AKIYOSHIDO Cavern, the best place to stay while a typhoon is raging

A typhoon came while a tour in August was going on but fortunately it did not hit the destinations of the tour directly. It was amazing but the tour managed to escape the major impact by the typhoon and even gave us more fun when the AKIYOSHIDO cavern was visited. True, it was rainy and windy when the travelers lead by jasmine (it's me) approached the entrance to the cavern. But just five minutes. I thought we could be the first visitors of the day to the cave at 9:00 am when we reached the ticket gate but six already went into the cave on such a stormy day. But we almost occupied the vast cave, the largest limestone cave in Japan and the third in the world. 

Much more water than usual but no rain in the cave.

The cavern is the one let the water gushing out. A lot more water than any other day I have visited. The area leading to the Kurotani exit after the point where the Golden Pillar flow stone stands was particularly mythic and remarkable. More water and more adventurous yet anyone can go. See the pictures of this area below.

And major points:

Tsuwano summer festival, SAGIMAI

This is a really traditional, local, and authentic Shinto festival. Amazing to see the tradition has been handed down and alive. Many tourists come on the occasion but still it has a local atmosphere and retains its original purpose: dedicating the dance and song to the divinity. The repetitive chanting and dancing but but very soulful.

    The troop is soon coming out of the gate behind these ornamnents. 

 The procession

 Dedicating dancing

Miyajima summer festival, KANGENSAI

This year, the festival was on August 1, 2015. Depending on the tidal situation, this day-long festival falls on different days. Two days before the festival, people at ITSUKUSHIMA JINJA were busy preparing, taking advantage of the lowest tide of the day. Here are some of the very dry grounds of the shrine. A large boats consisting of three smaller ones has been prepared. A palanquin for the spirits of the divinity is ready, too.

 To the shrine

 Lanterns hanging

 And the boat

Fukita Pavilion designed by NISHIZAWA Ryue

It's on the island of Shodoshima. It takes time to go there but I decided to go any way as a treat to myself. A happy surprise was the pleasure of the travel to the island itself. Loved the ferry ride. The pavilion was as I expected and did not insist on its existence. Very subtle. 

Crane made of fabric that retains its crane form at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hall

Stretch this crane but it comes back to its memorized form right away. This is a gift from a company that manufactures this type of fabric to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hall (not Peace Memorial Museum) located in Peace Park in Hiroshima. There was a metal one as well, again a gift from a company dealing with the metal. People's hearts come together at Hiroshima.

Deer on Miyajima

Some interesting photos of Miyajima deer. They are incredible cute but can be naughty. Be alert!

Sanuki UDON: best for lunch!

This Udon noodle eatery was so good. All the udon places in Takamatsu and the vicinities serve good udon but this udon restaurant was the very best. They make the noodle themselves and food is served in the help-yourself style. You even warm up your noodle by putting it in a strainer ready for use by the customers and dipping it in hot water in the container. While the chilled type comes in a bowl with a bit of chilled thick soup or on a plate made of thin bamboo bars knitted together for drainage with a cup of chilled dipping. You can choose toppings - mostly tempura of many kinds. Condiments like grated ginger, green onion, and fried dough crumbs are available. The store kindly let the travelers see the backstage. It's a unique udon noodle cafeteria you have to try!