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Neputa float from Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture. From the Neputa Matsuri Festival held in Aug. The float has lights inside and it is lit up and pulled by people during the festival held in the evening.35 views
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A great way to see Ine is by boat (called "sea taxi"). Small boats offer 30-min tours for only ¥1,000 per person. This boat was the "Kameshima Maru" (亀島丸) operated by Toshikazu Yamada. He pointed out the boat houses and location35 viewsThere's no cruise schedule so you can just call and set a time for a cruise. There must be at least two people for a cruise to depart. http://kameshimamaru.server-shared.com/index.html
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The 30-min. boat cruise gave us our fill of many photos of these funaya.35 views
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We also had a guided walking tour of Ine village. Behind the funaya boat houses is this narrow coastal road and another row of homes across the road on the left at the foot of the hills. 35 viewsThe homes along the left are the main homes where the fishermen's family live. And their funaya boat houses are right across the road on the right.
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Roof tile ornament of Ebisu, god of fishing.35 views
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Kotohira Shrine's Ema Hall (絵馬舎) used for prayers for safe seafaring. This hall had a large painting of the shrine’s grand float festival held about 100 years ago.35 views
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They are in this distinctive, traditional building rebuilt in 1930 after the big 1927 Tango earthquake.35 views
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Ancient dugout canoe found in Maizuru.35 views
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Entrance hall stained glass.35 views
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Stairway.35 views
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Chionji Temple's Tahoto Pagoda was built in the 16th century. 多宝塔35 views
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Monjudo35 views
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Omikuji paper fortunes shaped like a folding fan.35 views
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One house had a small chirimen factory we could view through a window.35 views
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There used to be four ryokan here, but this Izutsuya ryokan 井筒屋 is the only ryokan remaining in Chirimen Kaido.35 views
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Bathroom35 views
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Exhibits in the kura storehouse.35 views
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Kitchen35 views
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The windw lattice design indicated the family's occupation.35 views
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This home housed a chirimen factory and these windows let in light and air, but kept out prying eyes from passersby in the old days (when people were shorter I guess). Chirimen makers had secrets to keep.35 views
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The line formed along these wide roads that were blocked off from traffic. 35 views
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Kobe Luminarie finally in sight. Everybody was amazed and thrilled as we got closer and closer...35 views
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Galleria Coperta (ガレリアコペルタ).35 views
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Kobe Luminarie's Cassa Armonica (カッサ・アルモニカ).35 views
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People lined up to donate money and ring this bell.35 views
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Vintage building housing a restaurant.35 views
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Caban Street is lined with several bag shops. カバンストリート35 views
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Toyobra bag shop on Caban Street.35 views
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Caban Street in Toyooka, Hyogo. カバンストリート35 views
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Izushi Castle's West Corner Turret.35 views
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Going up the shrine's arch bridge called Sorihashi (反橋).35 views
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Nankun-sha cat shrine (楠珺社). 35 views
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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. 35 viewsShort walk from Otori Station (鳳駅) on the JR Hanwa Line that connects to Tennoji on the Osaka Loop Line.
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I've noticed piles of trash at large Osaka shrines.35 views
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Otori shopping arcade, but the shops were closed on New Year's Day.35 views
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The marathon's lead and end police cars.35 views
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And they are off!! Good luck to them all!!35 views
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Ishiwata Chifumi and Sumi-chan.35 views
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The miso soybean paste in the tonjiru pork miso soup was made by Sumi-chan, a "miso meijin" (味噌名人) or expert miso cook. 35 views
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Silica Glass Museum is on a hill with great views of the city. Also offers hands-on glass-making lessons. http://www.studiosilica.com/35 views
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Glass Studio Silica gift shop. ガラス工房シリカ35 views
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Pottery by our teacher, Kikuchi Hidetoshi and wife Mie.35 views
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Kikuchi Hidetoshi and wife Mie.35 views
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Akatsukien onsen minshuku dining room where we had monkfish hot pot. ¥14,000/night including dobujiru. 民宿 暁園35 views
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Display of all the fishes caught in Kita-Ibaraki.35 views
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Minshuku Uohiko uses natural hot spring for the bath.35 views
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Romon Gate35 views
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Romon Gate35 views
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Ema prayer tablet35 views
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Haiden worship hall. 拝殿35 views
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Covering only one eye.35 views
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Benzaiten Shrine.35 views
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Rare cedar with three trunks.35 views
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In the hotel lobby: Kita-Ibaraki's official mascots, An-chan and Kou-chan. Together, they are "Ankou" which means "monkfish," or angler fish that is the city's most famous delicacy. 35 viewsAn-chan is a fisherman, and Kou-chan is a monkfish.
