 Miyajima is famous for their domesticated deer that run around everywhere. (Photo by Lisa) |
 You can buy rice crackers to feed them and they swarm you like bad dogs. |
 They climb on you and bite your butt until you give them all you got. I think one made off with my watch. (Photo by Lisa) |
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 The Itsukushima Shrine is built out over the water. Sort of like Santa Monica pier, except the souvenirs are sold by monks. |
 These Stone Dog-Things guard the shrine against other Stone Animal attackers. They've been guarding the place since 593 A.D. |
 The famous Otorri gate is out in the water. You came through it if you were visiting the place by sea. (Photo by Lisa) |
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 The gate is 16 meters tall by 24 meters wide, and the main pillars are made of single trees.(Photo by Lisa) |
 Another American Dufus gets in the way of a good gate picture. |
 The cool kids and the gate. |
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 There are no metal nails used in this shrine, yet it stands up to powerful storms and rolling seas. (Photo by Lisa) |
 This five-storied tower pagoda was built in the 1400s. |
 Some of us decided to hike the mountain path to a temple at the top of Misen San. Some giggly Japanese schoolgirls helped us find the path. |
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 Signs everywhere said "DON'T TALK TO THE MONKEYS!" Though our translation may have been a little off. (They just looked so lonely...) |
 About an hour into the stairway hike we started seeing little shrines like this one. Probably where you pray not to have a heart attack. At least, that's what I was praying. |
 Lisa pauses at a natural rock tunnel near the top. |
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 An hour and forty-five minutes later we made it to the top. Some of us took a little longer than others as we were pathetically out of shape. |
 There's a tower at the peak for dorks with cameras to take pictures from. (Photo by Lisa) |
 Look! Hiroshima! (Photo by Lisa) |
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 Storm's a comin'. Look closely and you can see the boat. (Photo by Lisa) |
 A boat steams into port. |
 A home with an incredible view. |
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 After we'd had enough incredible views, we took the tram down. It was kind of like taking a ski lift without the snow. (Photo by Lisa) |
 It wasn't until we were on the lift that we realized how far up we'd climbed. Signs everywhere said "Don't feed the monkeys," but there were none to feed. |
 We soon realized the correct sign translation was "Don't feed Scott and Amy." I won't even venture to explain what's happening with Lisa. |
 By the time we got down, the tide had gone out. There was dry land all the way out to the Otorri gate. |
 It seems even taller from up close. The black barnacles at the bottom stretched up for ten feet. |
 That night we went out for okanamiyaki, a dish Hiroshima is known for. We found an out-of-the-way place where they made it right in front of us. (Photo by Lisa) |
 Okanamiyaki is an egg/noodle/vegetable/meat/sauce thing that you eat with a spatula right off the grill. The Hiroshima Carp/Tokyo Giants ballgame was on in the background. |