Image search results - "odawara" - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Image search results - "odawara"

Odawara Castle was the home of the Hojo Clan from the 15th to 16th centuries during the feudal era. A short walk from Odawara Station. Tourist sign board after you get out of Odawara station.

From Odawara, the Hojo Clan controlled much of the Kanto (Tokyo) area before they were defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590. Odawara Castle can be seen from the station.

Odawara Castle as seen from the station.

Went to Odawara Castle.

Entering Odawara Castle Park.

What used to be a baseball diamond is now an archaeological site.

They think that this is the remains of the castle palace.

Map of Odawara Castle.

Odawara Castle. I went on an overcast day in late March 2013, but the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

Odawara Castle main tower (donjon) reconstructed in 1960. Inside is a modern local samurai history museum.

Odawara Castle Honmaru keep.

Odawara Castle, Kanagawa Prefecture

Go up these stairs to enter the main Castle tower.

View from the steps.

Photography is not allowed inside the museum.

Inside the top floor of the castle tower is a souvenir shop and lookout veranda.

Unfortunately the lookout deck outside has this high fence blocking your view.

It's hard to take pictures with the fence obstructing the view.

View of Manazuru Penninsula.

View from Odawara Castle's lookout deck.

Odawara Station as seen the castle.

Steps going down from the castle tower.

Map of castle park. It's quite large.

Odawara Castle has this one little picnic spot nearby.

Children's amusement park near the castle tower.

Cherry Blossom flavored ice cream for 300 yen. Wasn't worth it.

They used to be an elephant cage here.

Now they only have a monkey cage.

For a small fee, you can rent a traditional Japanese costume.

This is where you can rent a kimono or samurai costume.

These are all boys dressed in women's kimono. In recent years, it's common for women to wear a samurai costume.

Tokiwagi Gate

About Tokiwagi Gate

Other side of Tokiwagi Gate

Tokiwagi Gate

About Tokiwagi Gate.

Steps going to Tokiwagi Gate.

Near Tokiwagi Gate.

Honmaru East moat, now filled in.

About the Honmaru East moat.

Lotus in this moat.

About lotus species here.

Wisteria trellis

About the wisteria

Komine-bashi Bridge

About Komine-bashi Bridge

About the guard house.

Modern museum

During cherry blossom season, food stalls operate.

Stone marker indicating that Emperor Meiji visited here.

Akagane-mon Gate, reconstructed in 1997.

Akagane-mon Gate

About the Akagane-mon Gate.

This is the old public library, now used as a tourist information office.

About Odawara Castle.

Odawara Castle's moats are lined with numerous cherry trees.

Too bad there wasn't any blue sky when I was there.

A vermillion bridge nicely compliments the moat and cherry blossoms.

At the corner of the most you can rent rowboats here.

You can rent a rowboat for ¥500 per 30 minutes.

About the Ninomaru East Moat

National Historic Site for the location of the castle's earthen wall along the moat.

About the earthen wall site.

A short walk away is this little arcade.

I'm heading for the gravesite of the Hojo clan.

Gravesite of the Hojo Clan.

About the Gravesite of the Hojo Clan.

Good luck bells greet you at the gravesite.

About the good luck bells.

Hojo clan gravesite in Odawara. At the center are two small grave stones. The left one is for Hojo Ujiteru, and the right one is Hojo Ujimasa (they are brothers). The large gravestone on the right is for Ujimasa's wife.

Identification of the Hojo Clan graves.

Odawara manhole showing Odawara Castle.

Odawara Castle is the city symbol and former residence of the Hojo Clan. Short walk from Odawara Station (JR and Odakyu Lines).

Odawara Hojo Godai Matsuri is Odawara's biggest festival held annually on May 3. Main highlight is the samurai parade featuring the five Odawara Hojo lords on a 2.1 km route. Lots of people lined the route well before the parade's start.

Before and during the parade, some street performances such as taiko drummers and folk dances were also held.

