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Kyu-Nakagawa River from Heisei Bridge. 旧中川27 views
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Heisei Bridge photographed in 2019, the last year of the Heisei Period.27 views
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Heisei Bridge photographed in 2019, the last year of the Heisei Period.27 views
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Heisei Bridge photographed in 2019, the last year of the Heisei Period.27 views
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Cherry blossoms along Kyu-Nakagawa River in Koto Ward.27 views
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Cherry blossoms along Kyu-Nakagawa River in Koto Ward.27 views
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Cherry blossoms along Kyu-Nakagawa River in Koto Ward.27 views
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Daruma dolls.27 views
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Daishi Nakamise shopping arcade to Kawasaki Daishi has more souvenir shops.27 views
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Ema tablet for the Year of the Boar in 2019.27 views
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Kawasaki Daishi Temple, Dai-hondo main worship hall and incense burner in front. 大本堂27 views
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Kawasaki Daishi Temple, Dai-hondo main worship hall 大本堂27 views
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At 2 pm, the fun began when they started throwing the beans.27 views
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Yakushiden Hall 薬師殿27 views
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Yasuragi Bridge over Tsuru-no-Ike Pond. It dispels evil and brings good fortune. やすらぎ橋27 views
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Fudodo Hall dedicated to Fudo Myo-o. 不動堂27 views
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On the way to the main hall is this Kyozo Sutra Repository. (経蔵)27 views
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Lots of hard candy.27 views
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Colorful autumn path to Saimyoji Temple.27 views
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Nitenmon Gate to main temple (Hondo).27 views
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Nitenmon Gate.27 views
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Saimyoji Temple Hondo hall (National Treasure) in Kora, Shiga. 本堂27 views
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Saimyoji temple bell accented with red maples.27 views
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"Ever-blooming" cherry tree (fudan-zakura) in autumn.27 views
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Kongorinji's three-story pagoda built in 1246, National Important Cultural Property.27 views
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Red maples framing Zensuiji temple in autumn.27 views
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Song lyrics for all six verses.27 views
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Verse 4 Song Monument, Chikubushima27 viewsAzure blue flower garden, revered coral shrine.
Full of old-time stories, Chikubushima.
In the hands of Buddha, one young maiden lies.
She's sleeping in compassion, resting peacefully.
Ruri no hanazono, sango no miya
Furui tsutae no, Chikubujima
Hotoke no mite ni, idakarete
Nemure otomego, yasurakeku
瑠璃の花園 珊瑚の宮
古い伝えの 竹生島
仏の御手に いだかれて
ねむれ乙女子 やすらけく
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Mieji-juku was the 55th lodging town on the old Nakasendo Road connecting Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto through an inland route.27 viewsIt is in a rural area with hardly any local people to guide tourists. Only a few tourist map signboards like this one indicate the major sights.
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Kashiwabara-juku Ichirizuka distance marker.27 views
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Rice fields in autumn.27 views
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Galley27 views
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Jr. Third Officer's cabin.27 views
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Turn right here for the Juniko Lakes.27 views
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There's a narrow lookout deck along the Ao-Ike pond.27 views
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From the road going to/from Juniko Lakes, part of Nihon Canyon with white cliffs can be seen. It was formed by erosion and collapsed mountainsides. 日本キャニオン27 views
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Verse 3 Song Monument at Nagahama's Hokoen Park. It is shaped like a boat and the top has a wavy surface like the water. It is called the "nami-makura" (rolling waves) design.27 viewsSince the original glass bench song monument broke, it was replaced by this one made of stone having a similar shape and design concept.
