AD Leave a rating/comment#Craft / FolkcraftBack to ArticlesSHARE Big Island Video News Hiroshima - Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth notes many Big Island residents have family roots that trace back to Hiroshima (BIVN) – A new sister city relationship has been established between Hawaiʻi County and Hatsukaichi Mayor Mitch Roth announced the partnership this week saying it “marks a significant step in strengthening cultural and economic ties between our communities building on the deep historical connections many of our local Japanese families have with this region of Japan.” A County news release provides the details: The relationship was affirmed by a signing ceremony held in Hatsukaichi members of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaiʻi and esteemed members of government from Hatsukaichi were present “Many of our residents have family roots that trace back to Hiroshima making this partnership not just a formal relationship but a rekindling of familial bonds and history,” said Mayor Roth “Through this sister city connection we hope to honor and deepen the rich cultural heritage that many of our Japanese-American families bring to Hawaiʻi.” known for its picturesque Itsukushima Shrine and vibrant history shares many cultural and environmental similarities with Hawaiʻi County This relationship will foster exchanges in tourism enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation Hawaiʻi County and Hatsukaichi will collaborate on various initiatives to promote global friendship and understanding Filed Under: Hawaii Tagged With: Japan Copyright © 2025 · Dynamik-Gen on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Hawaii — A signing ceremony held last week affirmed a new sister city relationship between Hawaii County and Hatsukaichi The partnership marks a step toward strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two that builds on the deep connections many local Japanese families have with the region of Japan The ceremony was held in Hatsukaichi where Mayor Mitch Roth members of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii and members of the Hatsukaichi government were present "Many of our residents have family roots that trace back to Hiroshima making this partnership not just a formal relationship but a rekindling of familial bonds and history," said Roth in the release we hope to honor and deepen the rich cultural heritage that many of our Japanese-American families bring to Hawaii." Hatsukaichi is known for its picturesque Itsukushima Shrine and rich history and shares a variety of cultural and environmental similarities with Hawaii County The new relationship will help to foster exchanges in tourism Hawaii County and Hatsukaichi will collaborate on student exchanges business delegations and potential cultural festivals to promote global friendship and understanding Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine located on the island popularly called Miyajima it is dedicated to the three daughters of the Shinto deity of seas and storms and is built on piers over the water of the Seto Sea because the island was originally thought to be too sacred for commoners to tread upon The 16-meter high camphor wood o-torii that stands in the water in front of the shrine The original shrine was constructed in 593 and has been rebuilt many times over the years The present structure dates to the mid-16th century but follows a design completed in 1168 and funded by warlord Taira no Kiyomori was built in 1407 and serves as a Buddhist temple dedicated to Benzaiten Because Itsukushima is considered sacred ground no hospitals or cemeteries are allowed on the island The small Miyajima deer are believed to have lived on the island for over 6,000 years Walk one block to the pier and take the JR ferry to Miyajima A medieval church built into an ancient cave There are many Byzantine-era churches still standing in Athens but this is the only one with a 2,500-year-old column rising through its roof This small 16th-century church in Athens is almost entirely surrounded by a modern building A carved grave marker from the 2nd century is mounted in the alcove wall of this Bavarian church One of its engravings is believed to be among the first representations of medical and surgical instruments The flower-shaped temple in Virginia aims to transcend the boundaries of the world’s religions A town church once nearly submerged by the damming of a river is now hauntingly visible as the water recedes Oct 1 (EFE).