 Most viewed - Best of Shiga Prefecture |
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)76 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)76 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Evening Bell at Miidera Temple76 views
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June 7, 2011 (Day 4): Rowing from Imazu to Nagahama in northern Lake Biwa. This online gallery shows only 372 photos of the rowing tour mostly taken by Seta Rowing Club members. They show only the highlights of the tour.75 views
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Motoki Kyo, chairman of Seta Rowing Club.75 views
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Captain's meeting.75 views
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75 views
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Rough waves.75 views
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Lunch and a misspelling.75 views
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75 views
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75 views
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Motor boat flying Seta Rowing Club's flag.75 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)75 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)75 views
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Nakasendo Road: Samegai (Maibara). The 61st station on the Nakasendo. One of ten Nakasendo stations in Shiga.75 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Returning Boats at Yabase75 views
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Kanpai! (Cheers)74 views
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Thirty-nine rowers from overseas (12 countries, mainly Europe) and three rowers from Japan participated for a total of 42. The FISA World Rowing Tour has been held since 1971.74 views
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Omi-Maiko is Lake Biwa's most famous and popular beach. Well-known for white sands and green pine trees. In summer, people from Kyoto come here to swim and sun bathe.74 views
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"Shirahige" means white beard, and so people pray here for long life and longevity. The shrine is dedicated to a god named Sarutahiko.74 views
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Rowing through the torii. Seta Rowing Club ground crew greet the rowers from land.74 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu74 views
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Ground staff wore bright yellow T-shirts with the Lake Biwa logo on the back.73 views
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That's Hotel Laforet in the background, where the rowers stayed every night during the rowing tour and commuted to/from the rowing start/end points.73 views
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The torii in the water is perfectly aligned with the torii on land and the shrine's main worship hall.73 views
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Trees on a sandbar, a haven for birds.73 views
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73 views
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73 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)73 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu73 views
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Leaving the beach in front of Hotel Laforet.72 views
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Final stop for the day was here at Shirahama Beach. "Shirahama" means white sand beach.72 views
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72 views
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72 views
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Rowing away from Kaizu-Osaki.72 views
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Too bad the rowers didn't have time to visit the island. It might tire them though as there are a lot of steps to climb.72 views
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Approaching Matsubara Beach in Hikone.72 views
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Matsubara Beach in Hikone, a rest stop.72 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)72 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)72 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)72 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)72 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)72 views
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Jens Chr. Kolberg from FISA. Leader of the rowing group. FISA is the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for international Rowing. 71 views
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June 7, 2011 (Day 4): Imazu is the birthplace of the Lake Biwa Rowing Song in 1917 when Kyoto University rowers lodged here and sang the new song they had created.71 views
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71 views
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71 views
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71 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)71 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)71 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu71 views
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Hotel New Otani in Tokyo used to be the site of the Ii clan's residence. They were warlords from Hikone in Shiga Prefecture.70 views
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Tea ceremony and koto (Japanese harp) performance.70 views
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Rowing along western Lake Biwa.70 views
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Posing at Imazu, a nice lakeside town. In June, they hold a choir contest for the Lake Biwa Rowing Song. More photos of Imazu here.70 views
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Matsubara Beach in Hikone, a rest stop.70 views
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Isakiji temple holds a Buddhist ritual on Aug. 1 where participants jump off the plank into the lake 7 meters below. They do it to wash away bad luck and build up courage.70 views
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Rowing past Miyagahama Beach in Omi-Hachiman.70 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)70 views
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70 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)70 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)70 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu70 views
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People also pray at the shrine for finding a good marriage partner, conceiving a child, academic excellence (passing college entrance exams), and water/boating safety.69 views
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A busload of tourists even stopped to gawk at the spectacle of rowers around the torii.69 views
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The lead boat (normally a fishing boat) leads the way.69 views
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These blue boat landing decks are portable and were brought here by truck.69 views
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69 views
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69 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)69 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu69 views
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We love (heart) Shiga banners (rectangular and square) in various sizes. Free downloads. 200 x 44 px69 views
