Day Seven - Miyajima and Fukuoka

Hello from Fukuoka! I am using the Japanese keyboard in the lobby of this ryokan, so this entry will be very brief as typing on it is difficult. Also, there will be no photos. ._.

Today, Mrs. Black and I took the ferry from Hiroshima to Miyajima, site of the famous "floating" torii gate and temple. It wasn't so much floating today, as the tide was very low... in fact, people walked right up to it.

The shrines and temples and everything else in Miyajima was beautiful. The sun got a bit hot, but it didn't keep us from appreciating what the area had to offer. We actually both agreed that it would be a great place to return to some day and spend a night. I would like to talk a lot more about Miyajima but this keyboard is so awkward :< (PS, tame deer wander all over the place in Miyajima... so cute!)

I took the shinkansen down to Fukuoka, where I am staying in a ryokan, which is essentially a Japanese-style hotel. This one in particular feels like some combination of hostel, hotel, and house. You take your shoes off when you come in and don a pair of the awaiting slippers; you transfer into seperate slippers when going to the bathroom. You don't wear the slippers in the rooms, like I almost did ._.;;

The rooms have tatami mat floors, a futon on the floor to sleep on with a buckwheat pillow, a low table　with cushion, and a small shrine space. Mine has a cute cow in it ^_^ Later on I'm going to try and look up those sorts of spaces and see if I can figure out the significance of the cow. But for now, it's just my adorable companion. :<

There are a lot of Buddhist temples and shrines sprinkled all throughout the city, many wedged in unlikely places. I'm going to try to revisit some tomorrow when it's lighter out.

All the temples being dark and closed, I went to Canal City, which is a giant shopping mall with water going through it. It's right on the river and lit up on the outside like the Vegas strip (there's even a fountain show to music ._.;)... but it's really cool.

Also at night, especially along the river, these little food stands are set up selling delicious looking and smelling items. This is a thing that is unique to Fukuoka. I didn't eat at any of them because they were all packed ._. maybe tomorrow if I end up being here another night.

I'm going to see how the day goes tomorrow as far as if I leave for Nagasaki tomorrow night or the next morning. I will keep you posted as able :<

I've had enough of this keyboard now, hee. Goodnight　＾＿＾；；