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With Mt. Ibuki in the background, the Asahi Honen Taiko Odori dance troupe head for Hachiman Shrine.74 views
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There are about 190 cherry trees along this road.74 views
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Model of Tokyo Skytree inside the Tokyo Sky Tree Info Plaza.74 views
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Meanwhile, the old Tokyo Tower will lose broadcast customers and see a great drop in income.74 views
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This was the center of the capital and symbol of state authority. Only high-ranked aristocrats were allowed to enter the Daikokuden Hall.74 views
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Roof tile used in the reconstruction.74 views
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Metal fittings on a door.74 views
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On the railing are decorative jewel balls in different colors. 74 views
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This is in front of the South Gate.74 views
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Display of a model of the emperor's residence (Imperial Domicile).74 views
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About the Imperial Domicile.74 views
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Eastern Palace Garden74 views
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Many of the mikoshi are for children. The mikoshi come from smaller shrines in the area related to Hyozu Taisha.74 views
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The kenketo dancers are put on men's shoulders whenever they are not dancing.74 views
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They knock down the flower umbrella and people rush in to grab something. They repeated this several times. This part of the festival is called Hanabai (花ばい).74 views
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Leading the procession are 12 yakko-furi men who carry the horseback archer's wooden targets. Yakko-furi were manual laborers of the samurai. 奴振り74 views
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Capping the day's events was the Takatora Taiko troupe from Tsu. 高虎太鼓74 views
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The open house consisted of two 2-hour sessions, one at 10 am to noon and another from 1 pm to 3 pm. Indoor shoes were required. A total of 616 visitors came in the morning and 468 in the afternoon.74 views
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Otsu Port as seen from Hama-Otsu Station on the Keihan Line. Just a 3-min. walk from the station. The Uminoko can be seen on the right. Same port where the Michigan paddlewheel boat is based.74 views
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Entrance to teacher's quarters (named Kiho 帰帆) on the 1st floor.74 views
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Otsu Port as seen from the boat dock.74 views
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About Hibiya Park in English. Hibiya Park opened in 1903 as Japan's first Western-style (mainly German) park. During the Edo Period, it used to be the Tokyo residence of important daimyos.74 views
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Nice place to have lunch for nearby office workers.74 views
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Look into this well until you see your reflection.74 views
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Plastic models on display.74 views
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Beyond Hakuunbashi Bridge, the moat goes to Kawara Roof Tile Museum and the moat boat dock. The cherry trees also stop, but there a few more on the far end of the most.74 views
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In the afternoon of the 14th, people who made miniature torches can come to Himure Hachimangu Shrine and burn them.74 views
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There are steps to go up the hill where there are more Kyogoku graves. These are for the older Kyogoku members, starting with the founder of the Kyogoku Clan.74 views
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Kitabatake Tomoyuki-kyo Grave 北畠具行卿墓 74 views
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Rowers casting off at Seta Rowing Club.74 views
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Inside the cable car going up to Enryakuji temple. One of the largest temple complexes in Japan, Enryakuji is the headquarters of the Tendai Buddhist sect atop Mt. Hie in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. 74 views
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A small park outside the mall next to the pond.74 views
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Map of Koka Station and a guide to the "Koka Station Trick Art." Seven wall murals of ninja paintings inside the station.74 views
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Rakuyaji temple's bell.74 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu74 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu74 views
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Nakasendo Road: Toriimoto (Hikone). The sixty-third of the sixty-nine stations or shukuba post towns on the Nakasendo Road.74 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Descending Geese at Katata74 views
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Cemetery map and sign.74 views
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Shuttered store.74 views
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Dankazura path to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.74 views
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Cherry trees along the Dankazura path to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.74 views
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Kimono ladies and cherry blossoms.74 views
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Wakamiya Shrine, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine's only building that is an Important Cultural Property. 若宮74 views
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Genpei Pond in a Japanese garden full of cherry blossoms.74 views
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Exotic peonies at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine's Japanese garden.74 views
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Petrified rocks74 views
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Bridge connects to a small island with Benzaiten Shrine.74 views
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Small modern museum next to Poet Takamura Chieko's birth home. Exhibits art works by her and her husband Takamura Kotaro.74 views
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Yonezawa Station platform on the JR Yamagata shinkansen.74 views
