The deity of Itsukushima Shrine travels by boat. On the evening of the Kangen-sai, a procession of vessels carrying musicians playing Heian-era court music makes its way across the Seto Inland Sea, passing before the famous floating torii gate. The music was composed for indoor audiences of aristocrats. Heard from a boat on open water, in the dark, it becomes something else entirely. Gagaku, Japan's oldest surviving musical form, is characterized by an unhurried quality that takes time to hear correctly. On dry land, in a concert hall, it can seem static. On the water at Miyajima, with the shrine lights reflecting in the sea and the mountains of the island dark against the summer sky, the slowness becomes appropriate — the music is not in a hurry because the occasion is not in a hurry. Miyajima is one of Japan's most visited sites, which means the Kangen-sai offers the rare experience of the island in a mood that tourism has not determined. The crowds that come for this festival come specifically for this festival. They know what they are watching. The difference is perceptible.