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Itsuura Kanko Hotel is quite unique and historical because it renovated the artist residences of Nihonga painters Yokoyama Taikan and Kimura Buzan and uses them as part of the hotel where guests can stay. 35 viewsWe actually stayed in the Yokoyama Taikan residence here. (横山大観記念館 特別室)
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Entrance foyer of Yokoyama Taikan Memorial Hall where we stayed. Great private lodging for groups up to 22 people.35 views
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Yokoyama Taikan (1868–1958) is one of the most famous Nihonga painters. His former residence includes a showcase of his artifacts.35 views
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Beautiful tokonoma and painting.35 views
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This is a typical room in the hotel's modern tower. Twin beds.35 views
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In the modern hotel tower, our banquet room for dinner.35 views
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View of Rokkakudo from the hotel's modern tower.35 views
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Itsuura Kanko Hotel Honkan lobby.35 views
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Buzan's beautiful tea ceremony room.35 views
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Elegant transom with a pine tree carving.35 views
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Manhole card for Kusatsu's manhole.35 views
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My video of Kita-Ibaraki's Ofune Matsuri boat festival.35 views
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The festival originally used an actual fishing boat. But now this wooden boat was built especially for the festival.35 views
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Removing in the boat railingsbefore people boarded.35 views
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After being paraded around town all morning, the portable shrine arrives near the boat.35 views
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Ahead of the boat, wooden pallets called "soroban" are laid on the road for the boat to be dragged on.35 views
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Pallets are ready for the next drag.35 views
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Narrow streets make it crowded.35 views
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Picking up the pallets.35 views
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For smaller crowds, Saitama Super Arena can be adjusted to have only two tiers of seats.35 views
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Mino Station, Gifu, with three retired trains on display.35 views
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Mino Station, Gifu. モ60135 views
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Udatsu roof firewall in Mino, Gifu.35 views
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The Saio princess wears a juni-hitoe (12-layer) robe reserved only for female Imperial family members or women marrying into the Imperial family.35 views
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Kano-juku was the 53rd station or lodging/post town of the Nakasendo Road. Hiroshige's print of Kanō-juku was part of The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaidō series. Kano Castle can be seen. 35 viewsShort walk south of JR Gifu Station.
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After the festival is over, be sure to visit the Saiku Historical Museum nearby. See this album.35 views
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This brown building was the Saio's modest living quarters. Not as large as you would expect.35 views
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Video of Shigaraki Festival.35 views
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The sand grains are about half the size of normal sand, resulting in a very packed and solid sandy surface. Solid enough for vehicles.35 viewsChirihama Nagisa Driveway in Hakui, Ishikawa.
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In Hakui, Ishikawa, Myojoji Temple's five-story pagoda is a National Important Cultural Property built in 1618. 妙成寺 五重塔35 viewsTemple address: 石川県羽咋市滝谷町ヨ1
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Naruto whirlpool.35 viewsJNTO photo.
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Rishiri as seen from Rebun.35 views
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Rishiri as seen from Rebun.35 views
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After hiking about 30 min., a scenic point gives a view of Mariyudu Falls. Series of three waterfalls. It empties into a round stream pool. "Mariyudu" means stream pool. マリゥドゥの滝35 views
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Mariyudu Falls on Urauchi River. About 20 meters wide and 16-meter drop in total. One of Japan's 100 Famous Waterfalls. マリゥドゥの滝35 views*People can no longer come this close to the falls. There were people who slipped and fell in, so the closeup path is blocked.
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No jet bridge, but it wasn't a problem when it didn't rain.35 views
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JTA plane's see-sa at Ishigaki Airport.35 views
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Ground crew at the old Ishigaki Airport waving goodbye to us. I waved back.35 views
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Runway at the old Ishigaki Airport. The slanty white building visible is the ANA hotel on the beach. That's how close the old airport was to town.35 views
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Shuri Castle wall with pointy tips.35 views
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Kankaimon Gate and Kyukeimon Gate.35 views
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Oct. 31, 2019, the day all of Okinawa cried. Shurijo Castle's Seiden Hall was totally destroyed by fire along with connecting halls. Apparently caused by short-circuited wiring on the left side of the building.35 viewsAfter the charred remains were cleaned up, the castle fully reopened to the public in June 2020 with this elevated walkway for visitors to see the ruins and the progress of the castle's reconstruction.
