 Last additions - Fukushima city 福島市 |
Photo galleryMay 15, 2012
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Gift shopMay 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Fukushima Hanamiyama Park spring flowers May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Nanohana rape blossoms. In the distance are gift shops.May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Plants for sale.May 15, 2012
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You can sit here.May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Fukushima Hanamiyama Park spring flowers May 15, 2012
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Road back to the parking lot.May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Irises for June.May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Fukushima Hanamiyama Park spring flowers May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Fukushima Hanamiyama Park spring flowers May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Map of Hanamiyama Park. It's kind of hard to figure out.May 15, 2012
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The park include residential and farming areas so there are roads and areas off limits to tourists.May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Local guides show you the flowers for free.May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Fukushima Hanamiyama Park May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Hanamiyama Park, Fukushima city.May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Cherry blossoms past thir peak.May 15, 2012
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May 15, 2012
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Hanamiyama Park, Fukushima city.May 15, 2012
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Although Hanamiyama Park is most famous for cherry blossoms (which past their peak when I visited), there are many other spring flowers as well.May 15, 2012
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About Hanamiyama Park.May 15, 2012
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From the bus stop, you walk a bit to Hanamiyama Park. Very pleasant walk.May 15, 2012
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It started in 1935 when local flower growers began planting flowers. In April 1959, it became Hanamiyama Park.May 15, 2012
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Hanamiyama Park is literally a Flower-Viewing Mountain Park famous for spring flowers especially cherry blossoms sprinkled on the mountainsides. May 15, 2012
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Before you go to Hanamiyama Park, you can leave your luggage here right next to the bus stop.May 15, 2012
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During April when the spring flowers are in bloom, a convenient shuttle bus runs from JR Fukushima Station to Hanamiyama Park. A short bus ride.May 15, 2012
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My YouTube video featuring Diverse dance troupes on the streets of Fukushima in the evening at the annual Fukushima Waraji Matsuri. This is the evening parade (Dancing Soda Night) on Aug. 8, 2009.Jun 06, 2010
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My YouTube video featuring hula dancers in waraji straw sandals, hip-hop, belly dancers, and more during the 1st Waraji Day Dance Contest on Ekimae-dori near Fukushima Station on Aug. 8, 2009 at 12:30 pm. Also, giant waraji races.Jun 06, 2010
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Clear view of Mt. Shinobuyama 信夫山Sep 09, 2009
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View of Fukushima Station's east side.Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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View of Fukushima Station's east side.Sep 09, 2009
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Nice views all around.Sep 09, 2009
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Corasse Fukushima also has a lookout deck on the top 12th floor. コラッセふくしまSep 09, 2009
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Inside the shop, you can find the best products of Fukushima, including edibles.Sep 09, 2009
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On the west side of Fukushima Station is a tall building called Corasse Fukushima. The ground floor has the Fukushima Tourism and Product Center selling products of Fukushima.Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Fukushima manhole. I think it's waraji straw sandals.Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Children's wishes for Tanabata Matsuri on Bunka-dori Road.Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Bunka-dori road Tanabata MatsuriSep 09, 2009
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Paseo Road also intersects with Bunka-dori road which also has its own Tanabata Matsuri with bamboo branches hung with wishes.Sep 09, 2009
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Poster for Bunka-dori Tanabata Matsuri.Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Paseo Road Tanabata Matsuri, FukushimaSep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Sep 09, 2009
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Around Aug. 7, the Tanabata Matsuri Star Festival is held along Paseo Road, a short walk from the east side of Fukushima Station.Sep 09, 2009
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JR Fukushima Station shinkansen platform.Sep 09, 2009
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East exit of JR Fukushima Station has a statue of Haiku poet Matsuo Basho and his traveling companion Sora.Sep 09, 2009
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JR Fukushima Station shinkansen platform.Sep 09, 2009
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JR Fukushima Station with shinkansen approaching.Sep 09, 2009
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Entrance to the shinkansen tracks.Sep 09, 2009
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Toward the west exit the tourist info office on the left. Pick up pamphlets and maps.Sep 09, 2009
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Inside JR Fukushima Station.Sep 09, 2009
