Near the Kasumigaike Lake, a bridal couple are posing for photographs and they are happy for our group to be included in the pictures. After exploring more of this beautiful park we have some free time and we utilise this to get coffee, which is served in the most exquisite cups. Our coach is parked between the garden and the remains of Kanawaza Castle. This castle, one of the largest in feudal Japan, was almost entirely destroyed in a fire in 1881, and we only appreciate its former size from a tower and massive stone wall that have survived. As we wait to board the coach, a bridal procession passes that includes someone dressed as a small, white, furry animal with a black hat! The bus then takes us to the railway station for the next part of the day’s journey. 

The train journey takes 2½-hours. At first we see snow-covered mountains on our left, and then more open countryside with good quality housing and many paddy fields, a number of them with herons nearby. The train takes us through Kaga Onsen where, just outside the station there is a 73-metre high Buddha. 

We arrive at Kanawaza's station at 12:20pm with out train due to depart at 12:53pm for Shin-Osaka. This gives us time to purchase, from a bakery, a lunch to eat later (sandwiches; quiche; cakes), and time to briefly watch a band of drummers performing in front of the station’s huge entrance.

Our train is the “Thunderbird Limited Express”, and we are booked into Car 12 at the front of the train, in seats 13A/B, sitting on the right of a 2-2 seating format (left). The train departs exactly on time and we eat our lunch in the comfortable seats with plenty of leg room. 

This evening the group eat Okonomiyaki pancakes. In Hiroshima, the ingredients are layered rather than mixed. The layers are typically batter, cabbage, pork, and optional items such as squid, octopus, and cheese. Noodles are also used as a topping with fried egg and a generous amount of okonomiyaki sauce. It is  a short walk to the LEC Court Cafe which is situated on the 6th floor of a somewhat insalubrious looking building - probably one that we would not enter on our own. It is extremely hot on the 6th floor where food is being served from small units. Because of the size of the units, our group is split into two on either side of a corridor that gives access to the various eateries. 

We sit at the far end of an L-shaped counter/hot plate that divides the diners from the food preparation area. In this area, two men are working hard to serve their customers, ten in number, who occupy all the available seats. We both choose the seafood pilaff special, and then watch as it is cooked. There is a lot of preparation as ingredients including bacon, egg, noodles, shrimps, and squid are piled high between two pancakes. The cooking time is quite long but fascinating to watch and the result is excellent and very filling. We walk back to the hotel in the cool night air, and find our room also cool due to the air conditioning

The next morning we visit Miyajima, as this sacred island is commonly known, which means shrine island, although its official name is Itsukshima. The island is symbolised by its prominent vermillion Otorri (Grand Gate) rising from the sea at low tide. Tame deer roam feely on the island. The bus gets us to the ferry departure point for the island at 9:35am. It is overcast this morning - the clouds were high at first but are now heavier and we soon have some light rain. 

The short ferry ride gives us our first views of the Torri, which is acclaimed as one of the country’s three most scenic views. The present structure dates from 1875 and is about 50-feet high; located at the sea entrance to the Itsukshima shrine (below left); it appears to float in the water.