Hiroshima FF 09, The End

A-Bomb Dome illuminated

Yuri San: Tsukaremashita desga tanoshikatta (Tired yet interesting)

Hiro San: Hayaku, kore wa saigono densha da yo (Hurry up, we have to catch the last train)

Hiroshima FF 09, Rainy Day

Day 3, the last day of the festival, it was raining. The origamis were still lit and floating on the Motoyasu River in front of the A-Bomb Dome at the Peace Memorial Park.

The park is located next to Hondori shopping center, so many of the visitors went there to buy umbrella. 

These candles were decorated using water proof colored pens, however the paper used was not strong enough, as such they were collected earlier due to rain. I was lucky to snap some shots before night.
It was me who arranged them in a row the day before, and they were still in their position when I came again the next day :). The candle in the middle shows a character call Anpanman, a very popular cartoon character among children in Japan. 

They have done their job, time to rest.

Where have all the flowers gone?

Long time passing

Where have all the flowers gone?

Long time ago...

Yuri San: Ame ga suki desu (I love rain)

Hiro San: Honto? (Really?)

Hiroshima FF 09, Candles Parade

More candles from the festival.

Hiroshima FF 09, In the Night

In the night, when they are lit in the park behind Peace Memorial Museum.

Hiroshima FF 09, Flower Candle Message

Message candles which made by students from schools around the city.

One thing I found it interesting is when these students  come back  to search their work and proudly show it to their parents.

Yuri San: Kawaii yo (they're cute)

Hiro San: So desu (yup)

Hiroshima FF 09, Getting Ready

Tens of bird-shaped origamis symbolizing peace in the Peace Memorial Park.

Second day of the festival, May 4, 09. As the main attraction of the festival each  year, candles are put in all open area like in this Pond of Peace, in front of Peace Memorial Park.

Hiroshima Flower Festival 09, Welcome Again

Bird-shaped origami ready to be lit in the night.

Welcome to Hiroshima Flower Festival 2009. Hiroshima Flower Festival has been held every year from the 3rd to the 5th of May, during Golden Week since 1977. The festival is located on Peace Boulevard, one of the main streets in Hiroshima city and within Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park area.

My new theme for this week (or maybe longer :)). This time we're going a tour in the city. It takes about 40 minutes by train from Saijo station to Hiroshima station.

Yuri San: Nani de Hiroshima ni ikimasuka? (How are we going to Hiroshima?)

Hiro San: Densha de ikimasu (We take train)

Mitsujo Tumulus (V)

Different point of views of this ancient burial mound.

Horse-shaped haniwa. The second time I came to this site, they were already replaced with new horse-shaped haniwas like we see on the right image. 

Image on the left is the sunshade-shaped haniwa. It was modeled after a sunshade of the Kofun period. The underpart of this represents the shade and top of it is a model of an osprey. Image on the right shows a house-shaped haniwa. The ruler lived in the house similar to this one during his lifetime. 

The Japanese word Haniwa means "cicle of clays" and it refers to the unglazed red clay cylinders which were placed around imperial burial mound to stabilized the ground and support the roof of the tomb. First produced by the guild craftsmen of the Kofun period, Japan's Iron Age (3rd-6th centuries), haniwa evolved from simple cylinders into representations of people, animals and houses.

*Thanks Gary, for the link.

The last tumulus is Mitsujo No.3. This facility has a rectangular stone coffin about 1,5 meters tall and 0,2 to 0,5 meters wide. Nothing was discovered inside this coffin. It is now covered with tiles replicating the remains underneath.

The original tumuli were restored after they had laid for in the earth about 0,7 meters on deep.

These photos end my Mitsujo theme today. I hope you enjoyed them.

I am coming with a new theme tomorrow.

Hiro San: Kairimashoo (Let's go home)

Yuri San: Haik (Okey)

Otsukaresama desuta...

And the winner is....

A show performed by one of the sake house employees.

Not only adults, children also took part performing a drama of sake making.

Sake brands from some region in Japan. From left top clockwise, Shikoku Kyushu region, Chugoku region ( Hiroshima area), Kinki region and Chubu region.

For your sake and green tea.

Sake barrels in front of a house.
The last post of sake houses, today I also uploaded some photos of sake festival in October 08.
I'm sorry I wasn't around for five days, have some trouble with Mozilla Firefox and Blogspot everytime I try to click links, it shut off.
Yuri San: Otsukaresama desuta (Finally, we're done)
Hiro San: Otsukaresama desuta. Ja ne (Finally. See you later)

Pure

Get the brochures for free.
Next to the Kamoizumi, another sake house with a display room. When I went there, it's open, yet closed :).
The man is carrying a basket of pure rice.

Pure water and pure rice are the two ingredients that make Saijo sake as one of the best.
Actually, Saijo's very best water is concentrated in a very narrow strip of land. That's why most of the area of sake breweries were established in a very small section of Saijo.

Right across the house I posted yesterday, our today sake house is Kamoizumi. On the top of the house is an ornament which is usually found hanging on the front.
For more information, here's the link and you can enjoy more photos by H.Orihashi whose collection is really awesome. I envy him so much...

Yuri San: Shasin o torimasuka? (You take pictures?)
Hiro San: Haik, sumi desu (Yes, it's my hobby)

No trespassing!

The door for employees to enter the house.
Ignore the empty pet bottles :). This is at the back of the house. My guess again, the door is closed permanently.
It's not open for public during normal days. There's a schedule available at the Communication Corner if you want to visit these places, and they will provide you with a guide to take the tour. But the best time to come is of course when the festivals.
This is probably the biggest sake house in town. It is situated between two streets.
Yuri San: Ookii desu ne (It's so big)
Hiro San: Yahari sake ga ippai desuyo! (Must be a lot of sake in there)

Irasshai mase...

You can buy sake in a ceramics container or in a wine-bottle-like.
Sakagura Yokocho, is the first sake house when you enter the area from the station.
Yuri San: Irasshai mase (Welcome, how can I help you?)
Hiro San: Ano, sake onegaisi masu (I'd like to buy some sake)