Some places are appealing not only for their scenery, but also for their power to take you away from the noise and help you quiet your mind.
On this trip to Shiga Prefecture, Japan, I took a sightseeing boat to Chikubu Island on Lake Biwa. As the boat slowly pulled away from shore, the vast lake gradually opened up before me, and the small island surrounded by mountains and water quietly came into view with an air of mystery.
Chikubu Island is known as the “Island of the Gods” and has been an important sacred site in Japan since ancient times. The island is home to the historic Hogon-ji Temple and Tsukubusuma Shrine. The sight of a Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine coexisting also tells the story of how Japan’s religious cultures have blended over time. Hogon-ji Temple is also one of Japan’s three major sacred sites dedicated to Benzaiten.
Walking around the island and following the stone steps into the ancient temple and shrine, I was surrounded by dense greenery, and the air seemed to carry an added sense of tranquility and solemnity. The exquisitely ornate National Treasure buildings in particular made me slow down and carefully appreciate the traces left by history.
At Tsukubusuma Shrine, don’t miss the famous kawarake throwing prayer ritual. You throw a small clay plate with your wish written on it toward a torii gate in the distance. It’s said that if the plate passes through the gate, your wish may come true. More than the result itself, it feels like entrusting the hopes in your heart to the lake breeze and the gods.
When traveling, we’re always busy rushing to the next attraction and taking every photo, but on Chikubu Island, it feels more fitting to walk around quietly, take in the sights, and let your thoughts slowly settle with the waters of the lake.
Perhaps travel isn’t only about how many places you’ve visited, but about finding your own sense of peace in an unexpected moment.
