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With shrines and temples, Chikubushima is a sacred island in northern Lake Biwa.64 views
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Okino-shiraishi Rocks, a favorite resting place for birds which turned the rocks white from bird droppings. Four rocks stand 80 meters deep in the lake. Out of the water, the tallest stands 14 meters high. 沖の白石64 views
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Omi-Maiko white sand beach.64 views
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Sorihashi Bridge (反橋) is a symbol of the shrine and one of the larger taikobashi.64 views
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In Kita-Ibaraki, Tenshin used Rokkakudo to listen to ocean waves and gaze at the scenery. On March 11, 2011, it was washed away by the tsunami, but it was rebuilt in 2012. 64 views
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This festival was originally a portable shrine procession on the sea via boat going around the bay. But the boat's start point was filled in, so the boat procession was then held on land instead since 200 years ago.64 views
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Nagahara Station in the distance.63 views
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Suzuka Quasi-National Park marker63 viewsThe area is within this park.
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Kyoto Univ.63 views
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Lake Biwa Rowing Song (Biwako Shuko no Uta) monument at Hikone Port. Map63 viewsIn June 1917, a song called Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song) was composed by college student Taro Oguchi during a boat rowing trip around Lake Biwa. He was a member of the rowing club at Dai-san High School (now Kyoto University). He composed it in Imazu, Shiga Prefecture during the second night of the trip.
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Nishi Azai-cho Town Hall in winter63 views
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Hondo main hall altar 大通寺 本堂阿弥陀堂63 views
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Seta Castle site63 views
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Seta Castle stone lantern63 views
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Near the head of Seta River63 views
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Sea wall63 views
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Leaving Okinoshima (we'll be back).63 views
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Waiting room. Smaller than the old one. This room has been removed and replaced by a walkway to the new Mondecool Heiwado store. 63 views
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Before the torches burnt out completely, the men hauled away each torch one by one.63 views
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This trail was much more scenic.63 views
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Ryuo-cho town as seen from Yukinoyama63 views
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Another broken sign.63 views
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Ohmi Railways Gokasho Station, waiting room.63 views
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Road in front of the train station.63 views
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Spacious garden and Fujii Hikoshiro house63 views
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Western-style room63 views
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Swing-down ladder to enter upper floor.63 views
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Ohmi Merchant Museum63 views
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Ohmi Merchant Museum is on the 3rd floor of this building. 近江商人博物館 Map63 views
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Akikawa River63 views
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Crystal-clear water63 views
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Akikawa River63 views
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Akikawa River63 views
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White plum blossoms 白梅63 views
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In spring, see 4,500 peony plants in 70 varieties bloom. Temple is nicknamed "Botan Daishi" (Peony Daishi).63 views
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Roof of Horinkaku 宝輪閣63 views
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Kitchen where they made the dumplings.63 views
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Lots of steps, glad I was going down instead of up.63 views
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Warrior monk procession 僧兵行列63 views
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Warrior monks entering Hosenji temple. 僧兵行列63 views
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View from lookout point63 views
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Keio Line Mogusaen Station 百草園駅63 views
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Mogusaen Station with plum decoration on top63 views
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Statue of Hideyoshi in front of the place where the station was.63 views
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Built in 1882 as Nagahama Station's first station building.63 views
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Photo exhibition panels at Biwa Library63 views
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Entrance to my photo exhibition in Shima Kominkan Public Hall during their day-long Bunka-sai Culture Festival.63 views
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Two panels on left wall63 views
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People in a long line waiting to enter Canal Cafe to either dine or rent a rowboat.63 views
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Empty rowboats too.63 views
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Pleasant walking path.63 views
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Small hill63 views
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The little park has a side of an old building on the ground, serving as a stage.63 views
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Hill63 views
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The shaded part of the map shows the area of the original estate and the black square shows the area of this park. It was a huge estate.63 views
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Fifth and final panel showing photos of our song-related activities.63 views
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Fourth panel showing all the song monuments in Shiga and Okaya, Nagano.63 views
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3rd panel showing Verse 2 (Omatsu or Omi-Maiko)63 views
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The pasted pieces are laid to dry.63 views
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The size of the room almost exactly matches the size of the giant kite which is 12 meters by 13 meters or 100 tatami mats.63 views
