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Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社), commonly known as Miyajima (宮島) is on an island off the coast of Hiroshima. This is one of the Three View of Japan (日本三景), and definitely worth the trip. It takes about 15 minutes to reach by ferry, and admission costs only a couple hundred yen. And that’s all I’m going to say about that, because it is much better to see the photos. (below the cut)
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Japan, land of the Rising Sun, heated toilet seats, and trains. When traveling in Japan it is pretty much a necessity that you use trains – but even if that wasn’t the case, I think you would still want to ride the trains in Japan anyway. On the relatively tiny landmass of Japan, trains are not merely the most effective and cost effective form of travel, but the train experience is really an intrinsic part of ‘the Japan experience.’ The high population density in Japan has made the construction of the current and fairly comprehensive rail & subway systems profitable and therefore feasible. It is exhilarating the first time you successfully navigate one of the larger stations, such as the transfer hubs of Tokyo or Osaka. Also, the view of the country that you get through the window of the train, the cities and fields whipping by against a backdrop of mountains is pretty phenomenal.
As a general rule, trains are not terribly expensive in Japan. Local train rides in most cities range between 100 and 400 yen per ride. And if you need to take the same route regularly for something like commuting to school or work, there are various ways to make the process a bit cheaper and/or more convenient (such as buying bulk tickets at the same price for a discount, or getting a rechargeable card). And then, if you are a foreign national touring Japan you can get the JR Rail Pass.
Before I left Tokyo I went to the Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. Since i was not in a hurry, I got off at Kichijoji Station instead of the Mitaka Station. From there I strolled through the Inokashira Onshi Koen. The park was gorgeous, and houses a shrine on the pond that honors Benzaiten. After an hour or so of leisurely wandering through the park, I headed towards the Ghibli Museum following wooden signs that indicated the direction. The lush and beautiful nature of the park was a perfect prelude to the Ghibli Museum, which is quite nearby and is designed harmoniously with the area surrounding it. I had bought my ticket at Lawson where you can reserve through a machine and pay with credit card (Note: You cannot buy tickets at the gallery, they must be purchased ahead of time. If you are there during a travel season I recommend reserving well ahead.).
The Museum was gorgeous. You cannot take photos inside, but I snapped a few in the verandas and gardens outside. I highly recommend this museum – there were a lot of interesting displays, short animations, and exhibits. Currently, they have all of the original drawings from the film Ponyo, a total of 170,653 pages worth! There were also exhibits displaying the creative process Miyazaki uses, and drawing lines of inspiration. Oh, and on the first floor there was an amazing 3D animation that is magical to see in person. It consists of a bunch of 3D figures in sequence that are spun backwards making them appear to move forward. It is exactly like an animation only with a tactile 3D image rather than a drawing. Again, it was absolutely captivating.
The building itself was also specifically designed by Miyazaki – it has three floors and a rooftop garden, paintings on many walls, secret passage ways and child-sized rooms. It is a magical experience to be there, especially if you are a fan of any of his films. You can grab a bite to eat there, though I personally didn’t. And of course there is also a gift shop with an interesting range of things to buy. Well, if you’ve got some major coin to drop there are some amazing things you can buy! After having been there myself, I would advise that you allow at least two hours to explore and catch the short film that comes with your admission. Every nook and cranny of this building hides something worth investigating.
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More photos here.
If you go to Tokyo, you can go up to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building’s 45th floor for a view of the skyline. Admission is free to go up there, and photos are allowed (although not tripods). As always with viewing platforms I recommend going up about a half an hour to an hour before sunset, this way you get to see everything in the light, see the sunset, and get a great night view as well.
After the sun went down myself and two of my friends from the hostel made it in to the cafe there in time for Happy Hour’s discounted drinks, drank in the last corner of view available and toasted to our busy day walking about in Tokyo. Despite the relatively long and very boring walk to and from the nearest train station, this was a great way to end the day.
