Last additions - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Last additions

View of Honmaru (Bizen Maru), main road to Himeji Station, and Nishi-no-MaruJan 20, 2006

Osakabe Shrine on top floor of Himeji Castle. This shrine was already on the hill before the castle was built. The shrine was moved when the castle was built, but it was brought into the castle after some "curses" occurred.Jan 20, 2006

Top floor of castle towerJan 20, 2006

Fifth floorJan 20, 2006

To top floorJan 20, 2006

View of HonmaruJan 20, 2006

Jan 20, 2006

Warrior armor displayed on second floor of Himeji Castle towerJan 20, 2006

Gun racks called bugukake. 武具掛Jan 20, 2006

Sign for bugukake weapon racks. Most explanatory signs are also in English.Jan 20, 2006

Weapon racks called bugukake. 武具掛Jan 20, 2006

To second floorJan 20, 2006

Sword exhibitJan 20, 2006

Jan 20, 2006

First floorJan 20, 2006

First flight of stairsJan 20, 2006

Mizu-no-roku Gate doorJan 20, 2006

Take off your shoes before entering.Jan 20, 2006

Inside Mizu-no-roku GateJan 20, 2006

Mizu-no-go Gate doorJan 20, 2006

Mizu-no-roku GateJan 20, 2006

Jan 20, 2006

Mizu-no-go Gate. 水五門Jan 20, 2006

Path to castle tower entranceJan 20, 2006

Castle tower 大天守Jan 20, 2006

Jan 20, 2006

Castle tower stone foundationJan 20, 2006

Castle tower viewed from Bizen Maru (Honmaru) 大天守Jan 20, 2006

Castle tower viewed from Bizen Maru (Honmaru). 大天守Jan 20, 2006

"Sama" hole for dropping stones, throwing spears, etc.Jan 20, 2006

Stone coffins at Bizen Gate. Due to a shortage of stones during the castle's construction, many stone coffins unearthed from the tumulus on the hill of the castle were used in the rock walls. The stone coffins were replaced by real stones during the cDue to a shortage of stones during the castle's construction, many stone coffins unearthed from the tumulus on the hill of the castle were used in the rock walls. The stone coffins were replaced by real stones during the castle restoration in the 1960s.Jan 20, 2006

Bizen Gate entrance to Honmaru, also called Bizen-maru. Notice the coffin stone on the right of the gate. (Important Cultural Property) 備前門Jan 20, 2006

Well Turret. The well is 16 meters deep with water 1 meter deep.Jan 20, 2006

Well Turret sign. The turret is to defend the rear of the castle. It has three rooms, one of which has a 16-meter deep well. 井郭櫓Jan 20, 2006

Chi-no-mon Gate (after passing through)Jan 20, 2006

View of castle tower from Chi-no-mon GateJan 20, 2006

He-no-mon Gate in the distance. As seen from Chi-no-mon Gate.Jan 20, 2006

One end of To-no-ichi GateJan 20, 2006

To-no-ichi Gate との一問Jan 20, 2006

View from He-no-mon GateJan 20, 2006

Chi-no-mon Gate in the distance. On the left partially hidden is To-no-ichi Gate. ちの門Jan 20, 2006

He-no-mon Gate　への門Jan 20, 2006

Inside storehouseJan 20, 2006

Koshi Kuruwa storehouse (Waist Quarter) for salt and rice.Jan 20, 2006

The family crest of the resident warlords who repaired the castle remain on the roof.Jan 20, 2006

The family crest of the resident warlords who repaired the castle are displayed. The warlords include Hashiba (later Toyotomi) Hideyoshi, Ikeda Terumasa, Honda Tadamasa, Matsudaira Tadaaki, Matsudaira Naomoto, Sakakibara Tadatsugu, and Sakai Tadazumi.Jan 20, 2006

Family crest on roof tiles. The family crest of the resident warlords who repaired the castle remain on the roof.Jan 20, 2006

Inside storehouseJan 20, 2006

Koshi no Kuruwa storehouse for rice and saltJan 20, 2006

StorehouseJan 20, 2006

Castle roof undersideJan 20, 2006

Inside Ni-no-mon Gate. A bottleneck gate designed so not many enemy soldiers can pass through at one time.Jan 20, 2006

