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Most viewed - Meiji Shrine 明治神宮
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Money in the offertory pit on New Year's Day at Meiji Shrine.171 views
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New Year's Day at Meiji Shrine. A total of 3 million people give New Year's prayers (Hatsumode) at Meiji Shrine. Japan's most popular shrine during New Year's.159 views
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On her legs is a summer pelt of deer fur (muka-baki 行縢). It supposed to cushion any fall from the horse. Fortunately, no one fell off the horse this day.140 views
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Actor Toshiro Mifune at Meiji Shrine.138 views
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In the past, police were hired to guard the money pit at Meiji Shrine. They also wore these face protectors to deflect the coins that fall short of the pit.130 views
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Meiji Shrine on New Year's Day127 views
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Actor Toshiro Mifune presides over the yabusame horseback archery at Meiji Shrine. The first and last time I saw this living legend in person. He was a student of the Takeda School of mounted archery and still has a close connection with the shrine.126 viewsI think he donated something for the shrine's yabusame.
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Her formal yabusame kimono (yoroi hitatare 鎧直垂) is light blue. Her left side is covered with a black arm guard (igote 射籠手) to make it easier to shoot the arrow. 126 viewsOn her left side, she also wears a tachi sword and the shorter dagger (maezashi 前差し). Right above her forearm, you can see a coil of spare bow string (tsurumaki 弦巻).
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Her arm guard bears her family crest and the sleeve's cuff has a dragonfly that is an auspicious symbol for courage and never retreating or running away. (Dragonflies don't fly backwards.)125 views
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This is Matayoshi Akemi (又吉あけ美). Her long, black hair made her stand out as "A woman archer!" as many exclaimed. They had seven horses that are specially trained for yabusame. Each one has a name. The arrows have blunt wooden tips.125 views
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Lots of coins that fell short of Meiji Shrine's money pit. People no longer throw money from so far away. They wait until they get to the front.123 views
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Delighted to see a few women archers at Meiji Shrine yabusame horseback archery on Nov. 3.122 views
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Yabusame is a centuries-old Shinto ceremony to pray for peace in the land and rich harvests. The mounted archery is preceded by a Shinto prayer ceremony. 120 viewsIt originated with samurai who had to be skillful mounted archers in medieval battles before guns were introduced.
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People behind me on New Year's Day at Meiji Shrine.117 views
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There's a 210-meter straight horse track within the shrine's spacious grounds. The track has three targets and each horseback archer gallops at full speed and tries to hit each target with an arrow.114 views
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At Meiji Shrine, a wedding couple is led by a Shinto priests and two shrine maidens.100 views
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Meiji Shrine's torii.95 views
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Two wedded tree trunks (楠) coupled by a sacred rope at Meiji Shrine.94 views
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Meiji Shrine is also popular for holding weddings. On weekends, you can see several couples passing through.93 views
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Meiji Shrine's main worship hall. If you look closely at the wooden pillars, you can see numerous little cuts in the wood made by people throwing coins at the shrine during New Year's.92 views
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Amulets, charms, talisman66 views
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Meiji Shrine or Meiji Jingu is Tokyo largest and most important Shinto shrine. Dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1852–1912) and Empress Shoken (1849–1914). The most popular shrine during New Year's in Tokyo. It also holds a variety of seasonal events.50 views
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Ema prayer tablets.49 views
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Turn left and see another torii.48 views
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Go left.48 views
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Second torii48 views
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Meiji Shrine is in a large wooded, park-like area. A wide walking path leads to the shrine. It can be dusty due to the gravel.47 views
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Sake rice wine.47 views
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Meiji Shrine is one of Tokyo's major sights. Cross the Bridge over the train tracks.46 views
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Barrels of French wine offered to the Meiji Shrine because the Meiji Emperor liked wine.46 views
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Across the barrels of wine are barrels of sake rice wine.46 views
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Along here, you may see some outdoor panel displays.46 views
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Where you wash/purify yourself. Temizuya46 views
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The left tree is actually a couple.46 views
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JR Harajuku Station will soon be replaced by a new building.45 views
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Harajuku Station45 views
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The torii gate for Meiji Shrine.45 views
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Meiji Shrine's forest was man-made, not natural.45 views
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Where you wash/purify yourself. Temizuya45 views
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Shinmon Gate 神門45 views
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In June, iris garden at Meiji Shrine.45 views
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Meiji Shrine torii44 views
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Last torii before the main shrine.44 views
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The main worship hall is flanked by these two large trees.44 views
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Wedding couple on their way to their ceremony inside the shrine with the wedded trees in the foreground.44 views
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On the left, there is a gate where you can exit and go to the shrine's park area.44 views
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When I saw yabusame at Meiji Shrine for the first time years ago, Mifune Toshiro (center) was still alive and he was there. I think he was the bugyo (master of the yabusame proceedings 奉行).44 viewsBehind him, you can see a white tarp for VIPs. They were sitting in front of the second target. Many foreign diplomats are invited to this event and they sit here.
