Last additions - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

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Last additions - Hikone 彦根市

Hikone manhole with Hiko-nyan. Found in the tourist info office in Yobancho, Hikone.Jun 15, 2023

Sawayama Castle site as seen from Hikone Castle.Jun 20, 2017

Jun 20, 2017

View from top floor of Hikone Castle's Nishinomaru turret.Jun 20, 2017

Jun 20, 2017

View from top floor of Hikone Castle's Nishinomaru turret.Jun 20, 2017

Jun 20, 2017

Top floor of Hikone Castle's Nishinomaru turret.Jun 20, 2017

Plum blossom ume tree given by the city of Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture.Jun 20, 2017

Jun 20, 2017

Hikone Castle and plum blossoms.Jun 20, 2017

Jun 20, 2017

Hikone Castle and plum blossoms.Jun 20, 2017

Hiko-nyan appears outside the Taikomon near the main Hikone Castle tower.Jun 20, 2017

Hiko-nyan cutout in front of Hikone Castle. He appears daily.Jun 20, 2017

Matcha tea and confection at Choshoan tea house, Hikone Castle.Jun 20, 2017

Another room in Choshoan.Jun 20, 2017

Choshoan tea house was originally the bell ringer’s rest house.Jun 20, 2017

For ¥500, you can try matcha tea and a small confection. It’s operated by members of a tea school started by castle lord and tea master Ii Naosuke.Jun 20, 2017

On the way to the main castle tower (tenshu), you can take a tea break at this small tea house called Choshoan (聴鐘庵).Jun 20, 2017

Jun 20, 2017

The name Tenbin refers to its similarity to a tenbin shoulder pole for carrying a piece of luggage tied to each end. Both east (right) and west (left) ends of the building has a two-story watchtower turret. They look symmetrical, but are not identical.Jun 20, 2017

Hikone Castle admission fees in 2017.Jun 20, 2017

Biwa instrument displayed in Hikone Castle Museum.Jun 20, 2017

Jun 20, 2017

Hikone daimyo's living quarters.Jun 20, 2017

Jun 20, 2017

A pen with USP imprinted. The only USP merchandise I found in the university store.Feb 15, 2016

Takeshima island.Feb 14, 2016

Lake Biwa shore in Hassaka.Feb 14, 2016

About Kiwada Shrine.Feb 14, 2016

Hassaka neighborhood near Lake Biwa shore. Short walk from the University of Shiga Prefecture. Hassaka is an old fishing village.Feb 14, 2016

Near the University of Shiga Prefecture is Kiwada Shrine dedicated to Susanou-no-mikoto and Emperor Chuai for protection against stormy winds and for a good harvest.Feb 14, 2016

Los of bicycles.Feb 14, 2016

Athletic field is also only for practice and not competitive games. No spectator seats.Feb 14, 2016

Inside the gymnasium. There are no spectator seats since this is only for practice and not competitive games.Feb 14, 2016

GymnasiumFeb 14, 2016

Arches at Human Cultures schoolFeb 14, 2016

Engineering schoolFeb 14, 2016

Corridor in the new lecture hall.Feb 14, 2016

The lecture hall is all wood.Feb 14, 2016

A new lecture hall and offices.Feb 14, 2016

At the exchange program office, flags of some of USP's partner universities adorn the wall.Feb 14, 2016

Coffee and cake.Feb 14, 2016

Cafe is also pleasant.Feb 14, 2016

My lunch with fried chicken.Feb 14, 2016

Order food here.Feb 14, 2016

The meals are cheap.Feb 14, 2016

Cafeteria seats over 600. Crowded during lunch time. Visitors can eat here too.Feb 14, 2016

The cafeteria is downstairs on the right.Feb 14, 2016

This center square is actually the roof of the cafeteria.Feb 14, 2016

The moat comes complete with ducks. The university has a duck club that takes care of the ducks.Feb 14, 2016

Bridge over the moat.Feb 14, 2016

The central buildings are encircled by a circular moat lined with cherry trees.Feb 14, 2016

Inside the libraryFeb 14, 2016

Inside the library (school ID required to enter).Feb 14, 2016

LibraryFeb 14, 2016

Different clusters of buildings have different designs to reflect their respective departments such as buildings that look like barns.Feb 14, 2016

In the auditorium lobby, companies were holding a recruiting fair when I visited in Jan. 2016.Feb 14, 2016

