 Most viewed - MIE 三重県 |
Kunoichi female ninja guide2027 views
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Ninja disguises1728 views
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Ninja costumes1707 views
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An altar in the Iga-ryu Ninja House.1372 views
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Lets you escape to the next room instantly, or climb up or down the ladder on the right wall.1342 views
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Pepper bombs to blind you.1271 views
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The first demo is this swinging wall.1258 views
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What would a ninja museum be without a display of shuriken?1252 views
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This is a staircase concealed as a shelf.1147 views
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Ninja swords are short and straight with no curvature.1082 views
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Meoto-Iwa Wedded Rocks off the coast of Futami-cho, Ise city, Mie Prefecture. 夫婦岩1071 views
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988 views
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Sword hidden in the floor.965 views
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Another wall door that leads to the basement tunnel.964 views
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950 views
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Now a shelf. It leads to the attic.948 views
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Ueno-shi Station has ninja dolls to greet you.939 views
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Emergency escape hatch whose lock can be quickly released with a sheet of paper.929 views
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Entrance to the basement.925 views
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Ninja swords.912 views
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Hidden floor compartment where they hid their valuables outside the house.910 views
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When you push in the end of this floor plank, it opens up to reveal a sword.890 views
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886 views
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Another swinging wall door.839 views
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Lock picks834 views
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Ninjas in the kitchen. We could not go up into the attic as we can in Koka's ninja house in Shiga.798 views
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Bamboo sticks concealing a sword.793 views
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Inside the Iga-ryu Ninja House.787 views
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Inside the Iga-ryu Ninja House786 views
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There she goes.781 views
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Iron claws772 views
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771 views
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Flipper-like clogs to walk through swamps764 views
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Nakayama Emiri, a TV personality, tries to throw shuriken.742 views
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Storefront shutter with ninja drawings.727 views
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719 views
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715 views
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714 views
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709 views
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Female ninja climbing over a wall.707 views
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Kitchen in Iga-ryu Ninja House.706 views
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Sword demo706 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja Museum 706 views
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702 views
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696 views
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693 views
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692 views
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687 views
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Juggling sickles. Having a sickle did not arouse suspicion as it was a common farming tool. But for the ninja, it was an effective weapon.684 views
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Kitchen area in Iga-ryu Ninja House.674 views
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Revolving door of Iga-ryu Ninja House 659 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja House ninja show.655 views
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654 views
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Once a group gets large enough, they take you all in and a female ninja guide explains the house's ninja trickery. Admission charged. Recommended is the set of tickets that admit you to the ninja house, castle, and Danjiri Museum.652 views
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647 views
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Duel to the death.641 views
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Making medicine.641 views
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Five-colored rice grains used for secret communication.633 views
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Shuruken takes skill to throw.633 views
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Ninja shop633 views
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Kitchen629 views
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Female ninja621 views
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619 views
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Five-colored rice grains used for secret communication.619 views