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Anybody can help do this. The public is invited to sign their names on a sheet and paste it to the big kite paper.63 views
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Sixty rowing teams (300 people) rowed in five categories, including beginner and expert rowers, ranging in age from junior high to senior citizens.63 views
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Vermilion painting of "sei" is complete.63 views
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The bamboo grid is carefully aligned with the kite design.63 views
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1st panel for Verse 1 and explanation about the exhibition and English song.63 views
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There is at least one Shiga Kenjinkai in all the prefectures in Japan, and around 15 Shiga Kenjinkai overseas. The hall was lined with banners of many Shiga Kenjinkai from Japan and overseas. Ehime, Brazil, Osaka, etc.63 views
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Saitama, Kanagawa, France, Matsumae63 views
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Iolani Palace63 views
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Pine trees and pond63 views
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Bridge to Nakashima island63 views
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Open 9:30 am-4:30 pm (till 6 pm in July-Aug.). Closed Wed. and Thu. Address: Moto-Izumi 2-15-5 狛江市元和泉2-15-5, Phone: 03-3489-898163 views
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Crowd gathers in front of the locomotive.63 views
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Shiranui verses...63 views
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The stone has three rows with seven names each.63 views
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Stone for handprints and footprints.63 views
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The shrine's happi coat has a design for the character "Hachi" (for Hachimangu) consisting of two pigeons. Pigeons are regarded as the messengers of the deity worshipped at Hachimangu shrines in Japan.63 views
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Inside JR Date-Mombetsu Station63 views
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JR Date-Mombetsu Station stairs have wood.63 views
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2nd floor corridor of the Geihinkan.63 views
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The Geihinkan was used to receive high-ranking government officials visiting Date to inspect the development of the town. 迎賓館63 views
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Ohmi Railways Echigawa Station platform.63 views
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Former Echi Town Hall63 views
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Former Echi Town Hall63 views
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A few videos about Tsuchiyama and the Tokaido can be viewed.63 views
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Tea leaves63 views
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They are replacing the foundation and foot of the columns.63 views
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Hat problem.63 views
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Keeping the hat on seemed to be common problem.63 views
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The Takamiya Station building is also a Community Center with an information counter and exhibition space.63 views
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Takamiya Post Office and a giant torii for Taga Taisha Shrine.63 views
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Nakasendo Road in Takamiya-juku, near the Taga-michi road.63 views
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Nakasendo sign63 views
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Gate to Enshoji temple, established in 1498. It belongs to the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji Sect. 円照寺63 views
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Marker for Takamiya Castle63 views
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An outdoor tent art show.63 views
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The art theme was "Lake Biwa: Life-giving Water." The show was from June 1 to July 20, 2008.63 views
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On the right of the flooded section are rice paddies not yet flooded. Shiga wants to eventually purchase all the reclaimed land and flood the entire area to restore Hayasaki Naiko.63 views
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This is the eastern edge of Hayasaki Naiko. The original lake's edge was up to here. This stone wall is original, existing when Hayasaki Naiko was still an attached lake.63 views
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View of Hayasaki Naiko from the eastern edge. One stumbling block to the restoration is high land prices. Shiga needs to purchase all of the reclaimed land.63 views
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What used to be a lake is a rice paddy. Imagine this to be a lake, with an embankment in front of these homes.63 views
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Monument dedicated to Shiga Prefectural police officers.63 views
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Kawauchi stone monument63 views
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Inside the former toiya-ba.63 views
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Fire hose63 views
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The tulips come in various colors.63 views
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Guide to Kannon statues in Takatsuki. On the left is the National Treasure Kannon statue at Doganji temple. One of seven 11-face Kannon statues in Japan which is a National Treasure. This one is said to be the most beautiful. 十一面観音立像63 views
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Nishino Water Tunnel is near Lake Biwa at the foot of the Yamamoto-yama mountains. There are three tunnels. The original one was built in 1845 by a local priest to alleviate frequent flooding. 西野水道 MAP63 views
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Another stage was in the C.I.Q Plaza. Standing room only.63 views
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At one end was the Hall Stage where more people entertained.63 views
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About Tatsumi Yagura63 views
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Quadruple with cox. This boat belongs to the NPO. The races were separate for men and women.63 views
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The regatta's main objective is to have more people try rowing as a sport.63 views
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Quadruple race63 views
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Nakae Toju Memorial Hall is a small museum dedicated to Toju. Open 9 am to 4:30 pm. Closed Mon. during Oct.-Feb. 中江藤樹記念館 MAP63 views
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Edo Kabuki-ren from Koenji. 江戸歌舞伎連63 views
