Most viewed - MIE 三重県 |
Collecting coins at Taka-no-miya Shrine 多賀宮.66 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.66 views
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Next to Shichiri-no-watashi was Kuwana-juku's Waki-Honjin.65 views
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The Departure Ceremony at Saiku Heian-no-mori Park gathered all the people in traditional costume. 出発式65 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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The second floor is a small exhibition room and small windows.64 views
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Kaze-no-miya Shrine 風宮64 views
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They are renovating the space in front of Ise-shi Station.64 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.64 views
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Kameyama Castle manhole in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture.64 views
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Shichiri-no-watashi made Kuwana properous and busy with travelers. This is a Shichiri-no-watashi marker.62 views
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After the arrival ceremony, they held a picture-taking session with the Saio princess who posed with each group of characters. 62 viewsAnyone could take pictures. This was a great PR strategy. Obviously, social media fodder. Got some good photos of everyone.
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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.61 views
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Ibi River58 views
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Meiwa is a rural town (pop. 22,500) next to Ise and the site of the Saiku Palace (斎宮) where the Ise Jingu Grand Shrines' High Priestess (Saio princess) resided during the 7th–14th centuries to conduct ceremonies at Ise in place of the emperor.58 viewsThe Saio princess was an unmarried, young Imperial princess closely related to the Emperor, usually a daughter or sister. She was appointed (by divination with a turtle shell that was burnt) to be the High Priestess of Ise Grand Shrines to represent the emperor when conducting official ceremonies at the shrine a few times a year to pray for national peace and prosperity. Each time a new emperor was enthroned, a new Saio princess was appointed as the High Priestess and she traveled from Kyoto to live in the Saiku Palace in Meiwa. The journey, called "Saio Gunko," took 5 nights and 6 days through Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures and her entourage was several hundred. For about 660 years from 673 to 1334, over 60 Saio princesses served at Ise Grand Shrines. Many of them were age 5 to 15, and the oldest was 32. They served for varying periods of time, from 1 to 31 years. The High Priestess conducted prayers at the shrine for the peace, protection, welfare, and prosperity of the nation. As this sign indicates, Meiwa and Saiku is a Japan Heritage Site.
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Meiwa holds the two-day Saio Matsuri (斎王まつり) festival annually on the first full weekend in June to reenact part of the Saio procession traveling from Kyoto to the Saiku Palace.57 viewsOn June 2–3, 2018, the 36th Saio Matsuri was held in Meiwa. It also happens to be the town's 60th anniversary. The festival is held near Saiku Station (Kintetsu Yamada Line) in the area where the Saiku Palace was located. It's now a large park-like area. On the festival's first day (Festival Eve) at 3:30 pm, the Misogi-no-Gi Ceremony is held at a small stream where the Saio dips her hands into the water for purification. Then they move to an outdoor stage near Saiku History Museum to conduct an evening ceremony and entertainment program from 5 pm to 9 pm. (In the case of rain, the event will be canceled.)
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Miss International pearl crown49 views
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The pearls are removed from the innards with this machine.47 views
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Mikimoto Pearl Crown47 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.47 views
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Lake Biwa pearl mussel (Hyriopsis schlegelii イケチョウガイ) endemic to Lake Biwa.46 views
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Liberty Bell, exhibited at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Has 12,250 pearls and 366 diamonds.46 views
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Pioneers of pearl cultivation.46 views
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Fujita Sukeyo, Fujita Masayo, and Mikimoto Kokichi.46 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.45 views
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Freshwater pearl cultivation44 views
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Lake Biwa pearl mussel (Hyriopsis schlegelii イケチョウガイ) endemic to Lake Biwa.44 views
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Hyriopsis cumingi44 views
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Fujita Masayo who pioneered freshwater pearl cultivation at Lake Biwa.44 views
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At the G7 Summit in 2016, the world leaders wore a lapel pins made of pearls.44 views
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Bridge to Mikimoto Pearl Island.43 views
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Diving for shellfish.43 views
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A narrator explains what the divers are doing and what they caught.43 views
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Buttons from oyster shells.43 views
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View from the museum's 2nd floor.43 views
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Toba Station43 views
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Entrance to the bridge to Mikimoto Pearl Island. Pay admission first.42 views
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Air and water temperatures in Jan.42 views
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The pearl divers arrive on a small boat.42 views
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Harvesting42 views
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Room exhibiting jewelry made of natural pearls.42 views
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Room exhibiting jewelry made of cultured pearls.42 views
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Mikimoto Pearl Island41 views
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Bridge to Mikimoto Pearl Island.41 views
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Mikimoto Pearl Island is full of monuments.41 views
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Spectator stand for pearl diver demonstrations.41 views
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The pearl divers are very friendly. They wave to you.41 views
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They are actually shellfish divers. They don't dive for pearls.41 views
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Pearl Museum is a comprehensive museum about pearl cultivation mainly in Japan.41 views
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Akoya oysters41 views
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Making the nucleus to be inserted into the oyster.41 views
