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Itoh Chube'e Memorial House (Itoh Chube'e Ki'nenkan). Itoh Chube'e (1842-1903) was the founder of Itochu Corporation and Marubeni, two of Japan's largest trading companies, in 1858. MAPThis house displays his former residence and some of his possessions. A short walk from Toyosato Station, the house is open to the public on Tue., Thu., and Sat. Free admission.
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Gokasho is famous for the grand, old homes of wealthy Omi merchants. Three of them are clustered together for us to visit inside. They are the former residences of Tonomura Uhee (外村 宇兵衛), Tonomura Shigeru (外村 繁), and Nakae Jungoro (中江
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Entrance to Itoh Chube'e Memorial House
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Gokasho was home to many Omi merchants who plied up and down Japan during the Edo Period to sell and trade their wares. They became quite successful selling medicines, lacquerware, sake, etc.Wall of former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru (1902-1961) (外村 繁邸).
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Entrance to Itoh Chube'e Memorial House
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Former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru (外村 繁邸). MapTonomura Shigeru (外村 繁), Tonomura Uhee (外村 宇兵衛), and Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎)
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Front garden
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Entrance to former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru (外村 繁邸). Gokasho is also a National Important Traditional Townscape Preservation District (重要伝統的建造物群保存地区).
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Front garden
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Entrance to former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru.
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Maid's room
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In front of Gokasho Station is a map and stone monument. Gokasho is also a National Important Traditional Townscape Preservation District (重要伝統的建造物群保存地区).
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Living room of former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru.
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Inside entrance. The house was occupied by Itochu company founder Itoh Chube'e and his son, Chube'e II.
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Stone monument for the local Obata shonin merchants.
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Shopkeeper's desk
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Shopkeeper's desk
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Shopkeeper's desk
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Woman's hairdressing room.
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Shinmachi-dori road with traditional Omi merchant homes. This area is also a National Important Traditional Townscape Preservation District (重要伝統的建造物群保存地区). 近江商人の新町通り MAP
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Welcome to Akihabara! (Or Akiba for short.) Japan and Tokyo's largest cluster of electronics shops.
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Butsudan Buddhist altar in a butsuma (Buddhist altar room).
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Room with Hina festival dolls and entrance to the Tonomura Shigeru Literature Museum. 雛祭りの雛人形
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In Omi-Hachiman, Shinmachi-dori looking toward Hachimanyama. This area is also a National Important Traditional Townscape Preservation District (重要伝統的建造物群保存地区).
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Tokonoma alcove and scroll. 奥の間
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形
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JR Akihabara Station
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Shinmachi-dori looking toward Hachimanyama
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Always a crowd in front of JR Akihabara Station
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In 1998, the house was donated to a local foundation. In 2002, the house was opened to the public.
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形
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Here's one reason for the crowd...
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Exhibits of Itoh Chube'e II, the son of the founder Chube'e (1842-1903).
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Entrance to the former residence of Omi merchant Fujii Hikoshiro (1876-1956) (藤井 彦四郎邸)
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Tonomura Shigeru Literature Museum (Bungakukan). Shigeru had a passion for writing, so he entrusted the family business to his younger brother. 外村 繁文学館
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Wall
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And another one. Young pretty/cute girls in costume pass out flyers, but end up being street models for amateur photographers who have no girlfriends to shoot.
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Bust of Itoh Chube'e II (1886-1973), his walking sticks, bag, and shoes.
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Former residence of Omi merchant Fujii Hikoshiro (1876-1956) (藤井 彦四郎邸). Now a history museum.
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Picture of Tonomura Shigeru in the Literature Museum (Bungakukan). 外村 繁文学館
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They are happy to pose...
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Kitchen
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Omi merchant statue.
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Attic
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Local Artifacts Museum (Kyodo Shiryokan) 郷土資料館。近江商人・西村太郎右衛門の宅地跡にある資料館
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The maid costume is all the rage in Japan, for several years now.
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Omi merchant statue.
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形
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Shinmachi-dori next to Local Artifacts Museum
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Santa suit appears in Dec.
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Kitchen
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Bust of Fujii Hikoshiro
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形
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Local Artifacts Museum (Kyodo Shiryokan). Former residence of Omi merchant Nishimura Tarouemon. 郷土資料館
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Coming out of Akihabara Station
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Stove 炊事場
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Foyer of house 玄関
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形
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Inside Local Artifacts Museum (Kyodo Shiryokan)
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Western-style bath from the early 20th century. Very unusual at the time. 西洋風バスルーム
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Entrance room
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2nd floor balcony (Watch your head).
