Most viewed - Best of Shiga Prefecture |
About 40 rowers from overseas rowed around Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, Japan on June 5-11, 2011 for the annual FISA World Rowing Tour held for the first time in Asia. Schedule and map for June 5, the first day of rowing. They started from Otsu. 361 views
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Farewell, and thank you everyone for visiting Japan and Shiga Prefecture. We are all happy you had a great time here. Hope you visit again because we have a lot more than just Lake Biwa, Enryakuji, and Hikone Castle. And spread the word about Shiga.293 views
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"Tell your friends back home that JAPAN IS FINE!!" says Masaki Unose, tour director. Shiga was totally safe from any radiation. I was disappointed in Shiga's tourism bureau and other organizations which failed to assert that Shiga was safe 266 views
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And who knows when another FISA World Rowing Tour will be held again in Japan. Not anytime soon as there are many other significant countries in Asia.252 views
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Southeastern shore of Lake Biwa208 viewsAs seen from Mt. Hiei Driveway. Kusatsu and Moriyama are in view.
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View from Mt. Hiei188 views
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Northern Lake Biwa (Sugaura)177 views
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Near Imazu, Takashima174 views
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Otsu shoreline and Mt. Hiei169 viewsAs seen from the Otsu Prince Hotel.
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Takatsuki-cho168 views
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Sugaura in northern Lake Biwa163 views
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Near Sugaura in northern Lake Biwa162 views
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Lake Biwa has the North Basin and South Basin with the Biwako Ohashi Bridge as the border. Seta River is the only outflowing river.141 views
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Lake Biwa is near the center of Honshu island between Nagoya and Kyoto.138 views
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Here are two versions of Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景) by Hiroshige. The main complaint is that they center on Otsu in the southern half of Shiga. No scenes from northern Shiga. Autumn Moon at Ishiyama119 views
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This is how Lake Biwa compares to Tokyo in area.104 views
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Shirahama Beach along the lake's western shore.103 views
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Hot rowers in a cool Lake Biwa.98 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu98 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu97 views
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Ganbaro Nippon! stickers on oars.95 views
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According to legend, two high mountains in northern Shiga argued over who was the highest in Shiga. One of the mountains got so upset by the argument that he drew a sword and sliced off the other mountain's peak...94 views
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Boat houses at Imazu. The boat house on the right includes two fixed-seat wooden boats based on a design dating back to 1917. Photos of fixed-seat boats here.93 views
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Seta Rowing Club front a small canal connected to Lake Biwa.89 views
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89 views
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85 views
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Sugaura85 views
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84 views
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Heading for Sugaura, a small lakeside village. From Sugaura, there's a scenic road going up the mountains called Oku-Biwako Parkway. Part of the road is visible here.83 views
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Group photo on the steps going to Monjuro tower.83 views
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June 9, 2011 (Day 6): Nagahama Port at around 8 am. This was the only day I accompanied the rowers on a motorboat to take pictures and videos.83 views
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83 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu83 views
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82 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Returning Boats at Yabase82 views
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Seta Rowng Club members in kimono.81 views
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Passengers sit on the floor like in a Japanese room and have lunch as they ride through reed fields in and around Lake Nishinoko in Omi-Hachiman.81 views
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And everyone formed a circle and danced. All the rowers who came to Japan were very happy that they decided to come. They all had an unforgettable experience. It's too bad there were many people who canceled their trip. They really missed out...81 views
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Funazushi fermented carp fish.81 views
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Koto lesson.80 views
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Captain's meeting. They wear Chinaman hats.80 views
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June 6, 2011 (Day 3): Beach in front of Hotel Laforet.80 views
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Rest stop in Sugaura.80 views
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Chikubushima is also home to Tsukubusuma (Chikubushima) Shrine which is also a National Treasure.80 views
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June 6, 2011 (Day 3): Rowing from Moriyama to Imazu. They made history by being the largest (around 40) and perhaps only group from overseas to row completely around Lake Biwa.79 views
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Landing at the beach in front of Hotel Laforet.79 views
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Goshu Ondo folk dance native to Shiga was performed.79 views
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Shirahige Shrine torii, Takashima. One of Lake Biwa's best-known landmarks. It faces the shrine on land. Rent a bicycle or go by taxi from Omi-Takashima Station (Kosei Line).79 views
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Welcome Ceremony at LaForet Hotel in Moriyama. The tour was supposed to have 60 rowers, but many cancelled due to the sensationalized Fukushima radiation scare without understanding that Shiga was unaffected.78 views
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78 views