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Taiko drummers send off the rowers.68 views
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68 views
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Rowing to Hotel Laforet beach.68 views
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68 views
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Cormorant birds (those white specks are the birds) break off tree branches to make nests, and their acidic droppings damage the trees. However, it seems the cormorant population is decreasing and the island is showing more greenery than before.68 views
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The sliced-off peak flew high in the air and fell into Lake Biwa. It became Chikubushima. And the undisputed highest mountain in Shiga became Mt. Ibuki in Maibara.68 views
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68 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)68 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu68 views
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Visit to Kuwano Rowing Boat Factory in Katata.67 views
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Rowing past Nagahama Dome, a sports and event complex.67 views
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June 10, 2011 (Day 7): Satsuma Beach in Hikone. Someone camped here overnight to watch over the boats.67 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu67 views
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Dragon boat drummer.66 views
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Beach in front of Hotel Laforet.66 views
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66 views
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Takeshima is a small island with only Nichiren Buddhist temple and the priest's family living on the island. Accessible by boat from Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.66 views
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My video of the the group rowing from Nagahama to Hikone (Satsuma) on June 9, 2011.66 views
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Leaving Satsuma Beach.66 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)66 views
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65 views
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Lunch in Nagahama (Restaurant North Pole).65 views
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Sitting on the tatami mat for a long period can be trying.65 views
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65 views
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Passing by Isakiji temple.65 views
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Nagahama Port64 views
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64 views
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Marker and sign indicating the site of the Ii clan residence in Edo (Tokyo) during the feudal era.63 views
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Omi-Maiko is famous for Japanese pine trees lining the beach.63 views
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Heading for Chikubushima island.63 views
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Approaching Satsuma Beach.63 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)63 views
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An unusual sight indeed.62 views
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Ground crew awaits rowers at Nagahama Port.62 views
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Takeshima means "Island of Many Views" because it looks dramatically different from different angles.62 views
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Preparing to leave Satsuma Beach.62 views
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Chikubushima is home to Hogonji Temple (Shingon Buddhist Sect) first built in 724 as ordered by the Emperor to worship the Goddess Benzaiten. It includes buildings that are National Treasures.61 views
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Rowing past Hikone View Hotel and the Japan Center for Michigan Universities or JCMU (green roof).61 views
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Leaving Sugaura.60 views
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Passing by Chikubushima Pier. On the island at the center of the photo, there is a light brown, rectangular monument dedicated to the "Lake Biwa Rowing Song" which mentions Chikubushima.60 views
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Leaving Sugaura.59 views
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Nagahama Castle (photos here) can be seen on the left.59 views
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In summer, Matsubara Beach is popular with swimmers and a fireworks display offshore sees huge crowds filling the beach.59 views
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Manhole card for Toyosato's manhole.59 views
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Omi Ohashi Bridge near Seta Rowing Club. (Not to be confused with a larger Biwako Ohashi Bridge more north.)58 views
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Cormorant birds fly above Chikubushima, their favorite home.58 views
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Satsuma Beach in Hikone.58 views
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58 views
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Approaching Isakiji temple.58 views
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Heading for Sugaura, a small lakeside town in northern Lake Biwa.57 views
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Front side of Chikubushima is a complex of temples and shrines.57 views
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Lead boat57 views
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Rowing to Hikone.57 views
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Steep stairs inside Hikone Castle tower.56 views
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Leaving Satsuma Beach.56 views
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Participants from each country came up and gave thanks or sang a song.56 views
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Heading for Nagahama.55 views
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Manhole card for Kusatsu's manhole.55 views
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Rowing off Maibara in northern Shiga. The tall white tower belongs to an elevator manufacturer for testing their elevators. Maibara is best known for Mt. Ibuki and Shiga's one and only shinkansen bullet train station.54 views
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“Biwako Nagahama Kannon House” (びわ湖長浜 KANNON HOUSE)53 views
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Manhole card for 's manhole.51 views
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Manhole card collecting is becoming popular in Japan. Shiga has 8 different manhole cards. You need to go to each city and know where to get the card. 50 viewshttp://www.gk-p.jp/mhcard/?pref=25#mhcard_result
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Manhole card for Hikone's manhole. Shows Hiko-nyan.50 views
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Manhole card for Hikone's manhole.49 views
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Motoki Kyo, chairman of the Seta Rowing Club, is the MC.48 views
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Manhole card for Ritto's manhole.47 views
