These pics will give you the feeling of the traditional Japanese wedding located at Itsukushima Shrine.
The shrine is located on Miyajima Island a 15 minute ferry ride off the coast of the southern Hiroshima area.
Tomo took my sister and I here in Miyajima when we came to visit in 2013. It was the embodiment of what I wanted to see of a traditional-ish Japanese town.
The local residents and businesses, like most in Japan, were very friendly. The shops were a lot of fun to walk through and buy fun gifts for the family. There is a hiking trail that leads to the top or you can take the gondola up there. Either way, the view is fantastic!
Then there is Itsukushima Shrine. You have most likely see a picture or two of the giant Torii gate that sits out in the water. What amazes me is that, while there have been shrines built and rebuilt here many times, the latest one has been here since the mid 1500s. So, Europeans were just beginning the exploration of the "New World" while this shrine has been in it's latest use.
Then, I think it's fun to think about when it was first established as a shrine - in the 12th century! At that time, Angkor Wat was built, the kasbah of Marrakesh was built, windmills were first being erected, the Holy Roman Empire is the power in Europe and there were regular Crusade into the "Holy Land" by Christian nations.
When you walk the planks of this "Floating Shrine" you will feel the history and knowledge that encompass the surrounding atmosphere. The priests keep the place immaculately clean and operational year-round. With the mix of bustling tourist-type shops and streets and the serenity of the shrine and hiking trails, this is the perfect place for someone like me to visit. Often.