Winners of National Shoku-no-Koshien Contest Sell Ume Burger at Hawaii Festival

Three new graduates of Kashima High School (located in Tanabe City) participated in Hawaii's Honolulu Festival, where they sold hamburgers that they created using ume and other local ingredients.

The three participants, who learned about product development in their business administration class, were Matsushita Ayaka (18), Iwasaki Chikako (18) and Koike Tsukiu (18). During their senior year, their hamburger recipe took top prize in a national cooking contest jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, and Fisheries and the National Shoku-no-Koshien Association. The win allowed them to participate in Honolulu Festival.

The dish they chose to sell was titled "Kishu ume-dori chicken and egg burger featuring tartar sauce made with crisp ume." They used crunchy pickled Nanko ume plums to promote Wakayama Prefecture's local products.

Honolulu Festival is an event held with the purpose of allowing cultural exchange between Japan and Hawaii. The hamburgers were sold in the Shirogiya Japan Village Walk Food Court alongside many other Japanese delicacies. Only 50 hamburgers were available daily. They were prepared by a local chef who was assisted by the three students.

"I didn't really expect that foreigners would eat [the hamburgers]. I'm really glad that they not only ate it but said they liked it too. I want this to be an opportunity for Nanko ume to be more widely known by foreigners," said Ms. Matsushita.

Hamburgers based on this recipe were available in Family Marts and Circle K Sunkus convenience stores around the country in February and were well received.

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Shirahama Adventure World - Zookeeper Dies After Being Struck by Elephant's Nose

On the morning of March 12th around 9:15, 37 year-old Thai zoo keeper Weichai Madei (sic) was struck by an elephant's swinging trunk, causing him to hit his head on a structure that was in the animal's enclosure. He was transported to a nearby hospital but died from his injuries an hour later. The cause of death was determined to be a cerebral contusion. Police are now conducting an investigation into whether or not there was an issue with safety management at the park.

According to the Shirahama Police, the victim was in the process of giving the female Asian Elephant named Rari (40 years-old, 3.5 tonnes) a bath with another male zookeeper. According to Adventure World, they were inside of the enclosure which houses their two elephants, called "Elephant Plaza." They were pouring water on the elephant, which was laying down and cleaning her using brushes. The elephant suddenly stood, hitting Mr. Weichai with her nose, forcing him into a nearby metal pole measuring roughly 15 centimeters in diameter. There were no parkgoers present, as the incident happened before the park opened for the day.

Rari had been at Adventure World since its opening in 1978. Mr. Weichai had experience working with elephants in Thailand and came to work for the park in 2015. As of now, Rari will not be participating in daily feeding events, where she takes bananas from park visitors using her trunk. The elephant rides, which allow park visitors to ride on the back of the other elephant are the park, have also been suspended until further notice. Mr. Koji Imazu (sic), Zoo Director at Shirahama Adventure World said that he deeply apologizes to Mr. Weichai and the bereaved family and that he would like to confirm the cause of the accident and strictly enforce safety measures.

Adventure World is well known for their Giant Panda breeding program, as well as their wide range of animals on display which includes dolphins, polar bears, and lions. It is also a theme park which offers rides and other fun attractions. Last November, the park also had an incident where the wiring in a Ferris Wheel gondola caught fire.

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Shirahama Town Cancels May 3rd Beach Opening, Citing Low Number of Pre-Season Visitors

In a decision by Shirahama Town and this Shirahama Tourism Association, the annual beach opening held traditionally on May 3rd will be moved to July from this year. Until school vacation begins, the number of beachgoers is few. One member of the Shirahama Town Tourism Division explained, "It was concluded that until the number of beachgoers increases, events we hold at the beach should ultimately be with the goal of attracting more visitors."

The May 3rd beach opening was originally implemented in 2000 as an effort to promote Shirahama with the catchphrase "The earliest beach opening in Honshu." The event itself was sponsored by the Tourism Association and Shirahama Town handled the proceedings to have the event move forward. There were times when the event overlapped with Golden Week and many visitors attended the beach opening with their families. Images of those in attendance rushing to jump into the water at the same time were broadcast on TV and featured in newspapers. The beach opening ceremony was representative of Shirahama as a tourist destination.

However, the time that visitors were spending on the beach prior to the summer season was short. 

In regard to the July beach opening the Shirahama Town Tourism Division explained, "It's a regulation of Wakayama Prefecture that lifeguards must be stationed. however, there are a lot of volunteers and it will be difficult to secure full-time staff." The event has been moved to the first day of the three-day weekend surrounding Marine Day, a national holiday held on the third Sunday of July. This year the event will take place on July 15th.

