Last additions - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

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Last additions - OSAKA 大阪府

Inside JR Hanwa Line train.Jan 02, 2019

JR Hanwa Line at JR Otori Station. 鳳駅Jan 02, 2019

JR Otori Station. 鳳駅Jan 02, 2019

Otori shopping arcade, but the shops were closed on New Year's Day.Jan 02, 2019

Otori shopping arcade.Jan 02, 2019

Manhole in Sakai, Osaka.Jan 02, 2019

Otori Danjiri Matsuri is held in Oct. Similar to the one in Kishiwada.Jan 02, 2019

Stay away from brick walls if the earth starts to shake.Jan 02, 2019

Torii for the back exit.Jan 02, 2019

Tree roots.Jan 02, 2019

Secondary shrine for Amaterasu Sun Goddess and Sugawara Michizane. 大鳥美波比神社Jan 02, 2019

The shrine suffered major damage from Typhoon No. 21 last Sept. Trees were damaged.Jan 02, 2019

Jan 02, 2019

Otori Taisha shrine suffered major damage from Typhoon No. 21 in Sept.2018. Part of the roof on the main shrine was damaged.Jan 02, 2019

You can walk around Otori Taisha's main shrine. Otori Taisha's architecture is called Otori-zukuri.Jan 02, 2019

OmikujiJan 02, 2019

New Year's arrows.Jan 02, 2019

Otori Taisha's ema prayer tablet for the white bird.Jan 02, 2019

This is Otori Taisha's regular-size ema prayer tablet for the Year of the Boar 2019.Jan 02, 2019

Next to Otori Taisha's Haiden hall was this jumbo ema prayer tablet for the Year of the Boar 2019. A white boar steadily walking up a hill toward its goal symbolized by the rising sun.Jan 02, 2019

Especially popular was the omikuji.Jan 02, 2019

Back of the Haiden hall.Jan 02, 2019

Patient people.Jan 02, 2019

No wonder it took so long to get to the shrine. The praying area is quite narrow.Jan 02, 2019

Offertor pit at Haiden worship hall on New Year's Day 2019.Jan 02, 2019

Otori Taisha shrine's Haiden worship hall on New Year's Day 2019, Sakai, Osaka. 拝殿Jan 02, 2019

Jan 02, 2019

And closer...Jan 02, 2019

Getting closer the shrine on the left.Jan 02, 2019

Wash basin, but hardly anyone used it. People didn't want to lose their place in line.Jan 02, 2019

I've noticed piles of trash at large Osaka shrines.Jan 02, 2019

This is a statue of Yamato Takeru (日本武尊) at Otori Taisha. He went around Japan and defeated his enemies until he finally met his demise on Mt. Ibuki in Shiga Prefecture where sought to kill an evil god. This god disguised himself as a white boar (another version says it was a serpent) who sprayed a poisonous mist that sickened Yamato Takeru.

He eventually died and when his body was cremated and buried in Kameyama in Mie Prefecture, his spirit rose from the ashes as a great white bird. This bird landed in a few places before finally landing here in Sakai, Osaka, where this Otori Shrine was built. "Otori" means "Big Bird" (not like Sesame Street, but more like a great swan or firebird).Jan 02, 2019

If you've never been to this shrine, it's impossible to tell how far or how near you are. The path makes a few turns.Jan 02, 2019

Standing still too often.Jan 02, 2019

Barrels of sake offered to the shrine.Jan 02, 2019

Much of the time we stood still. Didn't move much.Jan 02, 2019

The path to the shrine is quite narrow. It took a while to get to the shrine as we inched along.Jan 02, 2019

Suddenly the path to the shrine got crowded and later this line of people stopped movng. The first torii to Otori Taisha.Jan 02, 2019

About Otori Taisha in English, Korean, and Chinese.Jan 02, 2019

Entrance to Otori Taisha on New Year's Day 2019.Jan 02, 2019

Otori Taisha (officially named "Otori Jinja") shrine is dedicated to Yamato Takeru (日本武尊), a very famous, legendary warrior prince. This is the headquarters shrine of all Otori shrines (大鳥神社) in Japan. Short walk from Otori Station (鳳駅) on the JR Hanwa Line that connects to Tennoji on the Osaka Loop Line.Jan 02, 2019