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Inside Local Artifacts Museum (Kyodo Shiryokan)
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Main drag of Akihabara
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Bathroom sink
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Omi merchant display
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2nd floor balcony
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Connected to the Local Artifacts Museum is the History and Folklore Museum (Rekishi Minzoku Shiryokan) 歴史民族資料館
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Built in 1935, a memorial for Itoh Chube'e in Kurenai Park. くれない園
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Corridor to rooms and garden.
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View from 2nd floor balcony
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Soldier's uniform, History and Folklore Museum
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Train bridge
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Memorial marking Itoh Chobe'e's house, right near Itoh Chube'e's house. Chobe'e was Chube'e's older brother and co-founder of Marubeni Corporation.
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2nd floor with more Hina dolls.
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History and Folklore Museum
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Train bridge
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Another guest meeting room 客間
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2nd floor room with Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形
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Soldier's send-off flag, History and Folklore Museum
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Train bridge to Akihabara Station
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Main guest room 主客間
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2nd floor room looking toward the balcony.
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Omi merchant daily implements, History and Folklore Museum
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Under the train bridge is "Radio Center," a cluster of many little stalls selling electronic parts.
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Main guest room
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Hina festival dolls in alcove.
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Omi merchant house, History and Folklore Museum
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Inside Radio Center, where many teens (and future electronics engineers) bought their parts to build their first radio or motor or whatever.
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Main guest room
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Hina festival dolls
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Omi merchant furniture, History and Folklore Museum
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One stall in Radio Center.
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Exterior view
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2nd floor with Hina festival dolls
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Omi merchant furniture, History and Folklore Museum 近江商人の帳場風景
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Other side of Akihabara Station
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Exterior view
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Hinamatsuri dolls
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Omi merchant desk, History and Folklore Museum 近江商人の帳場風景
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Going down the main drag (Chuo-dori) of Akihabara.
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Spacious garden outside Fujii Hikoshiro house
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Former Ban family Omi merchant home which also served as a girls school and public library until 1997. Omi-Hachiman, Shiga. 旧伴家住宅Opened to the public in 2004 as a museum. 伴庄右衛門は江戸時代初期から活躍した八幡商人の一人で、屋号を扇屋といい、主に畳表・蚊帳を商い豪商となった。
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Large and small electronics shops line the main drag on both sides.
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Spacious garden outside Fujii Hikoshiro house (in background)
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Kitchen area with dirt floor.
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Entrance to former Ban family residence. Completed in 1840. 旧伴家住宅伴庄右衛門は江戸時代初期から活躍した八幡商人の一人で、屋号を扇屋といい、主に畳表・蚊帳を商い豪商となった。
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In autumn, we see fall leaves, a most appropriate sight in Akihabara because "Akihabara" means "Autumn leaves field."
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Pine tree in garden
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Kitchen area
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Inside former Ban family residence. They made their fortune selling mosquito nets and tatami straw matting.
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Spacious garden and Fujii Hikoshiro house
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Furo bath wirth wooden barrel (heated by firewood)
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Inside former Ban family residence.
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Akihabara has undergone a few transformations over the decades. From general electronics, to computers, and now anime and video games.
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Changing room next to bath.
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Inside former Ban family residence, 2nd floor.
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Akihabara is also undergoing a major physical transformation with the new Tsukuba Express train line, a revamped Akihabara Station, Yodobashi, and several skyscrapers.
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Western-style room
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Path to next Omi merchant home.
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Statue of Fujii Hikoshiro
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Turn left there.
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Former Nishikawa Residence (Kyu-Nishikawa-ke Jutaku), large Omi merchant home designated as an Imnportant Cultural Property. Omi-Hachiman, Shiga. 旧西川家住宅 国重要文化財
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Akiba Square in the new Akihabara UDX (Crossfield) building next to Akihabara Station.
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Old photos of Omi merchants
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Entrance to Nishikawa Residence. During the Edo Period, the family made their fortune selling mosquito nets and tatami straw matting.
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Old photos of Omi merchants carrying their trademark "tenbin" pole.
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Former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Uhee (1777-1820) (外村 宇兵衛邸).
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Wall of Nishikawa residence.
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Western-style room
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Entrance to former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Uhee.
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Inside Nishikawa residence. Omi-Hachiman, Shiga. 国重要文化財畳表や蚊帳を扱っていた江戸時代の豪商・西川利右衛門の旧宅
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Record books
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Inside former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Uhee. 玄関
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Nishikawa residence.
