Before dying, Mitsuhide revealed that one final member of The Shinbakufu remains: Ashikaga Yoshiaka, the former shogun. You actually met him before during the quest The Rising Tide. He then lets them know he has information about Naoe's mother he reveals she should start looking for her in Yamato Yasuke then points out that Naoe was the one who made the deal He mentions the Templar Order Yasuke has been hunting down He then makes his deal clear: his life for the information he has on the Templars Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article and journeys of monk-artists to and from China provided yet another avenue for stimulation of the arts Buddhism responded to the elevated cultural aspiration of its believers, clerics and laity alike, by providing occasions in which the realms of the aesthetic and religious were, in practice, joined. The development of the tea ceremony which became increasingly important because it linked heightened religious sensibility with artistic connoisseurship is a prime example of Buddhism’s role in fostering new art forms in this period which was originally understood as an exercise potentially leading to enlightenment either through viewing or in the practice of putting brush to paper It was practiced both by amateurs and by professional monk-painters in temple ateliers intuitive experience of Chan enlightenment The standard representation of receding far distance is suggested in comparison with Chinese and earlier Japanese works the balance of the painting is now subtly disrupted and the frontal plane becomes the focus of the work who was returning to his home temple atelier in Kamakura carried the lessons of stylistic change to the east and developed an even more mannered approach to ink monochrome Sesson worked in an ink monochrome style charged with highly individualistic energy that captured the brooding uncertainties of the warring period They not only convey the persistent Zen fascination with spiritual force found in personality but also contain lush patterning and detail as if a rugged eremitic type is slowly being enveloped in indigenous interests also reflect dependence on Song Chinese interpretations which would come to full flower at the close of the 16th century The trends in Japanese calligraphy continued in essentially two major channels—the court-inspired ruggedly expressive forms of the Zen tradition The Muromachi period taste in ceramics was, like painting, massively influenced by Chinese and Korean taste. Celadon ware was imported in large quantities this light green monochrome ware was produced in many shapes as service ware and can be seen depicted in various narrative paintings of the period It was imported as part of a large trading scheme managed by the Zen Tenryū Temple to support its works which revealed beautiful random effects in glaze colouring Similarly, the appreciation of lacquerware was stimulated by the importation of fine Chinese works. The carved lacquer technique developed in Yuan China was emulated in a somewhat simpler manner in Japan Lacquerware of a subdued red and black palette said to have originated in the workshops of the Negoro Temple to the southeast of Ōsaka was favoured in Buddhist establishments for its worn Shukō prepared tea for his master at the latter’s villa Ginkaku (“Silver Pavilion,” now a temple) in a separate structure with a small tea room called the Dōjinsai Shukō and those in his circle stressed the spiritual elements of the ceremony and encouraged the display of a piece of Zen calligraphy at the ceremony About this time the size of the tea ceremony room was standardized to four and a half tatami mats this size is said to have derived from the tradition which holds that the meditation cell used by Vimalakirti (Yuima) a recessed wall element or alcove (tokonoma) and other features provided places for displaying art appropriate to a season and kettles were carefully choreographed for the occasion Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo For one of the best shows of wisteria in this region, you'll have a make a day trip to Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi prefecture. The annual, ever popular Fujinohana Monogatari Ofuji Festival runs from April 12 to May 18 with the evening light-up set for April 19 to May 18.  The park is one of Japan’s top destinations for wisteria boasting 350 trees that bloom from mid-April to mid-May come in a riot of colours including violet Each colour tends to bloom at different times: pink first A must-see is the park’s magnificent 150-year-old wisteria tree which is lit up in the evenings and surrounded by still water that reflects the colourful flowers has a canopy covering about 1,000sqm and features a jaw-dropping 80,000 individual purple blossoms The park is also home to a dreamy 80m-long wisteria walk featuring white blooms drooping over you from the trellis above check out Japan's only kibana wisteria tunnel the arched tunnel is covered with kibana wisteria flowers that are a brilliant Ashikaga Flower Park also boasts an impressive collection of azaleas with more than 5,000 bushes around the wisteria trees The azaleas bloom from mid-April to early May and there are approximately 1,000 different varieties in the park Entrance fees vary depending on the date you visit and the status of the blooms, so check on the website before you go Daytime adult admission costs between ¥1,200 and ¥2,300 (children ¥600-¥1,200).  Closing hours also vary depending on the date The park will be open from 9am to 6pm from April 12 to April 18 and 8am to 8.30pm from April 19 to May 18 Ashikaga Flower Park is roughly two hours by train from central Tokyo. From Tokyo Station take the Keihin Tohoku line to Ueno Station switch to the JR Utsunomiya line to Oyama Station and then take the JR Ryomo line to Ashikaga Flower Park Station For more festival information and updates on the flowers' progress, visit the website This article was originally published on April 14 2021 and updated on April 3 2025 New Tokyo City Pass combines unlimited transport, attraction tickets and special activities Catch Doraemon in 3D on two digital billboards in Tokyo and Osaka Mt Fuji has increased ticket prices for the 2025 climbing season Time Out Market Osaka sneak peek: 17 kitchens and two bars featuring the city’s best chefs and restaurants 6 Tokyo pizzerias ranked in the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific list for 2025 Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan. facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Apr 12-May 18・09:00-20:30・Opening Hours Vary Witness one of the world’s most impressive expanses of wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park the iconic park turns violet with the great wisteria in full-bloom and special illuminations make the park glow in the evenings and other flowers will be visible during festival dates Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp Tochigi Prefecture's Ashikaga Flower Park was chosen as the sole Japanese location on the "10 dream trips every traveler should experience" list on CNN a large-scale illumination event is held annually with 2024's dates ongoing from October 18 2024 to February 16 2025 Around 5 million decorative lights will be placed on the winter trees Beautiful flowers of light will be in full bloom https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/english/index.html Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information Tochigi Prefecture—The upcoming special exhibition of the renowned Yamanbagiri Kunihiro sword at a public museum here has drawn a killer response from its fans But officials may have underestimated how just enthusiastic the demand is The Ashikaga Museum of Art was flooded with online reservation requests from about 90,000 people—twice the number of available slots approximately 28,000 people were selected by lottery for entry The museum is accepting additional reservations for some dates and time slots that are still available The special exhibition dedicated to the Yamanbagiri Kunihiro another famous sword that the Yamanbagiri Kunihiro is believed to have been modeled on This will be the first time in 435 years that the two swords both designated as important cultural properties by the central government the museum will allow up to 140 spectators per hour into the venue or a total of about 44,000 visitors during the 39-day run of the exhibition Most reservations so far have been made for weekends and weekday mornings “The Yamanbagiri Kunihiro has always been a popular sword and it has attracted more attention than usual because it will be simultaneously displayed (alongside the Honsaku Nagayoshi),” said Ashikaga Mayor Naohide Hayakawa “We received more reservations than we expected.” Swords have gained attention largely thanks to “Touken Ranbu Online,” an internet-based video game that is particularly popular among women The game features swordsmen inspired by famous blades The museum previously featured the Yamanbagiri Kunihiro for special exhibitions held in 2017 and again in 2022 The museum has received many inquiries from women about the latest exhibition For information about available time slots Additional reservations will be accepted on a first-come Reservations for March dates will be taken from noon on Feb Anime fans bemoan loss of pilgrimage site in Tochigi wildfire Legendary sword ‘Sanchomo’ goes on show at the Setouchi museum A chance to sharpen your knowledge of Japanese swords 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 AC Shadows bosses are a lethal group of powerful figures each sporting ambitions of furthering their own influence over feudal Japan Follow us for daily PC games news, guides and reviews on X, Facebook, Google News, and Steam. Or sign up to our free newsletter Tochigi — Wisteria trees have begun blooming in Ashikaga Flower Park in Ashikaga 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 the park is currently holding the Great Wisteria Festival 2025 more than 350 wisteria trees in four colors — pale red white and yellow — began to reach full bloom which is expected to last for about a month a well-known trellis located in the center of the park has about 140,000 purple flower clusters blossoming from two trees About 560,000 visitors are expected during the festival The park will likely have more visitors between Saturday and May 6 with an estimated 300,000 visitors expected “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to see such beautiful flowers,” said a woman from Koga expressing her admiration for the work done by the park’s staff Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Please upgrade to a more modern version to fully experience JapanToday site and for security reasons Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi Prefecture is lit up with over 5 million LED lights under the theme of “The Garden of Illuminated Flowers.” The park, covering 100,000 square meters, is famous for its wisteria trees. It is open from 15:30 to 20:30 (until 21:00 on weekends and holidays) nightly (except Dec 31) until Feb 16, 2025. For more information, click here ※The lights will be on around 16:30 to 17:00 Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts Join the leading Asian tourist attraction to assist our diverse range of customers A mix of what's trending on our other sites one of the highlights of visiting Japan is seeing all the mesmerising illuminations lighting up the country’s parks and city streets While most flowers are dormant during these cold months – and not to mention the naked branches – many parks tend to go all out with their light displays turning their somewhat barren gardens into magical fairytale lands to make up for the lack of flora One of the most stunning park illuminations near Tokyo has to be the Ashikaga Flower Park in Togichi prefecture Known for its colourful wisteria in spring the park transforms into a dazzling wonderland of illuminations in October Now in its eighth year, the Flower Garden of Lights: Flower Fantasy 2024 event sees the park decked out in over five million LED bulbs draped into show-stopping formations on cherry blossom trees rose bushes and even the park's famous ofuji you'll also come across smaller displays called Flower Water Basins of Lights where real flowers are arranged in glowing water basins Making a comeback this year is the park's popular Flower Castle This jaw-dropping installation features a colourful mix of flowers lights and rainbow LED fireworks bursting behind a glowing castle there will also be three rotating themed sections The first period from October 18 to mid-November features the Lights and Amethyst Sage theme where the park’s sage bushes are lit up in brilliant colours the park will switch to a Christmas Fantasy theme to showcase holiday illuminations as well as visits from Santa.  