- The emblematic island of Miyajima began charging its visitors Sunday to curb overtourism an initiative that expected to be adopted in other islands of the country began collecting a tax of JPY100 (about $0.67) per person as an entrance fee workers on the island and students will be excluded The island known as Miyajima is home to the Itsukushima Shrine a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 and where the iconic vermilion red “torii” gate is located in the middle of the sea that millions of visitors seek to photograph which has a population of about 1,400 people attracted a record 4.65 million visitors in 2019 before Japan closed its borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic The standard local government subsidy is not linked to the number of visitors so authorities consider it necessary to ensure an additional source of income to manage increasing expenditure on tourism management and promote sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism The city expects the new tax to generate about JPY140 million until the end of March 2024 when the current Japanese fiscal year closes which they hope to allocate to the maintenance of parks and public facilities such as toilets Other Japanese islands that attract a large number of tourists are considering implementing similar levies a World Heritage Site; or the island of Sado with aspirations also to become universal heritage The debate about overtourism has also reached the central government and since September officials from several public entities have met other parties involved to analyze the matter Among the measures proposed are the obligation to hire a guide to visit certain areas establish fare changes in transportation based on traffic create a shared taxi system for tourists or promote discount coupons to guide visitors to areas less crowded After several years paralyzed by Japan’s border closure as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic international tourism is recovering in the archipelago which received 2.3 million visitors from outside the country in July about 70 percent of levels prior to the health crisis The return of tourists is an injection for Japanese finances especially given the current weakness of the yen against other currencies which makes the country a more attractive destination but the influx of visitors causes inconveniences for local residents crowds or incidents of trespassing on private property issues that the tourist city of Kyoto has complained about 　滋賀県の三日月大造知事が広島県庁を訪れ、山根健嗣副知事と平和施策を巡って意見交換した。三日月知事は次世代に戦争や被爆の悲惨さを伝えるため被爆地との連携を強める.. 　今回の調査では、壁画制作が実現しなかった主な理由として、広島訪問から２年と経（た）たない間にヘリングが他界したことが挙げられるという結論に至った。５月１８日ま.. 　「核廃絶は使命。このままでは死ねない」。その決意を胸に、広島で被爆した金本弘さん（８０）＝名古屋市＝が４月３０日、米ニューヨークの国連本部に集った各国の外交官.. 　１９４６年５月１日。中国新聞社が雑誌「月刊中国」を創刊した。広島市上流川町（現中区）の本社で印刷。「雑誌と言へば中央と考へられてゐた旧観念を脱し、地方文化の昂.. 　いつからだろうか。喜びあふれる光景が大通りになじんできたのは。広島市中心部を東西に貫く平和大通りは今月、鶴見橋から新己斐橋までの約４キロが全通して６０年を迎え.. 　私は長崎で生まれ育ったが、反戦・反核に対する思いが絶えず心の中で燃えていたかといえばそうではない。平穏に、平凡に暮らしてきた。それでも、先人たちの話を聞きなが.. 　中村キース・ヘリング美術館で５月１８日まで開催中の「Ｋｅｉｔｈ　Ｈａｒｉｎｇ：　Ｉｎｔｏ　２０２５　誰がそれをのぞむのか」展は、ヘリングの幼少期を振り返ること.. 　１９６６年、１９歳で中学を卒業した川下ヒロエさん（７９）＝広島市東区＝はこの年、被爆者健康手帳を取得した。当時住んでいたのは北九州市。母兼子さん（２０１４年に.. 　国際社会は危機感を持ち、歯止めの議論に入るべきだ。スウェーデンのストックホルム国際平和研究所（ＳＩＰＲＩ）が、２０２４年の世界の軍事費支出を発表した。２兆７１.. 　動物文学で知られる椋鳩十（むくはとじゅう）に、おどろおどろしい題名の異色作がある。「地獄島とロシア水兵」だ。舞台は萩の沖合４５キロに浮かぶ見島。１２０年前の５.. 　全ての命を守るため―をテーマに掲げていた。ローマ教皇フランシスコによる６年前の来日である。被爆地広島、長崎のほか、地震・津波・原発事故という三重の災害に見舞わ.. 俳優の吉永小百合さんは、これまで胎内被爆者の芸者を演じた「夢千代日記」などに出演してきたほか、原爆詩朗読CD「第二楽章」を制作しています。中国新聞創刊１３０周年記念として、３編の朗読映像を公開します。(写真は三浦憲治氏撮影) 中国軍管区司令部で被爆した八木さんの革脚絆＝１９７３年、八木実さん寄贈（撮影・山田尚弘） Police on Friday arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly killing a high school girl in Hiroshima Prefecture in 2004 after matching his DNA and fingerprints to evidence found at the crime scene is suspected of stabbing to death 17-year-old Satomi Kitaguchi in her home in the city of Hatsukaichi around 3 p.m (The two-story house where victim Satomi Kitaguchi was killed.) her grandmother rushed to the entrance of the home with Kitaguchi's sister where they found the suspect standing near the collapsed girl The sister was able to escape to a neighboring house but the grandmother was stabbed nearly 10 times and was briefly in a critical condition Kashima has been referred to prosecutors over a different incident at which point allowed the fingerprints and DNA were flagged police had been working with a facial composite based on a description given to them by the murdered teen's sister the shoe type based on footprints left at the scene and reports of a motorcycle seen passing near the house at that time As no progress had been made in resolving the case the National Police Agency had put up a cash award of 3 million yen ($27,960) and appealed to the public for information had said that his dream had been to go to a movie and have a drink with his daughter some day he had worked hard to keep the case in the public consciousness handing out flyers at shopping centers and starting a blog about his daughter's murder 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 Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information Hiroshima Prefecture--The famed “floating” torii gate of Itsukushimajinja shrine was revealed for the first time in about three and a half years The restoration project will be completed in December after a 100-meter-long work aisle leading to the offshore gate is removed “Artisans eagerly worked on the project to pass down the torii to future generations and the restoration work went smoothly thanks to support and understanding from many people,” said Motoya Fujii “We’d be thrilled if worshippers visit anew the beautifully restored torii.” The entire gate had been surrounded by scaffolding and a protective net for the repair work since June 2019 Making use of the aisle