Subscribe now to get full access to our exclusive News Get started with a ch-aviation subscription unrestricted access to all of ch-aviation's news and data for 14 days Upgrade to our Data and News Subscriptions Aviation Intelligence for your everyday use We offer a comprehensive aviation industry database utilised by various entities such as operators Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Kumamoto Prefecture—The unlikely friendship of a Japanese cartoonist and an Italian Catholic archbishop has put a spotlight on Amakusa’s “hidden Christian” sites leading 25 Italians to make a pilgrimage here this fall decided to create “Shishi to Botan” (The Lion and the Peony) adventure and buried treasure connected to the area’s Christian history Christianity had been introduced to the Amakusa region a collection of islands facing the outer sea by missionaries from Italy and other countries As missionary activities were banned in Japan and Christians faced persecution many continued to practice their faith in secrecy—even after the failed Shimabara Rebellion (1637-1638) led by Amakusa Shiro (1621-1638) Traces of this secret history can still be found throughout the area in places such as Sakitsu village Sakitsu is one of the “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region,” designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2018 Takahama moved back to her hometown of Amakusa in 2019 she won the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize’s Grand Prize for her manga “Nyx no Lantern,” which is set in Nagasaki and Paris during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) Takahama began developing a new story inspired by the secret Christian history of her hometown and legends of Amakusa Shiro’s buried treasure This eventually became “The Lion and the Peony,” now available in part on Leed Publishing Co.’s website (https://to-ti.in/product/shishitobotan) Takahama gave a lecture in Rome in 2023 about her historical research for “The Lion and the Peony.” Her lecture caught the attention of Paolo Giulietti Giulietti had developed a keen interest in Japan’s Christian history after visiting the country and being deeply moved by perseverance of the hidden Christians he has organized exhibitions of related artifacts Giulietti soon began corresponding with the Japanese cartoonist a specialist in the restoration of historic buildings who helped evaluate Sakitsu and other sites for inclusion on the World Cultural Heritage list Giulietti and Niglio hit it off right away and their friendship continued to grow through email correspondence The manga artist was invited to Lucca in fall 2023 as a guest of the church’s booth at one of Europe’s largest manga and video game festivals She was also invited to visit the archbishop’s residence After spending about a week with Giulietti Takahama told him that she worried that the unique historical characteristics of Amakusa are “being lost” to time Takahama said the introduction of Christianity to Amakusa its persecution and secret practice were not well understood in or outside Japan and that research into this history had stagnated Takahama wanted to “establish and strengthen ties with Italy that would shed light on Amakusa.” She then invited the archbishop to visit the area for himself He replied immediately that he would—and would bring a pilgrimage group They eventually decided to bring 25 pilgrims from Italy to Amakusa in September 440 years after Japan’s Christian warlords sent the Tensho Embassy to Europe to meet the pope This year also marks a “Holy Year,” which the Vatican celebrates every 25 years local entrepreneurs and business leaders are stepping forward hoping to help make Takahama’s dream a reality a former junior high school classmate of Takahama founded the “Italy and Amakusa Renewed Friendship Project” last June A special panel exhibition will be held this summer at the city-run Amakusa Christian Museum which is famed for its collection of materials about the Shimabara Rebellion The exhibition will combine showpieces related to Amakusa with artifacts about the martyred missionaries and hidden Christians that Giulietti had previously displayed in Italy The Friendship Project is currently coordinating with Amakusa city to prepare bathrooms multilingual information signs and accommodations for the Italian pilgrims who may be exploring the city on foot and by bicycle Takahama hopes the visitors from Italy will grow to love Amakusa and tell other travelers about its charms helping the city attract a new following in Japan and abroad “The experience should not end after just seeing the church and village in Sakitsu,” she said The Friendship Project is exploring creative strategies to encourage overseas travelers to return again and again—to feel the intrigue and depth of Amakusa’s Christian history The organizers hope that interacting with Amakusa residents will help visitors fully appreciate the city’s appeal as a tourist destination who can receive Amakusa Shiro T-shirts featuring an original design by Takahama email (ianf.1585@gmail.com) or scan the QR code to reach the project’s official Instagram account Items ‘hidden’ Christians used to get special folk cultural status ‘Nyx’s Lantern’ wins top manga prize at Tezuka Osamu awards Lisa’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan/ Ono Church: Despite perils Vase for holy oil used by ‘hidden Christians’ triggers a stir Monk inserts Buddhist deity into Madonna and Child work Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission The view of the Amakusa Islands from Misumi Port Nestled on the southwestern tip of Kumamoto Prefecture Misumi is a small yet significant port town with a rich history and stunning natural beauty This charming locale serves as the gateway to the Amakusa Islands a picturesque archipelago renowned for its hidden Christian heritage and dolphin-watching opportunities Misumi West Port has earned UNESCO World Heritage status further elevating its importance as a cultural and historical landmark Misumi offers visitors a captivating glimpse into Japan's past and present Misumi is strategically located at the tip of a peninsula southwest of Kumamoto city Its geographical position has played a crucial role in shaping its history and importance The town's proximity to the Amakusa Islands has earned it the moniker "Gateway to Amakusa" now connected to the mainland via the famous Five Bridges of Amakusa were once home to a significant population of Hidden Christians adding a layer of cultural intrigue to the area Misumi's historical significance took on a new dimension in 2015 when Misumi West Port was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site This recognition places it among the 23 Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution The port's inclusion in this prestigious list has significantly boosted tourism drawing history enthusiasts and cultural explorers from around the world The town's development is closely tied to Japan's rapid industrialization during the Meiji era was one of three ports specifically built for exporting goods Its creation was deemed more economical than upgrading the existing Misumi Port to accommodate larger vessels showcases a fascinating blend of Western engineering principles and traditional Japanese craftsmanship The JR Misumi Line serves as the primary rail connection to Misumi with its starting point 25 kilometers away in Uto connecting to the Kagoshima Main Line and ultimately to Kumamoto Station Travelers from Kumamoto can reach Misumi in just 52 minutes on the local service the A Train boasts a retro interior and even features a bar serving alcohol Operating primarily on weekends and holidays timed to connect with ferry services to Amakusa For those preferring road travel, bus services provide an alternative means of reaching Misumi and the Amakusa Islands. The Kyushu Sanko Bus operates an express service from Kumamoto to Hondo, stopping near Misumi Station. This journey takes about 80 minutes and costs around 1,600 yen. Additionally, smaller local buses connect Misumi to various parts of Amakusa offering a slower but more scenic route through smaller villages Small local buses run across to and between the Amakusa Islands Misumi West Port stands as a testament to Japan's rapid industrialization during the Meiji period the port was designed with a 730-meter long stone wharf and a floating pier complemented by well-planned roads and drainage canals This infrastructure showcases a unique fusion of Western engineering principles and traditional Japanese stone masonry techniques The port's primary function was to facilitate the export of coal from the Miike Mines It also served as an export hub for other commodities such as rice and wheat The development of the port led to the growth of a small town around the harbor featuring a mix of Western and Japanese architectural styles Interestingly, the famous Greek-born author Lafcadio Hearn spent time in Misumi and reportedly enjoyed his stay This historical connection adds another layer of cultural significance to the site visitors can explore several well-preserved historic buildings that offer a glimpse into the port's heyday and a shipping company office and warehouse Many of these structures are open to the public free of charge providing a unique atmosphere for visitors to immerse themselves in the port's history A reconstruction of the hotel that Lafcadio Hearn stayed in Ferries play a crucial role in connecting Misumi to the Amakusa Islands offering both a vital transport link and a scenic journey for visitors The ferry terminal is conveniently located across from the JR Station Tickets can be purchased either at the train station or onboard the ferry The ferry route from Misumi first stops at Matsushima situated at the northern end of Kamiamakusa Island This scenic 17-minute ride passes between smaller islands offering breathtaking views of the archipelago The total journey time from Misumi to Hondo is just under an hour with a one-way ticket from Misumi to Matsushima costing 900 yen and round-trip tickets offer a slight discount it's possible to book a one-day dolphin watching trip from Kumamoto combining the A Train journey with a ferry ride and including lunch in Matsushima The dock for ferries to Amakusa from Misumi While Misumi's main draw is its historical port and role as a gateway to Amakusa the town and its surroundings offer several attractions for visitors to enjoy The Misumi West Port area itself serves as an open-air museum of industrial heritage Visitors can stroll along the historic stone quay which remains largely unchanged since its construction over a century ago The waterfront area has been transformed into a pleasant park ideal for leisurely walks and picnics with views of the sea and surrounding islands For those interested in architecture, the mix of Western and Japanese-style buildings in the port area provides a fascinating glimpse into the Meiji-era fusion of cultures. The grandest of these structures is a reconstructed Western-style hotel, originally built in 1887 but later moved to Dalian in China now serves as an event hall and offers insight into the luxury accommodations of the late 19th century Nature enthusiasts will appreciate the scenic beauty of the Misumi area with its rugged coastline and views of the Amakusa Islands famous for its beautiful sandy curve visible at low tide is worth a visit for those seeking coastal landscapes Misumi West Port boasts a remarkable collection of historical buildings that showcase the architectural evolution during Japan's rapid modernization These structures blend traditional Japanese elements with Western influences creating a unique streetscape that transports visitors back to the Meiji era Among the notable buildings open to the public are: stands as another architectural gem within the World Heritage Site This building exemplifies the later stages of Western-influenced architecture in Japan incorporating more sophisticated design elements and construction techniques Perhaps the most intriguing building is the reconstructed Western-style hotel it provides valuable insights into the