the Lights and Winter Peonies theme takes over celebrating the park's wintersweet shrubs and winter plum blossoms This seasonal illuminations at Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi prefecture are running until February 16 2025 (closed December 31) the lights come on at 3.30pm and the park is open until 8.30pm on weekdays and 9.30pm on weekends and holidays Entry costs ¥1,400 for adults and ¥700 for children. Advance tickets can also be purchased at convenience stores nationwide. For more deets, visit the website The fastest way to get to Ashikaga Flower Park is by train from Tokyo Station Take the Tohoku Shinkansen Yamabiko from Tokyo Station to Oyama Station switch to the JR Ryomo line and alight at Ashikaga Flower Park Station This article was published on October 19 2023 and updated on November 27 2024 The best times to see autumn leaves in Japan this year, according to official forecast Shibuya to cancel 2025 New Year’s Eve countdown celebrations Universal Studios Japan’s new Donkey Kong attraction opens next month This magical igloo village in Nagano is actually a pop-up restaurant Shibuya Sky is celebrating Christmas with mirror balls and rooftop light shows The cherry blossom isn't the only beloved spring flower in Japan — wisteria has long been celebrated with garden visits and in poetry is one of Japan’s most cherished and dazzling flowering plants Coloring the months of April and May with vibrant purple hues wisteria — called fuji in Japanese — has long been featured in literature and art the oldest known collection of classical Japanese poetry.  read on: What follows is an introduction to the most stunning spots to view wisteria across Japan In 2014, Ashikaga Flower Park was highlighted by CNN Travel as a “dream destination,” and rightfully so: The spellbinding park features more than 350 wisteria vines A variety of wisteria flowerscapes are on display here including a white wisteria tunnel and a rare the glimmering reflection of a lit-up wisteria canopy in a pond makes for a breathtaking sight.  With more than 50 wisteria vines dripping with blossoms Kameido Tenjin Shrine is one of Tokyo’s most popular wisteria viewing spots the shrine’s beautiful blooms were depicted in Utagawa Hiroshige’s ukiyo-e series “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo.” Every year featuring a lit-up canopy of dazzling wisteria Adding to the festive atmosphere are food stalls selling a variety of popular street foods The city of Tsushima is a treasured wisteria wonderland that was known as the “village of wisteria.” Fittingly Tennogawa Park holds an annual wisteria festival during which you can see over 100 wisteria vines from 12 varieties The park’s pièce de résistance is a wisteria trellis covering an area of approximately 5,034 square meters Also to look forward to during the festivities are stalls serving street food favorites believed to have been founded in the year 705 features an otherworldly wisteria trellis of about 120 meters in length some of the temple’s wisteria clusters cascade an astonishing 180 centimeters from base to tip Standing under an abundance of these pendulous wisteria blooms is a magical experience when the blossoms are lit up in a gossamer glow courtesy of okayama prefecture official tourism guide Fuji Park is known to have one of the widest varieties of wisteria in Japan with around 100 kinds of the flowering vine twining around trellises one of which forms a magnificent tunnel spanning some 500 meters sourced from across Japan as well as China and Korea in delicate shades of deep to light purple an admission fee of ¥500 is required.  Omishima Fuji Park is home to one of the largest wisteria trellises in Japan The 300-meter-long trellis features around 160 wisteria vines forming a gorgeous purple tunnel dripping with petals The annual festival that celebrates the park’s wonderous wisteria includes outdoor tea ceremonies and food stalls By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Here are the most beautiful spring flowers to see in Greater Tokyo The enduring icon of spring in Japan, cherry blossoms are practically synonymous with the country itself attracting hordes of admirers from across the world every season While cherry blossoms generally flower in late March they usually last no longer than a couple of weeks So if you missed the cherry trees at peak bloom fret not – there are lots of other spring flowers you can find that are just as beautiful in their own way there’s always something putting out its petals in Tokyo during spring RECOMMENDED: How to enjoy Tokyo's biggest attractions in one day Photo: Showa Kinen ParkWhen to see them: usually end of March through to April we usually associate them with the Netherlands calling to mind football fields of colourful flowers set against a picturesque backdrop of windmills good news: you can also find this highly photogenic scene in Greater Tokyo Photo: Sakura CityEvery year, the Sakura Furusato Square in Chiba hosts the Kanto region’s largest tulip festival Here you’ll find more than 550,000 blooms of 80 different tulip types complete with a Dutch-style windmill in the background for an added touch of authenticity Showa Kinen Park in Tachikawa is famous for its year-round beautiful flowers A visit in spring lets you enjoy its massive tulip garden with about 250,000 tulips of 267 varieties some of the flower beds feature flowing streams which add to the appeal of the picture-perfect landscape Photo: Ashikaga Flower ParkWhen to see them: usually mid-April to mid-May Wisteria vines produce gorgeous pastel coloured flowers that resemble dripping beads so they're often grown on trellises or formed into a tunnel It creates a fairy tale-like experience as you walk under the hanging violet Photo: Jindai Botanical GardensFor a more relaxed wisteria excursion, head towards Tokyo’s Chofu area, where the huge Jindai Botanical Garden is home to a large selection of flowers. The end of April through to May sees about 50 wisteria plants of 13 different kinds in bloom, including those on an 85m-long and 5.8m-wide trellis that’s home to white and violet blossoms. Photo: Hitachi Seaside ParkWhen to see them: usually from mid-April to early May Nemophila or ‘baby blue eyes’ are small blue flowers which are actually considered a herb. The plant grows close to the ground, and in spring, countless flowers turn entire areas into a sea of gorgeous blue underfoot. Photo: Showa Kinen ParkShowa Kinen Park in Tokyo’s Tachikawa neighbourhood is a wonderful spot to view these tiny blue flowers. The ¥450 entry not only gives you access to the nemophila, but other seasonal flowers as well, including tulips and cherry blossoms. The baby blue eyes are spread across a small hill opposite the tulip fields and they’re surrounded by lush nature. The area may not be as large as some of the other nemophila spots in Japan, but the fact that this park is within Tokyo makes it a convenient option for those with limited time. Photo: Hitachi Seaside ParkOne of the most popular spots to catch a sea of baby blue eyes is Hitachi Seaside Park up in Ibaraki prefecture The park is approximately 85 minutes by express train (plus an additional 15-minute bus ride) from Shinagawa Station and it’s home to a number of different flowers including narcissus poppies and sunflowers (they each bloom at different times) Here you’ll find roughly 5.3 million nemophila flowers during the season and they run up rolling hills making for beautiful scenery against the clear blue sky and the nearby ocean Mid-April to early May, full bloom between April 17 and April 25 Photo: Fuji Shibazakura FestivalUsually from mid-April to late May creeping evergreen that turns into a giant floral carpet during the flowering season the fragrant flowers can also be found in bright colours including white which are neatly groomed and landscaped in spring Photo: ©Fuji Shiba-sakura Festival All Rights ReservedAnother stunning spot to catch these flowers is at the Fuji Shibazakura Festival near Lake Motosu in Yamanashi prefecture. On clear days, you’ll be able to get a glimpse of these beautiful flowers with Mt Fuji as a backdrop. The area features 500,000 shibazakura in eight different varieties over the spacious 1.5-hectare area. The festival is scheduled for April 12 to May 25 this year and it’s an approximately two-hour train ride from Shinjuku Station.  Photo: Fermatastock/DreamstimeVenture into the great outdoors without leaving Tokyo, from a bamboo forest and nature parks to lush river valleys and more Photo: Armin Forster/PixabayFind some of Japan’s most beautiful temples, hiking trails and nature attractions no more than a few hours from Tokyo Photo: JOOKO3/PixtaEscape the bustling city and unwind in Okutama Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! The incredible real life story of The Elusive Samurai The Elusive Samurai from CloverWorks has been hailed as one of the highlights of the summer anime season Based on a manga of the same name by Yusei Matsui it tells the story of Hojo Tokiyuki — a young samurai noble with a near superhuman ability to flee and dodge attacks — as he tries to avenge his clan after they were betrayed by a trusted general Because of its fantastical elements and a bold mixture of comedy and outlandishly gruesome violence it might surprise some to hear that The Elusive Samurai is based on fact and while the anime does get a lot of details right about him there are still some things that the show skips over which resulted in the end of the Kamakura Shogunate The Hojo were once the de facto rulers of Japan, thanks in no small part to the Nun Shogun their power dwindled and they faced growing opposition from Emperor Go-Daigo and later their turncoat general Ashikaga Takauji The near total slaughter of the Hojo clan in 1333 spelled the end of the Kamakura period and paved the way for the Muromachi period (1336–1573) It was a turbulent time that saw the creation of the Ashikaga shogunate and the establishment of two opposing imperial courts Many modern accounts of this time don’t mention him at all I’ve made it clear that Tokiyuki’s special talent is his skill in running away… because I thought that was not historically wrong.” it’s owned by the Imperial Household Agency and is considered one of the Tenka-Goken — the Five Greatest Swords in Japan Tokiyuki is said to have never parted with Onimaru but was ultimately forced to leave the sword behind in truly gruesome circumstances While retreating from Ashikaga forces in 1335 the Hojo vassal who took Tokiyuki in after the death of his family and helped him raise an army He’s also one of the main characters in the anime so consider this a spoiler warning The story goes that Yorishige and his retainers committed seppuku and had their faces peeled off by the last member of their suicide party Some sources go as far as to claim that they peeled off their faces themselves The point was to obscure their identity and thanks to the presence of Onimaru near the corpses convince the enemy that Tokiyuki was among the