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Shiga does have dragon boat races. Dragon boats are fun because anybody can row on it.78 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Evening Glow at Seta78 views
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Ukimido floating temple in Katata, one of Shiga's most famous and picturesque buildings. One of the eight Omi Hakkei Views made famous by ukiyoe prints by Hiroshige.78 views
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77 views
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Marker and sign indicating the site of the Ii clan residence in Edo (Tokyo) during the feudal era.76 views
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Beach in front of Hotel Laforet.76 views
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Lunch at Shirahama.76 views
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Group photo in Nagahama.76 views
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Zazen meditation lesson at Enryakuji temple. Mt. Hie is the birthplace of Japanese Buddhism as many founders of Japanese Buddhist sects once trained on Mt. Hiei. 76 views
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Mt. Hie is on the border between Shiga and Kyoto. The east side of Mt. Hie is in Shiga, while the west side is in Kyoto. Enryakuji is on the east side in Shiga and also accessible from Kyoto.76 views
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The island is noted for its giant stone monument inscribed with the prayer words "Namu Myo-horenge-kyo" from the Lotus Sutra.76 views
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June 9, 2011 (Day 6): Rowing from Nagahama to Hikone (Satsuma Beach).75 views
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Photo taken from Omi Ohashi Bridge.75 views
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Arriving at Sugaura for a rest stop. Sugaura is one of the best areas of northern Lake Biwa with a nice lakeshore road and trail almost to the tip of the peninsula. It's a quiet and scenic place.75 views
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June 8, 2011 (Day 5): Day trip to Enryakuji temple on Mt. Hie in Otsu. This is the cable car station at Sakamoto, at the foot of Mt. Hie (Hie-zan) in western Shiga.75 views
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Lunch at Enryakuji.75 views
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The Seta Rowing Club is in eastern Otsu. It has a two-story clubhouse and an annex for storing more boats. It fronts a small canal connected to the lake.74 views
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Passing by Shirahige Shrine in Takashima, western Lake Biwa.74 views
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The brown building is the Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel.74 views
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74 views
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Buddhist cuisine called "shojin ryori" which is vegetarian.74 views
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Leaving Matsubara Beach in Hikone.74 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu74 views
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Nakasendo Road: Toriimoto (Hikone). The sixty-third of the sixty-nine stations or shukuba post towns on the Nakasendo Road.74 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Evening Bell at Miidera Temple74 views
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Lake Biwa (blue) in Shiga Prefecture highlighted in pink.74 views
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73 views
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Rowing on dragon boats from Ogoto to Katata.73 views
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73 views
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73 views
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73 views
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The cormorant birds inhabit parts of the island inaccessible to humans. Besides ruining the greenery on the island, they also gobble up the fish in the lake, seriously affecting the local fishermen.73 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Descending Geese at Katata73 views
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Rowers casting off at Seta Rowing Club.72 views
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72 views
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72 views
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Inside the cable car going up to Enryakuji temple. One of the largest temple complexes in Japan, Enryakuji is the headquarters of the Tendai Buddhist sect atop Mt. Hie in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. 72 views
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72 views
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72 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu72 views
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June 11, 2011 (Day 8): Rowing from Moriyama to Otsu (Seta River). Shiga Prefecture is one of Japan's 47 prefectures. A prefecture is similar to a US state like California, Texas, etc.71 views
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T-shirt with "Biwako" written was given to all rowers. "Biwako" means Lake Biwa. Rowing is most common at the southern tip of the lake, along Seta River in the capital city of Otsu. A few rowing clubs row partially around the lake. 71 views
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Leaving Imazu.71 views
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71 views
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71 views
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Leaving Nagahama.71 views
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Arriving at the boat landing for the Scenic Water Channel boat ride (Suigo Meguri) in Omi-Hachiman.71 views
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Buffet of sushi, sandwiches, etc.71 views
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Nakasendo Road: Echigawa (Aisho), the 65th post town on the Nakasendo. A bridge across Echigawa River. It was toll-free (Muchin-bashi). On the left across the river is Mt. Kannonji (Kinugake).71 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Night Rain at Karasaki. The print made the Karasaki pine tree at Karasaki Shrine famous.71 views
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June 4, 2011 (Day 1) started with a reception at LaForet Hotel in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture.70 views
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70 views
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70 views
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70 views
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Nakasendo Road: Imasu (Gifu, on the border with Shiga). Shows the border between Imasu and Kashiwabara. There is an inn on the Imasu side (left) and Kashiwabara side.70 viewsNemonogatari-no-Sato is where the prefectural boundary between Gifu and Shiga is located. The inns are no longer here, but guests at both inns used to talk to each other across the border before sleeping.
