JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Chiba Castle is within Inohana Park 亥鼻公園 which is noted for cherry blossoms in spring. The reconstructed castle tower is a Folk Museum tracing the history of the Chiba clan who ruled Chiba during the 15th and 16th centuries.

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Great place to see a lot of weeping cherry blossoms showering the small pond. Over 600 cherry trees. About a 10-min. walk from Chba Station or one stop via monorail to Chiba Koen Station.

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Chiba Marine Stadium (QVC Marine Field) is the home field for the Chiba Lotte Marines pro baseball team. Saw a game between the Marines and Nippon Ham Fighters on Oct. 5, 2015. Near JR Kaihin-Makuhari Station on the Keiyo Line, about 40 min. from Tokyo Station.

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Other sights include Chiba Station, the monorail, and prefectural capital.

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Nakayama Hokekyoji Temple was established by Nichiren, therefore it belongs to the Nichiren Buddhist sect. From mid Feb. to March 3, it holds the Hina Matsuri Girl's Day festival with displays of ornate dolls. Short walk from JR Shimousa-Nakayama Station on JR Sobu Line or from Keisei-Nakayama Station on Keisei Main Line. Address: 千葉県市川市中山2-10-1

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Also called the Hadaka (Nude) Matsuri, this annual festival is held by Tamasaki Shrine near Kazusa-Ichinomiya Station (JR Sotobo Line). On Sept. 13, 2009 (Sun.), the main festival day, portable shrines from twelve shrines (junisha) in the same area are paraded and rushed to the beach with hundreds of people surrounding each one. They run with the portable shrine. At the beach in ankle-deep water, they jostle and toss the mikoshi in the air. In the evening, they return to town near the train station and parade the shrines again. Also see my video at YouTube.

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This annual festival is held in Ohara on Sept. 23-24, climaxing with many people carrying portable shrines into the ocean. Portable shrines from 18 shrines in the area join in the festival. "Hadaka" means nude, but no one is nude. They go into the ocean only on the 23rd. These photos were taken on Sept. 23, 2004. Also see the video at YouTube.

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Sawara is a designated traditional townscape (group of traditional buildings) along the Ono River near JR Sawara Station. Many traditional Japanese merchant buildings dating from the Edo Period.

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Festival of ornate floats paraded around Sawara in Oct. Floats (called dashi) are about 7 meters high and weigh 3 to 4 tons. They have intricate wood carvings and a large doll depicting a historical or legendary Japanese figure. Each float is from a neighborhood in Sawara. Most of the floats and dolls were made in the late 19th century or early 20th century.

Dating back 300 years, the festival is held for three days in July (10 floats) and Oct. (14 floats). The float pullers also dance and the main highlight is when they turn the float a few times. The festival is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. In fall 2016, it will be one of the 33 Yama, Hoko, and Yatai float festivals in Japan to be inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Held near JR Sawara Station (JR Narita Line) and along Ono River's traditional townscape.

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The small coastal town of Katsuura holds one of Japan's most impressive hina matsuri doll festival during late Feb. to early March. A whopping 25,000 hina ningyo dolls are displayed all over town.

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A scenic coastal park with dramatic views of the ocean, rocky shore, torii island, and Katsuura lighthouse.

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Umihotaru is an artificial island serving as a highway rest area and tourist attraction in the middle of Tokyo Bay. It's part of the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line highway traversing Tokyo Bay above and below the ocean to connect Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture and Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture. Umihotaru is built atop the entrance/exit of the undersea tunnel going to Kawasaki.

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After her first Space Shuttle flight in April 2010, astronaut Naoko Yamazaki returned to Japan briefly and included a visit to her hometown of Matsudo, Chiba where she had a homecoming parade on May 22, 2010. NASA photos of her training and STS-131 shuttle mission are also included. Also see my video at YouTube.

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Built in 1884, Tojotei was the residence of Tokugawa Akitake (1853-1910), brother of the last Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Akitake was supposed to be the next shogun after Yoshinobu, but the Tokugawa reign and Edo Period ended before his time. Akitake only became the last daimyo of the Mito Clan in Ibaraki. He retired at age 30 and lived the rest of his life at Tojotei, a spacious, Japanese-style residence on a hilltop. Tojotei is within the garden-like Tojogaoka History Park that was part of Akitake's estate. It now has the Tojo History Museum displaying Akitake artifacts, plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, lots of azalea, and fall foliage. Short walk from Matsudo Station. Park hours are 9 am to 5 pm, closed Mon. (open if a national holiday) Free admission. Small admission charged by Tojotei and the museum.

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Photos of Ozeki Kotoshogiku's victory parade in Feb. 2016, Matsudo Shrine, Kawazu-zakura cherry blossoms, Matsudo-juku, and JR Matsudo Station.

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Shinshoji temple (Narita-san), Japan's most famous temple for Setsubun Festival was jam-packed on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. Most people came to see the celebrities throwing the beans for mamemaki. They included sumo wrestlers Yokozuna Hakuho, Ozeki Kisenosato, Baruto, and Okinoumi. Also Haruka Ayase, Ayame Goriki, Kotaro Koizumi and other stars of the current NHK Taiga Drama, "Yae no Sakura." Also see my video at YouTube.
The first time I saw this was on Feb. 3, 2001. Celebrities then included Yokozuna Musashimaru and actresses Riho Makise.

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Narita-san Shinshoji Temple is Chiba Prefecture's most famous temple. Belonging to the Shingon Buddhist Sect, it holds many of Narita's major festivals such as Setsubun. Four buildings are also Important Cultural Properties. It also has a large Japanese garden, including cherry blossoms. A short walk from JR and Keisei Narita Stations.

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The biggest taiko drum festival in the Kanto region is held annually in April. Various taiko drum troupes perform for two full days on various outdoor stages in Narita, including the main stage in front of the Narita-san temple. Most of these pictures were taken on April 9, 2005.

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Held in July, this is a festival of ornate floats pulled on the streets of Narita and to Narita-san temple. These pictures were taken in 2002.

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Other pictures of Narita city including the Museum of Aeronautical Sciences near Narita International Airport.

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Onjuku is a well-known beach town famous for its beach and ama women divers (no longer topless).

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Opened in 1983, the National Museum of Japanese History is a large museum in a large park in the city of Sakura which is on the way to Narita Airport. It traces the entire history, archaeology, and folklore of Japan from the Stone Age. Near Keisei Sakura Station on the way to Narita Airport.

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Tokyo German Village is a large agricultural park with attractions in each season. In winter from Nov. 1 to March 31, it has a grand display of Christmas lights. The lights turn on right after sunset which is 5 pm or later. It's not very "German." The park is geared for people who can drive there. Very few buses run from JR Sodegaura Station.

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This hadaka (nude) festival held on Feb. 25 has a unique is being a mud festival. Men wearing loincloths wrestle in the mud in a rice paddy. They also make it fashionable to have mud on your face.

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