faceless dead giving the elusive samurai more time to escape The sword later became one of the regalia of the Ashikaga shoguns said to be where Tokiyuki Hojo was executed Tokiyuki’s fight against imperial forces during the aftermath of Takauji’s betrayal was meant to restore the Kamakura government Tokiyuki took the city back in 1335 and was ready to start ruling Since his clan was no more and he was never officially named regent like his father his time in Kamakura isn’t considered a continuation of the Hojo’s rule And because he was later driven out of the city (resulting in the loss of Onimaru and Suwa Yorishige’s close shave) a tiny link between the Hojo and the later rule of Emperor Go-Daigo and the Ashikaga shogunate And we do mean tiny because Tokiyuki only spent about 20 days in Kamakura before retreating It’s why this whole episode is sometimes called the “20-Day Period.” but as a servant of Emperor Go-Daigo to whom he submitted after Ashikaga Takauji rebelled against the imperial court Go-Daigo continued his fight against the Ashikaga but lost so badly he was the last emperor to hold any real power in Japan until the mid-19th century This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Leaf KYOTO Store Locations Toji-in Temple: A Garden with Beautiful Seasonal Flowers at the Ashikaga Shogun's Family Temple The Leaf KYOTO editorial department welcomes unique original articles that deliver the reality of Kyoto and Shiga and are full of local love Kinugasa and the school building of Ritsumeikan University in the background and the korori (the back porch) of Toji-in Temple I was greeted by lovely flowers of Kinmokusei and sasanqua and a demon tile The nightingale flooring on the porch made a pleasant "squeak-squeak" sound as I walked around A closer look at the veranda reveals inlaid butterflies and flowers Motegi is a restoration method in which a damaged portion of flooring material is cut out and another piece of wood is inserted which houses wooden statues of the fifteen Ashikaga shoguns (excluding the fifth and fourteenth) The generals lined up in a row on both sides of the hall are a spectacular sight It is fun to look at their faces carefully as each has its own unique characteristics the garden is beautifully decorated with fallen camellias The winter scenery I visited this time was wonderful but I would like to see the garden in spring and summer when the colors of the season are more vibrant I wonder how many times I will visit Toji-in in the future Lynette Ortiz grasping at straws? Dennis Uy turns (again) to Cebu property developer to cover P1.4B Landbank loan as PHR cash troubles deepen The road to recovery: Mike Arroyo to return to the Philippines after successful treatment Loan scam warning: BSP disowns links to UNA Financing Three years running: Dennis Uy’s DITO continues to rule as Philippines’ top mobile network – Ookla Consumer group urges Marcos to order audit of Meralco’s books from 2005 to 2024 amid rising power costs Legal clouds clear: With Sobrepeña out, Camp John Hay attracts P248M in new investments The soul of Senigallia: Where land, sea, and flavor unite at Uliassi Mozart chocolate row leaves bitter taste in Austria Cat sole survivor of 115-meter fall in US canyon Katinko maker opens PH’s first pharma ecozone in Tarlac; 13 firms sign on Dizon says old system broken: DOTr to tighten road safety measures, limit bus driving hours after fatal crashes Scottie Scheffler finishes Byron Nelson -31 for first win of ’25 has reinforced its commitment to supporting foreign investments by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japan’s Ashikaga Bank Ltd This alliance aims to provide banking services to Japanese companies seeking to enter or expand in the Philippine market the agreement will see BDO offering banking support to both existing and new ABL customers who are already operating or planning to establish businesses in the Philippines is the 17th Japanese bank to partner with BDO ABL is a prominent regional bank with 134 branches The bank is eager to expand its presence in the Philippines viewing it as a promising market for new investments As the largest bank in the Philippines in terms of assets BDO provides a comprehensive range of services It operates the country’s largest distribution network and has 16 international offices across Asia is dedicated to assisting Japanese companies in the Philippines The desk provides Japanese-speaking staff and local banking expertise to help businesses navigate the market With the Philippine economy poised for growth the partnership between BDO and Ashikaga Bank is expected to facilitate increased Japanese investments in the country The alliance highlights BDO’s key role in driving economic development by supporting international businesses looking to capitalize on the Philippines’ diverse markets Elevate your understanding of the Philippine business landscape and gain insights into worldwide markets by subscribing to our dedicated channels and exclusive interviews with industry leaders directly on Viber Stay informed and empowered with our Email Newsletter delivering curated content right to your inbox Don’t miss out on crucial updates and trends shaping economies and businesses both locally and internationally Join Bilyonaryo’s community today by clicking the button below to subscribe and stay ahead in the dynamic world of business Unfortunately, one such locale, indirectly linked to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba although the incident may not have to do with its manga and anime ties According to a report by TV Asahi News 1,630 copper roof plates were stolen at the Nagusa Itukushima Shrine in Tochigi Prefecture The damages are estimated at around 650,000 yen (about US$4,200) TV Asahi News reached out to Hiroyuki Tametani the director of the Nagusa Community Center which manages the shrine and it's a cultural property and shrine beloved by the locals for a long time 「鬼滅の刃」聖地の神社で屋根“消えた”　金属盗難あちこち…逮捕者も https://t.co/vhsasiS6eW Roof plates disappeared at a shrine that became a pilgrimage spot for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fans … metal theft everywhere … arrests made TV Asahi News also noted a man was arrested in Ibaraki Prefecture on suspicion of purchasing stolen metal The report did not state if the metal he purchased were the 1,630 roof plates Sources: TV Asahi's X/Twitter account and website via Hachima Kikо̄, Ashikaga Tourism's website while Mie prefecture boasts one of the largest illuminations in Japan Read on for a list of the best illuminations in Japan RECOMMENDED: Prefer to stay in the city? Explore these illuminations and light displays in Tokyo No need to wait until spring to see stunning purple wisterias. Ashikaga Flower Park is displaying five million flower-shaped lights including tulips wisterias and more in every colour you can imagine There are also large-scale illuminations shaped like adorable animals such as elephants you won't miss the gigantic white castle that sits in the middle of the rainbow field Photo: Vichaya Kiatyingangsulee/DreamstimeUntil June 1 2025 Nabana no Sato hosts one of the biggest illuminations in Japan and its main installation features an iridescent blue 'Great River of Light' with 35m-tall sculpture of Mt Fuji embellished in blue and white LEDs But the real highlight is the 200m-long tunnel covered in small as well as a separate 100m-long tunnel with pink and purple LEDs made to look like nemophila and marigold flowers Photo: Izu Granpal ParkUntil August 31 2025 Photo: naleapt/Photo ACUntil February 24 2025 At the annual Ashigakubo Icicles event in Chichibu an entire forest is covered with massive icicles that are created by spraying water from a nearby stream into the cold winter air. The area is especially stunning after dark when the lights are switched on for a special illumination really do create a surreal landscape and you'll feel like you’re walking through a scene from the movie ‘Frozen’ The frozen forest is open daily from 9am to 4pm, but evening illuminations are held every Thursday to Sunday and holidays from sunset to 8pm. More details here. Photo: Towada Okuirase Tourism OrganizationFrom December 20 2024 to March 2 2025 Photo: Kagawa Prefecture Tourism AssociationUntil February 24 2025 The International Illumination Award-winning winter light-up at Reoma Resort in Kagawa prefecture is one of the biggest in the Chugoku-Shikoku region. The entire park is lit up with colourful lights until February 24, including its five biggest attractions: the ferris wheel, Vivace roller coaster, West Laker boat ride, 59-metre-tall spinning swing and Kindergarten Railroad train. Don’t miss the magical evening parade happening only on weekends and holidays – except between December 21 and January 6 when it will be held daily. Plus, there’s also a spectacular six-minute rainbow fireworks show from December 24 to 30 (excluding 26 and 27). Enjoy the city at its most sparkly – when Tokyo switches on its festive lights and illuminations in winter Photo: Supparuj Taechatanont/DreamstimeFrom snowy mountains to a white onsen town there are plenty of places to make the most of the chilly season Those wondering how the Netflix sci-fi thriller "Alice in Borderland" was able to completely empty of life one of the world's busiest pedestrian crossings will find their answer around 90 kilometers from the real thing built in 2019 by Tokyo-based visual arts company Nouvelle Vague Co. is a roughly 6,600-square meter open set that replicates the famous Shibuya scramble intersection in true-to-life size In addition to recreating the iconic five converging crosswalks the set has also rebuilt some ground-level structures of the real Shibuya including entrances to the subway network and even a set of public toilets inside the gates of one of the station's entrances "Because the set includes a complete replica of Shibuya Station even productions without a large budget for special effects can shoot scenes that are impossible at the real station bar some limitations on the lens used," Akira Morii and Tomoki Takase the producer and line producer for "Alice in Borderland," said in an email interview the main character Arisu and his friends suddenly find themselves in an emptied-out version of Tokyo after reemerging from a public restroom in Shibuya Station setting the stage for a string of dangerous games they must play in order to survive The original Netflix show and the Chinese film "Detective Chinatown 3," which both coincidentally had the same idea of building a set when preparing for their respective shoots in 2019 worked together to bring the proposal to life the Japanese film "Silent Tokyo" joined the project said his city's proactive bidding was one of the main reasons it was chosen to host the replica which was built on the site of a disused horse racing track (the production teams) felt as long as it was Ashikaga I believe our relationship of trust with the film industry and hospitable support for shoots were highly thought of," said Aizawa More well-known for the hanging purple wisteria at its flower park Ashikaga has been actively promoting itself as a place to film since 2014 providing everything it has to offer from land to help in negotiating with local authorities The effort appears to have paid off as the city has attracted over 390 on-location movie and drama projects as of fiscal 2021 in addition to the support provided by the city the easy accessibility of the site from Tokyo and the enthusiasm of locals to participate as extras make Ashikaga an attractive place to film who form part of the production team at Robot Communications Inc. is once again using the set to film season two of "Alice in Borderland," promising to deliver "a face of the Shibuya scramble crossing never before seen through the use of even more powerful visual effects than season one." the set's operator and parent company of Nouvelle Vague said that strategically-placed green screens mean the sky is the limit to the type of scenes that can be digitally created in post-production music videos and commercials have been filmed at the studio since it officially opened for rent in June 2020 including the recent live-action film adaption of CLAMP manga series "xxxHolic" and season two of the Netflix series "The Naked Director." But Yamaji said the coronavirus pandemic put a damper on initial hopes for more international productions to use the set "We originally wanted to focus on overseas projects but the studio opened when the COVID-19 situation was quite serious so we have not been able to fully utilize it up till now," he said As part of efforts to attract more film crews from outside Japan Yamaji said the company earlier this year released a promotional video to showcase the studio and has partnered with a CG company to create ads on social media Aizawa said the pandemic has also affected domestic productions with the opening of the studio not drawing as many film crews to Ashikaga as expected While around 60-70 films and dramas were shot in the city per year pre-COVID the number dropped by around half last year "A lot of things didn't go to plan due to the pandemic but everyone worked hard to have made it this far," Aizawa said Nouvelle Vague had planned to dismantle the open set in January 2020 after the initial three shoots but later decided to extend its life after discussions with the Ashikaga city government Morii and Takase expressed hopes the replica would continue to evolve with the rapidly changing face of the real Shibuya Station "It would be very helpful to us filmmakers if this studio continues to exist." 