 Most viewed - Tsukuba つくば市 |
Getting to Mt. Tsukuba is easy by bus from Tsukuba Station's Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal. Tsukuba-san Shuttle buses going directly to Mt. Tsukuba leave every 30 min. on weekends or every hour during weekdays and non-peak hours.355 views
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A big, two-day August festival in Tsukuba featuring diverse dance groups, bazaar, street performances, hula dancing, and food stalls. The climax is a nebuta parade in the evening. 294 viewsEverything is near Tsukuba Station (Tsukuba Express). Ever since the Tsukuba Express train line opened in 2005 from Akihabara, getting to Tsukuba is a breeze in about 45 min. Wide streets and sidewalks. The festival's main venue centered around this brown building which you see from Exit A5.
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My video of Matsuri Tsukuba and the Nebuta parade.212 views
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When I was there, a helicopter hovered about Mt. Nantai to rescue an injured hiker. I took a bus back to Tsukuba Station.202 views
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Map of central Tsukuba.195 views
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Torii to Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine182 views
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Matsuri Tsukuba posters173 views
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For the finale, all the giant nebuta gathered at the large intersection. They didn't do much.129 views
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Haneto128 views
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Nebuta face-off.127 views
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A third giant nebuta depicts the Pharaoh Ramses II. Seeing an Egyptian theme on a Japanese float was interesting.124 views
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There are many things going on at the same time all day long for two days from 10 am to 9 pm. 122 views
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Rear view has a sleeping cat.122 views
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A hula troupe dances next to a yosakoi group.121 views
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The fourth giant nebuta was perhaps the most unique. It was made of inflatable vinyl. It is partially deflated here.121 views
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A short walk away is this large road serving as a venue for numerous dance groups performing almost all day long. This is also where the nebuta floats would be paraded in the eveing.119 views
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In Oshimizu Park were these nebuta tents where they store the nebuta floats. 大清水公演119 views
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Rear view of Ramses II119 views
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This float by a junior high school.118 views
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Each giant nebuta float is preceded by a set of drums and drummers.117 views
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This is Tsukuba Center Hiroba, the central part of the festival where there are food stalls and information booth.116 views
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Center Hiroba outdoor stage センター広場特設ステージ116 views
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It drizzled off and on during the day.116 views
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Street performer (Sign says, "Photography allowed.")116 views
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This small float by local Boy Scouts.116 views
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Kabuki-like magician.115 views
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Then came this giant mikoshi portable shrine called the Tsukuba Manto Mikoshi. It doesn't seem to belong to any shrine. つくば万灯神輿115 views
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The first big one squeezes under the bridge. 115 views
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Almost fully inflated.115 views
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The inflated nebuta comes around.115 views
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At the very end, despite the rain, they took off the vinyl.115 views
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Tsukuba Tourism Ambassadors114 views
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Walking further down the Tsukuba Koen-dori road toward Oshimizu Park.114 views
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The mikoshi goes to meet the float.114 views
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The floats were covered with plastic due to drizzling rain.114 views
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Hayashi festival music114 views
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Kids dancing114 views
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Poor dragon114 views
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Ramses II114 views
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English translators available! I noticed quite a few foreigners in Tsukuba, a national science and technology research and academic center.113 views
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The program was called Happy Hawaiian Stage. ハッピーハワイアンステージ113 views
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Chuo Park bazaar113 views
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Being inflated now.113 views
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The slayed dragon exhaled smoke.113 views
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And other musicians.113 views
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A nice elevated walkway connected Chuo Park and the main festival area.112 views
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Inside the nebuta tent.112 views
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Banpaku Float112 views
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At first glance, it looks very strange. But they soon inflated it.112 views
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Haneto dancers. Much fewer of them than in Aomori.112 views
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Quite dramatic indeed.112 views
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What would a festival be without taiko drummers?111 views
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Another giant nebuta float.111 views
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Another one squeezes through. 111 views
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Haneto111 views
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At first, I thought it looked kind of gimmicky, comical, and fake, but it turned out to be quite impressive.111 views
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Rear view.110 views
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On the other side of the underground train station is Chuo Park where Art Town Tsukuba and street performances were held. アートタウンつくば2009 ～大道芸フェスティバル～109 views
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Too bad the plastic was on the floats. 109 views
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Inside the nebuta tent was this nebuta float from Aomori, arrived earlier in Aug.108 views
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108 views
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From about 4 pm, they had the Matsuri Parade on the main road. まつりパレード 万博山車パレード108 views
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Another venue in Creo Square was this small outdoor stage featuring hula dancing all afternoon long by various groups. クレオ前広場107 views
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The nebuta tents were built in late July. No kids around sketching the nebuta though, as they do in Aomori during the day.107 views
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万博山車パレード107 views
