Inside Shoto-en

Shoto-en is a collection of historic buildings and gardens located in Sannose on Shimokamigari Island in the Inland Sea off Hiroshima. I posted some pictures of the outside here.

Most of the displays are concerned with the many delegations of official emissaries from Korea on their way to Edo who stopped here and were entertained by the local daimyo. A mock up of the lavish banquets given are pretty impressive, and it is said that if the delegations came more often than they did ( 11 delegations stayed on Sannose during the Edo Period) the cost of their entertainment to the daimyo would have resulted in bankruptcy.

There is a big display of Chinese porcelain, gifts from the visiting delegates, which also included the Dutch traders from Dejima in Nagasaki, which is probably where the gifts of lamps came from.

The buildings are in different styles and with different interiors, so there is actually quite a lot to see for the entrance fee of 800 yen. Unless your visit happens top coincide with one of the infrequent bus tours you will also have the place to yourself.

Of course no self-respecting historical museum in Japan can not display agricultural paraphenalia :)

Shotoen (outside)

Shotoen is a collection of different styles of traditional buildings surrounded by gardens in Sannose on Shimokamagari Island in the Inland Sea off the coast of Hiroshima.

The displays showcase the ports history as a major stopping point for elite travellers on their way to Edo. During the Edo period 11 diplomatic missions from Korea stayed here and the Korean connection features strongly around the town.

The buildings are all quite different and include one with a cedar shingle roof which are not so common.

The gardens, buildings, and displays I found really interesting and unusual, and as the island is way off the beaten track there are few visitors so it can all be enjoyed quietly.

It is open every day from 9 to 5 and entrance is 800 yen.

Aki Nada Bridge

I started my walk along the Aki Nada Islands by crossing the Akinada Bridge from near Nigata in Hiroshima over to Shimokamagari island. The bridges website claims it is the 9th longest bridge in Japan. Its total length is 1,175 meters with a central span of 750 meters. It opened in 2000.

One of the cool things about walking these big bridges is that they are so high that they afford great views, as in this photo looking back to Nigata.

Where the bridge ends on Shimokamagari is a small park, Shirozaki-en with this strange sculpture.

A rough translation of its title is [life] soil fire knowledge sky water, and it is by the artist Imai Makimasa.

There is a male and female figure.... the male being the more "muscular" one. The base of the sculpture is composed of more than 3,500 tiles...