Today we went to Miyajima Island, one of the "Three of the Most Beautiful Places in Japan". It means "shrine island" in Japanese, and it has hundreds of them, scattered all over the island. Deer wander the entire island, including the ferry launch docks. We also heard that there are monkeys all over Misen, the island's largest mountain. We first visited Itsukushima Shrine, with a gigantic torii or gate, both of which stand in the ocean. We saw the world's largest rice scoop. We explored several other Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. One, Senjokaku, was built by Hideyoshi in 1587. Another, Daisho-in, is a giant temple at the base of Misen. All in all, Miyajima was an incredibly beautiful and interesting place!
I spent my last day today with my first homestay family. After a week, I can say that I really love hanging out with my family. I had a blast. We ate together, had small dinner parties, went out, headed to baseball games - I really did become part of their family for the week. I'm looking forward to my next homestay!
It was strange not being in the United States over the Fourth of July - I imagined what it must be like at home - people having BBQ's, fireworks, and parades. In Japan, it was just another day. However, we did go out and get "American-style" Japanese cuisine at Bikkuri Donkey (Surprised Donkey). A hamburger really reminds you of home, even if its served with a side of curry and "fries".