Don't wear sandals for this hike. Wear shoes!

This morning, we got up for breakfast around 8:30 am. We ate in another restaurant that was in the hotel. We had to bring down a coupon so we were able to eat. We were given the option of either Japanese style breakfast, or Western style breakfast. I chose Western style breakfast because I wasn’t really up to eating fish for breakfast. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s good, I just didn’t feel like having my breath smell like fish for the rest of the day. Anyway, after breakfast, we walked to the bus station and took a bus to a ferry. At the ferry, we were carried across the lake to Miyajima. It was fun because right when we walked through the gates, and walked through the gift shop, there were little baby deer walking around. It was amazing to see how tamed they were and that we were able to pet them. One of the deer took my papers from purse and chewed on them. It took me a couple minutes to get them back, but when I did, my papers were half gone. I was a little sad. Anyway, we bought tickets to explore the shrine and take pictures of the Torii. It was a beautiful sight. As I walked around, I saw a prayer ceremony going on. I didn’t really know what it was called, but I knew they were praying for the most part. As I stood there and watched some of it, something dawned on me. We have all these different forms of prayer and places to pray to. We are also constantly told on a daily basis that we are unique people. We are individuals with our own talents and something to offer to the world. If that’s the case, couldn’t the same thing be told about religion as well? We are always fighting about which religion is correct or right to follow when in reality, no religion is correct. If it is true in what we say about individuality in people, then the same must be about religion as well. We all come from different parts of the world with different animals, plants, and a way of living. If God wanted us all to be the same and believe in the same thing, wouldn’t we all live in the same place with the same plants, and the same animals? I think it is safe to say that different religions were created because we all connect to nature and to God in different ways. Some of us need a church, temple, sweathouse, or a mosque. In the end though, nobody is wrong for where they pray, or if they don’t pray.

The pretty little deer

This just melted my heart!

It is time to pray!

Tori taking a picture with the Torii :) 

The temple

Anyway, after that big epiphany, we walked up to an area to take a gondola up a mountain. Once we reached the top, we walked to the very top of another mountain to look at scenery and look at an eternal flame. The walk was excruciating because it was literally all up hill. But it was all worth it in the end because the view from up top was breathtaking. Needless to say though, this was like a two-hour hike. I was dead by the end of the day. When we got back down to the shrine, it was time for a late lunch. As we were walking through the crowd, I left our group so I could souvenir shop and I ended up walking around with Kristen. We shopped until it was time to leave and then we met with our group and headed back to the ferry. After that, we went back to Hiroshima and took a train back to BKC where we packed the rest of our luggage and got ready for the next morning. 

At the top of the mountain

The eternal flame