 Most viewed - IBARAKI 茨城県 |
Miyukigahara.77 views
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Shrine atop Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.77 views
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77 views
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Trail to climb up to Mt. Nantai.76 views
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About Mt. Tsukuba's geology in Japanese.76 views
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View from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.76 views
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The cable car runs every 20 min. Fare is 570 yen one way. There are trails going down the mountain as well.76 views
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Cable car going up to Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.76 views
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Tsukuba-san cable car on Mt. Tsukuba's Miyukigahara, near Nantai.76 views
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View from Miyukigahara.75 views
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Tsukuba-san Jjinja Shrine atop Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba. This is the Honden for the male god Izanagi.75 views
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall is adjacent to the cable car station. The Honden Hall is atop the two peaks on Mt. Tsukuba. 筑波山神社75 views
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View from Miyukigahara.74 views
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Mt. Nantai74 views
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74 views
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73 views
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Entrance to Tsukuba-san cable car station.73 views
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall. The shrine is dedicated to both Izanagi and Izanami, Japan's parent gods.73 views
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The trail soon gets steep and rocky, but not a problem for most people. High heels and miniskirt are not recommended.72 views
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Ropeway station on Mt. Nyotai.72 views
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On Nantai, there's an easy hiking trail going around the peak.72 views
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This is one of them.72 views
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About 500 people drag this boat along a 1,200-meter route of paved streets. They lay wooden beams on the road for the boat to traverse on. 72 views
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Mt. Nantai marker for 871 meter elevation.71 views
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Hiking trail around Mt. Nantai. There are two other lookout points along the trail.71 views
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71 views
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In Kita-Ibaraki, the Yo-soro Fishing History Museum's centerpiece exhibit is this wooden boat (祭事船) used in the Hitachi-Otsu Ofune Matsuri boat festival held every 5 years (常陸大津御船祭り). 71 views
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Hitachi-Otsu Ofune Matsuri fishing boat festival is Kita-Ibaraki's biggest festival, held only only once every five years on May 2 and 3 as the grand spring festival of Sawawachigi Shrine (佐波波地祇神社) in Otsu-cho, Kita-Ibaraki, Ibaraki Pre71 viewsHeld by local fishermen to pray for abundant fish and maritime safety. These photos were taken on May 3, 2019.
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View from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.70 views
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70 views
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Ofune being dragged over wooden pallets.70 views
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Looking toward Nyotai from Miyukigahara.69 views
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Miyukigahara also has a cable car station.69 views
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Around the cable car station below the mountain, the fall leaves were very nice.69 views
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Mt. Nyotai as seen from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.68 views
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68 views
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68 views
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In autumn, a chrysanthemum display is held on the grounds of Tsukuba-san Shrine.68 views
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The chef is holding the liver (ankimo), the most prized part of the fish.68 views
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Unique Shinto festival where they drag a sacred fishing boat across land instead of water. The boat has no wheels. All other boat festivals have the boat sailing on water, but not this one.68 views
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65 views
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65 views
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65 views
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Depicting Mt. Tsukuba.65 views
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65 views
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They drag the boat 20 meters at a time. After each drag, they have to move and place the pallets ahead of the boat. The route is 1,200 meters long, and it takes 5 hours to reach the end.65 views
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Autmun maple leaves on Mt. Tsukuba-san.64 views
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In Kita-Ibaraki, Tenshin used Rokkakudo to listen to ocean waves and gaze at the scenery. On March 11, 2011, it was washed away by the tsunami, but it was rebuilt in 2012. 64 views
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This festival was originally a portable shrine procession on the sea via boat going around the bay. But the boat's start point was filled in, so the boat procession was then held on land instead since 200 years ago.64 views
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62 views
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This is monkfish hot pot (dobojiru ankou-nabe) どぶ汁 with monkfish parts in a miso broth. I didn't have any problem eating it. The flavor was certainly not objectionable, it's just another kind of fish.62 viewsIt was already prepared for us and it wasn't the fish we saw carved.
