 Most viewed - Sendai 仙台市 |
Held annually during Aug. 6-8, the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri is Japan's largest, grandest, and most famous Tanabata Festival. Commonly called the Star Festival, Tanabata Matsuri features large colorful, streamer decorations (called take-kazari).630 views
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JR Sendai Station on the west side (Nishi-guchi). This is the main side. There is a tourist information office inside the station where you can pick up maps and pamphlets, maybe in English too.384 views
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You could write a wish on the paper and hang it on the bamboo branch. I wrote "Live long and prosper."340 views
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Many girls (and kids) dressed in yukata (cotton kimono) came to see the Tanabata Festival. Her facial reaction was typical.311 views
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City of trees on a main road in Sendai.305 views
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In the Shimin Hiroba was also this space.302 views
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My YouTube video of Sendai Tanabata featuring the festival eve on Aug. 5, 2009 when they had fireworks and the morning of Aug. 6 when they were setting up the Tanabata decorations. 288 views
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The take-kazari bamboo decorations were marvelous. A myriad of designs and variety. Paper was the main material used to make all these decorations, unlike the predominant plastic found at other Tamabata Festivals in Japan.286 views
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On the morning of Aug. 6, the first day of Sendai Tanabata, shop owners started to set up their tanabata bamboo decorations from around 8 am to 9 am.285 views
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Hip hop275 views
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Street lamp268 views
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Sendai Castle's Waki-yagura turret at the site of Otemon Gate. Reconstructed in 1965. We cannot enter it. 脇櫓267 views
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Waki-yagura turret at Sendai Castle.260 views
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Statue of Lord Date Masamune at Sendai Castle's Honmaru. One of the most popular and famous samurai of all time.260 views
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Statue of Lord Date Masamune at Sendai Castle's Honmaru. 260 views
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Tiny origami paper cranes. Guess how many paper cranes there are? Over 1 million.259 views
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This was my second time to see Sendai Tanabata. The first time was quite some time ago. I had high expectations, and I was not disappointed.253 views
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If you look closely, you can that see one of his eyes is blind.253 views
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My YouTube video of Sendai Tanabata featuring Tanabata decorations and seeing the evening entertainment (Awa Odori, Tanabata dancers, etc.) on Jozenji-dori during 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. 243 views
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Hirose River, teeming with wildlife.242 views
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View from Sendai Castle's Honmaru. Sendai has over a million people. On clear days, you can also see the Pacific Ocean.238 views
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A short walk from Jozenji-dori is the Shimin Hiroba (Citizens' Square) where there was a stage for more entertaining performances by numerous groups. The program started at 6 pm and ended at 8:45 pm.233 views
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In Sendai, famous daimyo Date Masamune had the warrior and merchant classes observe the Star Festival. 191 views
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Eye-catching trio of yukata-clad girls.191 views
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Inside Sendai Station's west side. A great greeting for visitors to Sendai during Tanabata Matsuri.190 views
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This decoration had little owl-shaped paper balloons. These girls are blowing air into the balloons with a straw. Sendai Tanabata.186 views
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The festival is said to have originated from a Star Festival in China. According to Chinese legend, east of the Milky Way there was a Heavenly King whose daughter worked as a weaver. However, when she married a herdsman, she quit weaving. 181 views
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Many of the Tanabata streamers are quite commercial, with sponsors prominently displayed on the streamers.169 views
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I arrived in Sendai on Aug. 4, 2009, two days before the festival, and Sendai Station here was already decorated with these huge tanabata streamers. Very impressive.168 views
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The yukata has become quite modern. You no longer have to put your hair up when wearing one.165 views
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This angered her father who banished the herdsman to the other side of the Milky Way. He allowed the two to meet only once a year on the evening of the seventh day of the seventh month (according to the lunar calendar). 164 views
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It's nearly impossible to define or describe an outstanding decoration, but you know it when you see it.161 views
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On Aug. 4, two days before the start of Tanabata Festival, the shopping arcades already had these bamboo poles with ropes set up.159 views
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Map of Sendai Castle site. It's quite a large site, with museums and other facilities occupying the former castle site. The Honmaru (partially hidden) is on the right of the map.157 views
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People who wear yukata know how to enjoy each of Japan's seasons.155 views
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Lucky Alex...155 views
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The pedestrian overpass connected to Sendai Station is also decorated.154 views
