 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...1084 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria and taiko-bashi bridge. Taiko-bashi is an arch bridge.688 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.637 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.453 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.361 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.325 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 Shrine317 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.317 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.307 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.294 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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Statue of Matsuo Basho, haiku poet. Koto-ku, Tokyo279 views
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Map of Basho's travels. 276 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.274 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.274 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.268 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267 views
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Road to the Fukagawa-Edo Museum, near Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station.265 views
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Statue of Matsuo Basho, haiku poet. Koto-ku, Tokyo261 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.258 views
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256 views
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Main street with shops.250 views
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249 views
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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.244 views
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As one man lies at the bottom, everything is piled up on him. They even swayed the boat.242 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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Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri, mizu-kake240 views
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Dramatic display of mikoshi maneuvers240 views
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239 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.239 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.238 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.233 views
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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230 views
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Statue of Basho sitting at the site of Saito-an house. 採茶庵跡229 views
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Onegaishimasu! お願いします！228 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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Hai, OK (ha-ha!).224 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.224 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.223 views
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Another view from the top of the bridge years ago.218 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." 217 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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217 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine and Tokyo Sky Tree.217 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 216 views
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Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, Honden worship hall. Koto-ku, Tokyo 富岡八幡宮 本殿212 views
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River boat taxi211 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.211 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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Kameido Tenjin Shrine's main worship hall.209 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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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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204 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.204 views
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A real crowd pleaser.203 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.203 views
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Kiba Kiyari Nembutsu. They hold and rotate a giant rosary while chanting. 木場の木遣念仏201 views
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The tekomai geisha enter the shrine.198 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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Statue of Matsuo Basho.194 views
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192 views
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Bird191 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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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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183 views
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The tekomai geisha enter Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine.183 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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Fukagawa-Edo Museum180 views
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Fukagawa Chikara-mochi is traditional entertainment spawned by warehouse workers in Sagacho (near Kiba), Tokyo during the Edo Period.179 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.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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Video theater176 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine and Tokyo Sky Tree.175 views
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Rice storehouse173 views
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Day time172 views
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They sing and chant while walking slowly.170 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.169 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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Standard uniform of portable shrine bearers (for both men and women).168 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.168 views
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Nagaya longhouse168 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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Tekomai geisha at Eitai-bashi165 views
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They do not get water splashed.165 views
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164 views
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White heron (shirasagi) hanging out on the pond.163 views
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162 views
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The tekomai geisha arrives at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine.161 views
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Tekomai geisha160 views
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160 views
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159 views
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Monument for usokae.159 views
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The tekomai geisha enter the shrine.158 views
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Cross section of a typical Nagaya longhouse apartment.158 views
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Poster157 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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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.156 viewsPopular as pets when they are small.
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155 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.154 views
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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.153 views
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Entrance to Kiyosumi Teien Gardens. Admission 150 yen.153 views
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River boat taxi151 views
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Haiku poem by Basho displayed along Sumida River151 views
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Photogenic shot of plum blossoms and a taiko bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo.151 views
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Tokyo Skytree and the first taiko bridge.149 views
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Communal toilet148 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.148 views
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Basho Memorial Museum displays a replica of the costume worn by Basho.147 views
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Wisteria and Tokyo Skytree at night.147 views
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Bales of rice inside the rice storehouse.146 views
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Clothes line for laundry.144 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine and Tokyo Sky Tree.144 views
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Tokyo Skytree and azalea and wisteria 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 YouTube143 views
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Tokyo Skytree and wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.142 views
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Tokyo Skytree and azalea and wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.141 views
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A shop's shutter art near Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo141 views
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140 views
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People in happi coats carry the mikoshi while shouting "Wasshoi, wasshoi!"140 views
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Kiba Kakunori Monument for square log rolling 角乗り碑139 views
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Usokae stall. The uosokae dolls come in various sizes, look pretty much the same.138 views
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Sendaibori, Koto-ku, Tokyo. Mother and child statue.138 views
