 Most viewed - Hachioji 八王子市 |
Costume gals. Even these girls walked on the fire.933 views
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Dai-hiwatari Festival, Mt. Takao, Tokyo347 views
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Hiwatari fire-crossing festival, Mt. Takao, Tokyo334 views
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This is what it looked like by the time we got there. Hardly any fire. It was somewhat wet, and it did not feel hot or warm at all. Pretty disappointing...324 viewsThis is what it looked like by the time we got there. Hardly any fire. It was somewhat wet, and it did not feel hot or warm at all. Pretty disappointing...
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End of the walk. Again we dip our feet in salt. We all ended up with muddy feet. There was no place to wash our feet either. Bringing wet tissues is highly recommended if you plan to walk on the fire.319 views
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Before and after walking over the fire, they stick their feet into a pile of salt.314 views
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The festival site is a short walk from Takao-san-guchi Station. It's held in this large lot cordoned off by a sacred rope. This festival is held as a prayer for traffic safety, household safety, and personal safety. It is held by the Yakuoin Yukiji Te297 views
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297 views
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The Hachioji Matsuri is Hachioji's biggest event of the year. Held during the first weekend (Fri-Sun.) of Aug., it is basically a festival of ornate floats paraded around the main streets near JR Hachioji Station. 287 views
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Yamabushi--mountain ascetic priests. They carried a conch-shell-like instrument.286 views
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Head priest268 views
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The name of the festival is "Hiwatari," literally meaning fire crossing. They make a big fire, then allow people to walk over the embers. This is the centerpiece of the festival, a pile of cypress tree branches to be burned.249 views
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Tekomai at Hachioji Matsuri, Tokyo.230 views
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In the evening on the second day of Hachioji Matsuri is a large folk dance parade called Minyo Nagashi during 4 pm to 6 pm. 民踊流し204 views
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Taiko drummer at Hachioji Matsuri. She was very good.199 views
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This float had a group of tekomai women, Hachioji Matsuri.197 views
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Women in yukata watching the Hachioji Matsuri.193 views
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Everyone crosses barefoot, so we took off our shoes as we approached the fire crossing.189 views
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Back at the Yakuoin temple which belongs to the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. 薬王院188 views
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She was doing it to music. Hachioji Matsuri.187 views
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Very crowded at Hachioji Matsuri.187 views
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Shishimai lion dance, Hachioji Matsuri.181 views
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Pulling a float at Hachioji Matsuri.180 views
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After the priests, the general public is invited to stand in line and cross the fire for free.169 views
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Various ceremonies, rituals, and chanting takes place during one hour from 1 pm. Divine ax used to cut away earthly desires.153 views
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My YouTube video of the Hachioji Matsuri in 2009.151 views
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First the priests walked on the fire.148 views
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I always wondered how hot it was to walk on the fire, so this time I decided to walk over the fire just to see how much heat my feet could bear. Also see the video at YouTube.147 views
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First we pass through a gauntlet of chanters.142 views
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Poster for Hachioji Matsuri in 2009.142 views
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Priests parade back to temple.141 views
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This festival is held on the second Sunday every March at the foot of Mt. Takao. It takes less than an hour from Shinjuku via the Keio Line. Train fare is only 370 yen. The pile of tree branches is supported by a wooden framework. A priest pours kerosene.140 views
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He shoots an arrow into the pile from the four corners.139 views
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This long torch will be used to ignite the pile.139 views
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She was tossing out these paper things to the crowd.138 views
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Walking on fire138 views
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Then we stick our feet in salt.136 views
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Blessing the path135 views
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This priest splashed the boiling contents of this pot over himself.130 views
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Divine arrow to ward off any life-threatening devils. The festival is executed by the mountain ascetic priests called yamabushi.129 views
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Raking the fire. They are making the footpath for fire walkers.128 views
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End of the line. It reads, "Saikobi."125 views
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Raking the fire123 views
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After crossing the fire, each person is blessed by the head priest with a tap on the shoulder by a baton.123 views
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Long line: It took us over 30 minutes to reach the fire.122 views
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The pile is first ignited from two sides.119 views
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From the Edo Period, the festival was originally held by two local shrines, the Hachiman Yakumo Shrine and Taga Shrine. Both shrines are still involved, but today the festival is more of a community event organized by a large group of local organizations.114 views
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The pile catches fire very easily due to the kerosene. Even at this distance, it gets very hot. Also see the video at YouTube.113 views
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Near the train station is this diagonal road called "Yu Road" leading to the Koshu Kaido (Route 20) main road where the festival is held. 111 views
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I went on the second day years ago, and on the third day on Aug. 9, 2009. The second day features a parade of the 19 floats. The festival attracted over 600,000 people during the three days in Aug. 2009.109 views
