Beautiful Miyajima Park and Shrine

Most people go Miyajima to see the famous torii, shown here. This is one of the three most-photographed spots in Japan, along with Mt. Fuji and Amanohashidate. When the tide is in, the whole shrine seems to be floating on top of the water -- quite a beautiful effect. I, however, really enjoy touristy spots like this because of the people-watching. Here are a few winners...



Little girl playing on the shrine's enormous stone lanterns



Japanese couple stops in front of the torii to consult a map



Photo op is side-tracked by a couple of social deer



Photographer directing a crowd of uncooperative tourists



Crane posing contemplatively in front of the torii -- He was a big hit with the photo-takers around me. I estimate several hundred shots of him were taken within the four or five minutes he was strolling around out there.



Japanese boy making a wish. One of the great traditions at Shinto shrines is to write your wish on one of these papers and tie it to a tree or a fence like this.





Canal and nearby shops around the back of the shrine



Sidebar about Japanese food: Josh is absolutely my hero for munching down this tako (not "taco," but "taKo" -- Japanese for "octopus") he got from a vendor at Miyajima. Way to be a culinary adventurer, Josh!

Everybody else waited until we got back to Hiroshima and the kids got to taste their first okonomiyaki, which is Japanese for "the good shit" (or, more literally, "what you like, on a grill").



Okonimyaki, which is a very popular food in Kansai, is typically described as a "savory pancake containing cabbage, eggs, flour, pork, and a variety of other ingredients." The Hiroshima version, seen here, also features noodles and MAGIC. The kids did indeed like it, and it became their unanimous new favorite Japanese food.

Hiroshima A-Bomb Memorial

From Kyoto, we took the Shinkansen (the "Bullet Train") to Hiroshima to see the Atomic Bomb Memorial.





At first glance, Hiroshima doesn't look too different from any other city in Kansai, but the memorial and the museum at ground zero are an eerie reminder of the city's uniquely tragic history. Taking my kids here was a heart-wrenching experience. The memorial itself is a wide open stretch of grass featuring a pool and a chest that holds the names of the A-bomb's victims -- a simple and straight-forward reminder of the desolation caused by the bomb. The museum, which was nearly empty and dead silent when we walked through, contains hundreds of photos and mementos documenting the wreckage, both material and human, of August 6th, 1945.



The former Hiroshima Prefecture Industrial Promotions Hall, now known as the Atomic Dome, is the only pre-bomb structure remaining in the center of Hiroshima. Its skeletal remains stand as a reminder of the devastation caused by the bomb.





Just across the river from the Atomic Dome, a small garden with a pool, the peace bell, and thousands of paper cranes has been erected in memory of lives lost to the bombing. The cranes, most made by Japanese school children, are a reminder of the story of Satako, a little girl who suffered from radiation poisoning after the bombing and attempted to fold a thousand paper cranes. Japanese lore says that folding a thousand cranes will protect you from illness, but tragically, Satako wasn't able to complete her epic task before she died. In the years since the bombing, Japanese children have folded hundreds of thousands of cranes in her honor.






The Atomic Dome and the Eternal Flame are both visible through this arch that stands over the chest holding the names of the bomb's victims.



White oleander, the local flower of Hiroshima, stands as a symbol of new life and hope for the future of this city that has suffered so terribly.

Nara: Todaiji Temple and the Deer Park

Just a hop, skip, and a train away from Kyoto is the little town of Nara -- once an imperial estate, now a tourist trap with an impressive park, a national treasure temple, and hundreds of nearly-tame deer. While the town itself isn't much more than a series of signs pointing to the temple, it's well worth taking a morning to come and wander through the park and temple grounds.



One bit of advice about the deer for American tourists: Think of them the same way you do petting zoo goats. They're cute to look at and you can pet them if they'll let you, but resist the temptation to feed them or they will chase you relentlessly all the way to the temple steps.





Sometimes the glitz and kitsch of the touristy bits can distract you from the fact that Todaiji is a sacred religious site. For maximum zen impact, I recommend going alone on a weekday morning when it's a bit quieter and free of the Saturday morning revelers. The park is quite beautiful and if you stray off the beaten path a bit, you'll be able to enjoy a peaceful stroll with the deer. Also take caution if you're traveling with a tour group. Ours wanted to charge us ¥3500 (about 35 USD) to take a bus there and back; instead, we took the train for less than half that.





