 Last additions - Onbashira Festival (Shimo-sha Yamadashi) 御柱祭 下社 山出し |
Hiroshige's woodblock print of Takasaki (30th post town on the Nakasendo) from his Kisokaido series. Apr 23, 2011
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The Ax Man. He cuts the rope which sets the log loose down the slope.Apr 29, 2007
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The log heading to the Shimekake resting place. If you don't like crowds, don't see this festival. Also see photos of Shimo-sha Satobiki.Apr 29, 2007
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Now we walked back together with hundreds of thousands of people...Apr 29, 2007
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But my camera captured the log going down, even though I could hardly see it. Onbashira Festival, Shimosuwa, Nagano. 木落とし坂 春宮一之柱Apr 29, 2007
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Then came the log, and a lotta dust which made it difficult to see what was going on.Apr 29, 2007
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This was Log No. 1 for Shimo-sha's Harunomiya Shrine.Apr 29, 2007
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It was over after a few seconds. We walked for an hour from the train station and waited hours for just a few seconds of mostly dust.Apr 29, 2007
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The log pullers split into two.Apr 29, 2007
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Finally, people pulling the log appeared.Apr 29, 2007
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Apr 29, 2007
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We waited for the log scheduled to come down at 3 pm, but it was delayed by 2 hours...Apr 29, 2007
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Apr 29, 2007
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I was forced to join this crowd.Apr 29, 2007
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Thank goodness for telephoto lenses.Apr 29, 2007
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This was my view of the slope.Apr 29, 2007
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We sat there for hours.Apr 29, 2007
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People everywhere along the edge of the slope.Apr 29, 2007
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Apr 29, 2007
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The crowd extended all the way to the rear. All to see the 3pm Ki-otoshi log drop.Apr 29, 2007
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It was very steep and uncomfortable to sit on, so I decided to leave this place.Apr 29, 2007
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The numerous people and trees made it impossible to see the slope itself.Apr 29, 2007
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The Ki-otoshi slope, and one of the icons of the festival. This is the larger slope for Ki-otoshi compared to the one for the Kami-sha Shrine in Chino. 木落とし坂Apr 29, 2007
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The Ki-otoshi slope up close. Very rough-looking. 木落とし坂Apr 29, 2007
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We weren't the only ones there.Apr 29, 2007
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Log No. 4 for Shimo-sha Shrine's Akinomiya Shrine. 秋宮四之柱Apr 29, 2007
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There it is, the slope.Apr 29, 2007
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Apr 29, 2007
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Log No. 4 for Shimo-sha Shrine's Akinomiya Shrine which already went down the big slope for Ki-otoshi (Log Drop) comes out at 1:30 pm. 秋宮四之柱Apr 29, 2007
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We had to wait until the Ki-otoshi at 1pm was over. That's the one we wanted to see. But the place was already too full.Apr 29, 2007
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So after this log came out, we were allowed to proceed to the giant slope.Apr 29, 2007
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Here is where anybody can get on the logs and play.Apr 29, 2007
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Until we were stopped here. Sign says that only people with tickets can proceed further. Yeah, we walked all this way only to be told we cannot go further. Our destination was the Ki-otoshi slope where the huge logs slide down for the Yamadashi.Apr 29, 2007
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After the Shimekake, we walked further.Apr 29, 2007
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We had to wait until the 1pm Ki-otoshi log came out.Apr 29, 2007
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Apr 29, 2007
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There are no buses nor taxis to where we want to go.Apr 29, 2007
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After walking for 30 min., we reached this place called Shimekake, a resting place for the logs which had been hauled from the mountains. This is Log No. 2 for Akinomiya Shrine. 注連掛Apr 29, 2007
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The logs will rest here for about a month until early May when they will be hauled to the shrines for the Satobiki erection.Apr 29, 2007
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We had to walk it. This was April 10, 2004, one of the days for Shimo-sha Shrine's Yamadashi when they hauled the logs from the mountain forest.Apr 29, 2007
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Shimosuwa Station 下諏訪駅Apr 29, 2007
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Go straight on this road in front of the station.Apr 29, 2007
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Billboard depicting Ki-otoshi (Log Drop) at Shimosuwa Station.Apr 29, 2007
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Store your luggage here. Not enough lockers at the train station so they provide this service. 400 yen/day.Apr 29, 2007
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