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To Obama via JR Obama Line (Tsuruga Station).
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JR Obama Line
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JR Obama Station
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JR Obama Station platform
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Welcome to Obama
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JR Obama Station exit
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JR Obama Station
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Sign urging the construction of a train line to Obama via Shiga Prefecture.
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JR Obama Station entrance
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Train schedule for Obama Station. Very few train runs, about once an hour or less.
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JR Obama Station and taxis.
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Right near the exit of Obama Station is the tourist information office where you can obtain maps, pamphlets, and ask questions.
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Main drag (Hamakaze-dori) from Obama Station
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Main drag (Ote-dori) from Obama Station. 大手通り
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Mermaid on mailbox
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Obama Castle remains. Only the stone foundation and a few stone walls remain. Obama Castle was built by Kyogoku Takatsugu in 1601 after he was awarded the Wakasa domain for his service during the Battle of Sekigahara.
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Obama Castle stone foundation for the main castle tower. No structure remain. No moats remain either, except for the two rivers which served as a natural moat.
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Obama Castle stone foundation for the main castle tower. After the Kyogoku Clan moved to Izumo (Shimane Pref.), Sakai Tadakatsu took up residence in 1634 and his clan lived in the castle until the Meiji Restoration.
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Obama Castle stone foundation for the main castle tower. Lord Sakai Tadakatsu built the main castle tower in 1636. 小浜城跡
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On top of Obama Castle stone foundation for the main castle tower.
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View from Obama Castle stone foundation for the main castle tower.
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Whoever owned the castle land apparently sold off some house lots.
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Obama Castle wall
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The castle suffers from unsightly parking lots and private homes encroaching on its historic remains.
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The castle grounds now has Obama Jinja Shrine, a Shinto shrine.
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Obama Castle's foundation for a turret.
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On top of castle wall.
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Private homes are built right up to the castle wall.
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Layout of the original Obama Castle sandwiched between two rivers.
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Near the water is Wakasa Fisherman's Wharf, housing restaurants, souvenir shops, and a tour boat ticket office.
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Boat cruise to Sotomo Rocks on the nearby coast.
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Sushi restaurant in Wakasa Fisherman's Wharf. Buy sushi and eat it there with free miso soup and tea.
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Saba-zushi or rice topped with mackerel, a local specialty in Obama, Fukui.
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Along the Obama waterfront is this Mermaid Terrace.
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Mermaid Terrace.
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Mermaid Terrace
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Obama beach
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Obama beach, fit for swimming in summer.
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Wing Terrace
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Obama waterfront
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Obama coast
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Obama coast
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Road leading to the hilltop Obama Park where the youth hostel used to be.
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Lookout deck in Obama Park.
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Lookout deck in Obama Park. This was where the Chimuras were abducted by North Korea in 1978. Obama was one of the main places North Korean agents used to enter Japan.
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View from Obama Park.
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Obama
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Entrance to Izumi-cho shopping arcade.
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Inside Izumi-cho shopping arcade where they sell mostly seafood.
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Izumi-cho shopping arcade was also the starting point of the Saba Kaido road to Kyoto. During the Edo Period, this road was used by saba (mackerel fish) merchants traveling to sell their fish. The road was actually a network of roads.
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Starting point of the Saba Kaido road. 鯖街道
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Izumi-cho also has a small museum for the Saba Kaido seen on the right.
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Inside the Saba Kaido Museum.
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Saba Kaido Museum. You can see what the mackerel merchants wore when traveling.
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Saba Kaido Museum displays accounting books for selling saba mackerel fish.
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Obama City Hall
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Statue of Lord Sakai Tadakatsu outside Obama City Hall. Tadakatsu also served as Tairo, of Chief Minister in the Tokugawa government during 1638 to 1656.
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Inside Obama City Hall.
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Statue outside Obama City Hall.
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Pure and clean water well
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Statue of Sugita Genpaku, a Dutch studies scholar who studied medicine. He was from Obama. 杉田 玄白
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Statue of Sugita Genpaku as a child, in front of the public hospital. 杉田 玄白
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Minamigawa River
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