Departing from Narita Airport’s Terminal 3 Terminal 3 is where all LCC companies fly into Narita Airport. As frequently mentioned in this magazine, the terminal has been extensively renovated and expanded to handle 15 million passengers per year, with an area of approximately 110,000 m2, making it cleaner and wider than ever. The new access corridor from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 is also covered and straight, making it very comfortable to walk through even with suitcases in tow. Spring Japan also boards and disembarks at that Terminal 3. Check-in is basically done at the self-service check-in machines lined up in front of the counter, where you enter the QR code or reservation number issued at the time of booking. After confirming the information displayed on the screen, a boarding pass is printed out, and the passenger receives it. At the same time, a nearby staff member checks the size and weight (up to 7 kg) of the baggage to be carried on board, so it is important to confirm this in advance to avoid excess baggage charges. However, laptops and tablets are not included in the carry-on baggage allowance (the quantity is determined), so it is unlikely that you will exceed it.
Trans-Honshu route with views of Mt. Fuji and Lake Biwa on a clear day. The first flight to Hiroshima, IJ621, which I boarded this time, was scheduled to depart at 9:25 a.m. and arrive at 11:10 a.m. Spring Japan uses a Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 189 seats, and since it was early September, many of the passengers seemed to be young college students. Other passengers included a group of three women and a couple with a small child. Since this is an LCC, there is a charge for in-flight food and beverage service, but there are a variety of options on the menu. Among them, this time I ordered “Mazuibo” (a stick of bad taste), made in collaboration with Choshi Electric Railway, and “Ureshino-cha” (Ureshino tea), a specialty of Saga Prefecture. The set price for the two together was only 180 yen, which was quite reasonable. I was prepared for the “bad stick” to taste bad, but the corn potage flavor was on the contrary delicious. The Ureshino-cha was fragrant and tasty, with a tea-like flavor that spread on the palate without being astringent, so it was also good. Fuji and Lake Biwa would normally be visible from the flight route across Honshu, but unfortunately we could not see them from the sky due to the cloudy weather that day. In the meantime, we arrived at our destination, Hiroshima Airport. The flight went by in a flash. The flight attendant was very friendly and helpful. I asked her about the flight attendants, and she replied, “Everyone in the company knows each other by name and face, and I think this is reflected in the customer service.
Heading to Miyajima while taking a river cruise on a sightseeing boat The next destination was Miyajima, which is very popular as one of the “three most scenic spots in Japan. As you know, Itsukushima Shrine, registered as a World Heritage Site, is a tourist attraction often visited by foreigners, and was crowded with many people in front of Corona. The author last visited there in the summer of 2019, so about three years ago. The last time I visited, I took a high-speed boat from Hiroshima Port, but this time I took a boat on the World Heritage route from Motoyasu River to Miyajima, going down the river. From Motoyasu River, the boat enters the Honkawa River (formerly Ota River), where you can enjoy a short boat ride while viewing the many characteristic bridges, oyster processing area near the mouth of the river, and oyster farming rafts offshore.
Miyajima is an interesting place to visit, with new discoveries every time you go. This was my third visit to Miyajima, and as I approached Itsukushima Shrine, I felt something strange. Yes, the Otorii (Grand Gate) floating on the sea is under construction, and the vermilion color that can be seen from a distance does not jump out at you. Moreover, the time of my visit was right around low tide, so the view was even more different. According to the website of the Miyajima Tourist Association, it was mid-tide that day, and the tide level was less than 1 m at low tide, so it was possible to walk to the Otorii. It was the first time for me to actually see the shrine pavilions with the tide low, so it was refreshing to see another face of Itsukushima Shrine. Incidentally, it is said that when the tide level is 2.5 meters or higher, the shrine pavilions appear to float on the sea. After visiting the shrine, I walked to a café or vending machine to buy a drink before boarding the boat for the return trip. I went to MIYAJIMA BREWERY, where I ordered a craft beer made in the brewery. Among a lineup of summery limited editions, I chose “Red Hop Festival 2022” with its tropical color and aroma. The fruity and complex flavor was as lively as its name suggests, and it was the kind of beer that transforms the “hot” end-of-summer weather into “fun.
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