I promised more light-heartedness and I am a man of my word...how much more light-hearted can you get when you talk about deer (think bambi but w/ an over-eating disorder), WILD monkeys (think planet of the apes w/o the talking) and a beautiful view from sun up til sunset against an orangish/red gate (Torii) leading into Itsukushima Shrine (try saying that 10x fast).
Miyajima Island is a train and ferry ride outside of Hiroshima...about 1 hour one way.
The Japanese teachers at my school gave me two words of advice once they found out that we were going to Miyajima Island: 1) Be careful about feeding the deer...they are aggressive and will eat anything they see and 2) Watch out for the wild monkeys...they will steal your camera and won't give it back...and under no circumstances should you look the monkeys in the eye. I have to admit, I was a little hesitant about running into these animals, but how bad could it be?!?!?!...bambi and curious george are cute and cuddly after all...
The adventure onto the island begins with the views from the ferry of the famous Torii (orangish/red gate) to Itsukushima Shrine . I think the only place on earth that I have taken more pictures of is Mt. Hood in Oregon. People flocked to catch a glimpse of the Torii...all sorts of cameras (disposable, cell phones and point and shooters and of course the tri-podded pieces of machinery) were making this national treasure the envy of all other shrines. Miyajima Island is said to be one of the top 3 most picturesque places in the country. Check out this video of th
e ferry ride in...
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=CAMMWsa2QyYThis is where the deer enter the picture...they congregate on the path leading to the best views of the Torii and give everyone this "puppy dog" look...feed me, pet me. I could not believe how little kids were walking up to the deer and just petting them...I mean one minute they are tame and friendly...and then we see deer eating maps (yes, paper maps) right out of the back pockets of tourists...we learned that if you pay attention to the deer, they will take that as an open invite to eat whatever you have in your hand...and they are not shy. So, as you can see I was keeping my eye on them.
We escaped from the terror of bambi and began hiking up Mt. Misen...the highest point on the island (529 meters or 1,600 feet). Our path was a stairway...not just step, step and then a path...it was a natural stair stepper for about 2 hours...lets just say on the way down our quads and ankles were torched...our egos were a bit bruised when we saw little elementary aged kids skipping down the trail. Whatever...
At the top of Mt. Misen there is a beautiful panoramic view of several islands...remember, Japan is an archiplego...and the country is made up of about 3,000 islands. It was a gorgeous, sunny day in October with barely a breeze in the air. We found a spot on the rock outcropping and
perched there taking it all in. We worked up an appetite on the way up and brought the usual trail food...sandwiches, granola bars, potato chips and water. Well, as luck would have it, there was a little snack shack at the top of Mt. Misen and they served the perfect menu...a hikers dream. Cold beer, sake, udon noodles, ice cream and some other snacks. Udon never tasted so good...and be sure to SLURP your noodles...its all part of the enjoyment!
After basking in the sun and inhaling our bowls of udon, we hiked over the the monkey park. Yes, that is the actual name of the place on our tourist maps. I was expecting a cage or some really strong nets with a few monkeys picking bugs off each other. What we saw can only be described as...well...scary, very scary. As we approached the park a dominant male monkey scaled a tree and started screaming and shaking the tree...as if to say..."the tourists are coming,
the tourists are coming!" After checking my shorts (yes, it freaked me out), we decided to continue on. The monkey park had a defined boundary, but the monkeys could care less...they were everywhere...on the roof of the observation center, on the sidewalk, under the stairs...I guess this lack of concern for tourists bothered that dominant male because he went berzerk on his tribe...again checked my shorts. Here is our furry friend after picking some poo off his feet.
Our day on Miyajima Island was coming to a close...the sun was setting and the air became
cooler...jackets were put on and we stood in awe of the Torii leading into Itsukushima Shrine once again. It was like watching a fireworks show....with the grand finale being...this. Mother nature casting her light from behind the mountains, off the spray of clouds...giving a silhouette of the Torii.
Hiroshima and Miyajima Island are two treasures of the land of the rising sun...one for its mission for peace and the other for its natural beauty.
will miss more are the people in my life...my family and friends. My Thanksgiving meal was a traditional Japanese lunch box (o-bento)...see picture. My potatoes were not mashed, but were battered in flour (tempura) and my protein was not that coma-like sleep inducing turkey that you all are having...nope, mine was some type of fish. It was good, but not like freshly carved succulent turkey. So enjoy...itadakimasu!
P.S. - Many people are wondering if I am staying for a 2nd year on the JET program. Well, wonder no more. I officially handed in my re-contract papers for the JET program earlier this week and I will be returning to the USA (Portland, OR) next year (late July/early August 2009). Japan has and will always hold a special place in my life, but its time for me to rejoin my family and friends. This means...if you want to experience Kobe beef, the best ramen ever, a public bath (onsen), Mt. Fuji, cherry blossoms and many more things...its time to make some plans to visit Japan ;)