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Embedding the nucleus into the oyster.41 views
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Embedding the nucleus into the oyster.41 views
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Instruments for embedding the nucleus into the oyster. Like a dentist.41 views
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The removed pearls are washed.41 views
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Boat for Dolphin Island.41 views
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Toba Station41 views
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I went in Jan. so almost no one was here.40 views
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They drop into the ocean one by one with their floating buckets.40 views
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Making the nucleus to be inserted into the oyster.40 views
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Special Exhibition Room displaying pearl crowns in Jan. 2017.40 views
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The same lapel pin worn by the leaders was on sale for ¥24,300.40 views
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Walking path around the island.40 views
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Rock garden outside Mikimoto Kokichi Memorial Hall40 views
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Gift shop at Toba Station.40 views
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Only a few stone walls and a well remain. No buildings. It was once the administrative center for the Toba Domain. The last occupants was the Inagaki Clan.40 views
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About Toba Castle's main tenshu tower.40 views
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Bridge to Mikimoto Pearl Island.39 views
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Entrance to Mikimoto Pearl Island.39 views
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Making the nucleus to be inserted into the oyster.39 views
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Embedding the nucleus into the oyster.39 views
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The oysters' innards embedded with pearls are taken out of the shell and dropped through a hole into a bucket below. 39 views
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To drill holes into the pearl.39 views
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G7 Summit was held in Mie (Ise-Shima) in 2016.39 views
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Portrait of G7 summit leaders at ise-Shima.39 views
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Mikimoto Kokichi Memorial Hall39 views
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Mikimoto Kokichi Memorial Hall39 views
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Ticket booth for boat rides to nearby Dolphin Island.39 views
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JR Toba Station39 views
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Shiroyama Park at Toba Castle.39 views
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Ama divers at Mikimoto Pearl Island38 views
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Floor plan of Pearl Museum.38 views
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Formation of natural pearls.38 views
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Only a small percentage of harvested pearls are perfect.38 views
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To weigh the pearl38 views
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Mikimoto Kokichi 38 views
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About Mikimoto Kokichi Memorial Hall38 views
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Toba Castle is a short walk from Toba Station.38 views
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Toba Castle site is on a small hilltop overlooking Mikimoto Pearl Island.38 views
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Way to the Honmaru.38 views
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About the well.38 views
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Statue of Mikimoto Kokichi.37 views
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To measure the pearl's size.37 views
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Mikimoto Kokichi Memorial Hall37 views
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Scenic views on the way to Toba.37 views
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Toba Station37 views
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Go up these stairs for Toba Castle.37 views
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Shiroyama Park at Toba Castle.37 views
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Site of Toba Castle's main tower.37 views
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Part of the castle site is Shiroyama Park with nice views of the pearl island. 36 views
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About Shiroyama Park at Toba Castle.36 views
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About Toba Castle.36 views
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Saiku Heian-no-mori 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. 36 viewsThe left building is the Nishiwakiden, center is Seiden (main building), and right building is the Higashiwakiden. The buildings are only approximations of what they actually looked like. Only the size could be determined from pillar holes, but not the actual apperance. This is where the Saio Matsuri festival's Departure Ceremony is held.
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Shiroyama Park at Toba Castle.35 views
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About the castle wall.35 views
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Warawame (童女) daughters of the Imperial family or nobility. They wear chihaya costume. 千早34 views
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This brown building was the Saio's modest living quarters. Not as large as you would expect.34 views
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This main building is the Seiden 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.33 viewsNormally open to the public, free admission. 正殿
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Posing with top-ranking court ladies called the Naishi (内侍) working at the Saiku Palace. They have fancy umbrella bearers called furyu-gasa. 風流傘32 views
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Posing with the Nyo-betto (女別当) who was the supervisor of the court ladies at special occasions such as the Saio procession. 31 views
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JR Kameyama Station platform and tracks.31 views
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JR Kameyama Station platform.31 views
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Large crowd sitting on the tarp and watching the departure ceremony. It's pretty hot under the sun.30 views
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In 2018, the Saio princess was portrayed by 26-year-old Nakaho Yuri (中保 友里) from Tsu, Mie. She was selected from among 27 applicants. It was her fourth time to apply for this honor and was finally selected. 29 viewsIt's confusing that she's called the 34th Saio at the 36th Saio Matsuri. It's because the festival didn't have a Saio from the 1st festival. She served well.
