Image search results - "aisho" - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Image search results - "aisho"

Held annually on May 4, the Misaki Shrine Fire Festival (hi-matsuri) has local people carry 2-meter long torches from their homes to the shrie where a 5-meter tall pile of bamboo is lit to make a towering inferno.A taiko drum is also carried and beaten.

Procession of local residents carrying torches to the shrine. Map

The torch procession rings out.

Towering inferno of bamboo on fire. The shrine has a 5-meter tall pile of bamboo which is lit to make a towering inferno within the shrine grounds. Very dramatic.

Misaki Shrine Fire Festival in Aisho. The shrine has a 5-meter tall pile of bamboo which is lit to make a towering inferno within the shrine grounds. Very dramatic. Also see the video at YouTube.

Torii at Misaki Shrine Fire Festival.

Taiko drum beating

Fire finally dies down.

Lantern

After the bon fire, the taiko drum procession leaves the shrine and parades around the village.

Ohmi Railways Echigawa Station. The station building, named Ruburu Echigawa, has a tourist information counter and exhibition gallery.

Ohmi Railways Echigawa Station platform.

Ohmi Railways train at Echigawa Station.

Parallel to Echigawa Station is the elevated shinkansen tracks.

Ohmi Railways Echigawa Station

Ohmi Railways Echigawa Station platform.

Railway crossing

Ohmi Railway track

Shinkansen tracks and cycling path

Omi Hemp Fabric Museum offer hands-on lessons to make small hemp fabric goods. Closed weekends and national holidays. 近江上布伝統産業会館

Former Echi Town Hall

Former Echi Town Hall built in 1922.

Former Echi Town Hall

Echigawa Fire Dept.

Modern homes in Echigawa

City logo

Echigawa-juku was the sixty-sixth station or post town (shukuba) of the sixty-nine stations on the Nakasendo Road. It is the sixth Nakasendo station in Shiga (following Takamiya-juku in Hikone), and one of ten Nakasendo stations in Shiga.In front of Echigawa Station, a sign point the way to Echigawa-juku (go right).

Entrance to Echigawa-juku at the northern end. Echigawa-juku was the sixty-sixth station or post town (shukuba) of the sixty-nine stations on the Nakasendo Road. Map

This is a high-class ryotei restaurant called Omi Shonin-tei (近江商人亭). Built in the 1920s, it used to be an Omi Merchant's second home who sold hemp cloth.This is also one location where the film Idai Naru, Shurararabon (偉大なる、しゅららぼん The Great Shu Ra Ra Boom) was filmed. The Natsume family's dojo scene.

Nakasendo in Echigawa-juku

Large intersection has an Echigawa-juku monument.

The street corner has a pocket park for an Echigawa-juku monument showing an ukiyoe print of the town. A stone marker also points the way to Takamiya-juku.

The ukiyoe print by Hiroshige shows a bridge across Echigawa River. It was toll-free (Muchin-bashi).

Hiroshige's woodblock print of Echigawa-juku (66th post town on the Nakasendo) from his Kisokaido series. On the left across the river is Mt. Kannonji (Kinugake).

Meiji Period-style mail box. It's a real mail box so you can deposit your mail here.

Pocket park in Echigawa-juku.

Heading south on the Nakasendo in Echigawa-juku.

Traditional-style building

Marker indicating that St. Shinran, founder of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Sect, once stayed at this temple.

Way to Homanji temple where St. Shinran once stayed.

Gate to Homanji temple.

Homanji temple Hondo hall in Echigawa-juku, Shiga. 宝満寺

Statue of St. Shinran (1173-1263) in front of the plum tree which he planted. The temple also has a scroll written by Shinran.

While traveling, St. Shinran was unable to cross the Echigawa River since there was a flood. So he stayed at this temple temporarily. During that time, he planted a plum tree which bloom red plum blossoms.

St. Shinran statue and plum tree.

The plum tree blooms in March.

Homanji Hondo

Inside Homanji Hondo main hall in Echigawa-juku, Shiga Prefecture

View from Hondo hall.

Some modern buildings along the Nakasendo in Echigawa-juku

Looks like a former bank building.

Hachiman Jinja Shrine in Echigawa-juku, Shiga

Way to Hachiman Shrine.

Hachiman Jinja Shrine, Echigawa-juku

The shrine has ties to Prince Shotoku Taishi who hid here from an enemy during a war. In appreciation, he donated rice paddies to the shrine.

Hachiman Jinja Shrine Honden main hall is a Shiga Prefecture Cultural Property.

Shops along the Nakasendo

Manhole in Echigawa-juku, Shiga, with a temari (thread ball) design.

Another famous building remaining in Echigawa-juku. This is the Takeheiro restaurant where Emperor Meiji once stayed.

