After climbing all the way up to the top of the temple (described in my blog on Daisho-in Temple), I was reluctant to tackle the ascent to the top of Miyajima Island without mechanical help. My original plan to get a ropeway (Japanese for cable car) up and to hike down was abandoned. I regard this as evidence that, at least in some respects – although disturbingly few – I have become more sensible with age. The view from Mt Misen, at a height of 535 m above sea level, has been described as one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, so I was determined to see it when I was actually there on the island.
On the way from the temple exercise, en route to the ropeway, I stopped and had a quick lunch, and noticed that the restaurant used tatami mats for guests (although I myself sat in a chair … I have long ago abandoned trying to sit on the floor, as I find it too uncomfortable). I also noticed one of the many Miyajima deer outside, foraging for food.
I am always a little anxious about cable cars, perhaps irrationally. It seems to me always possible that a bit of metal fatigue will set in, or a bit of rust in the wrong place will lead to something breaking, but I swallowed those thoughts and headed up the mountain. In fact, two different kinds of cable cars were used; the smaller ones are shown below. You can see how thickly forested the mountain is.
One of the nice things about a small cable car is that you can get to meet people, with whom you are sharing the experience, and I found that to be the case this time, chatting with a delightful family of four on a short vacation from Tokyo.
The view from the mountain reached by the cable cars in succession was spectacular, although the day was unfortunately a bit hazy (because of the heat, I guess: it was around 35 degrees C at the time), limiting how far we could see. The views here show some of the Seto Inland Sea, a large body of water between Honshu and Shukuku.
Despite my tired legs, I thought I should press on to walk to the summit, as the cable cars left us a bit short. This was very difficult, partly because it was quite steep, partly because it was very hot and partly because I was already tired from the temple ascent. But I could not get that close and give up, and was emabarrassed to be passed by small children!
On the way up to the top, we passed various small temples (which are dotted all over the island). An especially interesting one was the Reika-do Hall, shown below, in which there burns a fire started by the monk Kobo Daishi (who founded the temple I had just scaled) 1200 years ago! It has been kept going ever since. The fire is keeping the kettle hot.
I confess that, on the way up, I didn’t take much notice of this: all I saw was that there were still more stairs to go, visible at the right! But I looked more carefully coming down. It seems that this fire was used as the pilot light for the eternal Flame of Peace in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, making a nice connection with an earlier travel blog.
To be frank, there were moments I did not think I would make it to the top … and I think if it were ten metres higher, I would not have done so! It was very tough. (It reminds me that, even though my grain thinks I’ve not aged, my body disagrees!). But make it to the top I did, and here’s a photo of the ‘observatory’ at the top to prove it:
I very rarely take selfies (or at least allow other people to take them for me), as I already know what I look like, but on this occasion I bent my normal rule and allowed my success to be recorded!
The view from the top was magnificent, especially after I had caught my breath, and was worth the effort to get there. There was a 360 degree view (of course, because it’s the top!), which meant that we could see both the inland sea, nearby islands and of course the City of Hiroshima in the distance. (Click on the images to see a better view if you wish).
Here is the family I befriended in the cable car, who also made it to the top (a bit before me, but all of them were noticeably younger than me!). It was very nice to meet them and to try to encourage and help the older child to speak English, which he was learning at school.
On the way down, I also took a few photos, partly because I had been too exhausted climbing up to do so. Here are a couple of examples:
It’s a beautiful island, and I thoroughly enjoyed my day out, although my feet were still complaining a day later. I can see now why some people prefer to stay on the island for a couple of days, so that they don’t feel that they have to do so much in one day.
I have described three separate elements of Miyajima in my travel blogs, and all were distinctive in their own ways, so I would have been disappointed to not do all three. And there’s always the satisfaction of deciding to do something and then succeeding!
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