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 【Partners Information】Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi Prefecture where beautiful wisteria flowers can be seen annually is about to enter its peak season again this year Visitors can enjoy the 160-year-old giant wisteria tree and an 80-meter-long tunnel of white wisteria flowers The stunning wisteria flowers will also be illuminated nightly until May 15 Log in to your Television Academy account: If you're seeking ways to connect with working television industry professionals joining our organization offers you unparalleled access Learn more about Television Academy Membership click below to start the application process Janet Carole Zeleznik - AKA Janet Ashikaga - never saw herself in Hollywood a self-described loner who worked at the local library and majored in philosophy she could not have imagined a career in which she would help to find the comedic tone of shows like Seinfeld But eventually she found that editing appealed to her "I liked the detail work," she says "And I enjoyed working in a room by myself It was a good creative mix for me." So in the late 1970s — when few women were in the field — Ashikaga broke in through perseverance and strong self-discipline "It was an exciting time because we were starting to go into different editing styles," she says "We were going from a film base to a tape base That was the biggest thing that changed our field." Her first professional job as an editor would be for This Is the Life a Christian anthology series; she would go on to win four Emmy Awards three for NBC's Seinfeld and one for ABC's Sports Night Ashikaga was interviewed by Dan Wingate for the Television Academy Foundation's Archive of American Television in August 2010. The following is an edited excerpt of that discussion; the entire interview can be viewed at TelevisionAcademy.com/archive Q: What was your first job in the industry and the gentleman that owned the company said to me "Call me on Wednesday," and I did "I didn't know what else to do because you were just so perseverant that I felt sorry for you." The person I assisted at that time was Randy Morgan Everybody knows Randy was a great television editor Q: What were the editing systems like when you started I still have the scars on my hands from things getting stuck in a take-up claw or something like that That's the way a lot of my generation got into the business — you could just bumble into it meet a few people and everybody would take you under their wing Nowadays the industry is getting kids who've spent tens of thousands of dollars in film school and Q: What was the environment like for women in editing at that time It was very much a night-and-day difference between how the men were treated and how women were treated There were shows where you knew that you had to be tougher than the guys you can't put up with this because you're a girl." Q: Did you notice a time when women started getting more jobs A lot of men who were still in the world of film thought that film was going to be there forever — that all they needed was a camera and an upright Moviola and their lives would be set But women started seeing opportunities by learning to use Montage And a lot of companies were starting to hire editors who knew the systems as opposed to editors who had a great resume But we got a chance to start editing and prove ourselves A: One of the things that led up to that was the Spectra system which was one of the more cumbersome to learn At that time all sitcoms were being done on this system So I learned it and had that knowledge on my resume I had gone in for an interview for a sitcom and one of the producers said What on your resume is a sitcom?" I said "Nothing." And I looked around the room at the silent reaction shots of everybody and I said Q: And yet you still tried out for Seinfeld... "There's no way I'm going to ever get this job." But I met Larry David and quickly thought this is going to be the most fun ever!" We really hit it off "What was your favorite episode?" I said '"The Chinese Restaurant.'" He said that was the episode the network hated the most." And I said what do they know?" A little while later he said that was his favorite episode A: Larry Charles was one of the writers on the show and he asked me one of the best questions I've ever been asked: "If you're so good why aren't you working now?" I thought I actually had a job that was just going to start and two days later I got a phone call asking if I wanted to do the show had you already been thinking about the Seinfeld editing style I think one of the questions they asked was: "What would you like to do editorially?" And I said I think the show is a little stodgy." One of the reasons was that they loved the stage aspect of Seinfeld and that editing — using closeups — could punch up the comedy and sometimes a joke works because of the rhythm and that's what they're responding to in a lot of comedy you're almost sucking the humor out of the moment A: Watch Curb Your Enthusiasm — that's Larry He tells stories that evolve into great comedy "Is there anything that you wouldn't write about?" And he said I wouldn't run away from it." And I thought "That's a sign of somebody who's truly honest and unafraid as a writer." I had tremendous respect for him Q: How involved was he with the editing of Seinfeld He would watch the cut from the same distance as his television at home That was one of the things I started doing when I first started editing I would take a VHS cassette home and watch it on TV That's a great tip for young editors — get out of the editing room or sit in another chair Look at it from a different perspective and you'll see the problems Q: Were there any other editors on the show and there was obviously one for the first two years that I wasn't there The fun thing about being the editor is that we are part of production We're doing our jobs when people are shooting if you want to look at it that way — we really are the last word in writing Larry had my room ultimately right next to the writers It was a testament to how that job is really perceived Q: Let's talk about some specific episodes A: I don't know why [director] Tom Cherones didn't get an Emmy for it because he certainly deserved it It was shot on one of the tiny sets over at CBS Radford put big mirrors across the whole thing so it looked like the parking garage had a lot more depth When I tell you to move cars and cameras a certain way He knew exactly how to move everything so you never thought you were in the same place twice You never thought that you saw the same car twice A: Larry David went around asking everybody to tell him an obnoxious parking story.. like the guy in the Mercedes who always takes double the space And he tried to incorporate all those moments into this episode "What parking garage do you think this show is based on?" It was the Century City mall Whenever you go there and try to find your car they were all supposed to get into the car Serendipity struck because they got into the car turned the engine and it wouldn't start They did a second take because everybody in the car had started laughing the engine indeed wouldn't start and we did the slow pullback from directing and writing and every other aspect A: One night I was working late with Larry and with Carol Leifer and they were going out to get some dinner "Do you want us to bring you back anything?" I said bring me a big salad." I kept working I got dailies for a show that I hadn't gone to the table read for called "The Big Salad." It was about George running into Elaine on the street and asking if she wanted anything from Monk's and she says George is in a really bad mood and Elaine's trying to figure out why — it was because he bought the salad and she never thanked him Larry." It was one of those moments where you realize Larry was always thinking story When the network sponsors heard what the content was going to be Then when they saw the episode and realized the reaction to it a lot of them wanted to be part of it when it reaired A funny aside happened during Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's family This was after the show had aired — a bunch of relatives were there including one gentleman who teaches grammar school He said he wanted to use "The Contest" for the sex-education classes because you can show it to a class and open them up to humor which will then allow them to discuss something on a more real level." Q: Did Seinfeld influence how other comedies were edited You didn't need to get everything in a particular moment — make people come back and watch it again and find something new and different A: Aaron Sorkin was interviewing different directors and a number of people came in thinking this was going to be just your basic sitcom I think it was Tommy Schlamme who realized this was something unique The two of them hit it off incredibly well Tommy visualizes Aaron's words — it's this perfect match of writer and director Q: What was it like working with Aaron Sorkin A: His room was just across the hall from me he would come into my room and flop down on the sofa and say show me something." That's how we would do editing Sometimes I would show him stuff even before a director had seen it maybe because it was something really fun that I wanted him to look at do these lines for me," and he would say them in Aaron-ese Then I would try to find those performances or create that rhythm You can look at any great showrunner and they have that — there is music to their words He was very particular about the words that were used because it all added up to something much bigger for him you joined The West Wing in its second season... A: I was used to being the only editor on a show Aaron was no longer across the hall from me you had to make an appointment and go with one of the people in post There was a lot of control and structure I didn't care for it I left the show after that first year and went to ABC's Bob Patterson which was on the same stage as where we did Sports Night and Tommy asked me to come back to The West Wing Q: What was the editing schedule like at The West Wing We started out with three editors and went down to two A lot of it was because Aaron was always behind in writing