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61 views
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The small red pavilion is Izura Rokkakudo (五浦六角堂), the symbol of Kita-Ibaraki. Izura Rokkakudo was originally designed and built in 1905 by artist Okakura Tenshin (岡倉天心) as part of his residence. His house is on the left..61 views
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Artist-inspiring scenery around Rokkakudo, Kita-Ibaraki.61 views
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The friction between the boat hull and pallets makes it smoke each time the boat is dragged. The pallets are scorched.61 views
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Kita-Ibaraki is a small, coastal city (pop. 42,000) with these picturesque cliffs of the Izura Coast (五浦海岸). Famous art scholar Okakura Tenshin (1863–1913 岡倉天心) found this scenic place to be a great inspiration for artists and moved here60 views
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Izura Rokkakudo (五浦六角堂) is now being maintained by Ibaraki University and it continues to be a sacred spot for Japanese artists.60 views
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Hirakata Port's main catch is the monkfish/goosefish (あんこう), a type of anglerfish. Ibaraki Prefecture's coast is one of Japan's prime areas for monkfish. These are all monkfish being auctioned in the afternoon. 平潟港 せり見59 views
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It's Kita-Ibaraki's famous fish and delicacy, monkfish, in the flesh. This one is 5 or 6 years old, weighing 12.7 kg. Only the female monkfish is eaten. The males are too small.57 viewsあんこう
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Monkfish being skinned and carved up by an expert chef. Since the monkfish is too slimy and slippery on a cutting board, it is hung like this for carving. It's a lot easier to cut up this way.56 viewsHe first takes off the skin (loaded with collagen).
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Karinto manju from Kita-Ibaraki.53 views
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Look into the big mouth and see another set of teeth on the throat. All the teeth are pointed inward so its pray cannot escape. Like the aliens in the movie "Alien."53 views
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Local Hitachi Wagyu beef. ("Hitachi" is an old name for Ibaraki Prefecture. The famous electronics company Hitachi is also from Ibaraki.) 常陸牛53 views
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At Arigatee, we were charmed by the delightful Sumi-chan, a retired local farmer. She helped cook our lunch. Rice locally grown in Kita-Ibaraki. Thank you Sumi-chan for smiling!52 views
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Local sake, a type called Doboroku (どぶろく) or nigori-zake (濁り酒). It's thick and cloudy-white. Sour taste. Made by a local brewer and restaurant named Masubuchi (増渕魚園).52 views
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Outdoor bathtub made of Shigaraki-yaki pottery (from Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture). The hotel has excellent taste in bathtubs. 信楽焼52 views
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Dorayaki is like a small pancake sandwich with azuki bean paste in between. Wait until the batter bubbles and flip it over. Perfect each time. The dorayaki batter is very different from pancake batter.51 views
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Appetizers.51 views
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Hotel staff in kimono cooking my Hitachi Wagyu beef. 常陸牛51 views
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Lobster in miso soup.51 views
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We were super stuffed, but there's always room for dessert...51 views
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Abalone steak.50 views
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Breakfast included natto fermented soybeans. Ibaraki is famous for natto.50 views
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We were treated to refreshments served in the Kikuchis' pottery. Confection of azuki bean soup with a piece of mochi. Thank you to Hidetoshi and Mie Kikuchi (菊池 秀利・美恵) for teaching us pottery and hosting us in their beautiful, Japanese-49 views
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The final step is to spread some azuki bean paste on one side and compress it into a sandwich. Way more delicious than any dorayaki you buy in a store.48 views
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Hitachi Wagyu beef was just a small part of our dinner. We got really stuffed. 常陸牛47 views
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Part of the Buzan residence.47 views
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For a small admission fee, you can go down a path to see the Rokkakudo. (五浦六角堂).47 views
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Short video of Hitachi-Otsu Ofune Matsuri boat festival.47 views
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Corridor with pebbled floor leading to the outdoor bath.46 views
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Prop for the movie "Tenshin."46 views
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45 views
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Marsala restaurant has Hawaiian decor.45 views
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Buzan's beautiful tea ceremony room. Very chic. Available for rent for tea ceremonies.44 views
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44 views
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The glass windows were made in the UK.44 views
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Must've been mesmerizing to pass time here. A place to attain artistic enlightenment. 44 views
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Izura Misaki Park has this lookout tower. 五浦岬公園 展望慰霊塔44 views
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44 views
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Tenshin Memorial Room explained the life and achievements of Tenshin. Founded Nihon Bijutsu-in (Art Institute of Japan) and moved it from Tokyo to Izura coast in Kita-Ibaraki in 1906.44 viewsIncludes exhibits about the time he worked at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 1910 in charge of the Chinese/Japanese art division.