Shirahama Beach is a major beach in the Kinki region, drawing over 600,000 visitors last season. Other beaches in the town plan to open in July as they have in previous years.

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Kushimoto Town Unveils New Mascot!

A new mascot for Kushimoto Town has made its debut. The character, ,which was created by the town, is a motif of a black tuna wearing the Turkish national costume. They are currently taking suggestions for a name.

Last July, the city established an investigative committee for Turkish goods that consisted mainly of young city staff who are involved in fields like international relations and agriculture. When thinking about ways how to get children interested in the friendly relationship between Japan and Turkey, it was decided that they would create a character and use it for public relations.

The motif of the mascot represents the abundance of farmed black tuna that are raised in the town. It has two fins on either side as well as a tail fin and sports the Turkish charm nazar, or “evil eye.” It cost roughly 500,000 yen to bring the character to life.

The mascot made his surprise debut on the June 4th during a symposium to commemorate 125 years of friendly relations between Japan and Turkey. The unveiling took place at the Kushimoto Culture Center, where guests stared in wonderment and took pictures. A city employee appealed to the guests, holding a sheet of paper that read, “Give me a name!”

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Arrest Warrant for Male US Resident over Damaged Cultural Assets

June 1, 2015  12:25pm

Police have taken out an arrest warrant for a 52 year old Japanese man from the US for questioning in regard to property damage related to successive cases of vandalism using an oil-like substance put onto cultural heritage sites around the country. It was learned that the police are currently considering having the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issue a directive that will require the man to hand in his passport.

The damages involving an oil-like substance being put onto cultural heritage sites affected 48 temples and shrines spanning 16 municipalities and prefectures. These locations include Katori Jingu and Naritasan Shinshoji Temples in Chiba Prefecture, as well as Kashima Jingu in Ibaraki Prefecture. As a result of investigations, staff members report that a man with a similar outward appearance was caught by surveillance cameras around the end of this March at all three locations.

Further examination of the footage – specifically the gait of the man who had sprinkled the oil-like substance at Chiba Prefecture’s Katori Jingu – strengthened the suspicion that it was indeed the 52 year old Japanese man, who is affiliated with a religious organization from America. As a result, they have taken out an arrest warrant on the grounds of property damage.

An individual familiar with the case reported that the suspect, in addition to currently being abroad, has not yet confirmed his plans to return to Japan. As a result, the police are investigating whether or not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can issue a directive that will revoke his passport. According to the police, plans are in place to arrest the man upon his return to Japan. The police are currently reviewing whether there are additional cases of damage other than the ones currently confirmed.

The damage which involved an oil-like substance being sprinkled on cultural assets affected 48 temples and shrines in 16 municipalities including Nara and Kyoto Prefectures. Police in each prefecture are investigating whether the damages are in violation of the 1950 Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.

According to the National Police Agency, as of May 29^th the number of incidents had remained the same.

Nara Prefecture was the most affected, with successive damages occurring at national treasure and important cultural asset sites. In total, 19 locations including Todaiji Temple and Toshodaiji Temple were affected.

In Kyoto, the World Heritage Sites Toji Temple, Yasaka Shrine, and three other locations were affected. In Yamagata Prefecture the 5-storied pagoda located within Dewasanzan Temple – which is a national treasure – as well as four other locations were damaged.

Moreover, three locations in Chiba Prefecture including Katori Jingu and Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, and two locations in each Tokyo and Hyogo Prefectures were also damaged.

In addition, Niigata, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Fukui, Saga, Wakayama, Kagawa, and Oita Prefectures each had one location with confirmed damages.

Investigations up until now have found that surveillance cameras at temples in Nara, Chiba, and Kyoto Prefectures have caught footage of a suspicious person with characteristics similar to the suspect. Police in each area are looking into violations of the Law for Protection of Cultural Properties and property damage.

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Tanabe City to Sponsor Booth at International Food Exposition

Accepting Applications for Exhibitors

Tanabe City located in Wakayama Prefecture plans to establish a booth at Foodex -- Asia’s largest international specialty food and beverage exhibition (March 8^th to 11^th of next year, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City). They aim to increase the level of recognition among local food products and expand the current market and are currently accepting applications for exhibitors. Tanabe City will bear a portion of expenses incurred.