The shrine is in the small forest named "Chigusa-no-mori." Not very many people were here so I thought it would be quick and easy to see this shrine. But I was wrong.Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha Station on the Nankai Line.Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha Station's Shop Nankai shopping arcade.Jan 02, 2019

Manhole in Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka.Jan 02, 2019

The old and now -closed Sumiyoshi Koen Station for the tram.Jan 02, 2019

Hankai Line tram at Sumiyoshi Torii-mae stop in front of Sumiyoshi Taisha. 阪堺線住吉鳥居前停留場Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Park is across the train tracks from Sumiyoshi Taisha. Big park. 住吉公園Jan 02, 2019

Food stalls on the way out.Jan 02, 2019

Ama-zake was good too.Jan 02, 2019

Jan 02, 2019

Free serving of hot ginger tea. That was good. Clears your nasal passages.Jan 02, 2019

Grand tree at Sumiyoshi Taisha, Osaka.Jan 02, 2019

Decorative paddles with a cat.Jan 02, 2019

Cat rice paddles.Jan 02, 2019

Small cat figurines for sale.Jan 02, 2019

About Hattatsu worship. 住吉大社初辰まいりJan 02, 2019

Larger beckoning cat figurines at Nankun-sha cat shrine at Sumiyoshi Taisha.Jan 02, 2019

Tiny beckoning cat figurines at Nankun-sha cat shrine at Sumiyoshi Taisha.Jan 02, 2019

They have tiny, medium, and large cat statues that you can collect.Jan 02, 2019

Nankun-sha cat shrine altar (楠珺社). It promotes "Hattatsu" worship. At Sumiyoshi Taisha, Osaka. 初辰まいりYou supposed to come here and worship monthly and collect a total of 48 cat figurines over a period of 24 years. Then you'll get the jackpot of family safety and business prosperity. It's based on a play of words with "48" (shijuhachi) that can be pronounced similarly to "shiju-hattatsu (始終発達) which means "constant advancement or development."Jan 02, 2019

Inside Nankun-sha cat shrine (楠珺社). Jan 02, 2019

Nankun-sha cat shrine (楠珺社). Jan 02, 2019

Banners for the Nankun-sha cat shrine (楠珺社). It's behind Hongu No. 1.Jan 02, 2019

Small shrine for a great tree.Jan 02, 2019

New Year's souvenir arrows.Jan 02, 2019

Rear of Wakamiya Hachimangu.Jan 02, 2019

Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine, a secondary shrine of Sumiyoshi Taisha. Worships Hachiman (Emperor Ojin), the guardian deity of the samurai. 若宮八幡宮Hachiman (Emperor Ojin) was the son of Empress Jingu.Jan 02, 2019

Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine, a secondary shrine of Sumiyoshi Taisha. The torii is unusual with the middle beam not sticking out the sides. 若宮八幡宮Jan 02, 2019

Regular ema prayer tablet with Sorihashi Bridge. ¥800 絵馬Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha's ema prayer tablet for 2019, Year of the Boar. ¥1000 絵馬Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 4 shrine.Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 3 shrine offertory pit.Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 3 shrine in front of the altar protected by netting.Jan 02, 2019

Rear view of Hongu No. 3 shrine.Jan 02, 2019

Rear view of Hongu No. 3 and No. 4 shrines. Sumiyoshi-zukuri architectureJan 02, 2019

Side view of Hongu No. 3.Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha Hongu No. 3 and No. 4 shrines. Both are National Treasures. Hongu No. 4 worships Jingu Kogo (Empress Jingu 神功皇后).(第三本宮・第四本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha Hongu No. 3 shrine, National Treasure. Worships Uwatsutsu no Onomikoto (表筒男命). (第三本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 3 shrine. (第三本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 4 shrine and Hongu No. 2 shrine.Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 2 shrine fence.Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 2 shrine. The Sumiyoshi-zukuri architecture has decorative ridgepoles.Jan 02, 2019