Ni-no-mon Gate (Important Cultural Asset) にの門Jan 20, 2006

Path to Ni-no-mon GateJan 20, 2006

Path to Ha-no-mon Gate　はの門Jan 20, 2006

Ro-no-mon Gate (Important Cultural Asset) ろの門Jan 20, 2006

I-no-mon Gate (Important Cultural Asset) いの門Jan 20, 2006

Sangoku Moat in Ni no Maru, 三国堀Jan 20, 2006

Jan 20, 2006

Ni no Maru. After passing through Hishi Gate, this is what you see.Jan 20, 2006

View from the right of Hishi GateJan 20, 2006

Hishi Gate, Important Cultural Property. Pass though this large gate to proceed to the Ni no Maru compound. 菱門Jan 20, 2006

Path to Hishi Gate. 菱門Jan 20, 2006

Castle ticket office and entrance. Admission is 600 yen for adults. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (September through May) or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.(June through August).Jan 20, 2006

Jan 20, 2006

Castle tower, a National Treasure. 大天守Jan 20, 2006

Himeji Castle tower, a National Treasure. 大天守Jan 20, 2006

Castle tower closeup. 大天守Jan 20, 2006

Main castle tower (donjon), called Tenshu. 大天守Jan 20, 2006

Castle view from San no Maru.Jan 20, 2006

San no Maru cherry trees. The stone marker says that Himeji Castle is one of Japan's 100 Best Cherry Blossom Sites.Jan 20, 2006

Special Historical Place markerJan 20, 2006

World Heritage Site marker. 世界遺産　姫路城Jan 20, 2006

San no Maru. This area is ringed by cherry trees. 三の丸広場Jan 20, 2006

Otemon Gate, Main gate to castle. Reconstructed in 1937. 大手門Jan 20, 2006

World Heritage Site marker. 世界遺産　姫路城Jan 20, 2006

Castle moatJan 20, 2006

Path to Otemon Gate, the main gate to the castle. 大手門Jan 20, 2006

Uchibori Inner MoatJan 20, 2006

Road to Himeji Castle. Otemae Boulevard (Symbol Road). 大手前通りJan 20, 2006

Road to Himeji Castle. From Himeji Station, the main road leads to the castle which can be seen in the distance.Jan 20, 2006

Sign to city hall with misspelled word. "Distract" should be "District."Jan 17, 2006

Lake BiwaJan 17, 2006

Lake Biwa shoreJan 17, 2006

Lake Biwa shore. If you leave Maibara Station and head straight for the lake, this is what you will see.Jan 17, 2006

Tenmangu ShrineJan 16, 2006

Stone for safe childbirthJan 16, 2006

Jan 16, 2006

樹下神社Jan 16, 2006

Jan 16, 2006

Kaeru frog to wish you a safe return. 東門院Jan 16, 2006

Dobashi BridgeJan 16, 2006

Tomon-in temple built by Buddhist Priest Saicho (Dengyo Daishi) to protect his Enryakuji temple on Mt. Hiei from demons from the east. 東門院Jan 16, 2006

Old Nakasendo Road and Dobashi Bridge. Supposedly, this is the bridge from where Hiroshige drew his print of Moriyama-juku.Jan 16, 2006

Road marker. Established in 1642, Moriyama-juku was the sixty-seventh of the sixty-nine stations or shukuba post towns on the Nakasendo Road. It is the eighth Nakasendo station in Shiga (following Musa-juku in Omi-Hachiman).Jan 16, 2006

Marker for the Kabuto-ya innJan 16, 2006

Rear of road markerJan 16, 2006

Road marker. Go right for the Nakasendo Road. MAPJan 16, 2006

Jan 15, 2006

All fires totally fizzled out.Jan 15, 2006

Fire truck and hydrant right outside the shrine.Jan 15, 2006

Withdrawing the burnt-out torchJan 15, 2006

Shrine worshippersJan 15, 2006

Snuffing out the last flamesJan 15, 2006

The giant torches burnt out within 10 minutes.Jan 15, 2006

Local firemenJan 15, 2006

You can take home a branch of the torch for family safety.Jan 15, 2006

Withdrawing the burnt-out torchJan 15, 2006

Jan 15, 2006

After a few minutes and before it gets unbearably hot, the fire peters out.Jan 15, 2006

Jan 15, 2006

Katsube Fire Festival: Men dance in rings in front of the fire. Also see the video at YouTube.Jan 15, 2006

Jan 15, 2006

It gets very hot...Jan 15, 2006

They turned off all the lights and lit the torches all at once! Torch lighting! (たいまつ　ほうか　松明奉火)Jan 15, 2006

