Visiting a traditional inn (Kilala.nl (Cailin Coilleach)) by Cailin Coilleach
Pictures for the eight day of my trip.Last Wednesday I did something that was high on my "to do" list: visit a ryokan, a traditional inn. After bugging the whole group, I managed to find someone who was willing to take the trip with me: Nick :) So on the morning of the 2nd, Nick and I took the Shinkansen to Hiroshima.
In Hiroshima we made the "compulsory" visit to the A-Bomb dome and the Peace Park. I hadn't been looking forward to it, but in the end was very happy that we took this little sidetrack. Hiroshima seems like a nice city and the architecture around the park reminds me of Helsinki :)
An hour long tram ride later we arrived at the ferry that would take us to Miyajima. The island itself was bustling with people who were there to open the new year. Miyajima you see, is an island with a multitude of temples. The island isn't one of the most important temples, but it sure is popular :) The fact that it's has lovely surroundings and those damn cute deers also helps...
By the by: let me just say that I have now also discovered the attraction that lies in women dressed in a kimono. There's just something about the full-blown kimono getup that gets to you. The beautiful cloth, the pleats in the garment that are just right, delicate makeup and a hairdo that's been detailed with a flower or a few jewels.
Ryokan Iwaso was awesome. -Very- beautiful and luxurious and well worth the Y24k we paid apiece. The rooms were uber-comfortable and decked out in tatami. We had a view of the forest, complete with a loud-ass cat yowling away through the night ^_^; Dinner was very special, no less than we could have expected. Unfortunately, Nick and I discovered that we only liked about 50% of the food (which was also true for breakfast). Well... We may love Japan, but we'll never be ones for traditional Japanese food :) I'll stick to the more modern stuff for now...
Finally, the hot spring? I wish we had something like that in the Netherlands. That's all I can say :)
Posted in: japan , miyajima , ryokan , trip