 Most viewed - Harie and Shin-Asahi 新旭町・針江 |
Shin-Asahi manhole cover with a windmill design. Takashima, Shiga Pref.772 views
|
|
Harie is a unique rural neighborhood where homes draw clean water from an ever-flowing spring directly from the ground into private wells called kabata. A local NPO conducts tours of the area and homes with kabata.705 viewsHarie is in Takashima, Shiga, near JR Shin-Asahi Station on the Kosei Line, the gateway to Shin-Asahi and Harie. 新旭駅 MAP
|
|
Here's a close-up of the bird's claws grasping the gills of the fish. The bird sure knows where to grab a fish. The fish had no way to escape this grip.545 views
|
|
About 100 meters offshore are two large rocks in the lake. They appear above the surface only when there is a water shortage. This little shrine with two rocks are for praying for rain. 二ツ石501 views
|
|
It then swooped down to the water and I started clicking away whether it would catch a fish or not. I was delighted to see it catch this large fish and captured the moment.496 views
|
|
What a catch. It was my first time to capture a shot like this. I love these graceful and elegant birds which have a distinct cry.473 views
|
|
459 views
|
|
Soon after we got to Nakajima, this black kite flew above. I tracked it with my camera. 「ピーヒョロロロロ…」458 views
|
|
455 views
|
|
399 views
|
|
A local non-proft group called Harie Shozu-no-Sato Committee conducts tours of Harie. For 1,000 yen, they will spend 90 min. to take you to see numerous kabata in private homes. Call 0740-25-6566 to make reservations. hariekabata.com398 viewsOr email: shozunosato@lapis.plala.or.jp
|
|
Most kabata have two water sinks (ike), the one on the right (tsubo-ike) is for washing summer vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumber. The one on the left (hata-ike) is for washing dirty root vegetables like daikon, carrots, and spinach. 川端385 views
|
|
Genjihama Beach in Shin-Asahi.380 views
|
|
375 views
|
|
368 views
|
|
Statue in front of JR Shin-Asahi Station east side.365 views
|
|
This is the first kabata we visited. There is a pipe which spews the spring water from 12 to 25 meters below the ground. The original water source is called moto-ike.362 views
|
|
Shodenji temple's kabata. Women like this water as it feels creamy and makes their skin feel smooth and soft.362 views
|
|
Since this kabata has small fish, a net is put over the water to prevent birds from entering.361 views
|
|
This kabata was in a Japanese garden.358 views
|
|
Imagine having a spring in your own home spewing drinkable water 24/7 for free. This kabata has a few baskets. The oblong one is used for fish, and the ones on the right were used to dry bowls.355 views
|
|
A tofu maker puts tofu in a kabata.354 views
|
|
353 views
|
|
Sign points the way to Harie.352 views
|
|
Bird-watching area in Shin-Asahi.345 views
|
|
345 views
|
|
Sign saying that you are entering Harie where water is a treasure. The important thing to understand about Harie is that you need a guide to see the kabata water springs in private homes.344 views
|
|
Kabata shed.344 views
|
|
Roadside spring, one of the oldest and longest lasting.341 views
|
|
Kabata shed of a lake fisherman.339 views
|
|
338 views
|
|
338 views
|
|
In summer, you can see more vegetables in the kabata. This means most of these homes are farmers.338 views
|
|
Shodenji temple also has a spring feeding this pond with various fish.337 views
|
|
Shodenji temple336 views
|
|
Shin-Asahi336 views
|
|
336 views
|
|
When they wash pots and pans, the koi fish eat the food scraps to keep the water clean. Also see my YouTube video here.335 views
|
|
Bird looks for its meal in the stream.335 views
|
|
The guided tour is well worth it. I highly recommend it. The Harie-Okawa River would be crystal clear if it weren't for the rice paddies being flooded. MAP333 views
|
|
When I visited Harie in late April, the water, which supposed to be crystal clear, was muddied from the rice paddies being drained. Late April to June is probably not a good time to visit Harie due to the rice paddies.332 views
|
|
In 2014, The Shozu-no-Sato Committee 針江生水の郷委員会 won the top Ecotourism Grand Prize エコツーリズム大賞 sponsored by the Japan Ecotourism Society and Environment Ministry. Harie Hiyoshi Jinja Shrine 針江日吉神社331 views