Giant torches in Katsube Shrine, Moriyama, Shiga Pref.Jan 15, 2006

One torch enters the shrine. At around 8 pm, the young men start hauling in the giant torches that were displayed in the neighborhood.Jan 15, 2006

One of the six torches carried into the shrine.Jan 15, 2006

A total of 12 torches are then in the shrine.Jan 15, 2006

The waiting crowd.Jan 15, 2006

Jan 15, 2006

At around 8 pm, the three taiko drums return to Katsube Shrine (たいこ　みやいり　太鼓宮入り)Jan 15, 2006

Taiko drum procession. Three taiko drums are carried around the neighborhood.Jan 15, 2006

Jan 15, 2006

Prayer ceremony at Katsube Shrine before they start parading with three taiko drums. 修祓式（しゅっぱつしき）Jan 15, 2006

Jan 15, 2006

Taking a sip of sacred sake. They soon get pretty drunk with sacred sake as they walk around the neighborhood beating the taiko drum.Jan 15, 2006

At 6 pm, half-naked young men wearing loincloths march to the shrine. They are 15-34 years old. 迎えJan 15, 2006

Katsube Shrine was founded in 649 and originally dedicated to a warrior god by the Mononobe clan.Jan 15, 2006

Rear view of torches.Jan 15, 2006

Good luck mochi rice cakes. I caught two of them. The kanji character is "fuku" meaning good luck.Jan 13, 2006

Shrine maidens ready to toss the mochi at Hokoku Shrine. Another highlight of Toka Ebisu.Jan 13, 2006

Hokoku Shrine, Nagahama, ShigaJan 13, 2006

Inside the shrineJan 13, 2006

On Jan. 11 they burn the old New Year's decorations.Jan 13, 2006

Jan 13, 2006

Old New Year's decorations to be burnedJan 13, 2006

Burning old New Year's decorations, Hokoku Jinja, Nagahama, Shiga Pref.Jan 13, 2006

Burning of old New Year's decorations in mid-JanuaryJan 13, 2006

Jan 13, 2006

Ebisu is one of the seven gods of good fortune. MAPJan 13, 2006

Used New Year's decorationsJan 10, 2006

Karuta Festival. The narrator (standing) recites one of the poems and the contestants must search for and claim the card written with the poem.Jan 10, 2006

Karuta cards with verses from famous poemsJan 10, 2006

The Shamusho Shrine office I (社務所I) serves as the Karuta Matsuri tournament venue.Jan 10, 2006

Jan 10, 2006

Karuta Festival posterJan 10, 2006

Jan 10, 2006

Sotokairo corridor (外廻廊), Jinpu-Juyosho shop selling souvenirs (神符授与所), and Rōmon Gate (楼門)Jan 10, 2006

Jan 10, 2006

Gift shop and clock museum in background. 時計博物館Jan 10, 2006

Sun dial. Another one in the background as well. Hidokei I (日時計1: Sundial I)Jan 10, 2006

CorridorJan 10, 2006

Inner side of Omi Jingu Shrine's Rōmon Gate (楼門).Jan 10, 2006

Naihaiden HallJan 10, 2006

Naihaiden Hall (Inner Haiden 内拝殿)Jan 10, 2006

Gehaiden Hall (Outer Haiden 外拝殿)Jan 10, 2006

Omi Jingu Shrine's Rōmon Gate (楼門)Jan 10, 2006

PoetryJan 10, 2006

Omi Jingu Shrine's Rōmon Gate (楼門)Jan 10, 2006

Steps to Rōmon Gate, the shrine's most outstanding structure. (楼門)Jan 10, 2006

Built in 1940, Omi Jingu Shrine is dedicated to Emperor Tenji who moved the capital to Otsu in 667 at the location of this shrine. Otsu was therefore once the capital of Japan. MAPJan 10, 2006

Path to shrine. Omi Shrine is a short walk from Omi Jingu-mae Station on the Keihan Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line.Jan 10, 2006

Inn sign. The 200-year-old Nakamura-ya inn burned down on Dec. 10, 2010.Jan 10, 2006

Musa-juku 武佐宿Jan 10, 2006

Musa's HonjinJan 10, 2006

Site of Musa-juku's Honjin, the town's exclusive lodging for VIPs to stopover or rest. Only the gate remains.Jan 10, 2006

Honjin signJan 10, 2006

Hatago inn called Nakamura-ya, this was the only remaining inn in Musa-juku. Unfortunately, this inn was destroyed by an early morning fire on Dec. 10, 2010. No one was hurt. The inn owners were sleeping on the 1st floor and they escaped.Jan 10, 2006