 Most viewed - Higashi-Omi 東近江市 |
438 views
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San-mon Gate. Built in 1802. 三門407 views
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367 views
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Inside Hondo temple hall, Eigenji340 views
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Living room of former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru.331 views
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Former home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).327 views
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314 views
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Gokasho is famous for the grand, old homes of wealthy Omi merchants. Three of them are clustered together for us to visit inside. They are the former residences of Tonomura Uhee (外村 宇兵衛), Tonomura Shigeru (外村 繁), and Nakae Jungoro (中江 309 views
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Located in Higashi-Omi and established in 1361, Eigenji is a temple of the Zen Rinzai Buddhist Sect (Eigenji School) and well-known for fall colors with 3,000 maple trees. Touristy entrance to Eigenji. Map305 views
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Hillside garden292 views
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Yokaichi giant kite coming up.288 views
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Take off. On cue, the people pulling the kite start running and the kite starts to lift off. Also see the video at YouTube.279 views
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Although not part of the Koto Sanzan Temple Trio (all Tendai Buddhist temples), most visitors also visit Eigenji together with the Koto Sanzan temples. Accessible by bus taking 30-40 min. from Yokaichi Station on the Omi Railway Line or from Hyakusaiji. 279 views
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Former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru (外村 繁邸). Map278 viewsTonomura Shigeru (外村 繁), Tonomura Uhee (外村 宇兵衛), and Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎)
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Held on May 4 by Sanposan Shrine in Higashi-Omi, Shiga Prefecture, Iba-no-saka-kudashi Matsuri has three portable shrines hauled down a steep mountain (Kinugasa-yama) for about 500 meters. 270 views
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形267 views
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Room with Hina festival dolls and entrance to the Tonomura Shigeru Literature Museum. 雛祭りの雛人形253 views
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Hina festival dolls249 views
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My YouTube video of the Iba-no-saka-kudashi Matsuri.248 views
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246 views
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Hyakusaiji temple245 views
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No wind. This flight lasted only about 30 sec. We ran about 50 meters, then the kite fell back to Earth. Also see the video at YouTube.243 views
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形243 views
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Eigenji Hondo temple hall. Built in 1765.241 views
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Entrance Gate. This is where you pay admission. 総門226 views
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Yokaichi Odako giant kite Air borne221 views
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About the Iba Goten Palace. 伊庭御殿遺跡216 views
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Kite train or "rendako." These kites are pretty to watch. 連凧212 views
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Notogawa Station on JR Tokaido/Biwako Line. Beautifully designed station resembling a water wheel, the symbol of the town. East Exit. 能登川駅211 views
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Sutra Repository 経堂208 views
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202 views
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Higher and higher...201 viewsIt went up to about ?? meters.
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2nd floor with Hina festival dolls201 views
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Raising the kite. Long bamboo poles are used to prop the huge kite upward to meet the wind.195 views
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Echigawa River empties into Lake Biwa.190 views
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Statue of Omi merchant peddler carrying his trademark "tenbin" pole.189 views
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The Big One. The size is equivalent to 100 tatami mats or about 12 meters x 13 meters (156 square meters).188 views
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Festival poster188 views
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Located in Higashi-Omi and established by Shotoku Taishi in 609, Hyakusaiji temple is Shiga Prefecture's oldest temple and one of Japan's oldest. It belongs to the Tendai Buddhist Sect. Map186 viewsThe temple's terraced slope had many temple residences for hundreds of monks training here. National Historic Site
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Sutra Repository 経堂181 views
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During July-Aug. 2007, I helped to make the Yokaichi giant kite at the annex of the Yokaichi Giant Kite Museum.where the giant kite is made. Every three years, the giant kite, flown every May in Higashi-Omi, is replaced by a new kite bearing a new design.181 viewsThe new kite was made during July-Aug. 2007, taking about 30 days. The kite is made by volunteers from the public under the instruction of the Yokaichi Giant Kite Preservation Society. For the first time, I helped make this giant kite which was first flown successsfully on May 25, 2008 at the annual kite festival.
