Last additions - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Last additions

Sanwakai float. 参和会Oct 02, 2018

Sanwakai children's float. 参和会Oct 02, 2018

On the first day (Sat.), the floats are paraded along the streets as they go to Himure Hachimangu Shrine and undergo judging for best design. The floats are works of art and made of edible materials mounted on a straw and wood base. Sanwakai float. 参和March 17, 2018Oct 02, 2018

When Oda Nobunaga died and Azuchi castle destroyed, people in Azuchi moved to Omi-Hachiman and restarted the festival here. Uwai-cho float. 魚屋町Oct 02, 2018

Omi-Hachiman's Sagicho Festival originated in neighboring Azuchi-cho town where Oda Nobunaga had his magnificent castle. Uwai-cho float. 魚屋町Oct 02, 2018

This is one of the three children's floats which are smaller than the normal floats. Uwai-cho float. 魚屋町Oct 02, 2018

Ishin-cho float. 為心町Oct 02, 2018

On the first day (Sat.), the floats are paraded along the streets as they arrive at the shrine and undergo judging for best design. Ishin-cho float. 為心町 Oct 02, 2018

Materials for float-making at Suwai-cho. 仲屋町Oct 02, 2018

Float base for the dog. Each float design has a design concept or story behind it.Oct 02, 2018

Suwai-cho float's dog almost done. The eyes still unfinished. 仲屋町Oct 02, 2018

The 13 floats don't coordinate their designs. They don't share their design plans with other floats.So no one knows who will make which breed of dog until the festival day. Didn't see any chihuahua nor dachshunds.Oct 02, 2018

We visited another Sagicho float studio at Suwai-cho. 仲屋町Oct 02, 2018

Float support made of straw was built in the garage.Oct 02, 2018

The flower's stamen were made with these small, banana-shaped chocolate candy. As long as it is edible, they can use anything on the float, even modern junk food.Banana-shaped chocolate candy for a flower's stamen, such great imagination. Year-round, they always look at edible things and imagine what it can be used for on a Sagicho float. Compared to the old days, they now have a lot more edible choices and colors to choose from to make the float decorations.Oct 02, 2018

This is the base for the dog. All edible materials. Notice the flower's yellow stamen in the center.Oct 02, 2018

The float decorations are all made of edible materials especially grains (soybeans, black beans, adzuki beans, sesame seeds, etc.) and seafood (dried bonito, kelp, aoi-nori seaweed powder, cuttlefish, dried fish, etc.).Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

I asked the float's leader about the cost. I was told that they spent ¥200,000 for edible float materials and ¥800,000 for festival expenses even with free labor.They work on the float in the evenings after work or school. They solicit donations from neighborhood residents and sponsors.Oct 02, 2018

I also asked what was the most difficult thing about making the float. He said, "deciding on the float's design." Their committee members make their own designs with their computers and present them to the committee. Apparently, it takes a lot of haggling and time, but once the design is decided, the rest is pretty mechanical and easy.Oct 02, 2018

The dog fur is made of jute fibers (黄麻). Very realistic. They had only one person meticulously put on most of the dog's fur.They could've had a few people help, but then the fur would look uneven because each person would do it differently. But they still wanted to train the younger folks to do it, so the trainees were allowed to put fur on the less noticeable spots on the dog.Oct 02, 2018

I was told that out of the 12 zodiac creatures, making the dog was the most difficult and making the dragon was the easiest. The dog is difficult because it's the most familiar animal to humans, so people know exactly what a dog supposed to look like. People can get very critical if the dog doesn't look like what it supposed to look like. Details like the curvature of the legs, etc. So they refer to a thick photo book of all kinds of dogs to make sure everything looks real.
Making the dragon is easy because no one has seen a real dragon. So people don't know exactly what a dragon supposed to look like. It doesn't have be so exact like a dog.Oct 02, 2018

