 Most viewed - Ota-ku 大田区 |
ANA (All Nippon Airways) offers free tours of their maintenance facilities at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. You can see planes in a huge hangar being serviced.657 viewsYou have to make reservations at their website, but everything is in Japanese. They have four 90-min. tours almost daily, but only in Japanese. (Pamphlet has some English.) You should reserve weeks or months in advance because tours get booked up quickly. However, when people cancel their reservations, tours may open up. You have to keep checking. Children must be at least elementary school age. http://www.ana.co.jp/group/kengaku/outline.html
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Way to Ikegami Honmonji Temple. Belonging to the Nichiren Sect, this is one of Tokyo's major temples.349 views
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Ikegami Baien Garden was originally the estate of Kokura Makoto (小倉誠), an owner of a high-class restaurant. After he died, his family donated the estate to Tokyo which later transferred it to Ota Ward.279 views
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Soshido Main Hall, Ikegami Honmonji. The original Main Hall was burned during an bombing raid in April 1945. 大堂（祖師堂）277 views
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See the baby buddha's hands pointing to Heaven. Sweet tea is poured over a statue of a baby buddha. According to legend, sweet rain (or perfumed water) fell when the Buddha was born.273 views
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Hanamatsuri, Buddha's birthday on April 8. A small statue of the baby Buddha is in a miniature temple called Hanami-do (花御堂). This is Ikegami Honmonji temple in Tokyo.252 views
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Map of temple grounds. There are both traditional and modern buildings.245 views
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Statue of Rikidozan (1924-1963) at his grave at Ikegami Honmonji temple, Tokyo. He was a sumo wrestler until 1950 before becoming a pro wrestler.226 views
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Niomon Gate 仁王門（三門）189 views
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Ikegami Station platform on the Tokyu Ikegami Line185 views
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Inside Soshido Hall, view of left side. 大堂（祖師堂）184 views
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Hoto means "Treasure Tower." A beautiful building. Ikegami Honmonji, Tokyo 宝塔184 views
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The hall was reconstructed in 1964 financed by donations from all over Japan. It is a ferro-concrete structure. 大堂（祖師堂）179 views
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大堂（祖師堂）165 views
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Ikegami Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line which starts in Gotanda.165 views
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Ontakesan Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line which starts at Gotanda Station. 東急池上線御嶽山駅154 views
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Incense burner148 views
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Shopping street near Ontakesan Station147 views
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Ikegami Baien Garden in Ota Ward, Tokyo.144 views
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Soshido Hall altar 大堂（祖師堂）143 views
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Inside Soshido Hall, view of right side. 大堂（祖師堂）143 views
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Poster for the temple's spring festival which includes Hanamatsuri.143 views
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Weeping cherry and Senzoku-Ike Pond. Near Senzoku-Ike Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line from Gotanda.140 views
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Ikegami Baien Garden plum blossoms in Ota, Tokyo.137 views
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Statue of Rikidozan who was famous for his "karate chop" during the 1950s and early '60s. This famous postwar "Japanese hero" was actually Korean.134 views
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Ikegami Baien Garden, Ota Ward, Tokyo132 views
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Ikegami Baien Plum Garden in Tokyo.132 views
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Plum blossoms at Ikegami Baien Garden, Ota Ward, Tokyo131 views
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Plum blossoms at Ikegami Baien Garden, Ota Ward, Tokyo129 views
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Side view of Soshido Hall. 大堂128 views
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Five-story Pagoda and cherry blossoms. 五重塔126 views
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Map of pond124 views
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Ontakesan Station124 views
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Setsubun bean throwing at Ikegami Honmonji temple, Tokyo.124 viewsThey threw a lot of beans for about 10 min. Interesting that they did not say, "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" We caught a good haul of lucky beans.