AuditoriumFeb 14, 2016

Nursing schoolFeb 14, 2016

The most distinctive structure and symbol of the school is a tower nicknamed "Pencil Tower." Feb 14, 2016

Walkway to the central cluster of buildings.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Scale model of University of Shiga Prefecture.Feb 14, 2016

Campus map. The largely flat, rectangular campus is quite near the shore of Lake Biwa in a rural fishing neighborhood called Hassaka (八坂町) in Hikone.Feb 14, 2016

University of Shiga Prefecture was founded in 1995, so the buildings still look new and modern.Feb 14, 2016

University of Shiga Prefecture (USP or Shiga Kenritsu Daigaku 滋賀県立大学). It's a 15-min. bus ride from JR Minami-Hikone Station.Feb 14, 2016

Near the bus stop is this information booth. You can get directions here.Feb 14, 2016

Rakurakuen or Keyali Goten palace has a few other buildings like the Jishin-no-Ma.Feb 14, 2016

In spring, white herons nest in the high trees of Genkyuen Garden.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Rakuraku-en or Rakuraku no Ma. In the 1800s, the 12th lord Ii Naoaki built an annex building called Rakuraku-en which faces the garden. 楽々園Feb 14, 2016

Main building of Rakurakuen.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Inside the entrance of Rakurakuen.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

About Rakurakuen Palace.Feb 14, 2016

Entrance to Keyaki Goten Palace or Rakuraku-en. Completed in 1679 by the fourth castle lord Ii Naooki as a familiy residence. It took two years to build. It was highly admired for its beauty. 槻御殿Feb 14, 2016

Hikone CastleFeb 14, 2016

Hakkei-teiFeb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Hosho-dai 鳳翔台Feb 14, 2016

Inside Hosho-dai tea house. They actually serve tea for a fee. 鳳翔台Feb 14, 2016

Tea house on Hosho-dai hill. This was used by the daimyo to entertain guests with good views of the garden. 鳳翔台Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Boat landing.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Moat has lotus.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Always scenic to see Hikone Castle overlooking Genkyuen Garden.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Genkyuen has miniature versions of Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi). This is one of them, modeled after the Seta Karahashi Bridge in Otsu.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Island in the pond.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Genkyuen Garden was designed to be enjoyed along a circular walking path.Feb 14, 2016

East entrance to Genkyuen Garden. Small admission charged or you can buy a combination ticket with the castle admission.Feb 14, 2016

Feb 14, 2016

Genkyu-en is a Japanese garden next to Hikone Castle. It was built as a castle garden in 1677 by Ii Naooki, the fourth lord of Hikone Castle. Hakkei-tei Summer House MapFeb 14, 2016

Scale model of Genkyuen Garden next to Hikone Castle at the top of the picture. Garden has a large pond.Feb 14, 2016

Hikone Serikawa Station. ひこね芹川駅Apr 24, 2014

Train for Maibara at Ohmi Railways Hikoneguchi Station.Apr 24, 2014

Long bench inside Hikoneguchi Station before the building was torn down in Aug. 2014.Apr 24, 2014

Inside Hikoneguchi Station with turnstile visible, before the building was torn down in Aug. 2014.Apr 24, 2014

Inside Hikoneguchi Station before the building was torn down in Aug. 2014. No replacement.Apr 24, 2014

Old Hikoneguchi Station turnstile.Apr 24, 2014

Hikoneguchi Station building before the building was torn down in Aug. 2014.Apr 24, 2014

Apr 24, 2014

Hikoneguchi Station platform for Kibukawa.Apr 24, 2014

Hikoneguchi Station platform.Apr 24, 2014

Hikoneguchi Station.Apr 24, 2014

Hikoneguchi Station on the Ohmi Railways. This station building was torn down in Aug. 2014. 彦根口駅Apr 24, 2014

Hikoneguchi Station on the Ohmi Railways first opened in 1901 and renamed Hikoneguchi in 1917. This station building was torn down in Aug. 2014. 彦根口Apr 24, 2014

Tanabata decorations in Hikone.Apr 16, 2014

Tanabata decorations in Hikone in early Aug.Apr 16, 2014

Apr 16, 2014

Niagara Falls fireworks.Apr 16, 2014

Apr 16, 2014

The festival climaxed with fireworks.Apr 16, 2014

Apr 16, 2014

People start floating the lanterns.Apr 16, 2014

Priests chant in front of an altar.Apr 16, 2014

There was a small platform for an altar.Apr 16, 2014

It looked like a multi-religion procession of local Shinto and Buddhist priests.Apr 16, 2014