luxury accommodations of the era and the growing influence of Western culture on Japanese hospitality The Ryujokan built in 1918 at Misumi West Port World Heritage Site here's some essential practical information to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip: Access: Misumi is easily accessible by train via the JR Misumi Line. From Kumamoto Station the journey takes about 52 minutes and costs 740 yen The special A Train offers a more luxurious option for 1,880 yen most attractions are within walking distance of the station 10 minutes) or taxi (around 1,000 yen) is available Tourist Information Office: Located at 1159 Misumimachi Misumiura Best Time to Visit: While Misumi can be visited year-round spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) offer mild temperatures and beautiful scenery Accommodation: While Misumi itself has limited accommodation options nearby Uki City and Kumamoto City offer a range of hotels and traditional ryokans to suit various budgets Food: Don't miss the opportunity to try local Kumamoto specialties such as basashi (horse meat sashimi) or karashi renkon (mustard-stuffed lotus root) visitors can make the most of their time exploring the historical port town of Misumi and its surrounding attractions Misumi offers a unique and rewarding experience in the heart of Kumamoto Prefecture Urban and Rural Japan Group Tours in Japan Reigando Cave Miyamoto Musashi Kyushu is where the famous Edo Period swordsman Miyamoto Musashi retired to write his classic Book of Five Rings Takamori village The village of Takamori is on Kyushu island Kuma Village Nightlife in Japan: Going out, seeing and drinking Temples and shrines in Japan Markets in Japan Onsen, Hot Springs and Public Baths Family Travel Parks and Gardens Outdoor Activities Museums and Galleries View more Sign up and be the first to hear our news and special offers Embark on a journey aboard a special dolphin-painted airplane supporting an airline that soars with just one aircraft Today's print edition Home Delivery Over 100 cases of possible norovirus have been reported in Kumamoto Prefecture with a local river identified as a potential culprit seven high school students who were playing near Todoroki Falls in the city of Amakusa experienced vomiting and diarrhea after playing in the river nearby and similar cases were reported in the following days according to the city.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The city has since then set up signs near the river calling on visitors to refrain from playing in the water In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp it’s home to other-worldly volcanic landscapes It’s an unspoiled gem and home to passionate locals and experiences travellers will never forget My office is located in the mountains and working in nature is a joy It allows me to understand the issues that connect the environment and the local community giving my work a sense of purpose and keeping me passionate and driven so one of my key duties is to look after Unzen’s marketing and branding If I’m not outdoors showing the park to visitors I’m thinking about what I can do to help promote Unzen fauna and geology and communicating with locals I also get to invite media and influencers to come and explore Unzen Before this job I worked in Tokyo as the CEO of the Swiss outdoor brand Mammut I hadn't spent a lot of time outdoors since my student days but working with Mammut meant I was consistently in contact with the outdoor world It inspired me to start mountain climbing and obtain qualifications as a guide After I retired from Mammut I was told by a director of the Japanese Guide Association who has a connection with the Ministry of the Environment that I might be able to work as a park ranger I studied biology at school and I have a passion for promoting environmental awareness so I thought it would be a great opportunity to combine all my interests and expertise for an important purpose Takahisa Horimatsu barbecueing Unzen’s delicious vegetables Some national parks in other countries are simply parks there are many national parks with townships and private residences within their perimeters I think that's really inspiring because it means people are experiencing Japan’s beautiful nature in their daily life I think it’s interesting that they can experience firsthand how Japanese people live while enjoying the beauty of a national park many international travellers would be surprised to know that Japan's national parks are home to an incredible variety of landscapes The long north-south terrain of Japan means we have Shiretoko National Park in northern Hokkaido and Okinawa's Kerama Shoto National Park down south Unzen is a place where you can experience Japan's four distinct seasons Since the park is in a mountainous area with ranges reaching up to 1,400 metres you can experience the weather and conditions that come with both low-altitude and alpine climates The hot spring area of the park remains relatively cool Late spring (mid-May) to early summer (early June) is azalea season in the park and these flowers are stunning in full bloom Winter is the best time for vegetable harvesting in Unzen and you can eat a wide variety of delicious and unique vegetables at local restaurants and ryokan (Japanese-style inns) in the area Here are some of my favourite areas visitors can enter: It’s an active volcanic group made up of several overlapping stratovolcanoes and it’s simply amazing I also really love Unzen’s jigoku (which translates to hells) Get up close to one and you can feel the earth’s energy on your skin Thanks to Unzen’s unique climate and proximity to the sea you can enjoy a variety of vegetables and fish in the region’s restaurants and ryokan I invite everyone to come and try the culinary culture of Unzen Most people come for one night and two days But I recommend three nights and four days This way you can explore all that Unzen has to offer at your own pace But the autumn leaves in October-November are beautiful too The hot spring area is nice and cool in summer offering a little respite from the humidity when you come will depend on what you want to experience I’d recommend the Nita Pass Second Observatory - you can see Mt Heisei Shinzan and Mt Fugen from here The hot springs (jigoku) in town are also a wonderful spot as is Shirakumo Pond (home to a campsite and great for barbecues) The sunset from Mt Kinugasa is unforgettable and Oshidori Pond is so tranquil I love telling visitors about Unzen’s culinary delights and I encourage anyone visiting to eat as much of the region’s fresh vegetables and fish as they can I’d recommend climbing Mt Fugen to enjoy the views from the top taking a dip at one of Unzen’s many onsen facilities and joining the night jigoku tour We also host a range of unique events and experiences throughout the year kotatsu ‘eco tatsu’ (heated low tables covered by a blanket and powered by geothermal energy rather than electricity) parties and post-hike tea-drinking ceremonies There is little public transport available at Unzen Amakusa National Park, so it’s best to explore the region by car. The hot spring town of Unzen Onsen is about 1.5 hours by car from both Nagasaki Station and Nagasaki Airport. To go further to the Amakusa Islands drive to Kuchinotsu Port and take the car ferry to Oniike Port on Shimoshima Island Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool Leonardo da Vinci's Skill Upgrade: Golden Rule Body B to Mona Lisa A+ Amakusa Shirou's Skill Upgrade: Baptism Rite B+ to Chalice of Heaven EX Increase own Critical Star Drop Rate (3 turns) Jing Ke's Skill Upgrade: Planning B to Ten Steps to Kill One Man B+ Copyright (C) GamePress All Rights Reserved Fate/Grand Order is Copyright Aniplex Inc. Aniplex of America and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc All images and names owned and trademarked by Aniplex Inc. The developer announced tonight that Shiro Tokisada Amakusa will be returning as the third character of Season Pass 3 alongside a new Steam version of the fighter The former boss battles using his magic-infused gem which he can throw out and have it return to him so he'll likely be designed as more of a zoner in the current title 【SAMURAI SHODOWN】SHIRO TOKISADA AMAKUSA joins SAMURAI SHODOWN on June 14th as the 3rd DLC Character in the Season Pass 3!#SNK #SamSho #AmakusaShiro pic.twitter.com/KSkhiCmWp0 Unless SamSho ends up receiving a fourth season of content Amakusa will likely be the penultimate DLC fighter added to the game Cham Cham and The Last Blade's Hibiki Takane previously released as part of its Season Pass 3 and there's still the Guilty Gear crossover character to finish things out Both Amakusa and the new Steam port of SamSho are scheduled to launch on the same day so we have a little less than a month to wait until the next update hits SNK's fighting game Samurai Shodown first released in June 2019 followed by a Epic Games Store version in 2020 Epic appears to have acquired a one-year exclusivity deal for the title so it'll finally be available on Steam almost two years after its initial launch No information has been revealed regarding the pricing and what content is all included with the Steam release but we may find out more later this week if SNK replaces their standard King of Fighters 15 announcement with Amakusa's gameplay trailer 【SAMURAI SHODOWN】Weapon-based fighter SAMURAI SHODOWN is coming to Steam on June 14th!#SNK #SamSho #Steam pic.twitter.com/d04POGyQsj please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent By Futoshi Mori / Japan News Senior Writer Natto made of large black soybeans glistens in a crystal Baccarat glass Made from the finest black soybeans produced in Tanba the natto spreads a rich taste of soybean in your mouth when eaten Artisanal natto maker Amakusa Natto in Mitaka produces the popular traditional Japanese fermented product entirely by hand it is one of the highest quality natto in Japan It is relatively less pungent and is not as stringy either has attracted the attention of vegan restaurant owners overseas and orders are coming in from all over the world I visited the store one day in January to see how natto is made soybeans that had been soaking in water were being sorted out in the back of the store “After removing the soybeans that have not soaked properly they are rinsed and then steamed in a pressure cooker,” the owner put the sorted beans into bags by type and set them in two large steamers Shiny black beans are found upon opening the package of Tanba black soybean natto Soybeans soaked in water sieved through a colander Black soybeans from Tanba and green Aobata soybeans from Yamagata All of them are very expensive domestic soybeans “These are the Tanba black soybeans,” Sakamoto showed me holding in his palm a handful of the beans from a 25-kilogram bag are classified into four grades: they use only the highest grade have potential as soybeans,” Sakamoto said taking out a Tanba black soybean natto from the refrigerator shiny black natto beans look totally different from ordinary natto found in supermarkets Sakamoto put them in a crystal Baccarat glass and offered them to me I poked a bean with a toothpick and lifted it up; it was indeed nearly stringless The natto had such a good aroma and flavor that I was impressed that soybeans could taste this good The natto smell was minimal so the taste of soybeans was more recognizable and was also delicious with salt or sauce Local sales have also begun in Mexico and Paris While ordinary natto cannot be exported due to its short shelf life and other reasons dry natto lasts longer and can be shipped overseas Sakamoto launched six different flavors including salt and chocolate coating and increased inquiries from those who found out about them via YouTube and Instagram led to his company’s overseas market rapidly expanding who runs the vegan restaurant Los Loosers in Mexico City visited Amakusa Natto when she came to Japan last December and liked it so much she participated in a natto cooking event held at a restaurant in Kugayama where she serves special dishes using Amakusa Natto products at her acquaintance’s Paris restaurant HOY