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Plum blossoms at Ikegami Baien, Tokyo123 views
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Rikidozan's gravestone121 views
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White elephant for Hanamatsuri120 views
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118 views
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Rikidozan's grave, the temple's most famous grave.117 views
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Senzoku-Ike Station on the Tokyo Ikegami Line. THe train line was built in 1928.117 views
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Matsumoto Iyo to throw beans for setsubun at Ikegami Honmonji temple, Tokyo.117 views
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Hanamatsuri, Buddha's birthday. When the Buddha was born, he walked seven steps and said, "I am my own Lord through Heaven and Earth," and pointed one hand to Heaven and the other to Earth. 116 views
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Priests procession heading for Ikegami Honmonji's main worship hall on Setsubun day, Feb. 3.115 views
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Setsubun at Ikegami Honmonji temple, Tokyo.114 views
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Boy priest sweeping at Ikegami Honmonji, Tokyo.113 views
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People line up to pour sweet tea over the baby buddha. 大堂112 views
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Back of Soshido Main Hall112 views
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Five-story Pagoda was another structure which escaped war damage. 五重塔112 views
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Tokyu Ikegami Line train111 views
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Path to Ontake Jinja.111 views
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Senzoku-ike station platform109 views
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108 views
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Hachimangu Shrine torii107 views
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Rikidozan's grave106 views
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Roof of Soshido Main Hall 大堂104 views
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The festival ended in about an hour.103 views
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Senzoku-Ike Pond and cherry blossoms.101 views
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Sign pointing the way to wrestler Rikidozan's grave.100 views
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Bridge99 views
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Five-story Pagoda built in 1607, Tokyo's oldest pagoda. 五重塔98 views
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Behind the pagoda are many graves.98 views
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Ontake Jinja 御嶽神社97 views
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Negi-no-Mai Sacred Dance at Tenso Shrine on April 21, starting at 3 pm. 禰宜の舞97 views
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JAL's first cabin attendant uniform appeared in Aug. 1951.97 views
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JAL's cabin attendant uniform worn in the 1970s (left) and 1980s (right).97 views
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Doors of Soshido Main Hall 大堂95 views
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Tea ceremony95 views
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This is where the path around the lake ends.95 views
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After the Negi-no-Mai Dance, the shrine priest mixes branches and paper in boiling water. 「お湯花（ゆばな）」という儀式95 views
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Senzoku-Ike Pond has a walking path which goes almost completely around. Only 1.2 km.94 views
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Hachimangu Shrine torii92 views
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Sakurayama with hanami pinickers.92 views
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Altar in Kyozo 経蔵91 views
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Graves near Hoto tower91 views
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Hachimangu Shrine91 views
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The dance is a prayer for a good harvest and to ward off bad luck. This dance was once performed by about 20 shrines along the Tamagawa River in Tokyo and Kawasaki. Now, only this shrine performs it in Tokyo. 天児屋根命(あめのこやねのみ�91 viewsThis god is called Amenokoyane-no-Mikoto (god of festivals).
天狗様「猿田彦命(さるたひこのみこと)」や、神事、祭りを司る神「天児屋根命(あめのこやねのみこと)」、山の幸の神「彦火火出見命(ひこほほでみのみこと)」など、それぞれの役どころを表現する個性豊かな神の舞を見せてくれる。
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Hoto tower built on the site where Nichiren was cremated. 宝塔90 views
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Marker for the temple.90 views
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Hanamatsuri parade89 views
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Hachimangu Shrine. Do not climb on the horse.88 views
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五重塔86 views
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宝塔86 views
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A total of five gods are depicted in this sacred dance. Today, "Negi" refers to the rank of a Shinto priest. During the Edo Period, "Negi" referred to Shinto priests in general. 山の幸の神「彦火火出見命(ひこほほでみ86 views
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Hanamatsuri Parade on April 8, Buddha's birthday.85 views
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Nitchodo Hall 日朝堂84 views
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Car for Hanamatsuri84 views
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Ontake Jinja, main hall on right.84 views
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Ikegami Honmonji, Tokyo84 views
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83 views
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Gate to Honden83 views
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Built in 1828 and made of wood. It is the only tower of its kind in Japan placed outdoors. 宝塔83 views
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The area with the cherry trees is called Sakurayama.83 views
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"Senzoku" means "wash feet." One legend says that Nichiren washed his feet in the pond.83 views
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People then tore off the zigzag paper from the shimenawa rope and dipped it into the hot water and wiped themselves on their face, etc., for healing prayers.83 views
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Honden Hall 本殿82 views
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Hanamatsuri Parade on April 8, Buddha's birthday.82 views
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Spring festival site with food and entertainment.81 views
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Hanamatsuri Parade on April 8, Buddha's birthday.81 views
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Behind Ontake Shrine's main hall is a wall of sculpture.81 views
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Tenso Shrine 天祖神社81 views
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Bell tower 鐘楼堂80 views
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The pond is also depicted in woodblock prints such as by Hiroshige.80 views
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Bridge to Bentenjima.80 views
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Shrine on Bentenjima80 views
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A small square area with a straw mat enclosed by a shimenawa sacred rope is the makeshift stage for the Negi-no-Mai Sacred Dance at Tenso Shrine.80 views
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Kyozo houses Buddhist scriptures. 経蔵79 views
