We’ve talked about this time and time again Today’s motorcycle industry is plagued by bikes that are too big and too expensive for many people to buy particularly in the time of the pandemic-fueled spending spree big and expensive bikes were seen as aspirational lifestyle symbols it’s clear that consumer preference is shifting The numbers don’t lie, and it’s obvious that affordability and approachability are very important factors in today’s market. And that’s why Harley-Davidson has been struggling lately The iconic American brand has always been about big heavy cruisers with massive engines outputting power figures smaller than bikes with engines half their size this is no longer what the vast majority of riders want The Harley-Davidson X440 is yet another bike that just might make it big in the US But none of these bikes are available in the US You bet your ass—even a bunch of Harley “purists” disown them completely But take a look at this Harley-Davidson dealer in Chiryu, Japan. It released a commissioned custom build of the Harley X350 the MoCo’s smallest-displacement model in its entire global catalog it’s different from pretty much any other Harley as it isn’t really a cruiser and is powered by a 360-degree parallel-twin (gasp) But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s any less cool it’s rocking an eye-catching lime green colorway complete with chromed out engine covers Harley-Davidson Chiryu is so proud of its creation that it featured it in its magazine.One thing I found particularly interesting I keep forgetting that this thing is powered by a Benelli 360-degree parallel-twin so its exhaust note is a silky smooth hum rather than the typical growl associated with a big V-twin this thing’s ergonomics are more naked bike than they are cruiser to see a Harley sound and be ridden in this way Is the Harley X350 a bike you’d ride and customize is there a place for this thing on US roads and will Harley even consider manufacturing it stateside to escape the impending tariffs on all things made in China Here's the Electric Motorcycle Harley-Davidson Should Build This Retro-Styled Electric Motorcycle Looks Like a Fun and Practical Daily Ride Suzuki Really Wants You To Test Ride the New DR-Z4S Before You Buy a New Harley-Davidson Softail has reached a strategic partnership agreement Three ‘Crown Palais’ hotels in Koichi City Chiryu City and Hamamatsu City will be renovated and rebranded to ‘ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel.’ “we are confident that the power of IHG and the ANA Crowne Plaza brand will enable us to strengthen our offering and expand our business attracting a wider range of travelers to our hotels,’ Ryuko Hira President of Hotel Management International said “We can contribute to increases in inbound travelers to local cities and growth of local economy,” expecting to welcome about 30% more international guests than today.  CEO of IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan and Managing Director of IHG Hotels & Resorts Japan & Micronesia said “We will bring our collective vision for these three properties to life as ANA Crowne Plaza hotels the largest international premium hotel brand in Japan.” Putting a higher business priority on Japan IHG Hotels & Resorts operates 47 hotels of eight brands and will open additional 15 hotels ‘ANA Crowne Plaza Kochi,’ ‘ANA Crowne Plaza Chiryu’ and ‘ANA Crowne Plaza Hamamatsu,’ offering 539 rooms in total HMI has expanded hotel rebranding through partnerships with major global hotel chains including Marriott International in April 2024 They have superiorities in royalty programs big investment to system development or online services,” Hira said.  HMI plans to make a new partnership with maybe another global hotel brand for around 10 exiting hotels For the partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts this time Hira said that ANA Crowne Plaza Hamamatsu and Chiryu are expected to attract guests from India particularly because many automobile industries there develop their businesses in India.  When second-generation Japanese Brazilian Kumiko Miura moved into a public housing complex in central Japan in 2006 friction was brewing over social rules and norms between long-time residents and the growing influx of foreign tenants Her response was to act as a bridge inside the multicultural community in the huge complex in Chiryu city in Aichi Prefecture and what the 55-year-old achieved can be seen as an example of how foreigners and Japanese can work together to facilitate communication and embrace diversity But Miura's experience may provide important lessons for Japan as the country opens its doors wider to foreign workers from April to tackle serious labor shortages "If more people with various cultural backgrounds and languages come we need more people to make connections in communities like me," Miura said in a recent interview with Kyodo News at one of the buildings in the public housing complex Miura left Brazil for Japan with her husband at the age of 28 when many foreign nationals of Japanese descent were entering the country to earn money after immigration