I was super excited even though I had to get up the earliest I've had to in months, 6:00 am to catch the 7:18 to Hiroshima! It's 3 hours with no bullet train and we're all about cheap. It was a Monday holiday so Anne, Amy, Kristen and I went to Miyajima, which is an island shrine about 5 minutes by ferry from Hiroshima. We were kinda starving when we got to Hiroshima station and Kristen and I indulged in taiyaki--fish shaped custard in a pancake batter thing. Think Japanese creamy doughnut.
After second breakfastes (like little hobbits, yes), we took the ferry and then... Miyajima ho!
Walk this way please! To your right! (If I was facing forward there would be stone. This IS right!)
The first thing I wanted to do was pet the deer. Deeeeer! Cute, holy island deeeeer! Here, Bambi! So the first unsuspecting deer I could find, 'oh you betcha' I petted. Hehe. 
I think he's used to it. Cuuute! The second thing you must do when you visit Miyajima is try momoji. Again, think of a doughnut filled with custard, sweet bean paste, matcha paste, or anything really, and then cook it in the shape of a maple leaf, and to make it even BETTER, you deep fry that leaf-on-a-stick. Yes! It makes the air smell like lightly sweetened doughnuts and bread. Also, delicious. I would love to try another flavor besides anko. It's ok, but I'll take chocolate or custard over sugared beans anyday.
Finally we rounded the corner and ta da! The famous temple entrance gates! Miyajima!
Pretty cool, right? Sometimes I think about if mankind had to start over and I was one of the people left, I think I'd be almost useless. How do you build a giant gate if the tides always coming in? Let alone be smart enough to plan it. Yep. Good thing that won't happen!
I love the kid playing close to the edge of like a 5 foot straight drop into the ocean.
As we strolled on the outside of the island, I noticed tons of little shrines and places. Even a sweet little deer stuck inside one. Maybe he was sneaky and snuck it to eat the good holy, blessed, grass... or maybe he was put there to get fattened up on the holy grass... holy venison!? Who knows.
The temple where the big gate was showing off. We didn't go in (boo) but next time I definitely will! Also, the weather was a lot warmer than the forcast said. Ahh! The sweatshirt was getting hot! And notice the tide is in!
Finally after walking around for what seemed like hours to find a restaurant Anne had gone to before, the three of us were becoming grouchy cranky campers because our tummies were rumbling. We took a stab at this Japanese looking (traditional, I mean) restaurant and sit down at a table on tatami mats and ahhh, relax. Foood!!!
It was super beautiful outside too because we could hear a little fountain trickling away!
Can we just stay here tonight? Thanks! But of course, according to me, no amazing meal is amazing without some cheesecake. Japan has this way of saying something is cheesecake but really it's a baked cakey substance that tastes a little like cream cheese minus all the good, rich, flavor that makes all the calories, uh, worth it? Lame! If you ask me... So Kristen and I set out to find coffee for her and cake for me. We found this hole in the wall and I am not exaggerating. The table they sat us at was in the very back, in this extended one room storage deal with rocks going up the back and the one, strong lonely lap that is just asking "where were you the night of ...." and "don't make me play good cop..."
It pretty much screamed interrogation room, which makes for an interesting setting to enjoy a cappuccino and slice of GOOD, REAL cheesecake. Which it better have been for 500 yen aka a five dollar slice of regular flavor! Ah, oh well! It hit the spot!
The before I devoured it picture. I like how it was stabbed by a maple cookie and is bleeding strawberry sauce.
When we left I noticed oo! The tide is out! So this is earlier:
As compared to :
Then we see that there is a ton of people in the shrine. What's going on you ask? Well, thanks to Anne who recognized the big white hat of the bride, a Japanese wedding!
The one in orange is dancing I'm guessing as prayer or blessing the wedding. I had to zoom in super to get this shot. It was cool to watch him dance to the traditional music while I learned a Japanese bride wears that hood to cover her 'horns of jealousy.' Yes, that's exactly why I want to wear that on my wedding... great symbolism. But I wondered what it meant to get married there since Miyajima's goddess is very jealous of lovers and the story is you can't bring your sweetie here or you will break up. However, I'm pretty sure every married couple/couple I saw there won't be savagely ripped apart by jealously. Hmm... still kind of interesting to wonder! Congrats to the married couple!
We topped the day off with shopping in all the little souvenir shops and when I saw this, no one wanted to join me but hey, someone's gotta be the silly tourist right? :) A 3 hour train ride later and I'm pretty sure I collapsed into my bed. What a great trip.
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