Most viewed - IBARAKI 茨城県 |
Plum Blossom Queen at Kairakuen Station1389 viewsShe was passing out maps of the garden. It was a nice touch to see two of these kimono beauties greeting us.
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Plum Blossom Queen1287 views
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Plum Blossom Queens in Kairakuen, Mito1199 views
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Plum Blossom Queens in Kairakuen, Mito857 views
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White plum blossoms, the most common variety, and with the sweetest aroma.672 views
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Closeup of red plum blossom634 views
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Closeup of white plum blossom554 views
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Cherry Blossom Room, Kobuntei Villa537 views
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Red and white plum blossoms458 views
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Kobuntei Villa, fusuma sliding door with painting of maple leaves451 views
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Kobuntei Villa426 views
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Inside the top floor of Kobuntei Villa422 views
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Kobuntei Villa421 views
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Natto fermented beans421 views
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Kobuntei Villa, fusuma sliding door with painting of fall leaves415 views
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Plum blossom-viewing picnickers410 views
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Kobuntei Villa, fusuma sliding door with painting of plum trees393 views
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Kobuntei Villa383 views
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Oarai Isosaki Shrine torii at sea367 views
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Getting to Mt. Tsukuba is easy by bus from Tsukuba Station's Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal. Tsukuba-san Shuttle buses going directly to Mt. Tsukuba leave every 30 min. on weekends or every hour during weekdays and non-peak hours.358 views
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Tokiwa Shrine, Mito337 viewsDedicated to Lord Mitsukuni Tokugawa, the second lord of Mito, and Nariaki Tokugawa, the ninth lord of Mito and the one who built Kairakuen Garden.
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Welcome to Ibaraki332 viewsTrain platform of Kairakuen Station.
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Kobuntei Villa326 views
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A big, two-day August festival in Tsukuba featuring diverse dance groups, bazaar, street performances, hula dancing, and food stalls. The climax is a nebuta parade in the evening. 300 viewsEverything is near Tsukuba Station (Tsukuba Express). Ever since the Tsukuba Express train line opened in 2005 from Akihabara, getting to Tsukuba is a breeze in about 45 min. Wide streets and sidewalks. The festival's main venue centered around this brown building which you see from Exit A5.
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Osaka-zuki red plum blossoms 大盃289 viewsOsaka-zuki
大盃
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271 views
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Bonsai plum trees269 viewsI bought one of these once and the flowers smelled good before they withred away. The tree also died soon afterward.
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Giant votive tablet (2006 is the year of the dog)269 views
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Map of Kairakuen, a garden built in 1841 by Tokugawa Nariaki (1800-1860), the ninth Lord of Mito. It is one of Japan's three most famous gardens.268 views
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Pinickers253 views
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Plum trees and Lake Senba253 views
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Kobuntei Villa253 views
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Pine trees and plum trees241 views
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Train platform of Kairakuen Station238 views
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Isosaki Shrine's second giant torii237 views
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Train platform of Kairakuen Station234 views
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Kairakuen Station231 viewsThis station, right before Mito Station, is open only during major flower seasons of Kairakuen.
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Higashi Mito Station (on the way to Oarai)231 views
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Oarai Isosaki Shrine's giant torii229 views
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Entrance to garden via Tokiwa Shrine. One of Japan's three most famous gardens, Kairakuen is especially noted for thousands of plum blossom trees which bloom in Feb. and March.227 viewsOne of Japan's three most famous gardens, Kairakuen is especially noted for thousands of plum blossom trees which bloom in Feb. and March.
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Plum tree grove, about a week too early.227 views
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Kobuntei Villa, fusuma sliding door with painting of azalea226 views
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Konan Shomu plum blossom 江南所無224 viewsPrunus mume Kounanshomu
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220 views
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Kobuntei Villa was originally built in 1842 by Tokugawa Nariaki (1800-1860), the ninth Lord of Mito. It was his summer villa.220 views
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My video of Matsuri Tsukuba and the Nebuta parade.219 views
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Plum grove218 views
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Bamboo grove218 viewsPine trees, bamboo, and plum blossoms are called Shochikubai in Japanese. This trio of trees is most famous.
