I joined a one-day tour of Miyama this time, so the schedule was fairly limited. When we arrived at Chii Hachiman Shrine, I only had time for a short walk near the foot of the mountain and couldn’t make it all the way up to the shrine, which was a little disappointing. The surroundings along the way were very quiet and enclosed by forest, with the natural atmosphere unique to the Miyama countryside.
Although I didn’t actually make it to the top, just seeing the shrine and the surrounding scenery near the entrance was enough to feel how different the atmosphere was from shrines in the city. It was less crowded and noisy than a tourist attraction, and more simple and peaceful.
My biggest regret was that there really wasn’t enough time. If I had planned an independent trip, I could probably have walked and taken in the scenery at a leisurely pace without constantly checking the meeting time.
So for now, I’ll keep Chii Hachiman Shrine in mind and save this small regret for next time. When I return to Miyama, I hope to allow plenty of time and walk all the way up to see the entire shrine for myself!