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JR Ishibe Station platform.27 views
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Giant dogwood is nicknamed "Wedding Cake Tree" due to the multi-tiered trunk and branches. ミズキ(Mizuki)27 views
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Hakodate Morning Market 函館朝市27 views
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Inside Hakodate Morning Market 函館朝市27 views
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Leaving the Scenic Water Channel boat pier.26 views
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The tall building is Otsu Prince Hotel. Japan's Prince Hotel chain has Shiga roots as the company founder was from Shiga.26 views
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Approaching Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge, a historic landmark although the bridge has been rebuilt a few times.26 views
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Jens Chr. Kolberg from FISA conducted the closing ceremony.26 views
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The life-size Godzilla head on Hotel Gracery's rooftop in Kabukicho, Shinjuku.26 views
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Yoshida Shoin's travel route.26 views
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Higashi-Hagi Station (東萩駅) is Hagi's main train station. JR San'in Line.26 views
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Mt. Utsubuki where there was a castle until 1615. 打吹山26 views
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Tamagawa River26 views
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Kotozakura was active in the 1960s-70s and later became a successful sumo stable master training wrestlers like Kotokaze and Kotonowaka. 横綱琴櫻26 views
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Benzaitendo Hall 26 views
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Old telephone.26 views
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Dairenji Temple main hall in Kurayoshi, Tottori. Belongs to the Jodo-shu Buddhist sect. 大蓮寺26 views
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Condemned.26 views
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JR Kurayoshi Station turnstile.26 views
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Statues at JR Kurayoshi Station.26 views
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Near Hawai Onsen is a nice lakeside park.26 views
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Local souvenirs.26 views
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Mt. Daisen in winter as seen from the train. Tottori Prefecture.26 views
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Comfortable chairs.26 views
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Afterward, they invited members of the audience on stage to try the loach scooping dance.26 views
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Display hall for Yasugi-bushi.26 views
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Inside JR Yasugi Station.26 views
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In early May for Children's Day, Tokyo Tower was festooned with colorful koinobori carp streamers.26 views
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Tokyo Tower lit up as seen from Shiba Park at night.26 views
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Long lines everywhere for sushi. The restaurants usually sell out by 2 pm, then they close. 26 viewsThe huge crowd is either here for the novelty of a new attraction or they may be a strong sign of Toyosu Market's massive popularity.
I'm afraid the Tsukiji Outer Market will soon be marginalized by Toyosu Market. The market is the heart and soul, and it's now in Toyosu. The fishmongers in Toyosu are very gung-ho now and really want the Toyosu brand to exceed the old Tsukiji brand.
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Zama Giant Kite Odako Festival is held annually on May 4 and 5 along the Sagami River from 10 am to 4 pm. They fly the giant kite a few times each day depending on the wind. 26 viewsNearest train station is Sobudaimae Station on the Odakyu Line. They have shuttle buses between the train station and festival site.
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Rugby Town monument in front of Kumagaya Station.26 views
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Volunteers show the way to the shuttle buses and fan zone.26 views
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Kumagaya rugby fan zone entrance. 10-min. walk from the station.26 views
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Kumagaya Uchiwa Matsuri float in front of the fan zone. Anybody could pose with the float.26 views
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Inside the shuttle bus.26 views
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Bus stop near the rugby stadium.26 views
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Sakura design rugby T-shirt26 views
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Kumagaya Sports and Culture Park map showing walking route from the bus stop to the stadium.26 views
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Steps to the stands.26 views
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Beautiful day for rugby.26 views
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Argentina rugby team singing their national anthem at Kumagaya, Saitama.26 views
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Argentina scores a try.26 views
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Easy to get out.26 views
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Volunteers give high-fives to spectators leaving.26 views
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Friendly volunteers bid visitors farewell. RWC volunteers were selected randomly from a large number of applicants. They got free uniforms and a backpack.26 views
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Shuttle buses.26 views
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Shuttle buses lined up six at a time. Very little waiting.26 views
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Volunteers on the street waving at buses.26 views
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Approaching the Olympic Stadium. The white tent is where we had to show our tickets.26 views
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This shows how far each train/subway station is.26 views
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Line to enter Gate H.26 views
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Tanabata streamers from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. One event highlight was Tohoku festivals.26 views
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Sendai Suzume Odori dance. 26 views
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Stadium's ticket box office. It was closed since tickets to this event was sold in advance. 26 viewsFirst you had to apply for the ticket lottery online. If you won a ticket in the lottery (held at least 3 times), you could pay for it by credit card or at a convenience store. The ticket lottery and website were in Japanese only and geared for Japan residents with a cell phone. Very puzzling since it effectively shut out overseas visitors from buying a ticket. I didn't see any foreigners in the crowd. And yet, the event MC kept mentioning how it was for all nationalities, abled-bodied and disabled, all genders, all ages, etc., etc. No event info in English at all.
