... just as well, I couldn't sleep for the excitement... (134/365, 14 May 2022)
I have long been a fan of the work of Joy Walsh, @ jjwalsh on twitter, @ inboundambassador on Insta, based in Hiroshima formerly an academic and now sustainable travel entrepreneur, we've been following each other and engaging on social media for a few years now. It was a delight to finally have a chance to meet in person for a workshop Joy and her Tokyo-based colleagues organised--one part here in Mitarai, on an island near Hiroshima, and one part in Tokyo, and also available online. Ah, I hear you say, why didn't you stay in Tokyo then? Wait until you see the pics, is my answer...
I will have more detail on the workshop (with pics) over on the other blog in a day or two (or maybe even tonight), but this post really aims to show my first impressions of this gorgeous little town Mitarai. Sometimes it felt like I'd walked onto a movie set, but it is a real township with real residents, several of whom we met doing a community clean-up of the waterfront near the lighthouse and shrine, in preparation for a community event in the next few days. Of course, they were just as interested in us, asking all the usual questions in that most casual 'nosey' way, that rural obachans are so adept at doing. In the meantime we learnt quite a bit about the history, including a fairly devastating cyclone that ripped through the area in the early 1990s.
And of course, I loved being near the water, the Setonaikai, or the Inland Sea, a beautiful scenery with islands and rocky outcrops in all shapes and sizes.
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| Almost every house has one of these bouquets, grown and supplied by a group of women in the town |
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| JJ Walsh getting the show underway |
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| As we turned the final bend on the road back to Hiroshima |
A truly gorgeous backdrop to an inspiring day. Thanks JJ!
Pics here a combination of the Canon EOS 90D, 18-55mm lens (yes, brought that one out again) and the iPhone 12 mini at times.
~~~~~As always, grateful that you respect the rights of the photographer, no copying without permission, thank you~~~~~~~~