Folk dance along the parade route before the start of the parade.

On May 3, 2023, 260,000 turned out to see 59th Odawara Hojo Godai Matsuri samurai parade highlighted by five Hojo Odawara Castle lords and their ladies in colorful costumes. Held for the first time in four years due to the pandemic.

This is Kokusai-dori in Odawara, the southern part of the parade route. Already crowded. The parade came by at around 2 pm.

Parade's starting point was here at Sumiyoshi Bridge at a corner of Odawara Castle. Crowded with people. They first had a short ceremony with the "Ei-ei-oohh" cheer. The parade also returned here at the end.

Leading the parade was a brass band by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Music Corps.

Boy Scouts carrying the Japanese flag.

Girls Scouts carrying the Odawara flag.

Shonan Bellmare Futsal Club. The club is a tourism ambassador for Odawara.

Child ninja belonging to the Fūma ninja clan. 忍者風魔小太郎隊

These ninja kids are local Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. 忍者風魔小太郎隊

Child ninja

Child ninja were giving out small souvenirs to the kids.

2023 was also the 500th anniversary of the Hojo Clan being renamed as "Hojo" from "Ise" (伊勢).

Child samurai. 少年少女武者隊

Child samurai with bayonets. 少年少女武者隊小田原市子ども会連絡協議会

Female warriors. 少年少女武者隊小田原市子ども会連絡協議会

少年少女武者隊

Child warriors from local youth groups. 少年少女武者隊小田原市子ども会連絡協議会

People wearing handmade samurai armor and costumes (made of paper). 手づくり甲冑隊

Handmade samurai armor and costumes (made of paper). The Hojo clan's family crest has three triangles representing the three snake scales received from the goddess Benzaiten. 手づくり甲冑隊

Handmade samurai armor and costumes.

Handmade samurai armor and costumes. Also worn by women.

Handmade samurai armor and costumes. Amazing how authentic they look.

Very elaborate handmade samurai armor and costume. Odawara, Kanagawa.

Group petitioning NHK TV to produce a year-long Taiga period drama about the five Hojo daimyo.

Group petitioning NHK TV to produce a year-long Taiga period drama about the five Hojo daimyo. NHK's Taiga Drama series always bring much PR to the filming locations.

Group petitioning NHK TV to produce a year-long Taiga period drama about the five Hojo daimyo. Members of the local media, radio and TV.

Members of the local media, radio and TV.

Two Hakone geisha. 箱根芸者夢路

Two Hakone geisha. They both sing. 箱根芸者夢路

Two Hakone geisha. They both sing. Odawara is the gateway to Hakone. 箱根芸者夢路

Two Hakone geisha. They both sing. In green is Kadomatsu Miyuki, an aspiring singer. 箱根芸者夢路

Members of the local media.

Start of the samurai entourage for the first Odawara Hojo lord, Hōjō Sōun. Played by international students at LIBERTY Odawara Japanese School. LIBERTY小田原日本語学校

Samurai entourage for the first Odawara Hojo lord, Hōjō Sōun. Played by international students studying Japanese at local Japanese language schools.

Samurai entourage for the first Odawara Hojo lord, Hōjō Sōun. Played by international graduates from Tokimeki Kokusai Gakko school. ときめき国際学校OB

The first Odawara Hojo lord, Hōjō Sōun played by actor Goda Masashi. 初代北条早雲 (合田雅)

The first Odawara Hojo lord, Hōjō Sōun played by actor Goda Masashi who an Odawara Hometown Ambassador. 初代北条早雲 (合田雅)

The first Odawara Hojo lord, Hōjō Sōun played by actor Goda Masashi. 初代北条早雲 (合田雅)

Odawara city employees.

Start of the samurai entourage for the second Odawara Hojo lord, Hojo Ujitsuna. Played by Odawara government officials.

Samurai entourage for the second Odawara Hojo lord, Hojo Ujitsuna. Played by people from the international medical university. 国際医療福祉大学

387 files on 2 page(s)