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Attaching the ball to the body of the decoration.153 views
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Bottom of the paper cranes.152 views
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Korean performers.151 views
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Route of the Sendai Loop bus. Get off at Sendai-joshi to see Sendai Castle. The bus will take you all the way to the top of the hill where the castle is. Much easier than walking up.151 views
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Entrance to Tsutsujigaoka Park in Sendai, Miyagi. The park is near Tsutsujigaoka Station on the JR Senseki Line, one stop from Sendai Station.150 views
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Sendai International Center149 views
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Local cheerleaders included these kids.148 views
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During the Tohoku Industrial Expo in 1928, the forerunner of today's Tanabata Festival was held. Sendai merchants strived to uphold the tradition, resulting in today's elaborate and gaudy Tanabata decorations.147 views
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Setting up Tanabata bamboo decorations.147 views
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These people are spreading the wings of the origami cranes.147 views
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Pieces of bamboo hung from the ropes on bamboo poles.146 views
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Sendai Tanabata Fireworks on Aug. 5, 7:30 pm to 9 pm. It was impressive. The theme was "Ring of Love."146 views
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This is the Hapina Nakakecho arcade. "Hapina" stands for "Heartful Amenity Place Interfaced Natural Arcade." It also refers to "happy." When the Japanese create a new name, they love puns.146 views
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The shopping arcades on the west side of Sendai Station is where the Tanabata decorations are. The main arcades where you can see the streamers are basically on two arcade roads: Chuo-dori and Ichibancho-dori. They intersect at a T-intersection.145 views
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Tanabata decorations outside S-PAL, a shopping complex next to Sendai Station.145 views
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According to the legend, the original date of Tanabata is July 7 according to the lunar calendar which is about a month behind the calendar we use today. Some places hold the festival on July 7 to match the original, numeric date.144 views
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Nishi Park in Sendai is full of people on fireworks night.144 views
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Kids loved to jump and try to touch the streamers.143 views
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Inside Sendai Station is a large information booth where you can obtain maps and pamphlets of Sendai and Tanabata Matsuri.143 views
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Waki-yagura turret at the site of Otemon Gate.143 views
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The weaver is represented by the Vega star and the herdsman by the Altair star. As a prayer to produce better arts and crafts, the Imperial Court and the warrior class paid homage to these two stars from ancient times. This practice spread to the masses.142 views
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About the Otemon Gate.142 views
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The decorations can cost thousands of dollars or even tens of thousands of dollars (US$). (Hundreds of thousands of yen or a few million yen.) 141 views
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Tanabata decorations at the entrance of Sendai Station.141 views
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Statue of Hasekura Tsunenaga, a samurai retainer of Date Masamune who sent him to the Vatican in 1613. 支倉常長141 views
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Miyagi-ken Gokoku Shrine in Sendai Castle. Emperor Hirohito as well as Crown Prince Akihito (current emperor) visited this shrine to pay their respects. 宮城縣護國神社141 views
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Origami paper cranes is actually one type of Tanabata decorations. Many decorations had paper cranes as you can see here.140 views
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One bamboo pole has several decorations and each one hangs on a rope.140 views
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The streamers can also be quite hypnotizing if not captivating.140 views
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Female lover in heaven140 views
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It rained sometimes during the Tanabata Festival since the Tohoku region was still in the rainy season.139 views
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The decorations are given awards such as the Gold and Silver Awards. The winners are announced later in the day, and the winning decorations are tagged with the awards. This is the Gold Award.139 views
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Write your wish on a paper tag and affix it to the bamboo branch.139 views
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During the morning of Aug. 6 the first day, a team of judges wearing a white cap and yellow shirt proceed through the decorations for judging. Dressed in pink is the back is one of the three Sendai Goodwill Ambassadors (not Miss Tanabata).139 views
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This is Sun Mall Ichibancho. This Ichibancho-dori road is also straight, but consists of three seamless shopping arcades: Sun Mall Ichibancho, Brand Dome Ichibancho, and Ichibancho Yon-chome.139 views
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Statue of Lord Date Masamune at Sendai Castle's Honmaru. Very popular for picture-taking.139 views
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The Chuo-dori arcade is about 750 meters long. Although this arcade is a straight and continuous road, it is actually consists of three seamless arcades named Hapina Nakakecho (ハピナ名掛丁), Clis Road, and Marble Road Omachi.138 views
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Small museum in Honmaru showing results of excavation work and stone wall reconstruction. 138 views
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Gold Award + Outstanding Award.137 views
