 Most viewed - Yamagata city 山形市 |
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Map of Kajo Koen Park. 霞城公園859 views
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Then there was this group of sexy Yamagata hanagasa dancers. Holy smoke, look at that cleavage, something you never see with a yukata.740 views
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Miniskirted yukata690 views
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Yamagata Castle is closest to JR Yamagata Station. This is the east side. The train station and surrounding area changed a lot since my first visit years ago.472 views
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Yamagata maiko399 views
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During early Aug., JR Yamagata Station has a Hanagasa Matsuri billboard above the turnstile as you get out.360 views
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Inside the Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate turret at Yamagata Castle. Very impressive construction. Still new-looking even after almost 20 years. 343 views
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Yamagata maiko327 views
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Yamagata Castle's Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate. This gate and turret were accurately reconstructed in 1991 based on Edo Period documents and Meiji Period photos. 二の丸東大手門322 views
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Held since 1963, the Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri festival is held annually during Aug. 5-7. It is an evening parade of dancers using a hanagasa (flower hat) held during the three evenings from 6 pm to 9:30 pm.316 views
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Behind Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate305 views
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Actress Eri Watanabe in Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri on Aug. 7, 2009.290 views
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This is actress Eri Watanabe (b. 1955) who is from Yamagata. She gave a memorable performance in the 1996 movie, "Shall We Dance?"287 views
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Miss Hanagasa 2009.283 views
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Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri278 views
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Yamadera temple, Yamagata263 views
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Yamadera temple, Yamagata250 views
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Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri208 views
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Photogenic Yamagata hanagasa dancer.208 views
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Lovely Yamagata hanagasa dancer.187 views
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Cop cars block the parade road.174 views
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Grapes to sit on. Kajo Central lobby, Yamagata.174 views
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Old Yamagata Station.168 views
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"See you next year." The parade ends at around 9:30 pm at the end of the parade route. But it ends earlier if you are at the midway point instead. There was enough time for me to catch the last train back to Sendai at 9:46 pm.161 views
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PR poster for Tenchi-nin, TV series about Naoe Kanetsugu aired on NHK in 2009.161 views
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Amateur hanagasa dancers.160 views
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Yamagata Station's exit has hanagasa (flower hat) decorations.156 views
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Banner for Mogami Yoshiaki.130 views
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You can buy your own hanagasa and join in the festival.123 views
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It is a folk dance characterized by the hanagasa, or flower hat, which is held with both hands and swung left and right, above the head, etc. The festival originated as a rice-planting prayer for a good harvest.119 views
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When I arrived during lunch time on Aug. 7, 2009, a group of hanagasa dancers held a PR demonstration right inside Yamagata Station as you see here.119 views
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They dance to the beat of taiko drums and the prerecorded folk tune of Hanagasa Ondo singing, "Yassho, makasho!" 115 views
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Miss Hanagasa 2009.114 views
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It's possible to stopover in Sendai and take a day trip to Yamagata to see this festival. However, if you want to stopover in Yamagata during the Hanagasa Festival, make reservations early especially for budget hotels. 114 views
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Yamagata Station also has a Hanagasa info counter set up during the festival. You can pick up a map of the parade route.113 views
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The artificial red flowers on the hats symbolize the safflower, the city flower.111 views
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Paper lanterns written with "Yama-gata-hana-gasa-ma-tsu-ri."111 views
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The final group was led by the four Miss Hanagasa. Anybody could dance in this final group.109 views
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A total of about 120 groups (10,000 people) dance over the three evenings. If you want to see a certain group, you'll have to check the parade schedule. Also, a different celebrity guest also dances each evening.107 views
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By 5:30 pm, a good crowd of people lined the parade street stretching for 1.2 km. The parade route is a 10-15-min. walk from Yamagata Station. It was lot more crowded than the first time I saw this festival years ago.106 views
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Miss Hanagasa105 views
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The parade starts at 6 pm, and it took about 10 min. to reach where I was.105 views