it wasn't going to help because you were getting things at the last minute which created its own problems as time went on The schedules were really tight and challenging Q: Tell us about the episode "Twenty-Five." the one with lohn Goodman taking over and being in the Oval Office all the reaction shots that I used with John Goodman's scene in the end that's a little piece of me saying goodbye to you." It was really hard for me to do it because it was so emotional He came back to me later and said he'd cried when he saw it Q: What do you think of television editing today A: Look at old episodes of Gunsmoke and compare where we are in editing — we've learned that people can absorb a lot more visually than they used to CHEERS to the Sister Cities Association of Springfield, which is raising money for disaster relief on behalf of Ashikaga Springfield’s sister city of the last 20 years Ashikaga is located 50 miles north of Tokyo and about 75 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean so its damage from the earthquake was significantly less than cities closer to the epicenter and it was not hit by the resulting tsunami While it was not devastated like Sendai and other areas farther north and close to the coast which they forwarded to Springfield for use in disaster relief The Sister Cities Association donated the money to the Red Cross for use in the recovery effort When tornadoes hit Springfield five years ago Ashikaga sent a check for about $3,000 to help with the cleanup and recovery Now the association has established a fund to reciprocate Donations can be sent to Sister Cities Association of Springfield All Williamsville State Bank locations also are accepting donations Money donated through this fund will be forwarded to Ashikaga to be directed to disaster relief either in that city or elsewhere The effort is evidence of the close ties that have been established between the two cities over the years CHEERS to Springfield High School senior Morgan Joyce Williams for being named Illinois Champion of the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest By winning the state finals March 11 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts Williams advances to the national finals in Washington Williams’ achievement won Springfield High $500 to buy poetry books for its library CHEERS to Illinois Senate President John Cullerton for introducing legislation that would repeal the newly passed video gaming law and impose a $1-a-pack tax increase on cigarettes Cullerton wants to use the cigarette tax money to replace potential revenue from video gambling to fund the state’s $31 billion capital construction program This is a swap we advocated for in our Jan Video gambling was one of several components that was to fund the capital plan But things hit an obstacle in January when an appellate court ruled that the capital funding bill had too many unrelated parts and violated the Illinois Constitution’s rule that bills deal with a single subject The Supreme Court will decide that question 79 jurisdictions in Illinois already have said “no thanks” to video poker in bars and other businesses We doubt it will ever deliver the revenue originally projected And it’ll do so by taxing people already addicted to nicotine not by recruiting bar patrons with what often is derided as “the crack cocaine of gambling.” this vast park has flower magic for every month of the year too Famous across the country for its great wisteria Ashikaga Flower Park is not just mesmerizing in spring It’s a paradise worth visiting year-round it’s also an easy day trip from the capital It’s just about an hour’s drive by car or two hours by Shinkansen Officials at Ashikaga Flower Park suggest visitors generally spend two to three hours of their time touring inside the park which encompasses approximately a 100,000-square-meter area The park’s annual schedule is divided into eight seasonal themes dubbed “Eight Floral Seasons,” or “Eight Chapters,” which is the park’s preferred way to narrate its floral stories There are several hundred flowering plants and trees displaying their differing hues and colors at every turn Winter-blooming peonies in Ashikaga Flower Park Spring is really in the air even though it is still chilly there are winter-blooming peonies in 50 flower houses placed around the park The Peony is known as the king of flowers in Japan the park is additionally colored in red and yellow with the blooming of the kankobai (winter plum tree with reddish blossoms) and the wintersweet plant (also known as Japanese allspice) that blooms in yellow These are some of the earlier bloomers thriving in the cold season Japan’s spring rainy season arrives around mid-March as the drizzling spring rain pours over the trees and irrigates the plants beneath the ground for the flourishing of spring flowers As people in Japan often celebrate the coming of spring with cherry blossoms (which the park does offer in limited amounts) Ashikaga Flower Park is proud to embrace the season with 30 thousand colorful tulips that have an earlier blossoming time the park then introduces you to its second chapter flower viewing in Japan isn’t complete without outdoor bento eating the park offers an elegant kaiseki-like bento which comes in limited seasonal editions to keep your taste buds busy while visitors view the flower buds who has been living in Tochigi for seven years paid her fourth visit to the park this year “This is actually my first time to eat in the park The spring limited menu exceeded my expectations,” she said “I especially recommend the wisteria-flavored ice cream to everyone.” One of the most celebrated chapters in Ashikaga Flower Park is its wisteria Dubbed by many as the most beautiful wisteria in the world the awe-inspiring views attract numerous visitors from around the world The park subsequently earned itself coverage in National Geographic’s “certified photographic album.” The wisterias attract people’s attention in four different colors There’s the pale cherry pink wisteria the 160-year-old ofuji wisteria tree in purple covering an area of 1,000 square meters  white wisteria making an 80-meter-long tunnel this type is the hardest to cultivate in Japan) All of these wisterias in Ashikaga Flower Park are designated Natural Monuments by Tochigi Prefecture The wisterias are also illuminated at night the wisteria season at Ashikaga Flower Park has been attracting Demon Slayer anime fans the wisteria flowers are used for making poisons that can incapacitate regular demons so beautiful wisteria landscapes are akin to paradise this is not an official collaboration and cosplay is prohibited in the park The ticket price during wisteria season at Ashikaga Flower Park typically shoots up to a high of about ¥2,100 The park adopts a varying ticket pricing system that ranges from the low of ¥500 which is common during winter and the daytime Rainbow Garden gets its name from the image of various colorful flowers bursting onto the scene all at once during this season as well as bicolored; and 500 kinds of roses in plentiful colors as well With a total of 2,500 plants blossoming around the same time they constitute the bright colors of the rainbow and many shades in between The fifth chapter at Ashikaga Flower Park similarly owes its name to the colors born by the flowers the park is overflowing with around 200,000 irises 1,500 hydrangeas and the late-blooming clematis Some visitors come to the park clad in kimono during this chapter to fully enjoy their moment surrounded by a sea of flowers Nymph is the spirit of nature in the form of a young woman who lives in rivers and woods The park is then full of her lively spirit in the fall are flowing in the water like fairies as the park enters chapter six There are about 1,500 tropical water lilies that bloom during this season purple and blue flowers together constitute a wonderful view from the open pier pond the park organizes a summer fair called “Summer’s Botanical Garden,” which is especially fun for children shaved ice and yakisoba are also sold from various stalls combining tasty food with beautiful flowers and an overall wonderful summer atmosphere Flowers such as Mexican bush sage and pansies paint the park in purple so the purple color was associated with nobility It is considered a royal color to this day The beginning of the temperature drop in October in Japan also symbolizes the start of Ashikaga Flower Park’s winter festival illumination show A sea of illuminated color-changing flowers dancing to the rhythm of the music will surely keep you warm in the chilly weather While the blossoming of wisteria in spring is a must-see you also don’t want to miss the wisteria created with lights glowing during the winter light show This article is a collaboration between TW and Akita International University Global Communication Practices (graduate school) Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder will cement a 28-year sister-city bond with Ashikaga His trip will coincide with the 23rd student delegation the Sister Cities Association of Springfield has sent to Ashikaga left for Japan on June 15 and will return Monday which is considered the home of Chinese philosopher Confucius Jining officials approached Springfield more than two years ago hoping to partner with the home of Abraham Lincoln Langfelder will first go to Ashikaga and then Jining where Langfelder and Fu will ratify a sister-city and exchange agreements Langfelder said the sister-city relationship is mutually beneficial The bond fosters tourism and economic ties but also provides a deeper understanding between different cultures “It makes our world a little bit smaller for everybody,” Langfelder said No city funds have been expended to pay for the trip except for promotional materials like Springfield lapel pins according to Springfield communications director Julia Frevert Langfelder will return to Springfield July 1 Langfelder will not miss a city council meeting and deputy mayor Bonnie Drew will have signatory power during his absence Langfelder will meet with Mayor Satoshi Izumi and other city officials He will tour the city and area landmarks like Toshogu Shrine and Chuzenji Lake is 50 miles north of Tokyo along the Watarese River It is the birthplace of warrior and statesman Ashikaga Takauji who founded the military shogunate that dominated Japan in the Muromachi period and constructed many of the valuable temples in Kyoto The trip to Ashikaga holds a special significance for Langfelder It was originally planned for 2015 to mark the 25th anniversary of the original agreement between the two cities The agreement had been signed by his father and Ashikaga Mayor Yukihisa Machida in 1990 Both were World War II veterans from opposing sides who had put aside their differences to promote healing between the two countries “(My father) told me it was the hardest thing he had ever done,” Langfelder said of the 1990 Springfield signing ceremony when Langfelder hosted Izumi in Springfield it was passing of the torch from one generation to the next,” Langfelder said hours after signing a proclamation and an autobiography to give to Izumi Jim Langfelder found out about his father’s death two hours before he was supposed to leave for the airport to make his first trip to Ashikaga Langfelder passed off his father’s gifts to the rest of the delegation in a parking lot and then stayed in Springfield for Ossie’s funeral Langfelder in a phone interview said finally going to Ashikaga would bring him some closure He thinks of the sister-city bond as a part of his father’s legacy “I think it’s come a long way,” Langfelder said of the relationship between the two cities the two cities have exchanged hundreds of students Ashikaga students compete to recite the Gettysburg Address in Springfield on the anniversary of the speech The University of Illinois Springfield has a relationship with Ashikaga University Langfelder said he made sure