 Most viewed - Shimosuwa 下諏訪町 |
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342 views
|
|
Erecting Onbashira Log No. 4 for Harumiya Shrine on May 9, 2004. Shimosuwa, Nagano. 春宮四之御柱239 views
|
|
Onbashira Festival. They included one woman.206 views
|
|
Shimosuwa Station on May 8, 2004. Here for the final three days of the Onbashira Matsuri's climax, the Satobiki when they haul the Onbashira logs to the Shimo-sha Shrines (Akimiya and Harumiya) and erect them.191 views
|
|
Onbashira-sai, Shimosuwa-machi, Nagano.190 views
|
|
|
This was Log No. 1 for Shimo-sha's Harunomiya Shrine.165 views
|
|
Then came the log, and a lotta dust which made it difficult to see what was going on.162 views
|
|
|
|
The only woman on the log. After this log-raising, I had seen enough. This No. 1 log offered the best view of all the four Akimiya logs.152 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.132 views
|
|
The Ax Man. He cuts the rope which sets the log loose down the slope.128 views
|
|
Now they descend.126 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.125 views
|
|
Billboard depicting Ki-otoshi (Log Drop) at Shimosuwa Station.124 views
|
|
Everything is done with great fanfare, with these men riding on the log as it slowly rises by a system of cables and pulleys.121 views
|
|
116 views
|
|
|
113 views
|
|
The log pullers split into two.112 views
|
|
I was forced to join this crowd.109 views
|
|
Log in Harumiya Shrine.108 views
|
|
Erecting Onbashira Log No. 4 for Harumiya Shrine on May 9, 2004. 春宮四之御柱107 views
|
|
Now we walked back together with hundreds of thousands of people...106 views
|
|
106 views
|
|
"Yoisa! Yoisa!"106 views
|
|
Onbashira Log No. 1 already erected for Harumiya Shrine on May 8, 2004.104 views
|
|
Thank goodness for telephoto lenses.103 views
|
|
Shimenawa sacred rope on Kaguraden103 views
|
|
Here is where anybody can get on the logs and play.102 views
|
|
102 views
|
|
So after this log came out, we were allowed to proceed to the giant slope.101 views
|
|
Finally, people pulling the log appeared.101 views
|
|
Ropes to pull the Onbashira log from Harumiya Shrine.100 views
|
|
This is May 9, 2004, the second day of Shimo-sha Shrine's Satobiki. Shimo-sha Shrine consists of two separate shrines called Akimiya and Harumiya.100 views
|
|
Banners unfurled.100 views
|
|
We weren't the only ones there.99 views
|
|
Onbashira monument in front of Shimosuwa Station. This Onbashira log was used in the opening ceremony of the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998.99 views
|
|
Taiko performance at Shimo-sha Akimiya Shrine's Kaguraden99 views
|
|
We sat there for hours.98 views
|
|
Hole for the No. 4 Akimiya Onbashira log98 views
|
|
The bridge is normally closed to the public. In the old days, this bridge marked Harumiya Shrine's sacred area where even warlords had to get out of their palanquin or get off their horse out of respect before proceeding further. 下馬橋98 views
|
|
97 views
|
|
97 views
|
|
Parade of Nagamochi which are long chests. 長持96 views
|
|
People everywhere.96 views
|
|
Music Box Museum96 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95 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95 views
|
|
95 views
|
|
95 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.94 views
|
|
We waited for the log scheduled to come down at 3 pm, but it was delayed by 2 hours...94 views
|
|
In front of Shimosuwa Station.94 views
|
|
Umbrella dance94 views
|
|
Small support poles.94 views
|
|
On the way to Harumiya Shrine, you see this bridge. It is a rest stop for the Akimiya Onbashira log procession. 下馬橋94 views
|
|
Harumiya has a little slope where the logs are slid down.94 views
|
|
Onbashira Log No. 3 for Harumiya Shrine.94 views
|
|
The base of the Onbashira log is reinforced by these smaller logs.94 views
|
|
