 Most viewed - SHIGA 滋賀県 |
First the two men are served various food and drink for a meal. Two young lads will cut funa-zushi fermented fish (crucian carp native to Lake Biwa) as an offering. The festival prays for abundant harvests and good health.76 views
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A wooden cutting board with 10 funa-zushi each.76 views
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It takes 3 or 4 years to ferment the fish with salt and rice. It's Shiga's most famous delicacy. In the old days, it was common for people to make their own funa-zushi. Today, few make their own. Most buy it at the supermarket, fish shop, etc.76 views
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Then very stylishly, they wield their long metal chopsticks and a large knife to start cutting. Everything was done in unison between the two boys.76 views
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Naginata boys76 views
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Children's mikoshi make its way.76 views
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If you go by car, this is the large parking lot you will see. 76 views
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One spring from which the temple got its name.76 views
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Path up the mountain slope to Zensuiji.76 views
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But the views can be marvelous. There is an alternate and less strenuous bicycling route behind the mountains, but there's no scenery like this.76 views
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The Tamachi-Katamachi float entering Minakuchi Shrine.76 views
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Yuya-machi hikiyama 湯屋町76 views
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They ran at full speed while pulling the float.76 views
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Higashi-machi float's decoration was a model of Okayama Castle in Minakuchi.76 views
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Momotaro decoration on the Tenno-cho hikiyama. 天王町76 views
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The floats arrive one after another. This is the Tenno-cho hikiyama. 天王町76 views
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This is the rock which Tokugawa Ieyasu sat on when he visited the temple in May 1600. He sat on it while talking to the temple priest. Anyone can now sit on it. Called Tokugawa Ieyasu koshi-kake ishi. It was moved here in 1900. 腰掛石76 views
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Here and there along the way, you'll see storehouses for the hikiyama floats. During the Minakuchi Hikiyama Matsuri festival on April 19-20, they are taken out to be decorated before being paraded to Minakuchi Shrine.76 views
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This is the site of Minakuchi-juku's Toiyaba which was like a travel logistics office and lodging reservations agency. Staffed by one or more people, it handled horses, messengers, luggage, helpers, etc. 問屋場76 views
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A more traditional-looking part of the former Tokaido Road.76 views
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Minakuchi Hikiyama float storehouse76 views
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Another intersection.76 views
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Minakuchi Castle Museum is open 10 am to 4 pm, closed on Thursday and Fri. 水口城資料館76 views
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Old Tokaido Road76 views
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A duo called Lake Reed.76 views
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The huge explosion was followed by loud whistles and smaller pops and crackles.76 views
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Kamo Ike-so's winter special: Soba noodles with duck meat.76 views
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Yakko posing 奴76 views
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They also had a seated drumming performance.76 views
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They face the shrine.76 views
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A few food and game stalls during the sumo festival.76 views
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Finally, the bow twirling ceremony (called Yumitori-shiki). Notice that he faces the shrine.76 views
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The plaza has this Statue of Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo and Chiyo. 「なでしこ」山内一豊と千代76 views
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Now walking toward Naganoya.76 views
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Bobby Nash fan.76 views
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His nickname is "Wara."76 views
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Gary goes up to score.76 views
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Evessa head coach Tennichi Kensaku (center) talks to his team during a timeout.76 views
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About the Andrews Memorial Hall. Web site: http://www.vories.or.jp/fukushi_no_sato/andrews.html76 views
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Victorious American players high five with the crowd.76 views
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It would be a matter of time before walls were constructed below the roof.76 views
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And there they are on stage in Hikone. Notably absent was Sento-kun from Nara. (Boy priest with antlers.)76 views
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Pig76 views
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Gary Hamilton76 views
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Ray sure has long arms.76 views
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Fireman's ladder76 views
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They hoist up the ladder for someone to climb up.76 views
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About Hyozu Taisha's Japanese garden. The garden dates back to the Heian Period. It was here even before the shrine moved here. The original garden was built by a local aristocrat named Harima-no-Kamisukeyori 播磨守資頼 who lived here in the Kama76 views
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The Ayame girls return.76 views
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Yasu River.76 views
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The next part of the festival featured numerous hanagasa flower umbrellas stuffed with little goodies.76 views
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Kenketo dancer and his reward.76 views
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First, in front of Tagi Daimyojin-no-Miya Shrine, they danced and then danced around the shrine building a few times.76 views
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Kenketo dancers dancing around Tagi Daimyojin-no-Miya Shrine.76 views
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Festival spectators76 views
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At about 2:40 pm, the yabusame horseback archery began with the yakko-furi boys running down the path.76 views
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The mikoshi was hauled on a cart.76 views
