Miyajima Part 2
Got back down the mountain just in time to hit up Itsukushima Shrine before closing. Unfortunately the tide hadn't come up all the way to the shrine but it did cover the torii gate.
The shrine might look familiar if you've played against Mouri Motonari in the Basara 2 game.
When it's high tide the water comes all the way in and covers the shrine grounds.
After we walked through the shrine we found a nice shady spot on the beach to sit and watch the tide come in.
We noticed that there was quite a large number of stone lanterns as well as huge floodlights set up pointing toward the shrine, so we decided to stick around until the last ferry so we could see the shrine lit up.
This tour boat drove right through the center of the torii gate! Upon further investigation it seems that back in the day, in order to retain the islands religious purity, commoners were required to steer their boats through the torii gates before approaching the shrine.
Hopped on one of the last ferries and crawled back on sore, blistery feet to the hostel. Had the most glorious and well deseved shower of my life and then flopped onto my bunk bed. Slept alright despite the fact that WE HAD SEEN A MONSTER SPIDER THE SIZE OF A HUMAN HAND THAT MORNING ON THE SIDE OF ONE OF THE BUNK BEDS.
You guys, I'm not even joking. Not the kind of stickly spider you can swat with a shoe. I'm talking set out a bait-and-trap system and stand by with a tranquillizer dart because that shit will fuck your ass up.
Thank christ it didn't make another appearance, or if it did, i was fast a-goddam-asleep.
It looked like, and may very well have been one of these.