 Most viewed - Koto-ku 江東区 |
Another view from the top of the bridge in the good old days. They don't bloom like this anymore...1076 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria and taiko-bashi bridge. Taiko-bashi is an arch bridge.687 views
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View from top of bridge years ago. The shrine has two "taiko-bashi" arch bridges. This is the view from the top of the first one soon after you pass under the torii.636 views
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Shot in 2003.626 views
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Every three years (2017, 2020, 2023, 2026, etc.), the full-scale version of this festival is held in mid-Aug. The festival's last day is the climax with this procession of over 50 portable shrines. Led by this banner which reads Tomioka Hachimangu.450 views
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First bridge and azaleas400 views
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Kiba Park with Kiba Kakunori sign. Traditional folk performances are held on the same day as Koto Ward's Citizen's Festival in mid-Oct. So the park is quite crowded.373 views
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Another view from the top of the bridge years ago. Sadly, it doesn't bloom like this anymore.371 views
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Another shot taken in the good old days. Doesn't bloom like this anymore. The next photo shows what it looks like today.360 views
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Tekomai geisha. Their costume is colorful and partially masculine with trousers instead of skirts. Their right shoulder is "exposed" to show a peony flower (botan) design. They carry a red paper lantern imprinted with their names.321 views
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Path to the shrine. After you cross the bridge, there's a narrow path to the shrine, decorated by wisteria on both sides. Very crowded, but not unbearable.319 views
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Wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine309 views
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Azaleas also bloom around the same time as wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine. Both flowers symbolize Golden Week which is a string of holidays in late April and early May, serving as spring vacation for many workers.309 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.304 views
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294 views
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Old taiko-bashi bridge. This is the first arch bridge you cross. Shot in 1997. The bridges had steps made of wood. Now both bridges are made of concrete with concrete steps. The paint color is also more red.293 views
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This is an old, hand-tinted postcard of Kameido Tenmangu Shrine from the early 20th century. It mimics the woodblock print.283 views
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Map of Basho's travels. 275 viewsAlso see photos of Ogaki where Basho ended his journey.
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The shrine's happi coat has a design for the character "Hachi" (for Hachimangu) consisting of two pigeons. Pigeons are regarded as the messengers of the deity worshipped at Hachimangu shrines in Japan.273 views
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Statue of Matsuo Basho, haiku poet. Koto-ku, Tokyo273 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine is a short walk from JR Kameido Station. Small banners reading "Kameido Plum Blossom Festival" show the way to the shrine.272 views
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View from top of bridge in 2005. After 1997 or so, the flowers do not bloom as thickly as before.267 views
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Road to the Fukagawa-Edo Museum, near Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station.265 views
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Tekomai geisha. They existed since the Edo Period. They served as side entertainment at festivals. They only sing traditional chant-like songs called kiyari. 手古舞263 views
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256 views
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Statue of Matsuo Basho, haiku poet. Koto-ku, Tokyo255 views
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When the wisteria is in bloom, the shrine gets very crowded, especially on weekends. The alley leading to the shrine is also quite narrow.254 views
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Main street with shops.250 views
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249 views
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Second taiko-bashi bridge in 2003. Notice how there are much less flowers along the edge of the pond. Also notice that the bridge has been rebuilt. It is now concrete painted fire-engine red.241 viewsThe old bridge was wooden with faded vermillion paint. I don't like this new bridge paint color.
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This troupe of 25 local women preserve a traditional art of Edo. They attend regular singing practice led by an elderly woman who was an authentic tekomai in her day.240 views
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239 views
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Dramatic display of mikoshi maneuvers239 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.237 views
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Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri, mizu-kake233 views
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As one man lies at the bottom, everything is piled up on him. They even swayed the boat.233 views
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Second taiko-bashi bridge in 1997. You can see the second arch bridge which is right before the shrine hall. Compare this picture with the next one.232 views
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The mikoshi is raised high as they all bathe in water. Taking photos like this one requires adequate water protection of your camera and lens.232 views
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Splash you. This is a day when kids can be mean to grown-ups. This little girl kept filling up her bowl and ran around splashing some unlucky person.226 viewsI hope that's her school teacher.
