Miyajima and Himeji

Miyajima is one of Japan’s most famous photo objects. The island used to be a sacred place that could only be entered by the clergy. The torii – the entrance of the shrine is in the water (when the tide is high) and anyone coming to the island would pass through this gate. The red torii in the water is a definitely a worthwhile photo object.
I was on Miyajima in the late afternoon and was really lucky. The tide was high and I got the classic view of the torii surrounded by water and the sunset made great pictures. We also visited the island’s shrine.
Miyajima is also home to a lot of deer that walk around in the streets freely and are not shy at all. In fact I was warned that I should take care of my properties and not walk around with an open bag, the cheeky beasts would soon snatch something. They were indeed very tame and we could walk next to them and even touch them.
My next stop was Himeji, one of the remaining original wooden samurai castles in Japan and one of its national treasures (and a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The castle is towering over the main street of Himeji and looks quite imposing. It’s beautiful with its alabaster towers, but was used for not so pacifist purposes. Strategically located at the foot of the mountain and with view to the sea, it was a heavily armed fortress. Arm chambers and retreats for the fighters from where they could attack are found everywhere. And there is also a large food storage area, because the shortage of water and food was often a decisive factor when a fortress was being in siege.