rules were eased for them in 1990 But she ran away from her husband because of domestic abuse and settled with her son and mother-in-law in the Chiryu danchi which has attracted many foreigners for its low rent and good access to workplaces such as auto parts firms supplying Toyota Motor Corp increased to over 5,000 in 2018 from about 300 in 1990 Around half of them live in and around the danchi which is made up of 73 five-story apartment blocks Miura was unusual among the foreign tenants in the danchi in showing interest in the activities of the residents' association -- at that time led by board members who were all Japanese despite the rise in the number of non-Japanese residents Having become acquainted with the head of the association Miura got involved in order to help foreign residents accustom themselves to the community's rules and etiquette in areas ranging from garbage disposal and parking to noise problems She also became the first and only foreigner to join the board in 2007 Peruvians and other foreign tenants to explain the norms and culture of the country they had come to live and work in "I was afraid at first because I had to say harsh things (to neighbors)," she said a public housing complex in the city of Chiryu) In the summer when many residents keep the windows open she walked around the premises and asked residents to turn down music or make less noise She also asked people not to flick cigarette ash from balconies because Japanese people air out their bedding on them Her activities also included joining other members of the association to patrol the danchi with police officers to check for any parking infractions or littering "There was no one in the danchi who had done such activities with Japanese residents before," Miura said "Some of the Brazilians said I was sucking up to the Japanese My bicycles were stolen and flattened multiple times and the door of my room was defaced." She even experienced a push-back from some of the foreign tenants whom she had helped by offering advice and support in their everyday lives "I'm always close to tears when I look back on those days," she said She also felt the association's activities and relationship with members helped her grow as a person has set up bollards in spots where parking is not allowed around the apartment buildings as well as instruction boards with Portuguese text and pictures to explain about garbage separation and disposal rules resistance to her associating with Japanese tenants eased and visible friction between Japanese and foreigners has also abated But she said an emotional "wall" still remains between the Japanese and foreigners in the community and that more efforts are needed to explain the Japanese way of thinking to foreigners said making rules together for creating an inclusive society is needed But he also said that starting this process from giving "clear-cut explanations" to foreigners will be important admitting that a "sense of vague fear" exists inside Japanese toward foreigners due to a lack of communication we wouldn't simply label people as 'foreigners,'" he said we can sort out problems together even if they emerge." programs to encourage exchanges in the community have taken place such as twice-a-month guitar lessons in the danchi and raising various vegetables from foreign tenants' home countries in a nearby field The activities have been joined by people from Brazil Such efforts seem to help bring gradual change to society is becoming an opportunity for Japanese and foreigners to have friendly chats when they meet to put out the trash at designated collection sites at fixed times Sato said having any kind of place where people can gather will not only benefit current residents but the newcomers "It does take time and effort to build a relationship to have an open and honest discussion," Sato said "But simply understanding each other is exciting." Miura earns her living by running a cafeteria named "Familly" which she opened in 2015 in the danchi hoping that it will become a place for foreigners and Japanese to foster relationships she has an office where she continues her volunteer work to help foreigners After staying over 12 years in the housing complex Miura believes it was her fate to end up there "I'll keep on trying" to connect people from different countries 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 a cafe with kitchen studio is open to local residents a chiryu-based global robot manufacturing company decided to attain the piece of land and transform it for educational purposes image © mount fuji architects studio in the region there are many shrines and temples with layouts that follow a low-eaved gate facing the street an outdoor area which also works as a public space and a larger-eaved main building at the rear responding to this vernacular configuration the gate part of the chiryu afterschool hosts a cafe and a staff room while a hall extends to the adjacent park and the large volume housing the classrooms in the rear the completed building by mount fuji architects studio fosters a calming atmosphere influenced by the outwards view of the temples and shrines of old tokaido the structure appears as a contemporary and geometric volume referencing the subject which is taught inside the sweeping ceiling of interlocking timber is the focus this timber element uses red pine sticks to produce the gentle catenary curve that spans all the way through without the need of columns a connection to the historical context was achieved by the delicately sweeping roof-line which is reminiscent to the temples in the neighborhood we built two pillars: one was to inherit historic context respecting the history of the site while the other was to conform to the natural science on the ground of science experiment and robot technology background of the client.’ – mount fuji architects studio name: chiryu afterschool principal use: after school local community center (cafe+hall)
 site area: 997.76 sqm 
building area: 536.80 sqm 
total floor area: 744.70 sqm 
number of storeys: 2 structure: steel frame partly wood frame
 design: 2014.6 – 2015.3 
construction: 2015.6 – 2016.7 AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style 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 A red and yellow checkered pattern has been applied to a road just before a pedestrian crossing in Chiryu is expected to attract the attention of car and motorcycle drivers to help encourage them to stop or slow down there are no traffic lights at the crosswalks The checkered pattern was painted in late June as part of a social experiment with the cooperation of Prof Koji Suzuki of the Nagoya Institute of Technology Some residents in the neighborhood have said that cars now stop more often than before “This simple idea may reduce the number of accidents and we would like to confirm its effectiveness during the social experiment which will last until October,” said Suzuki Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Japan – IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan (IHG) today announced a landmark partnership with Hotel Management International Ltd (HMI) who operate a diverse portfolio of properties across Japan to rebrand three hotels to the ANA Crowne Plaza brand expanding IHG’s footprint into three new destinations the three Crown Palais hotels will undergo extensive renovations as they convert to ANA Crowne Plaza Kochi ANA Crowne Plaza Chiryu and ANA Crowne Plaza Hamamatsu of more than 20 ANA Crowne Plaza hotels across Japan and more than 400 Crowne Plaza hotels worldwide and will open in the first half of 2026 As one of the world’s largest premium hotel brands Crowne Plaza has properties located in gateway cities resorts and suburban destinations around the world and these three hotels will benefit from brand awareness both in Japan and globally CEO of IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan and Managing Director of IHG Hotels & Resorts Japan & Micronesia said: “We’re excited and honoured to work in partnership with Hotel Management International Co Ltd for the first time and bring our collective vision for these three properties to life as ANA Crowne Plaza hotels the largest international premium hotel brand in Japan “Converting these properties reflects the attractiveness of our brands the value of IHG’s global enterprise backed by our strong in-market team with ANA’s support we will lead these hotels into an exciting next chapter “Expanding the brand’s presence and adding three new destinations – Kochi Chiryu and Hamamatsu to our extensive portfolio across the country offers guests new experiences and options whether they are travelling for leisure These three hotels are well known for their convenient locations The addition of Crowne Plaza’s purposeful design that offers flexible spaces to work while meeting the needs of guests seeking productivity relaxation or connections will elevate the offering and capture a greater share of business from both domestic and international travellers President of Hotel Management International Co Ltdsaid: We are delighted to be partnering with IHG to convert three HMI Hotel Group hotels to ANA Crowne Plaza and be part of the global IHG system With a long history of operating hotels for more than half a century across Japan we are confident that the power of IHG and the ANA Crowne Plaza brand will enable us to strengthen our offering and expand our business attracting a wider range of travellers to our hotels Japan’s international arrivals are at a record high with 17.7 million visitors in the first half of 2024 Tourists are also seeking to explore beyond the larger cities and explore lesser known destinations – our rebranded hotels will add increased value to international guests as well as appeal to a greater share of domestic visitors HMI has been delivering the charms of destinations across Japan to guests we will set new standards of excellence in hospitality and strive to support the Japanese Government's inbound policy of ‘creating high value’ and ‘attracting visitors to local areas’ ANA Crowne Plaza Chiryu and ANA Crowne Plaza Hamamatsu join a 20-strong ANA Crowne Plaza portfolio in Japan that includes ANA Crowne Plaza Osaka and ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa These three hotels add to IHG’s growing presence in Japan which currently sits at 47 open hotels with 15 in the pipeline IHG Hotels & Resorts has had a long presence in Japan and has grown to become one of the largest international operators in the country across eight world-class brands: Six Senses IHG will debut three new brands in market including Regent Hotels & Resorts Students contribute to the community by repairing playground equipment and cleaning up the Aisin Group's in-house institute for training skilled employees of Aisin Seiki and other Group companies both in Japan and overseas carried out cleanup and other volunteer activities at 27 kindergartens and pre-schools in the cities of Kariya and Chiryu.These activities are a result of Aisin Technical Academy volunteering to meet the needs of kindergartens and pre-schools where not many employees have great physical strength and this year were carried out for the sixth time.This time the students asked each kindergartens or pre-schools in advance about their needs and consulted with teachers on site about what tasks to perform volunteers completed these tasks while interacting with children aiming to do volunteer work that improves and beautifies the children's environments.By engaging directly with the three pillars of the Aisin Group's social contribution activities (Protection of Nature and the Environment who will graduate this March and become full-time Aisin team members gained a heightened awareness of social contribution activities that are closely linked to communities.[Outline of activities]Date: January 8 2019 (Tue.)Place: 27 nursery schools and day care centers in Kariya City and Chiryu CityDescription: Service activities including indoor and outdoor cleanup repair and upkeep of sand piles and play equipment etc.Participants: 143 students at Aisin Technical AcademyCooperation: Kariya City and Chiryu City Children's Divisions the Aisin Technical Academy is an in-house live-in training institute where Japanese technical high school graduates and trainees dispatched from overseas take a year of study to increase their practical technical skills and knowledge It is accredited as a vocational school by Aichi Prefecture A sister city relationship is agreed to between cities generally in different parts of the world or with different cultures Through formal ties between local governments sister cities encourage the on-going exchange of people ideas and resources in a variety of cultural These activities are for the mutual benefit of the respective cities municipalities and shires in Australia have at least one sister city relationship with a city or town overseas Wyndham City is fortunate to have three highly value relationships.  Two are Sister Cities and one is a Friendly City Each relationship is different and has its own particular strength generally relationships aim to deliver benefits growth or outcomes in one or more of the following areas.  They may aim to:  Wyndham City’s longest standing relationship is with the beautiful city of Costa Mesa USA.  This Sister City was established in 1996 and has evolved into a very successful educator/student exchange program whereby students from various Wyndham schools have visited Costa Mesa annually and conversely a delegation of students has visited Wyndham annually Over the years school such as Werribee Secondary College Galvin Park Secondary College (now Wyndham Central College) and more recently Hoppers Crossing Secondary College have been involved in student exchanges with Costa Mesa Hoppers Crossing Secondary College has for a number of years had an annual exchange program with Estancia High School.  This very positive relationship between the two schools enables learnings sharings and experiences which support growth in leadership skills knowledge and global awareness for the students Councillor Mia Shaw hosted the Sister City - Costa Mesa Dinner  5th August 2019 at the Wyndham Civic Centre Seven students from Estancia High School along with their Chaperone Teacher – Ms Anne McClanahan attended the dinner Chaperone teachers and students from the Sister City School - Hoppers Crossing Secondary College also attended The Costa Mesa students delivered an outstanding presentation on the Californian drought Estancia High School and where they see themselves in the future.    there have been Councillor and staff delegations between Wyndham and Costa Mesa and visa versa.  Visiting international cities provides the opportunity to gain a different perspective on core Council issues Observing other projects and programs in operation allows the respective cities’ delegations to assess how similar initiatives could be relevant to their city Located on the "coastal tableland" above Newport Beach Costa Mesa's first inhabitants were native American Indians who settled on the mesa near the banks of the Santa Ana River Artifacts found here indicate that this site was a part of the village they knew as Lukup Costa Mesa is a major commercial and industrial center of Orange County The population in 2024 is estimated to be 107,881 which formally adopted the slogan "The City of the Arts” in 1999 is home to Pacific Symphony and the South Coast Repertory Theater The 3,000-seat Segerstrom Center for the Arts (previously known as Orange County Performing Arts Center) was completed in 1985 both the 2,000-seat Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and the 500-seat Samueli Theater held their grand openings Wyndham City’s second longest standing relationship is with the city of Chiryu Japan – a city that boasts beautiful parks and historic temples.  