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Posing with the Emperor's Messenger who is the highest ranking person in the procession. (Konoe Tsukai). 近衛使29 views
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Saio princess in a palanquin in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture.28 views
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The Saio princess wears a juni-hitoe (12-layer) robe reserved only for female Imperial family members or women marrying into the Imperial family.28 views
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Everyone quickly dissipated and all the food stalls closed up. It was only 3:30 pm.28 views
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After the festival is over, be sure to visit the Saiku Historical Museum nearby. See this album.28 views
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The Saio gives farewell remarks before leaving her family in Kyoto for Saiku. See the video to hear what she said.28 views
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Line of stumps indicate the position of pillars of a fence that surrounded the Saio's Palace.28 views
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On the second day, the Departure Ceremony is held here at the Saiku Heian-no-mori Park where a few Heian Period structures have been reconstructed. They had a large blue tarp on the ground for spectators.27 viewsSecond day is the main event. There's the Departure Ceremony and Saio Gunko Procession. The Departure Ceremony reenacts the Saio's departure from Kyoto for her journey to Saiku Palace.
At 1 pm, the Departure Ceremony is held at Saiku Heian-no-mori Park where a few Heian-Period buildings have been reconstructed. At 2 pm, the 120 people dressed in Heian-Period costumes walk in a colorful procession called the "Saio Gunko" to an outdoor stage near the Saiku History Museum. The Saio princesses are carried in their own palanquins. It's a short walk.
On the outdoor stage, they hold a ceremony and picture-taking session from 2:45 pm. Everything ends by 3:30 pm. I went to see the festival on the second day on June 3, 2018. In the case of rain, the event will be canceled.
If you want to get close, you need to arrive earlier than the 1 pm starting time. Short walk from Saiku Station.
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Ranryo-o court dance originally came from China and was a warrior hero dance. (舞樂蘭陵王).27 views
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Nara Period (8th century) sacred dance (舞樂蘭陵王).27 viewsGagaku music was performed by Kogakkan University's Gagaku club seen in the background. 皇學館大学 雅楽部
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Child Saio princess. 子供斎王27 views
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Posing with top-ranking court ladies called the Naishi (内侍) working at the Saiku Palace. They have fancy umbrella bearers called furyu-gasa. 風流傘27 views
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Posing with top-ranking court ladies called the Naishi (内侍) working at the Saiku Palace. They have fancy umbrella bearers called furyu-gasa. 風流傘27 views
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Child Saio princess and adult Saio princess.27 views
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Yellow banners read "Saio Matsuri" (Saio Festival).27 views
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Sign saying "Saiku" which was designated as a National Historic Site in 1979. 国史跡27 views
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Way to Seki-juku.27 views
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Old Tokaido Road in Seki-juku. Picturesque.27 views
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Kameyama Castle's Tamon-yagura turret is open 10 am to 4 pm, free admission. Unfortunately, I arrived after it closed.27 views
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Myobu (命婦) getting off the Seiden.26 views
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In 2018, the child Saio princess was portrayed by 10-year-old Nishimura Manami (西村 まなみ) from Meiwa. She was selected by lot from a number of girls. Not all Saio princesses were adults, some were a child. 子供斎王26 views
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The procession is about to leave the starting point at around 2 pm. Purple irises is another symbol of Meiwa, probably why they hold the festival in June.26 views
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Saio Woods explanation as of 1968.26 views
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Child Saio princess. 子供斎王26 views
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Posing with top-ranking court ladies called the Naishi (内侍) working at the Saiku Palace. They have fancy umbrella bearers called furyu-gasa. 風流傘26 views
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The actual road where the Saio princess traveled to Ise Grand Shrines. Called "Kodai Ise-do" (Ancient Ise Road). 古代伊勢道26 views
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Scale model of buildings in this block called the Nai-in which was the living quarters of the Saio princess. Surrounded by a pillared fence. 内院26 views
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During the Edo Period, Kameyama Castle was the Ise-Kameyama Domain headquarters and center of Kameyama-juku lodging town on the Tokaido Road.26 viewsIt still has the Tamon-yagura turret (open to the public), castle walls, and a partially reconstructed Ninomaru keep. Short walk from JR Kameyama Station (JR Kansai Line).