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The Higashi-Omi Giant Kite Festival (Higashi-Omi Odako Matsuri) is held on the last Sunday of May at Fureai Undo Park (ふれあい運動公園) in Notogawa, HigashiOmi, Shiga. The main highlight is the giant kite, flying at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm.180 viewsMy video of the Higashi-Omi Giant Kite Festival on May 26, 2013. Due to a tragic kite crash in May 2015, this kite festival has been suspended since May 2016. It will not be held in May 2019 either.
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Notogawa Station, West Exit, also designed as a water wheel. This is one of Shiga's best-designed train stations. Beautifully designed station resembling a water wheel, the symbol of the town.178 views
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Mini kite contest. Kite contestants show off their kite designs at their tents.177 views
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Notogawa giant water wheel in Higashi-Omi, Shiga. Map176 views
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I saw the Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival (Odako Matsuri) for the first time on May 23, 2004. The site is alongside the Echigawa River near the Yachiyo Bridge. A free shuttle bus from Yokaichi Station is provided, taking about 10 min. 173 views
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Eigenji Dam173 views
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171 views
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And lift off...169 views
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Inside Hondo temple hall169 views
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Garden and former home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).168 views
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After the flight, we could see the kite up close. A sacred sakaki tree branch adorned the back of the kite. Also many paper stickers with people's wishes were pasted on the back.168 views
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On May 25, 2008 at the Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival, the new giant kite was flown for the first time. The wind conditions was good.168 views
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Inside hondo, Hyakusaiji167 views
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Hyakusaiji's Main temple hall (hondo). Important Cultural Property.167 views
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OK, RUN NOW!! This is the most exciting part when we start running with the rope. It was like a stampede, and I let go after a few seconds to avoid getting runned over by the mob behind me.165 views
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Former residence of Omi merchant Fujii Hikoshiro (1876-1956) (藤井 彦四郎邸). Now a history museum.165 views
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Tarobo-gu is a shrine complex on a small mountain, featuring grand views of Yokaichi and a pair of Wedded Rocks. It is 1.1 km from Tarobogu-mae Station on the Ohmi Railway Line. The shrine's real name is Aga Jinja 阿賀神社. [url=http://goo.gl/map165 viewsMap of Tarobo-gu. You can drive up halfway up the mountain (called Mitsukuriyama 箕作山) which is 350 meters high. If you don't have a car, climb over 700 steps to reach the shrine's main hall.
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100 kite pullers161 views
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Omi merchant statue.158 views
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It had rained the night before and in the morning. The ground would've been muddy, but they spread a layer of rocks to make the ground dry. It must have been hard to pull the kite and run on these rocks.158 views
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154 views
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Echibashi Bridge over Echi River. Nice views of the river can be had from this bridge.152 views
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Giant Kite sake. The food and souvenir booths sold a variety of merchandise including this locally-brewed sake, complete with a label showing this year's kite design.151 views
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May 27, 2007 was a bad day for giant kite flying in Yokaichi, as the giant kite crashes head-first into a bamboo grove on its first and last flight during the Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival.151 views
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Cycling path map in Notogawa, Higashi-Omi.150 views
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150 views
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Namako wall150 views
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Symbol of Notogawa149 views
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149 views
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Entrance to former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru (外村 繁邸).148 views
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Inside Hondo temple hall147 views
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Yokaichi Giant Kite Preservation Society. This is the group responsible for producing, maintaining, and flying the giant kite. 大凧保存会146 views
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Sagamihara kite team invited. Sagamihara city in Kanagawa Prefecture also has a giant kite festival, and they were invited to fly a smaller version of their kite at Yokaichi. (Yokaichi was also invited to Sagamihara's kite festival in April.)146 views
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Gokasho was home to many Omi merchants who plied up and down Japan during the Edo Period to sell and trade their wares. They became quite successful selling medicines, lacquerware, sake, etc.146 viewsWall of former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru (1902-1961) (外村 繁邸).
