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

Image search results - "tochigi"

Also called "Sennin Gyoretsu" (1,000-person Procession 千人行列), this is Nikko's largest festival held on May 17-18. The highlight is a long procession of over 1,000 people dressed in various costumes.The three portable shrines are dedicated to the spirits of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Minamoto Yoritomo. Photos start with May 17 at Toshogu Shrine, when priests gathered for a ceremony. 発興祭

Tobu Line train to Nikko. It takes about 2 hours from Asakusa, Tokyo.

Prayer ceremony by priests

Inside Tobu Line train

Tobu Nikko Station 東武日光駅

In front of the portable shrine storehouse for the three mikoshi. A ceremony is held to transfer the spirits from the main shrine to the portable shrines. 神輿舎にて宵成渡御This building is right next to the famous Yomei-mon Gate at the Toshogu Shrine.

神輿舎にて宵成渡御

Shinkyo Sacred Bridge, Nikko 神橋

Kids on school trip along Omotesando 表参道

The three portable shrines (mikoshi) are then carried out of the storehouse to be taken to Futarasan Shrine.

A National Treasure and World Heritage Site, Nikko's magnificent shrines and temples overshadow any other attractions Tochigi has. The Toshogu Shrine is especially famous and also serves as Tokugawa Ieyasu's mausoleum. Omotesando 表参道

Horse stable

Passing under Yomeimon Gate.

Horse stable

Hear, speak, and see no evilWood carving on the horse stable

Coming down from Yomeimon Gate (National Treasure). 陽明門The gate is a National Treasure and symbol of Nikko.

陽明門

Five-story pagoda 五重塔

Oriental zodiac (hare) carving on five-story pagoda

Oriental zodiac (dragon) carving on five-story pagoda

A short path leads to Futarasan Shrine.

Oriental zodiac (tiger) carving on five-story pagoda

Niomon

Passing under the torii at Futarasan Shrine. 二荒山神社二荒山神社

Group photo

Entering Futarasan Shrine's Haiden Hall. All three portable shrines are taken to this hall. 二荒山神社拝殿

Priests on a rainy day.

The spirits of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Minamoto Yoritomo in the three portable shrines are then transferred to Futarasan Shrine. The mikoshi spend the night here.

Dragon on ceiling that squeaks when you clap.

May 18: At 10:35 am, the spirits are transferred from Futarasan Shrine back to the portable shrines.Futarasan Shrine's Haiden Hall.

二荒山神社拝殿

Portable shrine in Futarasan Shrine's Haiden Hall.二荒山神社拝殿

Yomeimon Gate, National Treasure 陽明門

The three portable shrines (mikoshi) in Futarasan Shrine's Haiden Hall. 二荒山神社拝殿

Yomeimon Gate, National Treasure, Nikko 陽明門

Mikoshi bearers standing by.

Rear of Yomeimon Gate

Mikoshi bearers standing by.

Rear of Yomeimon Gate

First group of mikoshi bearers fall in line.

Yomeimon Gate

Second group of mikoshi bearers fall in line.

Yomeimon Gate

Portable shrine storehouse

Carrying out the mikoshi from Futarasan Shrine.

Karamon

Carrying out another mikoshi from Futarasan Shrine.

Karamon close-up

Sleeping cat

Sleeping cat 眠り猫

Carrying out another mikoshi from Futarasan Shrine.

Tokugawa Ieyasu's mausoleum

Carrying out another mikoshi from Futarasan Shrine.

Tokugawa Ieyasu's mausoleum

Grounds of Futarasan Shrine, the starting point of the "1,000-Person Procession." 千人行列

The warriors are the procession's main attraction.Waiting near Futarasan Shrine's torii.

Both men and boys wear the warrior costumes.

Futarasan Shrine's torii

Cool heads.

Posing with maybe with their school teacher.

Chigo children 稚児, Nikko

Over 50 different costumes are featured in the procession.

The procession's starting point at Futarasan Shrine is a great photo op.

The procession includes about 18 horses.

Shrine priests sitting

Shrine priests standing

Shrine maidens 巫女

At 11:00 am, the procession starts. They leave Futarasan Shrine through this torii. 上新道上新道

This short path goes to the Omotesando main promenade.上新道

Warriors make their way through.

This warrior procession is said to be a reenactment of Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada's visit to Toshogu Shrine, dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Successive shoguns visited the shrine as well.上新道

Rear view

Chigo children wearing an elaborate crown with the signs of the eto Oriental Zodiac. NikkoNikko Grand Spring Festival in May.