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Coming down on Yu Road.109 views
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Koshu Kaido is filled with people during the mikoshi procession.108 views
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Minyo Nagashi folk dancing at Hachioji Matsuri, Tokyo.105 views
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JR Hachioji Station is a very busy train station.104 views
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JR Hachioji Station is decorated with Hachioji Matsuri paper lanterns. The station also had a festival information booth where you could obtain free festival maps/pamphlets and information (in Jaoanese).103 views
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All-female mikoshi bearers.102 views
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Yu Road is a shopping road.101 views
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The floats have a masked person dancing as a fox, etc. They are messengers of the gods.100 views
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A float procession is ready to walk down Yu Road at 5 pm.99 views
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Mikoshi bearers99 views
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During the Edo Period, the floats originally had dolls. But since the late Meiji Period, the floats have become sculptured wooden floats. Eight of the floats were lost during World War II, but they were rebuilt. So some of them look quite new. 99 views
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99 views
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There are 19 floats (dashi). Nine of them belong to the Shimo-chiku area of Hachiman Yakumo Shrine in the east part of the city. And ten of them are from the west part (Kami-chiku) under Taga Shrine.98 views
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Geisha-like musicians, playing the samisen.98 views
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Taiko drummer at Hachioji Matsuri.97 views
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Flute players97 views
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One traditional float featuring dolls.97 views
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The second day also has a taiko drumming contest for the Kanto region.96 views
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On the Koshu Kaido main road, they started a mikoshi (portable shrine) procession from 5 pm on the third day.96 views
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After the buttsuke meeting, the floats disband into the street.96 views
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Back to the more crowded Shimo-chiku was a meeting of nine floats at 7:45 pm. They were together for 30 min. 山車年番送り 札の辻96 views
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Earlier during the third day, they had Shishimai lion dances by this pair of lions displayed here.95 views
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A girl twirling a decorative pole.94 views
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Tekomai94 views
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One float had a group of geisha-like musicians.94 views
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Then at 6 pm, they held a "buttsuke" meeting between a few floats which performed at an intersection. This was at the Yokoyama-tsuji intersection. ぶっつけ93 views
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Sometimes two floats would meet up again and perform together.92 views
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They pulled the floats up and down the main road.92 views
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White fox92 views
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Another float procession.88 views
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Now this is the Kami-chiku (上地区) section of Koshu Kaido where more floats were being paraded. However, I noticed that there were fewer people here. It's further away from the train station.86 views
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Two floats in Kami-chiku.86 views
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There are always people riding on the roof of the floats.83 views
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Finally, the floats disbanded as they left one by one.83 views
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Hachioji manhole cover. It depicts a Sanbaso dancer (三番叟). Sanbaso is a well-known dancer in Noh and kabuki. He comes from a Noh prayer dance called Okina (翁) dating from the 14th century as a religious ritual. 33 viewsHachioji's manhole shows the Sanbaso as a Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo puppet (八王子車人形). It's a unique offshoot of bunraku puppetry performed by a troupe based in Hachioji.
Here's a video that shows exactly what it is: https://youtu.be/XV8gVw5Rhwg
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On the top of Kogesawa Bairin, there are benches and picnic area near the plum trees. 7 views
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Red plum blossoms really stand out.6 views
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Takao Baigo was established in 1964 by a local tourist group. They happened to have multiple plum groves in this area, so they decided to market them together as a tourist attraction named "Takao Baigo" (Takao Plum Blossom Area).5 views
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Takao Baigo stone monument at Takao Ume-no-Sato Machi-no-Hiroba.5 views
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Walking to Kogesawa Bairin.4 views
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The plum grove has walking paths across the slope.4 views
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Top of Kogesawa plum grove hill has this small area for picnickers. A few benches and tree stumps to sit on. Good idea to bring takeout food. Pleasant to have lunch here.4 views
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Steps going down hill of plum trees at Kogesawa Bairin.4 views
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Kogesawa Bairin4 views
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Kogesawa Bairin4 views
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Bus stop4 views
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Other end of Surusashi Bairin.4 views
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Yunohana Bairin4 views
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A grove named Takao Ume-no-Sato Machi-no-Hiroba. 4 views
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Go up the hill to see the shrine.4 views
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Walking path along the river.4 views
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This is near the entrance to this walking path.4 views
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Entrance to the walking path to see Yuhodo Bairin (遊歩道梅林). From Takao Station, it's a 15-min. walk to here.4 viewsThe path goes along the river and you can walk all the way to Kogesawa Bairin on the far end, about 5 km away. It would take about 90 min. one way. Then take the bus back to Takao Station.