Back of No. 2 Hongu shrine. Striking contrast with the dark brown, front part of the shrine. (第二本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 2 shrine offertory pit. A happy time for Shinto shrines. (第二本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 2 shrine offertory pit. (第二本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 2 shrine with netting to protect the altar from flyimg coins. (第二本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 2 shrine. (第二本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha Hongu No. 2 shrine, National Treasure. Worships Nakatsutsu no Onomikoto (中筒男命). (第二本宮)Jan 02, 2019

Omikuji paper fortunes on New Year's Day.Jan 02, 2019

People going to Hongu No. 1 shrine. Security staff direct and watch the crowd.Jan 02, 2019

People going to Hongu No. 1 shrine (left). In the distance is the back of Hongu No. 2 shrine.Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 1 shrine offertory pit.Jan 02, 2019

In front of Hongu No. 1 shrine, shielded with plastic so the coins don't hit the altar or people inside.Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha's Hongu No. 1 shrine, a National Treasure. Osaka city. Worships Sokotsutsu no Onomikoto (底筒男命).Jan 02, 2019

Go left through that gate to exit and to see the "cat shrine."Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha is the headquarters shrine of all Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan, about 600 of them. Most are in central and western Japan.Jan 02, 2019

Crowd going to Hongu No. 1. You supposed to pray at Hongu No. 1 first, then you can pray at the other Hongu and secondary shrines. Jan 02, 2019

Hongu No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 shrines worship a trio of gods called Sumiyoshi Okami (住吉大神). They are gods of the sea, waka poetry, agriculture and industries, traditional archery, and even sumo wrestling.Jan 02, 2019

Crowd going to Hongu No. 1. Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha's main shrine consists of four shrines named Hongu No. 1, 2, 3, and 4 (本宮). Each Hongu is dedicated to a different deity and all four Hongu shrines are National Treasures. First you see Hongu No. 3 and 4 here. Jan 02, 2019

Enter the shrine through the torii and gate ahead.Jan 02, 2019

Sorihashi Bridge (反橋) is a symbol of the shrine and one of the larger taikobashi.Jan 02, 2019

On Sorihashi Bridge (反橋).Jan 02, 2019

It has graduated steps.Jan 02, 2019

Going up the shrine's arch bridge called Sorihashi (反橋).Jan 02, 2019

Going up the shrine's taikobashi arch bridge called Sorihashi (反橋).Jan 02, 2019

Jan 02, 2019

Pass through the first torii, then the taikobashi bridge.Jan 02, 2019

One bottleneck was here, the tram line crossing. The crowd had to stop here whenever a tram passed through. The shrine is straight ahead.Jan 02, 2019

It looks very crowded at Sumiyoshi Taisha, but it progressed quickly. Kept on walking most of the time.Jan 02, 2019

Jan 02, 2019

Going through the Shop Nankai shopping arcade connected to the train station's exit.Jan 02, 2019

From the train station platform before noon, we could see the crowd heading to the shrine. This crowd became less in the afternoon.Jan 02, 2019

Sumiyoshi Taisha is one of Japan's three most popular shrines during New Year's (Jan. 1 to 3) seeing over 2 million worshippers. The main shrines are National Treasures since they are built in the unique Sumiyoshi-zukuri style. Nicknamed "Sumiyossan" by locals, Sumiyoshi Taisha is the headquarters shrine of all Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan, about 600 of them. Most are in central and western Japan. The shrine is a short walk from Sumiyoshi Taisha Station on the Nankai Line and Hankai Line tram station. These photos were taken on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2019, Year of the Boar. Jan 02, 2019

Sep 22, 2016

Kishiki Shrine's priest conducts a prayer for each float.Sep 22, 2016

The float pullers enter the shrine grounds for a short prayer.Sep 22, 2016

Sep 22, 2016

There is a rock garden in front.Sep 22, 2016

Kishiwada Castle tower (donjon). Sep 22, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