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Hoto tower 宝塔79 views
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JAL (Japan Airiines) offers free tours of their maintenance facilities and their Sky Museum at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. You can see planes in a huge hangar being serviced. 79 viewsYou have to make reservations at their website, but everything is in Japanese. They have four 90-min. tours almost daily, but only in Japanese. You should reserve weeks or months in advance because tours get booked up quickly. However, when people cancel their reservations, tours may open up. You have to keep checking. Children must be at least elementary school age. Shin Seibijo Station on the Haneda Monorail. JAL's maintenance hangar is a 10-15 min. walk from Shin Seibijo Station on the Haneda Monorail running from JR Hamamatsucho. http://www.jal.co.jp/kengaku/tour/
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White elephant is usually present during Hanamatsuri. On the day before the Buddha's mother Queen Maya gave birth, she dreamed that a white elephant entered her womb.78 views
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Hanami at Senzoku-Ike78 views
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This last god, called Oyamazumi-no-Mikoto, threw mochi rice cakes to everyone. He brings water, greenery, etc. from the mountains. 大山78 views
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Hoto tower 宝塔77 views
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Treasure House 霊宝殿76 views
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Honden and temple office on right. 本殿、客殿寺務所76 views
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This god is called Hikohohode-no-Mikoto which brings food from the mountains. Negi-no-Mai is nicknamed Dedenko-mai, in reference to the taiko drum beat ("dedenko").75 views
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Hanamatsuri Parade on April 8, Buddha's birthday.74 views
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Bentenjima, a small peninsula connected by a bridge.74 views
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Closeup of rear wall sculpture.74 views
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TDA's (Toa Domestic Airways) cabin attendant uniform (left) and JAS (Japan Air System) cabin attendant uniform. Bot TDA and JAS merged with JAL.74 views
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73 views
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Tenso Shrine altar73 views
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72 views
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Wedded Pine Trees72 views
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This ceremony is called Yubana, meaning "hot-water flowers."72 views
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Gift shop sells ANA goods.65 views
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Another nearby shrine is Tenso Jinja, a 5-min. walk from Ontakesan Station. This is the schedule for their annual Negi-no-Mai Dance held on April 21.61 views
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Reception lobby of the ANA Maintenance Facility's ANA Component Maintenance Building. There's a gift shop, model planes, and other exhibits. At lunch time, they sold bento so we had lunch here after the tour.61 views
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Tenso Shrine 天祖神社60 views
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60 views
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ANA's airplane maintenance hangar at Haneda Airport. Photography was permitted, but no videos. 59 viewsYou can post photos online, but you need their approval. These photos here have been approved by ANA. They don't allow ANA personnel and the other tour participants to be pictured. Also cannot show any non-ANA plane.
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ANA cockpit in the lobby.58 views
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Passenger seats were taken out and the cushions replaced.57 views
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How workers get around. Enjoyed the tour.57 views
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ANA Gundam in the lobby.56 views
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ANA's Boeing 787 inside the maintenance hangar at Haneda Airport. 56 views
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The hangar can get very noisy when they are testing an engine.56 views
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From Haneda Airport's International terminal, you can see ANA's maintenance hangars at the end of Runway A which is one of the airport's original runways.55 views
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ANA's whale plane.55 views
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Free souvenir of the tour. Cell phone strap with an ANA maintenance man.55 views
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ANA's Boeing 78755 views
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55 views
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Jet engine undergoing maintenance.55 views
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After passing the JAL maintenance hangar, you will see this overpass connecting the ANA buildings.54 views
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On the left is the ANA Component Maintenance Building where you check-in for the tour. Show the security guard your reservations (printout of the email confirmation) to enter the building.54 views
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Pose54 views
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ANA's lecture hall has some exhibits like model planes.54 views
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Tires54 views
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54 views
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The same type of happi coat the Beatles wore when they got off the JAL DC-8 ("Matsushima") at Haneda for their Budokan concerts in 1966.54 viewsThe back has the kanji for kotobuki (寿) meaning "celebration." Famous story behind how a JAL stewardess got John to wear the happi coat. "Wearing a happi coat when you land in Japan would make the fans really happy!" "Good idea!," said John who then wore it. The other Beatles followed and wore one too. A major, historic PR coup for JAL.
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Entrance to Ikegami Baien plum tree garden which opened in Aug. 1978. Admission is only 100 yen. The garden is operated by Ota Ward.53 views
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In this lecture hall, ANA's tour started with a 30-min. talk and video about flight, their planes, Haneda Airport, etc.53 viewsPart of ANA's talk was about how planes fly. They demonstrated how wind can lift the wings of a toy plane.
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ANA model planes in the lobby.52 views
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ANA's Peanuts (Charlie Brown) plane.52 views
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Tire, cockpit window, lights.52 views
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After the slide show lecture, we wore a hard hat and walked on the overpass to the plane hangars. 52 viewsThere were around 80 people in the tour and they divided us into around 15 people per group for the hangar tour. Each group had a guide explaining things in Japanese.
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Engine removed from the plane.52 views
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Where the tail fits.52 views
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Tires52 views
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Go to the JAL Maintenance Center 1 Building and show your reservation to the reception. They will give you a pass. You can arrive 30 min. before the tour starts. Use the time to see this Sky Museum.52 viewsThe tour pass is on a JAL cell phone neck strap that you can keep.
