 Image search results - "match" |
Jishu Shrine is also within the Kiyomizu-dera grounds. This shrine is dedicated to love matches and marriage. The statue is Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, god of love matchmaking.
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Jishu Jinja Shrine 地主神社
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We noticed mostly young women and girls were praying at this shrine. Very few guys.
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Talisman for good love matches
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One love stone. If you can walk from this stone to the other one blindfolded, you will find love by yourself.
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The other love stone.
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The woman reached the other stone and will find love.
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As part of the annual Nagahama Shusse Matsuri festival held on the second Sat. of Oct., a matchlock gun demonstration (長浜火縄銃大会) is held at Nagahama Castle during 13:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Nagahama Castle is near JR Nagahama Station (West side) on the Hokuriku Line. Short ride from JR Maibara Station.
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Three matchlock gun battalions to shoot their guns (blanks of course). The battalions are from Tanegashima (Kagoshima), Sakai (Osaka), and Hikone (Shiga). Japan has a number of matchlock gun battalions who are licensed to possess and fire these guns to preserve their history and perform at events and festivals.
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This battalion was from Tanegashima island in Kagoshima Prefecture (Kyushu). That's where guns were first introduced to Japan from Europe in 1543 and forever changed warfare in Japan.
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Taking aim and ready to fire...
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BANG!!! The guns were extremely loud. Makes you jump.
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They were going to take turns and keep shooting for about 90 min. I can handle these loud bangs once or twice, but no more. So I left this event early right after seeing/hearing/photographing this first battalion fire their guns. I didn't want to risk any damage to my ear drums. I wonder how these gunners protect their hearing.
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Chotaro Horii is the 6th-generation owner/operator of Horii Shichimeien which was originally Okunoyama Chaen (奥ノ山茶園), one of Uji's Seven Reknown Tea Fields (七名園).
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In 15th century, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and Yoshinaga loved Uji tea so much that they designated seven tea fields as the Seven Reknown Tea Fields. Today only Okunoyama Chaen remains.
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Only part of the original Okunoyama Chaen remains as a tea field. The original Okunoyama tea field was larger. Notice the shade.
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Near their tea farm, Horii Shichimeien also has a tea shop selling some of Japan's finest tea.
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Some of the finest Uji matcha powder at Horii Shichimeien.
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Some of the finest Uji matcha powder at Horii Shichimeien.
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Behind Horii Shichimeien's tea shop is a small tea house for tea ceremony. Mr. Horii kindly prepares his finest marcha tea for us.
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Matcha tea and a confection. The tea was outstanding. It had a malty, matcha taste. Pretty thick. The aftertaste was interesting.
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Mrs. Horii prepares a different kind of tea.
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We then got to see Horii Shichimeien's matcha tea factory. (Note that this is not open to normal tourists.)
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Inside Horii Shichimeien's tea factory.
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It was a room full of stone grinders grinding matcha tea leaves into fine matcha power.
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Stone grinders grinding matcha (tencha) tea leaves into fine matcha power at Horii Shichimeien's tea factory.
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Stone grinders grinding matcha tea leaves into fine matcha power at Horii Shichimeien's tea factory. Watching these grinders was mesmerizing..
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Matcha tea leaves to be ground.
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Sample grinder. The dried tea leaves are fed through a funnel to the grinding stones.
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Grinder face
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Small grinder.
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Tourists visiting Byodo-in temple can also experience and taste Uji tea at nearby Takumi no Yakata (匠の館).
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Entrance to Takumi no Yakata (匠の館).
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