This Sister City was established on 10 February 2000 Since that time Wyndham has sent a number of delegations to the City (3 including the initial signing of the agreement and then an additional informal visit by a staff member) A significant year for the relationship was 2010 as a delegation of The Chiryu International Association President Mr Harui Ono the Chiryu International Association Advisor Mr Shoichi Nakane Mayor Ikuo Hayashi and Chairperson Osamu Sakata headed a delegation of many Japanese people to Wyndham to celebrate the Chiryu International Committee’s 20th Anniversary The delegation stayed with us for three days and they were taken on trips around Wyndham This delegation to Wyndham was then followed by a return Wyndham delegation to Chiryu in November where we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Wyndham-Chiryu Sister City Relationship For well over a decade now Wyndham has enjoyed annual visits by secondary students from Chiryu.  The students are hosted in a Wyndham school where they are immersed in the daily activities.  Likewise Wyndham’s students have the opportunity to learn from their Japanese counterparts The relationship continues to be positive achieving 24 years on 10 February 2024 Reception for 63rd birthday of the Emperor of Japan hosted by Consul-General Chiryu is situated in central Aichi Prefecture bordered by the Aizuma River to the north and the Sawatari River to the south.  In 2020 the population was estimated to be 72,193 with automotive parts and automotive electronics manufacturing predominating The city has numerous road and rail connections to downtown Nagoya Chiryu is known for the Muryoju-ji Temple along with the adjoining Yatsuhashi Kakitsubata iris water gardens and for the tahoto pagoda at the Chiryu Jinja Shinto Shrine Other significant attractions include the rows of pine trees and the ruins of Chiryu Castle Wyndham’s most recently established international relationship is that of a Friendly City Agreement with Changzhou China.  Changzhou is a major city located within the Jiangsu province which is Victoria’s Sister State Delegations of key dignitaries have occurred and Wyndham has had the opportunity to showcase key assets including its diverse business industrial and agricultural precincts and tourist attractions Situated in the south to the Yangtze River and at the shore of Tai Lake Changzhou is halfway between Shanghai and Nanjing and borders Suzhou and Wuxi to form the Su-Xi-Chang Metropolis Area with a population of approximately 3,780,000 COVID-19 lockdowns began not long after the signing of the Friendship City Agreement.  Wyndham and Changzhou now look forward to re-igniting the relationship and maximising its potential from a traditional focus on farming and manufacturing to a modern economy the Changzhou Government is committed to fast tracking the growth and prosperity of the municipality green energy and waste to energy initiatives biotechnology and engineering technology.  Two significant precincts are located in Changzhou:  the Changzhou Export Processing Zone and the Changzhou National Hi-Tech District A significant places of interest in Changzhou include the China Dinosaurs Park located in the Xinbel District of the City.  The Park has a collection of dinosaur bones and fossils from all over China thirty amusement programs including the Brontosaurus Roller Coaster and the Park is also home to giant panda and sea lion exhibitions The city is also home to the Tianning Temple—one of the largest Zen Buddhist temples and monasteries in China The city recently rebuilt the Tianning pagoda in the temple grounds called the  Tianning Baota was first built during the Tany Dynsasty (AD 618 - 907) Since that time it has been destroyed and rebuilt five times The current reconstruction is built to the height specification of 153.79 m (504.6 ft) This makes it the tallest pagoda in China and perhaps also the world Both the Hongmei Park and Tianning Temple are located just to the east of the city centre Wyndham was fortunate to be the site of the 2023 national conference of the Sister Cities Australia organisation of which Wyndham is a member.  The conference attracted delegates from across the country to come together to hear from a range of impressive high calibre speakers.  Several case studies were also presented including Mildura If you would like to learn more about Wyndham’s International Relations please email lesley.rogan@wyndham.vic.gov.au Mr. Donut offers free donuts at all stores, "Great tasting society" to be implemented A pumpkin competing for speed in a pumpkin Canoe race Sep 22, 2010 14:45:00 in Tasting