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For an extra 200 yen, you can watch the ninja show right next to the ninja house.618 views
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Cushion618 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja House is in Ueno Park which includes Iga-Ueno Castle nearby.611 views
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Thatched-roof of Iga-ryu Ninja House.603 views
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Inside ninja museum which is in a former rice warehouse.595 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja House is a thatched-roof house whose roof once caught fire in the 1990s. It was rebuilt.594 views
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594 views
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More secret ninja language.592 views
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588 views
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Ninja doll on a pole.588 views
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Throwing sickles and shuriken.578 views
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576 views
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Even ninja get thirsty.575 views
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You have to applaud once in a while.573 views
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Veranda of Iga-ryu Ninja House 563 views
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Rope knots hung on roof eaves, etc., were also used for communication.559 views
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553 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja House garden. They take you in groups, so you may have to wait a while before you can go in.547 views
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Shuriken throwing.544 views
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Everywhere you go in Iga-Ueno, you see a ninja motif.528 views
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525 views
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Iga-Ueno Ninja Festa poster523 views
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Another ninja museum.517 views
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Even the trains have a ninja (female) paint job.515 views
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Ninjas under cherry blossoms.510 views
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Where you can rent a ninja costume.507 views
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See many people wearing ninja costumes during the ninja festa.505 views
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The shrine is dedicated to Sarutahiko and Ukano-mitama. Sarutahiko is a god which serves as a pathfinder guide. Deities for land/sea transportation safety. 二見�496 views
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Statue of Lord Takatora Todo, who became the 11th lord of the castle in 1608. He is revered for revamping the castle and developing the castle town of Tsu. He was originally from Inugami, Shiga Pref. This statue was built in 1998.462 views
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During April and early May, they hold the annual ninja festa.454 views
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Iga-Ueno really plays up its ninja past. 453 views
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Futami Okitama Shrine does not have a main hall (Honden) like most other shrines. It worships the Okitama Sacred Stone in the ocean beyond the Wedded Rocks. 二見興玉神社450 views
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The Wedded Rocks are part of Futami Okitama Shrine known for frog sculptures. 二見興玉神社425 views
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Ninja paint job on a train.425 views
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Tsu Castle, Ushitora turret404 views
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The Wedded Rocks are actually a type of torii gate for worshipping the Okitama Sacred Stone in the ocean.390 views
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Five ropes are being positioned and made taut.375 views
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All the while, the cheering section chants and wave streamers.371 views
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Replacing the rope for the Wedded Rocks, Mie Pref.353 views
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Map of Naiku at Ise Jingu Shrine and adjacent area.350 views
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Map of Ise Jingu's Naiku Shrine. First you cross Uji Bridge.348 views
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The ropes are now completely cut, breaking the bond between the two rocks.334 views
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Wedded Rocks with a new rope. Japan has numerous other Wedded Rocks and stones, but this is by far the most famous.325 views
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Ise Jingu Shrine's Naiku (Inner Shrine) is the main and most popular shrine at Ise. The shrine is rebuilt every 20 years and 2013 will mark the completion of the new shrine to replace the old one built in 1993.317 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle is one of three major tourist attractions in the city of Iga. It is a short walk from Ueno-shi Station on the Kintetsu Iga Line.312 views
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The frog is Sarutahiko's messenger. Frog is called "kaeru" in Japanese, which is a homonym for the another word meaning "return home." If you travel a lot, pray here for a safe return. 夫婦岩301 views
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Close up map of Naiku. An adjacent plot next the shrine is for the next rebuilding of the shrine. The current, 20-year-old Naiku shrine is on an adjacent plot of land.292 views It takes 8 years to rebuild the Naiku shrine. So 12 years from now, they will start the rebuilding process all over again. Numerous ceremonies are held for this rebuilding, but only a few of them can be seen by the public.