At the Foodex in March of this year, 2,977 companies both originating in Japan and from around the world peddled their wares. In the span of 4 days, 77,361 individuals visited the exhibition. In the exhibition hall where many various vendors gather, the city has made use of 800,000 yen in subsidies for regional development, with the hope that vendors will be able to make business negotiations and engage in market research.

Those eligible for presenting at the City-sponsored booth include food and beverage-related vendors or organizations with headquarters in Tanabe City.

Each vendor will have roughly 180 x 60 x 90 centimeters (width, depth, length) for their display, including space behind that. Within this area, about 7 vendors can participate in the “basic course” exhibition over four days. Applications are also being accepted for 4 vendors for the “half course” who will utilize half of a designated exhibition space over the course of two days.

Tanabe City will cover the cost of exhibition as well as costs related to the design and decoration of the booth. For those participating in the “basic course,” the cost of participation (with decoration included) is usually 400,000 to 500,000 yen. Exhibitors will be responsible for electricity, water, and gas costs for their exhibition as well as travel fees, delivery fees, shared advertisement fees and other various costs.

Vendors interested in exhibiting are asked to submit their applications by 5:00 pm on June 4^th, 2015. In the event that there are many applications, concessions will be made for vendors who have no experience presenting.

Applications and questions can be directed to the Tanabe City Commerce & Industry Promotion Section (0739.26.9970).

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Wakayama Prefecture Mikans -- #1 in Japan for Another Consecutive Year

 Amount harvested last year exceeds previous year

May 26, 2015

Last year in Wakayama Prefecture, the amount of mikans harvested was 173,700 tons, making it the prefecture with the largest harvest in Japan for the 11^th consecutive year.

The years in which there is a bumper crop and the years in which the harvest is poor (thus decreasing the number of overall fruits) switches off every other year. However, last year, which happened to be a bad harvest year saw a 3% increase in harvest compared to the year before that – which was supposed to be a good harvest year. It had been 18 years since the harvest in a bad year exceeded the harvest in a good year.

In the summary provided by the Kinki Region Agricultural Administration’s Wakayama Prefectural Center, compared with the last poor harvest year (2012) the harvest in 2014 had increased by 11,100 tons (7%). Excluding the amounts consumed in households, the amount of mikans exported from the prefecture increased from 157,700 tons by 10,100 tons (7%). The amount harvested per 1,000 m² increased by 170 kilograms to make a total of 2,350 kilograms per 1,000 square meters.

Compared to the last good harvest year (2013), the harvest amount increased by 4,800 tons (3%) and the exported amount increased by 3,500 tons (2%).

  

The Center offered the following explanation for the increase, “Compared to 2013 which had bad weather, 2014 saw a much higher number of blooming [mikan] flowers. It also comes down to the fact that there was very little damage from typhoons.” It was also reported that the fruits didn’t have a chance to ripen well, causing relatively small fruit, since there was very little rain from the beginning of June.

Broken down by prefecture, mikans harvested in Wakayama make up about 20% of the national harvest. It has been number one for 11 consecutive years, since 2004. Number two is Ehime Prefecture (15%) and  number three is Shizuoka Prefecture (14%).

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Rebuilding Wakayama Station - New facilities to include Public Library

May 18, 2015

On the 18^th, the City of Wakayama in conjunction with Nankai Electric Railway Company, announced a plan to revitalize Nankai’s Wakayama-shi Station which is located within Wakayama City. In addition to rebuilding the deteriorating station facilities, they will add a public library and establish a place for businesses and shops. The area in front of the station is included in plans for development, and it is being promoted as a bustling location for the Prefecture’s capital city. Wakayama Prefecture Mayor Yoshinobu Nisaka commented that he highly expects it will be a jumping off point for redevelopment in the area.

On that day, the Mayor of Wakayama City Mr. Obana Masahiro and president of Nankai Electric Railway Company Mr. Wataru Shinni held a joint press conference at city hall to explain their plan. The numbers of passengers departing and arriving on trains has declined by one third from its peak, and the Wakayama City branch of the chain department store Takashimaya – once located within the station building – closed last summer. Such factors led the prefecture, city, and Nankai Electric Railway Company to hasten dialogue about how to make the surrounding area prosperous once again.

According to the plan, the new station facilities (2-story with some steel frame structure and increased floor space of about 830 square meters) are being built behind the existing structure. Office space (7-story steel frame structure with floor space of about 6,000 square meters) is being newly built in the neighboring parking lot of the old station building. The office building will be available for loan to tenants. 

