Friday, May 18th. 2nd day.
In the afternoon, our bus ran south to Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture..

Kintaikyo Bridge

It was built in 1673, over the Nishiki River in a series of five wooden arches. According to Iwakuni City Net,

Beyond the bridge is seen Iwakuni Castle on top of Mt. Yokoyama. We did not go up there to my regret.
After crossing the 5 arches of the bridge, there was a riverbank on the left which was the sight associated with Sasaki Kojiro, a famous samurai fought against Miyamoto Musashi.
A wonderful broad view widened before our eyes. We talked to each other, "Would like to stay and relax here much more if the time permitting."

Kintaikyo Bridge

View from Kintaikyo

The place associated with Kojiro

I do not know whether Sasaki Kojiro was an actual samurai or not. His character is really said to owe the novel "Miyamoto Musashi" written by Eiji Yoshikawa.
I myself was absorbed in that novel in my junior high school days just like "Annals of the Three Kingdoms", "The Three Musketeers" and "Sherlock Holms".

Kojiro is from Iwakuni here according to the novel. This place of a pine tree under the bridge is said to have been where he invented his special art of swordmanship called "Tsubame-gaeshi".
It also seemed to be the writer Yoshikawa's creation, but in fact the place was surely one of the scenic spots around there.

Other Pictures at Kintaikyo Bridge

-----------------------

Further more to the south. We arrived at Aki-no-Miyajima northern-west of Hiroshima Bay, west part of Seto Inland Sea.
The second night was at Miyajima Seaside Hotel. After dinner, we had an fantastic experience to see the lit-up Itsukushima Shrine in the sea on the sightseeing boat.

-----------------------

Aki-no-Miyajima

Situated in Miyajima Town, Hatsukaichi City, it is a commonly known name. But it is strictly called "Itsukushima", and known as one of the three sights together with Matsushima and Amano-hashidate.

In the ancient times Itsukushima was the object of nature worship itself, and since the end of Heian period (794-1192) it often appeared on the stage of history because of the strength of the shrine's influence and its importance as the base of ocean transportation.
This site has prospered as one of the most scenic spots in Japan since Edo period (1603-1868). Presently over 300 million worshippers and sightseers are said visiting here in a year.

We stayed here a whole day from the previous evening to a couple of hours after lunch. There were a lot of people all over, not to mention a rural place.

Itsukushima Shrine

Itsukushima Shrine is in the center of Itsukushima as a matter of fact.
The large torii floating on the sea and the halls of the shrine were built in the ancient days (in 593).
The shrine prospered a lot under substantial patronage of Taira-no-Kiyomori late Heian period (1118-1181).
Presently all halls, National Treasures and Important Cultural Assets, are connected each other by the cloisters with the main hall as a center.
According to Wikipedia,

We already knew that the shrine had a damage by the raging rainstorm on April 3rd this year, so that the torii could not be seen as a true red one.
We noticed the reality on a sightseeing boat after dinner on the arrival day. The next day in the afternoon, the repairing torii was before us in the daylight. The repair would be completed by late June.

Now, Itsukushima Shrine. We toured in and around it in the whole morning.

I looked around the sights and sighed, murmuring at heart, with admiration and fantasy going through my mind.
"It is not venerable just because it is a World Heritage Site. The UNESCO people themselves must have asked it to be a World Heritage Site in the result that the divine figures and gorgeous atmosphere beyond their expectations directly came out to them."

I did not see NHK TV's golden drama "Taira no Kiyomori". Much more than that, I stopped reading "New Heike Story" written by Eiji Yoshikawa on the way and haven't started again yet. I'd like to read it once again from the start when I come home.
However, as I am soon going to travel to China, I have to study it beforehand too. In addition, I do not forget I stopped reading "The story of Romanians" written by Nanami Shiono on the way too. My idea is as fickle as the autumn weather.

…………………………

Daiganji Temple

We dropped in on the way to the 5-Story Pagoda without any reason. It is said to be known as Kikyozan Hokoin, and was in charge of the repair and construction of Itsukushima Shrine until the Meiji Restoration (1868).

When the Ordinance Distinguishing Shinto and Buddhism was enforced in Meiji period, many statues of Buddha, including the image of Benzaiten, were moved from Itsukushima Shrine and enshrined here in the main hall. Benzaiten is a goddess of music, eloquence, also wealth and water. That explained why the Benzaiten flag was flapping here. (picture right)

We just looked at the appearance and put our hands together in prayer outside.

Five-Story Pagoda

Arrived here in 10 minute-walk from Daiganji Temple. It was originally constructed in 1407, 27.6 meters high, and as a whole was constructed in Japanese style as evidenced by the ornamental caps of the railing posts as well as in the placement of the rafters.

Senjo-kaku Hall (Toyokuni Shrine)

This hall was just in front of the Five-Story Pagoda. We entered it, taking off our shoes, and looked around inside relaxed.

According to the homepage of Miyajima Tourist Association,

It was worthwhile in the result to walk a little further from Itsukushima Shrine. It was a dignified building, not gorgeous but quiet.
We were fascinated in the hall for a while, making ourselves at ease.

-----------------------

What is gourmet food in Miyajima?
I would say "Surely raw oysters!", but unfortunately it was out of season.
I ate two grilled oysters while standing. "Delicious!"
I chose a grilled-oyster platter for lunch too.
Emiko bought a couple of boxes of "momiji-manju" at a souvenir shop in the restaurant.

A rickshaw with a newly-married couple on it was running in front of the restaurant. Look at my nice snapshot.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is a negative World Heritage like Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland.
I saw the trace of Auschwitz Concentration Camp with my own eyes in November last year. What a horrifying historical fact it was. Everybody held the breath before a lot of various articles left displayed.

This park is terrible too. The disastrous scene of the Atomic Bomb Dome, the cruel sights displayed in the Museum, --- we must not forget Hiroshima not only because of the disaster place but also because of the tragedy of any war.

On the other hand, I asked myself how much I remember about Hiroshima, and felt sad.

A familiar example is the accident at Fukushima Power Plant in March last year. Even after a year most of the disaster victims are still turned adrift. How much were the works proceeded for the unprecedented disaster including radioactive waste? Are the area now secured and safe?
I know I cannot give any help at all, but I don't like to be an onlooker.
In August last year after 5 months of the disaster, New York Times carried the article of the scene report titled "Japan Held Nuclear Data, Leaving Evacuees in Peril" on the 8th on the Internet and on the 9th in the morning paper.
I read the article through an introduction by my friend and was horrified, and then decided to translate it into Japanese.

http://chukonen.com/kobanashi/
1108newyorktimes/ebk46x.html

Has that article of New York Times already faded away? I am worried if the punishment for all the cause of the accident may come to be true when we stay on the sidelines, forgetting the disaster. It may be near the future during our life, leading the posterity from generation to generation of the world as well as Japan to the depths of despair.

After passing by "Hiroshima Peace Bell", "Children's Peace Monument" and "Flame of Peace", there was the "Memorial Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims" over there. It stores the list of more than 260,000 victims presently identified.

According to Wikipedia about Peace Memorial Park,

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was seen over there.
Needless to say, there were a numerous expositions of the miserable results of the atomic bomb as well as the longing for peace in both the main hall and the east hall.

Hiroshima City homepage talks on the headline as follows.

The detailed description can be looked up in Hiroshima City's homepage in English edition.
I wanted to explain it myself. But it was impossible in any reason. Therefore I decided to study it in its homepage. I am so sorry.

A volunteer is explaining what happened then there.

Other Pictures around Peace Memorial Park