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Crowd at Higashi-mon East Gate215 viewsThis was the defacto main gate and most crowded since it is closest to the train station.
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214 views
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Plum trees and Lake Senba213 views
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Natural spring (cold water)212 views
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Fantastically-shaped plum tree210 views
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Kobuntei Villa210 views
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207 views
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Plum trees and Lake Senba206 views
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Plum tree grove206 views
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When I was there, a helicopter hovered about Mt. Nantai to rescue an injured hiker. I took a bus back to Tsukuba Station.206 views
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205 views
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Isosaki Shrine205 views
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Torano-o plum blossom (Tiger's Tail) 虎の尾204 views
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Kobuntei Villa has exquisite Japanese-style paintings on paper sliding doors. Kobuntei was damaged by the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and was closed until early 2012 for repairs.202 views
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Omote-mon Gate202 viewsThis supposed to be the front gate.
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Kobuntei Villa202 views
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Plum tree and train201 views
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Kobuntei Villa200 views
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Map of central Tsukuba.200 views
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View from the top floor of Kobuntei Villa199 views
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Kobuntei Villa196 views
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View from the top floor of Kobuntei Villa196 views
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Path to natural spring195 views
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Balcony on the top floor of Kobuntei Villa193 views
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192 views
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Monument proclaiming Kairakuen as one of Ibaraki's 100 Best Sights192 views
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Kobuntei Villa, fusuma sliding door with painting of cherry blossoms192 views
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192 views
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Poem monument191 views
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Inside the top floor of Kobuntei Villa190 views
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189 views
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188 views
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Kobuntei Villa188 views
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Kobuntei Villa187 views
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View from the top floor of Kobuntei Villa187 views
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186 views
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185 views
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Kobuntei Villa184 views
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Kobuntei Villa184 views
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183 views
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Torii to Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine183 views
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Kobuntei Villa182 views
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181 views
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Matsuri Tsukuba posters178 views
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Kobuntei Villa177 views
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171 views
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View from the top floor of Kobuntei Villa170 views
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Kobuntei suffered quite a bit of damage during the big earthquake on March 11, 2011. Repairs have started in Sept. 2011, and they hope to reopen the Kobuntei by Feb. 2012.168 views
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Oarai Isosaki Shrine's giant torii153 views
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Oarai Isosaki Shrine torii at sea137 views
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Train back to Mito.137 views
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For the finale, all the giant nebuta gathered at the large intersection. They didn't do much.137 views
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Haneto135 views
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Nebuta face-off.134 views
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In Oshimizu Park were these nebuta tents where they store the nebuta floats. 大清水公演132 views
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A third giant nebuta depicts the Pharaoh Ramses II. Seeing an Egyptian theme on a Japanese float was interesting.129 views
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Rear view has a sleeping cat.129 views
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Oarai Isosaki Shrine torii at sea128 views
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A hula troupe dances next to a yosakoi group.128 views
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There are many things going on at the same time all day long for two days from 10 am to 9 pm. 127 views
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Rear view of Ramses II127 views
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A short walk away is this large road serving as a venue for numerous dance groups performing almost all day long. This is also where the nebuta floats would be paraded in the eveing.126 views
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The fourth giant nebuta was perhaps the most unique. It was made of inflatable vinyl. It is partially deflated here.126 views
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Resort hotel125 views
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Wave breakers125 views
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Dried fish125 views
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This is Tsukuba Center Hiroba, the central part of the festival where there are food stalls and information booth.125 views
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Center Hiroba outdoor stage センター広場特設ステージ125 views
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124 views
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This float by a junior high school.124 views
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Ika squid123 views
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It drizzled off and on during the day.123 views
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123 views
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Kabuki-like magician.123 views
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Street performer (Sign says, "Photography allowed.")123 views