Entrance to Takeheiro. It's not open to the public unless you want to dine there. 竹平楼

Stone monument at Takeheiro indicating that Emperor Meiji was here.

Takeheiro on the left, along the Nakasendo Road in Echigawa-juku, Shiga.

Toward the south end of Echigawa-juku. Bridge has a temari decoration.

Temari decoration on bridge.

South end gate of Echigawa-juku.

Bin Temari no Yakata Museum exhibits temari threaded balls in round glass bottles. Temari is a symbol of Echigawa. Near Echigawa Station. Intersection in Echigawa with a bin-temari monument. Map

Bin-temari monument. "Bin" means bottle, and "temari" is a threaded ball. The bin-temari is a round glass ball with a threaded ball inside.

Echigawa Bin-temari-no-Yakata or the Echigawa Bin-temari Museum. Open 10 am - 6 pm, closed Mon., Tue., last Wed. of the month, and national holidays. 7-min. walk from Echigawa Station. 愛知川びん手まりの館

Inside the courtyard of the Echigawa Bin-temari Museum.

Entrance to the Echigawa Bin-temari Museum. Free admission.

Well-known bin-temari maker.

Showcase full of bin-temari.

Bin-temari come in different sizes and an infinite number of threaded-ball designs. It also makes a great wedding gift since the round shape symbolizes harmony of the heart and family. You can also clearly see inside. 中がよく（仲良く）見える

Bin-temari in Echigawa, Shiga. Echigawa's bin-temari history goes back to around 1840 when its oldest bin-temari was made. However, this traditional art died out with the death of Aoki Hiro in 1973, Echigawa's last bin-temari maker.

After Aoki's death, a temari preservation society was formed and the craft was passed on based on Aoki's husband's memory of how his wife made it. Besides Echigawa, only a few other places in Japan still make bin-temari.

It makes you wonder how they fit the temari threaded ball into the round glass bottle.

The ball is actually hollow like a balloon. It is inserted into the bottle in a deflated state, then expanded into a ball. The museum also has a fascinating video showing how temari is made.

On display are temari balls from other parts of Japan.

Some balls have tassels.

Crane design in temari

Panel displays showing the history of Echigawa.

Aerial photo of Echigawa.

Nakasendo Road in Shiga

The museum complex includes the Echigawa Public Library.

In a small room in the library is Echigawa's sister city exhibit. Echigawa used to be a separate town before it merged with Aito to form Aisho town.

Sister city certificate for West Bend, Wisconsin, USA, in Echigawa Public Library.

From the city of West Bend, Wisconsin.

Quilt from Echigawa's sister city of West Bend, Wisconsin.

Bin-temari mail box in front of Echigawa Station.

Temari manhole cover in Aisho, Shiga

Kongorinji is a Tendai Buddhist temple established in 741 and the middle temple in the Koto Sanzan Temple Trio. The main temple hall is a National Treasure housing an 11-faced Kannon statue and 13 other statues designated as Important Cultural Properties.This is the Somon main gate to the temple. 総門

The temple was first built in 741 as ordered by Emperor Shomu. It later became a Tendai Buddhist temple in 850. It is famous for "blood-red" maple leaves in autumn.

Off-season, normally you take a taxi (15 min.) from JR Inae Station if you don't have a car. There's a regular taxi that leaves the station once an hour.

Temple ticket admission booth. ¥500 拝観受付

After the ticket admission booth, it's a delightful and colorful path to the temple.

The first building you see. Nishiya-do hall housing Amida Nyorai buddha. Built in the Edo Period. 西谷堂阿弥陀如来

Nishiya-do hall housing Amida Nyorai buddha. Built in the Edo Period. 西谷堂阿弥陀如来

Inside Nishiya-do hall housing Amida Nyorai buddha. 西谷堂阿弥陀如来

Nishiya-do hall housing Amida Nyorai buddha. Kongorinji Temple, Aisho, Shiga. 西谷堂阿弥陀如来

Akamon Gate 赤門

About Kongorinji's famous temple garden.

Famous temple garden built in the Momoyama Period (16th c.) to Edo Period. The building is the Kongorinji priest's residence. 名勝庭園本坊

Priest's residence next to the famous garden. Reconstructed in 1978. 明寿院

Jizo-do Hall built in 1997. Believers can train here. 地蔵堂

Inside the Jizo-do Hall built in 1997. 地蔵堂

Aisho, Shiga manhole

Garden of many Jizo statues.

From here, the path to the temple (main hall) is lined with 1,000 Jizo statues.

Steps to the Hondo main worship hall.

Hondo main hall

Kongorinji's main temple hall is a National Treasure housing an 11-faced Kannon statue and 13 other statues designated as Important Cultural Properties. Aisho, Shiga.