Hello, this is staff member Shigeta.
Spring is here after a few more nights of sleep! Cherry blossom viewing! Hay fever! And the mood is already Risshun.
On a personal note, I recently celebrated my birthday.
Although it may seem unrelated, my family and I visited Miyajima and Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima on New Year's Day.
I was up at 5:00 in the morning for my first family trip in probably more than 10 years, and I left in high spirits.
My parents live in Hyogo, so it's within driving distance. I arrived there when I was sleeping. Lunch is, of course, Hiroshima-yaki.
Armed with my favorite toy camera, I was off to Miyajima. I was surprised to find that the ferry directly to the island was IC card compatible.
I learned just before going there that the torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine is currently under construction.
No one in the family knew the family, and their lack of familiarity with travel was truly apparent in this episode.
There are many people and many souvenir shops line the shopping street. The fried momiji are excellent.
In the morning of the second day of the month, I visited Itsukushima Shrine at a time when there were few people around.
I took a lot of pictures, but for some reason, there was a mysterious light in the center of all the pictures taken inside the shrine.
I felt something divine, so I'll use it as an excuse for my photography skills, which have never improved.
One last photo overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, which was the best shot I could get.
I am now making plans to see that red torii gate properly next time.
We don't usually travel much, so the trip to Itsukushima at the beginning of the year was very special for our family.