|
|
Harie Okawa River has baikamo underwater flowers. It was muddy when I visited in late April because of the rice paddy flooding. 針江大川331 views
|
|
Baikamo in Harie-Okawa River331 views
|
|
331 views
|
|
Roadside spring with waterwheel.330 views
|
|
Gardening seemed to be a popular pasttime in Harie. With all that free and clean water, I can think of many things to do besides gardening.329 views
|
|
Someone's outdoor kabata where we could drink the water or even put it in plastic bottles to take home.329 views
|
|
Genjihama Beach329 views
|
|
On the west side of JR Shin-Asahi Station is this building where the local tourist info office is. You can rent bicycles here too.328 views
|
|
Can't tell in the photo, but these were the biggest carp you've ever seen.328 views
|
|
Sharp Electronics once filmed a TV commercial here for their TVs.328 views
|
|
Nakajima is really nice. But right behind this scene is a neighborhood of summer homes. Also see my YouTube video here.328 views
|
|
Nakajima and Harie became famous in 2004 when NHK TV broadcast a program about the Harie kabata and a fisherman in Nakajima.327 views
|
|
327 views
|
|
Kabata shed is usually either attached to the main house or right outside it.326 views
|
|
Shin Asahi Windmill Village closed in April 2016. It has been replaced with a glamping facility called STAGEX Takashima.326 views
|
|
Underwater baikamo flowers bloom year-round since the water temperature remains almost the same.325 views
|
|
The tour starts at the Harie Kominkan community center. They don't have English-speaking guides, so bring a translator. 針江公民館324 views
|
|
Cycling path along the shore in Shin-Asahi, Takashima.324 views
|
|
324 views
|
|
323 views
|
|
A roadside spring.323 views
|
|
Large carp in the roadside streams help keep the water clean by eating food scraps from washed dishes, etc.322 views
|
|
322 views
|
|
322 views
|
|
Road to Harie. It's about a 25 min. walk from Shin-Asahi Station. The water stream on the right was muddy to my surprise.321 views
|
|
Stream with baikamo321 views
|
|
321 views
|
|
Kabata shed attached to a home.319 views
|
|
The wooden walls are actually half-burnt, almost like charcoal.318 views
|
|
Sometimes the kabata is outdoors with no shelter.318 views
|
|
This stream with baikamo has not been muddied by the rice paddies.318 views
|
|
The heart of Harie has this waterwheel.317 views
|
|
About this kabata. The well is 12 meters deep, water temperature is around 13 C year round.316 views
|
|
315 views
|
|
314 views
|
|
Bird-watching center314 views
|
|
Bird-watching shack314 views
|
|
Statue of Fujimoto Tarobe'e. 藤本太郎兵衛像 314 views
|
|
Another shopping break was this fisherman's shop where you can buy ayu sweetfish caught in Lake Biwa.313 views
|
|
Water quality report.313 views
|
|
It had colorful koi.313 views
|
|
Shin Asahi Windmill Village closed in April 2016 due to aging facilities and low attendance. It has been replaced with a glamping facility called STAGEX Takashima in July 2018.313 views
|
|
Nakajima. An old fisherman departed from this dock and went around to catch fish to eat at home. He also gave a few fish to the birds which waited for him. 中島312 views
|
|
311 views
|
|
A shopping stop was here where they sold these model dragonflies well-balanced on its nose, called Kabata Tonbo.310 views
|
|
JR Shin-Asahi Station west side.309 views
|
|
Now we are at a place called Nakajima. 309 views
|
|
309 views
|
|
Many houses and wooden walls in Harie are black.307 views
|
|
Sign saying that Harie is not a tourist spot, that a guide is required to see the kabata.307 views
|
|
Snail trails. These snails are food for the fireflies in June.307 views
|
|
A symbol of Harie.306 views
|
|
305 views
|
|
304 views
|
|
303 views
|
|
302 views
|
|
302 views
|
|
301 views
|
|
299 views
|
|
Shodenji temple belongs to the Soto Zen sect of Buddhism. 正伝寺298 views
|
|
Shodenji temple has its own spring spewing drinkable water.297 views
|
|
About Futatsu-ishi (Two Rocks).296 views
|
|
Shin-Asahi has a nice bicycle path along the lake shore.291 views
|
|
289 views
|
|
Statue of Fujimoto Tarobe'e. He pushed for the flood control of Lake Biwa by building a weir on Seta River in Otsu. 藤本太郎兵衛像 287 views
|
|
282 views
|
|
282 views
|
|
281 views
|
|
|
|
|
|