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Kita-Ibaraki also has flat, sandy beaches.44 views
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About Rokkakudo.43 views
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Hina dolls displayed inside Tenshin's home for Girl's Day (March 3).43 views
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About Langdon Warner.43 views
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43 views
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Tenshin Memorial Museum of Art, Ibaraki (茨城県天心記念 五浦美術館). Beautiful art museum in a beautiful place on the coast.43 views
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Marsala restaurant near the Izura Coast. マルサーラ43 views
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Another part of the Itsuura Kanko Hotel is the main wing (本館) which is the former artist residence of Kimura Buzan (木村武山), another famous Nihonga painter who followed Tenshin to Izura.42 views
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A large guest room. 武山邸客室42 views
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Scenery in front of Rokkakudo.42 views
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Tenshin's home on the Izura Coast, near the Rokkakudo Pavilion. 42 views
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Tenshin's home on the Izura Coast, near the Rokkakudo Pavilion. Can't go inside.42 views
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Tenshin Memorial Museum of Art was named after Okakura Tenshin (aka Okakura Kakuzo 1863–1913 岡倉天心/覚三), a famous art scholar and advocate of Japanese art, especially Nihonga paintings.42 viewsIn 1890, he was one of the founders and the first de facto dean of the forerunner of the Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai), one of Japan's most prominent art universities.
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Marsala restaurant has Hawaiian decor, but no Hawaiian food. Only tropical drnks in summer.42 views
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Appetizers. The food is good though.42 views
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Tourist information center at JR Isohara Station.42 views
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You cannot enter the Rokkakudo, but you can see inside through the glass windows made in the UK. There's supposed to be tatami mats inside. 41 views
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41 views
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Along the path to Rokkakudo is this bust of Harvard professor and art historian Langdon Warner (1881–1955) who once studied under Tenshin and visited here. He is being revered here for supposedly helping to save Kyoto and Nara from World War II bombings41 views
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Izura Misaki Park on the coast.41 views
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View from the lookout tower.41 views
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41 views
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Lobby of Tenshin Memorial Museum of Art.41 viewsTenshin is revered in Kita-Ibaraki because he moved his Nihon Bijutsu-in artist group (Art Institute of Japan) here from Tokyo in 1906. His students, prominent Nihonga painters Yokoyama Taikan (1868–1958), Hishida Shunso (1874–1911), Shimomura Kanzan (1873–1930), and Kimura Buzan (1876–1942) followed him to this picturesque Izura Coast and built artist studio residences near Tenshin's home. The residences of Tenshin, Taikan, and Buzan still remain.
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Scenery around Rokkakudo.40 views
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About the Tenshin residence.40 views
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Izura Coast40 views
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The museum has fine views of the ocean and southern coast of Fukushima (Iwaki). You may also notice a power plant in the distance. That's not the one that had a meltdown in 2011. 40 viewsIt's the Nakoso Power Plant (勿来発電所), a thermal power plant (non-nuclear) operated by Joban Joint Power Co., Ltd.