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Yarimizu stream feeding water to the pond.74 views
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Site of the temple bell or befry.74 views
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About the Jizo Bosatsu statue.74 views
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About Jogyodo Hall.74 views
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About the new temple bell.74 views
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About the old castle site.74 views
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Path to Geku. 第一鳥居口参道74 views
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Amulets forsale.74 views
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From the main building, we can cross over to the Akishio submarine.74 views
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Pilot seats.74 views
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Stuffed bear74 views
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The festival name changed from Yokaichi Odako Matsuri to Higashiomi Odako Matsuri in May 2012 and the festival site changed in May 2013 to Fureai Undo Koen Park. Map74 views
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First they use long poles to prop up the giant kite.74 views
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My video of shot on May 5, 2013 of kids visiting the kite museum and pasting wishing stickers.74 views
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Kami-Kumagaya Station74 views
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The old Nakasendo Road going through a department store named Yagihashi.74 views
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Sugatani Spa is a hot spring near Mt. Odani. The hot spring water has been used since centuries ago. MAP74 views
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Sugatani hot spring is famous for being a favorite of Ichi, the sister of feudal lord Oda Nobunaga and wife of Lord Azai Nagamasa in the 16th century. She lived in nearby Odani Castle.74 views
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Pine trees74 views
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Cherry blossom that blooms in Oct.74 views
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Cautions for visitors.74 views
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Inside Narita-san Shinshijo temple's Dai-hondo main worship hall.74 views
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Issaikyodo Hall (Buddhist Scriptures Hall) 一切経堂74 views
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Assembly Hall74 views
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White wisteria and Tokyo Skytree at Kameido Tenjin Shrine74 views
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Kappabashi is a road lined with kitchenware shops for restaurants and professional cooks. Tourists are also welcome. Fake food can be bought (and made).74 views
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All fake74 views
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Looks yummy though...74 views
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Hakkei-tei74 views
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In front of Hakone Yumoto Station at about 2:10 pm.74 views
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Hakone is one of Japan's most famous and popular tourist spots. Hot spring baths, views of Mt. Fuji, and more.74 viewsWith the Hakone Freepass, ride the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku, Tokyo directly to Hakone-Yumoto. Take the Hakone Tozan Railway train to Gora. Ride the Hakone Tozan Cable Car up the slope to to Sounzan. Then take the Hakone Ropeway high above to Lake Ashi for a cruise on a pirate boat to Hakone-machi Port or Moto-Hakone. Dramatic views of Mt. Fuji. Photo: Odakyu Line's Romance Car at Shinjuku Station.
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Mt. Fuji becomes more visible as you sail to Moto-Hakone.74 views
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Myozenji's temple bell74 views
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Most people go through an agent to book a room instead contacting individual minshuku to see if they have a room.74 viewsThese are two minshuku, Hisamatsu on the left and Furusato on the right. They are within walking distance from the bus stop.
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When you want to stay overnight in Shirakawa-go, it's hard to decide which minshuku (farmhouse lodge) to stay in. There's a good number of minshuku in Shirakawa-go.74 views
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I was surprised to see these pictures displayed inside Furusato. They showed Prince Hiro (currently the Crown Prince) who stayed at this minshuku while a college student.74 viewsHis brother Prince Aya/Akishino also stayed at this same minshuku when he was in college.
I was very surprised to hear from the proprietress that the Imperial Household Agency had designated the Furusato minshuku as *the* place to stay for Imperial family members visiting Shirakawa-go. She doesn't know exactly why. She says that although it was an honor to host the Princes, they can't really advertise it (the Imperial family can never be used for commercial purposes). She also lost money because they (her mother) had to buy new, fluffy futons, etc., just for the prince.
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Next to Furusato is another minshuku named Hisamatsu in Shirakawa-go. Looks almost the same on the outside.74 views
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Rear view of Nagoya Castle's main tower (tenshu or tenshukaku in Japanese, sometimes called donjon in English). 74 views
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Cover of the museum's newsletter (Winter 2016 issue) publicizing the "Hawai’i's Nikkeijin Matsuri—Oshogatsu and Bon Dance" exhibition.74 views
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Page 3 gives a history of bon dance in Hawai’i. Lower part explains New Year's worship at Shinto shrines in Hawai’i.74 views
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After seeing the exhibition, you might want to stop by the neighboring Yokohama World Porters shopping mall and get a malasada from Leonard's in the Hawaiian Town section.74 viewsIt might be crowded though, especially on weekends/holidays.
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Listen to one of the song versions here74 views
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Video of Jamie and Megan Thompson singing "Lake Biwa Rowing Song" at Spo-Rec Shiga on Oct. 18, 2008 at Kibogaoka Park in Yasu, Shiga Prefecture.74 viewsThe performance was part of the side entertainment on the opening day of the sports festival. The MC is Chiho Ono, radio personality at e-radio (FM Shiga) which organized this stage entertainment.