on the sea surface the shrine is accepting visitors between 9 a.m offering a rare chance for tourists to see the gate up close Visitors can observe the details of the repaired sections and two “hengaku” signs featuring “Itsukushimajinja” and “Itsukishimajinja,” another name for the shrine from directly below and other angles not usually accessible Standing 16.6 meters tall and weighing 60 tons the gate also serves as the symbol of Miyajima island The current gate is the ninth-generation torii The first one is believed to have been built during the rule of warlord Taira no Kiyomori (1118-1181) the pillars measure about 10 meters in circumference at the base The large-scale preservation project of the torii is the first in about 70 years The last work was carried out from 1950 to 1951 The roof covered with “hinoki” cypress bark was rethatched and the pillars were repainted Reinforcement work was also conducted to make the structure resistant to waves The two hengaku signs were installed on the upper part of the gate five days later Famous ‘floating’ torii gate makes waves online even amid repair Miyajima island ferry fees to rise with new visitor tax of 100 yen Professor teaches others in the joys of Hiroshima’s ‘okonomiyaki’ Hiroshima man’s anime sheds light on Fukushima nuclear project 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 National Report Hiroshima Prefecture--About 300 dazzling fireworks lit up the cold winter night near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Itsukushimajinja shrine here on Jan The pyrotechnics were set off from a boat at sea to celebrate the completion of restoration work on the giant torii gate at the shrine built over the water on Miyajima island It was the first fireworks display since the summer of 2019 The show began nearly half a century ago and attracted more than 50,000 spectators each year before the pandemic it was decided to abolish the annual summer event due to security issues as well as COVID-19 restrictions the city government and other organizations planned to hold the event in winter this year to boost tourism in the off-season They may be canceled in the event of bad weather the Miyajima Winter Evening Market will be offered along the Miyajima Sanbashi shopping street Another fireworks show is scheduled for Feb at Miyahama Onsen on the opposite side of the strait VOX POPULI: Famed Akita fireworks festival returns after 3-year absence Fireworks paint night sky over Osaka for 1st time in 3 years 12,000 fireworks light up night sky over Tokyo Famed fireworks festival to return to riverside in Akita Prefecture Daisen aims to dazzle the world with fireworks to boost economy deer and humans live together side by side Miyajima is home to more than a thousand Sika deer — and they're really friendly According to local folklore the deer in Miyajima (also known as Itsukushima) were considered sacred messengers from the gods They're still protected by Japanese law today Here's what it looks like when deer roam freely among human beings Hiroshima Prefecture--The famed torii gate serenely resting in the sea may no longer be clearly seen but the repair structure surrounding it is going viral on social media for its fantastic “golden” appearance when illuminated “It looks like a golden citadel,” one online commenter wrote “The is a sight that can be seen only for now,” said another is a World Heritage Site and a sought-after destination for tourists because it creates the breathtaking impression of elegantly “floating” over the water But the wooden gate has been constantly exposed to the elements since it was constructed in 1875 so it is now undergoing a massive amount of preservation work--the first such undertaking in about 70 years Workers erected scaffolding around it to envelope the gate with a protective net The scaffolding will remain illuminated while the restoration work is in progress Shrine officials said they do not know when the project will be completed Lake Biwako’s secret: Warlord’s Osaka Castle bridge is there Fall exhibition in Kyoto to display rare cultural works to public COVID-19 puts a damper on traditional New Year practices Hiroshima Prefecture--A Miyajima visitor tax will be introduced on Oct 1 costing tourists 100 yen (67 cents) to visit the island The new fee is to combat overtourism on the island and is expected to generate 104 million yen in tax revenues in the first six months maintain public toilets and move unsightly power cables underground Local officials said the tax will help them keep Miyajima Residents of Miyajima and those who work or study on the island will not have to pay the fee people with disabilities and students on school trips will also be exempt 100 yen will be added to the price of the round-trip ferry ticket which comes out to 500 yen total for adults The number of visitors to Miyajima reached a record annual high of 4.66 million in 2019 before plunging to 1.88 million in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic nearly 3 million tourists have visited the island following the lifting of COVID restrictions The island’s biggest draw is the spectacular “floating” torii gate of