The crowd extended all the way to the rear. All to see the 3pm Ki-otoshi log drop.93 views
|
|
Nagamochi chest decorations93 views
|
|
Shimo-sha Akimiya Shrine 秋宮 幣拝殿93 views
|
|
Shimo-sha Akimiya Shrine. That's a support pole for erecting the No. 1 Akimiya Onbashira log. 秋宮93 views
|
|
They waved their pom-poms and cheered all the while.93 views
|
|
92 views
|
|
People along the small slope.92 views
|
|
When the log is erected, a banner is unrolled.92 views
|
|
Sake is given for free.92 views
|
|
Shimo-sha Akimiya Shrine torii91 views
|
|
Hole for the No. 2 Akimiya Onbashira log91 views
|
|
Hole for the No. 2 Akimiya Onbashira log91 views
|
|
Harumiya Shrine ahead.91 views
|
|
Harumiya Shrine torii 春宮91 views
|
|
91 views
|
|
|
|
Parade91 views
|
|
Now it's May 10, 2004, the last day of the Shimo-sha Satobiki. All four logs will erected at Akimiya Shrine on this day.91 views
|
|
|
90 views
|
|
90 views
|
|
Onbashira Grand Park90 views
|
|
The men now descend from the log.90 views
|
|
One Onbashira log at a rest stop.90 views
|
|
Entertainment stage in front of Shimosuwa Station.89 views
|
|
89 views
|
|
Crowded street89 views
|
|
89 views
|
|
Harumiya torii 春宮大門89 views
|
|
The banner reads, "Thank you everyone for your cooperation."89 views
|
|
89 views
|
|
Store your luggage here. Not enough lockers at the train station so they provide this service. 400 yen/day.88 views
|
|
They threw out free streamers and I caught one. "Yoisa! Yoisa!"88 views
|
|
88 views
|
|
87 views
|
|
Shimo-sha Akimiya Shrine priests 秋宮87 views
|
|
Hole for the No. 2 Akimiya Onbashira log87 views
|
|
87 views
|
|
Log standing by in front of Akimiya Shrine.87 views
|
|
Hiroshige's woodblock print of Takasaki (30th post town on the Nakasendo) from his Kisokaido series. 87 views
|
|
|
Parade continues even in the rain.86 views
|
|
86 views
|
|
86 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85 views
|
|
Ropes at rest85 views
|
|
All the Onbashira logs are hauled manually by human hands from when it is cut in the mountain forest. No motor vehicles of any kind is used to haul the logs.85 views
|
|
85 views
|
|
This looks like Log No. 2 for Akimiya Shrine.85 views
|
|
Ax man85 views
|
|
85 views
|
|
84 views
|
|
84 views
|
|
Finally, something to photograph.84 views
|
|
Shimosuwa Station 下諏訪駅83 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.83 views
|
|
There it is, the slope.83 views
|
|
Log No. 4 for Shimo-sha Shrine's Akinomiya Shrine. 秋宮四之柱83 views
|
|
The Ki-otoshi slope up close. Very rough-looking. 木落とし坂83 views
|
|
The log can move quite fast, even with all those people riding it.83 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.82 views
|
|
This was my view of the slope.82 views
|
|
82 views
|
|
Another Onbashira log makes its way through.82 views
|
|
82 views
|
|
These people are from Suwa city.82 views
|
|
Log standing by in front of Akimiya Shrine.82 views
|
|
We waited in the rain for Onbashira Log No. 1 to be erected first at Akimiya Shrine at 10:00 am. However, we had to wait, standing up in the rain and in the crowd, for 2.5 hours before they finally started to raise the log.82 views
|
|
81 views
|
|
People everywhere along the edge of the slope.80 views
|
|
The logs are pulled by people from various districts or parishes in the Suwa region including Chino, Shimosuwa, Okaya, and Suwa.80 views
|
|
80 views
|
|
80 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.79 views
|
|
After the Shimekake, we walked further.79 views
|
|
79 views
|
|
The numerous people and trees made it impossible to see the slope itself.78 views
|
|
It was very steep and uncomfortable to sit on, so I decided to leave this place.78 views
|
|
78 views
|
|
78 views
|
|
Go straight on this road in front of the station.74 views
|
|
There are no buses nor taxis to where we want to go.73 views
|
|
We had to wait until the 1pm Ki-otoshi log came out.71 views
|
|
|
|