*Note that if you take the tour and take pictures and want to post pictures online, you will need JAL's approval. They don't allow photos of JAL personnel and tour guests in online photos. All these photos have been approved by JAL for posting here.
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Cabin attendant uniforms throughout JAL's history (including TDA aka Japan Air System that merged with JAL). 52 views
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Model of JAL Boeing 747.52 views
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Photography was permitted, but no videos. You can post photos online, but cannot show personnel (I assume faces) and the other tour participants. Also cannot show any plane from another airline which might be taxiing or flying outside in the background.52 views
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51 views
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Tires are not that huge. Tires are inflated with nitrogen, not air (one thing that they always mention).51 views
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Jet engine undergoing maintenance.51 views
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ANA plane51 views
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Always impressive to see a jet plane up close. We see it only on the outside, cannot go inside the plane.51 views
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About the JAL "Fuji" DC-8.51 views
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Excellent sloping garden boasting over 360 plum blossom trees amid numerous azalea bushes. Near Nishi-Magome Station on the Toei Asakusa Line.50 views
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When you enter the building, you will be in the reception lobby.50 views
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Panel about the 747. ANA retired its last Boeing 747 in March 2014. ANA first flew 747s in 1979. Will be missed.50 views
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Extra hangar space.50 views
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ANA plane parked outside the maintenance hangar.50 views
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JAL's tour also started with a 30-min. talk and slide show in Japanese.50 views
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JAL Boeing 787.50 views
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They have to replace the tires quite often, every 2 months or so.49 views
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Extra dock in the maintenance hangar.49 views
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Jet engine cowlings.49 views
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A visitor tries an interactive exhibit for directing a JAL plane to a gate.49 views
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History of JAL planes.49 views
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Vintage JAL luggage tags.49 views
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Tail of the JAL "Fuji" DC-8. Looks like they are restoring the plane.49 views
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JAL's "Sky Museum" shows JAL's history, interactive exhibits like a cockpit, first-class seats, and a special room showing special plane seats used by the emperor before Japan got its own Japanese Air Force One. In Japanese only though48 views
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Historical model planes in JAL's Sky Museum. The museum is quite big, and we didn't have time to see everything.48 views
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First class section of JAL's "Fuji" DC-8.48 views
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One corner of the hangar preserved the cockpit/lounge section of the JAL "Fuji" DC-8. This was Japan's first passenger jet put into service in 1960, replacing prop planes. This plane had 104 seats, 36 first class and 68 tourist class.47 views
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Remains of a torii that collapsed during the March 11, 2011 earthquake.45 views
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Wore hard hats and toured JAL's maintenance hangar for about 40 min. JAL's airplane maintenance hangar at Haneda Airport. Huge facility.45 views
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The lucky treat of the JAL tour was seeing Japan's Air Force One (actually, Air Force Two). The Japanese government plane that carries the prime minister or emperor.45 viewsThey are normally parked at Chitose Airport in Hokkaido. Flown by the Air Defense Force, but maintained by JAL. Japan's Air Force One/Two will be retired in 2019, to be replaced by Boeing 777. The new Boeing 777 will be maintained by ANA. Photos were allowed, but not allowed to be posted online.
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JAL plane parked outside the maintenance hangar.45 viewsJAL sent out an online questionaire afterward for feedback about the tour. I told them that many foreigners were also interested in the tours so they should provide foreign language info too. I'm told that there are no tours like this in the States.
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The garden is open from 9 am to 4:30 pm (enter by 4 pm). Closed on Mon. except in Feb. and March.42 views
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About the Suikinkutsu, a water drop harp.41 views
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Most of the plum trees are on this hillside on the left. More trees if you walk further straight.40 views
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Ikegami Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line39 views
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Japanese tea ceremony house and Japanese-style room for rent. 清月庵38 views
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Japanese tea ceremony house for rent. 聴雨庵35 views
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In front of Ikegami Station on the Tokyu Ikegami Line, follow this road for a short walk to Ikegami Honmonji temple.35 views
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Shin Seibijo Station on the Haneda Monorail. ANA's maintenance hangar is a 10-15 min. walk from this station.35 views
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Called a Suikinkutsu, the water drops make a soothing sound like from a koto harp. 34 views
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On Feb. 3, Ikegami Honmonji holds the annual Setsubun ceremony and bean throwing.33 views
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Ogre (oni) appear in a procession.33 views
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Press cameramen behind us on their own platform to record the event.33 views
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The ANA (and JAL) Maintenance Facilities are next to each other near Shin Seibijo Station on the Haneda Monorail going to Haneda Airport from JR Hamamatsucho Station.33 views
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