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A sea wall being built. After 8 years, we hardly saw any other remnants of tsunami or quake damage.40 views
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Kita-Ibaraki's Hanazono Shrine was patronized by the Tokugawa shoguns. It features the flamboyant architectural style called "gongen-zukuri" (権現造) with colorful, intricate wood carvings on shrine buildings. 39 viewsIt's similar to the famous Toshogu Shrine in Nikko (Tochigi) dedicated to Ieyasu. Toshogu in Nikko is famous for the three monkeys: "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil." 本殿
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Itsuura Kanko Hotel's okami-san or proprietress (女将) speaks English. The hotel also has English-speaking staff.39 views
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About the "Asia is One" monument.39 views
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Tenshin was proficient in English and wrote the classic book, "The Book of Tea" in English.39 views
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Movie poster for the movie, "Tenshin." It was being screened in the city.39 views
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Hina Matsuri dolls displayed at the museum entrance.38 views
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Cleaning up the fishing boat. Bycatch dumped overboard, but the birds are not picking it up.35 views
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JR Isohara Station welcome sign.33 views
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Standard size room in Minshuku Uohiko.33 views
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The boat crew welcome the portable shrine before it is loaded aboard.33 views
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33 views
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The gallery had Hina dolls for Girl's Day.32 views
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Monkfish/goosefish (あんこう), a type of anglerfish. They are most prized for their liver (ankimo), a local delicacy.32 views
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The white meat of monkfish.32 views
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Yo-soro Fishing History Museum, 5 min. by taxi from JR Otsuko Station. Pretty large facility with local fishing-related exhibits. 北茨城市漁業歴史 資料館「よう・そろー」32 views
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Onsen Minshuku Uohiko lodge near Hirakata Port. Ankou-nabe is a specialty. Recently renovated. 温泉民宿 魚彦32 views
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We arrived in the late afternoon in time for a tea ceremony in the hotel lobby. Conducted by the hotel's okami-san (proprietress 女将).32 views
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On the May 2 festival eve, the boat is pulled from east to west along 1,200 meters in the center of town without the portable shrine aboard.32 views
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They turned the boat 90 degrees in one drag.32 views
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Very simple to make. Tie the two bands into a knot, then stick the head (pin) into it. Did it in 2 minutes. Prince on the left, princess on the right.31 views
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Tengokoro, for local gifts and products. てんごころ http://www.tengokoro.com/31 views
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Hirakata Port is a major fishing port in Kita-Ibaraki.31 views
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There are many species of angler fish in the world. The one caught in Japan is this one, Lophiomus setigerus.31 viewsMonkfish has a big head, wide mouth, and a lure on the forehead to attract small fish. Looks kind of grotesque and lives on the ocean floor.
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Besides monkfish, other fishes are sold at auction. This is not yet a tourist attraction since we were the only outsiders there.31 views
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Each pile of fish is for a single bid.31 views
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Oh look, something's hanging there...31 views
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Welcome mat saying "Yo-soro" which means "Go ahead" for boat navigation.31 views
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Large room in Minshuku Uohiko.31 views
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An-chan and Kou-chan mascots in Aloha shirts.31 views
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My complimentary matcha tea and confections.31 views
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This used to be part of Yokoyama Taikan's living room, now one of the rooms where you can stay. 31 views
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On the May 3 main festival day, the boat is dragged along the same route west to east with the portable shrine and shrine priests aboard.31 viewsThis boat is here at the start point on May 3, 2019.
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Back of ofune boat.31 views
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Paitning of a monkfish, a delicacy of Kita-Ibaraki.31 views
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Thank You Club31 views
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31 views
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We each got a clump of clay, enough to make several cups or bowls.30 views
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Arigatee is 150 years old built in the late Edo Period. This house will be accepting artist-in-residence as well.30 views
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Arigatee's current caretaker is Ishiwata Norio and his wife Chifumi (石渡のりお・ちふみ). They moved here from Tokyo. He uses it as a artist studio. That's his painting on the wall.30 viewsKita-Ibaraki is promoting itself as an art city, and Arigatee is part of the project. Ishiwata-san and his wife were very gracious and a real boon to the city's artist community.
