 Most viewed - MIE 三重県 |
Kunoichi female ninja guide2282 views
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Ninja shop2265 views
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Ninja costumes1962 views
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Ninja disguises1944 views
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An altar in the Iga-ryu Ninja House.1614 views
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Lets you escape to the next room instantly, or climb up or down the ladder on the right wall.1575 views
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What would a ninja museum be without a display of shuriken?1516 views
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The first demo is this swinging wall.1489 views
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Pepper bombs to blind you.1482 views
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This is a staircase concealed as a shelf.1358 views
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Meoto-Iwa Wedded Rocks off the coast of Futami-cho, Ise city, Mie Prefecture. 夫婦岩1354 views
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Ninja swords are short and straight with no curvature.1300 views
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1207 views
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1185 views
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Sword hidden in the floor.1174 views
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Another wall door that leads to the basement tunnel.1167 views
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Ueno-shi Station has ninja dolls to greet you.1164 views
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Emergency escape hatch whose lock can be quickly released with a sheet of paper.1161 views
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Now a shelf. It leads to the attic.1151 views
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Ninja swords.1132 views
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Entrance to the basement.1128 views
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Hidden floor compartment where they hid their valuables outside the house.1106 views
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When you push in the end of this floor plank, it opens up to reveal a sword.1102 views
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1099 views
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Another swinging wall door.1076 views
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Ninjas in the kitchen. We could not go up into the attic as we can in Koka's ninja house in Shiga.1075 views
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Lock picks1063 views
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There she goes.1043 views
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Inside the Iga-ryu Ninja House1041 views
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Flipper-like clogs to walk through swamps1040 views
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Iron claws1021 views
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Bamboo sticks concealing a sword.1021 views
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Inside the Iga-ryu Ninja House.998 views
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974 views
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Nakayama Emiri, a TV personality, tries to throw shuriken.957 views
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956 views
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955 views
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Storefront shutter with ninja drawings.946 views
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945 views
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944 views
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939 views
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Kitchen in Iga-ryu Ninja House.931 views
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Kitchen area in Iga-ryu Ninja House.930 views
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Sword demo925 views
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Female ninja climbing over a wall.921 views
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914 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja Museum 912 views
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Shuruken takes skill to throw.912 views
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Juggling sickles. Having a sickle did not arouse suspicion as it was a common farming tool. But for the ninja, it was an effective weapon.911 views
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909 views
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901 views
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895 views
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893 views
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889 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja House ninja show.886 views
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885 views
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Once a group gets large enough, they take you all in and a female ninja guide explains the house's ninja trickery. Admission charged. Recommended is the set of tickets that admit you to the ninja house, castle, and Danjiri Museum.873 views
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Duel to the death.871 views
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For an extra 200 yen, you can watch the ninja show right next to the ninja house.860 views
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Revolving door of Iga-ryu Ninja House 856 views
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Female ninja856 views
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Five-colored rice grains used for secret communication.850 views
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More secret ninja language.850 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja House is in Ueno Park which includes Iga-Ueno Castle nearby.846 views
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Making medicine.846 views
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Kitchen826 views