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137 views
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Sculpure at Sendaibori Park, Koto-ku. Tokyo137 views
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A pair of giant usokae dolls flank the entrance to the main worship hall.136 views
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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge136 views
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Heron stalking fish in the pond at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.136 views
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Tokyo Skyrree at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.134 views
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During the festival, stage performances are held.133 views
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Wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine lit up in the evening.133 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 Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.132 views
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131 views
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Kiba Kakunori Monument for square log rolling 角乗り碑131 views
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Wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine lit up in the evening.131 views
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"Hey Ho, Let's Go!"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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129 views
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In front of Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine on Eitai-dori road.128 views
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Statue of Basho. Kiyosubashi Bridge and Sumida River in the background.128 views
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Torii gate on the east side128 views
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Wakasu Park, Tokyo.128 views
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Bullfinch exchange. The person puts her old bullfinch on the rack and prays.126 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."125 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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Preparing for the finale.125 views
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Taiko drummers at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine.124 views
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In front of the shrine, a shrine priest blesses each portable shrine as it departs to join the procession.124 views
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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge over Sumida River.124 views
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Raising the mikoshi on Kiyosu-bashi Bridge124 views
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Tokyo Sky Tree and plum blossoms at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.124 views
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White and red plum blossoms and the torii gate at Kameido Tenjn Shrine.123 views
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Torii and wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo123 views
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Water splashing truck near Kiyosu-bashi Bridge122 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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121 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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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge121 views
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121 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria at night.121 views
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120 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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Usokae stall119 views
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Flowery backdrop for picture-taking.119 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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The first taiko bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo119 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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Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo118 views
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118 views
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Photogenic shot of plum blossoms and a taiko bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo.117 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine torii and taiko bridge with wisteria.117 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria at night.117 views
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116 views
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Crossing Kiyosu-bashi Bridge116 views
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Wet women116 views
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Bonsai-like chrysanthemum116 views
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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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Tekomai geisha at Eitaibashi115 views
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115 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).115 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine torii and wisteria115 views
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With raised arms, this is one way to carry the mikoshi.114 views
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Crossing over Eitai-bashi Bridge. 永代橋114 views
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A portable shrine crosses Eitai-bashi Bridge.114 views
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亀戸天神菊まつり114 views
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Phoenix atop a portable shrine.113 views
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A fire hose. The local fire department with a fire hose on Eitai-dori avenue.113 views
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In front of the water truck. Soon to be filled with people and a portable shrine.113 views
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Kameido Tenjin (Tenmangu) Shrine Wisteria Festival is held in late April to early May. Entrance to Kameido Tenjin Shrine.113 views
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112 views
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A portable shrine crosses Eitai-bashi Bridge.112 views
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Every time, the water hoses are at the same location.112 views
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A large truck filled with water with people using buckets to splash water in rapid succession.112 views
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Stone lantern112 views
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Bottom view of Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria at night.112 views
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Tekomai geisha on Eitai-dori road, entering Koto Ward111 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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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.111 views
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111 views
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110 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.110 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine110 views
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110 views
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109 views
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Petals need support109 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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A horde of people follow each portable shrine.108 views
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Using a water hose is an efficient way to get people wet. But see what the big boys use..108 views
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Inside Basho Memorial Museum. Open 9:30 am - 5:00 pm.108 views
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108 views
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107 views
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107 views
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Looks like they are on fire107 views
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Rock excavated in this area.107 views
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107 views
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Kameido Tenjin Shrine wisteria at night.107 views
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Tekomai geisha cross Eitai-bashi Bridge to enter Koto Ward along Eitai-dori.106 views
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106 views
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Wet face106 views
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For some reason, it's fun to see people get wet...106 views
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106 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.106 views
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During the wisteria festival, they hold various entertainment on stage.106 views
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View from the shrine's worship hall.106 views
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106 views
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Shrine grounds include a kaguraden dance stage.105 views
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Water hose at Kiyosu-bashi Bridge104 views
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手古舞104 views
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During a break, two kids get water.104 views
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Getting wet upside down might be an extra thrill...104 views
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104 views
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Stone pagoda on island named Matsushima104 views
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