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Inland Sea Images 12 images Created 18 Dec 2008

Only from the deck of a boat with the wind in your hair and brine in your face does the Inland Sea reveal its true nature. Patterns of distant islands with evocative sounding names: Innoshima, Bentenjima, Awaji, Shikoku... advance and retreat on the horizon as the ferry chugs along. There has long been a romantic notion of Japan's Inland Sea and its salty charm. Yukio Mishima's novel The Sound of Waves was set on one of these tiny islands. Donald Ritchie's classic travel book The Inland Sea outlines his ferry-hopping quest for a bygone Japan. But this mythical notion of the Inland Sea goes back much further. According to the Kojiki, the Record of Ancient Matters, Japan's first two deities Izanagi and Izanami stood here on the bridge of heaven and stirred the seas below until the island of Awaji was formed. Awaji, the largest of the 3000 islands of the Inland Sea is now linked with Shikoku Island by way of the Great Naruto Bridge, bringing modern Japan along with it.
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  • The dramatic torii of Itsukushima Shrine is one of Japan's most popular attractions. The gate has existed since 1168, though the current gate was reconstructed in 1875. Built of camphor wood and standing about 16 metres high the gate was built in a four legged style to provide additional stability. The gate only appears to be floating and only at high tide.  When the tide is low the gate is surrounded by mud.  Retaining the purity of the island is so important that no deaths or births were permitted in the area until quite recently.
    itsukushima-torii-2.jpg
  • Miyajima Island is the home of Itsukushima Shrine which was constructed over water so that humans would not "pollute" the sacred island.  It was built in this way because of this.  Today many ferries carry traffic between the island and the mainland especially onto Hiroshima.  Because the island is still considered sacred trees may not be cut for lumber.
    Miyajima-5.jpg
  • The Seto Naikai Inland Sea separates Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu - the three  main islands of Japan.  3000 islands are located in the Inland Sea, including larger islands Awajishima and Shodoshima. Many of the smaller islands are uninhabited. In the past, the Seto Inland sea was a very important shipping route as it is protected from strong storms, hirricanes and typhoons, and the remote islands are less remote thanks to new bridges that have been built connecting many of the islands.
    seto-inland-sea-3.jpg
  • The Inland Sea separates Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu three of the main islands of Japan.  3000 islands are located in the Inland Sea, including larger islands Awajishima and Shodoshima. Many of the smaller islands are uninhabited.
    inland-sea-2.jpg
  • Jizo overlooking the beach at Naoshima - an island located in the Seto Inland Sea.  The small island is known for its contemporary art museums and public art.  Benesse Corporation, one of the largest education companies in Japan, has directed the creation and operation of the island's museums and other projects since the late 1980s.
    jizo-5.jpg
  • Itsukushima Shrine - Miyajima Island in the inland sea was once thought to be so sacred that human beings were not permitted to live on it.  Itsukushima Shrine was constructed over water so that humans would not "pollute" the sacred island. Today many ferries carry traffic between the island and Hiroshima.  Because the island is still sacred, trees may not be cut for lumber. Deer roam freely as they are thought to be sacred in the Shinto religion as messengers of the gods.
    itsukushima-shrine.jpg
  • Fishing at Ujina Port Hiroshima -  The Inland Sea, or "Seto Naikai" as it is known in Japanese is the body of water separating Honshu, Shikoku  and Kyushu - Japan's main islands.  The Inland Sea, because of its calm waters and strategic location among the main islands, has always been an important transportation link for Japan.
    inland-sea-3.jpg
  • Sensuijima Ferryboat - Tomonoura Port -  The Inland Sea is the body of water separating in between the main islands of Japan.  Because of this, the Seto Naikai is almost as calm as a lake.  Though a few ferries still exist in this part of Japan, since many of the smaller islands are unihabited, boat service is drying up.
    inland-sea-ferry.jpg
  • Tomonoura Port Squid - The Inland Sea separats Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, the three main islands of Japan.  Almost all the smaller villages in and around the Inland Sea or "Seto Naikai" as it is called are devoted to fishing.
    dried-squid.jpg
  • Tomonoura Port Lighthouse -  The Inland Sea is the body of water separating Honshu Shikoku, and Kyushu, three of the main islands of Japan.  Almost 3000 islands are located in the Inland Sea, including the larger islands Awajishima and Shodoshima. Many of the smaller islands are uninhabited.
    inland-sea-5.jpg
  • Dried fish at Tomonoura Port on The Inland Sea - the body of water separating Japan's three main islands.  Besides being an excellent route for transportation most Inland Sea villages are devoted to the fishing industry.
    japanese-fish-12.jpg
  • Sensuijima Sea Breem Festival Dance - The way in which Japanese dance is performed depends on each region, though the typical public dance involves dancing in a circle.  The dance of a region can illuminate the area's history and specialization.
    festival-kimono-3.jpg