Most viewed - Adachi-ku 足立区 |
Winter-flowering cherry blossoms, Nishi-Arai Daishi, Tokyo 寒桜397 views
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Belonging to the Shingon Sect's Buzan school, this is one of Tokyo's major temples. The real name is Sojiji (總持寺), but everyone calls it Nishi-Arai Daishi.278 viewsThe temple grounds feature many flowering trees and plants including an unusual species of cherry blossoms which bloom in winter. Daishi-mae Station. Much larger station than I expected. Probably for the New Year's crowds. 大師前駅
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Dai-Hondo Hall, Nishi-Arai Daishi, Tokyo 大本堂233 viewsAccording to legend, when prayers were offered to save villagers from an epidemic, pure water gushed out of a hitherto dried-up well and got rid of the plague. Since the well was on the west side of the temple hall, this area came to be called "Nishi-Arai" (New Well in the West). The temple is famous for warding off fire and misfortune.
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Inside Hakkaku-do Hall. A glass door lets you see inside, but the door is locked. 八角堂205 views
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Irises at Shobu-numa Park in Adachi, Tokyo.173 views
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Map of Toshi Nogyo Park along Arakawa River in Adachi Ward, Tokyo.169 views
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Hakkaku-do Hall 八角堂166 views
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One rascal kid is trying to undo the wrestler's mawashi.162 views
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Toneri Park manhole at Adachi Ward, Tokyo.162 views
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Reagan Sakura (on the right) is a Somei Yoshino. It was named "Reagan Sakura" by Tokyo Governor Shin'ichi Suzuki in 1982. The cherry tree planted by Mrs. Taft is named "Taft Sakura." It is still alive in Washington, DC159 views
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I love red and white flowers.155 views
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Hydrangea and irises at Shobu-numa Park in Adachi, Tokyo.155 views
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Moss pink154 views
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Bilingual plaque on the monument marking the planting of the Reagan Sakura.153 views
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Wrestling with kids amid cherry blossoms from America.151 views
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I love red and white flowers, Japanese symbol of felicitation. 150 views
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Winter-flowering cherry blossoms146 views
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Sumo wrestler with kids at Toshi Nogyo Park in Adachi Ward, Tokyo.145 views
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Tulips with cherry blossom design with "100" below it for the centennial of Adachi's sakura gift to Washington, DC.141 views
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The main path to the temple is lined with the usual shops, but it is not aligned with the train station. The path from the train station takes a different route.139 views
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Train around the sumo ring.138 views
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Sculpture of kids catching butterflies along Arakawa River in Adachi, Tokyo.138 views
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A flea market is held monthly in the temple grounds.132 views
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Sanmon Gate, the main gate. 山門131 views
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Food stalls lead you to the main worship hall.131 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree in sight from Adachi Ward along the Arakawa River amid tulips.131 views
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Sanmon Gate128 views
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Daishi-mae Station 大師前駅. Nishi-Arai Daishi Temple was said have been founded by Priest Kobo Daishi in 826. One of the Kanto Region's Big Three Daishi Temples.123 views
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The former Waida home, donated to the park by the Waida family in the early 1980s. Adachi Ward, Tokyo115 views
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View from Dai-Hondo Hall114 views
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Main path to temple112 views
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Incense burner112 views
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光明殿108 views
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The irises are accented by some hydrangea at Shobu-numa Park, Adachi, Tokyo.108 views
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Irises at Shobu-numa Park in Adachi, Tokyo.106 views
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This thin man challenged the sumotori.104 views
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Dai-Hondo Hall 大本堂98 views
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She is carried out. The wrestlers gave us lots of good laughs and entertainment.97 views
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Altar inside Dai-Hondo Hall 大本堂96 views
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Winter-flowering cherry blossoms and Dai-Hondo Hall96 views
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He was lifted up and out.93 views
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Winter-flowering cherry blossoms 寒桜92 views
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This area of Adachi Ward was originally Kohoku Village which was famous for colorful varieties of cherry blossoms. Literally called "goshiki" or five colors.89 views
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Map of the Kohoku area.88 views
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This is along the Arakawa River. They used to have over 3,000 cherry trees along 6 km or riverbank about a century ago.87 views
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Also see my video of the festival here (includes the cherry blossom centennial ceremony).87 views
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Lantern86 views
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They have flower vendors and food vendors.86 views
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Cherry blossom rice ball.86 views
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The Tananoi Stable sumo wrestlers were Irie (left) and Sakaguchi. Very friendly. Thank you guys!86 views
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At this Koryu Kaikan hall in the park, they had an exhibition and slide show lectures.86 views
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Koi. Seems like a sumi painter just painted on this fish.85 views
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The road leading to Toshi Nogyo Koen Park is lined with many cherry blossom trees.85 views
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In April, cherry blossoms of many varieties bloom for about 2 weeks during which they hold the annual Goshiki Sakura Matsuri cherry blossom festival.85 views
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These cherry trees are from America. The park has 29 species of cherry blossoms. Most of them, like these Kanzan trees, bloom later than the Somei Yoshino trees.85 views
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This area of the park has many varieties of cherry trees from America.85 views
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Cherry tree saplings for sale. (Cheap)85 views
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Portable shrine bearers pose for photo.85 views
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Still carrying around the mikoshi.85 views
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These trees were planted here 30 years ago from American saplings taken from cherry trees which originally came from Adachi Ward in 1912. They are called "homecoming trees" (里帰りの桜).84 views
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Manju84 views
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The cherry trees in this park bloom later than the popular Somei Yoshino variety.84 views
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Sakura ice cream.84 views
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As part of the festivities, two Makushita sumo wrestlers from Tamanoi sumo stable (run by former Ozeki Tochiazuma) in Adachi gave sumo demonstrations and entertainment.84 views
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Local taiko drummers also performed.84 views
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Mikoshi portable shrine and cherry blossoms.84 views
