Day 9 A day trip to Miyajima Island

This morning, after dropping our suitcases at reception for them to be sent on to Kyoto (they should arrive at our hotel tomorrow, so fingers crossed!) We set off for a day out, the weather forecast was for rain pretty much all day so we were well prepared with walking trousers and kagools.

We needed to catch a bus for the first time, the hardest part was finding the correct bus stop! We then took the train from Yokogawa Station to Miyajimaguchi Station followed by a 5 minute ferry ride to the island, all with our Pasmo card so nice and straight forward. 

Leaving the main land

We spotted the Grand Torii Gate pretty easily as we approached the island

Although it was grey it stayed dry all morning. Saw one of the many deer which were just wandering the streets.

The Grand Torii Gate

Another wedding

Itsukushima Shrine, a world heritage site built in 593

After a lunch in one of the cafes, we were well past most of the tourists by now, we headed up to the cable car through a pine forest, the scent of pine was lovely 

At the cable car was a sign to say that it was closed due to high winds! This is what we should have been doing

So we retraced our steps and went to visit the Diashoin Temple, with lots of Jizo statues on the way up. These predate Buddhist beliefs and are said to have a spiritual power for protection and longevity. They wear red hats or bibs as a way to honour and remember lost children

Followed by a very refreshing glass of lemonade, a short walk down the hill and an ice cream

There was some cherry blossom out but we seem to be a bit ahead of the curve

We then walked up to the five storey pagoda to find that it was being repaired!

We wandered back towards the ferry down the main street, all the umbrellas went up as it began raining

Along with lots of others we headed into a shop and bought one of these cakes each to try, delicious!

Oysters from a vending machine, we passed on those!

A final look at the Torri Gate

The sky was darkening as we went to catch the ferry

It was a similar story back on the mainland

As we walked back to the hotel from the railway station the heavens opened. We'd had a lucky escape and stayed dry all day!

In the evening we went to the Italian restaurant just next door so avoided getting wet!