The next day, after breakfast, they turned us loose on Miyama-jima. It turns out the torii we thought was the island�fs most famous jewel was not the only prized tourist site. We also saw the world�fs largest rice spoon, quietly hidden away on a side street. We were literally walking along, shopping for omiyage for our host families and happened to see it. It was a life-changing experience, really.

After that Audrey and I headed for Kurashiki, home to a beautiful historic district intended to look like shops in a post-feudal village and the extremely overrated (and overpriced) Folk Craft Museum. By then the typhoon had hit full strength, so we got soaked. We didn�ft spend long there, taking a train to Himeji to spend the night.