 Image search results - "koiwa" |
JR Koiwa Station, north exit
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JR Koiwa Station, north exit sculpture
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JR Koiwa Station, south exit
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JR Koiwa Station, south side
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JR Koiwa Station has this statue of Yokozuna Tochinishiki, a famous sumo wrestler who was from Koiwa.
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Statue of Yokozuna Tochinishiki (1925-1990) inside JR Koiwa Station. The statue is now a popular meeting place inside the station.
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Statue of Yokozuna Tochinishiki inside JR Koiwa Station. He was the 44th yokozuna and head of the Japan Sumo Association during 1974-1988. The new and current Kokugikan was built under his watch.
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It's a very good likeness, and almost life-size. After retiring as an active wrestler, he became Kasugano oyakata.
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Very well done, and wise to put it inside the station where birds cannot sully it.
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Back view.
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Showa-dori shopping street near Koiwa Station.
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Shopping street near Koiwa Station.
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The Koiwa Iris Garden is a large patch along the Edogawa River. With about 50,000 iris plants, the garden comes alive with purple, white, and pink irises in late May and June.With irises mainly donated by residents, the garden opened in June 1982. A 5-min. walk from Edogawa Station on the Keisei Line or 25 min. walk from Koiwa Station on the JR Sobu Line. Free admission. I walked from Koiwa Station and saw this sign for the Koiwa Iris Garden (Koiwa Shobu-en).
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Walk further along the Edogawa River and you see this. The iris garden occupies a good-sized area along the river.
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The irises are in full bloom during mid-June.
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Enter here.
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Kanji characters read "Koiwa Shobu-en."
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Shobu (Irises)
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Gate to the Koiwa Iris Garden. Free admission. Open
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The garden has walking paths and a few rest houses. Wheelchair-friendly as well.
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The Keisei train line straddles the garden.
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One large patch has nameplates for various irises.
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Steepled Ripples from the USA.
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Pink Frost from the USA.
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The iris garden also has some hydrangea, but they were withered by the time I visited the garden in mid-June.
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Poster for Koiwa Iris Garden Festival.
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Shin-Koiwa has been transformed into a Moncchichi town. Go to JR Shin-Koiwa Station (JR Sobu Line) and see Moncchichi most everywhere. Outdoor sculptures, manholes, clock tower, escalator handrails, and bus station signs.モンチッチモニュメント
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Bronze Monchicchi statue in front of JR Shin-Koiwa Station's north side (kitaguchi). Plaque reads "To all Monchicchi fans: With love and appreciation, Sekiguchi Koichi" These Moncchichi monuments were unveiled here on January 26, 2022.
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Back of the Monchicchi statue. Shin-Koiwa is where Sekiguchi Corporation, the toy company which invented Moncchichi, is based. モンチッチ像
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Another Monchicchi monument with seven smaller Monchicchi. These Monchicchi monuments are a good spot to meetup with friends at Shin-Koiwa Station. モンチッチ この指とまれ像
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Katsushika Ward/City appointed Moncchichi as Katsushika's "PR Manager" on Dec. 2, 2012. A de facto official mascot.
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These Monchicchi monuments were donated by Sekiguchi Koichi, chairman of Sekiguchi Co., Ltd. which created Monchicchi.
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Monchicchi Clock Tower was installed in Oct. 2020 in front of JR Shin-Koiwa Station's north entrance. Tower has stained glass Monchicchi artwork. モンチッチ時計塔
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Monchicchi Clock Tower in front of JR Shin-Koiwa Station's north entrance. Lights up in the evenings. Good place to meetup in Shin-Koiwa. モンチッチ時計塔
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Also at JR Shin-Koiwa Station's north entrance, a large signboard and map including directions to Monchicchi Park.
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Map to Monchicchi Park, about a 15-min. walk or short bus ride.
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QR code for the Monchicchi web page.
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Back of the Moncchichi monuments in front of Shin-Koiwa Station, not to be confused with Koiwa Station. Shin-Koiwa Station is in Katsushika Ward while adjacent Koiwa Station is in Edogawa Ward. They are two different stations easy to mix up.