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The line moved quickly though. It took about 15 min. to get to the gate to go inside.26 views
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Entering Gate A for security check of our bags. Notice that Gate A branches off into smaller gates from A1 to A6. 26 viewsA1 goes to the 1st floor, A6 goes to the 4th floor.
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Men's room, very clean.26 views
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Navigational map of the men's room. Mainly for visually impaired people, but I believe the braille is in Japanese.26 views
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Diaper-changing table.26 views
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Narrow corridor to Blocks 307 and 308 on tier 3. No wheelchair seating here. 26 views
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Wheelchair space on 2nd tier concourse. Seats are for abled-bodied wheelchair companions. This space also has power outlets for recharging power/electric wheelchairs. Mounted on the ceiling is a cooling fan.26 views
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The culture part of the program featured a festival from each of the six prefectures in the Tohoku Region: Aomori, Akita, Yamagata, Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima Prefectures. 26 viewsThey are all annual summer festivals. There's an emphasis on this region because it was where the March 2011 tsunami and earthquake hit Japan the hardest. The Japanese government also wants to call this the "Recovery Olympics."
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The last Tohoku festival was the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri. Held in the evenings during Aug. 2 to 7 near Aomori Station. ねぶた祭26 viewsThe Nebuta float is accompanied by dancers called haneto. They hop all over while shouting "Rasse, Rasse, Rassera!" These people came from Aomori and Tokyo. ねぶた祭
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They paraded completely around the track. 26 views
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On the Red Team, Cambridge Aska passes the round baton to Takakuwa Saki. ケンブリッジ 飛鳥 髙桑早生26 views
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Stadium gate directions.26 views
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Gate A1 on the 2nd floor leading to the 2nd tier.26 views
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Wheelchair space on 2nd tier concourse. Seats are for abled-bodied wheelchair companions. This space also has power outlets for recharging power/electric wheelchairs. Mounted on the ceiling is a cooling fan.26 views
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It's an oval stadium with a track and field and a partial, fixed roof. Everyone was relieved that the stadium was completed in time for the Olympics after a flubbed initial design.26 views
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Kashima Antlers fans26 views
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Kashima Antlers fans26 views
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Current score and player roster.26 views
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Lots of afternoon sun on this part of the Back Stand.26 views
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Andrés Iniesta, Spanish professional footballer.26 views
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Vissel Kobe fans go wild.26 views
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After the awards ceremony, Vissel Kobe walked around the stadium and posed for photos.26 views
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This football/soccer match was also an Olympic test event for the new Olymoic Stadium and officials observed the crowd flow.26 views
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Trash collection at the exit.26 views
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Lots of wildlife here too. Deer, bears, boars, woodpeckers, and squirrels. But we didn't see any, only their foot prints, digs in the ground, chipped tree trunks, etc.26 views
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Benibana Furusato-kan Hall (べに花ふるさと館) in Okegawa is mainly a restaurant. It was originally a late 19th century home of an industrialist. It also offers udon-making lessons. From JR Okegawa Station, take the bus and get off at "Beniban26 views"Benibana" means safflower.
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Posing with player cutouts.26 views
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Near Togendai is Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori hotel with good views of Lake Ashi.26 views
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Hie Shrine ema tablet.26 views
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High-class inn named "Asaba"26 views
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モ60126 views
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Driver's seat in モ601.26 views
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About Suzuki Kohei residence.26 views
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About Kosaka Family Residence. 小坂家住宅26 views
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Kosaka Family Residence26 views
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Yoshida Kobo udatsu roof firewall.26 views
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About Former Imai Residence. 旧今井家26 views
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Mino Tourist information office has tourist pamphlets. 美濃市観光協会「番屋」26 views
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Entrance to Mino Washi Museum (Mino Washi no Sato Kaikan). It was renovated in April 2017, so it looks new. There are three floors, including a basement floor.26 views
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Basement floor has this paper-making workshop where you can try making your own washi paper. It can be a single sheet 33x45cm), 6 postcards, or diploma. Takes less than an hour. Fees are ¥500 to ¥800. ワークショップ - 紙すきの体験26 views
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Our washi instructor taught us how to do it using a wooden mold (keta 桁) supporting a screen.26 views
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Paper vaccuum dryer. The slit sucks water from the paper.26 views
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The museum has exhibition rooms and spaces to display washi artwork.26 views
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Exhibition room displaying washi used in practical and commercial products.26 views
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Japanese style26 views
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Mechanized papermaking26 views
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Washi umbrellas26 views
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Pyramid-shaped Mt. Oyama is also called "Amefuri-yama" or mountain of abundant rain since it was often shrouded in clouds. Farmers prayed to the mountain for rain. 26 viewsThe mountain's deity, Oyama-tsumi-no-Kami, is the father of the goddess of nearby Mt. Fuji. It is also a Japan Heritage site. A great time to visit would be in mid-November for the autumn leaves.