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They ran while pulling the float into the shrine grounds.76 views
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More teacher's quarters on the 3rd floor. This is for two. 76 views
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Conference Room is toward the bow on the 3rd floor. 会議室76 views
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These two cruise boats (Lansing and Interlaken) were chartered for the festival.76 views
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Boat with the main portable shrine pass under Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge.76 views
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Group photo of Sho-ouzan float in Oct. 2008. 松翁山76 views
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A few bridges also cross the moat. This is Meijibashi Bridge. 明治橋76 views
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Near the Kawara Roof Tile Museum is this dock where you board the moat boat. Fare is 1,000 yen for adults.76 views
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Torches near Himure Hachimangu Shrine's Romon Gate. This is also one location where the film Idai Naru, Shurararabon (偉大なる、しゅららぼん The Great Shu Ra Ra Boom) was filmed. The ceremony for baby Ryosuke.76 views
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At 8 pm, there's supposed to be fireworks, but due to the East Japan earthquake/tsunami, the fireworks were cancelled this year in 2011.76 views
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Another giant torch is set on fire. They use long bamboo poles mounted with small torches to light the giant torch. They first light the crown of the giant torch.76 views
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Then the whole thing catches fire quickly. I'm not sure if they used any kerosene, but I didn't smell any.76 views
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This is the shop depicted in Hiroshige's print. Called Ibuki-do. It is the last surviving maker of moxa cautery in Kashiwabara. 伊吹堂亀屋佐京商店76 views
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Main venue of Yaito Matsuri next to Ibuki-do, the moxa shop.76 views
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Mt. Ibuki as famed haiku poet Basho must have seen it.76 views
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Tokugen-in's garden. Admission 300 yen.76 views
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Terutehime-kasa Jizo is the smaller statue on the right. 照手姫笠地蔵76 views
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In front of Kamo Shrine is crystal clear water from a natural spring called Isame no Shimizu. This is the source of Samegai's famous Jizogawa River and one of Japan's 100 Famous Springs of the Heisei Period.76 views
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Masaki Unose, tour director and member of the Seta Rowing Club in Otsu, gives a welcome speech. The rowing tour was organized and hosted by the Seta Rowing Club.76 views
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Departing Imazu.76 views
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Picture panels telling stories of famous Japanese Buddhist Sect founders such as Honen, Shinran, and Nichiren who trained on Mt. Hiei.76 views
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Masaki "Follow Me" Unose on the lead boat going to Takeshima island.76 views
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Approaching Satsuma Beach, the final stop for the day.76 views
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The Scenic Water Channel boat ride uses traditional-looking motorized boats for large groups.76 views
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A Japanese tradition of smashing open a barrel of sake or rice wine. The stack of square wooden cups on the right emblazoned with "FISA World Rowing Tour in Biwako" was also given as a souvenir to the rowers.76 views
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Every few minutes, the Nagamochi yakko-furi unit stops and sings the song as people in the neighborhood come out and watch.76 views
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Mt. Ibuki in Maibara is also noted for many herbs since centuries ago.76 views
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Red bridge near Rakuyaji temple.76 views
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People pray at Namura Shrine for business prosperity, fertility, safe childbirth, and to ward off bad luck years.76 views
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Gate of Kannonji temple in Maibara. Kannonji temple is noted as the place where Toyotomi Hideyoshi rested during falconry session when he met Ishida Mitsunari who was studying at the temple.76 views
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Altar inside Hondo.76 views
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Kannon statue at Kannonji.76 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu. A rest house and servants are depicted. Kusatsu-juku was the 52nd station on the Tokaido Road (following Ishibe-juku) and the 68th station (following Moriyama-juku) on the Nakasendo Road.76 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu76 views
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Nakasendo Road: Kusatsu Oiwake, Kusatsu is the 68th post town on the Nakasendo Road.76 views
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The city of Maibara has pursued a slogan of stressing "Kizuna" or human bonds. Bruce's longtime oyako project fits in well and he was invited to exhibit his parent-child photos in Maibara Station.76 views
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An easy walk up a hill.76 views
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Rhododendron normally grow at much higher elevations so it is unusual to see them here.76 views
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The Rhododendron species is this gorge are called Hon-shakunage. (Rhododendron makinoi Tagg ex Nakai)76 views
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Video room explaining the Battle of Anegawa River.76 views
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This is Itohime no Yakata which shows Azai's silk production history. 糸姫の館76 views
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Buses leave Kinomoto Station every 30 min. from 9:45 am to 4:15 pm. It takes less than 10 min. to Mt. Shizugatake.76 views
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They were going to pull the kite across the width of the park since the way blew that way.76 views
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Flying trousers76 views
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Torii in front of the train station. "Otaga-san" is the shrine's nickname.76 views
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Yamato Takeru defeated the boar, but not before the boar showered him with poisonous mist. He went to Isame no Shimizu in Samegai whose waters healed him. Then he went on to Ise, but died soon afterward.76 views
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Experts have concluded that the lake bottom has become too sandy instead of having the fine clay-like soil that the lotus require.76 viewsMethane gas is also on the increase and there's a lack of oxygen due to the layers of dead lotus plants.
