Yes, the finale of the parade is the Taru Mikoshi. For those of us who were watching the parade closer to Civic Center, the parade ended abruptly without the shrine, likely because the shrine takes about 140 people to carry it, and there is a big hill between the start of the parade and its finale. So the organizers wisely stashed the shrine near the top of the hill, and only had volunteers carry it for the last few blocks of the event.
Yes, I walked to Japan Center because I didn't want to miss it.
Yes, I sent one of these photos to my friends with the subtitle, "this is how sake is delivered to my house now."