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This small float by local Boy Scouts.123 views
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The beach122 views
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Then came this giant mikoshi portable shrine called the Tsukuba Manto Mikoshi. It doesn't seem to belong to any shrine. つくば万灯神輿122 views
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The mikoshi goes to meet the float.122 views
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Almost fully inflated.122 views
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The inflated nebuta comes around.122 views
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Ramses II122 views
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122 views
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Each giant nebuta float is preceded by a set of drums and drummers.122 views
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English translators available! I noticed quite a few foreigners in Tsukuba, a national science and technology research and academic center.121 views
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Inside the nebuta tent.121 views
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121 views
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The floats were covered with plastic due to drizzling rain.121 views
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120 views
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The first big one squeezes under the bridge. 120 views
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120 views
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Kids dancing120 views
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The slayed dragon exhaled smoke.120 views
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Tsukuba Tourism Ambassadors119 views
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What would a festival be without taiko drummers?119 views
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Chuo Park bazaar119 views
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A nice elevated walkway connected Chuo Park and the main festival area.119 views
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119 views
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At first glance, it looks very strange. But they soon inflated it.119 views
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Being inflated now.119 views
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119 views
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Hayashi festival music119 views
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Poor dragon119 views
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At the very end, despite the rain, they took off the vinyl.119 views
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Walking further down the Tsukuba Koen-dori road toward Oshimizu Park.118 views
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Another giant nebuta float.118 views
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118 views
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Banpaku Float118 views
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118 views
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Haneto dancers. Much fewer of them than in Aomori.118 views
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Quite dramatic indeed.118 views
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And other musicians.118 views
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Torii at sea117 views
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The program was called Happy Hawaiian Stage. ハッピーハワイアンステージ117 views
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Another one squeezes through. 117 views
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Haneto117 views
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Shoreline116 views
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116 views
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116 views
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From about 4 pm, they had the Matsuri Parade on the main road. まつりパレード 万博山車パレード116 views
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At first, I thought it looked kind of gimmicky, comical, and fake, but it turned out to be quite impressive.116 views
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116 views
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Rear view.116 views
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Isosaki Shrine torii115 views
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Seafood restaurants115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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115 views
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Too bad the plastic was on the floats. 115 views
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Oarai town114 views
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Anko seafood soup (miso-based)114 views
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On the other side of the underground train station is Chuo Park where Art Town Tsukuba and street performances were held. アートタウンつくば2009 ~大道芸フェスティバル~114 views
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The nebuta tents were built in late July. No kids around sketching the nebuta though, as they do in Aomori during the day.114 views
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Inside the nebuta tent was this nebuta float from Aomori, arrived earlier in Aug.114 views
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Monkey's underarm has patch-up work.114 views
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Without the plastic covering.114 views
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Another venue in Creo Square was this small outdoor stage featuring hula dancing all afternoon long by various groups. クレオ前広場113 views
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万博山車パレード113 views
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113 views
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Seafood restaurants112 views
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Patching up the damaged parts of the float. Apparently, it got damaged as it passed under a bridge that is a little too low for the giant nebuta.112 views
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At 5 pm, the Nebuta Parade started. It was kind of strange to see a nebuta parade in almost broad daylight. 112 views
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112 views
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112 views
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112 views
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Baby scallops111 views
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Street performers111 views
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Koma-inu lion dog and lanterns110 views
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110 views
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Fresh oysters109 views
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109 views
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Isosaki Shrine torii as seen from the beach105 views
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Path from shrine103 views
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Oarai Station103 viewsShort ride from Mito Station.
