 Most viewed - Nihondaira & Kunozan Toshogu Shrine 日本平・久能山東照宮 |
From Shizuoka Station (bus stop 19), it takes 35 min. by bus to Nihondaira. The bus comes to this Nihondaira Park Center. From here, you can easily walk to the points of interest.567 views
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Mt. Fuji as seen from Nihondaira's Ginbodai. Even sunny days can be hazy, but at least Mt. Fuji was visible when I went in mid-March. It was too hazy to see the Izu Peninsula.269 views
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Mt. Fuji as seen from Nihondaira.262 views
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Parking area for people going to Nihondaira via the steps up the mountain. Near here is the bus stop for Shizuoka Station.248 views
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Torii with Kunozan in the background.215 views
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Stone torii 山下石鳥居200 views
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Map of Kunozan Toshogu Shrine. It's not as big as it looks. The shrine is one of Nihondaira's main attractions. It was the original burial site of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The shrine was built by his son Hidetada.190 views
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Honden Hall of Kunozan Toshogu Shrine at Nihondaira, Shizuoka. The shrine's focal point and most magnificent building. Important Cultural Property.162 views
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The shrine looks spanking new and the colors are very impressive. It cost 1,300,000,000 yen to restore the lacquer and paint.160 views
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Hiroshige's woodblock print of Miho no Matsubara Beach and Mt. Fuji from his "Famous Views of the 60 Provinces" series.151 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb at Kunozan Toshogu148 views
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Kunozan Toshogu Shrine was built 19 years before the famous Nikko Toshogu Shrine (Tochigi Prefecture) which is where Ieyasu was reburied. According to his will, Ieyasu wanted to be buried on Kunozan. Before the shrine, there was a temple and a castle here147 views
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One main attraction of Nihondaira is views of Mt. Fuji and Miho no Matsubara on sunny days. If it's really sunny, you can also see the Izu Peninsula.146 views
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Nihondaira is a plateau 308 meters high. It affords great views almost all around. There are a few lookout points on Nihondaira and this is one of them on Nihondaira's peak. Called Ginbodai.146 views
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Mt. Fuji as seen from the Eastern Lookout Deck. This is one place where you would want to visit on a clear day. Otherwise, you won't see Mt. Fuji.139 views
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Admission to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine is 500 yen (or 800 yen if you also want to see the museum). It's worth it. After paying admission, you see this Romon Gate which is an Important Cultural Property. 楼門133 views
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View of Mt. Fuji from Nihondaira130 views
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Carving on Romon Gate. If you've been to Nikko Toshogu Shrine, many architectural and artistic elements here at Kunozan will look familiar.125 views
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125 views
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Monument on the peak of Nihondaira. It says "Ginbodai." 吟望台124 views
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Handprint of Tokugawa Ieyasu displayed behind Romon Gate.122 views
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Map of Nihondaira. It's not as spread out as it looks. Everything is within easy walking distance. If you visit in Feb., see the ume plum trees in bloom.121 views
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Off of Shimizu Port is Miho no Matsubara, a pine-clad, slither of land jutting into the ocean. 120 views
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Another lookout deck is this Higashi Tenbodai or Eastern Lookout Deck. 東展望台119 views
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Not much inside the Tea Hall which sells some tea.115 views
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Nihondaira was designated as a National Scenic Site in 1963 by the Japanese government. This high and flat plateau was recognized for its grand views all around, especially of Mt. Fuji. It also includes Mt. Kunozan, home of Toshogu Shrine.114 views
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Another lookout deck on top of a souvenir shop. Free admission. Go up to the 4th floor.114 views
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Plum garden marker114 views
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111 views
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Torii111 views
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Plum trees110 views
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Tea Hall (Cha Kaikan) 茶会館109 views
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Yet another Nihondaira stone marker.109 views
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By coincidence, a newly married couple disembarked from the ropeway after their wedding held at Kunozan Toshogu Shrine. We clapped for them.108 views
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Mt. Kunozan probably got its name from Kunoji temple built by Kuno Tadahito in 600. The temple suffered a fire in 1225. In 1568, Takeda Shingen moved the temple to Shimizu and built a castle on Kunozan. 108 views
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Nihondaira marker106 views
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Statue of a mother and child. Based on the famous children's song called "Akai Kutsu" (Red Shoes). The song was modeled after a little girl who was from Shimizu, Shizuoka. The sculpture was made in 1986.106 views
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Nihondaira Ropeway operates from 9:10 am to 5:15 pm (till 4:15 pm in winter months).106 views
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Shimizu Port and Miho no Matsubara beyond it. Miho Peninsula is also home of one of Japan's swan maiden legends. There's even a shrine dedicated to the swan maiden.105 views
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Back at the Nihondaira Park Center (next to the bus stop), there are souvenir shops and a ropeway station to go to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine.105 views
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Nihondaira Ropeway costs 550 yen one way (1000 yen round trip). If you go to Nihondaira by bus, you can take a bus back from Kunozan instead of going back to the Nihondaira bus stop.105 views
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Purification water fountain is an Important Cultural Property.105 views
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Lion dog painting on the Hionden Hall.104 views
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Nihondaira monument and Mt. Fuji.103 views
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View from the Eastern Lookout Deck on Nihondaira. 102 views
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Nihondaira monument in the parking lot.102 views
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Lock your heart.102 views
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Nihondaira Ropeway to Kunozan. The ropeway ride is only only 5 min. It runs quite often.102 views
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About Kunozan Toshogu Shrine in English.102 views
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Lookout deck102 views
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Lots of antenna atop Nihondaira.101 views
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101 views
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View of Nihondaira's parking lot and Mt. Fuji.100 views
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View of central Shizuoka city from Nihondaira Park Center.100 views
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Site of a five-story pagoda which had to be torn down in 1873 when Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples had to be separated. (A pagoda is a Buddhist structure.)99 views
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Honden roof99 views
