Held annually on Nov. 3, a national holiday (Culture Day), the Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu is a feudal lord procession held at Hakone's Yumoto Onsen hot spring resort. About 170 people dressed in feudal-era costume and other people in marching bands, etc., parade around the town for about 6 km. The procession reenacts the daimyo procession of Okubo Kaga, lod of Odawara on his way to Edo (Tokyo) for the periodic sankin kotai procession.

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Held for four days from the first Thursday of July, this is one of the largest Tanabata Festivals in the Kanto region. Usually called the Star Festival, about 3,000 colorful streamers hang all around the city center in the shopping district. There is also a parade and nighttime illumination of the streamers. Until 2008, the festival used to be held on and around July 7, but now depending on the year, July 7 might not fall within the festival period.

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The Great Buddha of Kamakura is one of Japan's symbols among the most beautiful Buddha statues. After the Great Buddha at Todaiji Temple in Nara, this is Japan's second largest Buddha statue.

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Nicknamed the Hydrangea Temple (Ajisai-dera), Meigetsu-in must have one of Japan's highest concentration of ajisai within its grounds. During the first half of June, the Hime-ajisai variety of blue hydrangea bloom all at once. Near Kita-Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line, the temple belongs to the Rinzai Zen Buddhist sect.

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A large mikoshi (portable shrine) from Yasaka Shrine on Enoshima is carried from the shrine to Koyuguri Shrine on the mainland. Along the way, the mikoshi is carried into the ocean. On the mainland, the Yasaka mikoshi is met with a mikoshi from Koyuguri Shrine. They then parade together along a shopping street before the Yasaka mikoshi goes back to Enoshima at around 6 pm. Also see the video at YouTube.
八坂神社神幸祭「神輿海中渡御」

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A small, well-known island near Kamakura.

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Kanayama Jinja Shrine is a small shrine within the grounds of the Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine near Kawasaki Daishi Station. On the first Sun. of April, it holds this now-famous Kanamara Festival nicknamed the Phallus or Fertility Festival. The festival has grown from a small local matsuri to a large, international gathering. Also see the video at YouTube. 金山神社　若宮八幡宮

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Member of the Shingon Buddhist sect founded by Kobo Daishi, this temple is one of the Kanto region's Big Three Shingon temples (other two being Narita-san in Chiba and Yakuoin in Mt. Takao).

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Outdoor museum of traditional farm and merchant houses with thatched roofs. They have 25 homes from around Japan many were donated to the museum for preservation. If you're interested in traditional Japanese architecture, visit this park. Near Mukogaoka-yuen Station on the Odakyu Line. Closed Mon. Admission 500 yen. 横須賀市

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Odawara Castle is near Odawara Station. It is within a park including a small zoo and cherry trees. The present castle tower was rebuilt in 1960. Now a museum.

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Giant Kite festival held on May 5, 2005 along the Sagami River bank. There was enough wind for the smaller kites, but not enough for the giant one. Also see the video at YouTube.

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From late April to early May, five long strings of giant carp streamers swim in the air high above the Sagami River. Also see the video at YouTube.

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Sagamihara has had a long tradition with giant kite flying. This festival is held annually in spring along the Sagami River bank. These photos were taken on April 25, 2004.

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Kanagawa Prefecture's largest Awa Odori is held annually during the last weekend in July in this city of Yamato. It is not so crowded so it is easy to watch and photograph. These pictures were taken in 2005. Also see the video at YouTube.

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The annual Noge Daidogei street performance festival was held on April 24-25, 2010 near Sakuragicho Station. Street performers included topless butoh dancers painted in gold, incredible Chinese acrobats, street jugglers, and Japanese belly dancers.

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Near Sakuragicho Station, Kamonyama Park features a statue of Lord Ii Naosuke of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture. He was the Chief Minister in the Tokugawa Government and the key person to open up Japan to the world in the late 19th century. Yokohama was one of the ports opened to foreign trade as a result.

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Yokohama Port was opened to the world in 1859, making 2009 the 150th anniversary of the port's opening. To celebrate, Yokohama held EXPO Y150 during April 28 to Sept. 27, 2009, a modest-scale expo featuring pavilions, theaters, and performances. The expo has three areas, with the Bayside Area being the main one at the waterfront area next to the Red Brick Warehouses. Also see my video at YouTube.

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The 1st CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show was held in Yokohama during March 11-14, 2010. It replaces the old photo expo held in Tokyo called Photo Imaging Expo (PIE). Over 41,000 people attended CP+ in 2010.

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Hawaii's most famous canoe named Hokule'a departed Hawaii in Jan. 2007 and sailed to Micronesia and arrived in Japan in April. It visited Okinawa, Kyushu, Shikoku, Hiroshima, and other places until arriving in Yokohama on June 9, 2007, the final stop. I went to see the Hokulea canoe arrive in Yokohama.

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Like at its other stops in Japan, Hokule'a offered free onboard canoe tours to the public during its one-week stay in Yokohama. We could see the top deck, rudder, masts, cramped sleeping quarters, food pantry, and more of this legendary canoe named after a star named Hokulea in Hawaiian.

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What may be Japan's largest Hawaiian festival was held in two locations in Yokohama during July 25-27, 2008. The main venue was at the huge Osanbashi Pier normally used to receive large passenger ships. It is cavernous hall used by the three-day festival to set up four stages and numerous booths selling Hawaiian goods and food. The other location was Landmark Plaza in Minato Mirai.

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Sights near Keikyu Yokosuka Chuo Station and JR Yokosuka Station include Mikasa Park, Verny Park, Dobuita Street, and Cape Kannonzaki where numerous ships pass through the narrow Uraga Channel at the mouth of Tokyo Bay.

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Kurihama is in southeastern Yokosuka, a small bay with a beach. Famous as the landing place of Commodore Mathew Perry who arrived on July 8, 1853 and landed ashore on July 14. A monument to this historic landing is near the beach, as well as the Perry Memorial Hall.

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The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrived at her new home port in Yokosuka on Sept. 25, 2008. Replacing the retiring USS Kitty Hawk, the GW is the first nuclear-powered carrier to be deployed in Japan. The usual protesters also showed up. Aircraft carrier photos by the US Navy.

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The USS Kitty Hawk was home-ported in Yokosuka from Aug. 11, 1998 to May 2008. These photos by the US Navy shows some of the good times and drama aboard the carrier, as well as the Sayonara day when the ship left Yokosuka for good.

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Yokosuka is the home port to the only US aircraft carrier based outside the US. First it was the USS Midway, then the Independence, Kitty Hawk, and now the George Washington. These are photos of the USS Independence (CV-62) and USS Midway taken in the early 1990s when I was with a group touring the aircraft carriers.

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Held annually in early May along the Sagami River right next to the Sagamihara kite festival on the same days. Unfortunately, the wind was not strong enough for a prolonged flight. Photos were taken on May 5, 2005.

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