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Tanabata Matsuri is held in many parts of Japan, usually in shopping arcades to draw customers. The more famous ones are in Hiratsuka in Kanagawa and Asagaya in Tokyo.137 views
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Organizations who made the 1 million+ paper cranes. About 25,000 people from all over Japan from age 5 to 103 made over 1 million paper cranes. That's an average of 40 cranes per person.137 views
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Sendai Castle's Honmaru.137 views
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Miyagi-ken Gokoku Shrine enshrines Miyagi Prefecture's war dead since 1868. There are over 56,000 war dead.137 views
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This road was filled with people as well for the fireworks.136 views
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The crowd take pictures in front of this Outstanding Award decoration.136 views
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These decorations cannot be massed produced, all one of a kind.136 views
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Interview by local TV.135 views
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After the festival ends, many of these decorations are discarded. But some are donated to a shopping arcade in Fukuoka (Kyushu). 135 views
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Inside Sendai Station, heading to train platforms.135 views
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Subway train in Sendai.135 views
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People were amazed at these cranes. This is one type of streamer you won't see at other Tanabata Festivals in Japan.134 views
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By 10 am on the first day of Aug. 6, most all of the Tanabata decorations were set up. Large crowds soon followed.134 views
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Kids writing their wishes.134 views
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You can see Tanabata in various locations (smaller scale) in Japan such as Hiratsuka in Kanagawa held around July 7 and Asagaya and Fussa in Tokyo around Aug. 7.134 views
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Another crowd favorite was these streamers made of tiny origami paper cranes. 133 views
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This large tanabata bamboo was being set up on Aug. 4.133 views
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Hoisting up the bamboo support pole.133 views
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Origami paper cranes.132 views
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Fujisaki's decoration is at the T-intersection between Chuo-dori and Ichibancho-dori.132 views
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It says "No More Hiroshima."132 views
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The area has these nice multi-lingual plaques explaining the points of interest with a map included.132 views
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Sendai Castle site's torii. The torii is here because there's a Shinto shrine in Honmaru.132 views
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Sendai's shopping arcades were obviously designed for tanabata decorations. There are eyelets or hooks for ropes on the ceiling.131 views
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Morning rush hour at Sendai Station. People heading for the exit inside Sendai Station.131 views
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Honmaru northern stone wall.131 views
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Map of the original Sendai Castle also called Aobajo or Aoba Castle since the castle is on Aobayama or Mt. Aoba. Sumo fans might know the name Aobajo, a sumo wrestler from Sendai active in the 1980s.131 views
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Peace message.130 views
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Male lover in heaven129 views
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Hapina arcade129 views
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Silver Award. Besides awards for individual decorations, awards are given to the shopping arcade as a whole for the bext decorations.129 views
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The decorations usually arrive in huge plastic bags, especially the outdoor ones. This is the Fujisaki decoration.129 views
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Closeups of one of the best take-kazari of 2009.129 views
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Trains in Tohoku have a door open/close button to save on air-conditioning or heating.129 views
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Site of Nenomon Gate. This leads to Sendai City Museum in the castle area called Sannomaru. 子門129 views
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As you climb up the Aobayama, you pass through the sites of former gates. This one was Nakanomon Gate. 中門129 views
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From the city, this is what the castle site looks like on Aobayama. You can see the lookout deck.129 views
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Kamikaze suicide fighter pilot memorial next to a war museum within the shrine.129 views
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It's also possible to walk to the park from Sendai Station, about 20 min.129 views
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This was the 34th Tanabata Decoration of Peace. Aug. 6, the first day of the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri, also happens to be the anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing.128 views
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Types of tanabata decorations.128 views
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Extravagant Award128 views
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Attaching ropes. The decorations will later be attached to these ropes.128 views
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Perhaps she wished for a rich husband.128 views
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Sendai City Loop bus goes to the major tourist spots in Sendai. Most convenient to get to Sendai Castle. 250 yen per ride or 600 yen for a day pass.128 views
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About the Waki-yagura turret.128 views
