Hiroshima - One more thing about Miyajima

I was driving to base yesterday when I realized I forgot one other part of Miyajima - the deer!  Miyajima is filled with these brazen deer.  They wander throughout the island, generally unaware of people unless you have food.  Then they will harass you until you've shared your food!

I had students who told us about their trip to Hiroshima/Miyajima and warned us about the deer.  Miyajima is beautiful and a normally picnic-worthy spot.  My students were smart to tell us not to picnic unless you're planning on feeding the deer!

Hiroshima - Miyajima sights

Not only did we eat in Hiroshima, but Joe and I saw some beautiful sights!  We were blessed to have planned our trip in the middle of fall.  We haven't seen the leaves change colors for 3 years and were starting to miss it!  Hiroshima was in the middle of fall and it was spectacular.

We had two full days in Hiroshima.  The first day we went to Miyajima Island.  The second (Saturday) was spent at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Park.

Miyajima Island is also known as the "shrine island" and is a Unesco World Heritage Sight.  It has one of the most photographed sites in Japan - a great floating torii gate at Itsukushima-jinja (shrine).

We took a few streetcars and a ferry to get to the island.  Every day in Hiroshima was beautiful!  You can see the floating torii gate in the distance.

There was a traditional Japanese wedding happening at Itsukushima-jinja.  Apparently the waiting list to be married there is years long!

This was one of the most unique shinto shrines we have visited, because it is totally situated on the water.

While enjoying the sights, we were interviewed for an article in JAL airlines magazine.  Maybe we'll be in the next issue!  (It's too bad we only fly ANA!)

We then made our way to Mt Misen, to take the ropeway to the top of the island.

Love the Japanese signage!

Japanese Maple Leaves

Beautiful fall!

We couldn't get enough!

The leaves were stunning!

A ropeway took us almost to the top of Mt. Misen  (Hiroshima in the background).

We had to climb the rest of the way!  I thought we were at the top, but not quite.  This temple is where Kobo Daishi mediated for 100 days following his return from China in the 9th century.  It is said that he lit this flame 1200 years ago -- and it's still burning.

Interesting rocks

At the top!  Looking back at Hiroshima.

Looking into the Seto Inland Sea, and the many mountainous islands that populate it.

We started our trek down Mt. Misen when it was lunchtime.

When we made it to the bottom, we were almost at low tide - Itsukushima-jinja  looks very different when the water has gone out. 

You could also walk out to the torii gate.

We had conger eel and oysters for lunch - both Hiroshima specialties. Every preparation was delightful!  We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and enjoying the rest of the sights.

On the ferry heading back to Hiroshima, looking back at the torii gate.

We took the streetcars back to our hotel, and along the way we spoke a little English with a few of the schoolgirls on their way home from school.  Their English was great and they were on their way to the Aerosmith concert.

Hiroshima streetcars

Thanksgiving in Hiroshima - Food

Just like our trip to Tokyo in October, Joe and I decided to take a spur of the moment trip to Hiroshima during Thanksgiving weekend.  We flew in on Thanksgiving Day and returned Sunday morning.

Other than learning about Hiroshima in our history books as part of WWII, I (Lindsay) didn't know much about the city.  This vacation was a wonderful experience and Joe and I have both come to love the city of Hiroshima.

Here we are flying into the city.  Hiroshima is filled with rivers that run into the Seto Inland Sea.  I'm going to divide our trip to Hiroshima into two blogs - one on food and one on sights.  

Food first.

Hiroshima is known for its Okonomiyaki as well - however it's very different from Osaka-style Okonomiyaki.  To review, Osaka-style Okonomiyaki is meat/fish, cabbage, vegetables, egg and flour all mixed up and then grilled on a teppan.  Hiroshima style is quite different and has come to be my favorite kind (Lindsay).  Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki starts with a thin "crepe" on the teppan.  The chef will then cook cabbage and bean sprouts, followed by noodles.  When these 3 things are cooked, the chef will stack them on one another.  Other meats or fish can be added at this point.  The chef will then fry an egg very thinly and place it on top of the "crepe", cabbage & sprouts and noodles.  It gets flipped and then drenched in Okonomiyaki sauce and green onions.  YUM!

Our first Okonomiyaki with oysters at Hiroshima station (Thursday lunch)

Special Seafood Okonomiyaki at a restaurant near the hotel (Thursday dinner)

More Okonomiyaki near the Peace Memorial  (Saturday lunch)

Last Okonomiyaki (Saturday first dinner)

The other "food attraction" in Hiroshima was its oysters.  We arrived in Hiroshima in the middle of oyster season.  I have never eaten so many delicious oysters in a variety of preparations!  As you saw before, oysters were found in Okonomiyaki, but also in.....

simply grilled on a teppan

On the half-shell on an open grill

Raw 

(after grilling on the half-shell)

Fried

In Hiroshima we found a great izakaya (bar & grill), Sakagura.  There we sat at the rail and were served some fantastic food.  The sushi chef Kadzu-san had great English and was fun to talk to.  We were there for dinner Friday night, and when we left he asked if we would come back Saturday night for a drink too!  We were quite chuffed and were happy to go back for another drink (hence the 2nd dinner on Saturday!) 

Sakagura had some of the best oysters grilled in the half-shell.  Beautiful presentation and fantastic flavors!

Kadzu-san (of Sakagura) recommended the sashimi plate with sashimi from the Seto Inland Sea.  This sashimi was the freshest, best sashimi I have ever eaten!

Last, but certainly not least, Hiroshima is known for one of its desserts - momiji manju.  This is a little cake made in the shape of a Japanese maple leaf.  They are filled with custards, chocolates, bean paste and a variety of fruits.  

It was very hard to decide what flavor to choose!

November 2011 - Justin's Visit

 November was a fun month because my brother came to visit!  Justin was here for the first two weeks of November and we had a wonderful time together; eating and sightseeing around Okinawa.

First Saturday, Joe wanted to go out and see things even though it was raining.  Here were are at the top of Katsuren Castle, getting wet.

Of course the rain stopped by the time we got to White Beach Naval Station.  Perfect for putting your hand in the Pacific Ocean and playing bocce ball.

Enjoying Okinawa's non-alcoholic beer after a long day
at Ocean Expo Park.  We were relaxing at Camp
Schwab's Oura Wan Cottages.

He even grilled us some delicious fish from the Awase Fish Market!

We even got a sunny day to take him to the beach!

Thanks for coming to visit us Justin!  

We had a great time!

October 2011

We were exhausted after Tokyo, so the rest of October was pretty quiet.  

One Sunday we heard the familiar "yaki-moooo" coming from the street below our apartment.  We have heard this sound nearly every weekend since living here, but never went to see about the truck that was making the sound.  Not this time!  We ran downstairs and after the truck to purchase.....

Hot sweet potatoes!

This is not the Okinawa purple sweet potato that many of your love (Beni-mo), but another equally delicious golden sweet potato.

We also celebrated Joe's 29th birthday and I made my first-ever German Chocolate Cake.  A great success, if I do say so myself!