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There's a boy and girl Monchicchi usually depicted as infants sucking their thumbs.
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Monchicchi manhole cover near JR Shin-Koiwa Station. Moncchichi manhole covers were installed on both sides of the station in June 2017.
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JR Shin-Koiwa Station's North Entrance (JR Sobu Line). The stairs/escalator going up to the Skydeck Tatsumi pedestrian walkway to bus stops can be seen on the left.
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Escalator handrail decorated with Monchicchi. Way to the Skydeck Tatsumi walkway to the Tohoku Open Space Area (Tohoku Hiroba) bus stops near the train station.
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Escalator handrail decorated with Monchicchi.
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Escalator handrail decorated with Monchicchi.
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Skydeck Tatsumi pedestrian walkway to the Tohoku Open Space Area (Tohoku Hiroba) bus stops is decorated with Monchicchi. スカイデッキたつみ
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About Monchicchi and Katsushika Ward/City.
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Skydeck Tatsumi pedestrian walkway to the bus stops is decorated with Monchicchi. スカイデッキたつみ
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Skydeck Tatsumi pedestrian walkway floor tiles decorated with Monchicchi.
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Skydeck Tatsumi pedestrian walkway floor tiles decorated with Monchicchi.
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Shin-Koiwa Station's Tohoku Open Space Area (Tohoku Hiroba) bus stop map near Shin-Koiwa Station. Go to bus stop 12 to take the bus to Monchicchi Park. This is on the north side of the station. Other bus stops are elsewhere.
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Floral decoration at Shin-Koiwa Station and bus stops.
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Shin-Koiwa Station's northeast Tohoku Open Space Area (Tohoku Hiroba) bus stops. Go to bus stop 12 to board the bus for Monchicchi Park. Every October, the Shin-Koiwa Station Tohoku Hiroba Festival is held here and Monchicchi also appears.
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Get off here at Kami-Hiraicho stop (上平井町). Even the bus stop signs have Monchicchi.
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From the bus stop, follow the signs to the park entrance.
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Monchicchi Park is a local public park which also serves as an emergency evacuation zone where nearby residents can seek refuge if homes are damaged in a large earthquake, etc. The new Monchicchi Zone is on the left. モンチッチ公園
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The park's main area (evacuation zone) is open 24/7, but Monchicchi Zone is gated and open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during April to September and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during Oct. to March. Closed from Dec. 29 to Jan. 3.
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Bulletin board notice about Monchicchi Park unveiling its new expanded areas (Monchicchi Zone and Chibikko Hiroba) on April 2, 2022.
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Entrance to the new Monchicchi Zone at Monchicchi Park.
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This new Monchicchi Zone has 27 Monchicchi/Sekiguchi statues all donated by the Sekiguchi Koichi, company chairman.
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Boy Monchicchi-kun greets you.
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Girl Monchicchi-chan greets you.
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Monchicchi Zone's centerpiece monument great for selfies. Meet the Monchicchi family. On January 26, 2004, the boy and girl Moncchichi got married on Moncchichi’s 30th anniversary.
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The original Moncchichi pair were fraternal twins, but were magically reinvented into a married couple. On October 30, 2004, they had fraternal twin babies (boy and girl) named “Bebichhichi” (ベビチッチ).
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Moncchichi-kun now a dad.
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Moncchichi-chan now a mom.
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Back of the Monchicchi welcome monument is another selfie spot.
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In the rear is the new Monchicchi Mini Museum.
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Monchicchi Mini Museum is a small open-air pavilion with a video monitor and display panels.
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The exterior of the panels has stained glass-like artwork.
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Monchicchi Mini Museum exhibit panel explaining about Monchicchi.
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There's also baby Monchicchi named Bebichhichi-kun (boy on the left) and Bebichhichi-chan (girl).
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History of Sekiguchi Corporation, inventor of Monchicchi.
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How Monchicchi was born.