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Next to the Honmaru northern stone wall is this large torii gate and steps going up to the Honmaru, the castle's central keep. This place in front of the torii was a parking lot before. Glad that parking is no longer allowed here.128 views
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Monument for Doi (Tsuchii) Bansui who created the song, "Kōjō no tsuki" (荒城の月 lit. "Moonlit castle ruins") which is about Sendai Castle. 土井 晩翠128 views
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No smoking in the shopping arcades.127 views
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When the decorations are unpacked or unraveled, they are freshened up. 127 views
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On the evening of Aug. 5, the Tanabata Festival Eve, a fireworks display is held at Nishi Koen Park. Here are many girls in yukata waiting for friends at Sendai Station to see the fireworks.127 views
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Tanabata appeals to all ages, from little kids to grandmothers.127 views
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Stone wall at the site of Otemon Gate.127 views
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Monument for the war dead.127 views
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Date Masamune126 views
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Sculpture in Sannomaru.126 views
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Sample stone work on a castle wall.126 views
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The walls also have eyelets/hooks for ropes to support the bamboo poles.125 views
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Travel photos (Matsushima)125 views
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This one was clearly a crowd favorite, and not surprisingly, it won the Outstanding Award.125 views
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Inside Sendai subway train.125 views
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Statue of Hasekura Tsunenaga acros the road from the Waki-yagura.125 views
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View from Sendai Castle's Honmaru.125 views
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Marble Road Omachi124 views
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In Sun Mall Ichibancho, a traditional kami-shibai picture card story was told.124 views
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Goshikunuma Swamp is a moat of Sannomaru.124 views
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Bottom view123 views
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Outside Sendai Station, they are constructing the Tozai subway line due to open in 2015.123 views
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About the Honmaru northern stone wall.123 views
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Regular-size paper cranes.122 views
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Drilling122 views
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Many decorations are really advertisements. But others have no ads and they are splendid. Keep in mind that the Tanabata Festival was started by local merchants, so it has commercial roots. It's not a religious event.122 views
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Climb further and you'll reach large stone walls, called the Honmaru northern stone wall. 122 views
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About the sample stone walls.122 views
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Where I was, Tokushima Awa Odori dancers performed first.121 views
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View from Sendai Castle's Honmaru.121 views
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Also in the Honmaru area is Gokoku Shrine decorated here during the Tanabata Star Festival in early Aug. 宮城縣護國神社121 views
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Tokushima Awa Odori dancers at Sendai Tanabata Matsuri Festival.120 views
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Also here is a cramped enclave of many little bars and shops.120 views
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Sun Mall120 views
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Milky Way streamers decorated the road.120 views
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These are original Edo Period stones removed when the stone wall was renovated. These stones could not be reused.120 views
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These photos were taken in early May 2012.120 views
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Puppets119 views
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There is no longer a Tanabata Parade in the evening. Instead of a parade, there are various performances at several areas on the main street of Jozenji-dori during 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm every evening during Aug. 6-8.119 views
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North Korean abductee, Megumi119 views
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For people outside Japan wanting to make tanabata decorations for a Japan event, let these photos give you some design ideas.118 views
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Ichiban-cho Yon-chome arcade is outdoors.118 views
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The original Otemon Gate was here, between the Waki-yagura on the right and stone wall on the left.118 views
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Waki-yagura as seen from afar.118 views
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International decoration117 views
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At night.117 views
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Back to Hapina arcade117 views
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Corner of Honmaru northern stone wall.117 views
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Honmaru is a large flat area overlooking central Sendai. This was where the castle palace was, the castle lord's actual residence.117 views
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Sample stone work on a castle wall.117 views
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A nice long row of weeping cherry trees at Tsutsujigaoka Park, Sendai.117 views
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Koi fish made of tiny balls stuck onto the paper.116 views
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