Most viewed - Tsukuba つくば市 |
Getting to Mt. Tsukuba is easy by bus from Tsukuba Station's Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal. Tsukuba-san Shuttle buses going directly to Mt. Tsukuba leave every 30 min. on weekends or every hour during weekdays and non-peak hours.362 views
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A big, two-day August festival in Tsukuba featuring diverse dance groups, bazaar, street performances, hula dancing, and food stalls. The climax is a nebuta parade in the evening. 302 viewsEverything is near Tsukuba Station (Tsukuba Express). Ever since the Tsukuba Express train line opened in 2005 from Akihabara, getting to Tsukuba is a breeze in about 45 min. Wide streets and sidewalks. The festival's main venue centered around this brown building which you see from Exit A5.
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My video of Matsuri Tsukuba and the Nebuta parade.221 views
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When I was there, a helicopter hovered about Mt. Nantai to rescue an injured hiker. I took a bus back to Tsukuba Station.207 views
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Map of central Tsukuba.202 views
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Torii to Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine186 views
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Matsuri Tsukuba posters183 views
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For the finale, all the giant nebuta gathered at the large intersection. They didn't do much.138 views
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Haneto137 views
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Nebuta face-off.136 views
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In Oshimizu Park were these nebuta tents where they store the nebuta floats. 大清水公演134 views
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Rear view has a sleeping cat.132 views
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A hula troupe dances next to a yosakoi group.131 views
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A third giant nebuta depicts the Pharaoh Ramses II. Seeing an Egyptian theme on a Japanese float was interesting.130 views
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There are many things going on at the same time all day long for two days from 10 am to 9 pm. 129 views
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Rear view of Ramses II128 views
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The fourth giant nebuta was perhaps the most unique. It was made of inflatable vinyl. It is partially deflated here.127 views
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It drizzled off and on during the day.126 views
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A short walk away is this large road serving as a venue for numerous dance groups performing almost all day long. This is also where the nebuta floats would be paraded in the eveing.126 views
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This small float by local Boy Scouts.126 views
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This is Tsukuba Center Hiroba, the central part of the festival where there are food stalls and information booth.125 views
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Center Hiroba outdoor stage センター広場特設ステージ125 views
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125 views
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Kabuki-like magician.125 views
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Street performer (Sign says, "Photography allowed.")125 views
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This float by a junior high school.125 views
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The inflated nebuta comes around.125 views
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The first big one squeezes under the bridge. 124 views
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Almost fully inflated.124 views
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The slayed dragon exhaled smoke.124 views
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Then came this giant mikoshi portable shrine called the Tsukuba Manto Mikoshi. It doesn't seem to belong to any shrine. つくば万灯神輿123 views
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The floats were covered with plastic due to drizzling rain.123 views
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123 views
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Ramses II123 views
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123 views
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Each giant nebuta float is preceded by a set of drums and drummers.123 views
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Tsukuba Tourism Ambassadors122 views
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A nice elevated walkway connected Chuo Park and the main festival area.122 views
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Another giant nebuta float.122 views
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Inside the nebuta tent.122 views
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The mikoshi goes to meet the float.122 views
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Kids dancing122 views
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Poor dragon122 views
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English translators available! I noticed quite a few foreigners in Tsukuba, a national science and technology research and academic center.121 views
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Chuo Park bazaar121 views
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121 views
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At first glance, it looks very strange. But they soon inflated it.121 views
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121 views
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Haneto dancers. Much fewer of them than in Aomori.121 views
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Being inflated now.121 views
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Another one squeezes through. 121 views
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Hayashi festival music121 views
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At the very end, despite the rain, they took off the vinyl.121 views
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Walking further down the Tsukuba Koen-dori road toward Oshimizu Park.120 views
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Banpaku Float120 views
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Quite dramatic indeed.120 views
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And other musicians.120 views
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What would a festival be without taiko drummers?119 views
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The program was called Happy Hawaiian Stage. ハッピーハワイアンステージ118 views
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The nebuta tents were built in late July. No kids around sketching the nebuta though, as they do in Aomori during the day.118 views
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118 views
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From about 4 pm, they had the Matsuri Parade on the main road. まつりパレード 万博山車パレード118 views
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Haneto118 views
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At first, I thought it looked kind of gimmicky, comical, and fake, but it turned out to be quite impressive.117 views
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Too bad the plastic was on the floats. 117 views
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Rear view.117 views
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Inside the nebuta tent was this nebuta float from Aomori, arrived earlier in Aug.116 views
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Monkey's underarm has patch-up work.116 views
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Without the plastic covering.116 views
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On the other side of the underground train station is Chuo Park where Art Town Tsukuba and street performances were held. アートタウンつくば2009 ~大道芸フェスティバル~114 views
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Another venue in Creo Square was this small outdoor stage featuring hula dancing all afternoon long by various groups. クレオ前広場114 views
