Japan's most scenic beauty, Miyajima island

Ever since the medieval times, the Japanese were making top lists with the most beautiful places or events from Japan. One of these lists was the Three Views of Japan (日本三景 Nihon Sankei), made by a Confucian scholar, Shunsai Hayashi, in his book Nihon Kokujisekikou. Based on his own experience (he was an avid traveler), he selected the three most celebrated scenic sights from Japan: the pine-clad Matsushima islands from the Miyagi Prefecture, the pine-clad sandbar from Amanohashidate (in the Kyoto Prefecture) and the Itsukushima Shrine from the Miyajima island (Hiroshima Prefecture).

Today, after more that 350 years, his list is still valid and the three places are designated by the Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs as Special Places of Scenic Beauty. Here's a photo from the Miyajima island, indeed one of the most beautiful locations I have visited, a place where the nature's beauty is perfectly blended with the man-made structures...