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145 views
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From the Ohmi Railways' Gokasho Station, you can walk to the Fujii Hikoshiro House (藤井 彦四郎邸), which is also a history museum, and to the modern Ohmi Merchant Museum (近江商人博物館).145 viewsOhmi Railways Gokasho Station 近江鉄道五箇所駅
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144 views
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142 views
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Ready for flight141 views
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Autumn foilage greets you in Nov.140 views
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Bell tower and offertory box. In front of the temple hall. 鐘楼140 views
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Garden and pond. This house has a nice garden.139 views
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Bell tower 鐘楼136 views
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Sagamihara kite in flight. Due to a lack of wind, this flight didn't last long.132 views
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Notogawa in Higashi-Omi is famous for its giant water wheel. Bike path to Notogawa, another area in Shiga with a good and scenic bike path.132 views
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At slightly past noon with medium-force winds, the giant kite is launched. The kite immediately went straight up. The giant kite is 13 meters high and 12 meters wide, and weighs 700 kg.132 views
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130 views
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Launch pad. The kite is carried to the take off point and pointed toward the wind, which unfortunately very weak this day.129 views
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129 views
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129 views
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128 views
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Entrance to former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Shigeru.127 views
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Carved paper126 views
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123 views
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Mini kite flying contest122 views
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Garden122 views
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Mt. Kinugasa (Kannonji)119 views
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形119 views
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Best to see my Shotoku Matsuri Youtube video to hear the songs and see the dance.119 viewsHeld near Yokaichi Station in summer, the Yokaichi Shotoku Matsuri is a bon dance featuring Shiga's native Goshu Ondo folk song. 八日市聖徳まつり・江州音頭総おどり
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Old Yokaichi Station. My first picture of Yokaichi, before this old station was torn down in 1997. I had to change trains at Yokaichi Station on the Omi Railway Line and had time to step out and take this picture. 旧八日市駅118 viewsIt was a small station, but the wooden building looked quite charming. There was nothing in front of the station, just a large paved area. A far cry from what it looks like today. Power/telephone lines are also underground, making the streets look clean and attractive.
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Kite corner117 views
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Tokonoma alcove and scroll117 views
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Mini kite flying contest. The flying portion of the kite contest is held.116 views
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Crowds115 views
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Stringing the kite115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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Kite pullers wanted. This booth, next to the giant kite, is where you can apply to pull the kite. Anybody can apply to pull the giant kite. I applied and got a little kite pin and a pair of gloves.114 views
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San-mon Gate114 views
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114 views
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Woman's hairdressing room.114 views
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View from 2nd floor114 views
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Snapped part being repaired.113 views
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Banzai from Sagamihara. After the kite's flight, the Sagamihara team give a few banzais to themselves and to Yokaichi.113 views
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113 views
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形113 views
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Ready for another flight112 views
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112 views
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Hyakusaiji's Niomon Gate with giant straw sandals112 views
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111 views
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Also see kite-flying contests, exotic kites from around Japan, and stage entertainment. Anybody can fly a kite too. From 10 am to 3 pm. 111 views
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110 views
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The two main areas are the hillside garden and the main worship hall. Most people visit the garden before climbing up the stone steps to the main worship hall. This is the long route to the temple. The tour buses go up to a closer gate.110 views
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2nd floor room110 views
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People's fortune stickers on the kite. 願い札109 views
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Poster for dragon canoe race in June109 views
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Cycling and pedestrian path in red in Notogawa, Higashi-Omi.109 views
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Cycling path in Notogawa, Higashi-Omi.108 views
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Cycling and pedestrian path in Notogawa, Higashi-Omi.108 views
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107 views
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Attic107 views
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View from 2nd floor balcony107 views
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Uses a water wheel to grind rice.106 views
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Furo bath wirth wooden barrel (heated by firewood)106 views
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Former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Uhee (1777-1820) (外村 宇兵衛邸).106 views
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External view of house106 views
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Tokonoma alcove with scroll.105 views
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Stone lantern in garden103 views
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Tonomura Shigeru Literature Museum (Bungakukan). Shigeru had a passion for writing, so he entrusted the family business to his younger brother. 外村 繁文学館102 views
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Canoe Land101 views
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Cycling and pedestrian path in Notogawa, Higashi-Omi.100 views
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100 views
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99 views
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Autumn leaves. In its heyday, Hyakusaiji was home to 1,300 priests, before the temple was burned by Oda Nobunaga.99 views
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Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形99 views
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Cycling path in Notogawa, Higashi-Omi.98 views
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98 views
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Road to Mt. Kinugasa.98 views
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2nd floor balcony (Watch your head).97 views
