Cherry-blossom managing team in Hirosaki

Cherry-blossom managing team in Hirosaki

AOMORI, Japan - Licensed "tree doctors" Masaru Kobayashi (L) and Makiko Hashiba closely examine cherry trees at Hirosaki Park in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, on May 3, 2014. Veteran cherry-blossom keeper Kobayashi teaches novice Hashiba how to maintain cherry trees as part of the city's new effort to hand down its unique tree-care method to the younger generation at the northeastern Japanese park, one of the most beautiful spots for cherry blossoms in Japan.

(8)Five candidates vie for Nagano governor post

(8)Five candidates vie for Nagano governor post

NAGANO, Japan - Hideyoshi Hashiba addresses voters during his Nagano gubernatorial election campaign in the city of Nagano on Aug. 15.

(1)Five candidates vie for Nagano governor post

(1)Five candidates vie for Nagano governor post

NAGANO, Japan - Former Nagano Gov. Yasuo Tanaka (upper L), ousted from office by the prefectural assembly in July, and four challengers filed their candidacies on Aug. 15 to run in the Sept. 1 gubernatorial election. Tanaka's four opponents are Shu Ichikawa (upper C), Chozo Nakagawa (upper R), Keiko Hasegawa (lower L) and Hideyoshi Hashiba (lower R). They all run as independents.

Feudal leader Hideyoshi's letter of 1582 donated to castle museum

Feudal leader Hideyoshi's letter of 1582 donated to castle museum

A letter bearing the handwritten signature in June 1582 of warlord Hashiba Hideyoshi, who later became feudal ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi, to thank a retainer is shown to the press at the Nagahama Castle Historical Museum in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, western Japan, on Oct. 29, 2015. A descendant of the retainer, Hirose Hyogonosuke, donated the letter to the museum in September. The letter expressed gratitude to Hirose for helping to evacuate his wife Nene and other Hashiba family members from their residence in Nagahama Castle on the occasion of an attempted coup d'etat at Kyoto's Honno-ji Temple. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

(8)Five candidates vie for Nagano governor post

(8)Five candidates vie for Nagano governor post

NAGANO, Japan - Hideyoshi Hashiba addresses voters during his Nagano gubernatorial election campaign in the city of Nagano on Aug. 15. (Kyodo)