Most viewed - Ogaki 大垣市 |
Statue of Lord Toda Ujikane who was the Ogaki Castle lord in 1635.426 views
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Sunomata Castle and gourd sculpture. The gourd (hyotan) was Toyotomi Hideyoshi's trademark as well as a symbol of this area.333 views
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From Ogaki Station, a straight shopping road (Eki-dori) goes through the center of the city. A marker shows where you turn to visit Ogaki Castle.323 views
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Sunomata Castle.292 views
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Road to Sunomata Ichiya Castle. "Ichiya" means "one night," referring to how long it took to build the castle according to legend. Phone: 0584-62-3322, Address: 岐阜県大垣市墨俣町墨俣1742-1271 views
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Model of Sunomata which was a post town on the Mino Road between Atsuta in Nagoya and Tarui in Gifu.270 views
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Ogaki has a city-operated bicycle racetrack called the Ogaki Keirinjo or Ogaki Cycling Stadium. This is the entrance. Admission is 100 yen. 大垣競輪場249 views
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Ogaki Castle's cherry blossoms were more beautiful than I had expected.238 views
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Ogaki's biggest festival held on the weekend on or before May 15 has 13 ornate floats called "yama." They are paraded along the streets in central Ogaki. The road leading to Hachiman Shrine is lined with food stalls.224 viewsThere are different types of floats. Mostly karakuri doll floats, but also two floats with a stage for traditional Japanese dances by young kids. The floats were inspired by karakuri floats in Aichi Prefecture and kabuki floats in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture.
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Ogaki Castle in April220 views
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217 views
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Explaining the parts of samurai armor.216 views
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The second floor shows how the castle was built.213 views
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Near Ogaki Station is a small plaza with signs telling you that Haiku poet Matsuo Basho came here and that Ogaki was his last stop on his Oku no Hosomichi journey.210 views
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Ogaki Castle and cherry blossoms202 views
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Sunomata Castle was originally built in 1561 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi supposedly overnight as part of Oda Nobunaga's strategy to conquer Mino (Gifu) Province.200 views
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When I visited the castle in 1995, the room still had the chairs and table the Crown Prince and Princess used. They have since been removed from the room. This photo was taken in 1995.197 views
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Ogaki manhole, Gifu Pref.195 views
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Site of Ogaki-juku's Waki-Honjin195 views
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194 views
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Statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in front of Sunomata Castle.194 views
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Natural spring in Ogaki193 views
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Sunomata Castle192 views
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Sunomata Ichiya Castle was reconstructed in April 1991.191 views
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Graves of those who died building Sunomata Castle.189 views
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Bridge to Sunomata Castle.182 views
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Sunomata Castle has five floors. The first floor has this room introducing the nature and history of Sunomata.182 views
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This room was also where Crown Prince Hiro and Crown Princess Masako rested during a visit to the castle in April 1995.181 views
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The original Ogaki Castle was said to be built in 1535 by the Toki Clan who ruled Mino Province (now Gifu).180 views
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174 views
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Entrance to Sunomata Castle.173 views
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172 views
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171 views
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Main bridge to Sunomata Castle. Gourds are prominent here.171 views
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Near the castle entrance is this stone gourd pouring water.170 views
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Rear view of Sunomata Castle.170 views
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Rest area.169 views
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Matchlock guns168 views
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Ogaki Castle tower. In 1600 for the Battle of Sekigahara, Ogaki Castle was the base for Lord Ishida Mitsunari who led the Western Forces.167 views
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Print showing the construction of Sunomata Castle.166 views
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Side view of Sunomata Castle.165 views
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165 views
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Sunomata Ichiya Castle is open 9 am to 5 pm, closed Mon. (open if a national holiday and closed on Tue. instead). Admission 200 yen for adult, free for children below age 18.164 views
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Statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in front of Sunomata Castle.162 views
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Small sculptures on the castle foundation.161 views
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Ogaki Matsuri poster160 views
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Ogaki manhole, Gifu Pref.154 views
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Gate to Sunomatawhich was also a post town along the Mino Road. Sunomata is accessible by Gifu Bus (W65 on Obusa Sunomata Route) from JR Gifu Station and Ogaki Station. Get off at Sunomata bus stop. 154 views