Omotesando main promenade 表参道

Start of the Omotesando with Ichino-torii in the background. 一ノ鳥居

Omotesando main promenade. Also see the video at YouTube. 表参道

Beware of horse droppings

Sacred music musicians

Mikoshi passing through Ichino-torii

Mikoshi

The Boy Scouts collect offerings (excluding horse droppings) thrown on the ground by spectators.

Warriors coming down the Omotesando. 武者行列

Face of a samurai.

Banners leading the procession.

Omotesando is the main part of the route to watch the procession. It is the shrine's largest avenue.

Mikoshi coming through.

This is near the end of the Omortesando and they turn left to go to the Otabisho resting place.

12 noon: Otabisho resting place. They arrive and have lunch. The three mikoshi are stored in the building on the upper left. 御旅所御旅所

Otabisho 御旅所

Mikoshi stored in the Otabisho's Shinden Hall, a resting place for spirits in transit. 御旅所　御神殿

Procession banners

Ceremony at the Otabisho. 御旅所祭

Ceremony at the Otabisho. 御旅所祭　拝殿

Ceremony to give offerings to the shrine deity. 三本立七五膳Sanbon-date Shichi-jugo zen

三本立七五膳

Sanbon-date Shichi-jugo zen

三本立七五膳

Ya-otome no Mai Sacred Dance 八乙女の舞

Offerings of sea bream (tai)Sanbon-date Shichi-jugo zen

三本立七五膳

Offering of ducks (dead)

Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance 東遊の舞

What happened to the white roof for the musicians? Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance 東遊の舞These pictures were taken in different years and combined.

Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance 東遊の舞

Azuma-asobi no Mai Dance musicians

These two performed the Yaotome-no-Mai. They are leaving the building.

Dancers leaving the building

Near departure time at Otabisho

People get ready to leave and go back to Toshogu Shrine.

Warriors with shiny gold helmets.

Wooden birds

1:00 pm: Departure at Otabisho

Lion

Another lion (shi-shi)

Dance maidens

Warriors leaving the Otabisho.

Warriors walk back up the slope in front of the Otabisho.

Mikoshi is carried out of the Otabisho.

The three mikoshi are carried out of the Otabisho.

Leaving the Otabisho.

Shrine priest

Heading to Omotesando. They follow the same route back.

Chigo children, notice the Oriental zodiac animals on their crowns.

Warriors on Omotesando

Chigo children and assistants make sure the crown doesn't fall off.

Those crowns are heavy.

Warriors and Five-story Pagoda

Mikoshi enter the Ichino-torii

Mikoshi and Five-story Pagoda

Warriors going through the Omote-mon Gate.

Mikoshi coming through Ichino-torii

Mikoshi going up to Omote-mon Gate

Another mikoshi going up to Omote-mon Gate

Shrine priest

Ichino-torii

1:30 pm: The end (path to Futarasan Shrine). A similar festival is held in Oct., but on a smaller scale and with only one mikoshi.After the festival ends, there's enough time to see the shrine.

Ashikaga Flower Park is home to one of Japan's largest wisteria trellis and numerous wisteria trees/vines. Besides purple wisteria, it also boasts white and yellow wisteria. Entrance to the park..

Entrance to Ashikaga Flower Park is guarded by these yellow wisteria. Admission is a pricey ¥2,000 during the wisteria season from late April to early May. It's worth it during peak bloom.

If you're visiting during the wisteria's peak bloom, I highly recommend seeing this park. Breathtaking. Flower beds near the entrance.

Flower Stage

A semi-ring of chairs in front of the Flower Stage. The ceiling has light pink wisteria. うす紅の棚

Map of Ashikaga Flower Park. It's large, but compact enough to walk around and see everything. They also light up the flowers at night until 9 pm.

The main and spectacular attraction is this Giant Wisteria (大藤) on a expansive trellis.

Giant Wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park in Ashikaga, Tochigi. The trellis is huge and the wisteria strands are long. Super awesome.

This wisteria tree is about 140 years old. It was transplanted here in Feb. 1996.

A small shrine under the Giant Wisteria.

The wisteria strands can be as long as 1.8 meters.

The Giant Wisteria extends over 36 meters by 33 meters. About the same as a large hotel ballroom or a whopping 600 tatami mats. The trellis was only 50 tatami mats when it was transplanted here.