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Without the plastic covering.107 views
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Street performers106 views
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Patching up the damaged parts of the float. Apparently, it got damaged as it passed under a bridge that is a little too low for the giant nebuta.106 views
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Monkey's underarm has patch-up work.106 views
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At 5 pm, the Nebuta Parade started. It was kind of strange to see a nebuta parade in almost broad daylight. 106 views
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The ropeway runs every 20 min. The fare is 600 yen one way.99 views
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Gate to Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall98 views
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Mt. Tsukuba ahead. It takes about 50 min. to reach Mt. Tsukuba by bus from Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal.94 views
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Tsutsujigaoka has a ropeway aerial tram terminal taking you up to Mt. Nyotai, Mt. Tsukuba's female peak. 女体山92 views
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I got off the bus at Tsutsujigaoka, the last stop. I hiked it from Mt. Nyotai (female peak) to Mt. Nantai (male peak). It's also possible to do it in the opposite direction from Nantai to Nyotai. つつじヶ丘92 views
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Mt. Tsukuba has two peaks, Mt. Nantai (male peak) on the left and Mt. Nyotai (female peak) on the right. They are wedded peaks due to the wedded gods Izanami and Izanagi. 男体山 女体山87 views
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Climbing up the peak of Mt. Nyotai.87 views
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It's possible to climb up to Mt. Nyotai as well.86 views
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Lookout deck on Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.86 views
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People climbing on the narrow peak of Nyotai. Mt. Tsukuba is one of Japan's 100 Famous Peaks.86 views
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Views from the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.86 views
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Tsutsujigaoka Ropeway Station below, as seen from the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.86 views
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View from Mt. Nyotai.85 views
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Rock formation called Gama-ishi. ガマ石85 views
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Approaching Mt. Nyotai. Mt. Tsukuba is noted for fall leaves. But I was a little too late. The leaves here turn color earlier than on the plains. 女体山84 views
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Mt. Nantai in the distance.84 views
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Nyotai Honden on Mt. Nyotai. It worships Izanami, wife of Izanagi.82 views
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Atop the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.82 views
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The trail continues to a clearing in the middle of the two peaks.82 views
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Between Mt. Nyotai and Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba is a row of tourist shops in this palce called Miyukigahara (御幸ケ原). That's Mt. Nantai in the background.82 views
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View from Mt. Nantai on Tsukuba-san.82 views
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View from Mt. Nyotai.81 views
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Mt. Fuji as seen from Mt. Nyotai.81 views
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From Mt. Nyotai, it's an easy hike but rocky trail to Mt. Nantai.81 views
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In the middle of the two peaks is another lookout deck and gift shops.80 views
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The round building has a gift shop on the bottom, restaurant on the 2nd floor, and a revolving lookout deck on the roof (free admission).80 views
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View from Miyukigahara.80 views
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Bottom cable car station.80 views
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Tsukuba-san Shrine on Mt. Nantai, the male peak.79 views
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Miyukigahara.77 views
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View from Miyukigahara.77 views
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Trail to climb up to Mt. Nantai.77 views
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Shrine atop Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.77 views
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Tsukuba-san Jjinja Shrine atop Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba. This is the Honden for the male god Izanagi.77 views
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View from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.77 views
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall is adjacent to the cable car station. The Honden Hall is atop the two peaks on Mt. Tsukuba. 筑波山神社77 views
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Mt. Nantai76 views
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About Mt. Tsukuba's geology in Japanese.76 views
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The cable car runs every 20 min. Fare is 570 yen one way. There are trails going down the mountain as well.76 views
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Cable car going up to Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.76 views
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Tsukuba-san cable car on Mt. Tsukuba's Miyukigahara, near Nantai.76 views
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View from Miyukigahara.75 views
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This is one of them.75 views
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Entrance to Tsukuba-san cable car station.75 views
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The trail soon gets steep and rocky, but not a problem for most people. High heels and miniskirt are not recommended.74 views
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View from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.74 views
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Ropeway station on Mt. Nyotai.74 views
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On Nantai, there's an easy hiking trail going around the peak.74 views
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Hiking trail around Mt. Nantai. There are two other lookout points along the trail.73 views
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Miyukigahara also has a cable car station.73 views
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall. The shrine is dedicated to both Izanagi and Izanami, Japan's parent gods.73 views
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Mt. Nantai marker for 871 meter elevation.72 views
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Looking toward Nyotai from Miyukigahara.71 views
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Around the cable car station below the mountain, the fall leaves were very nice.71 views
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In autumn, a chrysanthemum display is held on the grounds of Tsukuba-san Shrine.70 views
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Mt. Nyotai as seen from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.68 views
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Depicting Mt. Tsukuba.67 views
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Autmun maple leaves on Mt. Tsukuba-san.66 views
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