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Entrance to the uphill Koma-sando path to Oyama Cable car station. 26 views
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Tops on the Koma-sando path. "Koma" means "top."26 views
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Souvenir shops.26 views
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To visit Oyama-dera Buddhist Temple, get of at this station. (During this trip, we didn't visit Oyama-dera Temple, dedicated to Fudo Myo-o.)26 views
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Passing loop at Oyama-dera Station.26 views
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ぼけ封じ守護神26 views
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Inside Oyama Afuri Shrine (大山阿夫利神社).26 views
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Names of worshippers who had tattoos. Their names also have labels describing their tattoos for ID purposes.26 views
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Lion statue at the shrine entrance.26 views
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Frog for a safe return. "Kaeru"26 views
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Plaque on "Tofu Road" where there were many tofu maker/sellers. Afuri tofu is famous because of Oyama's good water. Local inns started making tofu with the local water and the soybeans pilgrims brought as payment for lodging.26 views
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Walking down the main road.26 views
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Atagodaki bus stop for the bus bound for Isehara Station.26 views
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I was very impressed by their English. Very good explanation and excellent English coaching. Wish all festivals in Japan did this.26 views
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Saio Matsuri Departure Ceremony at Seiden Hall, Saiku Heian-no-mori Park. 正殿26 views
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In the Saio Woods, Historic Site marker for the Saiku Palace. The Saiku Palace was constructed anew for each new Saio. 斎王の森26 views
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Nyoju (女嬬) followed by Warawame (童女) daughters of the Imperial family or nobility.26 views
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The first palanquin carries the Nyo-betto (女別当), the supervisor of the court ladies.26 views
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Girls called Warawame (童女) wearing chihaya costume 千早. They are daughters of the Imperial family or nobility and are learning the customs of the Saiku while living in the Saiku Palace. 26 views
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The Saiku was a lost palace and its exact location was unknown until 1970 when the land here was being prepared for a housing project. Ancient pottery pieces and remains of building foundations were unearthed.26 viewsIn fact, local residents for generations had passed down the story of the palace being located here. In 1903, a local group led by the Saiku village headman erected this stone monument from recognize Saiku as the palace site. It wasn't until June 1970 when remains of the Saiku Palace were found in Meiwa.
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They also have a scale model of the palace with many buildings over a wide area.26 views
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Ryoko storehouses of the Saikuryo government.26 views
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The Nai-in block was enclosed by a pillared fence. 内院26 views
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The Saiku area is a Japan Heritage site.26 views
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Saiku Station on the Kintetsu Yamada Line.26 views
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As the Saio procession went through the park, the crowd followed. 上園芝生広場26 views
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Entering the Seki Townscape Museum.26 views
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About the Kawa-kita Honjin lodge. 26 views
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Old map of Seki-juku.26 views
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Seki-juku's traditional townscape continues.26 views
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View from Chokantei, looking toward Jizo-in Temple. 眺関亭からの眺望26 views
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Ito Honjin lodge was Seki-juku's high-class lodge for VIP travelers like daimyo lords. 伊藤本陣跡26 views
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About the three types of inns in stage towns.26 views
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Tamaya kitchen26 views
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Pillow26 views
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Mie and Shiga sections of the Tokaido Road.26 views
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Tamaya inn rear view.26 views
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