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万博山車パレード114 views
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At 5 pm, the Nebuta Parade started. It was kind of strange to see a nebuta parade in almost broad daylight. 114 views
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Street performers113 views
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Patching up the damaged parts of the float. Apparently, it got damaged as it passed under a bridge that is a little too low for the giant nebuta.113 views
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Gate to Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall105 views
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Mt. Tsukuba ahead. It takes about 50 min. to reach Mt. Tsukuba by bus from Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal.101 views
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The ropeway runs every 20 min. The fare is 600 yen one way.101 views
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101 views
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Tsutsujigaoka has a ropeway aerial tram terminal taking you up to Mt. Nyotai, Mt. Tsukuba's female peak. 女体山100 views
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I got off the bus at Tsutsujigaoka, the last stop. I hiked it from Mt. Nyotai (female peak) to Mt. Nantai (male peak). It's also possible to do it in the opposite direction from Nantai to Nyotai. つつじヶ丘98 views
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Mt. Tsukuba has two peaks, Mt. Nantai (male peak) on the left and Mt. Nyotai (female peak) on the right. They are wedded peaks due to the wedded gods Izanami and Izanagi. 男体山 女体山97 views
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Lookout deck on Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.93 views
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93 views
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View from Mt. Nyotai.92 views
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Climbing up the peak of Mt. Nyotai.92 views
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People climbing on the narrow peak of Nyotai. Mt. Tsukuba is one of Japan's 100 Famous Peaks.91 views
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Views from the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.91 views
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It's possible to climb up to Mt. Nyotai as well.90 views
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Atop the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.90 views
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Rock formation called Gama-ishi. ガマ石90 views
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Between Mt. Nyotai and Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba is a row of tourist shops in this palce called Miyukigahara (御幸ケ原). That's Mt. Nantai in the background.90 views
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In the middle of the two peaks is another lookout deck and gift shops.89 views
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Tsutsujigaoka Ropeway Station below, as seen from the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.89 views
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Approaching Mt. Nyotai. Mt. Tsukuba is noted for fall leaves. But I was a little too late. The leaves here turn color earlier than on the plains. 女体山88 views
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Mt. Nantai in the distance.87 views
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View from Miyukigahara.87 views
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Mt. Fuji as seen from Mt. Nyotai.86 views
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From Mt. Nyotai, it's an easy hike but rocky trail to Mt. Nantai.86 views
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86 views
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The trail continues to a clearing in the middle of the two peaks.86 views
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The round building has a gift shop on the bottom, restaurant on the 2nd floor, and a revolving lookout deck on the roof (free admission).86 views
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86 views
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View from Mt. Nantai on Tsukuba-san.86 views
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View from Mt. Nyotai.85 views
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Nyotai Honden on Mt. Nyotai. It worships Izanami, wife of Izanagi.85 views
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Shrine atop Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.85 views
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Trail to climb up to Mt. Nantai.84 views
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Mt. Nantai84 views
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Bottom cable car station.84 views
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About Mt. Tsukuba's geology in Japanese.82 views
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Tsukuba-san Jjinja Shrine atop Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba. This is the Honden for the male god Izanagi.82 views
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The cable car runs every 20 min. Fare is 570 yen one way. There are trails going down the mountain as well.82 views
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Tsukuba-san cable car on Mt. Tsukuba's Miyukigahara, near Nantai.82 views
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Tsukuba-san Shrine on Mt. Nantai, the male peak.81 views
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View from Miyukigahara.81 views
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View from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.81 views
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On Nantai, there's an easy hiking trail going around the peak.81 views
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Cable car going up to Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.81 views
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View from Miyukigahara.80 views
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View from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.80 views
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Hiking trail around Mt. Nantai. There are two other lookout points along the trail.80 views
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This is one of them.80 views
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Entrance to Tsukuba-san cable car station.80 views
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall. The shrine is dedicated to both Izanagi and Izanami, Japan's parent gods.80 views
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall is adjacent to the cable car station. The Honden Hall is atop the two peaks on Mt. Tsukuba. 筑波山神社80 views
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Miyukigahara.79 views
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Mt. Nantai marker for 871 meter elevation.79 views
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Ropeway station on Mt. Nyotai.79 views
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The trail soon gets steep and rocky, but not a problem for most people. High heels and miniskirt are not recommended.78 views
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78 views
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Miyukigahara also has a cable car station.78 views
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In autumn, a chrysanthemum display is held on the grounds of Tsukuba-san Shrine.76 views
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Mt. Nyotai as seen from Mt. Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba.74 views
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Looking toward Nyotai from Miyukigahara.73 views
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Around the cable car station below the mountain, the fall leaves were very nice.73 views
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72 views
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Depicting Mt. Tsukuba.72 views
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Autmun maple leaves on Mt. Tsukuba-san.69 views
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