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Statue of Basho sitting at the site of Saito-an house before departing for the Tohoku region. 採茶庵跡224 views
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Statue of Basho sitting at the site of Saito-an house. 採茶庵跡223 views
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Road to the shrine from Kameido Station. This main road from Kameido Station is closed on weekends. The shrine is accessible from Kameido Station the the JR Sobu Line.222 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.222 views
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Onegaishimasu! お願いします！221 views
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Hai, OK (ha-ha!).217 views
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217 views
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The Usokae Festival is held every January at the Kameido Tenmangu (Tenjin) Shrine. "Uso" means bullfinch, and "kae" means to change. The bullfinch is a symbol of good luck, and uso can also mean "lie." 216 viewsPeople replace their wooden uso dolls believing that the previous year's bad luck was a lie, to be exchanged for good luck in the new year with the new uso doll.
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Another view from the top of the bridge years ago.215 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine and Tokyo Sky Tree.214 views
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River boat taxi211 views
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Shrine priest on horseback. The start of one of Tokyo's Big Three Festivals. These photos show the festival's climax on the last day of the festival when over 50 portable shrines are paraded along the streets amid splashing water. It is the Rengo 210 views
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Cross section of a typical Nagaya longhouse apartment. It was a single room whose size was about 6 tatami mats.210 views
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Site of Basho-an Hut, now a small garden with a statue of Basho overlooking the Sumida River. 芭蕉庵史跡展望庭園210 views
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Then you see a dramatic bird's eye view of the recreated neighborhood of Sagacho, Fukagawa. The entire neighborhood is indoors.209 views
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Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, Honden worship hall. Koto-ku, Tokyo 富岡八幡宮 本殿209 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine's main worship hall.208 views
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The lighting inside the museum also changes to reflect the time of day. This is night time.207 views
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Vegetable seller. 八百屋の八百新207 views
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Cat on the roof. Meow is what you first hear in the museum. Its name is "Mamesuke." Actually a robot cat whose head can move up and down.204 views
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Held every autumn, the Chrysanthemum Festival (Kiku Matsuri) at Kameido Tenjin Shrine displays many exotic and pretty varieties of this flower in November.198 views
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197 views
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Old taiko-bashi bridge. You can see how crowded the bridge can get.196 views
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Fire watchtower on the left, and boat operator's house on the right. 船宿升田屋と相模屋196 views
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The tekomai geisha enter the shrine.195 views
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A real crowd pleaser.194 views
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Kiba Kiyari Nembutsu. They hold and rotate a giant rosary while chanting. 木場の木遣念仏193 views
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Facing Eitai-dori road, the main entrance to Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine. The original shrine fronted the ocean, but landfills over the centuries have put the shrine further away from shore.191 views
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190 views
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Statue of Matsuo Basho.188 views
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In front of the fire watchtower is this open area designed as a fire break to prevent any fires from spreading further. It is also a gathering place with food stalls.185 views
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Bird184 views
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182 views
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Machikido town gate made of wood. This gate marked the boundary between towns. It could also be closed. 町木戸181 views
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180 views
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The tekomai geisha enter Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine.180 views
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Fukagawa-Edo Museum180 views
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Wakasu Park juts out into Tokyo Bay as reclaimed land, now mostly a golf course and recreational park with a nice cycling path.177 views
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After you enter the exhibition area, first you see drawings of famous people from Fukagawa.176 views
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Back room of the vegetable seller.176 views
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Cross section of a typical Nagaya longhouse apartment. The saw on the wall indicates that the resident was a log cutter. The area was close to Kiba where they processed logs.176 views
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Video theater176 views
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Rice storehouse173 views
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Day time172 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine and Tokyo Sky Tree.172 views
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Fukagawa Chikara-mochi is traditional entertainment spawned by warehouse workers in Sagacho (near Kiba), Tokyo during the Edo Period.171 views
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Boat operator's house 船宿升田屋と相模屋169 views
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Exhibition room169 views
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The mikoshi are splashed with water in whichever way possible. This is in the middle of summer, so it's a good way to cool off.168 views
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They sing and chant while walking slowly.168 views
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Standard uniform of portable shrine bearers (for both men and women).167 viewsThe headband may be tied at the front or back of the head. It may also be tied on the head like a bonnet. There is a variety of ways of tying the headband.
The happi coat bears the name of the parish or district the person belongs to. The same name is displayed on the respective portable shrine. The shorts are white and skintight. Worn by both men and women. Also called Han-momo or Han-momohiki. The white tabi (sock-like shoe) has a rubber sole.
