Go and Azai Sisters Expo 2011 江・浅井三姉妹博覧会

Home > SHIGA 滋賀県 > Nagahama 長浜市 > Go and Azai Sisters Expo 2011 江・浅井三姉妹博覧会

Go and Azai Sisters Expo 2011 江・浅井三姉妹博覧会

In 2011, the Go and Azai Sisters Expo is publicized everywhere in Nagahama. This is the east side of Nagahama Station.

Go to the west side of Nagahama Station to catch the shuttle bus going to the Go and Azai Sisters Expo pavilions. Buy the roundtrip bus ticket at the little office near the bus stop at the train station.

The 1,000 yen ticket includes admission to all three pavilions and roundtrip shuttle bus fare. Best to go the Odani pavilion first, then the Azai pavilion, and the central Nagahama pavilion on the way back.

The shuttle bus leaves once or twice an hour. It comes with a bus guide.

The Odani pavilion is at the foot of Odani Castle. Shuttle buses run between the three pavilions. Best to take a shuttle bus from Nagahama Station (West exit) and go directly to this pavilion.

Path to the Odani pavilion called Odani–Go no Furusato-kan (小谷・江のふるさと館).

Fence modeled after a samurai battle fence.

Odani–Go no Furusato-kan (小谷・江のふるさと館) in Odani.

Rear view of Odani–Go no Furusato-kan (小谷・江のふるさと館) pavilion. The building in the foreground is a small gift shop.

Outside the pavilion are food stalls and covered picnic tables.

Food stall named "Ogo-chan."

Map of area surrounding the Odani pavilion.

Inside the Odani pavilion is this samurai costume which you can wear and take pictures of yourself.

Also replica matchlock guns.

The Odani pavilion's most impressive exhibit was this scale model of Mt. Odani with Odani Castle in its heyday. On the left, you can also see Mt. Toragozen where Nobunaga's troops were perched to attack Odani Castle.

Model of Odani Castle. The mountain is quite steep and it was a difficult place to live logistically so normally, the castle lord and his family lived in the valley on the left side of the mountain.

Map of Mt. Odani. From the Odani pavilion, there are shuttle buses going to Odani Castle. The roundtrip fare is 500 yen. It is a guided tour to the main parts of Odani Castle ruins. Photos here.

At the Odani pavilion at the foot of Mt. Odani, a shuttle bus to Odani Castle with a tour guide is provided for 500 yen roundtrip during 2011. A lot easier than walking up the mountain.

Outside the Odani pavilion is this outdoor stage. On weekends, a drama troupe performs.

Samurai

Entrance to Odani Castle Sengoku Historical Museum (小谷城戦国歴史資) opened in fall 2007. The museum is in the valley adjacent to Mt. Odani. Although the castle was atop the mountain, the castle lord and his family (Azai sisters) normally lived i

Odani Castle Sengoku Historical Museum. Admission 300 yen (not included in the expo ticket price). Can't take photos inside, but there are two small exhibition rooms explaining about the Azai clan and Odani Castle. No English.

The third and main pavilion is in Azai. This is where the expo's opening ceremony was held on Jan. 15, 2011 with Shiga Governor Kada Yukiko and actor Tokito Saburo in attendance.

Statue of the Azai family in front of the Azai pavilion. As soon as they arrive here, most visitors take a picture of this sculpture.

About the Azai family sculpture. There's Nagamasa, Oichi, Chacha, Ohatsu Go, and Manpukumaru. They are gazing at Lake Biwa and Chikubushima from Odani.

The Azai pavilion is called Azai–Go no Drama-kan (浅井・江のドラマ館). It displays kimono worn by the actresses (Ueno Juri, Miyazawa Rie) and samurai armor worn by the actors playing Oda Nobunaga and Azai Nagamasa. There’s also a small video

Food stalls

Table for food stalls.

Vending machines with Azai sisters moif.

Inside the ift shop. This is the expo's largest gift shop. Buy your Azai sisters souvenirs and guide books here next to the Azai pavilion.

Gift shop

Go and Azai Sisters Expo banner.

Shuttle bus to go to the next pavilion. They start from Nagahama Station's west exit and go to all three pavilions with stops at major attractions along the way. A bus guide is aboard the us.

Whenever a shuttle bus comes and goes, two women dressed as Go and Azai Nagamasa say Welcome or Goodbye to the passengers.

Woman dressed as Azai Nagamasa say Goodbye to the shuttle bus passengers.

Otemon-dori shopping arcade in central Nagahama with banners showing the way to the Go and Azai Sisters Expo venue. The expo has three pavilions in three different locations: central Nagahama, Odani, and Azai.

Across from the Nagahama Hikiyama Museum is the first Go and Azai Sisters Expo paviion called Nagahama Kurokabe Rekishi Drama 50-saku-kan (長浜黒壁・歴史ドラマ50作館).

This pavilion is actually a small exhibition room on the 2nd floor of a small shopping complex. It has panel displays of past NHK Taiga Dramas (50 of them) and a small video theater.

Photography is not allowed inside the pavilions except for certain objects. Model of Odani Castle. This pavilion next to the Hikiyama Museum does not have much. See it only if you have time or if you're a Taiga Drama fan.