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Inside ninja museum which is in a former rice warehouse.821 views
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Cushion814 views
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813 views
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808 views
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Five-colored rice grains used for secret communication.803 views
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797 views
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Ninja doll on a pole.797 views
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796 views
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Thatched-roof of Iga-ryu Ninja House.795 views
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787 views
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Veranda of Iga-ryu Ninja House 784 views
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Even the trains have a ninja (female) paint job.781 views
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Throwing sickles and shuriken.781 views
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You have to applaud once in a while.778 views
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Even ninja get thirsty.778 views
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Iga-Ueno Ninja Festa poster775 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja House is a thatched-roof house whose roof once caught fire in the 1990s. It was rebuilt.773 views
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Iga-ryu Ninja House garden. They take you in groups, so you may have to wait a while before you can go in.772 views
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Rope knots hung on roof eaves, etc., were also used for communication.770 views
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Statue of Lord Takatora Todo, who became the 11th lord of the castle in 1608. He is revered for revamping the castle and developing the castle town of Tsu. He was originally from Inugami, Shiga Pref. This statue was built in 1998.757 views
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Shuriken throwing.756 views
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Everywhere you go in Iga-Ueno, you see a ninja motif.753 views
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Where you can rent a ninja costume.742 views
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Ninjas under cherry blossoms.742 views
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Another ninja museum.729 views
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See many people wearing ninja costumes during the ninja festa.715 views
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Ninja paint job on a train.697 views
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The shrine is dedicated to Sarutahiko and Ukano-mitama. Sarutahiko is a god which serves as a pathfinder guide. Deities for land/sea transportation safety. 二見694 views
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The Wedded Rocks are part of Futami Okitama Shrine known for frog sculptures. 二見興玉神社692 views
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Iga-Ueno really plays up its ninja past. 682 views
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Futami Okitama Shrine does not have a main hall (Honden) like most other shrines. It worships the Okitama Sacred Stone in the ocean beyond the Wedded Rocks. 二見興玉神社680 views
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During April and early May, they hold the annual ninja festa.677 views
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Ise Jingu Shrine's Naiku (Inner Shrine) is the main and most popular shrine at Ise. The shrine is rebuilt every 20 years and 2013 will mark the completion of the new shrine to replace the old one built in 1993.646 views
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Tsu Castle, Ushitora turret629 views
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All the while, the cheering section chants and wave streamers.618 views
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The Wedded Rocks are actually a type of torii gate for worshipping the Okitama Sacred Stone in the ocean.597 views
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Five ropes are being positioned and made taut.594 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle and cherry blossoms, Mie Prefecture. During the Meiji Restoration, Ueno Castle's structures were dismantled as with many other castles.573 views
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Ueno-shi Station573 views
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Replacing the rope for the Wedded Rocks, Mie Pref.570 views
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Map of Naiku at Ise Jingu Shrine and adjacent area.568 views
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Map of Ise Jingu's Naiku Shrine. First you cross Uji Bridge.566 views
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Ise Jingu shrine maidens look the same as any other shrine maidens. They are likely college students hired just for New Year's to sell goods.551 views
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Close up map of Naiku. An adjacent plot next the shrine is for the next rebuilding of the shrine. The current, 20-year-old Naiku shrine is on an adjacent plot of land.545 views It takes 8 years to rebuild the Naiku shrine. So 12 years from now, they will start the rebuilding process all over again. Numerous ceremonies are held for this rebuilding, but only a few of them can be seen by the public.
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The ropes are now completely cut, breaking the bond between the two rocks.527 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle is one of three major tourist attractions in the city of Iga. It is a short walk from Ueno-shi Station on the Kintetsu Iga Line.522 views
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The frog is Sarutahiko's messenger. Frog is called "kaeru" in Japanese, which is a homonym for the another word meaning "return home." If you travel a lot, pray here for a safe return. 夫婦岩514 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle and cherry blossoms, Mie Prefecture.498 views
