Stu-Art: Day 11: Itsukushima

Today we decided to take the ferry to the island of Itsukashima and see the famous Itsukashima Shrine. We set off to the train station that we would catch to the Ferry, but as soon as we got off the tram at the train station we saw a stall out the front with a massive barbeque set up selling beef on a stick. It smelt so good I got two considering I hadn’t had breakfast, and they tasted even better than they smelled. With our stomachs full of meat we caught a rickety but comfortable old train to the ferry port. The scenery on the way was beautiful as we passed through the mountains, and all the houses had lovely little perfectly manicured gardens and vegetable patches. When we got there we could see the island just a few kilometres off shore. We had decided to take the cheapest route to the island by catching the train to the closest port, but we could have caught a ferry from the river near where we were staying.

On the ferry we had an amazing view all around us of the island and the coastline, and I could see the peak of the tallest mountain and wondered what the likelihood of being able to climb up there was. Not that I thought I would be able to do it, but I wished I was fit enough to be able to if there was a path. Upon landing on the island the first thing I saw were deer walking around the streets! Not long after, one was attacking Leigh trying to get his food. We walked around the foreshore looking at all the shops and restaurants until we got around to the shrine, which wasn’t too far from where the ferry lands. During high tide the torii gate is surrounded by the sea, but when we arrived the tide was out so we got to walk right up to it. There were far less people there than I was expecting considering it is the third most popular attraction in Japan. Then we walked around the shrine area and came across more shops until we finally had to choose which path we would take if we wanted to go for a walk. We looked on the map and I was filled with the kind of confidence that only a tummy full of beef provides so I suggested we take the long walk to Mt Misen, which I was hoping was the peak that I saw on the ferry. It was also a good route because it seemed to pass a lot of points of interest along the way including waterfalls, shrines and temples and a convenient cable-car to carry us back down when we got to the top. So the decision was finally settled after a final toilet stop and we set off up the first of a great many stone steps. The walk was absolutely stunning. The forest we walked through was quiet and green and the path was narrow, and it felt like we were the only ones on the whole mountain. In fact, I can only remember passing four other couples on the whole journey up. After a fair way we came across an area inhabited by monks, but it seemed very tourist friendly and open to people just looking around. Buildings and shrines (I’m guessing that’s what they were, they had alters in them and sometimes had people or monks praying inside them) were dotted along the mountainside joined by stone paths and steps along with many statues. We soon found out though that this path led to a dead end, so we had to go back down the mountain a bit and take the path that went on the other side of the small river that would lead to a waterfall further up.

After a while we came to a fork in the road, where going right would take us to Mt Misen and going left would take us to the waterfall. We arrived there at the same time as a couple in front of us, and they seemed to think that the waterfall would be a long way up to the left so they decided to head right to Mt Misen, but David Z really wanted to see the waterfall so we set off left. In fact, the walk to the waterfall was about five minutes, and it mustn’t have rained in a while because there was hardly any water flowing down it. It was still nice though, and we used it to stop and take a break as we were starting to show the first signs of exhaustion.

After our break at the waterfall we set off back down to the fork in the road and took the right turn to Mt Misen, not fully comprehending what we were getting ourselves into. I wish I had recorded the time it took to climb each section of the mountain, because all I could concentrate on was not collapsing. Thankfully there were a few rest stops on the way, but every time we reached one I thought we had made it to the top, only to see that the path continued off in another direction. Eventually we reached a large area with two shrines and a store that HAD to be the top. There were even wires for a cable-car, but dishearteningly it wasn’t in operation. I took some photos of the view, but I have to say I was slightly disappointed that there weren’t any really good viewing points. But the sun was slowly going down and at least I could say I made it to the top. Then I looked around and tried to find Leigh and the two Davids. They were standing by another set of stairs beside one of the shrines that I hadn’t seen. I told Leigh I thought this was the top and he said nope! I was absolutely exhausted, but on we went. It was now a race to beat the sun, because I kept thinking that we might be forced to walk back down if this cable-car didn’t exist.

After falsely thinking I’d reached the top a couple more times, and nearly collapsing many more, we finally made it. The view was spectacular and we made sure we took lots of photos and soaked it up as long as we dared considering the fading light.

Soon we started the journey back down to find the cable-car. It seemed to be a long way, and it was really starting to get dark very quickly, and David W and I were still struggling to keep up with David Z and Leigh who were a fair way ahead. We could hear a beeping coming from a building barely visible through the trees still a fair way away, and I assumed it was to guide people there if they were lost or if it got dark but I’m still not sure about that. Soon though we heard Leigh yell out “HURRY WE’VE GOT FIVE MINUTES!!!” and I yelled back “WHAT, UNTIL THE LAST ONE??” and he yelled back “YES!!!!!”. So poor David and I had to sprint the last two-hundred meters to catch the last cable-car of the night. We made it just in time. We would have been in a LOT of trouble if we had missed it and I have no idea how we would have gotten back down in the dark! We probably should have checked the times for the cable-cars before we left come to think of it. Anyway, we relaxed and enjoyed the view in the cable-car and then caught a shuttle-bus from where the cable-car finished to the bottom of the mountain.

By then it was well and truly dark and the tide was all the way in, so we got to see the torii lit up and surrounded by the sea which was beautiful. Then we walked back around and found one of the few restaurants left open and had a massive sea-food feast to celebrate our victory. It was a great end to an amazing day.

Cute gardens all the way along the train line

Walking up to the port. Love the trees

Getting ready to board the ferry

On our 10 minute voyage to Itsukushima

The peak I wondered if we would be able to climb

Coming in to dock on the island

Wasn't ready to see deer just wandering about the place!

Looking back over to Hiroshima

Leigh being harassed after making the mistake of feeding a deer

The torii from the distance

Walking around the Itsukushima shrine

The beginning of our ascent is marked by this cool looking tree

Looking back over the base of the shrine. I thought we'd already walked a fair way.

Monks lived around here and could be seen and heard praying.

Passed through another torii on our way up

Getting tired... Not much further now, surely!!

Relaxing at the waterfall (which I didn't take a photo of because it was so rubbish)

There werre lots of these dotting the path up the mountain

Not a bad view

But we're really exhausted

So. Many. Stairs.

Oh great. "Only" 1.8km to go.

More stairs!

The first time I actually thought we'd reached the top. So I took a photo.

Oops, there's the top over there.

Or is that the top there...?

David W enjoying a rest and the view

Ok, this time it's definitely the top. I really was convinced, there was a shop and souveners and everything...

...but the view was kind of obstructed

althought I did manage to get a few good shots

The rail-car I thought we were meant to ride down.

A deer walking around the temples. I thought this was as far as we could go. It wasn't. We still had at least another half-hour to climb, and the sun was fading fast