Rain

Rain tried to dampen our visit to Matsushima but Zuiganji Temple is so beautiful that the rain just made it more spiritual. I wish I could post for you a recording of the rain dripping off the roof, the frogs happily croaking and deep distant bells.

Rain was less good for our cruise around Matsushima Bay which is dotted with pine-covered islands and is one of the “Three Views of Japan”. Today the islands were hard to see even close by.

Matsushima is a good place to buy kokeshi dolls. We enjoyed watching a craftsman carving and painting dolls before we bought a Zen Buddhist Daruma doll :-)

Less happy is the experience of the port where we docked, Ishinomaki. It was the nearest city to the 2011 earthquake. Only one person died in the earthquake but over 3000 city residents died as a result of the 40m high tsunami which also destroyed 160,000 homes. The city is slowly rebuilding itself and its fishing industry and attracting tourists like us.