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97 views
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I went on a Sunday and it was noisy with all these motorcycles and sports cars buzzing around. They catch their thrills on the curving roads of Nihondaira.97 views
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Riding the Nihondaira Ropeway to Kunozan. Built in 1957, the ropeway is 1,065 meters long.97 views
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Ieyasu plum tree97 views
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97 views
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Mt. Fuji as seen from Yui.97 views
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Song monument96 views
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In 1582, the Takeda clan was defeated and Kunozan fell to the Tokugawa. Kunozan Toshogu Shrine was built in 1617 by Tokugawa Hidetada to bury and deify his father Tokugawa Ieyasu.96 views
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Sacred horse stable. (Mannequin horse)96 views
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96 views
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Carving96 views
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About Kunozan Toshogu Shrine in Japanese.95 views
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Karamon Gate entrance to the Haiden Hall. The ornate Karamon Gate is an Important Cultural Property. However, we are not allowed to enter through this gate. 拝殿95 views
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Side gate to the Haiden and Honden Halls.95 views
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They repaint and lacquer the shrine only once every 50 years. It takes several years to complete the job and they just finished it in 2006.95 views
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Honden Hall roof95 views
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95 views
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Inside Kunozan Toshogu Shrine Museum, articles belonging to Ieyasu are displayed. If you're Spanish, you'd be interested in seeing the Spanish clock owned by Ieyasu. Admission charged.95 views
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But I did find a plum tree with flowers. Smells nice.94 views
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Lover's Monument near the Nihondaira ropeway.94 views
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Hieda Shrine is what you see before the Honden main hall.94 views
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Side gate roof94 views
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94 views
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94 views
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Karamon Gate's ornate roof.93 views
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Kaguraden Hall for sacred dances is also an Important Cultural Property. 神楽殿93 views
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Tokugawa crest on this rain catcher.93 views
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Honden Hall93 views
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93 views
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It might take at least 30 min. to go up these steps, 1,159 steps spanning 760 meters with 17 switchbacks.93 views
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Nihondaira ume plum grove. Flowers already withered by the time I was there in mid-March. 日本平梅園92 views
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There's also a lookout deck on the roof of the Nihondaira Park Center.92 views
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Kunozan in the distance. You can see Kunozan's sloping peak on which Kunozan Toshogu Shrine is built. Its elevation is 270 meters.92 views
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Kunozan is accessible by ropeway (aerial tram) from Nihondaira or by winding steps going up on the other side from the coastal road.92 views
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Kunozan Toshogu is designated as an Important Cultural Property, but unlike the Nikko Toshogu, there are no National Treasures (except in the museum).92 views
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Side gate to Honden92 views
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Plum garden marker92 views
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Shizuoka city91 views
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The Nihondaira Ropeway goes over Byobu-dani Valley, noted for rock formations resembling folding screens (byobu).91 views
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Roof tiles are decorated with the Tokugawa crest.91 views
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Tokugawa crest91 views
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91 views
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91 views
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91 views
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Stone steps going down to the coast. It takes about 20 min. to go down these stone steps to the bottom. There are 1,159 stone steps which don't mean much unless you're climbing up.91 views
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Roof corner90 views
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90 views
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90 views
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View from Karamon Gate90 views
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90 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb at Kunozan Toshogu. The tomb actually faces west, toward Okazaki in Aichi Prefecture where Ieyasu was born. 神廟90 views
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Kunozan Toshogu Shrine Museum has about 2,000 pieces in its collection of mostly everyday things used by Ieyasu and other Tokugawa shoguns. Besides swords, there are Western articles. 博物館90 views
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View from lookout deck90 views
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Gate keeper station 門衛所90 views
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Kunozan is right next to the coast. That's the Pacific Ocean.89 views
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Side gate89 views
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89 views
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It takes about 30 processes to restore the lacquer.89 views
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Approach to Ieyasu's tomb89 views
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Nice view from the stone steps. Those vinyl houses are growing strawberries which are sold everywhere at the foot of Kunozan during Jan. to May.89 views
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Side gate roof.88 views
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Karamon Gate door carving88 views
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88 views
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88 views
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Yui is so scenic that Hiroshige made a ukiyoe print of it in his Tokaido series.88 views
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Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb at Kunozan Toshogu87 views
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86 views
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Honden Hall86 views
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86 views
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Gate to Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb is also an Important Cultural Property. 廟所86 views
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86 views
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Stone steps 石段86 views
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Plexiglass protects the lower carvings.85 views
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85 views
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85 views
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Hiroshige's woodblock print of Ejiri (19th post town on the Tokaido) from his "Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido Road" series. Miho no Matsubara in the background.85 views
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Yui with a view of Mt. Fuji.82 views
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Near Nihondaira is Yui, a scenic point on the coast accessible by car.77 views
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