2015 Kagoshima, Uwajima & Miyajima

South round Kyushu from Nagasaki we reached another great bay with an active volcano and I was up in time to catch the sun rising (I know very out of character!)

Visited some samurai homes and gardens in Chiran which allowed views of the bay and over wooded hills as we drove inland. The town was built as a castle town to protect the feudal lords of Satsuma. 

Classic rock type gardens but with vegetable areas alongside. The samurai kept in groups so they could train together to be ready to fight but were given land so could be self sufficient .

They have some interesting use for old cans tied up on the main street.

The airfield in Chiran which is close by, acted as a base for kamikaze pilots and is now a memorial/museum for all. Each one of the 1026 pilots has a stone memorial.

No real explanation of why it was felt to be necessary and for me the most interesting thing was that some pilots became aerial 'crashers' and sometimes survived having damaged the allied planes but not their own. Topiary definitely their thing although there were actual planes used inside the museum one of which had survived two sorties!

The small onsite shrine

Again it wasn't as horrific as I feared and one could only feel pity for the very young men who were mainly coerced into believing they were doing good for their Emperor and country. We left to more flag waving

 and more fine shots of the volcano

and this arty shot of some of the other islands.

We arrived at Uwajima for a short afternoon visit, great excitement for the locals who clearly don't get many visitors! 

We passed by small coastal villages with their burial plots on the hillside,

More gardens, they certainly have the knack of placing water, plants and rocks in beautiful constructs.

Below is a wysteria bridge, one of the few times I would have liked to be visiting later, as the reflection would make for a stunning scene.

This was followed by a visit to the local museum founded by one of their lords, somewhat marred by the lack of translation but some samurai swords, the very small carriage that a bride travelled in and a collection of miniature items made to show off the gifts given for a wedding which since there was furniture as well as smaller items, just as well!

Our last visit was to the castle glimpsed as we had arrived, as you can see not very imposing, just visible on the top of the nearest hill.

Close up

Up a very steep slope and lots of steps, should have kept up more exercise ….... Unfortunately nothing in it but views of the local area and very easy to fortify.

No pretty sunsets this time.

Our arrival close to Miyajima coincided with grey clouds and light rain. Since this is the site of the Itsukushima Shrine one of the most famous in Japan it was disappointing. We were tendered to the island, of which more later, but our driver resorted to this

in order to see where he was going! We walked to the Shrine through this stone torii 

and accompanied by the local deer who roam freely around the island.

The Otorii (grand gate) it is very beautiful even without the surrounding water and in the rain!

We walked through the temple, all on stilts so surrounded by water at high tide

and some of the monks were around and laid out items for 'blessing'

They receive gifts of saki, delivered in these colourful barrels.

This is a Noh theatre where the scenery is always similar wherever the theatre, the shrine is a strange mix of religious and entertainment space.

On leaving we passed a very useful statue of a god who helps relive pain, so lots of offerings in the box and rubbing going on.

We saw this pagoda from the shrine and it shows how close the Shinto and Buddhist places of worship can be. Also one of the shishi lion dogs which guard the entrances to Shinto shrines in Japan, one is open mouthed the one on the other side will be closed and they represent the birth and death of 'all things'. In Buddhist temples the guards take more human form but are very fierce.

We climbed up to the pagoda but as with many couldn't go inside, they generally are deemed to hold some relics associated with Buddha.

The rain eventually stopped and so walking back to pick up the tender through the inevitable shopping street was more pleasant, passing the largest 'rice paddle' in the world. More usual size serving implements are of course on sale as souvenirs.

Small houses and lots of overhead wires in the back streets of the large village associated with the shrine,

I nearly walked up to another temple, (lots of steps) but fortunately there was a gate keeper who I didn't want to disturb!

The tide was much further in before we had to catch the tender back to the ship so I managed this good shot

and this one of a new and contentious Buddhist temple, since it is in direct line to the shrine, on the opposite bank, the outskirts of Hiroshima.

We couldn't depart for Kobe because one of the tenders had damaged some fishing nets and it's propeller, and since the tenders double up as life boats it would not be safe, so we crossed the straights to Hiroshima an unscheduled stop on our itinerary. Meant good shots of Miyajima though which we wouldn't have had as should have been going north.