly man was selling all kinds of delicious
pickled vegetables that are new to us.
We bought one tub home.
8. The whole place is full of friendly deers roaming all over.
This place reminds me of Nara where the deers also
roam the streets.
9. This is the famous Torii Gate in the sea waters.
We spent all day relaxing and walking around.
10. I had to wash my filthy mouth as usual.
Not just once but many times before
entering the Itsukushima Shrine that
floats in the sea.
11. The long and neat entrance with wide corridors
all the way to the other side.
12. I always experimented my mobile phone using
the self-timer to selfie.
My wifey was busy praying at the shrine.
13. The spacious open space at the sea frontage
of the Itsukushima Shrine.
14. The very curved & arched bridge.
15. You will see several other ancient shrines around
the Itsukushima Temple.
16. We wandered off far away from the shrine to see
the small and cute houses.
17. This 5 Storey Pagoda sits majestically on the hills.
My wifey could barely stand the cold winds blowing.
18. There is a huge pavilion and meditation hall built by the famous
Warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in year 1587 on the hills.
It is better known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Senjō-kaku.
19. It overlooks the panoramic mountains which I guessed
is the Mount Misen.
20. They have many paintings, arts and plaques
on the ceilings above the pavilions of Senjō-kaku.
21. When the water tides lowered, we joined the visitors to
walk to the Torii Gate. Thousands of coins have been thrown
by tourists for good luck.
22. I put one 20 cents and one 100 rupiah coins here.
*****
I'm attracted to your first sentence - to see the biggest castle in Japan.. Wow, fresh oysters and baked oysters with cheese.. Me terbalik with you, I would have eaten 10 pieces of baked cheese oysters, but the pickled snack, errr, I won't buy any kua.. Fuiyoh, you look very "yau ying" at #9.. Like "seong hoi tan" main actor inside.. I also wana throw coins la, they say it's for wish come true hor?
ReplyDeleteYeah! It is the biggest castle in Japan, so this kiasu Anay had to visit and leave foot prints there.
DeleteI love fried eggs with oysters! I eat those smaller ones at the hotel buffets in one mouth bite but that one in Japan was so huge. Bigger than my palm size and the flesh was geli.
Wow! You made my tail swing for saying Seong Hoi Tan actor! I wish! I wish!
I am not sure whether my wish will come true but tourists often threw money everywhere! Silly.
The narrations were done well, as if I was walking with you along the trail. There were many fascinating things about this vist of yours. There were less people, no eating of oysters, a tub of pickled veggies, the deers, Torri Gate and the posing, the selfie, wifey praying while hubby modeling, and the low tide. I need to be more conscious of the places I visit so I can add interesting details next time. Fave pic is number 21.
ReplyDeleteYou are certainly a more observant traveler than me with all your lovely captured photos! The place was always crowded but I always took pains to get better shots.
DeleteYou are the only one who voted photo #21 !!!!
Thanks for sharing these pictures and information... I just realised that I have seen this place in an Indian movie!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by. The Bollywood movies always filmed at all the best locations in the world. We love to watch the song and dances!
Delete#1.. look!!! there is already a miniature torii right in front of the station.. it's the landmark!! :)
ReplyDelete#2.. daily ferry?? you mean there is only one service a day??
#3.. just this description about "the famous Island of Gods for all its many
shrines, mountains and miracle stories" already make me excited..
#4.. this guy could be some local celebrities who thought you are one of his fans trying to take a photo of him.. so he smiled so brightly!! :D
#5.. i saw the "batman" hiding behind the display in front of the entrance!! i spotted you Anay!!
#6.. why Anay did not eat one?? at least try one probably the most basic shioyaki..
This Torii Gate landmark has been around since I was a kid and I had no idea where this place is. So it was a nice visit and surprise indeed.
DeleteThey have many ferry rides non stop. Like every 20 minutes intervals.
Wow! Your Thambee eyes really focus on all the photographs! Other people may only do speed readings!
The oyster was too huge and the flesh inside was like apiece of chicken. Yeeerrrrr!
I have a weak stomach so I never eat oysters
ReplyDeleteDid you go forward and touch the deers? Do they bite?
DeleteYou will have your merits by tossing the coins, believe me
DeleteMy fav photo is #9, got the feel
DeleteI do eat and enjoy oysters sometimes during buffets at the hotels. This one in Japan was too huge and I didn;t feel like eating them.