The broth for dipping the noodles is seafood-based with large bean natto Amakusa Natto’s production of dry natto is currently outsourced to another firm but Sakamoto plans to build a factory for in-house production in the future He also plans to share recipes for dishes using dry natto on social media Steam rises from soybeans in an opened pressure steamer Chieko Fujino pours water containing Bacillus subtilis natto culture over steamed soybeans Bottle of Bacillus subtilis natto bacterium Chieko Fujino folding kyogi wood bark sheets The soybeans had finished steaming while interviewing Sakamoto and moved to the process of wrapping them in kyogi Steam rose from the soybeans as they were taken out of the pressure cooker and placed on a silver tray sprays in-house Bacillus subtilis natto culture over the beans are soaked in hot water beforehand to kick-start the fermentation process The bark reduces the odor of the natto while transferring a subtle aroma of wood Kyogi wood bark sheets with neatly aligned corners Soybeans placed in kyogi before the fermentation process and Chieko Fujino put steamed soybeans in kyogi and fold them into triangles arranged in a wooden tray ready for fermentation Beans neatly arranged on wooden trays for fermentation “The corners must be properly aligned to make a nice triangle,” explained Fujino “The thickness of the kyogi also varies slightly depending on the time of year so the warming time varies accordingly.” It appears simple but is an intensive and nerve-wracking task they are finally set in a fermentation chamber called a muro Binchotan charcoal is burned on shichirin stoves to keep the temperature inside the chamber at 40 degrees Celsius for 17 hours to ferment Binchotan charcoal has a deodorizing effect so the smell of natto is minimized here as well Hitoshi Sakamoto chats with a customer purchasing natto “I want to spread natto to the world,” says Hitoshi Sakamoto Shelves are decorated with various products and autographs of famous people who have visited Amakusa Natto It was in March 2020 when 48-year-old Kyoto native Sakamoto began running Amakusa Natto Sakamoto was a member of a rock band when he was young and later joined a real estate investment company in Kyoto at age 27 After working for about 15 years with the real estate firm he established his own company and it was around that time he stumbled on Amakusa Natto on a merger and acquisition website A Mitaka man opened the business in May 2019 under the name Amakusa Natto as he was from the eponymous region of Kyushu but closed the same year and put the business up for sale online COVID-19 was just beginning to spread by the time Sakamoto acquired and began running the business A state of emergency was declared in Japan: people disappeared from the streets as they were asked to stay home was selling well throughout the country during the pandemic as it is said to boost the immune system Amakusa Natto became recognized both in Japan and abroad when it was featured in a video by famous YouTuber Paolo fromTOKYO Sakamoto also received a lot of media coverage including TV and magazine features Thanks in part to the worldwide recognition a Lithuanian man who visited Japan last October trained at Amakusa Natto for about a week and is now preparing to make and sell natto in his home country He plans to start a business in partnership with Amakusa Natto in the future “We want to focus on overseas expansion with dry natto as our main product and hope to be able to manufacture natto in various countries in the future.” 2-20-12 Nozaki, Mitaka, Tokyo. The shop is open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., year-round. For more information, visit the store’s Instagram (@amakusanattodiary) https://easytobuy.net/inquiry/en/index.php?k=n-f86f17c82b028112  Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun as amakusa does not have a railway station the architects sought to design a similar type of building that opens up to the public the project is named ‘KOKORASU’ which is a combination of the japanese words: KOKO+KORASU+SU all images by takumi ota the buildingʼs roof is formed by four dynamically curved surfaces made from local timber. an opening where the curved roof planes overlap allows natural daylight and ventilation to enter. the canopy provides large open spaces for the various programs that take place on site. the shape of the roof also inspired the facility’s logo (shown in the gallery below), which was designed by takt project which highlights the existence of the outdoor space dynamic horizontal lines flowing inside the interior spaces and they are limited in height so as not to block visual contact between the library and the surrounding natural environment,’ explains takt project ‘furniture is placed at the large open windows facing the courtyard so people can be more relaxed while reading and can enjoy the natural atmosphere of the courtyard.’ AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style The theme of the Shiro Amakusa Hall deals with the Shimabara Rebellion Various documents and artifacts that are found in the exhibit aim to let the visitors learn about the uprising Amakusa Shiro played an important role in the religious history of Amakusa He was responsible for leading the rebellion against the Tokugawa Shogunate The museum has 13 exhibits that all tell the story of Christianity in Amakusa Each of the areas narrates how Christianity made a big contribution to Japanese history from its arrival in 1549 to its suppression The museum also features dioramas of the Shimabara Rebellion where an estimate of 37,000 people was involved There are multi-vision screens at the waiting hall that is used to show the story of Christianity in Japan up to the battle in Amakusa There is also a video hall where guests can watch a 3D film about Christianity and Japan there is a meditation hall which is a space where guests can enjoy the lights and sounds Admission fees to the memorial hall are as follows: ○ Adults (High school students and older) – 600 yen ○ Junior High school students and younger – 300 yen ○ Infants and toddlers can get in for free The Shiro Amakusa Memorial Hall is open from 9:00 – 17:00 It closed at 16:35 during summer and 16:20 during winter They are also closed during the second Wednesdays of January and June So how does he hold up in the latest Samurai Shodown He retains much of his previous moveset and all of his classic personality but how effective is this in the new game's meta I took some time to play the character and try to figure out what he's all about and here are my (slightly belated) impressions of Amakusa as the most freshly released character in SNK's current Samurai Shodown Amakusa has been a zoning type character employing his crystal ball for long-ranged attacks coupled with various magical spells which infuse him with mystical power Given his iconic stature in the franchise and high popularity it is to little surprise that his general gameplay is the same as it has been in the past Given the high damaging nature of Samurai Shodown being a zoner can be both a blessing and a curse since any mistake you make will typically leave you quite open to counterattacks — and these tend to be very painful This is of course no different in Amakusa's case While he has some normals with absolutely fantastic range most notably his crouching heavy which not only has crazy reach but is also a low if you're using your buttons too obviously it's easy for your opponent to aim for you to whiff your moves rather than having to block them at which point the recovery is big enough that the punishment can be quite severe this also means that Amakusa can have a difficult time actually stopping his opponent's advance on reaction One area where he particularly suffers is his anti-airing — you can definitely stop jumping opponents if you're aware Amakusa's own jump has the same amount of overall frames as Ukyo's does air-to-airing is rarely a particularly good option One of Amakusa's more viable ways to anti-air is by using his Phoenix Flash to catch the opponent's advance The timing is quite strict to land this efficiently keeping opponents out becomes more feasible Amakusa has some absolutely amazing normals to keep his opponents at bay (and his crouching heavy has the added benefit of not being deflectable but he also has another great zoning tool at his disposal The Holy Spirit Slicer is Amakusa's projectile which is quite fast in startup and can definitely be a pain to deal with and to someone like me who's played a lot of Basara Amakusa comes off as a much more solid version of Basara — less mixups While Amakusa's mixup potential isn't too high his Phoenix Flash which I mentioned earlier as a decent anti-air tool also has different versions which can hit either as an overhead or as a low While it isn't safe when blocked (it's Samurai Shodown after all) this is a tool you can keep your opponent guessing with and catch them unaware from at least early on when I experimented with the character This is a move where Amakusa rises up into the sky and can then descend in a number of different ways and at various angles and also choose whether to attack or simply land The issue with this move is that it's woefully unsafe no matter how you slice it the move isn't particularly fast or deceptive either so once the opponent gets used to it they can easily find countermeasures towards it making it one of the less reliable options available to Amakusa in his toolkit Amakusa's Weapon Flip Technique and his Super Special Move are both servicable and don't offer all too much special usage beyond what you'd expect from these types of moves in Samurai Shodown The most interesting part is probably that Amakusa can connect his Weapon Flip Technique as a link from a projectile hit so efficientlly firing projectiles and being aware when they'll hit or not can net you some very good rewards as his Weapon Flip Technique reaches quite far Given the huge openings Amakusa leaves if his opponent is properly aware of his movement and attacks it's hard to call him an obviously strong character even though some of his moves just scream viability while his jump is extremely slow he does have passable movement speed overall due in no small part to his Evil Hornet Gouger command dash special This also has limited invincibility meaning that you can escape certain situations or move through certain moves with it Learning when to use this movement efficiently will likely open up a lot more doors for any Amakusa player especially since you'd likely want to do anything you can to avoid the air when trying to escape or build space That's not to say that his jump is useless — in offensive situations it can still be quite viable because even in the air Amakusa has some fantastic normals which can be used for jumpins and be quite difficult to anti-air for certain characters The final special move at his disposal comes in the form of a solid combo ender which Amakusa can employ in most situations where he gets a close hit on you While this isn't Amakusa's favorite range to be at and being able to land his hits into Judgement Blow (which is essentially a hitgrab) gives him consistent knockdown potential from which he can either back off for distance again or even get feisty with trying his hand at rushdown or close range mixups if you'd prefer to go for that While it's no secret that zoning can definitely be strong in Samurai Shodown (with my own main Mina Majikina being a prime example of it) and Amakusa can feel satisfying in this regard when you've got a good read on your opponent but the risk attached to his moves make it difficult to discern just how good he is Amakusa feels quite similar to Basara but with more emphasis on the genuine zoning rather than having much mixup potential which feels like it makes him a stronger character than his blue-haired compatriot But with Basara frequently counted as one of the worst characters in the game that doesn't really say much about his viability I have a hard time seeing Amakusa being all that high up in the tiers but he has good tools which you can employ if you're diligent and can embrace the