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Main shrine hall ahead.43 views
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The right tree provides shade for many ema prayer tablets.43 views
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You can buy a prayer tablet and write your wish/hope/prayer on it and hang it here.43 views
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Shrine maidens (miko)43 views
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Wedding couple on their way to their ceremony inside the shrine.43 views
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Chrysanthemum crest is the symbol of the Imperial family.43 views
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Path to the park area.43 views
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Entrance to Treasure Museum.43 views
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Main worship hall in front and a large offering pit where you throw money, etc.43 views
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People on my right on New Year's Day at Meiji Shrine.43 views
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Sacred dances performed on stage at Meiji Shrine for their spring festival.43 views
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Shrine shop for talisman.42 views
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Shiseikan Dojo (Martial Arts Training Hall)42 views
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People pray in front of the money/offertory pit.42 views
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Crowd control and Meiji Shrine.42 views
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Buying amulets. 42 views
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Cafe and restaurant42 views
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Path back to exit to Harajuku Station.42 views
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People on my left on New Year's Day at Meiji Shrine.41 views
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Cafe and restaurant on New Year's.41 views
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Phone booth41 views
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Throw away old New Year's decorations here.41 views
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Spring festival in early May.41 views
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Bunkakan museum40 views
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JR Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line is the closest station to Meiji Jingu Shrine.40 views
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Yabusame is much more impressive when you see it in person. The costumes, the speed, and the excitement of seeing the archer hitting the target is just so impressive.37 views
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JR Harajuku Station37 views
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First they used square wooden targets and then these small targets made of ceramic dishes.36 views
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JR Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line35 views
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A small stage was setup along the main path to Meiji Shrine for traditional performances.34 views
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The archer shoots at the first target. The second target is in the middle of the track and the third is toward the end of the track.34 views
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Chrysanthemum exhibits on the main path to Meiji Shrine.33 views
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Chrysanthemum exhibits on the main path to Meiji Shrine.33 views
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Meiji Shrine's spanking new torii.33 views
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Diplomat cars for foreign ambassadors attending the yabusame horseback archery at Meiji Shrine on Nov. 3.33 views
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Good thing the weather was good. In fact, Nov. 3 in Japan has a fantastic record for fine weather. It rained on this day only twice or so in the past few decades.33 views
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Yabusame is one of Japan's hallmark traditional arts and commonly staged for visiting heads of state at Meiji Shrine.33 viewsFormer US president Ulysses Grant saw it with Emperor Meiji at Ueno Park in 1879, Ronald Reagan in 1983 at Meiji Shrine, George W. Bush (with PM Koizumi) at Meiji Shrine in 2001, and Obama (with Caroline Kennedy) at Meiji Shrine in 2014.
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About the Meiji Shrine's annual Autumn Grand Festival (秋の大祭).32 views
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On Nov. 3, 2016, went to see Meiji Shrine's annual Autumn Grand Festival (秋の大祭). Nov. 3 is a national holiday called "Culture Day." 32 viewsIt's also the late Emperor Meiji's birthday and originally a national holiday for his birthday.
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Sanbaso dancer32 views
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The shrine was undergoing major renovations, especially the roof.32 views
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The main event was yabusame horseback archery.32 views
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At the start of the horse track, the fan bearer (扇方 ogikata) uses a large fan to signal that the track is clear for the next archer to run.32 views
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Delighted to see a few women archers too.32 views
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Besides the costumes, the saddles and stirrups are very different from western ones.32 views
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Entertainment stage on the way to Meiji Shrine.31 views
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Sanbaso dancer (三番叟) who prays for abundant harvests. Featured in Noh and kabuki as well.31 views
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Chrysanthemum exhibits on the main path to Meiji Shrine.31 views
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It takes about 20 sec. for the horse to complete the run. It's very difficult for the archer to hit all three targets in a single run, but someone usually does it.31 views
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These archers belong to the Takeda School of mounted archery. They are based in Miura, Kanagawa where they practice almost weekly. They have about 60 members.31 views
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Aikido demonstrations30 views
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Huge crowd. Need to get here early to get a good viewing spot.30 views
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After all the archers complete their runs, they trot back to the starting point and receive their shot arrows along the way. Each archer's arrows have a unique arrow tip (shape and/or color) so they know which is theirs.30 viewsThey do a few runs and the event lasts for about 2 hours.
     
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