Shimane

I had a great trip around Japan. I visited several cites and towns over the last few weeks and saw tons of temples and shrines. I've got a bunch of pictures so I'll put them up over the next couple weeks. I started in Hiroshima and then went with my friend to her house in Shimane.

In Japan, making a Christmas cake on Christmas eve is a tradition, though I'm willing to bet its not a very old one. My friend Miho, her sister and her sister's kids made this one and it was delicious. Don't miss the Koala cookies lining the second tier.

My friend works and lives in Shimane, a cold mountainous area known for farming. I think they're mascot is a giant salamander. The tiered mountain farming is reminded me of China though I didn't take any good pictures to show it.

Miho in front of a shrine in northern Shimane.

The older sections are closed off but I got my camera through the bars.

The grounds around the main shrine are for the many gods who come here each year for a kind of summit. One area has a kind of god apartment complex but the more powerful ones get their own seperate buildings.

I believe this is for a god as well but I don't know which one. Perhaps one that likes water.


we threw coins up into the ends of this giant rope. If you can get it to stick you can make a wish. It was kind of tough to stick one plus it was already jammed with coins.