 Most viewed - Onbashira Festival (Shimo-sha Yamadashi) 御柱祭 下社 山出し |
But my camera captured the log going down, even though I could hardly see it. Onbashira Festival, Shimosuwa, Nagano. 木落とし坂 春宮一之柱758 views
|
|
This was Log No. 1 for Shimo-sha's Harunomiya Shrine.373 views
|
|
Then came the log, and a lotta dust which made it difficult to see what was going on.341 views
|
|
Billboard depicting Ki-otoshi (Log Drop) at Shimosuwa Station.339 views
|
|
The log heading to the Shimekake resting place. If you don't like crowds, don't see this festival. Also see photos of Shimo-sha Satobiki.339 views
|
|
The Ax Man. He cuts the rope which sets the log loose down the slope.336 views
|
|
The logs will rest here for about a month until early May when they will be hauled to the shrines for the Satobiki erection.332 views
|
|
It was over after a few seconds. We walked for an hour from the train station and waited hours for just a few seconds of mostly dust.329 views
|
|
Here is where anybody can get on the logs and play.328 views
|
|
327 views
|
|
Now we walked back together with hundreds of thousands of people...327 views
|
|
We waited for the log scheduled to come down at 3 pm, but it was delayed by 2 hours...317 views
|
|
The log pullers split into two.317 views
|
|
After walking for 30 min., we reached this place called Shimekake, a resting place for the logs which had been hauled from the mountains. This is Log No. 2 for Akinomiya Shrine. 注連掛315 views
|
|
Log No. 4 for Shimo-sha Shrine's Akinomiya Shrine which already went down the big slope for Ki-otoshi (Log Drop) comes out at 1:30 pm. 秋宮四之柱314 views
|
|
We weren't the only ones there.312 views
|
|
This was my view of the slope.310 views
|
|
309 views
|
|
After the Shimekake, we walked further.308 views
|
|
Finally, people pulling the log appeared.306 views
|
|
We sat there for hours.305 views
|
|
Hiroshige's woodblock print of Takasaki (30th post town on the Nakasendo) from his Kisokaido series. 303 views
|
|
The crowd extended all the way to the rear. All to see the 3pm Ki-otoshi log drop.301 views
|
|
Go straight on this road in front of the station.299 views
|
|
We had to walk it. This was April 10, 2004, one of the days for Shimo-sha Shrine's Yamadashi when they hauled the logs from the mountain forest.298 views
|
|
So after this log came out, we were allowed to proceed to the giant slope.294 views
|
|
Thank goodness for telephoto lenses.294 views
|
|
People everywhere along the edge of the slope.293 views
|
|
292 views
|
|
I was forced to join this crowd.291 views
|
|
Store your luggage here. Not enough lockers at the train station so they provide this service. 400 yen/day.290 views
|
|
We had to wait until the 1pm Ki-otoshi log came out.286 views
|
|
Until we were stopped here. Sign says that only people with tickets can proceed further. Yeah, we walked all this way only to be told we cannot go further. Our destination was the Ki-otoshi slope where the huge logs slide down for the Yamadashi.285 views
|
|
Shimosuwa Station 下諏訪駅283 views
|
|
Log No. 4 for Shimo-sha Shrine's Akinomiya Shrine. 秋宮四之柱282 views
|
|
It was very steep and uncomfortable to sit on, so I decided to leave this place.278 views
|
|
276 views
|
|
There are no buses nor taxis to where we want to go.271 views
|
|
271 views
|
|
We had to wait until the Ki-otoshi at 1pm was over. That's the one we wanted to see. But the place was already too full.266 views
|
|
There it is, the slope.264 views
|
|
The numerous people and trees made it impossible to see the slope itself.262 views
|
|
The Ki-otoshi slope, and one of the icons of the festival. This is the larger slope for Ki-otoshi compared to the one for the Kami-sha Shrine in Chino. 木落とし坂258 views
|
|
The Ki-otoshi slope up close. Very rough-looking. 木落とし坂255 views
|
|
|
|