Shrine priests.Apr 16, 2014

A procession arrived at the river led by the Hikone Castle Ambassadors.Apr 16, 2014

Lanterns have candles.Apr 16, 2014

The lanterns will float down Serigawa River.Apr 16, 2014

Lanterns along the river bank.Apr 16, 2014

Apr 16, 2014

The Hikone Floating Lantern Festival (Manto Nagashi) is held on August 6 along Serigawa River. I saw it in 2006. Apr 16, 2014

Eatery decorated with beautiful wisteria in Hikone.Apr 15, 2014

Some kind of eatery decorated with beautiful wisteria in Hikone.Apr 15, 2014

Inside the main lobby of the Japan Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU) in Hikone.Apr 15, 2014

Entrance to JCMU. It is right next to the Hikone View Hotel (formerly Hikone Prince Hotel).Apr 15, 2014

The Japan Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU) is a study abroad program operated by the State of Michigan and Shiga.Apr 15, 2014

Stone statue of Hiko-nyan in Hikone.Apr 15, 2014

Corridor back to west side of Hikone Station.Apr 15, 2014

Tearing down old homes on the east side of Hikone Station.Apr 15, 2014

On the east side of Hikone Station in 2007, there was almost nothing.Apr 15, 2014

The old Ohmi Railways Museum had indoor and outdoor (trains) exhibits. This museum in Hikone closed and reopened inside Yokaichi Station in Higashi-Omi.Apr 15, 2014

Hikone StationApr 15, 2014

Corridor to east exit.Apr 15, 2014

Snake swimming in the moat.Apr 15, 2014

Hikone Castle moatApr 15, 2014

Apr 15, 2014

A good collection of artifacts related to Omi shonin.Apr 15, 2014

Apr 15, 2014

Shiga University's Archives Museum centers mainly on Omi shonin merchants.Apr 15, 2014

Archives Museum (経済学部附属史料館) at Shiga University.Apr 15, 2014

Assembly HallApr 15, 2014

Assembly Hall, a stately building.Apr 15, 2014

The Faculties of Economics and Education are here in Hikone. The other campus is in Otsu. Map of the Hikone Campus.Apr 15, 2014

Entrance to Shiga University, Hikone Campus. It is a national university. (Not to be confused with University of Shiga Prefecture operated by the prefecture.)Apr 15, 2014

Hikone Castle moat on the way to Shiga University.Apr 15, 2014

Shiga University is alongside the moat of Hikone Castle.Apr 15, 2014

View from castle tower, looking toward central Hikone with the castle museum in the foreground.Jun 12, 2013

Hikone City Hall with a sign urging Hikone Castle to become a World Heritage Site.Jun 12, 2013

Across the moat from Hikone Castle is Umoregi-no-ya, a house where Lord Ii Naosuke lived and trained in various arts from age 17 to 32. 埋木舎Jun 12, 2013

Across the moat from Hikone Castle is Umoregi-no-ya, a reclusive house where Lord Ii Naosuke lived and trained in various arts from age 17 to 32. 埋木舎Jun 12, 2013

Postcard of Commodore Perry and Ii Naosuke to mark the 50th anniversary of Yokohama Port's opening in 1909.Also see Gotokuji temple in Setgaya, Tokyo where Naosuke is buried. http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=646Jun 12, 2013

Postcard of Commodore Perry and Ii Naosuke to mark the 50th anniversary of Yokohama Port's opening in 1909.Naosuke's attackers overwhelmed his unprepared bodyguards within minutes. Wounded and defenseless Naosuke was further stabbed in his palanquin multiple times until he was dragged out by his topknot and beheaded by a Satsuma rogue samurai.
After the assassination, hard feelings continued between Hikone and Mito. But in 1968, the two cities put the past behind them and became friendship cities. Hikone gave white swans from Hikone Castle, and Mito gave plum blossom trees from the famous Kairakuen Garden.Jun 12, 2013

About Lord Ii Naosuke.Naosuke had many enemies who opposed allowing foreigners into Japan or opposed his choice for Shogun Iesada's successor. On a snowy morning on March 24, 1860, Naosuke left his Edo (Tokyo) residence in his palanquin and headed for Edo Castle nearby. Near Sakuradamon Gate, Naosuke was ambushed by 18 anti-foreigner rogue samurai mostly from Mito (Ibaraki Prefecture). It started with a distraction and a bullet hitting Naosuke through his palanquin.Jun 12, 2013