Image search results - "sayama" |
On the Sunday before the second Monday of Jan., 33 hectares of a hill called Wakakusa-yama (seen in the distance here) next to Nara Park is burned at night.The burning hill looks more spectacular from afar, but we went up close.
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Wakakusa-yama hill in JanuaryWakakusa-yama hill actually has three hills. We see only the first one here.
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Dry grass ready to burn...
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Volunteer firemenThe hill set alight by 300 volunteer firemen and prefectural workers who climb up the hill.
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Bamboo torches and bamboo broomsThe bamboo torches is filled with kerosene and plugged with cotton cloth. They are used to set the hill afire. The bamboo brooms are used to spread the fire or extinguish it. The brooms burn up by the end of the festival.
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Bamboo torches and bamboo broomsThe bamboo torches is filled with kerosene and plugged with cotton cloth. They are used to set the hill afire. The bamboo brooms are used to spread the fire or extinguish it. The brooms burn up by the end of the festival.
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Bamboo torchesThe bamboo torches is filled with kerosene and plugged with cotton cloth. They are used to set the hill afire.
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The deer have no idea what danger they are in...
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Water bagsThe third item the volunteer firemen carry are water bags. The water bag is filled with water weighing 20 kg or so. A nozzle is also attached. It is used to extinguish the fire.
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Bon fire site
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Deer on the hill
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Volunteer firement gather before going up the hill.The hill set alight by 300 volunteer firemen from all over Nara and prefectural workers who climb up the hill.
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Volunteeer firemen and staff hike up the hills.
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Sacred torch arrives at the foot of the hill.The sacred torch is lit at Kasuga Taisha Shrine and brought to Nogami Shrine in a torch procession. It is a small shrine at the foot of the hill.
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Ceremony at Nogami Shrine
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The crowd
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Fireworks
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The sacred torch is brought.
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The sacred torch lights the bonfire at around 6 pm.You can also see three lanterns for Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Kofukuji Temple. This is a joint festival between these three temples and shrine.
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Other torches are thrown in.
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Bon fire burns
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The hill behind also starts to burn.
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Burn baby burn...The fire is put out by 9 pm. Unless you're near the fire, it can get very cold, so dress warmly for this festival.
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Iruma Air Base is near Inariyama Koen Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line (40-50 min. from Ikebukuro). This is the crowd leaving the train platform at around 9 am.
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A record-breaking 280,000 attended the Iruma Air Show on Nov. 3, 2010. The festivities started at 9 am and admission was free. This was also a super sunny day.
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They inspected our bags and even had a German Shepherd dog.
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It would take maybe only 5 min. reach Iruma Base from the train station, but it took us at least 25 min. with numerous stop-and-go crowd control.
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Trying to cross the train tracks. Another bottleneck as trains always pass by.
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Finally getting nearer to Iruma Air Base, the Japan Air Self-Defense Forces' largest air base.
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The first thing I saw was this YS-11 flying around. They had a parade and Miss Air Show contest, but I was too late for that.
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This was the 42nd Iruma Air Show on Nov. 3, 2010.
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YS-11 landed.
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This is a U-125 plane which was also flying and had landed when we got to the air base.
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Even at around 9:30 am, a huge crowd.
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At the front line in front of the Blue Impulse Aerobatic planes.
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Blue Impulse jets parked front and center.
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Blue Impulse jet
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More photos of the Blue Impulse later on below.
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Next were three Kawasaki C-1 transport jets taking off.
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C-1 flying over Blue Impulse.
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Another Kawasaki C-1 military transport jet taking off. It has the Japan Air Self-Defense Force livery.
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Kawasaki C-1 has been around since the 1970s.
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The three Kawasaki C-1 in formation during a fly-by.
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The Kawasaki C-1 return to release parachute troopers.
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Kawasaki C-1 for a parachute drop at Iruma Air Show in Saitama.
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The three Kawasaki C-1 jets dropped parachuters onto Iruma Air Base.
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I've never seen so many parachutists in an air show before.
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C-1
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A squadron of T-4 trainer jets perform semi-aerobatics.
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T-4 trainer jets
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They didn't release any smoke.
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T-4 trainer jet lands.
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UH-60J rescue helicopter demo.
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CH-47J Chinook helicopter demonstrates cargo transport. They had something flying in the air almost non-stop all morning until around lunch time.
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The crowd. Behind is a large hangar where they had aircraft displays.
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The crowd waits for the Blue Impulse.
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As 1:15 pm approaches, the crowd gets bigger and more eager to watch the Blue Impulse, seen here in the background.
