Amanohashidate and Miyajima, Japan

As I’d been to Kyoto twice before, I had already visited most of the “must-see” sites and was able to venture a bit further afield in my spare time. There were several famous locales I wanted to visit, including 2 of Japan’s “3 most scenic places” that are easy day trips from Kyoto. The first was Amanohashidate, a 3.6 kilometer long pine tree covered sand bar north of Kyoto that’s been celebrated in poetry, paintings, and gardens for over a millennium. This "bridge of heaven" is best viewed from the hills on either side of the bay, seen upside down from between one’s legs. The walk along the sand-bar with the sight and scent of the pines and the sound of the lapping waves was sensational. Be sure to go to Nariai-ji Temple, on top of the hill Kasamatsu Park is on, while there. The train to Amanohashidate alone was well worth the trip – the route takes you past small agricultural villages and along a lovely bay.

                                                                           Miyajima

The second scenic place I visited was Miyajima, where the celebrated floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine is located. I’d read somewhere that you should be sure to be there at high tide, so I did my research and planned accordingly. At high tide, the entire bright orange shrine, which is on stilts, stands in water -- truly a remarkable sight. And it was my lucky day – a Shinto blessing-of-the-dancers ceremony was performed, followed with a dance by the newly blessed geisha and maiko. There is also a wonderful temple on the island, Daishō-in, founded in 806 and now the head temple of one of the sects of Shingon Buddhism.  It has a hidden cave full of Kannon statues, a stairway with a railing made of prayer wheels, another stairway carved in rock lined with statues of saints, an island-rock with the 7 gods of good fortune, and an enchanting statue of Tengu.  It seemed every time I turned a corner there was something new to see.

Mimi Santini-Ritt 2008