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They have flower hats, but I've never seen them wear it on their heads.167 views
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Nagaya longhouse167 views
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Rice vendor. A small, wooden square box was used to measure the volume of rice to sell to a customer. 舂米屋職人166 views
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They do not get water splashed.164 views
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164 views
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162 views
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Tekomai geisha at Eitai-bashi162 views
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160 views
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Tekomai geisha159 views
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159 views
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The tekomai geisha arrives at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine.157 views
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Cross section of a typical Nagaya longhouse apartment.157 views
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White heron (shirasagi) hanging out on the pond.157 views
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Monument for usokae.157 views
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Omiko shrine maidens. On the previous day during the Sacred Carriage Procession, they performed sacred dances on a truck. お巫女156 views
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The tekomai geisha enter the shrine.156 views
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Poster156 views
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Entrance to Kiyosumi Teien Gardens. Admission 150 yen.152 views
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River boat taxi151 views
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Haiku poem by Basho displayed along Sumida River150 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine also has many turtles in the pond. All these years, I thought they were cute. But I recently found out that these turtles are actually invasive species called red-eared slider or red-eared terrapin.149 viewsPopular as pets when they are small.
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This is early in the morning when the 54 portable shrines who had gathered in front of the shrine depart for the procession one after another.148 views
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Communal toilet148 views
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148 views
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It soon snagged a baby carp from the pond. Poor innocent fish. It must be traumatic to be caught in a bird's beak and be swallowed whole.148 views
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Basho Memorial Museum displays a replica of the costume worn by Basho.147 views
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Bales of rice inside the rice storehouse.146 views
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Photogenic shot of plum blossoms and a taiko bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo.146 views
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Tokyo Skytree and the first taiko bridge.146 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.144 views
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Each mikoshi is preceded by a row of women carrying lanterns and wands. Also see the video at YouTube142 views
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Clothes line for laundry.142 views
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Tokyo Skytree and azalea and wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.141 views
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140 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine and Tokyo Sky Tree.140 views
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Tokyo Skytree and wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.140 views
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Kiba Kakunori Monument for square log rolling 角乗り碑139 views
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Tokyo Skytree and azalea and wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.139 views
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Wisteria and Tokyo Skytree at night.139 views
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People in happi coats carry the mikoshi while shouting "Wasshoi, wasshoi!"138 views
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Usokae stall. The uosokae dolls come in various sizes, look pretty much the same.136 views
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A pair of giant usokae dolls flank the entrance to the main worship hall.135 views
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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge134 views
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134 views
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A shop's shutter art near Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo133 views
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As the mikoshi depart, there is some entertainment at the Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine.132 views
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132 views
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Tokyo Skyrree at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.132 views
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During the festival, stage performances are held.131 views
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"Hey Ho, Let's Go!"130 views
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130 views
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Kiba Kakunori Monument for square log rolling 角乗り碑130 views
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Almost 1,000 kg is on this man below. This stunts were also performed at Ueno Park for US President Ulysses S. Grant when he visited Japan in 1879 after his term ended.130 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.129 views
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Heron stalking fish in the pond at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.129 views
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Statue of Basho. Kiyosubashi Bridge and Sumida River in the background.128 views
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In front of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine on Eitai-dori road.127 views
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Torii gate on the east side127 views
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127 views
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Sendaibori, Koto-ku, Tokyo. Mother and child statue.127 views
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Bullfinch exchange. The person puts her old bullfinch on the rack and prays.126 views
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Sculpure at Sendaibori Park, Koto-ku. Tokyo125 views
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Taiko drummers at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine.124 views
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Wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine lit up in the evening.124 views
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Preparing for the finale.123 views
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Wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine lit up in the evening.123 views
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In front of the shrine, a shrine priest blesses each portable shrine as it departs to join the procession.122 views
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This mikoshi is being carried by all women, already soaked to the bone. They carry the mikoshi flat on their shoulders. This is called "Hira katsugi," literally "flat carrying."122 viewsThere are four basic methods of carrying a portable shrine. This is the most basic method where they carry it flat on their shoulders. This is called "Hira katsugi," literally "flat carrying."