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A hand towel with the names of all the current Asakusa geisha was selling for 1,500 yen. They also had T-shirts.63 views
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On the right was a large stage for the band.63 views
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The contingent from South Korea also marched to their seats from the center stage.63 views
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Group shot63 views
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After lunch, everyone participated in a joint aerobics session at 1 pm with a well-known instructor.63 views
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As each winner was announced, the respective team cheered and went backstage. The senior group was of course a winner.63 views
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クガイソウ63 views
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These lilies start to bloom from twilight.63 views
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Lemon yellow lilies on Mt. Ibuki. ユウスゲ63 views
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Mt. Ibuki as seen from Lake Biwa.63 views
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Shiga LakeStars warming up for their debut pro game on Oct. 11, 2008 against Osaka Evessa.63 views
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Dunk by Ray Schafer63 views
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Ogawa Shinya is a local boy from Nagahama, Shiga.63 views
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Shiga LakeStars boosters.63 views
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The game started at 6 pm.63 views
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Views from Biwako Bunkakan museum.63 views
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More rocky lakeshore63 views
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JR Otsu Station63 views
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Eight Views of Omi, Then and Now, exhibited on Otsu Post Office wall63 views
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Band plays again during half-time show.63 views
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Tip-off for the tiebreaker.63 views
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All these ducks love me.63 views
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Map of Oichi-no-Sato. The biggest building on the left is the Azai Public Library. If you don't have a car, catch the Kokoku Bus (Takayama Route) at Nagahama Station and get off at Plaza Fukura no Mori-mae (プラザふくらの森前). Walk 10 min. 63 views
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Room with a hearth.63 views
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Relics from Odani Castle63 views
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Blacksmith-related materials.63 views
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The stunts gradually get more difficult and dramatic.63 views
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Entrance to Ariake Colosseum for the game between Tokyo Apache and Toyama Grouses on Dec. 27, 2008.63 views
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Statue of Matsuo Basho who ended his Okuno hosomichi journey in Ogaki.63 views
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Shiga LakeStars cheerleaders63 views
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Juni-no-yaku musicians are from the medieval period of Japan, and rarely seen in other festivals. In Shiga, this is the only festival where they appear.63 views
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The procession leaves the shrine.63 views
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The Hana-yakko dancers supposed to be all local boys, but due to depopulation, now they include girls. They are intermediate and high school students.63 views
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Following the procession, the floats are then pulled along.63 views
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Most were boys, but a few were real girls. This is yet another great spectacle of the festival.63 views
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Upside-down baboon is connected only by his left hand. How are all these objects suspended like that?? 岩見重太郎 狒狒退治の場63 views
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The dances ended at 11:30 am and they all started to leave the shrine in a procession headed for Hachiman Shrine with a lunch break at Chawan Matsuri no Yakata museum a short walk away. Conch shell blowers here.63 views
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The ropes are quite thin, making me think the float is not so heavy.63 views
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They sometimes jostle the mikoshi up and down.63 views
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The festival started with these young men dressed like sumo wrestlers.63 views
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Inside Shimoniikawa Shrine setup for the Sushikiri Matsuri held on May 4-5, but May 5 is the main event. The formal name of the festival is Omi-no-Kenketo Matsuri. 近江のケンケト祭.63 views
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A red sake bowl is brought.63 views
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Oh yummy! Looks delicious. There are ten fish, but the boys cut only three fish during the ceremony. We could readily smell the fermented fish.63 views
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The smell of the fish wafted through the air.63 views
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Local dignitaries attending the event. 63 views
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Inside a replica of a thatched-roof farmhouse.63 views
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You can buy a bunch of carrots to feed the sheep. You have to go through the museum to get here. 動物ふれあい広場63 views
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The procession arrived Higashi Hiyoshi Shrine at about 2:15 pm.63 views
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Some hillside construction work.63 views
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One spring from which the temple got its name. Zensuiji means Efficacious Water Temple.63 views
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Path up the mountain slope to Zensuiji.63 views
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Painted bench63 views
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At the top of the Oku Biwako Parkway road is a lookout point.63 views
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JR Tarui Station63 views
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Site of Nakasendo Tarui-juku post town63 views
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The are steps to go to the top of the moat wall.63 views
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The entire shrine was completely burnt to the ground during the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Rebuilt in 1624 by Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu.63 views
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