The inside of the taiko drums is covered with gold leaf for better sound.Sep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

Large taiko shop (TaikoMasa) near Ashiharabashi Station on the Loop Line. This area has a number of taiko shops. Their quality taiko drums are made of zelkova wood (keyaki). They also make the taiko drums used in the Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri.Sep 17, 2016

Drunken man inside Shin-Osaka Station.Sep 17, 2016

Bunraku puppet displayed inside Shin-Osaka Station.Sep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

Shin-Osaka Station's shinkansen turnstile.Sep 17, 2016

Bento to Mixed Plate exhibition in 2001 at National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka.Sep 17, 2016

Osaka subways are more international than in Tokyo. This destination sign is displayed in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean. In Tokyo, we only see Japanese and English.Sep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

Honolulu Coffee in Dotonbori, OsakaSep 17, 2016

HalloweenSep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

Lots of indoor shopping arcades.Sep 17, 2016

Besides neon signs, shops, restaurants, and boardwalks, there are boat cruises along the canal in Dotonbori.Sep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

Lots of tourists. Dotonbori is quite a spectacle at night.Sep 17, 2016

Boardwalks along the canal.Sep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

SushiSep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

Gyoza restaurant in this retro area.Sep 17, 2016

Restaurant row is fun too. Crab restaurant Kani Dōraku's crab sign has been here since 1960.Sep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

So this clown was moved here, not far from its original location.Sep 17, 2016

Another Dotonbori icon is Kuidaore Taro, a mechanical drum-playing clown that used to be the mascot of a restaurant that has since closed.Sep 17, 2016

Lots of neon signs, like Ginza in Tokyo.Sep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

Welcome to Dotonbori!Sep 17, 2016

Ebisubashi Bridge or the "pick-up" bridge. However, it is regularly patrolled by police to prevent solicitations.Sep 17, 2016

Sep 17, 2016

Glico Man at Dotonbori.Sep 17, 2016

Eiffel Tower and Glico Man.Sep 17, 2016

Rome's Colosseum and Glico Man.Sep 17, 2016

Interesting to watch how the background changes. Sep 17, 2016

The Glico Man is also very famous in Asia, with many Asian tourists posing with it.Sep 17, 2016

The Glico Man sign uses LED now. The tourists mimic the Glico Man's pose. The area is regularly patrolled by the police so it's less sleazy than before.Sep 17, 2016

Dotonbori is Osaka's most famous evening entertainment district with neon lights, shops, restaurants, riverside boardwalks, boat rides, and big-city hustle and bustle.Sep 17, 2016

My video of Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri Festival shot in the Haruki area near Haruki Station on Sept. 20, 2009 in Kishiwada, Osaka.Aug 22, 2014

My video of Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri Festival, around Nankai Kishiwada Station in Kishiwada, Osaka. Footage shot mainly near Kishiwada Castle.Aug 22, 2014

The Grand Front Osaka complex next to Osaka Station opened in April 2013.Apr 14, 2014

Inside Grand Front Osaka, this coffee shop from Hawaii (serving Kona coffee) with a long line of people waiting to get in. We couldn't wait and reluctantly went to Starbucks instead.Apr 14, 2014

Apr 14, 2014

Rooftop garden for rent.Apr 14, 2014

Apr 14, 2014

The new station buildings also have pleasant rooftop parks with a view.Apr 14, 2014

Apr 14, 2014

JR Osaka StationApr 14, 2014

Apr 14, 2014

There are great spots to just sit or meet up with a friend. Apr 14, 2014

Apr 14, 2014

Inside Osaka Station.Apr 14, 2014

The pedestrian bridge above the train tracks gives a bird's-eye view of all or most of the tracks. I could never figure out Osaka Station until now.Apr 14, 2014

JR Osaka Station's new terminal building opened on May 4, 2011. Great improvement. It has a simple lean-to roof that creates some space to build bridges and plazas above the train tracks.Very easy to get your bearings and remember which way to go wherever you wanna go. Apr 14, 2014