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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge over Sumida River.122 views
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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge. They chant "wasshoi wasshoi!" as they carry the mikoshi. 清洲橋122 views
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The portable shrines are paraded through a route which will take them almost all day to complete, from 7:30 am to 3 pm.121 views
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121 views
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White and red plum blossoms and the torii gate at Kameido Tenjn Shrine.121 views
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Torii and wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo121 views
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120 views
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120 views
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Raising the mikoshi on Kiyosu-bashi Bridge120 views
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Kiyosu-bashi Bridge over the Sumida River, Important Cultural Property 清洲橋 国の重要文化財120 views
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120 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.120 views
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Water splashing truck near Kiyosu-bashi Bridge119 views
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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge119 views
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Site of Basho-an Hut at the mouth of the Onagigawa River where it meets the Sumida River.119 views
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118 views
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The right side of the worship hall is also lined with plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.118 views
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The first taiko bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo118 views
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Usokae stall117 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo117 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine torii and taiko bridge with wisteria.117 views
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117 views
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Photogenic shot of plum blossoms and a taiko bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo.116 views
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People then go to the bullfinch stall on the left of the main worship hall.115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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Wet women115 views
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Flowery backdrop for picture-taking.115 views
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115 views
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Wakasu Park, Tokyo.115 views
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Tekomai geisha at Eitaibashi114 views
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Bonsai-like chrysanthemum114 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine torii and wisteria114 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria at night.114 views
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With raised arms, this is one way to carry the mikoshi.113 views
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Crossing over Eitai-bashi Bridge. 永代橋113 views
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7-year-old girl in kimono on the bridge. Many kids in kimono visit shrines in Nov. when they reach age 3 (girls), 5 (boys), or 7 (girls).113 views
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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge112 views
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Phoenix atop a portable shrine.112 views
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A portable shrine crosses Eitai-bashi Bridge.112 views
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Stone lantern112 views
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Kameido Tenjin (Tenmangu) Shrine Wisteria Festival is held in late April to early May. Entrance to Kameido Tenjin Shrine.112 views
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Tekomai geisha on Eitai-dori road, entering Koto Ward111 views
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A portable shrine crosses Eitai-bashi Bridge.111 views
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After crossing Eitai-bashi Bridge, the portable shrines headed for the main stretch on Eitai-dori avenue already filled with people. The wettest and most crowded part of the festival is held along this one kilometer of road between the bridge and shrine.111 views
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A large truck filled with water with people using buckets to splash water in rapid succession.111 views
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亀戸天神菊まつり111 views
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111 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria at night.111 views
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110 views
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110 views
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A fire hose. The local fire department with a fire hose on Eitai-dori avenue.110 views
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View from behind the "water truck." This goes on for about 15 seconds. The truck is refilled with a fire hose. All in the name of purification.110 views
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In front of the water truck. Soon to be filled with people and a portable shrine.110 views
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Every time, the water hoses are at the same location.109 views
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Statue of Basho. A short walk away is the Basho Memorial Museum.109 views
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Small statue of Basho in Basho Memorial Museum109 views
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108 views
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A horde of people follow each portable shrine.107 views
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Using a water hose is an efficient way to get people wet. But see what the big boys use..107 views
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107 views
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107 views
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Petals need support107 views
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Inside Basho Memorial Museum. Open 9:30 am - 5:00 pm.107 views
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107 views
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107 views
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106 views
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The kiku can be shaped and trimmed in fantastic ways. Very nice when you go and see them during shichi-go-san in Nov. when 7-year-old and 3-year-old girls and 5-year-old boys come to shrine in kimono.106 views
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Looks like they are on fire106 views
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View from the shrine's worship hall.106 views
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106 views
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Tekomai geisha cross Eitai-bashi Bridge to enter Koto Ward along Eitai-dori.105 views
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105 views
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105 views
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Rock excavated in this area.105 views
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Main O-torii gate. The shrine holds various ceremonies and events including an antique flea market. The Fukagawa Hachiman Festival is its most famous festival held annually. The Hon-matsuri full-scale version held every three years (2008, 2011, 2014, etc.105 views
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During the wisteria festival, they hold various entertainment on stage.105 views
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手古舞104 views
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Wet face104 views
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For some reason, it's fun to see people get wet...104 views
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Stone pagoda on island named Matsushima104 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine104 views
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Shrine grounds include a kaguraden dance stage.104 views
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Bottom view of Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria at night.104 views
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Getting wet upside down might be an extra thrill...103 views
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That's why most Tenmangu/Tenjin shrines have plum blossoms. Kameido Tenjin Shrine flanked with red and white plum blossoms in March.103 views
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103 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria at night.103 views
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Water hose at Kiyosu-bashi Bridge102 views
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