Most viewed - Hikone 彦根市 |
Habatan is phoenix from Hyogo Pref. to promote a national sports meet. はばタン (兵庫)79 views
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Hikone Castle as seen from Genkyuen Garden during autumn at night.79 views
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Nakasendo Road78 views
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Zoom-in.78 views
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Dogs were fewer than cats. Kurawanko from Osaka. Based on the local dialectical word "Kurawanka" (Wanna eat?). くらわんこ (大阪 枚方宿鍵屋浦)78 views
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Trippy from Tottori Pref. トリピー (鳥取県)78 views
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Sagawan actually has two other siblings. she's the cute little sister.78 views
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Hikone Castle tower lit up at night.78 views
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These photos were taken on Nov. 3, 2009.78 views
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Moat has lotus.78 views
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Hikone City Hall77 views
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Ohmi Railways Toriimoto Station platform77 views
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Yume-Kyobashi Castle Road was closed off to traffic for this festival. First they were going to hold the festival at a shopping center, but switched to this place after realizing how popular the event would be.77 views
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Namu-kun is modeled after Shotoku Taishi who introduced Buddhism to Japan. Created by a Buddhist association in Nara in opposition to Sento-kun (see below). But Namu-kun and Sento-kun played together at this festival in peace.77 views
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Toshinaga-kun to promote the 400th anniversary of Takaoka, Toyama Pref. Based on Lord Maeda Toshinaga. 利長くん (富山 高岡市)77 views
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Moat of Nishinomaru Sanju-yagura turret.77 views
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Miss Plum Blossom from Mito, Ibaraki Pref. Mito's connection with Hikone lies in the radical samurai who assassinated Ii Naosuke near Edo Castle.77 views
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Scale model of original Nishinomaru Sanju-yagura turret.77 views
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Police station76 views
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Inside Japanese-style yakata-bune boat. Seats 11 people on tatami mats. The roof is very low. 彦根城お堀めぐり76 views
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Sento-kun was controversial because people thought the deer antlers were an insult to the Buddha. This controversy has ironically made this mascot the most popular and famous.76 views
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Iga city PR booth passing out tourist pamphlets.76 views
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Nishinomaru Sanju-yagura turret.76 views
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You can walk further to go behind Nishinomaru Sanju-yagura turret and this is what you will see.76 views
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Then the curtain was lifted to show all the mascot characters as the audience began snapping pictures in a frenzy.76 views
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Hiroshige's woodblock print of Takamiya (65th post town on the Nakasendo) from his Kisokaido series. Suzuka mountains in the background.76 views
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Postcard of Commodore Perry and Ii Naosuke to mark the 50th anniversary of Yokohama Port's opening in 1909.76 viewsAlso see Gotokuji temple in Setgaya, Tokyo where Naosuke is buried. http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=646
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Genkyuen Garden was designed to be enjoyed along a circular walking path.76 views
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Hikone Castle Moat Boat Ride Poster75 views
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Takamiya Shrine 高宮神社75 views
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"So what do you think of Sento-kun?" This event made news headlines on TV and in the newspapers.75 views
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Tiger75 views
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A few foreigners too.75 views
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Samurai laborers carrying luggage for a traveling daimyo.75 views
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Kyobashi Bridge goes to Yume-Castle Road which is a street of local shops and restaurants. In the moat, you might see a few black swans which were gifts from Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture.74 views
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One of many cats.74 views
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Inflatable mascot74 views
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Lake shore73 views
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Hikone View Hotel, formerly known as Hikone Prince Hotel.73 views
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Ohmi Railways Takamiya Station platform. Map73 views
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Introducing Sento-kun.73 views
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Yuru-kyara mascot characters on stage in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.73 views
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Sarugaku is a centuries-old form of entertainment and a precursor to Noh and Kyogen.73 views
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Foreigners carry the shishimai lion heads, but they did not perform with it.73 views
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Across the moat from Hikone Castle is Umoregi-no-ya, a house where Lord Ii Naosuke lived and trained in various arts from age 17 to 32. 埋木舎73 views
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Scale model of Genkyuen Garden next to Hikone Castle at the top of the picture. Garden has a large pond.73 views
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Island in the pond.73 views
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A baby sumo wrestler?72 views
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Cat mascots were numerous.72 views
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Sento-kun in front of his PR booth ogled by a large crowd. We couldn't touch him.72 views