careful playstyle needed for such a character he's definitely a welcome addition not only because of his storied legacy and importance to the franchise as a whole but also because even in a roster which keeps growing more and more Amakusa still manages to stick out as a fairly distinct niche in the roster and scratches an itch that other characters might not quite do for you if you're a zoning enthusiast who doesn't like arrows Lucy Dayman is Tokyo-based author of "Tokyo Like a Local" and "Experience Japan" travel books and co-founder of both Open Country hike club and creative agency Y+L Projects Japan isn't the kind of country to give away its secrets too readily It's a special place that begs for multiple visits where you’ll never leave feeling satisfied that you "clocked" the whole country and you can travel with peace of mind knowing the routes are safe but still challenging (and free of poisonous critters The sheer abundance of accessible trails inspired a few local friends and i to start a hiking club in 2022 called Open Country where we take folks out into the mountains—predominantly around Tokyo—to help them feel confident about hiking themselves in the hopes they later go off on their own independent journeys and get to know the country and fearsome volcanoes a little more intimately If you’re a nature lover with a spare few days looking for a real and enough (cheap) onsen options to keep you pruney for days Located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Unzen Onsen is a small, unpretentious onsen (hot spring) town set within the boundary of Unzen Amakusa National Park, Japan's first designated national park in 1934 (fun fact: 2024 marks the park's 90th anniversary). Despite being a popular local destination for hiking and natural onsen this deeply beautiful locale is often overlooked by travelers and tourists Unzen Onsen is also the name given to the volcanic water source that rages through this mountain and is pumped through a network of pipes down into the town's bathhouses and traditional ryokan inns In the early 1900s Unzen was adored for decades by the local population of Japan and once wealthy foreigners (predominantly Western) vacationing from China though it has long since dipped from global recognition But the almost-forgotten nature of it all makes it undeniably so much more special The township today is humble; a morning stroll through the main streets will give you a pretty clear lay of the land There's a single convenience store (not even one of the big three: Lawson a slightly bigger handful of onsen resort hotels (done tastefully and a population where the average age of 70 Overlooking the town of Unzen Onsen is Mount Unzen an active stratovolcano that’s part of the Unzen volcanic region which features a complex of several overlapping volcanic cones Known as one of the country's most active and dangerous volcanoes the most destructive being the 1792 eruption which tore through the landscape and triggered a large tsunami resulting in the unfortunate death of upwards of 15,000 people Unzen was most recently active between 1990 and 1995 with a large eruption in 1991 being featured in the spectacular 2022 National Geographic film Fire of Love pyroclastic flows and mudslides raced down the mountain including (spoiler!) those of the film's charismatic subjects the eruption created Japan's newest mountain peak And while this new peak is only open occasionally—mainly for scientists and journalists—visitors can get close enough to see the swirls of sulphuric gasses still emanating through the ground from nearby Mt the mountain and the volcanic area that lay below the peaks and their subsequent onsen have long been too irresistible to ignore My hot take on Japan is getting to know the country via its mountains is one of the best ways to experience its diverse and beautiful culture and this is coming from someone who never climbed Mt there are probably 100 mountains in Japan worth climbing before even considering Mt Fugendake is one of Unzen's main peaks It is a popular destination for those who want to get close to its formidable neighbor and see the towns sprawling out to the sea below if you're visiting from overseas and are relying on AllTrails to navigate your way around (local tip YAMAP is the Japanese and much more detailed equivalent) then Fugendake is also the best recorded and well-marked it is worth swinging by the Unzen Visitor Center in town to pocket a few loose maps and collect some pointers from the local experts may require a little Google Translate if you don’t speak Japanese The trailhead starts from near the car park and is situated a short drive up the mountain one major trail splits off as you get close to the peak and one key route that gets you to the top the parks put in a few small "toilet trails" that shoot off the main track to offer a little public privacy when nature calls You should not be adventurous and assume these unmarked trails are secret trails because according to the local park rangers you wouldn't be the first person to get lost I was told that a man called the police after thinking he was lost but he was only about 20 meters from the trail The difficulty level of the hike can vary depending on the routes you decide to take but it is generally considered to be moderate to challenging and dipping clouds that can impair your views it's what the Japanese would call "asameshimae" (translate: "a piece of cake" or more literally "before breakfast" as in it's so easy you can get it done "before breakfast." Leave by around 10am and you'll make it for lunch up top Nagasaki is a pretty mild place to visit year-round and Unzen is similarly pretty much open throughout the year but it is also most likely one of the busiest times of the year Summer brings lush greenery and a little more humidity than you might be used to but that's all part and parcel of Japanese summers especially as the days get a little cooler and that end-of-day onsen levels up in appeal it's worth noting that around October and November the local produce is in a new range of deliciousness it's worth a visit around then to see the small ice flowers that form on the mountain's foliage then the best jumping-off points are Nagasaki or Fukuoka cities both vibrant cities in Japan's southern end with their own unique charms and cultures Take the JR Kyushu Limited Express train to Isahaya Station transfer to the Shimatetsu Line at Isahaya Station and ride to Unzen Station you can take a bus or taxi to the onsen area There are some direct local buses from Nagasaki Station to Unzen Onsen Take the JR Kyushu Limited Express train from Hakata Station to Isahaya Station then transfer to the Shimatetsu Line to Unzen Station Some bus companies offer direct services from Fukuoka to Unzen Onsen so it's worth doing a little Google Map research they’re not the most comfortable body shapes to have sitting on your lap ESP has always pushed the boundaries of guitar marking and while other manufacturers build masterful version of existing models the pieces serving more as statues or gallery pieces than as guitars Here are ten of the more outrageous and beautiful builds Read up on all the latest features and columns here We covered the Godzilla here at Mixdown when it was launched in 2019 Designed alongside Japanese folk rock band The Alfee an alder-bodied electric with a single EMG in the bridge The Venus Angel from the Custom Shop is famous for its incredible woodwork but also the addition of 12 extra strings above the angel’s head The main part of the guitar is a dual humbucker electric with a gold Floyd Rose the Archangel is another build from the ESP Custom Shop While the additional 12-strings are absent This electric features a massively extended lower horn; the Archangel’s wing extending up to the headstock the headstock itself exuding another wing as well is a grim reaper style guitar with a hooded figure the handle of its scythe passing through the body The body itself is reminiscent of ESP’s “Arrow” body shape and a single volume controls the output of the single Seymour Duncan bridge humbucker The loose concept for Amakusa is “European medieval culture” evident in the stained-glass church design and crumbling pillars The golden hardware compliments the gold border of the cross as a skull appears in between the single bridge humbucker and the start of the neck The headstock features the same stained-glass finish as the body Another stained-glass inspired guitar is Rinne (Transmigration) with multiple pieces and exacting inlays to create crosses scattered across the body while more stained glass inlays adorn the fretboard A take on ESP’s rare “Star” shape is the Sakoku Featuring a single Seymour Duncan Invader in the bridge position the guitar is also referred to as “Dankon” (“bullet mark”) ESP’s Ghost Soldier is an army-clad fighter its skull protected by a helmet and armed with two blood-spattered shotguns while the handles of the guns provide a unique body shape while dogtags adorn the split-V shaped headstock Keen-eyed reader will noticed the snake coiling through the neck position humbucker of ESP’s RV Snake with a snake coiling around a branch burst through the guitar as opposed to the trend of single humbuckers to make way for the unbelievable designs on the other masterful creations For local ESP enquiries, visit CMI Music VTuber Miro Amakusa has pulled off the seemingly impossible and reached Rank X in Splatoon 2 while being restricted to only using their feet to control the game The VTuber began the challenge on August 14 and was able to complete it in roughly one year online matches are split between Turf War and Ranked Battle modes The rules are simple in Turf War as the team that covers the most area in ink wins with different rules and game types that really put your skills to the test players have what is called a rank which increases as they accumulate wins and decreases as they lose and for players that make it beyond that waits Rank X Rising through all 20 levels to reach Rank X is a long and difficult road one player was able to overcome that challenge using only their feet VTuber Miro Amakusa set a goal to reach Rank X using their feet instead of their hands by the time Splatoon 3 released and was able to reach their target just in the nick of time When Miro Amakusa began streaming to Twitch on September 7 and a shot of their feet operating the controller in an odd departure from the standard hand camera that streamers use to show their inputs Miro Amakusa picked up where they left off streaming Splat Zones matches from Rank S+8 Their movements were so smooth that you wouldn’t have any idea they were using their feet and with a custom button mapping and refined foot control they showed off excellent movement and positioning around the map Miro Amakusa used the Foil Flingza Roller weapon With the roller’s far-reaching vertical swing and the Tenta Missiles which are easier to fire multiple times as the required special gauge is fairly low there’s good synergy between the main and special weapons Miro Amakusa would use a shooter to expertly take out enemies a roller which requires less precision aiming is probably a better fit Miro Amakusa also displayed some fine splatting after getting used to the foot controls Once it looked like they were one win away from reaching Rank X Miro Amakusa switch streaming platforms over to YouTube The Splat Zones match was set to take place on Ancho-V Games Miro Amakusa used the Foil Flingza Roller to cover the map with ink while keeping enemies at bay from a distance using the Tenta Missiles they were able to boldly close gaps and repel their attacks by diving into the ink to create favorable situations they snagged the victory which lifted Miro Amakusa to Rank X Since Miro Amakusa spent most of the match inking the stage they seemed a little dissatisfied at the ending but it was a victory earned by clearly understanding the situation and coordinating with teammates After working toward the achievement for roughly a year and a month, Miro Amakusa was overcome with emotion when expressing their joy. Viewers that watched it happen in real time were also celebrating in the chat. Miro Amakusa’s tweet reporting they had reached Rank X was also showered with celebratory replies Miro Amakusa has also reached Rank X through normal play they first went through Splatoon 2’s single-player Hero Mode with only their feet to get used to the controls Looking back on the footage from when they first began But after some good old-fashioned hard work they were able to go toe-to-toe (or toe-to-finger in this case) with excellent players who played normally with their hands Seeing this kind of growth shows that we can all improve our skills if we keep at it Miro Amakusa began their challenge of only using their feet to prove that you can reach Rank X with good situational awareness and positioning Now to see it achieved with such restrictions on controls shows just how important those factors are in Splatoon they played by placing the controller on the floor and fixing it so it wouldn’t move This meant they couldn’t use gyro controls to aim which many believe is the superior method Miro Amakusa reaching Rank X this way might also be touted as a win for team stick controls 天草の足スプラに感化されて『私でもXいけるんじゃないか』というツイートを見るようになった。