Always, always, always take the time to peek in gates around temple complexes and soak in the aesthetics.



This would be an awesome photo of Josh lighting incense, except that his kick-ass Rubber Soul t-shirt ended up dominating the frame. O well.



Here's an incense photo, minus the Beatles' t, to make up for the previous one.



Your day in Nara culminates with a visit to the colossal bronze Buddha who is housed in the main hall of the Todaiji complex. One of the few times in my life when I've felt that the word "colossal" was truly appropriate.

A Side Note on Japanese Dining

Before we left for Japan, the kids had three major points of anxiety: 1) AH! I don't speak Japanese!; 2) What if I get lost??; and 3) What on earth am I going to be expected to eat?!

I'm happy to say that for the most part, they did a wonderful job of being open to trying new foods. Nobody starved, anyway. Here are a few of their favorites (sometimes favorite foods; other times, just favorite stories about food):



In Nagasaki, we finally had the chance to get our hands on some takoyaki, or "octopus balls." My research shows that five out of six American teenagers understand "octopus balls" to mean little balls of batter containing octopus meat that are grilled (as shown above), smothered in sweet soy sauce, and absolutely delicious. The remaining one out of six American teenagers will interpret this as "octopus testicles" and will turn green and ask for permission to sit outside the shop while her comrades chow down on the scrumptious little morsels. I might be a bad teacher for not explaining this more clearly.



I was delighted when I finally managed to get my kids into an izakaya on one of our free evenings. Izakaya, which are like Japanese pubs, serve a wide variety of munchies, most of which are greasy and delicious (and the reason my jeans went up a size when I lived over there). The kids particularly enjoyed the yakitori (grilled chicken bits, including not just meat but also cartilage) and the horse sashimi (yes, yes, that's raw horse meat).



Chanpon, the most famous Nagasaki food, is a hearty noodle dish with cabbage, pork, and a variety of veggies. Not a big hit with the kids, but I really like it.



One of my favorite Japanese snacks is Meiji chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. Since our return home, the kids have found them in a local import shop, and I'm looking forward to some highly-effective bribes next school year.





Among the kids' favorite discoveries were the various types of Yakults. They started with the basic yogurt-shots and progressed from there to the boys' favorite: Ta Fu Ma N, or "Tough Man," shown with Josh above and in this sexually-suggestive ad below.





They also quickly mastered the vending machines, which are plentiful and stocked with an exciting variety of treats.



We even had dinner one night at a restaurant where you order via vending machine. You put your money in the machine and select a meal, and the machine gives you a little ticket and tells the folks behind the counter what you want. When your number is called, you simply trade your ticket for a delicious plate of curry (like that shown below) or whatnot. Way to reduce human contact as much as possible, Japan.



We also went to a pretty typical Japanese fast-food joint for burgers. The kids expected it would be like the fast-food they were used to at home. Sorry, guys! Eggs and teriyaki sauce on your burger with a melon soda on the side!



They liked the burgers pretty well, but RJ was a little unnerved by the melon-flavored soda.



On the whole though, not only did we not lose anybody, but we also didn't let anybody go hungry. Well done, kids!

Kyoto Photo Blog

A few more photos from our painfully brief stay in Kyoto this summer...



Fushimi Inari Taisha



Hand-washing basins are part of the symbolic purification before entering the shrine. They also provide exceptional photo ops as they typically combine water, stone, wood, and light.







Fushimi Inari features a four kilometer hike up a trail arched with orange tori. An absolute must-see in Kyoto any time of year.








Kiyomizu-Dera -- Pure Water Temple



Watching other gaijin make a scene never gets old. This French guy and his buddies were doing a martial arts photo shoot in front of the main gate at Kiyomizu-Dera.



Japanese joinery is the best way to earth-quake proof your ancient wooden structure.



The Kiyomizu spring is renown for the purity of its water. Take a sip! It's lucky!







Sprucing up the temple grounds in preparation for Matsuri.


Tea house with a fantastic view.


Kinkakuji -- The Golden Pavilion



Kinkakuji and the surrounding gardens are a perfect place to go when you have a long afternoon to spend in quiet, reflective solitude. It loses a bit of its luster when you're corralling teenagers, but I was able to wander off on my own for a few minutes and enjoy a brief shot of the stillness.



Wrap it all up with a cold brew in a cozy bar, and you've got the perfect day.