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The crowd at its thickest.72 views
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Other animals included a racoon dog72 views
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Nishinomaru Sanju-yagura turret.72 views
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Behind Nishinomaru Sanju-yagura turret.72 views
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East entrance to Genkyuen Garden. Small admission charged or you can buy a combination ticket with the castle admission.72 views
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Toriimoto-juku is the sixty-third of the sixty-nine stations or shukuba post towns on the Nakasendo Road. It is the fourth Nakasendo station in Shiga (following Bamba-juku in Maibara), and one of ten Nakasendo stations in Shiga.71 views
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Ohmi Railways Toriimoto Station building71 views
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Ohmi Railways Takamiya Station71 views
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PR booth for Sento-kun and Nara.71 views
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Kawase Junior and Senior High School band.71 views
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Genkyu-en is a Japanese garden next to Hikone Castle. It was built as a castle garden in 1677 by Ii Naooki, the fourth lord of Hikone Castle. Hakkei-tei Summer House Map71 views
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In spring, white herons nest in the high trees of Genkyuen Garden.71 views
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Takamiya Shrine. On the Sunday closest to April 10, the shrine's spring festival is held with a procession featuring a giant taiko drum.70 views
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After the stage appearance, Sento-kun appeared in front of his PR booth on the street. A huge crowd again formed to see him.70 views
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Flags from sister cities.70 views
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Firemen70 views
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Genkyuen has miniature versions of Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi). This is one of them, modeled after the Seta Karahashi Bridge in Otsu.70 views
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About Rakurakuen Palace.70 views
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Rakurakuen or Keyali Goten palace has a few other buildings like the Jishin-no-Ma.70 views
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Biwako Shuko no Uta song monument for Verse 569 viewsAnother boat mate matched Oguchi's lyrics to the melody based on the old song called Water Lilies as modified by a young Chiaki Yoshida. It soon became a popular dormitory song.
The song became a national hit in 1971 when singer Tokiko Kato recorded it. Numerous famous Japanese singers and groups have since released cover versions of the song. The town of Imazu even holds an annual song contest in June when choir groups from around Japan sing the song in a competition. The town even has a museum dedicated to the song.
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Gate of the Honjin, the town's most exclusive lodge. The Honjin is gone, and only the gate remains.69 views
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Hiko-nyan did not walk around the road. He only appeared on stage as an "escort" for the mascots being introduced every 15 min. all day.69 views
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The quiet-motor Yakatabune boat is a replica of the daimyo's boat.69 views
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Singer Hashi Yukio then appeared on stage.69 views
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Castle parade route to Hikone Castle.69 views
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Heian Period (794-1185) women wearing veiled straw hats called ichime-gasa. 市女笠69 views
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Shrine maidens from Izumo69 views
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They fire their matchlock guns.69 views
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They hoist up the ladder for someone to climb up.69 views
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Dragon dance69 views
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Across the moat from Hikone Castle is Umoregi-no-ya, a reclusive house where Lord Ii Naosuke lived and trained in various arts from age 17 to 32. 埋木舎69 views
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Hakkei-tei69 views
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Hikone Castle69 views
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Site of Honjin Lodge68 views
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Road to Taga Taisha Shrine from Takamiya-juku68 views
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Site of the Waki Honjin on the right. 旧脇本陣68 views
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Kyobashi Bridge 京橋68 views
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Hikone Castle moat in autumn from Kyobashi Bridge.68 views
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Saba-tora Nana-chan is a cat with stripes from mackerel (saba). See the fish in her pouch. Promote Obama in Fukui Pref. さばトラななちゃん (福井 小浜市)68 views
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Tea house on Hosho-dai hill. This was used by the daimyo to entertain guests with good views of the garden. 鳳翔台68 views
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Biwako Shuko no Uta song monument map67 views
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Nakasendo Road in Takamiya-juku, Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.67 views
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On the right is a pine tree. A similar pine tree before this one was here when Emperor Meiji stayed over. An Imperial official told the temple to cut down the pine tree because it was a hindrance to the Emperor entering the temple.67 views
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The priest refused to cut down the pine tree. Turns out that Emperor Meiji did not mind walking around the tree to enter the temple.67 views
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Site of Takamiya Castle, now the Takamiya Primary School.67 views
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Everyone snap away with their camera phones when Sento-kun got on stage.67 views