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493 views
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The new ropes are strung across the two rocks. A small rope tied to the end of the large rope is used to pull the large rope up the rock.478 views
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Iga-Ueno's Ueno Park includes this beautiful building called the Haisei-den (俳聖殿), a hall dedicated to Haiku poet Matsuo Basho who was from Iga-Ueno.473 views
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Hiroshige's woodblock print of Iga-Ueno from his "Famous Views of the 60 Provinces" series. The castle can be seen in the distance.473 views
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Wedded Rocks with a new rope. Japan has numerous other Wedded Rocks and stones, but this is by far the most famous.472 views
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Inabe Shrine, where the Oyashiro Matsuri or Ageuma festival is held on the first Sat. and Sun. of April (if it falls on the 1st and 2nd, the festival is held on the 8th and 9th) in Toin, Mie Prefecture. A 15-min. walk from Toin Station on the Sangi Line.472 views
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The bottleneck at Naiku was this little torii which most people wanted to walk through at the top of the steps. People like me who didn't have time opted to go up the steps on the right side in no time. 471 views
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Ise manhole depicting Ise Jingu pilgrims. Mie Pref.470 views
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About 300-400 meters to the Naiku shrine, it got congested. It took about an hour to reach the foot of the steps going up to the shrine.465 views
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Men carry spanking-new shimenawa ropes to the rocks.462 views
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Naiku shrine and torii are in sight at the top of the steps ahead. We were told that it would take more than an hour just to get up these steps. However, we could walk up the steps quickly on the right edge of the steps.460 views
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Look how small the offertory box is at Ise Jingu's Naiku. The one at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo is like half the size of a football field. Of course, Ise Jingu just doesn't have the space for it.457 views
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Irises in early June in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture. Meiwa's official flower. Ancient texts mention that pilgrims going to worship at Ise Shrines described it like walking on clouds of purple.441 views
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Entering Geku shrine at Ise.440 views
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The job is finished.438 views
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The torii on the larger rock is quite small. The sacred rope is replaced three times a year on May 5, September 5, and at the end of December.436 views
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5月5日、9月5日と12月下旬には夫婦岩の大注連縄の張り替え神事が行われる。これらの写真は5月5日に撮影された。425 views
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Saio princess in a palanquin in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture.422 views
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The ceremony attracts a large crowd.420 views
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The men begin to cut off the old rope. Those sharp sickles soon made short work of the old sacred ropes which were brought ashore in small pieces.417 views
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The rope installers return to shore.417 views
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I wondered how much I should donate for this sake. I just dropped a 100 yen coin and probably got 20 yen worth of sake. At Atsuta Shrine (one of Japan's Big Three shrines) in Nagoya, they have a nice big hall where they serve hot tea and sweets for 416 viewsNothing like that here.
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Ama divers at Mikimoto Pearl Museum.415 views
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Bust of Kawasaki Katsu.408 views
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The shimenawa rope actually consists of five smaller ropes. They cut the ropes one by one.403 views
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Statue of Lord Honda Tadakatsu at Kyuka Park. 本多忠勝403 views
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Ama diver sculpture in Pearl Museum, Mikimoto Pearl Island.403 views
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Roof horns at Ise Jingu's Naiku.402 views
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High walls prevent us from seeing the sacred shrine buildings of Naiku. Photography is not allowed inside these walls so don't try to use a long pole with a camera attached to take pictures. There are guards everywhere. 399 views
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Posing with leading court ladies called the Myobu (命婦), assistants who tend to the immediate needs of the Saio princess.399 views
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Pieces of the old rope. Anyone could take home the pieces of old sacred rope if they wanted.398 views
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Uji Bridge is made of hinoki cypress wood. The bridge columns are made of keyaki.398 views
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Statue of Mikimoto Kokichi.397 views
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A well remaining at Toba Castle.394 views
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Toba Castle392 views
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One by one, the men carefully positioned the new sacred ropes on the two Rocks. All the while, young children and young men are chanting on the shore.390 views
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Castle wall facing the street389 viewsWhen you walk to Tsu Castle from the bus stop, this is what you first see. It is obviously a flatland-type castle. Tsu Castle was first built in 1580 by Oda Nobukane, the younger brother of warlord Oda Nobunaga.