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Map of central Yamagata city. The top-most road in bold leading to the former prefectural office is where the Hanagasa Matsuri parade is held in early Aug. Yamagata Castle (Kajo Park) is on the west side of the train station.104 views
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Sometimes we see floats.102 views
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Many dance groups were sponsored by large companies, and the company name or logo was prominently displayed on the clothing. It really is a long advertising parade.100 views
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Miss Hanagasa 2009. There are four of them. 99 views
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It was drizzling off and on, so the road was wet. The shiny road made the shot look more dramatic together with the backlight.98 views
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Cheerleaders too95 views
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The first few groups of dancers were the best.94 views
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School kids were also in the parade.94 views
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Female taiko drummers on trucks.94 views
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This is one of the main and best dance groups. They all dance to a song called "Hanagasa Ondo." A recording of the song is repeated continuously through the loudpseakers. 花笠音頭93 views
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I don't mind advertising, but I was upset to see a 100-meter long dance group advertising a phone company. They thus took a long time to pass by. (No photos of them here.)92 views
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An average of 300,000 tourists watch the parade per evening. 91 views
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It was a good size crowd despite the drizzling rain, but it wasn't not horrendously crowded. It was pretty easy to get around and find a new spot to watch the parade.91 views
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Kajo Park as seen from Kajo Central. During the Battle of Hasedo in 1600 between Mogami Yoshiaki and Naoe Kanetsugu, Yamagata Castle was hidden by mist. Hence, the nickname.90 views
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This is at the end of the parade route which had a nice illuminated gate overhead.87 views
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Military-style male dancers.87 views
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Bus stop in front Yamagata Station.81 views
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Kajo Park as seen from Kajo Central. Kajo Park is the site of Yamagata Castle, also called Kajo or Kasumigajo Castle which means Misty Castle.80 views
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Yamagata Castle moat next to South Gate.80 views
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In front Yamagata Station on the west side. I wonder what that prime space will be used for. The tall buildings are hotels.79 views
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South Gate. Similar stone work and moats can be seen at the Nishi (West) and Kita (North) Gates.79 views
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On the west side of Yamagata Station is a skyscraper called Kajo Central which has also greatly contributed to the urban development of Yamagata city. A high school is in this building as well.78 views
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Yamadera is mountain temple perched on a steep cliff near JR Yamadera Station.78 views
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Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate leads to the Ninomaru keep which is a National Historic Site.77 views
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In front Yamagata Station on the east side.76 views
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A short walk from Kajo Central is Kajo Park. You can enter the park through the South Gate or the slightly further Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate here. This is the main entrance. Free admission.76 views
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Room exhibiting Albrecht Von Roretz, an Austrian doctor who served as the director of the Saiseikan Hospital. If you're a doctor or interested in medical treatment history, you will like this museum.76 views
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Southern turret on left side of Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate. This turret is open to the public. 75 views
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Statue of Mogami Yoshiaki depicting him taking the lead to the battlefield against Naoe Kanetsugu. 最上義光75 views
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When I was there in Aug. 2009, the lobby of Kajo Central had the interesting Art Chair Project. Elementary and intermediate school students in Yamagata Pref. competed in a design competition for art chairs, and the winners' works are displayed here.74 views
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On the ground floor is a nice Yamagata Prefecture tourist office. Pick up pamphlets and other info here. The building is connected to Yamagata Station by a corridor.73 views
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The lobby featured chairs and benches with novel motifs. This seemed to be the most popular, sitting in a bowl of potato soup.73 views
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Behind the Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate is a large statue of Lord Mogami Yoshiaki.73 views
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About Yamagata Castle in English. Yamagata Castle was first built in 1356 by Shiba Kaneyori (斯波 兼頼) who moved to Yamagata. He became the first lord in the Mogami Clan. His most famous descendant, Lord Mogami Yoshiaki built up the castle in 1592-1572 views
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Medical drawing showing pregnant Japanese women.72 views
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West side of Yamagata Station. Look at all that land right in front of the station.71 views
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View of Yamagata on the east side of Yamagata Station as seen from Kajo Central.71 views
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Dish bench?70 views
