Our stay in austere Koyasan was an interesting experience. Highlights include being:
(1) treated to scrumptious vegetarian monk food but then waking up at 2am to the growling of stomachs;
(2) the late night tour of Koyasan’s cemetery with 300,000 sleeping souls which ended with us being left at the end at the mausoleum with a walk of 2km to enjoy to get to the entrance; and
(3) the almost too picturesque autumn leaves and temples,
but it was time to move on.
By way of contrast, our next visit was to Miyajima. Just off the coast of Hiroshima. The autumn leaves were stupendous, the dinner almost overwhelmingly and the floating torii gate of Itsukashima by day at low tide and by night at high tide something else. Oh and breakfast was probably one of the best I’ve ever eaten. Enough superlatives there.
Shows that life by contrast is great. Well, at least that’s what I tell myself each time I have a bad meal.
Itsukushima shino shrine from the ferry
On arrival, we were greeted by the inhabitants
The crowd braying to see the shrine up close
Gently herded on to our ryokan
Near our ryokan
Outside our ryokan
Inside our roykan. Our little sitting room overlooking a brook and the forest. Perfect time to try some tea
Outside again, the colourful interplay of leaves
Attracted more than just us such as our guides
More views with particular depths of colour
A nice place to take photos
This time with people
Or perhaps of other people taking photos
Or posing for photos
Totoros were out in force too
The shrine later in the day
The start of our second best meal in Japan. A little starter
For a beautiful bowl
With chawamushi
Excellent presentation again
To hide assorted appetisers
Seasonal sashimi
Delicious noodles
A light cleaner
Seaseme tofu
Leading to the main event
A particular local speciality, Hiroshima oysters
Fried noodles with mushrooms as a little snack
Beef, yaki shabu style. This is what bacon dreams of being
Dessert. Unfortuantely I ate the rice too fast to get a photo, sorry about that. Sesame tofu, tiramisu and citron sorbet to end
Having sated our stomachs, we went out to see the shrine by night. Lit up delicately in high tide, it was rather majestic
Breakfast
Having missed the rice shot of the previous day (as it was too good and so went straight into my tummy), I made sure to take a photo here)
Egg
It all together
Miso soup
Sesame tofu
Yogurt
Noodles
Bacon, sasusage and hash brown. The western breakfast option that you could add. In particular, I do not think I’ve ever had hash browns as great as these!
Freshly baked croissants
Fruit to finish
Yet all good things must come (at least to a temporary) end. Just before we boarded the ferry back to the mainland