すごく嬉しいこの人だからできるとかあの人だからできないとかそういう言葉で終わらせるような人間になるより、頑張ればなんでもできる人間であれ。私たち配信者はその希望を与え続ける存在で居続けます！ Splatoon 3 is coming to the Nintendo Switch on September 9 but Miro Amakusa says they’re still deciding on if they’re going to play it with their feet or not Written by. Nick Mosier based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2022-09-08 16:54 JST) Dynasty Warriors Origins focused on balanced sex-appeal that doesn’t compromise female characters’ roles and backgrounds, says series producer  Japanese NFT game company’s currency crashes after users discover infinite money glitch Shin Megami Tensei artist Kazuma Kaneko says teaching AI to draw like him was more time-consuming than making art from scratch  AUTOMATON WEST is operated by Active Gaming Media Inc.Reproduction in any form or medium without acknowledgment of Active Gaming Media Inc Copyright © 2025 - AUTOMATON WEST / Theme by Creative Themes as part of a broad industry wide effort to maintain passenger volumes on routes serving Japan’s smaller outlying islands ANA was already a codeshare partner of Nagasaki-based Oriental Air Bridge but now it will be placing its code on Amakusa Airlines and Japan Airlines’ regional carrier Kagoshima-based Japan Air Commuter the five carriers say in a joint statement Amakusa Airlines derives its name from the Amakusa Islands off the west coast of Japan’s large southern island of Kyushu Japan Airlines was already placing its code on Japan Air Commuter flights but will now also start placing its code on Oriental Air Bridge and Amakusa Airlines flights The Japan Airlines and ANA codeshares will apply to the regional carriers’ flights to outlying islands and come into effect on 30 October They add that the reason for this coordinated initiative is to assist regional airlines to boost passenger numbers by tapping ANA and Japan Airlines’ sales and marketing channels says the reason behind the move is to bolster the regional carriers’ passenger numbers to smaller outlying islands because these are markets that are expected to experience a decline in passenger volumes unless action is taken Editor’s comments: Japan suffers from an ageing and declining population something remote outlying island communities are grappling with ANA and Japan Airlines helping to boost air travel to these outlying islands shows cabin crew from the five respective Japanese carriers Japan’s Regional Aviation Council Begins Campaign Promoting Domestic Regional Air Connectivity (27 October 2021) Japanese Regional Carriers Form Regional Aviation Council (3 December 2020) The World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added Japan’s Hidden Christian sites in the Nagasaki region to the World Cultural Heritage list The decision by the World Heritage Committee brings to 22 the total number of Japan’s World Heritage sites: 18 cultural and four natural sites. This follows the listing in July 2017 of the “Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region” in Fukuoka Prefecture on the island of Kyushu The committee’s decision came on June 30 during their meeting in Manama The panel said the sites were listed because they “bear unique testimony to a cultural tradition nurtured by hidden Christians in the Nagasaki region” during the period of prohibition that lasted about 250 years The sites are distributed across several remote islands and peninsulas in Nagasaki Prefecture and in the nearby Amakusa district of Kumamoto Prefecture Success in securing the World Heritage Site listing was attributed in part to the Japanese government’s review and modification of the application to include additional information suggested in May 2017 by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) a preliminary review panel on World Heritage registration candidates The hidden Christian heritage sites consist of 12 components which the government earlier designated as a national treasure Also included are the remains of Hara Castle and 10 villages that were formed during the ban on Christianity in the Nagasaki and Amakusa regions The Catholic faith began spreading worldwide during the Age of Exploration One characteristic peculiar to Japan is that it remained immune from widespread Christian colonization The Japanese government recommendation to the World Heritage Committee underscored the fact that the Christian faith in Japan “was secretly transmitted among the populace despite the policy by the central administration of banning Christianity which the Tokugawa shogunate regarded as a menace that might lead to the nation’s colonization by forces from abroad.” The hidden Christians found various ways to continuing practicing their faith in secret during the period of prohibition such as hiding Christian relics in Shinto shrines where they practiced Christianity in secret moving to remote islands and farming there and substituting items used in their daily lives for Christian devotional objects hidden Christians formulated a unique system of faith and belief among themselves that revolved around those who played leading roles in the community Leaders were called by words with secret meanings such as chokata (officials in bookkeeping duties) who presided over the ritual calendar of the Catholic Church and mizukata (officials in charge of administering water supplies) These communities continued practicing their faith secretly after the 1614 Tokugawa shogunate’s nationwide order banishing Christianity The government’s longstanding acquiescence together with the Christian habit of concealing their faith helped form the background for this history the Kyushu region faced the problem of overpopulation prompting the Nagasaki regional government to adopt a policy of prodding people in the Sotome area of Nagasaki in the Kyushu mainland to move to the more remote Goto (five) Islands It is said that about 3,000 people moved to the islets at that time It has been confirmed that there were more than 200 Christian communities in that era in Nakasaki Many of Christian faith were formally recognized as Catholics under the guidance of missionaries after the lifting of the ban on Christianity in 1873 remained committed to keeping their faith secret and are called “hidden Christians” or Kakure Kirishitan in Japanese According to the book Goto Christian History (1973 the population of the Goto Islands’ Kakure Kirishitan stood at an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 in the early Showa era (1940's) Most of the Christian communities are said to have subsequently disbanded Given that many of the hidden Christian site components are located on remote islands and peninsulas where depopulation and aging have rapidly been progressing the task of securing people to engage in conserving the hidden Christian assets has become increasingly challenging The Japanese government submitted its initial recommendation to the UNESCO committee in January 2015 with the aim of gaining World Heritage status in the summer of 2016 for a “cluster of churches in Nagasaki and related Christian sites” representative of about 400 years of history from the arrival of Christianity in Japan That application was centered around Christian structures that were built after the prohibition was lifted which advised the Japanese government to focus on the period of Christian prohibition and persecution The government submitted a new recommendation in February 2017 and ICOMOS responded in May this year with a proposal for World Cultural Heritage registration In addition to the newly-designated Hidden Christian sites the Japanese government has recommended a cluster of ancient burial mounds in the Mozu and Furuichi areas of Osaka Prefecture for consideration in 2019 as prospective World Cultural Heritage sites The mounds are clustered around the outskirts of the ancient city of Sakai in Osaka Prefecture They include the country’s largest keyhole-shaped tumulus which is believed to be the mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku who was said to be on the throne for 87 years in the fifth century the government withdrew its recommendation for World Natural Heritage approval of Amami-Oshima island located either in Kagoshima Prefecture or Okinawa Prefecture the Environment Ministry is considering trying again to gain a heritage status as early as 2020 (Click here and here to read the related articles in Japanese.) You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " with SNK finally revealing the gameplay trailer for the classic villain returning as the penultimate character of Season 3 Amakusa first appeared in the original SamSho in 1993 and was included in pretty much every mainline title released afterwards His popularity makes it fairly unsurprising he'd be returning from the grave again to do battle though it might not exactly mesh well with the reboot canon since this game takes place before the original's events Amakusa still battles using his magically-enhanced orb that he can send flying across the screen This of course makes him perfectly suited for playing the zoner game especially with his Holy Spirit Slicer fireball (or whatever they're going to call it now) although he can immediately close the distance as well with his special command dash the original final boss of the series appears to keep pretty much everything from the previous entries with some moves receiving a speed boost to help make them more viable on top of some new options Only the Guilty Gear representative remains to be announced for SamSho as the final member of Season 3 which may very well mark the end of official support for the game with The King of Fighters 15 looming on the horizon Amakusa will be releasing on June 14th alongside a brand new Steam release for Samurai Shodown which fans have been requesting since before the game initially launched You can check out the fan-favorite villain's trailer below We would like to personalise your experience with ch-aviation Could you please tell us a bit more about yourself SNK has also released the Version 2.30 (2.31) update as well plus its patch notes, and SamSho is now finally available on Steam with some nice discounts for the next few days Amakusa is finally back in the fold with his magical orb and he can be picked up as part of Season Pass 3 for $20 or by himself for $6 Cham Cham seems to have ended up with some nice buffs to many of her moves and the other characters who say changes includes: Nakoruru We only had to wait two years to get SamSho on Steam Those looking to pick it up on PC now will see some nice discounts waiting for them too The full game containing the Season Pass 1 can be picked up for $39.63 while the complete package including Season 2 and 3 is available for $63.31 though these deals will only last until June 18 You can find the full patch notes and Amakusa's gameplay trailer below Vox Populi Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun I recently discovered new "footprints" at a seaport in Tsuruga shoe print decals on the ground marked a trail that continued into the downtown