XOXO, KAY: JAPAN PART 2 (+Food!)

Ok, I need to be better about posting this trip! Here is part 2 (of 3) of our trip!! Still feels like a dream...

We took the train down to Miyajima, an island about an hour away from Hiroshima. These trains are some of the fastest in the world, and are amazingly comfortable. I love the train. It took about 3 hours to get there from where we were in Shizuoka. Everything is so close in Japan! We got to the island and there are a bunch of deer roaming around everywhere that will let you just come up to them. Bad idea to have food around them though. Miyajima has a famous red shrine in the water and it was cool to see with the tide low and high. We were able to walk out to it when the tide was low. We ate at a cute traditional Japanese restaurant (probably my favorite meal), and some ice cream in a frybread type of thing. Their flavors are crazy--soybean? black sesame? But I loved it. We walked around the island and took a tram ride up to the top. SO BEAUTIFUL. Green everywhere, beautiful water. Just breathtaking. I would come here again.

We stayed in Hiroshima that night and went to the A-bomb museum that morning. It was a very somber experience. Everyone needs to go to that museum. They have a building still standing in the exact spot the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb. Just incredible. (side-note: we went to a pastry place here, and I ate the best chocolate croissant of my life) We left Hiroshima around noon and stopped halfway to our next destination at Himeiji castle. This is the oldest castle still standing that was inhabited by Samuri. All of the twists and turns and secret hiding places in this castle were amazing! No wonder it never got destroyed. They also have Japanese gardens that we went to that were beautiful. But man, I was tired after that day. This was probably the hottest day and the most walking we did. So worth it though!

We went back to Shizuoka and had some chill days. We went to the zoo and just Alex and I took a bus ride to the beach! I love that Pacific Ocean. This water was incredibly warm. We also went to church here and the members were SO NICE. Everyone came up to us to say hi and greet us. You can truly feel the Spirit everywhere you go.

PICTURES OF FOOD!!

This was Alex's breakfast at our hotel. They pretty much have full-on meals for breakfast.

Is THIS not the greatest idea ever? Putting your whole menu in the window so people know what they're ordering. Come on, America. Get with the program.