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69 views
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The western shore of Lake Biwa has many white sand beaches.69 views
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The rear of Chikubushima island is still recovering from wilted trees caused by tens of thousands of cormorant birds.69 views
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69 views
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Portable boat landing decks (in blue) were used.69 views
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JCMU is an educational facility for college students mainly from Michigan to study in Japan. Shiga and the US state of Michigan are sister states. Many cities in Shiga have sister-city ties with cities in Michigan.69 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka). A summer scene of a few women drying gourd shavings to make kanpyo. Minakuchi-juku was the fiftieth of the fifty-three stations of the Tokaido Road.69 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Clearing Storm at Awazu69 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Descending Geese at Katata69 views
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Northern Lake Biwa as seen from Mt. Shizugatake.69 views
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Masaki Unose, tour director and member of the Seta Rowing Club in Otsu, gives a welcome speech. The rowing tour was organized and hosted by the Seta Rowing Club.68 views
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Katata is on the west end of Biwako Ohashi Bridge, opposite of Moriyama where the hotel was. The ferris wheel was part of an amusement park which closed over 10 years ago. It has been rusting and abandoned since.68 views
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Omi-Maiko Beach, a rest stop.68 views
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Arriving at Nagahama Port. Nagahama is one of Shiga's major cities and covers northern Shiga almost entirely. Chikubushima is also part of Nagahama.68 views
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Isakiji temple has a 13-meter long plank jutting above the lake in the city of Omi-Hachiman.68 views
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A Japanese tradition of smashing open a barrel of sake or rice wine. The stack of square wooden cups on the right emblazoned with "FISA World Rowing Tour in Biwako" was also given as a souvenir to the rowers.68 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu68 views
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67 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu67 views
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Chikubushima67 views
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Uminoko Floating School operates overnight cruises for 5th graders to learn about Lake Biwa.67 views
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"Ganbaro" means, "do your best and don't give up." This is the slogan for people affected by the earthquake and tsunami which occurred in northern Japan.66 views
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Shirahige Shrine's torii gate in the lake is one of Lake Biwa's best-known landmarks. It faces the shrine on land.66 views
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Departing Imazu.66 views
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Chikubushima island in the background with Mt. Ibuki, Shiga's highest mountain (in Maibara), on the right.66 views
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Although it was during the rainy season, the rowers endured minimal rain and bad weather. The tour went on every day as scheduled. If it were Aug., it would have been really hot and humid.66 views
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Leaving Nagahama Port at around 8:30 am. Photos you see here are only part of the total number of photos I gave to Seta Rowing Club for distribution.66 views
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66 views
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Masaki "Follow Me" Unose on the lead boat going to Takeshima island.66 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Autumn Moon at Ishiyama66 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Night Rain at Karasaki66 views
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With shrines and temples, Chikubushima is a sacred island in northern Lake Biwa.66 views
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Okino-shiraishi Rocks, a favorite resting place for birds which turned the rocks white from bird droppings. Four rocks stand 80 meters deep in the lake. Out of the water, the tallest stands 14 meters high. 沖の白石66 views
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Omi-Maiko white sand beach.66 views
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Heading for Ogoto.65 views
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Mt. Hiei affords great views of southern Lake Biwa. Enryakuji was founded by the priest Saicho to protect Kyoto from the demons of the northeast.65 views
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Heading for Takeshima, a small island about 6.5 km off Hikone. 65 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)65 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu65 views
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Nakasendo Road: Musa (Omi-Hachiman), 66th of the 69 stations on the Nakasendo Road. A bridge of boats.65 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Evening Snow at Mt. Hira65 views
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Rowing along western Lake Biwa. The JR Kosei Line is in the background. The Kosei Line runs from Kyoto to Imazu.64 views
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A priest explains the concepts behind the practice of meditating. Enryakuji is also part of a World Heritage Site called ''Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto."64 views
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Picture panels telling stories of famous Japanese Buddhist Sect founders such as Honen, Shinran, and Nichiren who trained on Mt. Hiei.64 views