These two facilities will enter the first phase of construction in mid-May with expected completion in the spring of 2017. After that, the second phase of construction will see the demolition of the old station building and a public library as well as space for shops will be built.

The library will be a 4-story steel frame building with space of over 6,000 square meters. The first floor parking garage will have space for about 30 vehicles and the second floor will have a space for parking roughly 800 bicycles. In a movement to increase walking in the area, a corner for local authors and documents as well as a tourist information area are in the works. It is also reported that they want to loan bicycles as well.

Mayor Obana said, “Around the station there is relation to Minakata Kumagusa and Saiki Ikki… it’s a great place for walking around. I want to make a prominent library in order to restore life to this area.” In addition to the foundation of the library being made resistant to earthquakes, it is currently being examined whether or not it can be used for lifelong learning activities as well.

The budget for the first phase of construction is roughly 40 million yen. Within the second phase of construction, the library is expected to have a budget of about 29 million yen. It is expected that aid will be received from the Japanese government to cover part of the construction costs.

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Twin Pandas Make Outdoor Debut at Shirahama's Adventure World

May 8, 2015

On May 8, the female giant panda twins - Ouhin and Touhin - who were born last year were presented to the public at their outdoor playground in Shirahama's Adventure World in Wakayama Prefecture.

The two pandas were raised on a combination of milk from their mother, Rauhin, and formula. As of the 8th, Ouhin weighed 9200 grams and Touhin weighed 9155 grams. Just five months after their conception, they've grown nearly 50 times larger than they were at birth.

To get them active and moving they were put into the outdoor area for some sunbathing. From today, they will be out and about as long as the temperature stays under 23 degrees Celsius.

On the day of their debut, the two pandas' presence had many park visitors remarking on their cuteness. In the fine weather, the twins played together, riding a swing and climbing trees. I

In regard to their personalities, one zookeeper said, "The older sister is relaxed and likes to do things at her own pace, while the younder sister is very active, kind of a tomboy." It was explained that one can tell them apart by looking at their ears -- Ouhin is the one with bigger ears.

A little bit outdated in terms of news, but still interesting nonetheless. I personally haven't been to Adventure World, but I hope to make it there to see the panda babies before it gets too warm!

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Number of "Pilgrims" to Kumano Kodo and Santiago de Compostela Up to 32

May 14, 2015

The number of individuals officially acknowledged as "dual pilgrims" - having walked both World Heritage Sites of the Kumano Kodo Ancient Road and the Santiago Pilgrimage Route has reached over 30.

Tanabe City in Wakayama Prefecture and the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela came up with the plan to create a "dual pilgrim register" (stamp book) in order to increase the number of visitors to both sites. By walking designated routes at both sites and collecting stamps, individuals can be recognized [as dual pilgrims].

From February of this year until the 13th of May, exactly 32 individuals from 10 different countries have been certified. Japan has the most pilgrims of any country at nine people. Next is the United States of America with eight and Australia with five. Spain also has four dual pilgrims.

According to the Tanabe City Tourism Promotion Division, "There are many more entries than we expected. The stamp books are not just to attract visitors; we also intend to create a database of dual pilgrims."

The stamp books needed to become a dual pilgrim are available at tourism centers and the World Heritage Kumano Kodo Visitor Center.

The designated pilgrimage routes on the Kumano Kodo are walking from Takijiri-oji to Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine (38 kilometers), Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine to Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine (30 kilometers), Mt. Koya to Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine (70 kilometers), or Hosshimon-oji to Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine (7 kilometers) and then visiting Kumano Hatayama Grand Shrine and Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine (using other means of transportation is allowed).

The designated pilgrimage routes on the Santiago Pilgrimage Road are either walking or riding a horse 100 kilometers to the Santiago Grand Cathedral. Visitors may also opt to ride over 200 kilometers on a bicycle instead.

To receive recognition as a dual pilgrim, visitors must complete any one of the listed routes on each pilgrimage route.

Original Article: http://www.agara.co.jp/modules/dailynews/article.php?storyid=294286

Time to dust off the hiking boots! Both the Kumano Kodo and Santiago Route are the only religious pilgrimage trails recorded as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, so this is a very special opportunity.

Wakayama Prefecture Mayoral Assembly Meeting: Developing means for foreign tourists to get around

May 13, 2015

On May 12, town leaders, mayors, and other high-ranking staff from all over Wakayama Prefecture gathered at the prefecture-wide mayoral assembly to exchange opinions. The event took place at the Prefecture Council Building, where topics like stimulation of the tourism industry and regional development were debated. Tanabe City Mayor, Mr Manago Mitsutoshi, proposed a plan regarding an intra-prefectural means of transportation foreign tourists. In response, Wakayama Prefecture Mayor Nisaka Yoshinobu pledged to move forward with the plan at a prefectural level.