DeleteMany people patted the deers and they were too cold & lazy to bite anyone. The ones in Nara would bite and attack anyone for more food.
Oh yes? Tossing coins would be good. Let's wait for my chance to strike lottery! Ha ha ha!
i have modified the photo #9. Take a look.
#7.. looks something familiar that i may have eaten before.. but can't see clearly from the photo..
ReplyDelete#8.. oh yes, the deers remind of of Nara too!! wise men think alike, truly!!! ahem~~
#9.. very beautiful!! Thambee likes this photo very much!! so serene and especially when Anay was just sitting still and not jumping in the photo (but the head at the bottom of the photo spoiled everything).. i wish to be there to see this Ō Torii~~
#10.. thank you for knowing that you should cleanse your CB many times before entering the shrine!!! muahahahaha~~
#11.. beautiful, i love the colors and will be there 15 minutes just to take photos~~
You definitely have eaten those common pickles from seaweed, raddish and hamchoy what nots. Very nice!
DeleteI prefer the deers in Nara which has many white spots like a Snow Deer.
You will go there someday and pose at the same spot okay! Bring my #9 photo along! Wakakaka
Heh! Heh! My trademark and mouth washing rituals will live with me forever lah.
You will love this unique shrine that floats in the water on the stilts.
#12.. wow, where did you place your phone?? it's a great shot.. you reminded me when i was travelling in India alone, i have to always take photo with my camera using the self-timer..
ReplyDelete#13.. the temple looks so tranquil even with the crowd..
#14.. nice bridge and i wonder how many hundreds of years is the bridge??
#15.. and Letchumy went in to each of the temple to pray, ditching Anay to selfie himself around the places..
#16.. both of you are cute in the mirror!!! hahahaha.. now we see the ancient house, and did you check out the very small doors??
#17.. OMG, she looks like a scientist fleeing out from a lab filled with toxic gases!!
Lucky devil!!! You have been to so many countries in the world. I find the selfie timer shots are better than selfie sticks that would show my flat nose and big mouths! Muahahaha
DeleteThe tourists were more of a hurry to walk across into the open space and to the other end which leads to the pagoda & many other shrines.
We did peep through many small doors and opening gaps to peek at their courtyard gardens! So nice and heavenly.
Heh heh! You gila Thambee with so imaginative mind. I never thought of that scientist. Smart descriptions.
#18.. wow!!! this is amazing!! it is 429 years old and yet looks even more sturdy than the 1 year old rumah atap in Bolehland!!!
ReplyDelete#19.. wow wow wow!!! the view is simply breathtaking!! Anay must have spent hours sitting there enjoying the beauty of the nature..
#20.. beautiful paintings and i guess they are now worth millions of dollars!! i can read the words on the left one, it says "loyal and filial"..
#21.. oooh!!! Anay waited for the tide to lower and then walk over to the torii.. this is a must-do thing, i must remember..
#22.. so the coins are placed onto the legs of the torii between spaces created by the seashells.. how brilliant!! Anay should have brought a golden RM1 coin to put in there dei~~
Walau eh! Thambee so hardworking to do the maths for Anay. Oh well, thank you and I will remember the 429 years.
DeleteI wish I could have my cup of hot matcha and enjoy the blissful scenery. The saying goes like "A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever!"
Those paintings were like carved or etched on the wooden planks & coloured. Something unusual. They need to get it auctioned by Christie's or The Sotheby's.
The feeling was very nice and heavenly to walk on the grounds to touch that ancient Torii Gate! Go Thambee Go!
Aiyo! I am too stingy to throw my precious coins there. Wait till you bring all your rupees to stick on the gate, yeah...
No jumping here? Your pose in photo 9 is so stylish so no need to put any jumping photo. How come you did not eat any of the fresh & huge oysters? I think one day I may follow in your footstep and buy the promotion JR train tickets to travel to many far away places in a short time and not stay in one place like I did before. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know everyone vote photo #9 as stylish. I should snap more shots like that. I did jump but that should be reserved for later.
DeleteYou have to buy the cheap JR Line tickets online before flying to Japan. It saves you a fortune and you can enjoy thousand miles of rides by bullet trains. Their govt are smart to lure the tourists with these special passes for foreigners only.
Why did you put rupiah?