to time his trip to overlap with this year's student trip “Those relationships have been built stronger through the years in part because of the young people,” Langfelder said During a tea reception with Langfelder and Izumi the students will perform “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “Go Cubs Go,” as well as teach their Japanese peers the Cha Cha Slide Ninth grade is the last year of school required by the Japanese government Kenney said the students have already seen the “gentle side” of Japanese culture While window-shopping near the famous Confucian academy Ashikaga Gakko the students were gifted with stuffed animals from the owner of a small store This came on top of origami given to the students from two Japanese women while walking down the street “It’s just an act of kindness and it really touches the children,” Kenney said “I don’t see that happening at home or other countries I’ve been in.” who is also the Sister Cities Jining chair After visiting the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City Langfelder will arrive in Jining on Tuesday and will have the agreement signing ceremony the next day The exchange program agreement promises mutual visits of citizens; dispatching and hosting trainees and students; artistic as well as industrial and economic exchanges Jining officials have expressed interest in sending college-aged students to check out of Memorial Center for Innovation and Learning’s simulations labs They have also said they wanted to learn from City Water Light and Power on how to better manage their coal-fired power plant and pivot to renewable energy Langfelder is hoping to form relationships in Jining that will be useful to not only Springfield residents “You can’t tap into those unless you start the conversations,” Langfelder said Langfelder will also tour a Jining college businesses and its “high-enterprise zone.” He said he’s most excited to see high-speed rail in action “I’m sure I’ll hear about the tariffs as soon as I get there,” Langfelder joked referring to the steep tariffs the United States placed on $50 billion in Chinese imports Springfield also has a sister-city relationship with San Pedro It has a “friendship” city bond with Kilarney On May 1, the great wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture This 160-year-old tree stands as one of the natural monuments of the prefecture many tourists visited the park to enjoy its blossoms which are illuminated in the evening until May 15 An enchanting display unfolded as over 350 wisteria trees of 11 varieties burst into full bloom The trees cover 100,000 square meters of the park grounds.  Their blossoms gracefully cascaded from the wisteria trellises and lilac showers that emitted a delightful fragrance as they swayed in the breeze the head of the park management department noted: "The wisteria reached its peak right on time The flowers have unfolded steadily and with a good balance." another cherished natural monument of the prefecture (Read the article 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 + " Partners Information: Each spring, over 350 wisteria trees burst into bloom at Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi Prefecture wisteria have been admired in Japan since ancient times and are said to be Japan’s oldest flowering tree The beloved flowers typically bloom from mid-April to mid-May at the park and are also illuminated at night for a limited period during this time Highlights include a giant 160-year-old wisteria tree a wisteria trellis spanning 1,000 square metres and an 80-metre-long tunnel of white wisteria flowers the Ofuji Matsuri (Great Wisteria Festival) will be held from 16 April to 22 May 2022 with the illuminations running until 15 May 2022 If you’re visiting in autumn or winter, you can also marvel at wisteria themed light displays at the park’s annual illumination show with the displays changing over the course of several themed events AD Leave a rating/comment#Painting#Media ArtsBack to ArticlesSHARE Five students from Springfield’s sister city of Ashikaga nervously awaited the culmination of a six-day stay here Monday when they each would recite Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in English everything went off without a hitch for the four girls and one boy who took to the podium in the Hall of Representatives of the Old State Capitol The students were winners of the annual Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg Address Speech and Essay contest in Ashikaga and won an expense-paid trip to Springfield to recite the address for their efforts “They worked very hard to win the speech contest and are honored we can recite the entire Gettysburg Address in this hall,” said Kino Etsuko a high school English teacher in Ashikaga who led the visiting delegation The contest is open to junior high school students through students age 20 in Ashikaga delegation that went to Ashikaga earlier this summer A total of 100 students are first selected for their vocal skills in reciting the address in English then that field is narrowed to 30 after they all write an essay relating the concepts of Lincoln’s speech to 21st-century life in Japan Those 30 students are reviewed by two panels — one Japanese and one English — and the five winners are selected vice president of the Sister Cities Association board were the two adult members of the delegation of Springfield students who went to Ashikaga this summer and sat on the English panel that selected the Gettysburg Address contest winners said they worked on practicing the speech for eight months and spent a week writing their essays a high school student,” said she was “honored and very excited” when she found out she was one of the winners Monday was the 149th anniversary of what is arguably Lincoln’s most famous speech carefully crafted address given at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg more than four months after the bloody Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 and today is extra special,” said Springfield Mayor Mike Houston of the address and I can’t think of any better way to learn than to come and meet people in a foreign country.” Houston also marveled that the students recited the speech almost perfectly in English a language that some of them hadn’t mastered otherwise The delegation arrived in Springfield via Chicago on Thursday and will leave today They were housed by Springfield High School families arranged through the school’s history department “They embedded themselves with the families,” Zerkle said “I have families who are sad to see them go.” some of the students spent time going to concerts seeing the movie "Lincoln," and attending a potluck dinner in their honor The program included Illinois author and historic interpreter Betty Carlson Kay’s presentation of “Jennie Hodgers: An Illinois Woman During the Civil War.” Hodgers came to this country from Ireland and lived and fought for the Union Army as Albert Cashier Kay led one of the first Springfield student delegations to Ashikaga The 2012 Ashikaga Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg Address Speech and Essay contest winners’ delegation: Trips range from heli-boarding in Europe to eating breakfast with giraffes in Africa Lake Clark might be the most beautiful place you've never heard of '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(o=null!=(o=r(e,"eyebrowText")||(null!=l?r(l,"eyebrowText"):l))?o:n.hooks.helperMissing)?o.call(null!=l?l:n.nullContext||{},{name:"eyebrowText",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:28,column:63},end:{line:28,column:78}}}):o)+" \n '+(null!=(o=c(e,"if").call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2PreText"):l,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(32,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:63,column:20},end:{line:63,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(c(e,"ifAll")||l&&c(l,"ifAll")||n.hooks.helperMissing).call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Text"):l,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Link"):l,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:n.program(34,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:64,column:20},end:{line:70,column:30}}}))?o:"")+" Colossal in addition to other locations around the country to photograph the flowers as they reach peak bloom His images capture the stunning magnitude of the vines showing the breadth and density that appear to explode with color Some of Tajima’s wisteria photos are compiled in a book from National Geographic, and you can follow his travels to document cherry blossoms, cosmos, and fields teeming with lavender on Instagram Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now Join more than 200,000 subscribers and get the best of art and visual culture from Colossal Copyright © 2025 Colossal. See our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy you probably know that the sakura season is just one small part of Japan’s ongoing cycle of flower festivals the pretty pink petals of March and April may disappear almost as soon as they bloom but that doesn’t mean the floral fun has to stop there The ending of the sakura season also marks the start of the tulip in autumn the reddish-brown foliage is accented by colorful cosmos and chrysanthemums and winter is accompanied not only by snow This continuous cycle means that you can be sure that no matter when you come to Japan nature will always be putting on its best show we are approaching the height of the wisteria and azalea season and with Ashikaga flower park’s 350 wisteria trees and 5,000 azalea bushes already in full bloom due to the earliest flowering in the history of recorded observation the Fujinohana Monogatari-Ofuji Festival 2021 will be held ahead of schedule and will open to the public from April 15 This year Ashikaga’s wisteria trees began to flower 10 days earlier than expected with the first buds opening up on 5 April 2021 This is the earliest recorded flowering in the history of wisteria observation at the Ashikaga flower park and it is expected that the best time to view the trees and their azalea bushes will be earlier than usual the schedule for the Fujinohana Monogatari-Ofuji Festival 2021 has been brought forward: The festival will run from April 15 - May 23 with the light-up period running from April 17 to May 16 The park itself boasts more than 350 wisteria trees with one of the Ofuji (Great Wisteria trees) sporting a wisteria shelf that covers more than 1,000 square meters with about 80,000 individual flowers This large tree was compared by CNN to the "trees of souls" depicted in James Cameron’s movie "Avatar," and the park was selected as one of CNN’s ‘Dream Destinations’ of 2014 The park also has a white wisteria tunnel that is 80 meters long and Japan’s only Kibana wisteria tunnel (a type of wisteria that is believed to be native to Europe and is hard to grow in Japan) which is also 80 meters in length The blooms in the park take place over about a month and are normally ordered as follows; light cherry-blossom red Light cherry-blossom red wisteria is best seen annually from mid to late April The purple wisteria trees and the great wisteria trees with flowers covering more than 1,000 meters are best enjoyed from late April to early May The white wisteria tree tunnel of the park can usually be seen around the beginning of May It is recommended to view Japan’s only kibana wisteria tunnel from early to mid May Ashikaga Flower Park is also home to more than 5,000 azalea bushes which compliment the pastel colors of the wisteria trees and usually reach their full bloom from mid April to early May The collection at the park features more than 1,000 different varieties of azalea and includes horticultural species unique to the park -- Hokkaido Gourmet Spring Fair comes to Shinjuku -- SUNTORY’s barley tea now in “sustainable bottles” made with 100% recycled materials -- Gorgeous kitty-themed