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Tags and certificates.
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Inside former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Uhee.
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Nishikawa residence.
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Furo bath made of wood.
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Shopfront with shopkeeper's desk.
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Business diary
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Former site of Mitsubishi Bank to be transformed soon. This is also the intersection where Tomohiro Kato ran a truck through to hit and kill three pedestrians and went on a street rampage with a knife killing four others on June 8, 2008.
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Signs
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Shopkeeper's desk.
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Nishikawa residence.
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Don Quixote in the huge building which used to be Minami Denki.
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Signs
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Living room
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Nishikawa residence.
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Inside Don Quixote, Akihabara store
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Kitchen area
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Bonsai plum and pine trees
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Nishikawa residence.
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More fall leaves in Akihabara
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Bonsai
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Nishikawa residence.
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On Sundays, the main drag is closed off to vehicular traffic, allowing us pedestrians to walk on the road.
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Shopkeeper
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It's also when some street performers start to sing.
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Shopkeep's desk
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Bonsai plum trees
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Here's a cutie trying to gather attention.
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Another one is happy to sing while a horde of amateur photographers click away.
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Kitchen
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Showcase
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They sing on the street to advertise something, usually a night club where they appear.
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Shopkeeper's record book.
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The ever-popular maid outfit.
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Shopkeeper's record book.
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Attic, mainly for storage.
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Attic and ceiling
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Maids attract much attention so they are used as living billboards for stores and whatever needs to be advertised in Akihabara.
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Cosplayer teenager posing on the road.
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External view
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The problem is that the police patrol the main drag to expel these street performers. It is not allowed. It would be the Japanese police to try and kill Japan's street culture.
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External view
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Garden
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Developed area next to Akihabara Station. Once upon a time, this used to be a wholesale area for fruit. Then an outdoor basketball/skateboard court.
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Garden
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JR Akihabara Station's new Central entrance faces Yodobashi camera shop.
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External view of house
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JR Akihabara Station's new Central entrance (Yodobashi on the left)
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Statue of Omi merchant peddler carrying his trademark "tenbin" pole.
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Inside JR Akihabara Station's new Central entrance. Very nice, very spacious.
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Rickshaws
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Bus stop near JR Akihabara Station's new Central entrance
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Way to the third Omi merchant house.
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Yodobashi-Akiba, the largest store in Akihabara. Major camera, computer, and electronics store. A favorite store for photographers in Japan.
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Old mail box.
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Crosswalk to Yodobashi
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Former home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).
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Street singer in front of JR Akihabara Station's new Central entrance
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Former home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).
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Street singer in front of JR Akihabara Station's new Central entrance. A cute face and miniskirt really help to gather a crowd.
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Entrance to home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).
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Her setup is simple. A portable and battery-powered amplifier connected to a microphone. The amp is on a luggage cart. When the police comes, she can pack up and leave within 5 sec.
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Entrance to home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).
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These girls usually have a lookout man who watches out for the cops. As soon as he sees one coming, he runs up to her and gives the "Outta here" signal. They're gone before the police can even see them. It's a constant cat and mouse game
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Inside the home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).
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She says that it was her first "Street live performance" (rojo raibu).
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Bonsai
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Corridor
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Street performer
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Street performer near Yodobashi-Akiba, the largest store in Akihabara.
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A miniskirted pair
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Obata doll museum
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Sign says "No street performances allowed."
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Omi Obata Deko dolls
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Yodobashi-Akiba, the largest store in Akihabara. Major camera, computer, and electronics store.
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Dolls
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Yodobashi-Akiba at night
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Stairs to 2nd floor.
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Stairway
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Tokonoma alcove with scroll.
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Window
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Tokonoma alcove and scroll
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2nd floor room
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View from 2nd floor
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Garden and pond. This house has a nice garden.
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Stone lantern in garden
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Garden
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Garden and former home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).
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Former home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).
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Namako wall
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A room inside a renovated Hino merchant home.
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Temple office sells souvenirs such as the maneki neko beckoning cat in various sizes (and prices).
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Temple office sells maneki neko beckoning cat in various sizes (and prices).
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Gate to Maneki Neko Beckoning Cat Temple. There are a few theories (or legends) as to how the maneki neko (Beckoning Cat) was created. One theory comes from this temple.
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Maneki Neko Beckoning Cat Temple is a small worship hall dedicated to the beckoning cat. On the left of the temple, notice a little roofed shelf. 猫観音を祀る招猫殿
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Inside Beckoning Cat Temple. The altar's objects of worship are numerous beckoning cat dolls.
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