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Yume-dono Pavilion based on the building at Horyuji temple in Nara. 389 views
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The shimenawa rope bonding the Wedded Rocks is replaced three times a year. May 5, when these photos were taken, is one of the days when they replace the rope. First, they gathered at the shrine at 10 am for a 30-min. prayer ceremony.388 views
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Mikimoto's Five-Storied Pagoda (御木本五重塔). Exhibited at Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia, 1926. It has 12,760 pearls.387 views
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385 views
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Liberty Bell, exhibited at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Has 12,250 pearls and 366 diamonds. The crack is reproduced with blue pearls. Mikimoto Pearl Museum385 views
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The old rope is taken away.384 views
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It takes 8 years to rebuild the Naiku shrine. So 12 years from now, they will start the rebuilding process all over again. Numerous ceremonies are held for this rebuilding, but only a few of them can be seen by the public.384 views
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In 1611, Todo Takatora took over Ueno Castle. Iga-Ueno Castle is also a major cherry blossom spot in early April.383 views
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383 views
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381 views
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Todo Takatora's helmet381 views
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378 views
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377 views
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Lantern and sunset at Futami Okitama Shrine376 views
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375 views
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Mikimoto Pearl Island375 views
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Sunset at Futami Okitama Shrine. In the old days when traveling was a hazardous undertaking in Japan, pilgrims who traveled to worship at the Ise Grand Shrines prayed here for a safe return home.374 views
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The second rope is installed.373 views
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The back of the house is Basho's study called Chogetsuken (釣月軒) where he wrote the Kai-ooi (貝おほい) series of poems.373 views
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370 views
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370 views
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Samurai armor368 views
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367 views
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Nyutoku-mon Gate366 views
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A statue of Kokichi Mikimoto and a giant pearl near Toba Station greets visitors. Erected in 1993 to mark the 100th anniversary of Mikimoto's success in pearl cultivation.365 views
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Seki-juku is highly recommended for Tokaido stage town and architecture fans. Seki-juku manhole with a traveler design, Kameyama, Mie Prefecture.361 views
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359 views
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Statue of Basho at Ueno-shi Station.359 views
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Making sure that the rope is aligned and positioned correctly.356 views
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Crossing Uji Bridge on the way back.356 views
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The only castle wall remaining at Toba Castle.354 views
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Three-story Ushitora turret, reconstructed in 1958.353 viewsThis is the only significant building remaining of the castle.
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In 1980, Ueno Castle served as a backdrop for Kurosawa Akira's movie, Kagemusha.353 views
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Garden in Nishinomaru352 views
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The house is open to the public as a tourist attraction (admission 300 yen). The house was rebuilt after it being damaged by a large earthquake in 1854.352 views
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The museum has this colorful Seki-juku manhole, Kameyama, Mie Prefecture. They even give you a manhole card.351 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle's donjon or tenshu tower was reconstructed in 1935 by Kawasaki Katsu, a local politician, using his own funds.350 views
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The people who went up the right edge of the steps didn't go through the torii and could only pray at a temporary, off-center position under the slim roof seen here on the right of the thatched-roof gate. 349 views
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348 views
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Park area above the castle wall.348 views
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The Haisei-den was designed to look like Basho in travel clothing. The top roof resembles a hat, and the lower roof resembles his straw raincoat. Cherry blossoms were in bloom.347 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle and cherry blossoms, Mie Prefecture.346 views
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346 views
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Noted for cherry blossoms, Kyuka Park is on the site of Kuwana Castle which was occupied by Honda Tadakatsu.346 viewsAdjacent to the park is the Kuwana-juku post town on the Tokaido Road that welcomed visitors after they crossed the ocean (Shichiri-no-watashi) from Miya-juku in Aichi. Photo: Kuwana sign at Kuwana Station.
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346 views
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Moat345 views
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Right outside the entrance Naiku is a long shopping street called Oharai-machi, mainly food stalls. it leads to a parking lot. Very crowded on New Year's Day.344 views
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Everyone here are volunteers, includng the festival staff behind the scenes. The festival is directed by a group (named Komachi 小町) of former Saio princesses and other characters who train the current year's festival participants.344 views
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Ushitora turret342 views
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Collecting coins at Taka-no-miya Shrine 多賀宮.342 views
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A short walk from Ueno Park is the Basho Oseika (芭蕉翁生家) or Basho's childhood home. Iga is the birthplace of Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), and the house where he grew up in still stands.341 views
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In the end, the Saio princess slowly walked through the palace door that opened for her. Her long, black hair and way of walking were very elegant. After she entered, the doors closed and the festival was over.341 views
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This is the Saio princess sitting in a palanquin on wheels. In Saiku, the Saio's palanquin is called Sokaren (葱華輦), meaning "Onion Flower Palanquin" in reference to its onion-shaped giboshi roof ornament.339 viewsThe Saio palanquin bearers are called Kayocho (駕輿丁) who were chosen from the best gentlemen.