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The sakura matsuri is centered on this circular lawn fringed with cherry blossoms.83 views
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Wisteria saplings even.83 views
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The tag identifies the tree/flowers in the photos it follows.83 views
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Now a young woman enters the ring.83 views
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By late afternoon, most of the crowd had dissipated.83 views
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Food for sale.82 views
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Monument for cherry trees along the Arakawa River.82 views
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They are trying to reproduce the "five-colored" cherry trees along the Arakawa River like a century ago.82 views
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Parading a mikoshi portable shrine in the park. Beyond those trees is Arakawa River.82 views
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At this Koryu Kaikan hall in the park, they had an exhibition.82 views
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All the cherry trees have a tag or sign indicating the species.81 views
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Mikoshi amid rapeseed blossoms.81 views
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Benten-do 弁天堂80 views
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Front gate to Toshi Nogyo Park. The Goshiki Cherry Blossoms Festival centers on the weekends while the flowers are in bloom. These photos were taken on April 22, 2012.80 views
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A portable shrine was carried around the park.80 views
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At the Koryu Kaikan hall in the park, they had an exhibition.80 views
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Winter-flowering cherry blossoms 寒桜79 views
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Rest house and restaurant in the park.77 views
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Ume plum blossoms75 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree in sight from Adachi Ward along the Arakawa River.74 views
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Winter-flowering cherry blossoms 寒桜73 views
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Salt Jizo 塩地蔵73 views
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Ume plum blossoms72 views
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White plum blossoms72 views
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White plum blossoms 白梅72 views
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White plum blossoms 白梅71 views
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Red plum blossoms and pagoda71 views
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Red plum blossoms70 views
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Waterfall70 views
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Chigo Daishi 稚児大師70 views
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Koi70 views
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Riverside park along the Arakawa River featuring numerous varieties of cherry blossoms including those from Washington, DC. An old thatched-roof house, exhibition spaces, and a rest house make it a very pleasant spot to visit in spring.70 views
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In mid-April, after the America Somei-Yoshino cherry blossoms finish blooming, visit the park to see other varieties of sakura. Took a bus from Nishi-Arai Station East exit for Toshi Nogyo Koen Park. Took about 20 min.70 views
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Red plum blossoms69 views
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13-story pagoda 十三大塔69 views
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Ume plum blossoms68 views
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Temple bell and pond68 views
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White plum blossoms 白梅67 views
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In spring, see 4,500 peony plants in 70 varieties bloom. Temple is nicknamed "Botan Daishi" (Peony Daishi).67 views
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如意輪堂67 views
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The road leading to Toshi Nogyo Koen Park is lined with many cherry blossom trees.67 views
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如意輪堂66 views
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水子地蔵66 views
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水洗地蔵66 views
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Rokkaku-do 六角堂65 views
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Toneri Park as seen from the train.65 views
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Koi64 views
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Salt Jizo 塩地蔵64 views
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Side view of Dai-Hondo62 views
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Three-story Treasure Pagoda 三重宝塔62 views
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White plum blossoms61 views
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Pond behind the Dai-Hondo Hall61 views
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Chigo Daishi 稚児大師61 views
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Book about the cherry blossoms along the Arakawa River. Might be out of print.61 views
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Side view of Dai-Hondo60 views
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水子地蔵60 views
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All the cherry trees have a tag or sign indicating the species. In this album, the photo of the tree tag/sign follow the tree or flowers that it indicates.60 views
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The park also has an old thatched-roof house.60 views
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About the old longhouse gate. Wish I had time to translate all this, but sorry I'm too busy.60 views
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Toneri Koen Station on the Nippori-Toneri Liner 日暮里・舎人ライナー58 views
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Entering Toshi Nogyo Park along Arakawa River in Adachi Ward, Tokyo. The centennial ceremony was held during the Goshiki Cherry Blossom Festival in April 2012.57 views
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Kit Pancoast Nagamura, the great-granddaughter of botanist David Fairchild who brought the cherry trees from Japan to Washington, DC.57 viewsShe also writes for The Japan Times.
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Map of the park. The iris patches are colored purple.56 views
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This area of Adachi Ward was originally Kohoku Village which was famous for colorful varieties of cherry blossoms. Literally called "goshiki" or five colors.55 views
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About the former Waida home. 和井田55 views
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Shobu-numa Koen Park has five patches of irises that bloom in early June. About 140 varieties of irises and over 8,000 irises bloom. Very impressive for a neighborhood park. Near Kita-Ayase Station on the Chiyoda Line subway.55 views
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Location (middle of this map) of the Reagan Sakura cherry tree.54 views
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They also hold an iris festival on the early weekend in June. I visited before the weekend festival.54 views
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The park and irises turned out to be very nice. There are also shaded benches to sit and enjoy the flowers. A nice break from my computer screen.54 views
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Adachi Ward's cherry tree history. 53 views
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Map of Toneru Park. The park is split into two by the Nippori-Toneri Liner line.53 views
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Reagan Sakura hasn't grown very well due to a lack of water. The tree is planted on small hill which is bad because the ground does not retain water very well. They had to cut off the withered branches. 53 views
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About the Reagan Sakura in Japanese. Lower left is a photo of Nancy Reagan giving the sapling at the White House. To the right is a photo of the planting by the Tokyo Governor and Adachi Ward mayor in 1982.53 views
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Adachi Ward Mayor Yayoi Kondo (近藤やよい). See my video for an English translation of her speech.52 views
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