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The castle is small, but nice. The stairway here.154 views
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Video screening area.154 views
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Golden pair of shachi atop Sunomata Castle.150 views
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Site of Ogaki Castle's Omotemon Gate. It's within walking distance from the castle tower, but you'll need a map to find it.149 views
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Way to Sunomata Castle. This path goes along the Nagara River.149 views
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East Gate, now the main gate to Ogaki Castle. 東門148 views
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The first floor has exhibits related to Ogaki Castle and the Battle of Sekigahara. Samurai armor148 views
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Ogaki Castle tower (donjon) is four stories high. Now a museum.148 views
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On the left is the small bag of beans tossed by the Atago-yama float.148 views
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Toyotomi Hideyoshi148 views
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Swords148 views
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Next to the castle is also this rack of gourds.147 views
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Stone foundatio.147 views
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Another bridge to Sunomata Castle. More picturesque, but almost useless as it goes to a road with heavy traffic.146 views
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Roof146 views
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Ogaki Castle's East Gate (looking from the inside). This is not the Omotemon front gate which was a distance away from here (photos at bottom).144 views
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Turn here to visit Ogaki Castle.144 views
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Gifu Castle atop Kinkazan as seen from Sunomata Castle. Then called Inabayama Castle, Gifu Castle was one objective for Sunomata Castle and Hideyoshi.144 views
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Ogaki Castle's East Gate (looking from the inside).143 views
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Touch-and-feel samurai weapons. Matchlock gun, bow, and spear (behind).143 views
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The 3rd floor shows how Toyotomi Hideyoshi rose to power and prominence.143 views
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Shrine at the site of Ogaki Castle's Omotemon Gate.142 views
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142 views
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Another gate along the path to Sunomata Castle.142 views
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site of Ogaki Castle's Omotemon Gate.141 views
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The 5th floor is the lookout deck. No veranda, but the windows are open for easy viewing and picture-taking.141 views
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Map of the original Ogaki Castle.136 views
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136 views
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135 views
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Marker pointing the way to Ogaki Castle, the symbol and main attraction of the city.133 views
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133 views
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View of Sunomata and the main bridge to the castle.133 views
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Deadly spears132 views
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Range of various weapons: Spear 6 meters, arrow 30 meters, bullet 200 meters, and cannon 1800 meters.132 views
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Toda Ujitaka (1854-1936), last lord of Ogaki Castle. (Toda family)132 views
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131 views
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The fourth floor is a gallery. Pictures by local kids.131 views
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Site of a castle gate.130 views
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129 views
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Inside Ogaki Castle tower that is a castle history museum with a good display of samurai stuff.128 views
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Statue of Lord Toda Ujikane who was the castle lord in 1635. The Toda Clan occupied Ogaki Castle until the feudal era ended with Meiji Period.128 views
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Ogaki Castle127 views
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View of Nagara River.127 views
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Writing by Ishida Mitsunari and other allies. (Facsimile)125 views
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West Gate 西門125 views
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View of Sunomata-juku post town.125 views
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Sunomata Castle marker.125 views
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Ogaki Castle is within Ogaki Park.124 views
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About Hokoku Shrine.123 views
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123 views
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123 views
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Next to Shirahige Shrine is Hokoku Shrine dedicated to Hideyoshi.123 views
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"Hideyoshi" in kanji spelled out with small gourds.123 views
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On a clear day, Mt. Ibuki can be seen.123 views
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Top 4th floor of Ogaki Castle tower. There is no balcony, only glass windows.122 views
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Toda Kazuaki (1541-1603), first lord of Ogaki Castle. 戸田一西122 views
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Entrance to Ogaki Hachiman Shrine. Highlights include karakuri mechanical doll performances atop the floats and the floats lit up at night with paper lanterns. Held by Hachiman Jinja Shrine.122 viewsOn Dec. 1, 2016 (JST), Ogaki Matsuri Festival was inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as one of 33 "Yama, Hoko, and Yatai float festivals in Japan."