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96 views
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Entrance to former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Uhee.96 views
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Bonsai plum and pine trees96 views
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Inside the bus for Notogawa Station, about 15 min. ride.96 views
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95 views
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Picture of Tonomura Shigeru in the Literature Museum (Bungakukan). 外村 繁文学館95 views
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Kitchen area95 views
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Iki-ikikan-mae bus stop for JR Notogawa Station.95 views
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94 views
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Almost finished. This paper cutting step took 3 days to complete.94 views
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The hillside garden gives a good view of Lake Biwa. The main temple hall worships an 11-faced Kannon statue carved by Shotoku Taishi. Admission 500 yen.93 views
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93 views
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Shopfront with shopkeeper's desk.93 views
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92 views
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Inside Notogawa Station. The waterwheel structure houses a stairway and escalator.92 views
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91 views
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2nd floor with more Hina dolls.91 views
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Kitchen area with dirt floor.91 views
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Former home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).91 views
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Cycling and pedestrian path in Notogawa, Higashi-Omi.90 views
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90 views
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Hinamatsuri dolls90 views
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Path to next Omi merchant home.90 views
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90 views
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2nd floor balcony89 views
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89 views
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Former home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).88 views
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Obata doll museum88 views
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87 views
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Niomon Gate87 views
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Hina festival dolls in alcove.87 views
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87 views
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Inside former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Uhee. 玄関87 views
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Living room87 views
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Bonsai87 views
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2nd floor room with Hina festival dolls. 雛祭りの雛人形86 views
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2nd floor room looking toward the balcony.86 views
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Inside former home of Omi merchant Tonomura Uhee.86 views
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Turn left there.85 views
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84 views
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Garden84 views
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Window84 views
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Changing room next to bath.83 views
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Shopkeeper's desk.83 views
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Old mail box.83 views
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82 views
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More steps82 views
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Entrance for tour bus passengers and car owners. This is the short-cut way to the temple.81 views
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Hyakusaiji temple Garden81 views
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Way to the third Omi merchant house.81 views
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Entrance to home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).81 views
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80 views
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Stairway80 views
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79 views
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Bonsai plum trees79 views
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Attic, mainly for storage.79 views
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Stairs to 2nd floor.79 views
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See the paper flaps pasted over the edge.79 views
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View from top. Hazy weather made it difficult to see the scenery.78 views
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External view78 views
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Showcase78 views
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Dolls78 views
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Omi Obata Deko dolls78 views
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Landmarks seen from hilltop (on clear days)77 views
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External view77 views
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Garden77 views
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Corridor77 views
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You can hike up the hillside garden.76 views
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76 views
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Rickshaws76 views
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Shopkeeper's record book.75 views
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Bonsai75 views
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It flew very high, up to about 150 meters, then veered to the right, over our heads.75 views
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Shopkeeper's record book.74 views
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Entrance to home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).74 views
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Ohmi Railways Yokaichi Station. A modern ferro-concrete building was completed in June 1998 to replace the old wooden building.74 views
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73 views
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Attic and ceiling73 views
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73 views
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Entrance to the shrine.73 views
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View from Tarobogu.73 views
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The new kite design was then announced. Called Han-jimon (判じもん), the design expresses a certain theme using word play with a pair of animals and one or two kanji characters. 八日市大凧は３年に一度図柄を変える。73 views
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72 views
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Steps to main temple72 views
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View of the bottom torii of Sanposan Shrine (繖峰三神社) on Kinugasa-yama (繖山) 432 meters high. (As seen from the train on the JR Tokaido Line. This torii is 15-min. walk from JR Notogawa Station. 繖峰三神社)72 views
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This kite's hanjimon has twin dragons that can be pronounced "shin-shin" (辰辰), a homonym for mind and body (心身). And the vermillion kanji reads "sukoyaka" (健やか), meaning good health. So the kite wishes for your "72 views
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Inside the home of Omi merchant Nakae Jungoro (中江 準五郎邸).71 views
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