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Yuhodo Bairin. There's usually a Plum Blossom Matsuri festival on one of the weekends, but it was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to Covid-19.4 views
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Takao Baigo is in the area of the famous Mt. Takao. It's an area with several plum blossom groves mainly along a road called Kyu-Koshu Kaido (旧甲州街道) near JR Takao Station and Keio Line Takaosanguchi Station. 3 views
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Takao Baigo is in the area of the famous Mt. Takao. Plum blossoms here bloom in March, so if you were too busy to see plum blossoms in Feb., you can still see the ume blossoms in mountainous western Tokyo.3 views
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When I took the bus from Takao Station in mid-morning, it was packed even on a weekday during peak bloom.3 views
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You can see the plum groves either from the start of the road or from the end of the road where the largest plum grove is located. I took the bus to the end and walked back toward the train station.3 views
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If you want to see the largest plum grove first (Kogesawa Bairin), get off here at the Oshimo stop (大下). Takes about 20-30 min. from Takao Station.3 views
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Kogesawa Bairin is on a hillside with walking paths along the trees. Mostly white plum blossoms, but a few red and pink flowers too. ("Bairin" means "plum grove.")3 views
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Top of Kogesawa Bairin with benches and picnic area near the plum trees. 3 views
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Top of Kogesawa Bairin.3 views
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Top of Kogesawa Bairin. Plum tree branches seem to grow in random directions, but the tree always maintains its balance.3 views
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Plum trees also have lichens growing on the trunk and branches. These lichens form on plum trees in rural areas. We don't see them on plum trees in the city because exhaust fumes from vehicles kill them. 3 viewsSo if you see these lichens on plum trees, it means the surrounding environment is very clean. (Parmotrema tinctorum ウメノキゴケ)
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Looking down the hillside of white plum trees.3 views
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Some plum trees with pruned branches. May they flower again someday.3 views
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Kogesawa Bairin3 views
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Kogesawa Bairin plum grove at Takao Baigo, Hachioji, Tokyo.3 views
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Walked further along the road for the next grove named Yunohana Bairin (湯の花梅林). 3 views
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Yunohana Bairin3 views
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Riverside path map.3 views
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Map of Takao Baigo.3 views
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Next plum grove was Tenjin Bairin. It's somewhat hidden behind trees, but there's a sign and bridge to get there.3 views
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About Takao Tenmangu Shrine. Plum blossoms are associated with Sugawara Michizane because he once wrote a poem for his beloved plum blossoms that "flew through the air" to follow him when he was exiled to Dazaifu, Fukuoka.3 views
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People in this Takao area have been worshipping Tenjin for centuries. Most all Tenmangu/Tenjin shrines (thousands of them) have plum blossoms.3 views
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Next to Tenjin Bairin is this reforestation area.3 views
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Toward the end (or beginning) of the trail are more plum blossoms called Yuhodo Bairin (遊歩道梅林).3 views
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Yuhodo Bairin (遊歩道梅林)3 views
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Yuhodo Bairin (遊歩道梅林)3 views
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Yuhodo Bairin (遊歩道梅林)3 views
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Plum blossom bus at Takao Station (North exit). They have two buses running at the same time between Takao Station (North exit) and the plum groves. 3 views
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JR Takao Station. Takes a little over an hour from Tokyo Station on the JR Chuo Line.2 views
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JR Takao Station. Get out the north exit (Kitaguchi).2 views
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Buses run only once an hour on weekdays and two or three times per hour on weekends. Take the bus going to Kobotoke (小仏).2 views
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From the Oshimo bus stop, walking to Kogesawa Bairin. A short walk.2 views
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Gate to Kogesawa Bairin. All the plum groves have free admission. Kogesawa Bairin is open to the public only when the flowers are on bloom. Otherwise, it's closed to the public (surrounded by a fence).2 views
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Top of Kogesawa Bairin. 2 views
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The grove is near the mountains, so there's a nice backdrop.2 views
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Walking path near the Chuo Expressway.2 views
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Kogesawa Bairin from outside the fence at ground level.2 views
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After Kogesawa Bairin, walked along on Kyu-Koshu Kaido road to see more plum groves.2 views
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It's a quiet, rural, residential area along a small river. As you keep walking, you see plum trees here and there.2 views
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Surusashi Bairin has just one main path in the middle. The Chuo Expressway (goes to Nagoya via Nagano) is in the background.2 views
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Surusashi Bairin2 views
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Surusashi Bairin2 views
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Since they are so few in Takao, the red plums really stand out.2 views
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Yunohana Bairin2 views
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Riverside path.2 views
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Takao Ume-no-Sato Machi-no-Hiroba is more for picnicking.2 views
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Takao Ume-no-Sato Machi-no-Hiroba2 views
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Homes along the river.2 views
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However, it seems most people first take the bus from Takao Station to Kogesawa Bairin and then start from there which is what I did.2 views
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Yuhodo Bairin (遊歩道梅林)2 views
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Takao Baigo is near JR Takao Station and Keio Line Takaosanguchi Station. JR Takao Station has this giant tengu mask on the platform. Mt. Takao, which has long been a sacred mountain, supposed to be where one of the major tengu dwells. 1 viewsSo the tengu is a local symbol.
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Bus stops between the two nearest train stations and Takao Baigo.1 views
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Walking up to the top of Kogesawa Bairin along this path on the periphery.1 views
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Kogesawa Bairin is on a hillside.1 views
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Kogesawa Bairin hillside walking path.1 views
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Another nice spot for a picnic.1 views
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Kogesawa Bairin1 views
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Kogesawa Bairin plum grove at Takao Baigo, Hachioji, Tokyo.1 views
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Kogesawa Bairin1 views
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