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Inabe Shrine, where the Oyashiro Matsuri or Ageuma festival is held on the first Sat. and Sun. of April (if it falls on the 1st and 2nd, the festival is held on the 8th and 9th) in Toin, Mie Prefecture. A 15-min. walk from Toin Station on the Sangi Line.290 views
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Ise Jingu shrine maidens look the same as any other shrine maidens. They are likely college students hired just for New Year's to sell goods.281 views
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The job is finished.280 views
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The torii on the larger rock is quite small. The sacred rope is replaced three times a year on May 5, September 5, and at the end of December.275 views
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The rope installers return to shore.268 views
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The men begin to cut off the old rope. Those sharp sickles soon made short work of the old sacred ropes which were brought ashore in small pieces.265 views
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The new ropes are strung across the two rocks. A small rope tied to the end of the large rope is used to pull the large rope up the rock.265 views
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Iga-Ueno's Ueno Park includes this beautiful building called the Haisei-den (俳聖殿), a hall dedicated to Haiku poet Matsuo Basho who was from Iga-Ueno.265 views
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Ueno-shi Station264 views
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Men carry spanking-new shimenawa ropes to the rocks.263 views
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5月5日、9月5日と12月下旬には夫婦岩の大注連縄の張り替え神事が行われる。これらの写真は5月5日に撮影された。249 views
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The ceremony attracts a large crowd.243 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle and cherry blossoms, Mie Prefecture.242 views
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240 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle and cherry blossoms, Mie Prefecture. During the Meiji Restoration, Ueno Castle's structures were dismantled as with many other castles.240 views
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The shimenawa rope actually consists of five smaller ropes. They cut the ropes one by one.235 views
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The shimenawa rope bonding the Wedded Rocks is replaced three times a year. May 5, when these photos were taken, is one of the days when they replace the rope. First, they gathered at the shrine at 10 am for a 30-min. prayer ceremony.229 views
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Pieces of the old rope. Anyone could take home the pieces of old sacred rope if they wanted.225 views
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Lantern and sunset at Futami Okitama Shrine221 views
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About 300-400 meters to the Naiku shrine, it got congested. It took about an hour to reach the foot of the steps going up to the shrine.217 views
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I wondered how much I should donate for this sake. I just dropped a 100 yen coin and probably got 20 yen worth of sake. At Atsuta Shrine (one of Japan's Big Three shrines) in Nagoya, they have a nice big hall where they serve hot tea and sweets for 217 viewsNothing like that here.
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The bottleneck at Naiku was this little torii which most people wanted to walk through at the top of the steps. People like me who didn't have time opted to go up the steps on the right side in no time. 215 views
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213 views
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Look how small the offertory box is at Ise Jingu's Naiku. The one at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo is like half the size of a football field. Of course, Ise Jingu just doesn't have the space for it.213 views
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Making sure that the rope is aligned and positioned correctly.212 views
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Ise manhole depicting Ise Jingu pilgrims. Mie Pref.210 views
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Naiku shrine and torii are in sight at the top of the steps ahead. We were told that it would take more than an hour just to get up these steps. However, we could walk up the steps quickly on the right edge of the steps.208 views
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One by one, the men carefully positioned the new sacred ropes on the two Rocks. All the while, young children and young men are chanting on the shore.207 views
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205 views
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The second rope is installed.204 views
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Sunset at Futami Okitama Shrine. In the old days when traveling was a hazardous undertaking in Japan, pilgrims who traveled to worship at the Ise Grand Shrines prayed here for a safe return home.202 views
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199 views
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The old rope is taken away.196 views
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196 views
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196 views
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Castle wall facing the street193 viewsWhen you walk to Tsu Castle from the bus stop, this is what you first see. It is obviously a flatland-type castle. Tsu Castle was first built in 1580 by Oda Nobukane, the younger brother of warlord Oda Nobunaga.
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191 views
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Statue of Basho at Ueno-shi Station.187 views
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The first rope is wound around both rocks.186 views
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Noted for cherry blossoms, Kyuka Park is on the site of Kuwana Castle which was occupied by Honda Tadakatsu.182 viewsAdjacent to the park is the Kuwana-juku post town on the Tokaido Road that welcomed visitors after they crossed the ocean (Shichiri-no-watashi) from Miya-juku in Aichi. Photo: Kuwana sign at Kuwana Station.
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Map of Toin town, Mie. Many thanks to my friends Tomoyo and Shunji in Toin-cho for taking me to see this festival.180 views
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Entering Geku shrine at Ise.180 views
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Nyutoku-mon Gate177 views
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176 views
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Moat175 views
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The narrow gauge makes the trains narrower too.174 views
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Todo Takatora's helmet169 views
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169 views
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Three-story Ushitora turret, reconstructed in 1958.167 viewsThis is the only significant building remaining of the castle.