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Moat338 views
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Ushitora turret entrance (not open)338 views
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Iga-Ueno Castle was first built by Takigawa Katsutoshi, a vassal of Kitabatake Nobuaki (Oda Nobuo, Nobunaga's second son). In 1585, Tsutsui Sadatsugu took over.338 views initiated construction of Iga Ueno Castle in 1585. He was followed by Tsutsui Sadatsugu
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Posing with court ladies called the Uneme (釆女) chosen from an aristocratic family and who was in charge of food and drink.338 views
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Geku Outer Shrine at Ise Jingu.337 views
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The study is a very simple, yet aesthetic and meditative-looking room.335 views
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The man on the far right in dark blue is Ise Kokushi (伊勢国司) Governor of Ise Province. Next to him also in blue is the Chobusoshi (長奉送使) director of the Saio procession.335 views
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Ushitora turret and stone wall334 views
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334 views
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Saio princess in a palanquin in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture. The Saio princess was selected from tens of candidates. This was her fourth time to apply for the honor and she was finally selected.334 viewsIt is to promote the town so she was very willing to pose for pictures. The makeup person did a very good job.
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Inside the castle tower is the Iga Museum of Culture and Industry. This is the first floor.333 views
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333 views
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Look how small the offertory box is at Geku.333 views
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Posing with court ladies called Nyoju (女嬬) who serve in the inner palace (後宮) and take care of the Saio princess' daily living.333 views
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Todo Takatora was originally from Omi or neighboring Shiga Prefecture.332 views
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332 views
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331 views
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Inside Iga Ueno Danjiri Museum.331 views
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Ise-shi Station with kadomatsu New Year's decorations.331 views
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330 views
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Crossing Uji Bridge, a little over 100 meters long. 宇治橋330 views
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The building was designed by architect Ito Chota (1867-1954) (伊東 忠太) who designed numerous shrine and temple buildings in the 1920s and '30s, including Tsukiji Hongwanji temple in Tokyo.329 views
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Room inside Basho's childhood home.329 views
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Iga Ueno Danjiri Museum329 views
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Collecting coins.329 views
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Inside the bus going to Naiku from Ise-shi Station.329 views
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Torii gate at Uji Bridge. Very crowded with New Year's worshippers going for hatsumode prayers.329 views
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Saio princess in a palanquin in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture. Very photogenic makeup and costume.329 views
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The first rope is wound around both rocks.328 views
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Kitchen stoves328 views
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They are renovating the space in front of Ise-shi Station.328 views
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Ise Jingu Shrine's Naiku is officially named, "Kotaijingu" (皇大神宮). It worships Amaterasu Omikami 天照坐皇大御神, the ancestor of the Imperial Family and the tutelary kami of the Japanese people. Naiku was founded 2000 years a328 views
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328 views
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Haisei-den and wisteria in bloom. The Basho Matsuri Festival is a poetry reading held here on Oct. 12.326 views
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Map of Toin town, Mie. Many thanks to my friends Tomoyo and Shunji in Toin-cho for taking me to see this festival.326 views
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My video of Ise Jingu Naiku on Jan. 1, 2013.326 views
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325 views
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324 views
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324 views
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324 views
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Oharai-machi shopping street outside Naiku entrance. Bus stop for the train stations and Geku is near here.324 views
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The Departure Ceremony at Saiku Heian-no-mori Park gathered all the people in traditional costume. 出発式323 viewsSaiku Heian-no-mori Park (Saiku Heian Era Park) recreates one of the many rectangular blocks of the Saiku Palace area. This one reconstructs three buildings used by the head of the Saikuryo, the government office of the Saiku Palace. This main building is the Seiden (正殿) dating from the 9th century used to conduct important ceremonies by the head of the Saikuryo and to welcome official messengers from Ise Grand Shrines and Kyoto. Saio Matsuri is a tourist/community festival, not a religious festival held by any shrine. Run by a volunteer committee.
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Saio princess in a palanquin in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture.323 views
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322 views
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Park fountain in the castle grounds321 views
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Ise-shi Station platform upon arrival on Jan. 1, 2013. Ise Jingu's Geku Outer Shrine is a short walk from this station.320 views
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Colorful bus at Ise.320 views
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