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Sign saying Oarai is famous for noren curtains.103 views
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Gate to Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Haiden Hall102 views
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Isosaki Shrine torii101 views
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101 views
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Shrine100 views
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The ropeway runs every 20 min. The fare is 600 yen one way.100 views
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Ferry port (service to Otaru, Hokkaido)99 views
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Observation tower at the beach and a symbol of Oarai99 views
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99 views
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Mt. Tsukuba ahead. It takes about 50 min. to reach Mt. Tsukuba by bus from Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal.97 views
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Tsutsujigaoka has a ropeway aerial tram terminal taking you up to Mt. Nyotai, Mt. Tsukuba's female peak. 女体山97 views
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97 views
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Boat museum within the shrine grounds96 views
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I got off the bus at Tsutsujigaoka, the last stop. I hiked it from Mt. Nyotai (female peak) to Mt. Nantai (male peak). It's also possible to do it in the opposite direction from Nantai to Nyotai. つつじヶ丘96 views
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Mt. Tsukuba has two peaks, Mt. Nantai (male peak) on the left and Mt. Nyotai (female peak) on the right. They are wedded peaks due to the wedded gods Izanami and Izanagi. 男体山 女体山93 views
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Lookout deck on Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.91 views
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Hanazono Shrine also has a version of the three monkeys here on the Honden shrine hall, but only half the mouth, only one ear, and only one eye are covered as you can see here. 91 views
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It's possible to climb up to Mt. Nyotai as well.90 views
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View from Mt. Nyotai.89 views
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Climbing up the peak of Mt. Nyotai.89 views
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People climbing on the narrow peak of Nyotai. Mt. Tsukuba is one of Japan's 100 Famous Peaks.89 views
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Views from the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.89 views
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89 views
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Tsutsujigaoka Ropeway Station below, as seen from the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.88 views
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Rock formation called Gama-ishi. ガマ石88 views
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Approaching Mt. Nyotai. Mt. Tsukuba is noted for fall leaves. But I was a little too late. The leaves here turn color earlier than on the plains. 女体山87 views
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Atop the summit of Mt. Nyotai on Mt. Tsukuba.87 views
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86 views
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From Mt. Nyotai, it's an easy hike but rocky trail to Mt. Nantai.86 views
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Between Mt. Nyotai and Nantai on Mt. Tsukuba is a row of tourist shops in this palce called Miyukigahara (御幸ケ原). That's Mt. Nantai in the background.86 views
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86 views
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At JR Isohara Station, our tokkyu express train back to Ueno, Tokyo.86 views
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View from Mt. Nyotai.85 views
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Mt. Nantai in the distance.85 views
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85 views
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The trail continues to a clearing in the middle of the two peaks.85 views
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The round building has a gift shop on the bottom, restaurant on the 2nd floor, and a revolving lookout deck on the roof (free admission).85 views
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Mt. Fuji as seen from Mt. Nyotai.84 views
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In the middle of the two peaks is another lookout deck and gift shops.84 views
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84 views
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View from Mt. Nantai on Tsukuba-san.84 views
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In Kita-Ibaraki, Hanazono Shrine's pregnant tree, now an object of worship for wannabe mothers and pregnant mothers for a safe childbirth. Near the first torii.84 views
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Hitachi-Otsu Ofune Matsuri fishing boat festival is Kita-Ibaraki's biggest festival, held only only once every five years on May 2 and 3 as the grand spring festival of Sawawachigi Shrine (佐波波地祇神社) in Otsu-cho, Kita-Ibaraki, Ibaraki Pre84 viewsHeld by local fishermen to pray for abundant fish and maritime safety. These photos were taken on May 3, 2019.
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Tsukuba-san Jinja Shrine's Nyotai Honden on Mt. Nyotai. It worships Izanami, wife of Izanagi.83 views
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83 views
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View from Miyukigahara.83 views
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83 views
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In Kita-Ibaraki, the Yo-soro Fishing History Museum's centerpiece exhibit is this wooden boat (祭事船) used in the Hitachi-Otsu Ofune Matsuri boat festival held every 5 years (常陸大津御船祭り). 83 views
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