area This was the path walked by Jewish refugees who arrived 80 years ago on the ship Amakusa Maru the Amakusa Maru plied between Vladivostok and Tsuruga almost every week bringing European emigres escaping the Holocaust kept a picture of the vessel in his private photo album with this caption: "Carrying exiles and refugees "Aside from diplomat Chiune Sugihara who issued the famed 'visas for life,' there also were many people who supported the rescue operation," noted Akira Kitade Kitade was entrusted by Osako's surviving family to track down seven men and women whose portraits were in Osako's photo album who had written "To My Wonderful Japanese Friend: Please remember me" on the back of her portrait arrived at Tsuruga with Sugihara's transit visa and proceeded on to the United States Kitade recalled feeling deeply moved when a refugee's bereaved family showed him Osako's old I visited the Port of Humanity Tsuruga Museum where messages of gratitude from refugees who escaped to freedom are displayed in many languages but local residents gave them apples and invited them to use a neighborhood "sento" bathhouse the Amakusa Maru was captured by the Japanese military during the Russo-Japanese War in the early 20th century and later saved many refugees from Europe The vessel was destroyed and sunk by a U.S the "relay of humanitarian spirit" it embodied is very much alive at the port of Tsuruga Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture Visa issued to Jewish refugee by 2nd Japanese diplomat found Ship remembered for saving 800 Russian children a century ago Kobe signboard remembers Jews who fled on ‘visas for life’ to Japan Ceremony marks sinking of vessel taking Okinawa citizens to safety VOX POPULI: Why is yawning so contagious among humans UNESCO decided Saturday to add southwestern Japan sites linked to the history of the country's persecuted Christians to the World Heritage list The 12 sites include Oura Cathedral in Nagasaki the oldest surviving church in the country that has already been designated as a national treasure a site of the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion that led to establishment of a national seclusion policy and the beginning of the hidden Christians' unique system to transmit their faith and beliefs by themselves The Japanese sites were among 28 World Heritage candidates reviewed by the U.N Scientific and Cultural Organization's World Heritage Committee for four days through Monday in Bahrain The decision by the committee brings the total number of world heritage sites in Japan to 22 -- 18 cultural and four natural sites The newly added sites "bear unique testimony to a cultural tradition nurtured by hidden Christians in the Nagasaki region who secretly transmitted their faith during the period of prohibition from the 17th to the 19th century," the committee said on its website The listing of the Japanese cultural sites follows a recommendation by a preliminary review panel of the Paris-based international body in May the Japanese government initially recommended 14 candidate components to UNESCO But it later withdrew the recommendation and resubmitted it last year under the guidance of the International Council on Monuments and Sites which advised Japan to focus on the period of prohibition and persecution some 100 people including local government officials gathered to celebrate the committee's decision setting off firecrackers and scattering confetti Some attendees chanted distinctive prayer passed on from their ancestors "I'm proud of my hometown that's now recognized globally," said Satomi Ogino a 31-year-old housewife who briefly returned from Yokosuka "I'd like to tell the value of the heritage site to my 1-year-old son someday." The other places of the "Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region" include the village of Sakitsu in Amakusa where Christians practiced their faith in secret despite persecution almost throughout the Edo Period (1603-1868) under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate Around 450 people gathered at a cultural facility in Amakusa to watch the announcement as well "They cast a spotlight on predecessors who kept their faith I was able to witness a great day," Emiko Yoshimura a 67-year-old leader of the congregation at the Sakitsu Church Hodo Nakamura said in a released a statement "We would like to give pride to residents and excitement to visitors through this heritage by engaging in preservation of the sites and revitalization of the region." Those who continued to practice Christianity in Japan despite persecution "nurtured distinctive cultural traditions," according to the Japanese government The UNESCO committee comprises 21 states selected from signatories of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Three other sites -- India's "Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai," Iran's "Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region," and South Korea's "Sansa Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea" -- were also added to the world heritage list Saturday To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible The village of Sakitsu is located on the southern tip of Shimoshima the largest of the Amakusa islands in Kyūshū Tucked on the edge of a cove opening out onto the calm waters of the Yōkaku Bay except for the sight of the church spire soaring behind the tightly packed houses visitors should stop by the Sakitsu Village Guidance Center to view the panels showing Sakitsu and the other Hidden Christian World Heritage sites The Center was where we met up with our guide chair of the Amakusa Treasure Island Guides Association He took us on a stroll through the tranquil fishing village stopping to show us the Sakitsu Suwa Shrine and the present-day Sakitsu Catholic Church—all of which played significant roles in the history of the hidden Christians here Looking out toward the hamlet from the Sakitsu Village Guidance Center Kanazawa Hiroyoshi offers guided tours of the area’s sights Christianity was introduced to Sakitsu in 1569 by Luis de Almeida who continued to practice their newfound faith despite an edict prohibiting the religion issued in 1614 by the Edo government Tensions erupted in the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637 when the local Christians revolted against the government and once a year thereafter villagers were required to prove they had abandoned the Christian faith by trampling fumie The Sakitsu Church is a beautiful example of gothic architecture on the outside but has traditional tatami flooring inside many devout Christians continued to practice their faith in secret even while they registered as belonging to local shrines and temples arrested more than 5,000 hidden Christians in Sakitsu and three neighboring villages The 1,709 people arrested in Sakitsu were later pardoned but only after they discarded the medallions and sea shells they had been using as objects of worship These objects were placed in a large box set up on the grounds of the Sakitsu Suwa Shrine the people of Sakitsu clung to their faith when the ban on Christianity was at long last lifted the hidden Christians emerged to become Catholics and built a wooden church below the Sakitsu Suwa Shrine The present-day Sakitsu Catholic Church was erected in 1934 on the site—once the residence of the village headman—where the Japanese Christian converts of old had been forced to deny their faith by stepping on the notorious fumie The church altar is located above the spot where the fumie were placed The Sakitsu Suwa Shrine where the hidden Christians were forced to abandon their faith The site of the old wooden church built in 1888 alongside the main approach to the Sakitsu Suwa Shrine The intriguing juxtaposition of the torii gate to the Shintō shrine and the church “People who come here are drawn to the beauty of Sakitsu’s church but what really makes this a world heritage site is the unique way in which the hidden Christians here practiced their faith They saw in the patterns of sea shells images of the Virgin Mary and carved religious medallions out of pearly oyster shells they preserved their faith using as objects of worship things they found in their daily lives as fisherfolk,” explains Kanazawa He also noted that the unusual co-existence of Buddhism and Christianity in such a small village was another factor in Sakitsu’s designation as a world heritage site Some of the medallions and sea shells worshipped as representations of Mary and other artifacts of the hidden Christians can be seen in the Minatoya Sakitsu Museum located near the church The hidden Christians of Sakitsu used a tairagi pen shells and abalone shells as objects of worship They saw images of Mary in the pearly patterns Inside the Minatoya Sakitsu Museum New Year’s decorations of sacred straw rope placed over the entrance to houses were once kept up throughout the year as proof that no hidden Christians lived there This practice has been retained in some areas of Amakusa and Shimabara in Nagasaki A statue of Mary gazes out over Yōkaku Bay The fisherfolk of Sakitsu still pray to the statue for safe sailing before they go out on their fishing expeditions Sakitsu and the neighboring village of Imatomi are also designated by the Japanese government as important cultural landscapes Sakitsu in particular is situated on an excellent natural harbor and was once a major base of trade in the Amakusa region “You’ll notice how readily people will come up to talk to you when you are strolling about the village,” says Kanazawa “Sakitsu is a refreshingly open village and welcomes visitors.” A deck used by the fisherfolk is one of the unique features of the Sakitsu landscape Alleyways called tōya weave their way among the tightly packed houses of the village Sugi yōkan is said to have been introduced to the village around 200 years ago by shipwrecked emissaries from the Ryūkyū kingdom Banner photo: The small community of Sakitsu on a cove off of Yōkaku Bay.) Amakusa Airlines (MZ, Amakusa) has taken delivery of its first - and Japan's first - ATR42-600 manufacturer ATR - Avions de Transport Régional (EVX, Toulouse Blagnac) has disclosed One Piece is taking part in helping Kumamoto overcome the 2016 earthquakes and return to its former prosperity by organizing the One Piece Kumamoto Restoration Project One part of this project is the Kami-Amakusa Tokoton TanoSEA Sightseeing Stamp Rally a collaboration that aims to liven up the area of Kami-Amakusa ■ Kami-Amakusa Tokoton TanoSEA Sightseeing Stamp RallyThe goal is to collect stamps at the six stamping spots with One Piece character boards located throughout Amakusa at various sightseeing spots There’s also a lottery for limited edition presents including original collaboration T-shirts and town specialties Participation: Get your stamp card at the Shiro Amakusa Memorial Hall and visit the other stamping spots throughout the city of Participants: 5,000Participation Fee: free If you collect the stamps from the starting points of the two other stamp rallies taking place in Takamori and Yunomae (Yusui-kan at the Takamori Yusui Tunnel Park for the Takamori rally and the Yunomae Manga Museum for Yunomae) The opening ceremony for the Kami-Amakusa Tokoton TanoSEA Sightseeing Stamp Rally will be held on Nov There will be cool photo spots you won’t find anywhere else and the first 100 to arrive will receive a present the regular boat leaving Ebito Harbor for Yu Island at 10:00 a.m will depart with a small fleet to bring the One Piece atmosphere ■ One Piece Stamp Rally Opening Ceremony DetailsDate & Time: Nov start timePlace: Shiro Amakusa Memorial HallProgram:[9:00 a.m.]- Stamp Rally Opening Ceremony- Greetings from the mayor- Opening[9:30 a.m.]- Moving to Ebito Harbor[10:00 a.m.]