Last additions - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Last additions

Apr 15, 2006

Shrine priestApr 15, 2006

Mikoshi enter the Ichino-toriiApr 15, 2006

Warriors on OmotesandoApr 15, 2006

Warriors going through the Omote-mon Gate.Apr 15, 2006

Another mikoshi going up to Omote-mon GateApr 15, 2006

Chigo children and assistants make sure the crown doesn't fall off.Apr 15, 2006

Shrine priestApr 15, 2006

Mikoshi and Five-story PagodaApr 15, 2006

Leaving the Otabisho.Apr 15, 2006

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Chigo children, notice the Oriental zodiac animals on their crowns.Apr 15, 2006

Those crowns are heavy.Apr 15, 2006

Mikoshi and Five-story PagodaApr 15, 2006

Warriors and Five-story PagodaApr 15, 2006

Mikoshi is carried out of the Otabisho.Apr 15, 2006

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Warriors on OmotesandoApr 15, 2006

Warriors leaving the Otabisho.Apr 15, 2006

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Heading to Omotesando. They follow the same route back.Apr 15, 2006

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LionApr 15, 2006

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Mikoshi is carried out of the Otabisho.Apr 15, 2006

Dance maidensApr 15, 2006

The three mikoshi are carried out of the Otabisho.Apr 15, 2006

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Wooden birdsApr 15, 2006

Dancers leaving the buildingApr 15, 2006

Warriors walk back up the slope in front of the Otabisho.Apr 15, 2006

Another lion (shi-shi)Apr 15, 2006

Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance 東遊の舞Apr 15, 2006

People get ready to leave and go back to Toshogu Shrine.Apr 15, 2006

1:00 pm: Departure at OtabishoApr 15, 2006

Warriors with shiny gold helmets.Apr 15, 2006

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Offerings of sea bream (tai)Sanbon-date Shichi-jugo zen

三本立七五膳Apr 15, 2006

Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance musiciansApr 15, 2006

Near departure time at OtabishoApr 15, 2006

Ceremony to give offerings to the shrine deity. 三本立七五膳Sanbon-date Shichi-jugo zen

三本立七五膳Apr 15, 2006

Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance 東遊の舞Apr 15, 2006

These two performed the Yaotome-no-Mai. They are leaving the building.Apr 15, 2006

Mikoshi stored in the Otabisho's Shinden Hall, a resting place for spirits in transit. 御旅所　御神殿Apr 15, 2006

Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance 東遊の舞Apr 15, 2006

Sanbon-date Shichi-jugo zen

三本立七五膳Apr 15, 2006

What happened to the white roof for the musicians? Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance 東遊の舞These pictures were taken in different years and combined.Apr 15, 2006

Apr 15, 2006

Offering of ducks (dead)Apr 15, 2006

Ceremony at the Otabisho. 御旅所祭Apr 15, 2006

Ya-otome no Mai Sacred Dance 八乙女の舞Apr 15, 2006

Mikoshi coming through.Apr 15, 2006

Ceremony to give offerings to the shrine deity. 三本立七五膳Sanbon-date Shichi-jugo zen

三本立七五膳Apr 15, 2006

12 noon: Otabisho resting place. They arrive and have lunch. The three mikoshi are stored in the building on the upper left. 御旅所御旅所Apr 15, 2006

Ceremony at the Otabisho. 御旅所祭　拝殿Apr 15, 2006

Face of a samurai.Apr 15, 2006

Procession bannersApr 15, 2006

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Otabisho 御旅所Apr 15, 2006

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Omotesando is the main part of the route to watch the procession. It is the shrine's largest avenue.Apr 15, 2006

This is near the end of the Omortesando and they turn left to go to the Otabisho resting place.Apr 15, 2006

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MikoshiApr 15, 2006

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Warriors coming down the Omotesando. 武者行列Apr 15, 2006

Sacred music musiciansApr 15, 2006

Warriors coming down the Omotesando. 武者行列Apr 15, 2006

Banners leading the procession.Apr 15, 2006

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Omotesando main promenade. Also see the video at YouTube. 表参道Apr 15, 2006

The Boy Scouts collect offerings (excluding horse droppings) thrown on the ground by spectators.Apr 15, 2006

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Chigo children wearing an elaborate crown with the signs of the eto Oriental Zodiac. NikkoNikko Grand Spring Festival in May.Apr 15, 2006

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Mikoshi passing through Ichino-toriiApr 15, 2006

Beware of horse droppingsApr 15, 2006

This short path goes to the Omotesando main promenade.上新道Apr 15, 2006

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Omotesando main promenade 表参道Apr 15, 2006

Shrine priests sittingApr 15, 2006

Start of the Omotesando with Ichino-torii in the background. 一ノ鳥居Apr 15, 2006

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This warrior procession is said to be a reenactment of Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada's visit to Toshogu Shrine, dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Successive shoguns visited the shrine as well.上新道Apr 15, 2006

Rear viewApr 15, 2006

Over 50 different costumes are featured in the procession.Apr 15, 2006

Shrine maidens 巫女Apr 15, 2006

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Warriors make their way through.Apr 15, 2006

At 11:00 am, the procession starts. They leave Futarasan Shrine through this torii. 上新道上新道Apr 15, 2006

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The procession includes about 18 horses.Apr 15, 2006

Both men and boys wear the warrior costumes.Apr 15, 2006

Shrine priests standingApr 15, 2006

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The procession's starting point at Futarasan Shrine is a great photo op.Apr 15, 2006

Grounds of Futarasan Shrine, the starting point of the "1,000-Person Procession." 千人行列Apr 15, 2006

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Chigo children 稚児, NikkoApr 15, 2006