Itsukushimajinja shrine which appears to rise out of the ocean during high tide The iconic torii gate recently underwent major restoration work for the first time in seven decades which was completed in December of last year The Group of Seven leaders also visited the island in May when they gathered for their summit in Hiroshima attracting more attention and visitors to the site Winter fireworks draw in tourists to famed shrine in Hiroshima ‘Floating’ shrine gate restored; aisle on the sea offers rare view please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent By Taiga Oka and Sota Miyayama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers — A growing number of municipalities are considering the introduction of “tourist taxes” in response to overtourism The Miyajima tax is applied to tourists of elementary school age or older while residents of the island and students on school excursions are exempt The tax is imposed by adding ¥100 to the round-trip fare for ferry rides to and from the island The Hatsukaichi municipal government expects the new tax to generate ¥250 million in annual tax revenue which will be used for such purposes as handling the growing amount of waste and building more public restrooms about 20 officials of the Hatsukaichi municipal government handed out leaflets to tourists and others at the Miyajimaguchi Ferry Boarding Area on the opposite shore of Miyajima to let tourists know about the visitor tax “If the tax revenue is used to improve restrooms and other facilities too,” said a 43-year-old male company employee of Aki Ward if the point is to protect the famous sightseeing spot of Miyajima.” A 30-year-old female company employee visiting the island from Kanonji I hope the tax revenue is used to maintain the beautiful landscape of Miyajima.” In 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic began a record high of 4.65 million people visited the island which has a residential population of about 1,400 The Group of Seven summit was held in Hiroshima in May so more and more foreign tourists have visited Miyajima The number of visitors to the island is likely to hit a new record this year the tax grants from the central government to Hatsukaichi do not increase The city spends about ¥300 million a year improving tourist facilities on the island Hatsukaichi Mayor Taro Matsumoto is seeking understanding for the new burden “We’ll make effective use of the new revenue to develop a sustainable tourism area.” but imposed by the relevant municipality based an ordinance Introducing such a tax requires the approval of the internal affairs and communications minister four villages on remote islands in Okinawa Prefecture including the villages of Izena and Tokashiki adding ¥100 to the fares for ferries and other rides Residents of the four villages also pay the taxes the tax generated ¥3.53 million in fiscal 2022 “The tax is necessary to protect the island and residents and others are aware of that,” a village official said Some municipalities are considering introducing visitor taxes The town of Taketomi in Okinawa Prefecture encompasses nine inhabited islands including the World Natural Heritage site Iriomote and is preparing to introduce a visitor tax to tackle overtourism Taketomi had about 1 million visitors a year before the pandemic and spends about ¥1 billion annually in such areas as developing tourism facilities it introduced a voluntary ¥300 entry fee for tourists visiting the town but only about 10% of tourists actually paid the fee in fiscal 2022 The town plans to introduce the tourist tax by the end of fiscal 2024 and it has been considering the amount of the tax The Sado municipal government in Niigata Prefecture which aims to put the Sado gold mine site on the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites in 2024 is discussing the introduction of a visitor tax The Amami municipal government in Kagoshima Prefecture has established a committee to discuss the issue to protect the landscape and nature of Amami Oshima island “It’s impossible for the residents of a small island to shoulder the entire burden of providing public services to the growing number of tourists,” said Masafumi Tsukamoto a professor of public finance at Daito Bunka University it’s important to carefully explain how the tax will be used so visitors won’t feel like they’re being treated unfairly.” Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Sign In Subscribe Now Saanich won’t reimburse former mayor Richard Atwell for his trip to Japan and council effectively ended his efforts to form a sister-city relationship Hatsukaichi City near Hiroshima Council first unanimously rejected Atwell’s request for the reimbursement of $4,535.99 for his trip Hatsukaichi City earlier this summer after Saanich had hosted a delegation from that city in April The public heard from chief administrative officer Paul Thorkelsson that he told Atwell to seek prior approval for the trip from council Atwell was preparing to submit his reimbursement request to council in October before the municipal election 2 — so after the last council meeting before the election and three days before the new council