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64 views
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Rowing past Hikone Castle atop a hill.64 views
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Approaching Satsuma Beach, the final stop for the day.64 views
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Watching Hiko-nyan, Hikone Castle's official mascot which is wildly popular. He performs daily inside Hikone Castle Museum. He is a white cat with a samurai helmet.64 views
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The Scenic Water Channel boat ride uses traditional-looking motorized boats for large groups.64 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu. A rest house and servants are depicted. Kusatsu-juku was the 52nd station on the Tokaido Road (following Ishibe-juku) and the 68th station (following Moriyama-juku) on the Nakasendo Road.64 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu64 views
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Nakasendo Road: Otsu, 69th post town on the Nakasendo from Hiroshige's Kisokaido series. Hatcho-dori street and Lake Biwa in the distance.64 views
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Omi-Maiko is Shiga's most popular swimming beach.64 views
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Setagawa River boat cruise modeled after the Ichiban-Maru paddlewheel steamboat which cruised on Lake Biwa in the 19th century. In operation during warmer months from Ishiyama-dera port and stopping at Nango Aqua Biwa and Seta-no-karahashi ports.64 views
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June 8, 2011 (Day 5): Day trip to Enryakuji temple (No rowing). Photos here are shown for display purposes, not really for downloading. Rowers will receive a disc of high-resolution photos.63 views
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Trying the tea.63 views
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63 views
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The torii is a smaller version of the much more famous one in Miyajima (Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture). 白鬚神社63 views
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Chopstick lesson.63 views
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Top floor of Hikone Castle tower. Hikone Castle's last lord was Ii Naosuke, the Chief Minister of the Tokugawa samurai government. He was the one who agreed to open Japan to the USA in 1858 after Commodore Perry visited.63 views
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63 views
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63 views
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Motor boat flying Seta Rowing Club's flag.63 views
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Click on page 2 below to see more photos.63 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka). People at the head of a daimyo procession are crossing a bridge over a river near Tamura Shrine during spring rains. Tsuchiyama-juku was the 49th of the 53 stations of the Tokaido Road.63 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Evening Snow at Mt. Hira63 views
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Southern Basin is shallow compared to the Northern Basin.63 views
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Kaizu-Osaki and Chikubushima.63 views
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June 7, 2011 (Day 4): Rowing from Imazu to Nagahama in northern Lake Biwa. This online gallery shows only 372 photos of the rowing tour mostly taken by Seta Rowing Club members. They show only the highlights of the tour.62 views
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June 10, 2011 (Day 7): Rowing from Hikone (Satsuma Beach) to Moriyama. Lake Biwa is Japan's largest lake in Shiga Prefecture. "Biwa" means lute. The lake has a number of unique species such as the Lake Biwa catfish.62 views
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Motoki Kyo, chairman of Seta Rowing Club.62 views
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Leaving beach in front of Hotel Laforet.62 views
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Lunch and a misspelling.62 views
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Group in front of Konpon Chudo Hall, a National Treasure and Enryakuji's main worship hall and largest building.62 views
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62 views
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62 views
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Shabu-shabu lunch in Hikone with Omi beef. People had questions about how to eat the food. Cook the meat, vegetables, and udon noodles in the little shabu-shabu pot of boiling water, then dip into the sauce. One sauce for the meat, another for the udon.62 views
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62 views
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Nakasendo Road: Kusatsu Oiwake, Kusatsu is the 68th post town on the Nakasendo Road.62 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Evening Bell at Miidera Temple62 views
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Cycling up northern Lake Biwa.62 views
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Miidera in Otsu.62 views
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Thirty-nine rowers from overseas (12 countries, mainly Europe) and three rowers from Japan participated for a total of 42. The FISA World Rowing Tour has been held since 1971.61 views
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The back of her kimono obi sash has a design featuring rowing geisha.61 views
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Captain's meeting.61 views
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61 views
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Leaving Satsuma Beach.61 views
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61 views
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61 views
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Nakasendo Road: Bamba (Maibara). The 62nd station on the Nakasendo.61 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Evening Glow at Seta. Today, you can see a modern version of Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge.61 views
