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Matthew Haswell | profile | all galleries >> Japan 日本 >> Kansai 関西 >> Hikone 彦根 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Kyōto 京都 | Uji 宇治 | Nara 奈良 | Ōsaka 大阪 | Wakayama 和歌山 | Kōbe 神戸 | Himeji and Akashi 姫路と明石 | Kinosaki and Fukuchiyama 城崎と福知山 | Amanohashidate 天橋立 | Ōtsu 大津 | Ōmi Hachiman and Azuchi 近江八幡と安土 | Hikone 彦根 | Nagahama 長浜 | Ise 伊勢 | Iga, Seki-juku & Kameyama 伊賀、関宿、亀山

Hikone 彦根

Shiga Prefecture's second city, located on the eastern flank of Lake Biwa, Hikone is renowned for its squat, but pretty, original castle - one of the four listed as a National Treasure. While most of the city is modern, a stretch of Edo-style houses and shops has been built along one street of the castle in order to recreate the atmosphere of the once-bustling castle town.
Yume-kyōbashi Castle Road
Yume-kyōbashi Castle Road		 Paper lantern over a shop
Paper lantern over a shop		 Along the sidewalk
Along the sidewalk		 Tenbin-yagura
Tenbin-yagura
Hikone-jō's donjon
Hikone-jō's donjon		 On the eastern flank
On the eastern flank		 Hikone-jō from Nishino-maru
Hikone-jō from Nishino-maru		 Car passing Umaya
Car passing Umaya
Outside the fortifications
Outside the fortifications		 Hilltop donjon from the moat
Hilltop donjon from the moat		 Statue of Ii Naomasa and mini Hikone-jō replica
Statue of Ii Naomasa and mini Hikone-jō replica		 Hikone City Hall
Hikone City Hall
Sakura-framed walls beside the moat
Sakura-framed walls beside the moat		 Nino-maru Sawaguchi Tamon-yagura and sakura
Nino-maru Sawaguchi Tamon-yagura and sakura		 Swan watching a yakata-bune tourist boat
Swan watching a yakata-bune tourist boat		 Sakura along the inner moat
Sakura along the inner moat
Yakata-bune and cherry blossoms
Yakata-bune and cherry blossoms		 Park visitors ambling past the canal
Park visitors ambling past the canal		 Genkyū-en with spring flowers
Genkyū-en with spring flowers		 Hikone-jō overlooking Genkyū-en
Hikone-jō overlooking Genkyū-en
Teahouse in Genkyū-en
Teahouse in Genkyū-en		 Raku-raku-en and palace
Raku-raku-en and palace		 Sakura-lined moat and distant Suzuka range
Sakura-lined moat and distant Suzuka range		 Cherry blossom grove in the Nishino-maru
Cherry blossom grove in the Nishino-maru
Hanami picnic across the Nishino-maru
Hanami picnic across the Nishino-maru		 Nishino-maru Sanjū-yagura
Nishino-maru Sanjū-yagura		 Hikone-jō's donjon from the Nishino-maru
Hikone-jō's donjon from the Nishino-maru		 Rear facade of the donjon and sakura
Rear facade of the donjon and sakura
Rear view of the tenshu-kaku (donjon)
Rear view of the tenshu-kaku (donjon)		 Donjon of Hikone-jō from the Hon-maru
Donjon of Hikone-jō from the Hon-maru		 Front donjon facade and cherry blossom
Front donjon facade and cherry blossom		 View of the tenshu-kaku from near the entrance
View of the tenshu-kaku from near the entrance
Sakura in full bloom beneath the donjon
Sakura in full bloom beneath the donjon		 Residential neighborhood and Lake Biwa
Residential neighborhood and Lake Biwa		 Nino-maru and Hikone skyline
Nino-maru and Hikone skyline		 Taiko-mon (drum gate) of Hikone-jō
Taiko-mon (drum gate) of Hikone-jō
Slope leading to the Tenbin-yagura gate
Slope leading to the Tenbin-yagura gate		 Tenbin-yagura and sakura
Tenbin-yagura and sakura		 Roka-bashi and Tenbin-yagura
Roka-bashi and Tenbin-yagura		 Below the Roka-bashi
Below the Roka-bashi

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Guest 19-Apr-2009 15:29
Nice photos...
click on thumbnails for full image