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Assembly Hall, a stately building.76 views
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Hikone Castle moat76 views
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The Hikone Floating Lantern Festival (Manto Nagashi) is held on August 6 along Serigawa River. I saw it in 2006. 76 views
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Shiga Kaikan76 views
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About the ride-on tractor, a step up from the power tiller.76 views
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Closeup of Rice transplanter. When one arm goes down to plant, the other goes up to pick another seedling.76 views
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This was the most fun thing. It's a Hydraulic excavator that you can operate. 76 views
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The museum's 2nd floor mainly has outboard engines on display.76 views
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The museum's 2nd floor.76 views
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Scale model of University of Shiga Prefecture.76 views
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Auditorium76 views
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A new lecture hall and offices.76 views
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The lecture hall is all wood.76 views
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Too many Otsu condos block lake views.76 views
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JR Omi-Imazu Station on the JR Kosei Line is Imazu's train station. Most major attractions in Imazu are within walking distance. Imazu Port is only a few minutes on foot. There are also rental bicycles and local buses.76 views
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Manohama Beach76 views
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Yachting and rowing on Lake Biwa.76 views
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The original Seta-no-Karahashi Bride was the site of historic battles. It has two bridges, one long and one short going over an island in the river.76 views
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Outdoor terrace on part of the west-end rooftop.76 views
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Koi76 views
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Biwa means "lute."76 views
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Chikubushima is home to Hogonji Temple first built in 724 as ordered by the Emperor to worship the Goddess Benzaiten. It belongs to the Shingon Buddhist Sect (Buzan School) and it is the 30th temple in the 33-Temple Pilgrimage of Saigoku. 宝厳寺76 views
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About 100 meters offshore are two large rocks in the lake. They appear above the surface only when there is a water shortage. This little shrine with two rocks are for praying for rain. 二ツ石76 views
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Shirahige Shrine torii as seen from the cruise boat.76 views
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Shirahige-no-Hama Beach and Lake Biwa in Takashima, Shiga Prefecture.76 views
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Biwako Bunkakan museum closed in March 2008. The museum was known for Buddhist art, including National Treasures.76 views
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Lake Biwa pearls.76 views
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Snowy mountains all around. Mt. Ibuki can be seen on the right. It was a smooth ride.76 views
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In front of the main altar of Kannon-do. The hall worships a thousand-arm Kannon statue (hidden from the public).76 views
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On the mountain top is Biwako Hakodateyama ski grounds near Imazu. びわこ箱館山76 views
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On the Shigaraki Kogen Railway Line, get off here at Shigaraki Station at the end of the line. 信楽駅 MAP76 views
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Lakeside park with a nice, long cycling path.75 views
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Tickets please75 views
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Gate75 views
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Senryo Matsu pine tree75 views千両松
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Adjacent reservoir75 views
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Inside old Nagahama Station75 views
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Omi-Shiotsu Station platform JR近江塩津駅75 views
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Seta Castle ruins 瀬田城跡75 views
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Chikuma Shrine ceremony75 views
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Top of Yukinoyama. 雪野山 頂上75 views
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View of Ritto from Mt. Anyoji.75 views
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Another Kuri-chan bus.75 views
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Bus stop in front of city hall with the timetable torn off.75 views
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Sign in front of Ritto City Hall75 views
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Signs75 views
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Swing-down ladder to enter upper floor.75 views
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This is actually the Tenbin no Sato Culture Center. てんびんの里文化学習センター75 views
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Sign showing the way to Omi merchant homes.75 views
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Joeiji temple75 views
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Bust of Itoh Chube'e II (1886-1973), his walking sticks, bag, and shoes.75 views
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Verse 3 photos (Imazu)75 views
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Two panels on left wall75 views
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5th panel showing Verse 4 (Chikubushima)75 views
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11th panel showing photos of our song-related activities. Our first public performance, appearance on NHK Nodo Jiman, CD recording, etc.75 views
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Heading toward Otemon Gate/Bridge75 views
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6th panel showing Verse 6 (Chomeiji)75 views
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In the other room on the 2nd floor is a large space, like an attic. It displays ukiyoe prints and miniature scenic sculptures (bonkei) of all the 53 Tokaido post town stations.75 views
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The entire Haiden Hall is hoisted up. The foundation pillars were being replaced.75 views
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Way to Tamura Shrine's Honden Main Hall. Stone lanterns are donated by parishioners.75 views
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The ceremony has a pot of boiling water.75 views
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She dips two green branches into the pot, then...75 views
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Rice seedlings await.75 views
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