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Garden in Nishinomaru164 views
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Ushitora turret entrance (not open)163 views
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The line's train tracks has an extra narrow gauge.162 views
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Uji Bridge is made of hinoki cypress wood. The bridge columns are made of keyaki.162 views
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It takes 8 years to rebuild the Naiku shrine. So 12 years from now, they will start the rebuilding process all over again. Numerous ceremonies are held for this rebuilding, but only a few of them can be seen by the public.155 views
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Liberty Bell, exhibited at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Has 12,250 pearls and 366 diamonds. The crack is reproduced with blue pearls. Mikimoto Pearl Museum152 views
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Mikimoto's Five-Storied Pagoda (御木本五重塔). Exhibited at Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia, 1926. It has 12,760 pearls.152 views
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High walls prevent us from seeing the sacred shrine buildings of Naiku. Photography is not allowed inside these walls so don't try to use a long pole with a camera attached to take pictures. There are guards everywhere. 150 views
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Yume-dono Pavilion based on the building at Horyuji temple in Nara. 149 views
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Roof horns at Ise Jingu's Naiku.148 views
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Ama divers at Mikimoto Pearl Museum.148 views
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Ama diver sculpture in Pearl Museum, Mikimoto Pearl Island.147 views
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Look how small the offertory box is at Geku.146 views
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145 views
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Collecting coins at Taka-no-miya Shrine 多賀宮.145 views
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Mikimoto Pearl Island144 views
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142 views
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Ushitora turret and stone wall139 views
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Samurai armor139 views
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A short walk from Ueno Park is the Basho Oseika (芭蕉翁生家) or Basho's childhood home. Iga is the birthplace of Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), and the house where he grew up in still stands.139 views
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139 views
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Geku Outer Shrine at Ise Jingu.138 views
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Ushitora turret137 views
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The festival's main event is the Ageuma (Leaping or Rising Horse) ceremony held 12 times on Sat. and six times on Sun. One of the horses to be used. The Ageuma is unique to Mie and started here at Inabe Shrine.137 views
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Ise-shi Station platform upon arrival on Jan. 1, 2013. Ise Jingu's Geku Outer Shrine is a short walk from this station.137 views
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Moat136 views
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The end of the slope where the horse is to leap over the steep earthen wall. Cherry trees accent the steep incline. The horse gallops and full speed for about 500 meters before encountering this steep incline.136 views
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Statue of Lord Honda Tadakatsu at Kyuka Park. 本多忠勝136 views
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Collecting coins.136 views
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This earthen wall looks like 2 or 3 meters high. This festival is unique to Mie Prefecture. A similar and much more crowded Ageuma ceremony is held at Tado Shrine also in Mie and not far from Inabe Shrine.133 views
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The moment after this shot was taken, this baton hit my camera lens and bounced off. A kid nearby quickly picked up the dropped baton. That's okay, I let him have it. My gift to the local people.133 views
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Hiroshige's woodblock print of Kuwana (43rd post town on the Tokaido) from his "Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido Road" series. People traveling by boat to Kuwana from Miya.133 views
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The jockeys wera a colorful costume, the hanagasa hat has a different decoration (pine tree, peony, iris, etc.) for each jockey. Each jockey represents a local district in Toin town.132 views
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The horse gets stuck as its hind legs cannot push off from any surface. It kept kicking its hind legs as it desperately tried to get over the embankment and it finally did. This was the first run of the day on Sunday.131 views
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Kyuka Park moat near Shichiri-no-watashi.131 views
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Statue of Mikimoto Kokichi.131 views
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This is what the steep incline looks like from the other side. The galloping horse must manage to leap up and over the steep wall called the Agezaka (上げ坂).130 views
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Toin Station on the Sangi Railway Hokusei Line.130 views
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My camera was fine. Nothing broken, but the edge of my lens filter had a slight dent...130 views
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The study is a very simple, yet aesthetic and meditative-looking room.129 views
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There are six jockeys, all local teenage boys, chosen by lottery. They have to be quite brave to undertake the Ageuma ceremony since accidents and injuries do happen. Some parents refuse to allow their sons to be chosen.129 views
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After a few hind-leg kicks, the horse manages to go over. When the horse goes over, it is an omen that this year's harvest will be abundant. Imagine the enormous pressure on the rider to go over the top.129 views
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Oyashiro Festival poster.129 views
