I woke up at 7 am planning on returning before 11 when I was to check out and walked to the tram, which took me to the docks of Hiroshima, there I found the ferry which would take me to Miya Jima, the island of heaven and earth just within eye shot of the coast. My rail pass saved me 400 yen, paid 700 total, and it was a lovely passage, most of which I spent on the upper deck watching sun bounce off the calm ocean water.
The island is a magical place with deer everywhere that are so accustomed to people they come right on up to you and nuzzle for food and attention. Coming from a town which also has deer this is quite a shock, as none of them trust us enough to get even remotely close, and considering the hellraisers we are in America, I don’t blame them.
I walked the calm beach barefoot, the first time I’ve touched the sea in Japan, then went for a hike, ascending the mountain at a fast pace, as I’ve been trained to do by my best friend Blake back home, never stopping very long, as the workout is the goal it would seem. It was far different here than in Sabrones, the mountain we regularly climb in Big Sur. Here there are temples and shrines everywhere, and a sense of magic which nature alone cannot produce, a magic which required the hands of people, combined with nature to make manifest.
I had wanted to take the rail line near the top for fantastic views, but I simply didn’t have the time, and descended rapidly, almost getting lost as I took a different trail than going up. I made the ferry by seconds and was able to get back to my hotel with 9 minutes to spare before I would have to pay for another days stay. I had thought I had time to spare to get to the train station, but I had less than half of what I thought, chugged a coffee and vegan donut from Starbucks and ran to the station. Again, making it just in time as the doors closed behind me.
The Shinkansen was very nice, as I had the reserved green car which is the best anyone can get, I suppose $800 should get you something pretty good right? Well, I thought so. On the ride I played and beat Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance on my fake Gameboy, the Anbernic. It was a great game, pretty difficult, and a throwback to my childhood as so many games are. I have clear memories of playing in the sewers beneath the tavern as a 9-year-old and getting nowhere, as I didn’t have the skill nor the patience to learn a game that difficult then. Not to mention the fact that it wasn’t my game/gameboy, and the boy who did own it was a real asshole and I couldn’t stand him. Chance was his name, or something equally dreadful.
There’s only one other kid I ever knew who was worse, and had a worse name, what was it? Brat. Yes, that’s what it was. Brat and I nearly drowned in Mexico, well, I almost drowned, Brat sailed away safely on the inflatable mattress we were braving the waives on while I nearly died. Only to make it back to shore and be stung by a horde of jelly fish. Then I came back to camp, and my dad told me to piss on myself to stop the stinging. All I wanted was the pain to stop, maybe a hug, meanwhile my sister made necklaces out of captain crunch cereal puffs and sang Disney songs... Yet I digress.
Many hours later I arrived in Kagoshima, the furthest south one can go in Japan while in the main island chain, where my first private room in a hotel within eyesight of an active volcano spewing smoke awaited me. Now, after living in a pod only slightly larger than a deluxe coffin for weeks this was a massive upgrade, the first thing I did was lay down flat on the carpet. Not the bed, no, that blessing would wait, first I just needed to decompress without breaking the cherry of that sweet, perfectly made bed. Having one’s own space is so precious, and it’s so easy to forget, until you don’t have it anymore. I feel so blessed.
Feeling hungry I searched Happycow.net for vegan options in the city. There were only two. One of which was on another island, and the other I would find out was closed after having finally found it in a dark alley down by the docks. So, I went to a mom and pop grocery stand and got some fruit, the lady gave me an extra apple,
“Service.” She said with smile.
“Thank you.” I said, knowing the trick to good business is good will.
I talked to my mom for an hour, which was nice as I could finally have a decent private convo with her in my room. Then I booked a yurt on the Island I had come this far south to visit, a mythical place which inspired Studio Gibli’s Princess Mononoke. One of my favorite films and worldwide favorite as well. I had no idea then just how magical, and strenuous it would turn out to be...