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I waded up to near the front row at around 12:30 pm to await the Blue Impulse to take off. Blue Impulse is Japan's foremost aerobatic team belonging to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
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The Blue Impulse flies Kawasaki T-4 jets since 1995. They were established in 1960, inspired by the Thunderbirds of the US Air Force.
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This ground crew of a Blue Impulse T-4 includes a woman.
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Pilot putting on his helmet. This year in 2010 happens to be the 50th anniversary of the Blue Impulse team established in 1960.
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Seven Blue Impulse planes were on display, but only six of them flew. Blue Impulse is based at Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture. They have a busy performance schedule from April to Dec. ブルーインパルスの曲技飛行
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Ready to leave for the runway.
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As the jets taxied off, the pilots waved to the crowd.
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Blue Impulse Kawasaki T-4
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Blue Impulse Kawasaki T-4
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The jet blast from the T-4 wasn't so bad, but it did blow away a few caps on our heads.
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Blue Impulse head for the runway at Iruma Air Base.
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And now here they come in all their glory, the Blue Impulse Aerobatic Team.
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All these formations and aerobatic maneuvers all have a name. This is the Diamond Formation.
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Two more Blue Impulse jets later took off.
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Spectacular formations.
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Blue Impulse Aerobatic Team at Iruma Air Show.
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Flying upside down.
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The smoke color was either white or gray.
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Thrilling show, but the element of danger is always present. The Blue Impulse have had a few fatal accidents.
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Star Cross: Smokey star in the sky. They also drew a Valentine heart, complete with an arrow. Also see my YouTube video here.
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This Tack Cross has one jet flying straight while the other is spiraling around it. Quite spectacular.
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The crowd cheers wildly as the Blue Impulse returns. They performed until around 2:30 pm. The festival ended at 3 pm when many of the planes on display took off for home.
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Iruma Air Show Blue Impulse video 2010.
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Sikorsky SH-60J Seahawk anti-submarine warfare helicopter
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Sikorsky SH-60J Seahawk
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UH-60J rescue helicopter is based on the Black Hawk copter.
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This U-125A plane is for search and rescue operations. A good number and variety of planes were also on display. Some of them were flown during the air show.
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U-125
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T-7 trainer plane
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F-2 fighter plane.
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Tail of F-2 fighter plane.
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F-2 fighter
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RF-4E reconnaissance plane based on the McDonnell F-4 Phantom.
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RF-4E reconnaissance plane is equipped with cameras for photographing disaster areas, etc.
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RF-4E reconnaissance plane
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Why is Woody Woodpecker on the tail?
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YS-11
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U-125A search and rescue plane
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One interesting display were these Patriot missile launchers.
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Patriot PAC-3J
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MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system
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Engagement Control Station (ECS) for the Patriot missile system.
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The Iruma Air Show also had a VIP section for invited guests here at one end of the site. Prime view of take-offs and landings on the runway.
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More helicopters.
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Grumman E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft with wings folded back. It can serve on an aircraft carrier.
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U-4 is based on a Gulfstream IV.
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C-130 Hercules in sky blue.
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C-130 Hercules for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force
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The cockpit of this F-15J fighter plane was open for public viewing.
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T-4
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Chinook helicopter
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Kawasaki C-1 military transport plane
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Kawasaki C-1 military transport plane. We couldn't go inside any of the planes.
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Fire dept. at Iruma Air Base.
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Helicopter insignia
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Iruma Air Base control tower
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This aircraft hangar had a entertainment stage.
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Entertainment stage inside a hangar.
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Another aircraft hangar had aircraft displays and other things.
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T-4 trainer jet suspended above ground.
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This aircraft is suspended so that the wheels don't touch the ground.
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They held demonstrations of the T-4's landing gear going up and down.
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Display of aircraft engines.
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Aircraft engine
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Aircraft engine
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Pilot's ejection seat
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Ejected pilot's parachute
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Ejected pilot
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Trying on parachute.
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Life vests
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Life rafts
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Life rafts
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Shopping area was also very crowded with food booths and souvenir shops.
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Souvenir shop
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Crowd going home. It's a good idea to buy a round-trip ticket at Ikebukuro Station so you don't have to buy a return ticket here.
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Train station entrance.
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Benzaiten Shrine at Sayama Ike Park in Hanno, Saitama.
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About Sayama Ike Park.
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If you see a stray turtle, call.
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The park's best-looking building is the restroom.
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Restroom rear view.
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Mizuho slogan.
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Map of Mizuho.
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Manhole at Mizuho, Tokyo.
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