 Most viewed - Omi-Hachiman 近江八幡市 |
Even the moon on the upper left.88 views
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Shinoda Shrine address: 滋賀県近江八幡市上田町161388 views
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During Oct. 3 to Nov. 3, 2009 in Omi-Hachiman, they held an exhibition of Vories buildings. For 1,000 yen, we were able to enter a few of the buildings normally closed to the public. MAP88 viewsThe starting point was this Hakuunkan Hall (not Vories-designed).
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Also, the next day on the 15th, they didn't bring out the usual taiko drums out of respect for the Tohoku quake/tsunami victims. Maybe I'll see it next year.88 views
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Lake Nishinoko.87 views
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View from Nishinomaru87 views
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Inari-do Shrine 稲荷堂87 views
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Okinoshima Port and boat schedule87 views
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Shore road87 views
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Poster for the Exhibition of William Merrell Vories in Omi-Hachiman. The map showed a walking route to see all the Vories buildings.87 views
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Hakuunkan's 1st floor had a registration desk for exhibition visitors. Pay 1,000 yen and you receive tickets to enter a few Vories buildings and a map. The 2nd floor had a panel exhibition introducing Vories.87 views
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Staircase inside former Minakuchi Public Library.87 views
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87 views
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Being the heart of Hachiman-bori, Hakuunbashi Bridge is where the sakura is concentrated the most. 白雲橋87 views
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Canal to Johama Port86 views
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Nishinomaru86 views
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View from Kitanomaru86 views
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Zuiryuji Temple of Nichiren Sect in the Honmaru 村雲御所瑞龍寺86 views
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Welcome aboard!86 views
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Monument commemorating the sister city relationship between Omi-Hachiman and Leavenworth, Kansas, birthplace of Vories. This is next to the statue of Vories and a student offering him flowers.86 views
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Hachiman-bori's highest concentration of cherry blossoms is near Hakuunbashi Bridge.86 views
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Hiroshige's woodblock print of Musa-juku (67th post town on the Nakasendo) from his Kisokaido series. A bridge of boats.86 views
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Cycling path in Azuchi, Omi-Hachiman.85 views
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Nohime, wife of Oda Nobunaga. 農姫85 views
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Mizugahama lakeside coffee shop 水ケ浜85 views
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Hachiman Primary School 近江八幡市立八幡小学校85 views
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This is the glowing picture on the huge wooden panel. I then had to rush back to the train station to catch the last train home.85 views
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Cycling path in Azuchi.84 views
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Misty Horikiri Port in Omi-Hachiman. Boats leave here for Okishima island, Lake Biwa's largest island.84 views
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Renmyo was here.84 views
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Also during sakura season, the yakata-bune boats offer moat rides for 1,000 yen for adults. Boats leave from near The Kawara Roof Tile Museum on the east end of the moat.84 views
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Bike path that goes on forever83 views
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Kitanomaru 北の丸跡83 views
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View from Kitanomaru83 views
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Site of Musa-juku's Honjin, the town's exclusive lodging for VIPs to stopover or rest. Only the gate remains.83 views
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Shingu Shrine where they had more festival entertainment. 新宮神社83 views
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Chin-don-ya street entertainers83 views
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Kami shibai storyteller telling a story about Nobunaga. 紙芝居83 views
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Hachiman Church Pastor House, designed by William Merrell Vories. It is right across the church. 八幡教会牧師館（旧地塩寮） MAP83 views
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Boat ride82 views
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"This place changed a lot since my childhood..."82 views
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Chin-don-ya street entertainers82 views
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Shrine building82 views
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Nene, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife82 views
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Finally, things calmed down after about a minute and this picture appeared.82 views
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Common chapstick.82 views
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View from Kitanomaru81 views
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View from temple grounds81 views
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Boat for Okinoshima at Horikiri Port81 views
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Misty Okinoshima81 views
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The final number was Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song).81 views
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Cycling path in Azuchi named Yoshi-bue Road.80 views
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Canal to Johama Port80 views
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San-mon Gate 山門80 views
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Castle wall80 views
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Lookout in front of temple80 views
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Lookout in front of temple80 views
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和船80 views
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The largest Vories building on this tour was the Hyde Memorial Building at this school called the Omi Kyodaisha Gakuen (Omi Brotherhood Schools). 近江兄弟社学園ハイド記念館（旧淸友園幼稚園）.80 views