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YouTube video of us singing Lake Biwa Rowing Song at Imazu Port. 5 min.74 views
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The exterior livery of the newest Ginza Line subway cars is based on this first subway car. 74 views
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Since photography inside the central hall is not allowed, here's a photo of the replica at Valley of the Temples in Hawaii. It is very similar. One thing missing are the celestial Buddhas decorating the white walls behind the Buddha.74 views
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Inside Izumo Taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Taisha Line. Opened in 1930, now a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.74 views
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Izumo Taisha-mae Station trains. If you're staying near Izumo-shi Station, taking a bus is more convenient.74 views
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Shrine priests praying in front of the Honden on New Year's Day 2018.74 views
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Izumo Taisha ema prayer tablets.74 views
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Remains of the giant pillars of the ancient Izumo Taisha.74 views
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Enoshima Shrine's Nakatsumiya Shrine. 中津宮 市寸島比賣命を祀る74 views
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In Nov. 2016, Eigenji temple in Higashi-Omi showed its hidden Kannon for the 1st time in 30 years. Serene, golden face.74 views
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With shrines and temples, Chikubushima is a sacred island in northern Lake Biwa.74 views
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Chikubushima74 views
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Uminoko Floating School operates overnight cruises for 5th graders to learn about Lake Biwa.74 views
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Mino Washi Museum, Gifu74 views
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Ranryo-o court dance dating to the Nara Period (8th century). Chinese warrior Ranryo-o was Prince of Lanling (Gao Changgong), a victorious 6th c. general. (舞樂蘭陵王).74 viewsTo hide his gentle-looking face, Ranryo-o wore a fierce mask in battle. Notice the dragon head mask.
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The museum has this colorful Seki-juku manhole, Kameyama, Mie Prefecture. They even give you a manhole card.74 views
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Tree growing on solid rock73 views
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"If you fall out, just float and do nothing. We'll grab you back in."73 viewsBefore we started off from Käylä, our guides gave us basic instructions such as what to do if we fell out of the raft. (Don't do anything and just float until someone grabs you and pull you back into the raft.)
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Cruising with outboard motor73 viewsWe had oars, but an outboard motor also propelled us on the water.
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Near Nagahara Station73 views
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Omi-Shiotsu Station corridor to the tracks upstairs.73 views
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Taga Taisha is dedicated to Izanagi and Izanami, husband and wife deities who created the islands of Japan and many other gods such as Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. According to the Kojiki Ancient Records, Izanagi retired in Taga, so this shrine was built.73 views
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Turn-around point for another lap.73 views
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PIE 2006 ticket booth73 views
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Perhaps the most common species of plum blossom.73 views
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Path going further up the hill73 views
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Fluffy blossoms73 views
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"Does Tachikawa have strength?"73 views
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Mikoshi portable shrine73 views
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Shakunage or rhododendron73 views
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Hino Station on the Ohmi Tetsudo railway before the building was renovated in 2019. On the right was the tourist info office. 近江鉄道 日野駅73 views
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Shingyo-in Temple belongs to the Jodo-shu Buddhist Sect. It was the Gamou clan's family temple. 信楽院73 views
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Inside Hino Station at night before the building was renovated in 2019. 日野駅73 views
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Kyoto Univ. practicing73 views
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Kyoto Univ.73 views
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Palanquin かご73 views
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The procession in front of the Honjin. Also see the video at YouTube. 本陣前73 views
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Gosha Shrine torii73 views
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Preparing for a head stand.73 views
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Inside old Nagahama Station73 views
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Bishamonten Temple is also called Unjuji Temple (雲住寺). Also built by built by Fujiwara Hidesato descendants where his swords, spearheads, and family records are kept.73 views
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Seta River and reeds73 views
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Leaving Horikiri Port73 views
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Side of boat73 views
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Corridor to turnstile and west (Lake Biwa) side of the station.73 views
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Hondo 本堂 地蔵堂73 views
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Back view of Jizo statue73 views
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Tumulus No. 1 at the top of the slope.73 views
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Shopkeeper73 views
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Kitchen73 views
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Joeiji temple 浄栄寺73 views
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Front garden73 views
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Maid's room73 views
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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73 views
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Kite decoration on mailbox outside the station.73 views
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It's a short trail, but very nature-rich73 views
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Monuments73 views
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Gorge73 views
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Jam made in Hinohara.73 views
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Farewell to Hinohara73 views
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White plum blossoms 白梅73 views
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如意輪堂73 views
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Shibamata Station73 views
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Miniature shop arcade73 views
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Tora-san's personal effects73 views
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