Today’s adventure took us sailing across the waters to an island inhibited with giant spoons, green tea ice cream, and man-eating deer. Okay, I was kidding about the deer, because I actually befriended the one to the right after he tried to eat my map. But be wary, these creatures are literally everywhere! The island you see pictured above is Miyajima island, which is a peaceful and scenic place filled with temples, gift shops, delicious food, and natural beauty. There were many ways to tour Miyajima, including a sea path, boating tours, rural roads, and a forest trail. My group decided to wander across the sea path and take pictures of the torii (famous red arch), and visit the Itsukushima temple. As an outdoors person, I enjoyed seeing the ancient parts of Japan’s culture and walking around in the warm and beautiful weather. Riding the ferry to the island reminded me of riding to Mackinac Island here in Michigan, and it was a very relaxing and nostalgic experience.
Another fun part of our island trip was seeing all of the local food! A couple of colleagues of mine decided to be adventurous and try some oysters and squid balls. I decided to play it safe and try some strawberry ice shavings and green tea ice cream, but it was still very delicious. Another characteristic part of the island were the giant wooden spoons scattered throughout it. We were challenged by our professor to find the largest one and here it is, right in the center of the shopping district (pictured with Daniel Craun):
いっただきます！
Inevitably, our trip to Miyajima Island was rejuvenating and fill with a lot of fun exploration. Looking forward to experiencing more of Japan’s culture through it’s beautiful scenery!
Adventures in Japan (日本の冒険) 