- Boarding ship at Ebito Harbor (mayor and guests)- Moving out in a small fleet of up to five ships (one of which will be for media personnel taking pictures of the fleet)[10:30 a.m.] - Arriving at Yu Island- The mayor sets up Yu Island’s panel and stamp at the rally point[12 noon] - Returning to Ebito Harbor (arrival at around 12:30 p.m.) ■ Exclusive Campaign for LodgersAs part of the Kami-Amakusa Tokoton TanoSEA Sightseeing Stamp Rally those who stay at a lodging facility in Amakusa can enter a lottery for limited edition goods including original T-shirts and town specialties Participation:Stay in a lodging facility in Amakusa during the campaign to qualify for the lottery!Target No Source: @Press SNK announced the Shiro Tokisada Amakusa DLc for Samurai Shodown will launch on Junr 14 Shiro Tokisada Amakusa is the third out of four Season Pass 3 character The first two were  Cham Cham and Hibiki Takane It isn't known yet who the fourth will be.  View a trailer of the DLC character below: Samurai Shodown is available now for Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC via the Epic Games Store Samurai Shodown Samurai Shodown Samurai Shodown Samurai Shodown Shiro Tokisada Amakusa is the third Season Pass 3 character out of four. The first two characters were Cham Cham and Hibiki Takane. The fourth and last character is a to-be-announced guest fighter from Arc System Works‘ Guilty Gear series Watch the trailer below. View the screenshots at the gallery Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without acknowledgment of Gematsu is prohibited Use of this site is governed by all applicable laws Website by 44 Bytes Many of said beloved characters are from the very original Samurai Shodown from back in 1993 with many of the series staples such as Haohmaru Jubei and Ukyo hailing from this very first title Earthquake and Kyoshiro who all saw a return in the launch roster of the new game While the initial roster didn't include everyone from the first game post-launch content has given us more to enjoy from it with Wan-Fu added in the first season and the original game's boss Shiro Tokisada Amakusa being the newest addition to the crew there's still one classic character from the first game's roster who seems to have been forgotten by SNK.. The character I'm referring to is of course Gen-an Shiranui (no relation.. we think) who debuted in the first game as a weird goblin-looking ninja character with a claw on his hand he most definitely sticks out both visually and gameplaywise from his fellow Samurai Shodown roster members You need look no further than the character select for the original game to see that Gen-an has been somewhat unjustly treated — Galford Hanzo and Kyoshiro make up this screen together with him yet he's the only one nowhere to be found in 2019's revival of the series who wasn't originally playable but rather a boss character though I'm honestly fine with that one in particular So why exactly has Gen-an been left as the odd man out from the original Samurai Shodown cast his gameplay is certainly unique enough — you won't find anyone in the current roster who fights quite like he does That would be the obvious route considering we live in a day and age where fighting games receive continuous updates and it's simply less feasible to expect consumers to shell out extra cash for characters who just aren't that beloved Honestly, though, this also seems unlikely to be the case why. A while back, shortly before the launch of the Samurai Shodown revival, SNK held a poll which we've covered several times on the site (here, for example) We also know for a fact that SNK heavily considered the results of this poll when deciding which characters to add even citing Season 2 character Mina Majikina's announcement as a direct result of her placing first in the poll Gen-an actually ended up in 9th place of all the Samurai Shodown characters who weren't in the launch roster While several later additions beat him in the poll (all of the top 6 — Mina he actually beat out some of his rivals from the first game notably placing higher than both Season 1 addition Wan-Fu and the most recently released character Amakusa as well So if it isn't a lack of popularity or an uninteresting moveset There are no concrete answers since SNK have never really commented on the Samurai Shodown fighters they left out of the game but my best guess is that this attractiveness-deficient little bastard and his fans simply ended up being unlucky Perhaps it was difficult to make the character work the way they wanted perhaps they couldn't get him to look the right way in the game's new graphical style or perhaps he was never brought up as a viable option at staff meetings at all but given that all the data suggests Gen-an is quite a popular pick who brings his own flavor to the series a lack of notability is certainly not why he remains absent As far as we are currently aware, Samurai Shodown only has one character left to be added to its roster, who is going to be a guest character from Guilty Gear (and also most likely Baiken) but there's no telling if that's truly the end of SNK's latest swordfighting installment or not we'd imagine that Gen-an will be at the very top of the shortlist.. With the new Version 2.10 update for the game, data-miner Lean Buscaglia reportedly uncovered a new list of ID tags that seem to clearly indicate who the remaining two characters are Major potential spoilers for Season Pass 3 ahead The alleged codenames ripped out of SamSho's files are the following: CHM CHM looks to be an obvious reference to Cham Cham while HBK points to the next DLC fighter coming The Last Blade's Hibiki Takane — but what of the other two DLC character three will likely go to Amakusa for AMA and the final seems to point to Guilty Gear's Baiken which should make quite a few people happy No clue if this was mentioned anywhere yet, but in the files of the last version of Samurai Shodown (2019) they added IDs in the exe, namely : CHMAMAHBKBIKCHM being Cham Cham, HBK most likely Hibiki, and BIK... YOU KNOW IT, RIGHT? AMA I think is Amakusa, but I dunno pic.twitter.com/tK2boceOcf Shiro Tokisada Amakusa was the original boss character for Samurai Shodown who became a recurring fighter in later entries in the series He fights using an orb he can imbue with magic and throw across the screen while also possessing the ability to levitate said orb Since 2019's Samurai Shodown served as a reboot to the series a new character in Shizuka was included as the final boss over Amakusa though fans have been asking for his return from the dead since before the new game launched Baiken as the Guilty Gear crossover choice that was expected by nearly anyone with knowledge of Arc System Works' flagship fighting game but she certainly wasn't a lock before now The fact that she's a one-armed wandering samurai makes her a great fit for SamSho's aesthetics even though others had pointed to characters like Nagoriyuki While Guilty Gear is generally a much faster and flashier fighting game than what we generally see in Samurai Shodown, we recently did a deep dive into why Baiken is a perfect fit to go back in time which we recommend taking a look at as well We have not confirmed the existence of this code ourselves, but Lean has a pretty strong track record thus far, seeing as they were one of the ones to data-mine the Super Saiyan 4 vs. Super Saiyan Blue Gogeta Dramatic Finish in Dragon Ball FighterZ before it was officially revealed This information should still be taken with a big grain of salt considering these are just codenames that don't necessarily need to match up with what they're for and SNK hasn't made any official announcements themselves on the matter No release window has been given for the remaining Season 3 characters Baiken may end up in SNK's court before the new Guilty Gear considering she's not among Strive's base roster That likely won't remain the case for long though since she's the most-requested character for Guilty Gear Strive's DLC as well Kumamoto — A building that used to be a school is now a haunted house for summer only using kakashi scarecrows with creepy faces The former elementary school building in Amakusa is now used as a roadside rest area called Miyajidake Kakashi no Sato The facility’s management company launched the project to give visitors a fright with about 200 scarecrows Scarecrows are erected in corridors and in the corners of classrooms with windows and walls covered by blackout curtains is known for a scarecrow festival held from March to May every year The company drew eerie-looking faces on pieces of cloth and put them over the scarecrows’ heads Admission is ¥200 for junior high school students and older and ¥100 for elementary school students and younger If you make purchases in the roadside rest area’s stores and restaurants you will receive one admission ticket for every ¥1,000 spent Image courtesy Transportation Board of Canada the Prince Rupert Port Authority reports the 228-meter 81,887 ton dwt bulk carrier Amakusa Island had run aground in Prince Rupert’s outer harbor  The incident occurred 15 kilometers from Ridley Island after the ship departed from its berth at the Ridley Terminals coal terminal to its assigned anchorage built in 2005 and owned by Iino Marine Service Co the gravitational forces exerted by the moon enabling the ship to be refloated early this morning  Tugs from SMIT Marine Canada provided a complimentary lateral force to help move the ship off the shoal Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox May 4 (Reuters) – An international NGO accused Malta on Sunday of impeding access to a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship which it says was bombed by two drones two days.. May 2 (Reuters) – A ship carrying humanitarian aid and activists for Gaza was bombed by drones in international waters off Malta early on Friday Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran on Wednesday that it will face consequences for supporting the Houthis even as the United States has relaunched talks with Iran over its nuclear program Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news For general inquiries and to contact us,please email: [email protected] To submit a story idea or contact our editors, please email: [email protected] For advertising opportunities contactEmail: [email protected]Phone: +1.805.704.2536 Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe Despite the strict prohibition against Christianity implemented early in the seventeenth century hidden Christians continued practicing their faith in secret The Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region trace the history of those faithful who developed distinctive religious practices that coexisted with Japan’s traditional religions of Shintō and Buddhism and local social practices They preserved their Catholic faith for centuries in a manner unprecedented elsewhere in the world Out of the 12 sites included in the designation The hamlet of Sakitsu recommended inclusion of the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region on the World Heritage list recalled that his reaction to the news was joy that at long last the significance of the region would be recognized throughout the world It had certainly been a long 11 years since talk of recognizing the region had first begun in 2007 The original bid had been registered under the different name of “Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki,” but following the ICOMOS opinion that there should be more emphasis on the distinctive nature of the region’s secret practice of Christianity the Japanese government withdrew its application when the region’s significance was finally recognized Yasuda Kimihiro became mayor of the city of Hondo in 2000 Following amalgamation with surrounding districts to create the city of Amakusa in 2006 he became the first mayor of that new municipality when talk of registering the area’s cultural assets as a World Heritage site initially surfaced in 2007 the focus was mainly on churches in Nagasaki Prefecture; less attention was paid to similarly relevant sites in Amakusa Although local government and tourism industry officials expressed hopes that World Heritage registration would stimulate tourism in Amakusa It took house-to-house visits by the city’s history curators to convince them that pursuing a listing was worthwhile The Sakitsu Church is also called “the church of the sea.” Another requirement for the UNESCO listing was that the site be designated a National Treasure or an