ReplyDeleteI have no heart to part with my Malaysian coins dei.
Delete1. Miyajima town - It looks like those toll R&R stops in China when I first look at it...muahahaha.. but a bit different la. At least got the gate there.
ReplyDelete2. wow.. I like the way you guys walked to the ferry. Slow and steady.
3. That was a nice ferry, looks more like a boat.
4. wow... I miss the cold refreshing air! hmmmm...he probably laughing at your indian fashion sense... you cover your head right ?
I understand about the R&R in China and Korea which are so huge like supermarkets.
DeleteThe ferry boat ride was pleasant with the cold wintry air blowing to your face. It makes everyone happy.
I looked like Indian? Which part?
5. yeah, I love those cute cute shops. In fact, Japan has a lot of cute stuffs including kawaii girls.
ReplyDelete6. aiyo...why you didn't eat? Don't like oyster?
7. wah ...the pickled vegetables, so many varieties!! Can boiled porridge and ate with it.
8. Wow... love the deers roaming around like nobody business. They don't bite right?
Their shops are all so petite and cute sizes! Fat people will have a hard time to enter.
DeleteI love oyster but that one was too huge and geli.
Porridge is my favourite and the pickles are very delicious to eat them together.
The deers don;t bite unless provoked. Those in Nara are bigger and more hamsap to bite genitals! Not kidding.
9. That was a beautiful sight!! Love it!
ReplyDelete10. yes...yes...please wash more. You need it...muahahahaha
11. Very beautiful corridor and walking path. LOoksd very chinese since it's red.
12. Nice selfie but a bit exposed , you are too dark. SHould edit a bit to make you looks brighter.
I do not wish to post too many photos in my blogs otherwise it would bring no more surprises to the readers when they visit later. The shrine has nicer shots with the orange red colours.
DeleteI purposely selfie myself dark la. Wanna focus on the old ancient wooden flooring that survived all the 4 seasons, earthquakes and tsunamis.
13. Love the scenery, so many people around and a beautiful temple in the background!
ReplyDelete14. Yes, a nice and curvy bridge!! Looks chinese to me again!
15. wow... I like this beautiful ancient temple. It's a wonder that the Japanese maintains their buildings so well and clean!
16. Opps... supposed to be 4 per comment. ahahha...you guys looks cute in the mirror.
DeleteI agree that much of the ancient motifs and architectural characters in Japan & China are very similar esp when it's from China's Tang Dynasty onwards.
DeleteThe Japanese are very superbly and spotlessly clean in everything including scrubbing their bodies in the onsen baths!
17. That was an awesome Pagoda~!
ReplyDelete18. THis looks very ancient, I bet they don't allow tourist to step inside?
19. Beautiful!! Awesome !! Love the panoramic view of the mountains there.
Yeah no one could go inside the pagoda. I am not sure what is inside there.
DeleteI love the panoramic view of mountains too. I can sit there for many hours.
20. Precious ancient paintings huh ?
ReplyDelete21. SO, you mean you guys can only visit when the tide is low?
22. oi...you kiam siap fella..why rupiah ?
Yeah those ceiling paintings dated since the year 1500s.
DeleteIt was not planned that when the tide was low, everyone ran down to touch the Torii Gate.
I opened my purse and saw so many rupiahs! Put them there and they will muliply to US dollars.
Good morning TM... The weather is so hot here... Sweating...
ReplyDeleteGood evening. Same here lah. So hot and burning.
DeleteThank you for the postcard, i have receive it...
ReplyDeleteIt is a pleasure to send postcards to everyone.
DeleteI like the picture No. 9, but only thing is got a guy passing by and his head is there, keke...
ReplyDeleteTake a look again. The man's head has disappeared! I beheaded him.
DeleteAnay, this place is really very nice, it looks so unique, serene and relax. Torii Gate is so beautiful. Picture 9 is perfect to make as a postcard if you can send to SK, and have SK to chop off that guy's head.
ReplyDeleteI have been seeing the Torri Gate in the sea for many years and had no idea what it was all about. So my wife dragged me there to pray and popi popi peng aun! LOL
DeleteThanks for the suggestion. I have chopped that man's head off. SK won't want to touch photoshop la. He is King of HTML.
This place is nice and the weather is good too. Love this place.
ReplyDelete1. The station has a very cute miniature tori. Is a must place to visit.