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One panel shows the location of buildings in Shiga designed by Vories. The blue dots indicate buildings which no longer exist, while the red dots indicate buildings which still exist.80 views
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These green torch will also burn. There are two of these green ones, one is male and other is female.80 views
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On the right is the Hyde Memorial Building designed by William Merrell Vories. 近江兄弟社学園ハイド記念館（旧淸友園幼稚園）79 views
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Inside the former Samegai post office designed by William Merrell Vories.79 views
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Perfect day to shoot cherry blossoms.79 views
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It was already around 10 pm. 79 views
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Cycling path in Azuchi near Lake Nishinoko.78 views
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Cycling path in Azuchi near Lake Nishinoko.78 views
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Castle wall and fall colors78 views
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78 views
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Hachiman Primary School 近江八幡市立八幡小学校78 views
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Special halftime entertainment provided by a Uyghur dish dancer by a Chinese dancer. She is an graduate student attending Hyogo University. ジャミラ ウライム78 views
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Finally at 9:50 pm, they shot a small rocket to the big panel which then exploded loud enough to knock your pants off.78 views
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Hachiman Park cherry blossoms.78 views
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View from Nishinomaru 西の丸跡77 views
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End of the ride.77 views
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Fishing boats at Horikiri Port77 views
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77 views
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The Japan Yoshibue Association held a yoshibue (flute made of reeds growing in Lake Biwa) concert on April 4, 2009 which was Yoshibue Day. Various groups playing the reed flute gathered to perform a free concert. This married pair called Hot Line. ほっ77 views
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Boom!77 views
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View from Kitanomaru76 views
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Gift shop76 views
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Okinoshima in sight76 views
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Part of the stage decoration were these towering bundles of reeds from Lake Biwa.76 views
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First we heard taiko drum beating and they entered the shrine at around 8:30 pm.76 views
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A long bamboo pole stiffens the torches which really look like sculpture. The festival is held on April 14-15. On the 14th, they burn these giant torches one by one from 8 pm.76 views
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Leaning torch. Unfortunately, I had to catch the last train home so I didn't have time to see this torch burning. Maybe next time.76 views
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View from Nishinomaru75 views
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Musa's Honjin75 views
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Okishima Port75 views
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People sit to reserve a good spot for viewing the fireworks.75 views
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They erected the straw column next to the one that was already standing.75 views
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Next, they had some great fireworks in the sky and everybody watched.75 views
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We could also see the 2nd floor which had a panel exhibition of Vories buildings.75 views
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The lobby of the OMI Corp. displayed their early products and current products. Their main product was Menturm. I asked if they still had the original product that the company first made. They didn't.75 views
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Minakuchi Christian Church designed by Vories and built in Nov. 1930. In Koka, Shiga. MAP75 views
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But there was another torch to be set afire. This one was to be the climax. They would light this torch while it is still leaning sideways, then they gradually make it vertical as it burns.75 views
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Niagara Falls, a crowd pleaser.74 views
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Unfortuntaely, the smoke blew in front of the design so we could hardly see it.74 views
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Minakuchi Christian Church74 views
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Beyond Hakuunbashi Bridge, the moat goes to Kawara Roof Tile Museum and the moat boat dock. The cherry trees also stop, but there a few more on the far end of the most.74 views
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In the afternoon of the 14th, people who made miniature torches can come to Himure Hachimangu Shrine and burn them.74 views
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Leaving Horikiri Port73 views
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Meanwhile, they had a good number of fireworks-shooting torches.73 views
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The company sells a large variety of skin-care products.73 views
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Inside the former bank building in Imazu. A nice place to rest. Exhibition panels explain about Vories.73 views
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Side of boat72 views
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Honjin sign71 views
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Yoshibue is a small flute made from reeds grown in Lake Nishinoko, one of Lake Biwa's attached lake. I attended the 4th Yoshibue Concert on April 4, 2009 which was Yoshibue Day. 71 views
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Next was Niagara Falls.71 views
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Later, young men carried this huge column made of straw looking like a torch. Are they gonna light this too?? 71 views
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Imazu Church, designed by William Merrell Vories. This is next to the former bank building. MAP71 views
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Burning miniature torches at Himure Hachimangu Shrine.71 views