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Former horse stable's attic will become a gallery space.30 views
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They taught us how to make Hina ningyo dolls for Girl's Day (March 3). We could pick any of these plastic pins and decorative bands for our Hina dolls. Yes, that's all we needed to make the dolls.30 views
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Hirakata Port has a fish market that holds a fish auction in the afternoon. This is a typical wholesale fish market in Japan. Open-air, flat roof with a concrete floor next to fishing boats. 30 views
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The museum also has display panels showing the tsunami damage suffered by Kita-Ibaraki. Ibaraki Prefecture, being on the southern fringe of the Tohoku Region, suffered major earthquake and tsunami damage in March 2011.30 viewsKita-Ibaraki being closest to the Tohoku Region on the coast, suffered the most in Ibaraki Prefecture. The flat sandy beaches were overcome by the tsunami (second wave around 5 meters high) that caused much damage to Kita-Ibaraki. This is the Hirakata area after the tsunami. Besides major damage along the coast, the interior areas had numerous landslides, collapsed walls, and damaged roads due to the quake.
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Covering only one ear.30 views
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Near Rokkakudo Pavilion on the Izura coast is Itsuura Kanko Hotel (五浦観光ホテル), pictured here on the cliffs. This was our hotel for the night. It had prime views of the coast.30 viewsThe hotel was high enough on the cliff to escape the five-meter-high tsunami on March 11, 2011. The hotel suffered only minor damage from the earthquake. The ground is very solid here, so quake damage was minimal.
Note that the hotel's name is pronounced "Itsuura" while the coast is "Izura." (Kanji characters are the same.) izura.net
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30 views
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Appetizers for our full-course dinner.30 views
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Courtyard garden of Buzan home.30 views
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Fancy corridor inside Kimura Buzan home.30 views
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The ofune wooden fishing boat is painted with local fish.30 views
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30 views
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The festival originally used an actual fishing boat. But now this wooden boat was built especially for the festival.30 views
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Sardines30 views
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Group photos in front of the boat.30 views
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Looks like the boat captain.30 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.30 views
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Dragging the boat over the wooden pallets.30 views
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Picking up the pallets.30 views
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Local pottery called Izura Tenshin-yaki started about 25 years ago by the local Chamber of Commerce. Clay called "gairome" (蛙目) found locally is used. 29 viewsThe clay is found in this area under the coal deposits. They collect the clay already exposed on the ground (no digging). This type of clay contains quartz, but the large quartz pieces are removed for pottery.
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This is Kikuchi Hidetoshi, a local potter who, along with his wife Mie, taught us how to make Izura Tenshin-yaki pottery (五浦天心焼). They moved here in 1998.29 viewsThe Kikuchis are one of several Tenshin-yaki potters in Kita-Ibaraki.
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Glass Studio Silica main exhibition room. ガラス工房シリカ29 views
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It's unlike the old Tsukiji fish market or the new Toyosu Market in Tokyo.29 views
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Sea eels or anago.29 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29 views
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The boat, with shrine priests and musicians aboard, is rocked side to side as it is dragged on the street for several hours. This festival will be held on May 2nd–3rd, 2019. At least 160,000 spectators are expected to see it. 29 views
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Ten people in Kita-Ibaraki died directly or indirectly due to the tsunami/earthquake and 186 injured. Over 8,000 homes in Kita-Ibaraki were damaged and up to 5,000 people had to evacuate to emergency shelters.29 viewsThese numbers pale in comparison to the three Tohoku prefectures, so Ibaraki doesn't get much attention with regard to 3-11, although the Emperor and Empress did visit Kita-Ibaraki in late April 2011.
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Minshuku Uohiko uses natural hot spring for the bath.29 views
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Haiden worship hall. 拝殿29 views
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Haiden worship hall. 拝殿29 views
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Koma-zaru guardian monkeys (instead of dogs). 狛猿29 views
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29 views
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Benzaiten Shrine.29 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. 29 viewsAn-chan is a fisherman, and Kou-chan is a monkfish.