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In Kajo Park is Yamagata City Kyodokan Museum that displays mainly medical-related exhibits. The building is an Important Cultural Property. 山形市郷土館70 views
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Left side of Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate. The train line passes through.69 views
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Since it is a National Historic Site, the city is taking steps to revert the park into a historical site by eliminating most of the existing sports facilities (gym, baseball diamond, etc.). Should look like this.69 views
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It is a round building, with a Japanese garden in the middle.69 views
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Monument for Albrecht Von Roretz, an Austrian doctor who served as the director of the Saiseikan Hospital and contributed to promoting Western medicine in Japan during the early Meiji Period.69 views
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Turret on right side of Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate. It took 3 years and 9 months and 1.1 billion yen to reconstruct the gate and turrets. It was in 1978 when they decided to reconstruct the gate and turrets. They moved and brought in many tons of stone.68 views
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Formerly called Saiseikan (済生館), it originally was a private hospital established in 1873. It used to be located near the prefectural capital. It was moved here in 1969.68 views
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Northern turret.67 views
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Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate67 views
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Another gate at the Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate65 views
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Second floor has more exhibits.65 views
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Yamagata Station64 views
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Moat on right side of Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate.64 views
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Statue of Mogami Yoshiaki who was the daimyo lord of Yamagata in the late 16th century and early 17th century. Statue constructed in 1977. 最上義光64 views
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View of Ninomaru Higashi Otemon Gate's bridge.64 views
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In 1971, it became the museum that it is today. Free admission. Enter the building in the back. Open 9 am to 4:30 pm. Closed in late Dec. and early Jan.64 views
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A pear perhaps.63 views
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Rice plant63 views
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Moat next to South Gate.63 views
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The park has other gates (north, south, and west) and monuments, but I didn't have time to see all of them. I exited the park through the South Gate (photos below).62 views
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It also shows various surgical instruments used in the old days.62 views
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Yamagata Prefectural Museum also in Kajo Park.62 views
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Yamagata Castle's South Gate, closest to Yamagata Station. 南門61 views
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Kajo Central also has a lookout deck on one of the top floors. 60 views
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This Honmaru bridge was accurately reconstructed in 2006. The stonework was also reconstructed in 2004. 大手橋60 views
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Honmaru gate 本丸一文字門60 views
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The rooms now are exhibition rooms showing mainly medical-related pictures and surgical instruments.60 views
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They had a few exhibits and a video of the castle.59 views
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They want to also reconstruct buildings on the stone foundations seen here. The problem is, they don't have accurate records of what the floor plan and buildings looked like in the 18th-19th century. They are calling on the public for any old photos.59 views
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We can walk on the bridge to the Honmaru. 大手橋59 views
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A scale model of Yamagata Castle as it looked in the 18th century. (Displayed in the Kyodokan Museum.)59 views
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Spiral staircase to the tower (closed to the public).59 views
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Slits in the floor to drop stones and arrows.58 views
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Walk further and you will reach Honmaru central keep. This Honmaru bridge was accurately reconstructed in 2006.58 views
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Stairs to the second floor.58 views
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The stones on the wall have cutting marks.57 views
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Moat on the right side of the bridge.57 views
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At the top of the steps, the castle wall.56 views
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They want to build an outline of the palace in the Honmaru.56 views
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Still renovating the stone walls.56 views
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Artist's rendition of what the completed reconstruction will look like.55 views
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Steps to the entrance of the turret.54 views
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Slit in the floor to drop stones and arrows.52 views
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This area in the Honmaru was the site of the castle palace.46 views
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My video of Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri in Aug. 2009.31 views
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