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Leaning torch crown closeup.71 views
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The smaller panel which burst into colorful fireworks to form a picture.70 views
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Next was this neighborhood called Ikeda-cho with three Vories-designed homes along this street. MAP70 views
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Unique, but controversial, bridge supported by two boats underneath.70 views
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Torch top look similar, but they are different. 70 views
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There are torches for the villages which partake in this festival. This is in front of Taneya, a local confection shop.70 views
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Okinoshima Port69 views
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Sea wall69 views
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Leaving Okinoshima (we'll be back).69 views
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Former Omi Mission Double House designed by William Merrell Vories. Today, two families still live in the house. Not open to the public. 旧近江ミッション・ダブルハウス69 views
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Way to Toyotomi Hidetsugu statue.69 views
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Misty Omi-Hachiman coast68 views
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Azuchi has a cultural complex called Bungei no Sato. It includes a concert hall called Bungei Seminario, the venue of the Yoshibue Concert. If you missed the shuttle bus, you'll have to take a taxi from Azuchi Station. 文芸セミナリヨ68 views
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At 9:45 pm, they lit a smaller panel which burst into colorful fireworks to form a picture. They used this small rocket mounted on a wire speeding to the panel. The little thing lit up the panel.68 views
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A few bridges also cross the moat. This is Meijibashi Bridge. 明治橋68 views
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Very artistic and aesthetic.68 views
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Two tall ones in front of Himure Hachimangu Shrine.68 views
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All this to pray for an abundant harvest.68 views
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This is in front of Taneya. 68 views
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Then they had smaller torches being dragged around by small groups of men and boys.68 views
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They light it from the top.68 views
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Sign says "Yoshibue Day" which is April 4. "Yoshi" means reed, and both yo and shi can also be translated as the number 4.67 views
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Hot Line often appears at various events. He plays the guitar while she plays the yoshibue. 「よし笛の日」定期演奏会67 views
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The huge explosion was followed by loud whistles and smaller pops and crackles.67 views
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Former Omi Mission Double House was built in 1920 and large enough for two families. Vories' parents from the US and an American architect were the first occupants. 67 views
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More torches in front of Himure Hachimangu Shrine. This is also where they hold the Sagicho Matsuri in March. MAP67 views
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Giant torch.67 views
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Map of Hachiman Park.67 views
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Statue of Toyotomi Hidetsugu at Hachiman Park in Omi-Hachiman, Shiga.67 views
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We were also allowed to see the chapel in the school's main building here. The chapel was on the 5th floor. This building was completed in March 2007. 学園本館66 views
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Hachiman Commercial High School was where Vories taught English when he arrived in 1905. However, he was dismissed after two years due to his Bible study group seen as a disturbance. By hiring Vories as the architect, the school made peace with Vories.66 views
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Mt. Hachiman-yama is in the background. An aerial tramway goes up the mountain which was the site of Hachiman Castle.66 views
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You can easily walk along the entire moat except for this section which is a little flooded. My waterproof shoes came in handy.66 views
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Near the Kawara Roof Tile Museum is this dock where you board the moat boat. Fare is 1,000 yen for adults.66 views
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Keep away from the stone lanterns.66 views
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It seems that they gathered all the smaller torches (which they dragged around) here.66 views
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They also light the mid-section of the torch.66 views
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This is the second to the last torch to be burned. 66 views
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Statue of Vories.65 views
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Back view of the former Hachiman YMCA, the first building designed by William Merrell Vories in 1907. Inside is quite modern, except for one room. MAP65 views
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My last stop was OMI Corp. which started out in 1920 as the Omi Sales Company.（株）近江兄弟社 MAP65 views
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The arrow points the way to the next Vories building in Omi-Hachiman.65 views
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At around 7 pm, people with taiko drums start to arrive.65 views
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Some time after 8 pm, they finally lit the first torch.65 views
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Fire monster65 views
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It's amazing that the small, flying embers don't start fires nearby.65 views
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Now come near the shrine with more giant torches.65 views
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Hachiman Matsuri fire festival, Shiga Prefecture.65 views
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Miyagahama is a quiet, spacious beach to enjoy Lake Biwa.65 views
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Flower arrangement using reeds.64 views
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