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Setagawa River boat cruise modeled after the Ichiban-Maru paddlewheel steamboat which cruised on Lake Biwa in the 19th century.46 views
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The museum is small, but nice. It has only one medium-size room divided into the kannon exhibition space and a mini theater showing a video about Nagahama.46 views
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Adjacent room shows a video about Nagahama Kannon.46 views
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Seta Rowing Club await the returning boats.45 views
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The small exhibition space is enclosed by a wooden, temple-like fence modeled after a Kannon-do (観音堂) or small kannon worship hall. The wood is hinoki cypress from Nagahama.45 views
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The city of Nagahama boldly opened a little museum in Ueno, Tokyo called “Biwako Nagahama Kannon House” (びわ湖長浜 KANNON HOUSE) on March 21, 2016.44 views
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It exhibits one precious kannon Buddha statue (Goddess of Mercy) brought over from Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture. The exhibit changes every two months so Tokyoites can see six different kannon statues from Nagahama every year.42 views
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This Kannon is from Sonju-in temple (尊住院) in Nagahama’s Kawamichi-cho district.42 views
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Manhole card for Kusatsu's manhole.41 views
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Farewell party at Seta Rowing Club. They first showed the video I took on June 9 when they rowed from Nagahama to Hikone.36 views
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Seta Rowing Club members and host stand in front to accept thanks and messages.35 views
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Lunch on the boat.34 views
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This part of Seta River has numerous rowing club houses, most are affiliated with universities.34 views
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Staff directing rowers to the small canal leading to the Seta Rowing Club.34 views
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34 views
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At Seta Rowing Club. The rowers went back to the hotel to freshen up for the farewell party in the evening.34 views
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Later in the evening (still June 11, 2011), a Farewell party was held at Seta Rowing Club. I attended and took these pictures and videos.34 views
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Jens Chr. Kolberg from FISA conducted the closing ceremony.34 views
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The FISA flag is given to the Canadian host of next year's FISA World Rowing Tour.33 views
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Leaving the Scenic Water Channel boat pier.32 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.31 views
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The original Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge was one of the Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi) made famous by Hiroshige's woodblock prints. (Omi is Shiga's old name.)30 views
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Heading Seta River marked by a series of bridges.29 views
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Approaching Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge, a historic landmark although the bridge has been rebuilt a few times.29 views
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Rowing past the rowing club of Ryukoku University, based in Kyoto.29 views
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Seta River becomes more quiet and scenic downriver.28 views
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28 views
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Ground crew in yellow take a break.27 views
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The boat ride passes by rape blossoms, and in April, cherry blossoms.27 views
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Students from Otsu High School and Shiga University greet and cheer on the rowers from FISA. 大津高、滋賀大経済学部、滋賀大教育学部の部員たち27 views
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Silent outboard motor and the pilot.26 views
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Rowing off central Otsu.26 views
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26 views
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Rowing past the rowing club of Kyoto University. One of the eight boats used for the rowing tour was borrowed this club. Their new members row around the southern half of Lake Biwa in Aug.26 views
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They also gave gifts to the Seta Rowing Club. I have more photos and videos of everyone else. Rowers should receive them on disc etc., from Seta Rowing Club.26 views
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This FISA flag has flown at all the World Rowing Tours. It was time to fold it up and give it to the host of next year's FISA World Rowing Tour.26 views
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Smaller groups can ride hand-powered boats.25 views
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Rowing past the rowing club of Ritsumeikan University.25 views
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Shiga has been pursuing a reed expansion program to increase reed fields around Lake Biwa and in attached lakes. The reeds help to clean the water and also provides refuge for fish and birds.24 views
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Beach in front of Hotel Laforet in Moriyama is the day's final stop.24 views
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Approaching the Omi Ohashi Bridge.24 views
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24 views
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The large bridge is the Meishin Expressway for cars linking Nagoya and Kobe.24 views
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Rowing under Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge again on the way out.24 views
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Rowing past Zeze Castle Park.24 views
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Staff person directing rowers to the small canal leading to the Seta Rowing Club.24 views
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Seta Rowing Club's pier.24 views
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Further south is the Omi Ohashi Bridge, smaller than the Biwako Ohashi Bridge.23 views
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Heading to Hotel Laforet in Moriyama.22 views
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22 views
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Passing by Ishiyama-dera temple along the Seta River. The temple has National Treasure buildings. Also famous as the place where Lady Murasaki wrote the famous novel, Tale of Genji.22 views
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Welcome back!22 views
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Small canal to Seta Rowing Club.22 views
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Captain's meeting.21 views
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