Important Cultural Asset Yasuda and others took the necessary steps finally obtaining the designation of Important Cultural Asset of Scenic Beauty for Sakitsu in 2011 Their effort bore fruit in 2014 when Sakitsu was included among the sites registered as Hidden Christian Sites Continues Yasuda: “The distinctive religious practices nurtured in secret survive to this day in Sakitsu I hope visitors will be able to learn about the ill-starred history of the hidden Christians as they explore the village.” Medallions made from silver-lip oysters and prayed to as representations of the Virgin Mary along with other artifacts of the hidden Christians can be seen in the Minatoya Sakitsu Museum located near the church Sakitsu Suwa Shrine overlooks the hamlet Given that ICOMOS recommended placing more emphasis on the uniqueness of the history of the hidden Christians it was only natural that the name of Amakusa with its history of secret religious practices carried out in Sakitsu though: “The townscape and the artifacts aren’t the only things that make Sakitsu special Visitors enjoy chatting with residents too; they have always been welcoming.” Local specialties like sun-dried fish and sugi yōkan The white Ōe Church stands on a hill about 15 minutes by car from Sakitsu “It’s important to us that Amakusa made it into the listing,” says Yasuda “because there are many other attractive sites here besides Sakitsu that we’d like people to know about.” The city is home to many other sites associated with hidden Christians The Ōe Church was erected in 1933 by French missionary Frederic Louis Garnier The Amakusa Christian Museum displays a collection of artifacts while the Amakura Rosario Museum features a reconstruction of a hiding place used by hidden Christians during the period of persecution There are also many sites in Amakusa associated with Amakusa Shirō who was executed in his teens for leading the 1637–38 Shimabara Rebellion an uprising of Christians against the shogunate About 200 items on display are grouped into four zones at the Amakusa Christian Museum Leaping bottlenose dolphins are a common sight in the waters off Sakitsu Also present for the interview was Ikeda Shōzaburō head of the Hondo Chamber of Commerce and Industry who spoke proudly of the excellence of the local seafood especially recommending sushi made from local fish Yasuda Kimihiro with Ikeda Shōzaburō of the Hondo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Together they worked to have Amakusa included as part of the World Heritage site listing Amakusa is surrounded by three bodies of water The beautiful shoreline and the sun setting over the water are just a few of the appealing sights in this area “the fact that dolphins live here is proof that fish are plentiful I hope that visitors will board boats to go dolphin watching and see many of the 300 wild dolphins that live in the bay.” The two men hope that the registration of Sakitsu as a World Heritage site will attract many visitors to their city Sushi featuring the freshest of Amakusa seafood Myōken-ura officially designated a scenic natural featureby the government of Japan Banner photo: The Gothic-style Sakitsu Church is a local landmark in Sakitsu.) Kumamoto — Fossilized lower jaw fragments from a tyrannosaurid which belongs to the same family as the Tyrannosaurus have been excavated in the Amakusa Islands in Kumamoto Prefecture according to two museums that have conducted research on the discovery The Amakusa municipal Goshoura Cretaceous Museum in Kumamoto Prefecture and the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum in Fukui Prefecture announced Thursday in Amakusa that they discovered the fragments in Reihoku a town on Shimoshima Island in the Amakusa Islands The parts were found in the Late Cretaceous strata dating it back approximately 74 million years The museums said that this was the first time that fossilized bones of a tyrannosaurid have been found in Japan though fossilized teeth have been found in the past suggesting that the discovery will likely be important for understanding large carnivorous dinosaur habitats in Asia The fossilized parts were excavated during a survey conducted in 2014 by the museums which examined them using CT scans to determine that they were parts of a dentary bone a section of the lower jaw that supported the teeth The museums identified the bones as belonging to a tyrannosaurid judging from the characteristics of the remaining teeth which were large and had a distinctively elliptical cross-section Left- and right-side dentary parts were found together with the left side measuring 14 centimeters long and 8 centimeters thick and the right side 17 centimeters long and 8 centimeters thick The dinosaur is estimated to have been over 8 meters long Japanese version Samurai Shodown hits Steam 14th June with a new DLC character The fighting game arrives on Steam a year after it launched on PC via the Epic Games Store new DLC character Shiro Tokisada Amakusa comes out Amakusa is the third of Samurai Shodown's season pass three characters and joins Cham Cham and Hibiki Takane in the roster of characters SNK has said the fourth and final character in the pass is a guest from Guilty Gear due out this summer 【SAMURAI SHODOWN】SHIRO TOKISADA AMAKUSA joins SAMURAI SHODOWN on June 14th as the 3rd DLC Character in the Season Pass 3!#SNK #SamSho #AmakusaShiro pic.twitter.com/KSkhiCmWp0 Our Martin reviewed Samurai Shodown stylish fighter that proves SNK is properly back on song" © 2025 Eurogamer.net a brand of IGN Entertainment No part of this website or its content may be reproduced without the copyright owner's permission Eurogamer is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited Japanese version and the Kuma district of Yunomae in Kumamoto Prefecture are working with the Weekly Shonen Jump serialization One Piece on a project to repair Kumamoto post-earthquake until March 5 Anyone who sends their taxes to Mashiki will also receive a special present featuring a specially drawn illustration by the Kumamoto-born Oda Eiichiro himself ■ Kami-Amakusa City(1) A Sightseeing Stamp Rally to See the Kami-Amakusa Sea!There will be a One Piece character stamp really at Sightseeing Spot 6 You can collect a stamp at each point and earn yourself limited edition treasures you won’t find anywhere else like an original collaborative T-shirt as a prize in a raffle (2) A Sightseeing Stamp Rally to See the Kami-Amakusa Sea Just for Tourists!As a part of the Kami-Amakusa sightseeing tour tourists staying at specified locations during the events can receive limited edition goods through a raffle that can’t be found anywhere else including original T-shirts You can join in the raffle by staying at participating locations Takamori One Piece Revival Train Operating on Kumagawa Railroad and Minamiaso Railway!The two local lines will feature One Piece wrapping The in-car train announcements will be done by Luffy and riders can receive illustrated postcards as a bonus ＜Minamiaso Railway＞○ Event Period: Until March 5 One Piece Stamp Rally Also Happening in Takamori and Yunomae!By walking around Takamori and Yunomae points and collecting stamps ○ Stamp Rally Locations: Takamori Yuusuikan Yunomae Manga Art Museum You can exchange stamps for presents at the Yunomae Manga Art Museum and Takamori Yuusui Tunnel Park Entrance ■ MashikiReceive One Piece Presents for Submitting Hometown Taxes to Mashiki!!Anyone who sends ¥10,000 or more to Mashiki as a hometown tax will receive a special item featuring a specially drawn illustration by Kumamoto native Oda Eiichiro in exchange 2017 2．Target RecipientsOne per hometown tax submission of ¥10,000 or more (more than one possible)3．Exchange Present Details(1) Course A Course B (donor chooses)(2) Course A: Blanket (2,000 available)(3) Course B: Eco bag Source: @Press These bags have designs that fans of all ages can enjoy while still capturing each character With two sets featuring two different sets of characters and flavors you'll be tripping over your feet to get to Salon du Chocolat 2017 This must-see report is bursting with displays for all of our favorite Jump characters Contribute to restoring Kumamoto by riding the One Piece train for original prizes the dorsal fins from a pod of dolphins were visible from the coastline along a national road a member of the dolphin lab of the Amakusa Fisheries Cooperative commissioned by the Amakusa city to research them “The group’s head is over there and the rear can be seen at that point,” Takasaki She recorded the location and time on a research form on a smartphone as the pod moved from the eastern side of a strait to the outer sea that day The observations are carried out three times a week with a total of 122 such studies conducted in the last fiscal year Officials are observing wild dolphins here where they are easily spotted from afar to use the collected data for education and tourism Sightseers are said to be able to encounter the marine mammals on more than 90 percent of the boat tours here About 130 dolphins in a pod have already been identified based on their dorsal fins Their behavioral patterns and other details are also being uncovered Dolphins here spend almost an entire year in a zone called Hayasaki Seto at the entrance to the Ariake Sea Around 200 Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins are estimated to live there Traditional free divers also do not drive dolphins away during their fishing operations Hayasaki Seto is famed for its fast current The current also dramatically changes in the strait which is as narrow as less than 5 kilometers wide Elements that can affect dolphins’ traveling patterns--such as the tides the time of day and the feeding grounds--are being researched in the zone The results have revealed they stay on the strait’s eastern side at high tide and they can often be discovered along the western side when the tide is at its lowest The findings are consistent with locals who say dolphins “are off Tsujishima island at low tide” on the strait’s western side A boat survey is done once a week as well to examine the marine mammals' conditions their dorsal fins are photographed so their shapes can be closely examined upon returning to land to identify individual dolphins 130 dolphins have been distinguished from one another that way Injured dolphins are found under the program at times Takasaki said over the past several months a young dolphin had been seen entangled in what appeared to have been a fishing line The crew members of dolphin-watching boats are likewise interviewed about when and where they come across the oceanic creatures Amakusa city is planning to use the amassed data for tourism as well as for educational and environmental purposes The local government believes that emphasizing dolphins’ positive relationships with residents including their friendships with skin divers will contribute to more fascination with the marine mammals beyond simply showcasing them to sightseers who referred to Amakusa as a “sanctuary for dolphins,” said she hopes her survey will lead to the realization of a sea friendly to both dolphins and humans She believes that Amakusa serving as a base for a range of people to engage in education environmental preservation and academic research with the help of dolphins will enliven the regional community Takasaki’s dream is to see an oceanographic college campus established in Amakusa at some point because of the city’s collaboration with educational establishments and research institutes Looking into the animals’ living conditions may alike result in the introduction of observation rules friendlier to both visitors and dolphins Such criteria will be possible solely in Amakusa as people and dolphins live so close to each other in the region “I would like dolphins to lead the initiative to heighten our municipality’s values,” she said “Our study should act as a catalyst toward that goal.” Rare dolphins return to Hong Kong as coronavirus halts ferry traffic Bathers warned against dolphins in Fukui after several bitten Curious dolphin species that doesn’t miss a trick No reproduction or republication without written permission.