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Zensuiji Hondo main worship hall35 views
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Nagahama Port is within walking distance (15 min.) from Nagahama Station. Nagahama Port building next to the dock is where you buy your ticket. Map here35 views
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You can sit anywhere you want. Inside Benten. Very comfortable and warm in winter. Not many passengers. Easy to social distance.35 views
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Snowy Mt. Ibuki as seen from Lake Biwa. Shiga's highest mountain at 1,377 meters.35 views
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Chikubushima boat dock.35 views
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At Chikubushima Port, boat on the left is “Benten” that goes to Nagahama Port. On the right is Omi Marine’s red boat named “Naomasa” (after famous local samurai Ii Naomasa) goes to Hikone Port.35 views
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Chikubushima Port. There's another dock nearby for the boat to Imazu. 竹生島港35 views
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Many monuments on Chikubushima. The large building on the upper left is the quarters (本坊) for temple priests.35 views
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Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song) monument for Verse 4. 琵琶湖就航の歌 歌碑35 views
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Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song) monument for Verse 4 engraved on the front.35 views
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Souvenir shops on the way to the temple. There's a ticket vendor when you buy a temple admission ticket (¥300) to enter the temple grounds.35 views
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Chikubushima Port. Smaller boats are from island workers and priests. No one lives on Chikubushima. People commute by boat.35 views
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Karamon Gate (National Treasure)35 views
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黒龍堂35 views
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Haiden Hall has this small shrine for the Chikubushima Dragon God. 竜神拝所35 views
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Shrine for the Chikubushima Dragon God.35 views
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Funa-roka boat corridor connects Tsukubusuma Shrine and the Kannon-do Hall. Important Cultural Property. From the Momoyama Period. 船廊下35 views
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Kannondo Temple has been beautifully renovated with its many intricate wood carvings and paintings on walls, doors, and ceilings restored in March 2020. 観音堂35 views
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Above the pillars are decorative wooden support assemblages called tokyo (枓栱) or dougong. They have also been brilliantly repainted and even lit up. Dougong are interlocking wood pieces commonly found on temples and shrines as a Chinese influence.35 views
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Kannon-do Hall roof corner with a tokyo assemblage. So much eye candy in this building. 35 views
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Behind the Karamon Gate.35 views
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One of the lion dogs on Karamon Gate. It's part of a wooden protrusion called the "kibana" (木鼻). 35 views
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Karamon Gate 唐門 (National Treasure) beautifully restored to its original splendor. Entrance to the Kannondo Temple.35 viewsThis gate is said to have come from Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Gokuraku Bridge at Osaka Castle in the early 17th century (Momoyama Period). Chikubushima, Nagahama, Shiga.
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The gate and other castle structures were later moved to warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mausoleum in Kyoto in 1600. In 1603, Hideyoshi's son ordered Karamon Gate to be moved to Chikubushima to help rebuild Hogonji Temple which was in disrepair at 35 viewsChikubushima had close ties to Toyotomi Hideyoshi since he was once the lord of Nagahama Castle. Chikubushima was part of his domain.
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What the Karamon looks like with the doors closed.35 views
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Right door of Karamon Gate.35 views
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A pair of tigers on the main roof.35 views
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Sanryudo Shrine right next to Benzaiten-do. Worships the dragon god or the god of water. 三龍堂35 views
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Three-Story Pagoda. Reconstructed in 2000. The original pagoda was destroyed by fire caused by lightning during the early Edo Period. It took six years to complete.35 views
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Bell tower35 views
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Kannon statue on Chikubushima.35 views
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Zuisho-sui Well 瑞祥水35 views
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Interlaken at Imazu Port.35 views
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Walking to Imazu Port on the boat dock. New Imazu Port building.35 views
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At Imazu Port is another monument for Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song). Interlaken also leaves for Chikubushima.35 views
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Shisa (シーサー) guardian lion dog statue on the roof to ward off evil spirits at Okinawa World.35 views
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Hiking trail from Mt. Shizugatake. Heavily wooded with a few clearings.35 views
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Stone monuments at Lake Yogo swan maiden monument. Looks like poetry monuments.35 views
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Swan maiden willow tree. Unknown how old the tree is.35 views
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Snowscape in winter.35 views
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Hydrangea plants here. They bloom in late June.35 views
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Lake Yogo is also called "Mirror Lake" for its mirror reflections.35 views
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Lake Yogo sakura cherry blossoms.35 views
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Lake Yogo sakura cherry blossoms.35 views
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Lake Yogo from Mt. Shizugatake on a day when the lake was green with algae.35 views
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Lake Yogo green with algae in late Sept.35 views
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Lake Yogo Tourist Center exhibition space had a model of Mt. Shizugatake.35 views
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Snowscape, Lake Yogo35 views
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Some wild monkeys on the mountain road.35 views
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Color manhole in Abiko, Chiba Prefecture. Depicting water fowl on the lake.35 views
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Color manhole in Nagareyama, Chiba. Train and goshawk design.35 views
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Takashimaya got its name from Takashima, Shiga Prefecture.34 views
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Halftime show of all cheerleaders from Evessa, Phoenix, and Golden State Warrior Girls at center.34 views
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There are steps to go up the slope of plum trees.34 views
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The messenger fox holds a key to the rice granary.34 views
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Behind the main worship hall are many smaller inari shrines and numerous torii.34 views
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Seibu Yagisawa Station34 views
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Outside Tanashi Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line.34 views
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Outside Tanashi Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line.34 views
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Snake created with kimono obi material. 2013 is the Year of the Snake.34 views
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Hina dolls at the entrance of the Koshinkan's main building. Free admission.34 views
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The park's best-looking building is the restroom.34 views
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Sayama tea fields can be seen from the train near Hakonegasaki Station.34 views
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A blind daruma and a maneki neko beckoning cat with a daruma at Hakonegasaki Station in Mizuho, Tokyo.34 views
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