Itsukushina Shrine at Miyajima Island in Japan

Shima

This torii is famous in may photographs of Japan. We had been visiting Hiroshima earlier that day and it's only a short train ride followed by a quick 15 minute ferry to get there from where we had been over by the a-bomb dome. This was a VERY uplifting way to end an otherwise depressing day.

Taken on March 5th, 2008.
Rebel XTi Body and Canon 24-105 f4/L IS USM lens

All good shrines have guardians:


It was low tide when we arrived:


I was very addicted to angle shots this time in Japan:


Another lovely guardian:


The group I was traveling with: (I'm in the bottom row, first on the left)


I really liked how this came out:


I have a thing for super curvy bridges, too bad it was blocked off and we couldn't actually walk across it:


I also have a thing for drainage areas:


And another curvy drainage area:


I decided to pose with Smuggy:


This is my wallpaper on my desktop right now:


The tide started coming in:


The mossy steps looked nice in the sunset before the water returned:


The darker rock gives you an idea of how high the water can get:


And then the sun started to really set and that's the end of that story


I have two galleries associated with this.
The actual Itsukushina Shrine gallery: http://photos.cathoffman.com/gallery/4459531_GEufs
And the Miyajima island gallery: http://photos.cathoffman.com/gallery/4430291_Ggq6m

kitvan

wow. Great set! That looks like it was a great trip! I've always wanted to visit Japan
shots look great!

Giphsub

Ha! That's my back yard! Nice shots. I haven't been out there for a little while, but you got all the "compulsory" shots of Miyajima and some more! Did you get up to the temple up road on the hill a little way up behind the main shrine there? There is a long path of steps up to it.

Shima

Giphsub wrote:

Ha! That's my back yard! Nice shots. I haven't been out there for a little while, but you got all the "compulsory" shots of Miyajima and some more! Did you get up to the temple up road on the hill a little way up behind the main shrine there? There is a long path of steps up to it.

I don't think we did unfortunately... we got there rather late and things were getting ready to close We were only there the one afternoon.

Very cool that you live near it!

Moogle Pepper

...

I need to go to Japan

...

Giphsub

Too bad. It has a great view looking back down over the sea and the main shrine. Yeah, I live in Hiroshima, so not technically "near" it But we often take our kids out there for excursions, and I also take visitors out there too. As you said, it is often a much needed counter to a visit to the peace museum. Although, all in one day is a bit of a rush! Glad you enjoyed it.

Elaine

Love seeing these photos! This was one of our favorite places to visit when my husband and I traveled Japan back in 2000. Your wallpaper shot is a beauty!

ChrisJ

I think(?) this is the location of one of my favorite signs... Something like:
10 minute walk, 7 if run a little

I visited there almost 10 years ago (1999). Beautiful place. I remember the deer being overly friendly. And were there cricket sounding boards at the shrine?

I really enjoyed these, Shima. Thanks for taking me back there.