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Lake Biwa as seen from Nishinomaru.67 views
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Ride the moat boat on the Inner Moat (内堀) around the Honmaru. Operates once an hour from 10 am to 3 pm. The 45-min. tour has a Japanese guide narrating the sights.67 views
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Always scenic to see Hikone Castle overlooking Genkyuen Garden.67 views
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Boat landing.67 views
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Inside Hosho-dai tea house. They actually serve tea for a fee. 鳳翔台67 views
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Entrance to Keyaki Goten Palace or Rakuraku-en. Completed in 1679 by the fourth castle lord Ii Naooki as a familiy residence. It took two years to build. It was highly admired for its beauty. 槻御殿67 views
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Low-cost tourist shuttle bus66 views
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Ohmi Railways Toriimoto Station building66 views
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Nakasendo Road in Takamiya-juku, the sixty-fourth post town on the Nakasendo Road. It was famous for Takamiya Jofu hemp cloth. Near the Ohmi Railways Takamiya Station.66 views
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Taga Taisha torii gate on Taga-michi road which goes to Taga Taisha Shrine in neighboring Taga town.66 views
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After visiting the Hikone Castle Tower. There are a few ways to exit. One way is going through this Otemon Gate to Kyobashi Bridge.66 views
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Some talking between Hashi and Miura. (The woman is the MC.)66 views
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Chief retainer who started the construction of Hikone Castle upon the wishes of Ii Naomasa. 家老の木俣守勝66 views
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Ii Clan's "Red Devil" samurai vassals wearing their trademark red armor.66 views
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Fireman's ladder66 views
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Hosho-dai 鳳翔台66 views
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The Takamiya Station building is also a Community Center with an information counter and exhibition space.65 views
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Lantern with Nakasendo Takamiya-juku written.65 views
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Hashi Yukio sings the "Yuru-kyara Ondo" in front of Yuru-Kyara characters in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.65 views
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Tourist Site Clean Campaign65 views
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Samurai wives65 views
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Dancers from Muromachi Period (1337-1573)65 views
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Banners with the crest of the Ii clan.65 views
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Sitting like royalty, local politicians such as the mayor sit in a special stand on the right in front of the horse stable. The rest of us stand and watch like peasants.65 views
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Hikone Traditional Fireman Preservation Group65 views
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Inside the entrance of Rakurakuen.65 views
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View from top floor of Hikone Castle's Nishinomaru turret.65 views
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View from top floor of Hikone Castle's Nishinomaru turret.65 views
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Takamiya Post Office and a giant torii for Taga Taisha Shrine.64 views
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Takamiya temple64 views
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Lake Biwa fishes64 views
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And there they are on stage in Hikone. Notably absent was Sento-kun from Nara. (Boy priest with antlers.)64 views
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Food mascots64 views
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A water drop and water faucet pose together.64 views
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About Kannon-dai temple 64 views
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Rakuraku-en or Rakuraku no Ma. In the 1800s, the 12th lord Ii Naoaki built an annex building called Rakuraku-en which faces the garden. 楽々園64 views
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Lake Biwa Rowing Song (Biwako Shuko no Uta) monument at Hikone Port. Map63 viewsIn June 1917, a song called Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song) was composed by college student Taro Oguchi during a boat rowing trip around Lake Biwa. He was a member of the rowing club at Dai-san High School (now Kyoto University). He composed it in Imazu, Shiga Prefecture during the second night of the trip.
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Taga Taisha's first torii. Takamiya-juku was also the entry town to Taga Taisha Shrine in neighboring Taga town.63 views
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Nakasendo Road in Takamiya-juku, near the Taga-michi road.63 views
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On the Nakasendo in Takamiya63 views
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Signs next to the torii63 views
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Kamiko Memorial63 views
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Nakasendo sign63 views
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Gate to Enshoji temple, established in 1498. It belongs to the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji Sect. 円照寺63 views
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Marker for Takamiya Castle63 views
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An outdoor tent art show.63 views
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The art theme was "Lake Biwa: Life-giving Water." The show was from June 1 to July 20, 2008.63 views
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Pig63 views
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Katsugi veiled kimono worn by the nobility in the Muromachi Period.63 views
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Ii Naotaka63 views
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Main building of Rakurakuen.63 views
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