Posing with maybe with their school teacher.Apr 15, 2006

Cool heads.Apr 15, 2006

Futarasan Shrine's toriiApr 15, 2006

Carrying out another mikoshi from Futarasan Shrine.Apr 15, 2006

The warriors are the procession's main attraction.Waiting near Futarasan Shrine's torii.Apr 15, 2006

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Carrying out another mikoshi from Futarasan Shrine.Apr 15, 2006

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First group of mikoshi bearers fall in line.Apr 15, 2006

Carrying out the mikoshi from Futarasan Shrine.Apr 15, 2006

Portable shrine in Futarasan Shrine's Haiden Hall.二荒山神社拝殿Apr 15, 2006

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Second group of mikoshi bearers fall in line.Apr 15, 2006

Mikoshi bearers standing by.Apr 15, 2006

The three portable shrines (mikoshi) in Futarasan Shrine's Haiden Hall. 二荒山神社拝殿Apr 15, 2006

Mikoshi bearers standing by.Apr 15, 2006

Entering Futarasan Shrine's Haiden Hall. All three portable shrines are taken to this hall. 二荒山神社拝殿Apr 15, 2006

The spirits of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Minamoto Yoritomo in the three portable shrines are then transferred to Futarasan Shrine. The mikoshi spend the night here.Apr 15, 2006

May 18: At 10:35 am, the spirits are transferred from Futarasan Shrine back to the portable shrines.Futarasan Shrine's Haiden Hall.

二荒山神社拝殿Apr 15, 2006

Priests on a rainy day.Apr 15, 2006

Passing under the torii at Futarasan Shrine. 二荒山神社二荒山神社Apr 15, 2006

A short path leads to Futarasan Shrine.Apr 15, 2006

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Passing under the torii at Futarasan Shrine. 二荒山神社二荒山神社Apr 15, 2006

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Coming down from Yomeimon Gate (National Treasure). 陽明門The gate is a National Treasure and symbol of Nikko.

陽明門Apr 15, 2006

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The three portable shrines (mikoshi) are then carried out of the storehouse to be taken to Futarasan Shrine.Apr 15, 2006

Passing under Yomeimon Gate.Apr 15, 2006

Apr 15, 2006

In front of the portable shrine storehouse for the three mikoshi. A ceremony is held to transfer the spirits from the main shrine to the portable shrines. 神輿舎にて宵成渡御This building is right next to the famous Yomei-mon Gate at the Toshogu Shrine.

神輿舎にて宵成渡御Apr 15, 2006

Also called "Sennin Gyoretsu" (1,000-person Procession 千人行列), this is Nikko's largest festival held on May 17-18. The highlight is a long procession of over 1,000 people dressed in various costumes.The three portable shrines are dedicated to the spirits of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Minamoto Yoritomo. Photos start with May 17 at Toshogu Shrine, when priests gathered for a ceremony. 発興祭Apr 15, 2006

Prayer ceremony by priestsApr 15, 2006

Sumo arena. An exhibition sumo tournament is held every April.Apr 15, 2006

Food standsApr 15, 2006

Adding to the dignity of the shrine is a monkey show.Apr 15, 2006

Garden 神池庭園Apr 15, 2006

慰霊の泉Apr 15, 2006

Entrance to sumo arenaApr 15, 2006

Entrance to sumo arena.Apr 15, 2006

Monument for kamikaze pilots who died.Apr 15, 2006

Garden 神池庭園Apr 15, 2006

Rest houseApr 15, 2006

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Mother Statue 母の像Apr 15, 2006

参集殿Apr 15, 2006

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Memorial for Justice Radhabinod Pal, an Indian judge during the war crimes tribunal. He was a judge who voted for the innocence of Japan's war criminals.Apr 15, 2006

Memorial for military horses which died.Apr 15, 2006

Yushukan war museum 遊就館Apr 15, 2006

Apr 15, 2006

Memorial for military horses and dogs which died.Apr 15, 2006

Yushukan war museum 遊就館Apr 15, 2006

Inside Yushukan war museum: Photos of the war deceased. Look carefully and you may find photos of Hideki Tojo and co.Apr 15, 2006

Memorial for sunken naval warshipsApr 15, 2006

Noh stageApr 15, 2006

Memorial for military dogs which died.Apr 15, 2006

Yushukan war museum 遊就館Apr 15, 2006

Entrance to Yushukan war museum 遊就館Apr 15, 2006

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Inside Yushukan war museum. Impressive, but its version of Japanese war history is skewed. No exhibit on the Pearl Harbor attack either. 遊就館Apr 15, 2006

Noh stage and the cherry tree used as the barometer for Tokyo's cherry blossom blooming condition.Apr 15, 2006

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Yasukuni Shrine, Torii and Haiden hallApr 15, 2006

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Yasukuni Shrine, Haiden hall. After the Class-A war criminals (such as Hideki Tojo) were enshrined here, the late Emperor Hirohito (Showa) never worshipped here again. 拝殿Apr 15, 2006

Cherry blossom path to shrineApr 15, 2006

Back view of second toriiApr 15, 2006

Imperial crest on gate doorApr 15, 2006

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Gate built in 1934. 神門Apr 15, 2006

Second toriiApr 15, 2006

You wash your mouth hands here. Built in 1940 by Japanese living in the US. 大手水舎Apr 15, 2006

Statue of Omura Masujiro (1824-1869) 大村益次郎, founder of Japan's modern army. Also pushed for the establishment of Yasukuni Shrine.Apr 15, 2006

Yasukuni Shrine is Japan's most prominent shrine for the war dead. Near Kudanshita Station on the Tozai Subway Line. This is the first giant toriiApr 15, 2006