In regard to tourism, which was on the agenda for discussion, Mayor Mitsutoshi commented in regard to his plan, "It is remarkable how

the number of foreign tourists has increased, but there's still room for improvement. If the number of travelers who come for long-term stays are to increase, development of an easy-to-navigate, reasonably priced, comfortable means of transportation within the prefecture is essential. I wonder if we can't get the prefecture to link up with tourism related municipalities to get the project going."

Mayor of Kozagawa Town, Mr. Takeo Takeda, explained that town facilities for slaughtering and processing game meat intended for human consumption had begun operations. The facilities are aiming to partner with a pet food producer located in Hyogo Prefecture who will collect meat and other parts fit for human consumption. Mayor Takeda also discussed the possibility of cooperating with local leather smiths to process the hides of hunted animals. Mr. Tatsuo Kamatsuka, Prefectural Director of Forests, Agriculture, and Fisheries, suggested the possibility of utilizing the skills of local leather smiths to produce key chains and other small goods.





In regard to regional development, Head of the Wakayama Prefecture Planning Department, Mr. Ichiro Takase, explained that a comprehensive strategy and long term vision incorporating the projected population outlook until 2060 will be decided at the end of this May. Kitayama Town Mayor Susumu Okuda commented, "It's not only the projected numbers, but it's important that we consider how to improve the quality of life for citizens in this region. When you speak about regional development, I think the substance of both urban areas and those tucked away into the mountains will change. However, people who can live in a place because they have peace of mind are able to establish roots and become active. We must move forward while incorporating disaster planning and countermeasures."






Original Article: http://www.agara.co.jp/modules/dailynews/article.php?storyid=294220

Translation of the names may not be 100% accurate. Regardless, this is great news for future visitors to Wakayama Prefecture!

Typhoon No. 6 Moving Northward; Wind and Rain Expected to Get Stronger Over a Large Area

May 12, 2015. 13:16 pm.

Typhoon No. 6 is moving northeast from the southern seas of Western Japan. From now until late on the 12^th, the typhoon is expected to approach Northern and Southern Japan from the Pacific Ocean
side. The current weather front will also have an impact, as the wind and rain is expected to get stronger over a large area. In addition to strong wind and wave warnings, the Meteorological Agency is also asking that cautin is taken for lightning and sudden gusts of wind.

At 13:00 today, the Meteorological Agency reported that Typhoon No. 6 was in the southern sea off of Kyushu and moving northeast at 65 kilometers per hour.

Atmospheric pressure at the center of the typhoon is 990 hectopascales and the wind speed observed at the center was 30 meters with gusts up to 45 meters. Within 80 meters from the radius of the storm, the wind speed was in excess of 25 meters.

From now until the evening of the 12^th, the typhoon will approach Northern and Southern Japan. It is expected to turn into a tropical storm with a possibility of reverting back into a typhoon. However, from the evening of the 12^th until the early morning of the 13^th, there is a possibility it will make landfall in its current state as a typhoon.

The process of reverting to a tropical storm may result in strong winds in the surrounding areas. Until the 13^th, the strongest winds are expected in the Kinki and Tokai regions. The Izu Islands are expected to experience 25 meter per hour winds, southern Kyushu and Kanto 23 meter per hour winds, with gusts expected to reach 35 meters. A vast part of the Pacific Ocean coast is forecasted to have stormy weather.

The weather front near Western Japan will bring warm, damp air into the region, causing atmospheric instability in all parts of Western and Eastern Japan as well as heavy rain in Shikoku and other areas.

Due to the eastward movement of the front, Western and Eastern Japan will remain in a state of atmospheric instability, causing local wind and rain to strengthen. There is potential for thunder and heavy rain (up to 50 millimeters per hour) to occur locally in Western Japan until the evening of the 12^th and in Eastern Japan from the 12^th until the 13^th.

In addition to strong winds and high waves, the Meteorological Agency warns of flooding in areas with shallow soil, landslides, lightning, tornadoes, and other sudden gusts of wind.

Original Article: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20150512/k10010076501000.html

We've been having a lot of nice, mild weather lately but it seems that typhoon season has come a little early. Television news reports that a second (and faster moving) typhoon is following behind this one, so keep your eye on the weather!