Best of the best
Monday, May 22, 2017
Miyajima, Chugoku, Japan
For me Miyajima is the highlight so far . For one thing I was in awe of the level of service at our hotel. It was one of the few places where we booked to stay in a traditional Japanese hotel with Tatami floors and futons and Kaiseki dinners. I find these places quaint but can also feel a bit like a fish out of water so tend to opt for the western option most of the time. But I was so glad we booked as we did.
For a busy place like Miyajima our hotel was nicely tucked away on the other side of the island. But we could get a lift into town anytime we wanted. The hotel staff were amazing. At all times they offered professional, friendly and flawless service. I can't recall anytime recently when I felt so well looked after. And at a traditional Japanese hotels the service is very detailed and time consuming. From taking and returning shoes as you enter and return to serving a Kaiseki dinner in your room to making up the beds after dinner and making sure your have enough hot water for your green tea and iced water for your parched mouth! Its all quite involved and very different to service at a western hotel . Every minute detail is thought of beforehand and taken care of in the blink of an eye.
The views from our room were awesome. We could see most of the bay in the foreground and pretty much the whole of HIroshima city and suburbs beyond set into the delta and the lowlands of the hills, with the mountain ranges in the background. Looking out across to the the city that was almost totally destroyed in an instant was mind blowing. From the other side of the hotel you could see the mountain ranges of the island. From our room we could also see the daily goings on at the oyster and scallop farms.
Into the bargain was a location of Miyajima itself. This place is Unesco listed and billed as one of the most beautiful places in the country. I can't argue with that. I loved the scenery and the ambience. There was also more food, drink and shopping than a person can endure in 48 hours. Add to that the novelty of wild deer wandering through the middle of town . The deer near our hotel would parade each evening from the park in front of the hotel to the piles of shells at the oyster farm and proceed to pick through the shells that had been dumped that day looking for tasty morsels.
It all sounds idllyic but I haven't even mentioned the best part. What really did it for me was the scenery from the peaks in the midst of the island. We rode the fernicular railway and then the tramcar up the mountain to the observatory at 400 odd metres and the view from there was stunning. I enjoyed a very pensive 45 minutes or so taking in the views and getting some nice shots with my new camera.
Oh did I say that was the best part? No the best part was the view at dusk. From the vantage point near the vermillion shrine we watched the city opposite light up. We marvelled at the images of the Tori gate in the midst of the bay as it was lit by spotlight from the shore and in turn reflected in the water below. Such a unique sight!
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2025-02-10