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Monchicchi Park layout. Upper left is the new Monchicchi Zone and lower right is the new Chibikko Hiroba for infants.
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Two panels show the wide variety of Monchicchi costumes. Like Barbie dolls, Moncchichi come in an incredible variety of versions and costumes.
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Boy Monchicchi on the roof.
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A few Monchicchi above and on a bench.
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Monchicchi bench.
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The new Monchicchi Zone is adorned with Sekiguchi doll statues.
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These new Monchicchi/Sekiguchi statues were donated by Sekiguchi Co. chairman Sekiguchi Koichi.
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Bronze statues of old Sekiguchi dolls complete with background info.
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Little Butch from 1977.
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Poppo-chan from 1969.
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On the left is Mademoiselle Jeje from 1973. Her thumb-sucking was also incorporated in Monchicchi. In the middle are clown dolls for music boxes in 1984.
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This is Gutchi from the Kuta-kuta monkey series in 1973 which evolved into Moncchichi. It was when Sekiguchi was transitioning from a plastic doll maker to stuffed animals, a totally different product requiring a different set of skills.
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Water fountain Monchicchi. This Monchicchi tower will spew water in summer.
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Water will spew out in summer.
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Unique Monchicchi angel made of ceramics. Plaque reads, "May your wish come true. Wishing you happiness and smiles!" Maybe this is an object for prayers.
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Monchicchi angel has its own corner of the park. 天使のモンチッチ
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Entrance to the main area of Monchicchi Park. As an emergency evacuation zone, this area has a storehouse storing emergency provisions, manholes for makeshift toilets, wash basins, rainwater tank, and a few benches which can be converted into wood-burning stoves.
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Opened on April 9, 2016 with a ceremony attended by many local dignitaries, Moncchichi Park is in a quiet residential neighborhood in Nishi Shin-Koiwa near Naka River.Medium-size park (4,580 sq. meters) with a graveled ground, cobblestones, and playground equipment.
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Main part of Monchicchi Park. Good place to run around, play with radio-controlled cars, or use playground equipment. This is also the emergency evacuation zone.
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In this corner, fitness equipment for stretching your body.
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Monchicchi on the cobblestones.
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Sekiguchi Doll House monument. Sekiguchi Doll House was a small museum of vintage celluloid dolls produced by Sekiguchi.
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Sekiguchi Doll House was located here before it was torn down to make way for this park. This monument is made of the stone bricks from the Doll House. The original Doll House sign is here.
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The building was a storehouse for celluloid doll materials before it became a doll museum. Since celluloid is flammable, the storehouse was made of stone bricks.
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Sekiguchi Doll House displayed many celluloid dolls. The company got its start in 1918 making celluloid toy dolls.
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Playground equipment for older kids.
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Playground equipment with a Monchicchi silhouette on the ground.
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Park restrooms decorated with Monchicchi.
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Another section of Monchicchi Park is Chibikko Hiroba, a small playground for infants. ちびっこ広場
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Monchicchi playground for infants and preschoolers.
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Monchicchi rocker
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Monchicchi-chan rocker
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Monchicchi-chan rocker
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Monchicchi Park's Chibikko Hiroba, a small playground for infants.
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Back entrance.
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Park rules.
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Monchicchi Park is near Naka River.
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JR Shin-Koiwa Station south side as seen from the platform.
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JR Shin-Koiwa Station south side as seen from the platform.
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JR Shin-Koiwa Station south entrance straight ahead. Koban police box on the right. A new station building will soon appear.
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On the south side of JR Shin-Koiwa Station is a shopping arcade named Lumière with 140 stores. It extends across both Katsushika and Edogawa Wards. 新小岩ルミエール商店街
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On the south side of JR Shin-Koiwa Station, inside a shopping arcade named Lumière. 新小岩ルミエール商店街
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JR Shin-Koiwa Station north entrance (kitaguchi).
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JR Shin-Koiwa north entrance. On the left is the escalator to Skydeck Tatsumi.
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