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Kaizu-Osaki cherry blossom cruise. Megumi docked at Kaizu-Osaki Port, Takashima, Shiga.61 views
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Nightly water fountain show at Otsu Port.61 views
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Kanpai! (Cheers)60 views
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Leaving the beach in front of Hotel Laforet.60 views
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That's Hotel Laforet in the background, where the rowers stayed every night during the rowing tour and commuted to/from the rowing start/end points.60 views
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60 views
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After lunch, the group visited Hikone Castle and Genkyuen Garden. Hikone Castle is famous for cherry blossoms and Hiko-nyan (see next photo).60 views
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Isakiji temple holds a Buddhist ritual on Aug. 1 where participants jump off the plank into the lake 7 meters below. They do it to wash away bad luck and build up courage.60 views
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60 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)60 views
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Nakasendo Road: Kashiwabara (Maibara). Depicts Kameya, a shop selling mugwort from Mt. Ibuki used for moxa. The shop is still there, the last surviving maker of moxa cautery in Kashiwabara, the 60th station on the Nakasendo.60 views
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Nakasendo Road: Takamiya (Hikone). The sixty-fourth of the sixty-nine stations or shukuba post towns on the Nakasendo Road.60 views
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Biwa means "lute."60 views
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Biwako Shuko no Uta song monument at Imazu Port. In 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.60 views
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60 views
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60 views
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Michigan paddlewheel boat leaving Otsu Port, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.60 views
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Ground staff wore bright yellow T-shirts with the Lake Biwa logo on the back.59 views
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59 views
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Dragon boat ride at Ogoto. Ogoto is a major hot spring town.59 views
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Omi-Maiko is Lake Biwa's most famous and popular beach. Well-known for white sands and green pine trees. In summer, people from Kyoto come here to swim and sun bathe.59 views
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Rowing through the torii. Seta Rowing Club ground crew greet the rowers from land.59 views
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59 views
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Rough waves.59 views
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59 views
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Approaching Matsubara Beach in Hikone.59 views
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Tokaido Road: Otsu59 views
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Shirahige Shrine torii as seen from the cruise boat.59 views
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A small stream empties through Haginohama Beach on the western shore.59 views
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Arrow-shaped "eri" fish trap. It leads fish swimming along the fence into a small area where they can be caught.59 views
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Neck of Lake Biwa with Biwako Ohashi Bridge connecting Moriyama and Katata.59 views
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Lake Biwa Giant Catfish is the lake's largest endemic species (max. 1.2 meter long), dubbed the King of Lake Biwa.59 views
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Most of Lake Biwa's boats are named after Otsu's sister cities. This is Lansing.59 views
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Lake Biwa Canal near Miidera Temple supplies lake water to Kyoto.59 views
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"Shirahige" means white beard, and so people pray here for long life and longevity. The shrine is dedicated to a god named Sarutahiko.58 views
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The torii in the water is perfectly aligned with the torii on land and the shrine's main worship hall.58 views
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Final stop for the day was here at Shirahama Beach. "Shirahama" means white sand beach.58 views
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June 7, 2011 (Day 4): Imazu is the birthplace of the Lake Biwa Rowing Song in 1917 when Kyoto University rowers lodged here and sang the new song they had created.58 views
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Posing at Imazu, a nice lakeside town. In June, they hold a choir contest for the Lake Biwa Rowing Song. More photos of Imazu here.58 views
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58 views
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Trees on a sandbar, a haven for birds.58 views
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58 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)58 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Clearing Storm at Awazu. This area is pretty much gone, covered by roads. Very few Awazu pine trees remain.58 views
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Kaizu-Osaki is famous for cherry blossoms along the lake shore. One of Japan's 100 Famous Cherry Blossom Spots.58 views
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Kawau cormorants. Shiga has thousands of these birds, and most of them live on Chikubushima whose trees are being destroyed by the droppings and branches broken off to make bird nests.58 views
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