Good evening from a Hikari Shinkansen N700A on our way back to Tokyo from Hiroshima via Osaka.  We are currently just arriving at Nagoya Station.

What a day.  Scott and I woke up early to have breakfast and get our selves over to the ferry to the Itsukushima Shrine.

I have to say, I really wish the weather had co-operated more during our trip.  It’s been pretty grey every day with very few breaks in the clouds for blue skies.  That said, the grey has not stopped Scott and I from taking photographs and going up Mount Misen for the spectacular views it offers.

Itsukushima is known for it’s massive Torii.  I wrote a joke earlier that “Disney does’t have anything on this” mainly because the Torii at Epcot, is somewhat of a replica of the one at Itsukushima.  While it’s fun to take photos of the one at Epcot, the real thing is way better and has a much deeper meaning.  The Otorii actually stands on it’s own weight in the bay, with some basic holding down.

Deer are sacred to the area and are everywhere.  You have to watch out because they like eating cloth and paper apparently, and we did witness this as one at the luggage tag off someone’s bag.  They’re also quite friendly and you can actually pet them.

As Scott said on Facebook, we were privileged to see a Shinto wedding.  It is a very neat thing to see, and quite different from what we typically experience in the west.

After walking around the shops and the shrine, we went up to the top of Mt. Missen.  I so wish it were not as cloudy and foggy, as there are some stunning views that can be had from up there.

When we got back down, you could see the effect of the tide on the shrine.  The water, which there had previously been none, was now up to the height of the base of the buildings.

Ferry, commuter rail, feet and then Shinkansen back to Tokyo.  We picked up our Ekiben from Hiroshima station, featuring the local baseball team, the Hiroshima Carp.  Tasty box, I must say!