temple pilgrimage books are perfect stationery for cat lovers Area residents were relieved to learn Friday that family members in Japan were not among the hundreds killed during a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated the country the images of massive waves swallowing fields and highways and other destruction were painful to watch a Japanese citizen who has lived in Springfield for more than a dozen years “It’s really hard to see my country being destroyed like that,” she said Brudnak watched the destruction unfold live while watching TV Japan on satellite television about 1 a.m her hometown of Kagoshima in southern Japan was far enough from the epicenter to avoid serious damage “I haven’t talked to my parents or family since the phone lines have been so busy but I know they’re fine,” she said Friday afternoon Poor telephone and Internet service have stymied communication for many families trying to contact their loved ones Richard Ramsey of Rochester on Friday evening continued to await word from his son an assistant language teacher at a junior high school in Ashikaga City “I really think the communications are either disrupted from the earthquake or they’re probably overloaded,” the elder Ramsey said He normally communicates with his son via Skype He was reassured by reports filtering out of the country that Ashikaga was not hard-hit “I feel confident that he’s safe and OK,” Richard Ramsey said who chairs the Ashikaga Committee of the Sister Cities Association of Springfield to get any news about his son and how the city is faring Zerkle said an Ashikaga citizen visiting the Chicago area was able to get through to his family there and there was a great deal of upheaval from the earthquake there were no major injuries or major building collapses in Ashikaga,” she said Ashikaga is 50 miles northwest of Tokyo and about 150 miles southwest of the earthquake’s epicenter No students from Springfield are currently in Ashikaga Yoko Copeland of Springfield spent most of Friday trying to get in touch with her parents in her hometown of Iwaki City in northern Japan Copeland said she wasn’t concerned when she first heard news of the earthquake since they are common in Japan once she watched Japanese news reports detailing the tsunami’s destruction the inside of the house was totally upside down Everything came off from the drawers and cabinets,” she said “They (her parents) sounded very shaken up,” she added “They both said they’ve never experienced anything like that.” Jane Buis-Henry of Springfield is eager to hear her daughter’s account of the disaster works for the Department of Defense on a naval base in Yokosuka “She did send me an e-mail early this morning after the quake but that was before the tsunami hit,” Buis-Henry said Buis eventually sent her mother another brief e-mail Friday afternoon saying she was still safe but lacked power and had limited phone and Internet service “She said there were still aftershocks going on quite frequently,” Buis-Henry said “But she’s fine and that’s all that matters.” Communication wasn’t a problem for the families of U.S detailing how some of the low-lying homes on the base had to be evacuated “We live in a nine-story tower and we’re on the third floor we could go to the ninth floor,” she said about 5:15 p.m An exhibit at the National Museum of Surveying illustrates the severity of Friday’s devastating 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan “Science on a Sphere” is an animated 60-inch globe that displays detailed images of the Earth’s atmosphere The display also can show the location and magnitude of earthquakes around the world for the last 30 days Museum staff members said they receive earthquake updates at 10 a.m The display shows the initial earthquake as well as aftershocks “Science on a Sphere” is open to the public during the museum’s regular hours of 10 a.m An April 10 fundraiser for the Sister Cities Association of Springfield will include a collection to benefit victims of Friday’s deadly earthquake and tsunami in Japan Ashikaga City is an official Sister City to Springfield The fundraiser will take place at Osaka Japanese Restaurant “Our hearts and prayers go out to all who were impacted so severely by those forces of nature We are very relieved on a personal level that those we know and enjoy a friendship with are safe we have great sympathies for those who are bearing the full burden of the tragedy,” Zerkle said She said the mayor’s office in Ashikaga sent condolences and offers of support to Springfield after the Sept Mayor Frank Edwards on Friday e-mailed Ashikaga Mayor Minoru Omamiuda to express his concern “Even though the epicenter was about 150 miles northwest of Ashikaga we understand the city sustained a moderate amount of damage to some buildings,” Edwards said in a written statement but we have learned that there were no reports of major injuries in the city National relief organizations also are mobilizing to assist earthquake and tsunami victims The Salvation Army in Japan reports the most damaged city is Sendai Those wanting to help can text the word “Japan” to 80888 to give a $10 donation to The Salvation Army’s earthquake relief work The Japanese Red Cross Society also has sent teams to heavily damaged communities “The American Red Cross is in communication through its global partners with the Pacific nations that sustained the most damage and stands ready to provide assistance as needed,” a news release said the Red Cross has not received any requests for blood from the Japanese Red Cross Those who want to help can go to www.redcross.org and donate to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami People may also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation The American Red Cross reports the best way to reach U.S citizens living or traveling in Japan is to contact the U.S The International Committee of the Red Cross has offered to assist Japan with restoring family links Families may also use the Red Cross Safe and Well website to connect with one another. To register, visit www.redcross.org on a computer, visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell on a smart phone or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) Illinois’ trade office in Tokyo escaped the devastating Japanese earthquake unscathed spokeswoman for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said agency officials were in touch with the office’s two Japanese employees “Both individuals are doing well,” she said “There is no known damage to the building where the offices are located and we anticipate that work will resume as normal Monday morning.” It is one of nine trade offices run by Illinois throughout the world The state spends about $2.1 million a year on them It was the first time in a boat for 11 Japanese high school students studying aquatic ecology at the University of Illinois Springfield last week their studies would show them why it may not be a good idea to swallow the water should they fall out of the boat The students and two teachers from Ashikaga Boys High School in Ashikaga are at UIS for a Science Academy Program funded by the Japanese government the students are learning sampling techniques fundamental water analysis and basic molecular biology and how it relates to conservation Ashikaga has been Springfield’s sister city since 1990 and UIS is hosting a group of science students from the same 600-student high school for the third year UIS has engaged in an exchange of college students with Ashikaga Institute of Technology for the past 15 years teaching lab specialist in chemistry at UIS and one of four professors and two UIS students conducting the program said the students and high school teachers along with a tourist agency representative went to the UIS Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon near Havana last week and collected samples of invertebrates such as beetles They then went to Thompson Lake at Emiquon and got more invertebrates including snails the Illinois River and the UIS campus pond the students in their white lab coats and goggles tested their samples for phosphates Szabo said the relative health of the insects and other invertebrates is useful as an indicator of the quality of the water “It was the first time in a boat for them on Thompson Lake and the first time any of them had gone out in waders to collect samples,” he said there isn’t much interaction between the students and the teachers in the science area and that being asked a question in class and being expected to respond is a concept new to them senior director for international programs and internships at UIS said the Japanese government was looking for “a super science project” for its grant “They wanted a program that combined field work with lab work That fit some of the things we were already doing here,” he said The UIS faculty also conducts a similar science academy for area high school students “The big thing is the experience of collecting,” GoldbergBelle said “They’ve never had this kind of lab experience.” said he’s been impressed by the lab itself “The professors are supportive and very friendly,” he added The boat experience “was really enjoyable,” said Keita Higuchi But the ready smile and facial expression indicate he may have been unsure about that at first He said he has most enjoyed “communicating with the local people” in restaurants and other areas where people have just come up and talked to him The students have completed their two days of field work and have two days of lab work left Then they’ll work on preparing their presentations which they will do in English here and in Japanese when they get home -- Contact Chris Dettro: chris.dettro@sj-r.com visitors from all over the world congregate at the Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi Prefecture to experience the wondrous sight of wisterias in bloom It's safe to say that there is no other place in the world which displays wisterias on such a scale and with such aesthetic refinement. In fact, it was selected by CNN as one of the 10 Dream Destinations of 2014 Not only can you witness arches of wisterias stretching above you and wisteria platforms planted over pools of water creating beautiful reflections you'll see a massive tree over 150 years old whose branches decorated splendidly with wisteria blossoms reach so far that they extend over 10,650 square feet there are 350 trees and over 5,000 garlands of wisteria in the park to admire Although the park is amazing during the daytime The rest of the article can be viewed on our partner’s website, grape Japan at ”Experience The Breathtaking Beauty of Hanging Wisterias at Ashikaga Flower Park“ You must be logged in to post a comment The attraction even hosts its own Fujinohana Monogatari Ofuji Festival annually to celebrate the blooming season.  the wisteria blossomed a whole ten days earlier than usual but you can still see the Great Wisteria Tree and white wisteria in bloom now To give you an idea of how the wisteria looked recently here are some photos taken on Monday April 17 and Tuesday April 18 has a canopy covering about 1,000sqm and features 80,000 individual purple blossoms Here’s another shot of the majestic tree lit up in the evening Wisteria are not all purple; they also come in this gorgeous light red colour The light red wisteria also cover this gorgeous bridge at the park.  there are also other flowers now blooming at the park including bushes of colourful azaleas This year, the wisteria festival and illumination is held until Sunday May 14. For more information on visiting the park, visit the website This article was originally published on April 22 2022 and updated on May 1 2023.  