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Tokaido Road in Kuwana-juku.129 views
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Moat128 views
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128 views
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One end of the riding course.128 views
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Foundation of the castle tower (rear)126 views
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Iga-yaki ceramic statue of Basho inside the Haisei-den.126 views
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On both sides are special spectator seating (decorated in red/white) for the shrine priests and VIPs. We did not see any riders or horses get injured this day. These photos were taken on April 5, 2009.126 views
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Before the festival, the six riders undergo a period of purification in the morning and evening in the river. On the day of the festival, they bathe in the river. This one is getting on the horse.126 views
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The Ageuma or Leaping Horse ceremony is only one of the religious ceremonies held during the Oyashiro Festival. The god of wooden architecture is one of the gods Inabe Shrine worships. Carpenters from this area built Horyuji and Todaiji in Nara.125 views
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Men await for the horse on the incline. They help to get the horse over the top and prevent injury to the rider.125 views
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Next horse up. In the past, they spiked the horse with stimulants to make it more excited, but they discontinued that practice.125 views
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The house is open to the public as a tourist attraction (admission 300 yen). The house was rebuilt after it being damaged by a large earthquake in 1854.124 views
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The horse makes it over the top. On Sat., the first day of the festival, there are 12 Ageuma runs. On Sunday, the second day, there are six Ageuma runs starting at 1 pm. In the morning, they have a few practice runs, but do not try to go over the top.124 views
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The rider looks relieved, and proud to have a lifetime memory.124 views
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Room inside Basho's childhood home.123 views
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The running course is quite short, maybe 100-150 meters. It cannot be too long or else the horse will get too tired to make the final leap.123 views
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Riders make a "victory lap" within the shrine grounds.123 views
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Kitchen area with a well on the left and stoves toward the right.122 views
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Stairs to the bleachers which are actually compartments of sitting areas. The bleachers line both sides of the course leading to the steep incline. 122 views
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This is near the start of the course where the rider gets on the horse.122 views
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This is what the top of the incline looks like. A bunch of people wait for the horse to come up.122 views
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And there he is.122 views
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122 views
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Iga Ueno Danjiri Museum122 views
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And he's off, going at full speed. It takes only 10-15 sec. for him to run up to the incline.121 views
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A short walk from Iga-Ueno Castle and almost next to the ninja house, the Haisei-den was built in 1942 to mark the 300th anniversary of Basho's birth. 120 views
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The wall has a notch in the middle for the horse to leap up and over. Inabe Shrine's Ageuma ceremony is older than Tado Shrine's. The festival was started in 1192 by the local castle lord and shrine priest to strengthen the spirit of the youth.120 views
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120 views
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The victorious rider holds out a fan and sings a victory song. People celebrate the imminent abundant harvest.120 views
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120 views
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Horse riding ground (baba). It looks like 500 meters or so.120 views
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120 views
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He tosses the baton.120 views
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Inside Iga Ueno Danjiri Museum.120 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle and cherry blossoms, Mie Prefecture.119 views
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The back of the house is Basho's study called Chogetsuken (釣月軒) where he wrote the Kai-ooi (貝おほい) series of poems.119 views
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In 1203, the steep embankment was built and the Ageuma and yabusame ceremonies were held. Along the short galloping course up to the steep incline, makeshift bleachers for spectators are built for the festival.119 views
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The horse approaches the steep wall.119 views
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119 views
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On SUnday, the second half of the festival is a procession from Inabe Shrine to a horse riding ground nearby at 3 pm. The yabusame horseback riding is then held at 3:30 pm.119 views
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One of the riders.119 views
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People behind me.119 views
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Park fountain in the castle grounds118 views
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Inside the castle tower is the Iga Museum of Culture and Industry. This is the first floor.118 views
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Shrine priest118 views
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118 views
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This is one end of the riding course. 118 views
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He waves it around before tossing it.118 views
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