Miyauchi-cho had almost finished their float. They just had to assemble the parts. The main piece is the dog of course.Oct 02, 2018

A week before the festival, we visited the studio of two of the Sagicho floats. This is one of them at Miyauchi-cho. 宮内町Each float is named after the district that it represents. It could be one or more neighborhoods in the city. A volunteer group for each float takes 2 months to make the float at their studio.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

The famous giant tortoise at Gesshoji Temple, Matsue.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

The famous giant tortoise at Gesshoji Temple, Matsue. They put a stone pillar on its back so it wouldn't walk around at night and wreak havoc. Animal cruelty?Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Stone lanternsOct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Tomb of Matsudaira Harusato (Fumai), seventh lord of the Matsudaira clan.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Approaching the tomb of Matsudaira Harusato (Fumai), seventh lord of the Matsudaira clan.Oct 02, 2018

Tea room.Oct 02, 2018

Entrance to tea roomOct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Go to the reception desk.Oct 02, 2018

Raiden's handprints.Oct 02, 2018

Entrance to Gesshoji Temple with numerous tombs for the Matsudaira clan who ruled the Matsue domain.Oct 02, 2018

Sumo wrestler monument for Raiden Tameemon (雷電為右衛門).Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

From here, take the looping bus to the next sight.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Lafcadio Hearn's desk was set higher to his face so his nearsighted eyes could see better.Oct 02, 2018

Lafcadio Hearn's desk.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Byobu folding screen.Oct 02, 2018

Must've been a pleasant place to live. Very Japanese.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Inside Lafcadio Hearn's former residence fronting a nice garden.Oct 02, 2018

Lafcadio Hearn's former residence is next door to the museum. 小泉八雲旧居Oct 02, 2018

Lafcadio Hearn's hair memorial.Oct 02, 2018

Lafcadio Hearn relief. Photography was not allowed inside the memorial museum.Oct 02, 2018

Pillar of the school where Hearn taught.Oct 02, 2018

Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum.Oct 02, 2018

Entrance to Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum. 小泉八雲記念館Oct 02, 2018

Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) is one of the most famous foreigners to have lived in Japan. He authored or translated books about Japanese ghost/horror stories ("Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan" and "Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things").Oct 02, 2018

Entrance to Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum.Oct 02, 2018

Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and residence are next to each other on the same road on the fringe of Matsue Castle,Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Visit the next Koto Sanzan Temple at Kongorinji or Saimyoji in Kora.Oct 02, 2018

Shuttle bus to the next temple.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Pay a little money to ring the temple bell.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Hyakusaiji's temple bell. Oct 02, 2018

Prayer tablet for Year of the Rooster.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Prince Shotoku TaishiOct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Facing the altar inside Hyakusaiji's main temple hall. Oct 02, 2018

Inside the hondo main hall, HyakusaijiOct 02, 2018

Main entrance to Hyakusaiji's Main temple hall (hondo).Oct 02, 2018

Hyakusaiji's Main temple hall (hondo), Hyakusaiji.Oct 02, 2018

Hyakusaiji's Main temple hall (hondo). Important Cultural Property.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Main worship hall.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

People also stuff coins (mostly 1 yen) into the sandals.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Giant sandals supposed to scare away evil spirits thinking that the sandals belong to a giant guardian.Oct 02, 2018

Symbol of Hyakusaiji.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Easier way up to the main hall.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Scale model of Hyakusaiji in its heydey when the terraced hills had many plots for monk residences.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Somewhat famous slope of fallen maple leaves at Hyakusaiji.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Wooded path to Hyakusaiji.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Small gate ahead.Oct 02, 2018

This is near the bus stop.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

View from Fushimi Castle.Oct 02, 2018

Oct 02, 2018

Reconstruction of Fushimi Castle when it was still open to the public from 1964 to 2003. It was a museum about Toyotomi Hideyoshi who built the original Fushimi-Momoyama Castle. This was the main attraction of a small theme park called "Castle Lan.&qOct 02, 2018