Delete3. This famous Island must be crowded with locals and tourist from around the world too. How you know that this Island has many miracles stories? TM you do a lot of research. Hope can travel with you and your Mrs one day.
4. At first, I thought this lady smiling at you is your friend. Hahaha.
6. Why you didn't try? Nice one I'm sure. Freshly grilled.
#7. Vegetables pickles neh? I can't really tell what kind of vegetables are they. But I can read the nearest label with black vege pickles - written in hiragana - shisokikurage. As I know if written there kurage - usually nice to eat with just a hot bowl of Japanese rice. Hmm, can try to make some onigiri with it.
8. Yes I remember the place - Nara got many deers. They are so fierce to eat the biscuits I gave them. So many of them. Made me scared.
9. Very "Yau Yeng". TM, make this your signature pose ok? Can consider that...
21. Only can go there when the water tides lowered only can walk to the Torii Gate?? Then around what time?
All the places are so nice and breathtaking.
This trip I enjoyed 2 places the most that is the Miyajima Island and Koyasan. Probably the best places so far in Japan. So relaxed in another world.
DeleteSince you asked, I didn't eat the oyster because they were too huge and geli to me. Bigger than my whole palm! LOL The ones served at hotel buffets are just nice.
I saw the websites that say they have lots of miracle stories. They have so many shrines in this island and many Japanese love to pray there. Such a modern country but they still observe traditions very well. I am sure you know they are so polite and detailed people.
My signature pose is jumping now because everyone ticked me off for copying SK's Usain Bolt running.
I think nobody wants to travel with us as we walked too much until over 20,000 steps a day. When there is a museum, Anay can camp overnight inside! Wakakaka
If we really want to go Japan, must be prepared to walk banyak2. Is ok for me.
DeleteI forgot that you are still very young and should be able to even run faster than me! Ha ha ha...
DeleteVery interesting and uniquely build temple on the seafloor! Admired the beautiful architecture of the temple and wood works… the island looks spacious and I liked the way deers are left to roam freely and they also seems very kind towards the visitors. Everyone with coat and jerkins make feel understand about the cold, and being an island nothing to say about winds.
ReplyDeleteYes the whole island was like a paradise with shrines and calmness. The weather was cold and windy which keeps everyone happy and jovial.
DeleteAre there any places in India that has deers roaming freely??
Except nation parks and scrub forests we don't see deers anywhere freely roaming, unless they escape these places.
DeleteLuckily you mentioned about the pickle food. I forgot to put the food I bought into the fridge!!!
ReplyDeleteGood relief! Tonight can eat white porridge!
DeleteNice! We've been taking a lot of JR Line trains too.
ReplyDeleteThey sell ekiben (bento boxes meant for long distance train travel) and there is a special one that's really good and delicious for 1,500 yen.
Oh, I like tsukemono (pickled vegetables) too. It's one of my favorite things to eat in Japan.
Glad to see you had a great trip, we went to one shrine too, the Sapporo shrine.
I am glad you both are having a marvelous time exploring Japan and its beauty. I remember seeing the trolley with food for sale on the Shinkansen trains.
DeleteI'm not sure TM but this place reminds me of the setting where the Spirited Away Animated film took place
ReplyDeleteespecially that curved bridge
Yes you are right. They have the setting of all these famous shrines and exotic places in their manga and animated movies. You should visit Japan to enjoy the real thing.
DeleteHi! Nice trip to our country. I enjoyed your Himeji castle and Itukushima shrine posts very much.
ReplyDeleteEveryone loves Japan very much. Thank you to you all for making your country so beautiful, clean and lovely to stay.
DeleteOh my god, this is the place I wish to go in Japan after Mt Fuji and Tokyo tower. The Torii Gate, since I was young I was already so curious about this place, was so wondering why is it only a single gate in the middle of sea.
ReplyDeleteBut too bad Mt Fuji I missed it due to my pack activities on my last trip and the Tokyo Tower...(I'm still sad that I didn't get to go up to the tower, don't ever remind me)
Nice pose with the Torii Gate :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome round-up of travel shots, dear! The place is so beautiful & serene. Makes me wanna fly to Japan again!
ReplyDeleteLovely trip to Japan especially with your loved one.
ReplyDeleteHi! Nice trip to Hiroshima. No.9 photo, You look like a famous actor from Malaysia.
ReplyDelete