Remembering the pain at Nagasaki Peace Park

We take the ferry to the magnificent island of Miyajima to visit the centuries-old Itsukushima Shrine. The World Heritage site is located along the virgin forest of Mt. Misen over the waters of Hiroshima Bay. As dusk falls, the tide recedes and hoards of people make their way towards the beautiful Torii in the Sea.

Scattered throughout Yamagata Prefecture, there are over two dozen mummified Japanese monks known as Sokushinbutsu. The process of self-mummification was mainly practiced by monks in Northern Japan between the 11th and 19th century. Today we walk down to the Buddhist mummy of Nangakuji Temple in Tsuruoka that holds the remains of Tetsuryou-kai, mummified at the age of 44, in a meditating pose, to understand what drove these monks towards this self inflicted, painful death.

Aomori is mainly known for producing apples, and inevitably, the area offers all kinds of apple-based culinary delights: warm apple juice, apple mousse and apple pies to name just a few. But I love the refurbished port area, which now offers the opportunity for beautiful walks by the water.