Tokyo named the world’s second wealthiest city in 2023 Animate Ikebukuro is now one of the world’s biggest anime stores Tokyo's public transport system ranked the third best in the world Japan Rail Pass prices to increase by more than 65 percent The new Fukaya Hanazono Premium Outlet near Tokyo has 137 branded stores Is it my tears or the mist that surrounds me Part of the magic of Mizukami Satoshi is to take what in lesser hands might be no more than battle shounen (albeit epic battle shounen) and imbue it with deep pathos and subtle character arcs He can do intimate as well as anyone (I think Spirit Circle falls into this category) and elevated the art even further in Sengoku Youko Mizukami is an all-rounder in a way few mangaka are This episode is both epic and intimate in inimitable Mizukami fashion It follows the two great battles of 19 May One is purely fictional (obviously) and one loosely based on historical events Senya and Mudou go at it like the boys they are Mudo full of killing spirit but swept up in Senya’s pretense of fun about the whole encounter the events taking place have a darkness and ugliness about them and not a trace of coltish innocence There’s certainly deceit and dishonor in Senya and Mudou’s battle But it all comes from Tago (the adult in the room) not Mudou And it came in service of his larger purpose the assault on the shogun’s residence There’s no malice in Mudou – he bears Senya no ill will He just wants to fight him – and eat him – because he’s strong He’s a simple fellow to say the least and even has a sort of honor – he told Senya he’d keep Tsukiko safe and where she’d be If that’s not love I don’t know what is The whole encounter has the air of two lords of the schoolyard in a battle for bragging rights There’s no such aura to the ugliness at the Shogun’s palace This a man prepared to die and taking as many with him as he can a betrayer watching at a distance while others do his dirty work and a mysterious third party we’ve seen before.The true story of Ashikaga Yooshiteru is quite a dramatic one His family were mere puppets when he was born and he and his father were twice forced to leave Kyoto in exile When his fortunes turned and he eventually became shogun himself But Yoshiteru proved to be a cunning politician and brilliant administrator who quickly gathered power to the shogunate once more who sees another precious ally fall when he feels he might have taken action to prevent it an inspired choice for another inspired Mizukami creation It’s pretty much a limited express from here to the end of this line but the track has plenty of twists and turns I have heard that fittingly for a shonen throwback (that subverts conventions) that classic 80s/90s Toei animator and director Shigeyasu Yamauchi was hired by White Fox to storyboard and direct this particular episode He was also called to do 3 more episodes later in this series too And I can definitely tell there was an old-school feel to this episode Mudou and Senya were just getting warmed up in the last episode while Teru starts to face his enemies Senya is strictly a one-on-one duel while Teru is is taking on dozens of enemy soldiers at a time… and mowing the down a feeling which Hanatora seems to share as she’s enjoying the carnage while Shinsuke and Raidou are terrified Banshouou is getting a good show as well too as the two lads duke it out He wants to be fight because he’s strong and wants to be stronger but he doesn’t want to fight as strong foes like Mudou seek him out Senya does admit that the laughing was just an act but hopes that fighting with Mudou will help him learn something he is winning over more and more of the katwara as they want to be the strongest too Nau does manage to slip in and helps Tsukiko escape A shikigami of Tago isn’t about to let her escape so easily but then she simply gets behind him and pushes him over the building she’s going to wait for Senya to win the battle and rescue her it’s for the battle between the lads It’s got a lot of close-ups and fast cuts which are pet peeves of mine when it comes to modern fight choreography in live-action movies (It has gotten better lately It’s more effective here because of the stylized action but I still would have like to see more of the action further from the camera Teru is running out of enemies to kill as Matsunaga enters the fray He says that he already foresaw his own death but with the way things were going there was nobody left to challenge him That’s when those hooded figures show up again which Hanatora tries to prevent him from doing Quick thinking from Shinsuke pulls her away from those figures They seem to call themselves the Void people but Matsunaga takes this opportunity to kill Teru while he’s distracted Senya is able to beat Mudou and with the help from his katawara Shinsuke laments that he was too late again as we see that Arabuki still has its powers even with a broken blade Teru gives him some last words of encouragement and to rename his sword to Kazamatsuri Tama has successfully tracked down that fortune teller It’s been a while and so I’m wondering if psychic hotlines are still around I’m thinking that this current arc in Kyoto is over now We get a bit more information about those Void people and seeing Jinka again might not be too far off Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Please consider becoming an LiA patron through one of the methods below By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Ashikaga Scramble is the solution for filmmakers that are looking to capture the iconic Shibuya Scramble intersection in their movie but without all the hassle of getting the near-impossible film permit the 71,042-square foot film set features all the details to help make edits virtually comparable to the real crossing Amenities like underground subway entrances and even JR gates all contribute to the set design and the set is located in a flat area so that skyscrapers and environmental elements can be keyed in during post Tochigi Prefecture--The Ashikaga Flower Park here ranks as the top illumination park in Japan for good reason: The 100,000-square-meter area undergoes a fairytale transformation every year with LED bulbs titled “The Garden of Illuminated Flowers,” is decorated with about 5 million LED bulbs the event was ranked as the best among the nation’s top three light shows the Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Nagasaki Prefecture and the Sapporo White Illumination show in Hokkaido’s capital The flower park usually attracts around 500,000 visitors during winter illumination season An addition this year is a mural of light 22 meters wide and 7 meters tall showcasing scenes from Japan’s four seasons 9-meter deep stone garden also projected with images Adorned with projection mapping and about 200,000 bulbs the section is one of the most popular spots at the venue The park also renovated the “Rose Garden of Light” section featuring 500,000 bulbs and the “Flower Castle” installation lit up with 350,000 bulbs The park’s famed great wisteria trees are decorated with 400,000 bulbs while a tunnel of white wisteria vines is lit with 200,000 bulbs which are popular among visitors for their reflection on the water surface For more information, visit the official website at (https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/flowerfantasy_special2023/en/) 5 million LEDs make Ashikaga Flower Park a show-stopper Enjoy summer illuminations at a resort complex in Mie Prefecture LEDs powered by waste oil brighten the Shinagawa night Get your fix of the best floral festivities around We had a pretty wet and disappointing cherry blossom season this year but you know what they say — April showers bring May flowers Japan has plenty of flower festivals for the rest of the spring and summer season with many of them taking place in the gorgeously warm month of May Here’s a round-up of flower festivals that are happening in and near Tokyo this month that’s definitely worth the trip crafted by renowned swordsmith Horikawa Kunihiro who is associated with Ashikaga City in Tochigi Prefecture is scheduled to go on display again next spring at the Ashikaga Museum of Art.  According to the inscription on Yamanbagiri Kunihiro the blade (length 70 centimeters) was crafted by Kunihiro in February of 1590 AD at the request of Nagao Akinaga Known as Kunihiro’s most outstanding masterpiece it was said that in making it he copied the “Yamanbagiri” (a National Important Cultural Property) in the collection of the Tokugawa Art Museum That sword was crafted by Bizen Nagafune Nagayoshi and reportedly given to Akinaga by the Odawara Hojo clan.  The Yamanbagiri Kunihiro went on display at the museum from March to April in 2017 in the midst of a sword boom sparked by the online game Touken Ranbu Up to 38,000 visitors flooded the exhibition many of them young female fans from overseas It was the most popular among the 100 or so swords personified as warrior characters in the 2017 exhibition and also the first time in twenty years that the sword had been shown in public following the Tokyo National Museum exhibition in 1997.  Success of the 2017 event had prompted local shopping centers to press the city twice to hold the exhibition again The city has also been anxious to help local recovery of the tourism and hospitality sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  It has estimated that the region could see around ￥400 million JPY (~$3.65 million USD) from tourism and commerce restaurants and sales of merchandise made in collaboration with Touken Ranbu.  it was decided to hold the exhibition under the same title the “Treasures of Ashikaga Exhibition”.  The 2017 exhibition’s meticulous hospitality such as setting up a nursery at the museum for parents with young children and original menus developed at local restaurants was praised as “superb” among the touken joshi community The city aims to repeat the public-private collaboration that made it happen Despite the ongoing boom in the popularity of Japanese swords and several other legendary blades being put on display the Yamanbagiri Kunihiro has not been exhibited in any sword shows since 2017 Many fans who have been eagerly waiting for the re-exhibition in Ashikaga will most likely flock to see the display.  The show is scheduled for February 11 to March 27 Born in Hyuga Province, Miyazaki Prefecture in the south of Kyushu, Horikawa Kunihiro was the foremost master of sword makers during the Azuchi-Momoyama and early Edo periods His swords related to the Ashikaga region are the Yamanbagiri and Yamanbagiri Kunihiro as well as a short sword called the “Hotei Kunihiro” (National Important Art Treasure Collection of the Ashikaga Citizens Cultural Foundation).  The Hotei Kunihiro has an inscription on it indicating the same year as when the Yamanbagiri Kunihiro was made: “August 18th year of Tensho (1590) Yashu Ashikaga Gakkou Ni Oite Korewo Utsu (Tempered at the school of Ashikaga)” It is not clear how Kunihiro arrived and ended up staying in Ashikaga What is your hidden wonder of Japan? Upload your picture here You must be logged in to post a comment Today's print edition Home Delivery a rapturous celebration of life and the human spirit and nurtured in peace for 700 years thereafter Its loveliest artifacts are Buddhist statues of the eighth their faces and poses reflecting a serenity that seems scarcely of this world and yet there is nothing remote about it Its sublimity pierces the heart — even the modern heart Maybe we’d all be bodhisattvas now.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); and from the late 12th century to the early 17th Apart from two Mongol invasions — both repelled the first in 1274 and the second seven years later — the outside world paid Japan little heed leaving its warriors free to slaughter each other which they did with unwearying gusto for the better part of half a millennium How art of any kind could have survived and even flourished in the seemingly endless carnage is one of the enduring mysteries near-total eclipses of everything that makes life gracious 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. 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