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Lovely flowers in the hotel lobby.29 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.29 views
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In the modern hotel tower, our banquet room for dinner.29 views
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Lobby with Hina Matsuri decorations.29 views
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Itsuura Kanko Hotel Honkan lobby.29 views
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Elegant transom with a pine tree carving.29 views
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Fancy corridor inside Kimura Buzan home.29 views
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My video of Kita-Ibaraki's Ofune Matsuri boat festival.29 views
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On May 3 from morning, they parade the mikoshi portable shrine bearing Sawawachigi Shrine's god for maritime safety.29 views
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Boat crew waiting for the portable shrine to be loaded on the boat, which then becomes a "sacred boat."29 views
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After being paraded around town all morning, the portable shrine arrives near the boat.29 views
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They use about 100 soroban wooden pallets (ソロバン) made of Japanese oak tree, a hard wood. Each weighs 20 kg.29 views
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Before dragging the boat, they violently rock the boat side to side.29 views
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There are men on both sides of the boat who rock the boat before the drag. When the boat moves, they hang on to the boat.29 views
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After the drag, they pick up the pallets and lay them in front of the boat on the road ahead.29 views
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Narrow streets make it crowded.29 views
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29 views
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The route has one 90-degree corner where the boat is turned. This is a festival highlight and many people crowd this corner.29 views
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Shuttle bus back to JR Otsuko Station. Shuttle bus stop was near the start point a few hundred meters from the corner.29 views
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JR Otsuko Station29 views
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We visited his modest studio for a hands-on pottery lesson. First he demonstrated what we have to do. He made it look so quick and easy. 土の夢陶房 (菊池 秀利・美恵)28 views
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Ishiwata Chifumi and Sumi-chan.28 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. 28 views
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Our lunch at Arigatee. Chicken drumstick, vegetables, rice, and tonjiru (pork and vegetables) soup.28 views
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Former horse stable.28 views
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Chain saw sculptures.28 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/28 views
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Glass Studio Silica gift shop. ガラス工房シリカ28 views
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Glass Studio Silica with a glass sculpture of monkfish.28 views
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Gallery Salamat Po. "Salamat Po" means "Thank you" in Tagalog. (ぎゃらりー さらま・ぽ) (ぎゃらりー さらま・ぽ)28 views
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Inside Tengokoro.28 views
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Our dorayaki teacher and Tengokoro store manager.28 views
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It's the city's grandest festival and very unique because this boat is pulled on city streets instead of sailing on the water. 28 views
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Display of all the fishes caught in Kita-Ibaraki.28 views
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Yo-soro Museum also has this kami-shibai storytelling room. Story about British whalers who landed on Otsuhama beach in Kita-Ibaraki in May 1824 in search of food and water.28 viewsIt was during the time Japan largely prohibited contact with foreigners. By the 1800s, whaling ships from the West were frequently seen off the coast of Japan. In May 1824, multiple British whaling ships appeared off the coast of Kita-Ibaraki.
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The crew suffered from scurvy due to the lack of vitamin C. They needed water and vegetables so 12 British whalers landed on Otsuhama beach in Kita-Ibaraki. They were willing to barter guns, spears, gold, etc., as payment. (大津浜事件) 28 views
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Hanazono Gorge, a major tourist spot in Kita-Ibaraki.28 views
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Romon Gate28 views
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Romon Gate28 views
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Romon Gate28 views
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Ema prayer tablet28 views
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28 views
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Kaguraden28 views
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Gods worshipped by Hanazono Shrine includes Sanno, the mountain deity. 28 views
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Rare cedar with three trunks.28 views
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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. 28 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.28 views
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Statue of Yokoyama Taikan (横山大観), a very famous Japanese Nihonga painter. Taikan was born in Mito, the capital of Ibaraki. (横山大観)28 views
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Another room of the living room.28 views
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View from the hotel's modern tower.28 views
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