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121 views
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121 views
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Hokoku Shrine is called the home of the "God of Success" in reference to Hideyoshi's spectacular rise to power from humble beginnings.121 views
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Parts of a samurai warrior on horseback.119 views
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Model of a battle119 views
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Portraits of all the lords of Ogaki Castle.119 views
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119 views
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Flower tower and Hachiman Shrine torii.119 views
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119 views
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Nagara River and Gifu Castle on Mt. Kinka on the upper left.119 views
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Ogaki Castle118 views
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118 views
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Inui Turret (not open to the public).117 views
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Even computers for more info.116 views
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The site is squeezed into a small space by a big building.116 views
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View of Shirahige Shrine116 views
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Small waterfall.115 views
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115 views
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Ogaki Castle tower. In 1936, Ogaki Castle was designated as a National Treasure. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire in July 1945 due to World War II.115 views
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The Shiki no Michi Promenade starts near Ogaki Station and follows along a moat or canal for about 2.2 km. There is a nice walking path and some parts have cherry blossoms.115 views
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Shochiku-yama float. 松竹 (伝馬町)115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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Some distance away from the main castle tower is the site of Ogaki Castle's Omotemon Gate which was the front gate. Nothing remains today, only a small shrine.114 views
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Tamanoi-yama float. 玉の井 (船町)114 views
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114 views
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113 views
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Hanging on during the tilt...113 views
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Ebisu-yama float. 恵比須(船町・伝馬町・岐阜町・宮町)113 views
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Taiko drum on top floor.112 views
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112 views
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Hachiman Shrine112 views
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112 views
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This float features dancing by children in kimono. The back has a painting of a pine tree.112 views
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The Tamanoi-yama was a crowd pleaser with so many child dancers.112 views
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Hachiman Shrine 八幡神社112 views
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Shirahige Shrine is next to Sunomata Castle. 112 views
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Ogaki Castle's Inui Turret111 views
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111 views
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View from the top floor of Ogaki Castle tower. This faces the adjacent park.110 views
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Even toward the city center, mostly trees blocking the worthless view.110 views
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110 views
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110 views
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110 views
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Shochiku-yama also features dances by children in kimono.110 views
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109 views
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Hachiman Shrine109 views
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109 views
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109 views
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108 views
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108 views
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108 views
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The first of eleven floats is called Kagura-yama. 神楽 (本町・中町・新町)108 views
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107 views
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Basic layout of the city center. Ogaki Station is on the upper right. Canals used to be the castle moat.107 views
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Entrance to Ogaki Castle tower. Admission 100 yen. Open 9 am to 5 pm (enter by 4:30 pm). Closed Tue. The castle tower was rebuilt in April 1959.107 views
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Renjishi lion dance.107 views
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107 views
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Marker commemorating the Crown Prince and Princess' visit in April 1995.107 views
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106 views
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106 views
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106 views
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Flood marker105 views
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105 views
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105 views
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105 views
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105 views
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After the procession, all the float again visited Hachiman Shrine. Later in the evening, they lit up the floats like the night before.105 views
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105 views
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Top of Shochiku-yama is a statue of Benzaiten.105 views
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105 views
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Looking toward Inui Turret.104 views
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Natural spring in Hachiman Shrine.104 views
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104 views
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In other directions, not much of a view from the Ogaki Castle tower.103 views
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Namazu-yama float. 鯰 (魚屋町)103 views
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103 views
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103 views
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Aioi-yama float. This is the newest float, reconstructed in 1996. 相生 (本町)102 views
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101 views
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Emperor Meiji also once stayed here.101 views
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Hachiman Shrine100 views
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100 views
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Daikoku-yama float 大黒 (魚屋町・竹島町・俵町)100 views
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100 views
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100 views
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Castle wall with weapon holes.99 views
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About Ogaki's Honjin99 views
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On the first day of May 9 called Shigaku (試楽), the eleven floats first performed in front of Hachiman Shrine, then proceeded to Ogaki City Hall where also performed karakuri.99 views
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The karakuri doll is actually writing "Ogaki Matsuri" on a piece of paper.99 views
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99 views
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Inui Turret98 views
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Namazu means catfish.98 views
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98 views
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98 views
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Tamanoi-yama98 views
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98 views
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97 views
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Sakaki-yama float. 榊 (竹島町)97 views
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While Ogaki City Hall officials sat comfortably under the shade like nobility, the floats came by one after another to perform katakuri doll stunts. The rest of us sweated under the sun.97 views
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97 views
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96 views
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96 views
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96 views
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Sneakers96 views
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96 views
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95 views
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The tapestry features the Omi-Hakkei scenes.95 views
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Sakaki-yama at night in front of Hachiman Shrine.95 views
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94 views
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94 views
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The Eki-dori road in front of Ogaki Station was closed to traffic.94 views
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94 views
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After the end of the karakuri performance, they tossed out small bags of beans like setsubun.94 views
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Shojo-yama float. 猩々(宮町)94 views
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94 views
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94 views
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93 views
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93 views
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93 views
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Tamanoi-yama93 views
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Shochiku-yama93 views
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Sugawara-yama float. 菅原(新町)93 views
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92 views
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92 views
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92 views
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92 views
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92 views
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The Eki-dori road was lined with food stalls.92 views
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Passing by a large temple.92 views
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91 views
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91 views
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