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Inside JR Fukushima Station. Sample fireworks balls.Sep 09, 2009
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Inside JR Fukushima Station.Sep 09, 2009
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JR Fukushima Station on the east side (Higashi-guchi).Sep 09, 2009
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Monument on the west side of Fukushima Station. The shinkansen train can be seen.Sep 09, 2009
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JR Fukushima Station on the west side (Nishi-guchi).Sep 09, 2009
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Awards ceremony. The festival ended at about 9:30 pm.Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Some fireworksAug 13, 2009
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At the intersection. Notice the giant waraji straw sandal.Aug 13, 2009
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Eisa group from OkinawaAug 13, 2009
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Fukushima Waraji MatsuriAug 13, 2009
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Fukushima Waraji MatsuriAug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Many of the dance groups were from dance studios or schools.Aug 13, 2009
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School girlsAug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Hula dancersAug 13, 2009
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Apparently, it was their first time to appear in this festival.Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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They weren't wearing waraji.Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Finally at 7:30 pm, the main event called Dancing Soda Night started along Route 13 and Ekimae-dori.Aug 13, 2009
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After the waraji races, they also had taiko float races where people pulled/pushed a taiko float in a race.Aug 13, 2009
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Groups of children, women, etc., were to pull this large waraji on wheels on the 300-meter long race course along Route 13. A pair of large waraji were raced down the road. Then raced back by another pair of racers.Aug 13, 2009
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Waraji race at Fukushima Waraji Matsuri Festival. Each race team had to have 10 members. Also see my YouTube video here.Aug 13, 2009
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On Aug. 8, 2009 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, the second day of the festival, they held waraji races along Route 13 (Shinobu-dori).Aug 13, 2009
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Giant golden waraji had ema votive tablets written with people's wishes.Aug 13, 2009
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They also displayed this giant golden waraji.Aug 13, 2009
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Near the intersection of Ekimae-dori and Route 13 was this entertainment stage.Aug 13, 2009
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The giant golden waraji was used to open the waraji races on the second day of the festival.Aug 13, 2009
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Belly dancer at Fukushima Waraji Matsuri.Aug 13, 2009
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A good-size crowd watched the dance contest.Aug 13, 2009
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Announcement of the winners.Aug 13, 2009
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A trio of belly dancers.Aug 13, 2009
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Belly dancer at Fukushima Waraji Matsuri.Aug 13, 2009
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Belly dancer at Fukushima Waraji Matsuri.Aug 13, 2009
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Each dance group had to perform two numbers. The first one had to be "Dancing Soda Night" for 3 min. and the second one could be anything for 5 min. or less.Aug 13, 2009
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This girl's homemade happi coat says "Waraji Matsuri."Aug 13, 2009
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A panel of judges were there to judge the dancers.Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Many of the dancers wore waraji-related things.Aug 13, 2009
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Look at their footwear. They are wearing a pair of waraji straw sandals.Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Notice anything unusual about these hula dancers?Aug 13, 2009
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On Aug. 8, 2009 at 12:30 pm, they held the 1st Waraji Day Dance Contest on Ekimae-dori. (わらじDayダンス選手権)Aug 13, 2009
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Ekimae-dori street leading to Fukushima Station is closed to traffic.Aug 13, 2009
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For a few hours, numerous dance groups performed in a contest. They even had a hula troupe dance, to my delight as I'm from Hawaii.Aug 13, 2009
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Aug 13, 2009
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Closeup of the giant waraji. Aug 13, 2009
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The giant waraji sandal is an offering for healthy legs/feet. On the first day of the festival (which I missed in 2009), they carry this giant waraji to the festival grounds along Route 13. Here it is displayed at the intersection.Aug 13, 2009
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Held on the first Fri. and Sat. of Aug., the Fukushima Waraji Matsuri is mainly an evening parade of dancers. During Aug. 7-8, 2009, the 40th Fukushima Waraji Festival was held. I saw it on the second day.Aug 13, 2009
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"Waraji" means straw sandals. In central Fukushima city, Ashio Shrine (足尾神社) at a mountain called Shinobu-yama (信夫山) has Japan's largest waraji at 12 meters long and weighing 2 tons. Aug 13, 2009
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