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About Kameyama Castle originally built in 1265 and last occupied by the Ishikawa Clan.26 views
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Kameyama Castle's Tamon-yagura turret.26 views
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About the lodging for Emperor Meiji when he passed through Kameyama in 1880.26 views
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Seki-juku was the 47th station or lodging/post town on the old Tokaido Road. It well retains a traditional townscape with a good number of traditional Edo Period buildings including the Honjin and Waki Honjin. 26 viewsSeki-juku is preceded by Kameyama-juku and followed by Sakashita-juku. All three are in the present-day city of Kameyama. Hiroshige also created this woodblock print of Seki-juku in the 1830s. It depicts daimyo staff preparing to leave the Honjin lodge before dawn (notice the still dark sky). Unknown which Honjin it is. (Seki had two Honjin.)
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Dancers called Maibito (舞人).25 views
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High-ranking court ladies called Uneme (釆女) chosen from an aristocratic family. They were in charge of food and drink for the princess.25 views
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Court ladies called Nyoju (女嬬) who serve in the inner palace (後宮) and take care of the Saio princess' daily living.25 views
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Ladies wearing a red band across their shoulders are court ladies called Nyoju (女嬬) who serve in the inner palace (後宮) and take care of the Saio princess' daily living.25 views
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Saiku government officials. 斎宮十二司官人25 views
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Kadono-osa, the security detail. They hold a tachi sword. 看督長25 views
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Opened in Oct. 1999, Itsukinomiya Hall for Historical Experience is in the same area. Various hands-on activities like weaving and dressing in Heian-Period costumes. Open 9:30 am–5 pm, closed Mondays. Admission free. いつきのみや歴史体験館25 views
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Meiwa town has been excavating Saiku Palace digs all over the place. They found pillar holes, pottery, etc. The digs will continue for many more years. Relics are displayed in the local museum. 25 views
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Today, Meiwa is a sleepy little town bypassed by most tourists going to Ise or Toba. Official Saiku info25 views
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The Child Saio princess offer an iris flower. 子ども斎王25 views
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Welcome to Seki Townscape Museum. It explains about the town and why so many buildings have been preserved.25 views
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About Oi house25 views
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Kaiunro, former geisha house in Seki-juku. 開雲楼25 views
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View from Tamon-yagura turret.25 views
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View from Tamon-yagura turret.25 views
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History of Kameyama Castle town.25 views
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People wore Heian Period (794–1185) costumes from when Kyoto was the capital of Japan. These are Saiku government officials. 斎宮十二司官人24 views
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The Saio princess appeared from the Seiden and gave an offering of an iris flower and prayed toward Ise Grand Shrines.24 viewsThe Saio was an unmarried, young Imperial princess, often the Emperor's daughter, who was appointed (by divination) to be the High Priestess of Ise Grand Shrines to pray for national peace and prosperity a few times a year in place of the emperor.
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The departure ceremony included live gagaku sacred music and a Nara Period (8th century) sacred dance called Ranryo-o. (舞樂蘭陵王). 24 viewsGagaku music was performed by Kogakkan University's Gagaku club. It's a Shinto university in Ise. 皇學館大学 雅楽部
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Saio Matsuri Departure Ceremony at Seiden Hall, Saiku Heian-no-mori Park. 正殿24 views
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Saio princess gave a farewell speech.24 views
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Until the 19th century, wild irises grew extensively in Saiku's natural wetlands. 24 viewsA National Natural Monument, Saiku/Ise irises are one of Japan's few natural iris strains from which hybrids were created. Wetlands have been recreated in Saiku to grow irises.
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Saio Matsuri banners were put up by local jr. high students.24 views
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Saio Woods 斎王の森24 views
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High-ranking court ladies called Uneme (釆女) chosen from an aristocratic family. They were in charge of food and drink for the princess.24 views
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Ladies wearing a red band across their shoulders are court ladies called Nyoju (女嬬). 24 views
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Everyone arrived here and the ceremony started with a few speeches.24 views
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In green, Nyo-betto and the Child Saio princess.24 views
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Saiku government officials. 斎宮十二司官人24 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.24 views
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Saiku Heian-no-mori Park (さいくう平安の杜) opened in Oct. 2015 with three reconstructed buildings.24 views
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