assumed office but added that politics of Atwell’s request overshadowed the potential benefits of a future relationship with Hatsukaichi City So he asked council to consider a potential sister-city relationship with Hatsukaichi City because it could benefit Saanich by virtue of Japan’s status as a technologically advanced country He also cited Saanich’s work against the proliferation of nuclear weapons as Hatsukaichi City lies near the first city subject to a nuclear attack RELATED: Former Saanich mayor wants municipality to reimburse him for trip to Japan But several councillors questioned the idea and Taylor appeared surprised by their response “It was not my intent to throw council off guard so I apologize if that was the case,” he said “I can understand the concerns that this [motion] is perhaps too specific.”  despite attempts by Taylor to make replace it with a less specific motion Perhaps the most vocal critic of the idea was Mayor Fred Haynes who has lived and worked in Japan for several years in 1980s and 1990s “I’m very troubled by the idea of picking one specific city and twinning it,” said Haynes in questioning the very idea of sister-city relationships While the idea might have been popular in the 1960s and 1980s when international travel and exchanges of various sorts were less frequent “I don’t see the added value of the municipality getting involved particularly with a single city or a single agency,” he said Multiple organizations have already and continue to foster relations with other countries “What would they say if the municipality was getting in the way of their good work giving one particular group attention?” he asked RELATED: Sights of Saanich bring smiles to Japanese delegation The consensus within the economic development community also considers the idea “old hat,” said Haynes “Economic development is far bigger than this now,” he said He also questioned the argument Saanich and Hatsukaichi City should strike a relationship around their shared opposition against nuclear weapons Haynes said Saanich has had a long history of opposing nuclear weapons adding Saanich is currently preparing a related motion for the 2019 Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference “This is far more meaningful than having a sister-city relationship with a city that has been affected by Hiroshima,” he said is the [United Nations] treaty on abolishing the nuclear bomb.” Haynes said he sees “zero value” in any sister-city relationship The Saanich News has reached to Atwell for comment Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter wolfgang.depner@saanichnews.com Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Hiroshima Prefecture--Visitors to Miyajima island here will face a new tax of 100 yen (70 cents) starting Oct 1 next year to pay for much-needed upgrades to tourist facilities The island is home to the famed Itsukushimajinja shrine which is a World Heritage site and a popular spot for vacation photos But a steady influx of tourists has resulted in “overtourism” in recent years so the new tax is designed to help shift part of the burdens brought by tourists away from local taxpayers Hatsukaichi Mayor Taro Matsumoto said the visitor tax will help improve the island’s brand and make it a more sustainable travel destination “We believe our decision will offer a beacon of great hope for other tourist sites “We will work hard to ensure the tax will win praise for bringing changes to Miyajima.” According to the internal affairs ministry a similar local tax has been adopted by a remote isle in Okinawa Prefecture but Miyajima is the first to introduce one among islands off Japan’s main island of Honshu The new tax is designed to mainly apply to sightseers It will be added to the fee they pay for a ferry ride from Miyajimaguchi wharf to the island Islanders and people coming to Miyajima for school or work individuals with disabilities and students on educational trips Those who regularly use the ferry service will can pay 500 yen in advance for an annual fee City officials estimate the new tax will bring in revenues to the tune of 200 million yen each year The funds will be put toward paying for tourist-related projects replacing utility poles with underground cables and improving the townscape Plans also call for installing digitized displays at the Miyajima History and Folklore Museum and reducing plastic bottle consumption by urging visitors to bring reusable bottles Annual visitors to Miyajima reached a staggering 4.66 million in 2019 But the following year the number dropped by half The figure fell further to 1.88 million last year The city of Hatsukaichi plans to promote eco-friendly tourism organize events off season and make use of digital technology under its “Miyajima renaissance” program announced in May The new tax will help finance those objectives Early bird hiking tour with breakfast offers best of Hiroshima 600-year-old blade shines light on Hiroshima swordsmiths Popular Japanese destinations are employing or considering taxes on tourists to counter over-tourism and secure funds for the management of travellers and preservation of nature introduced a tourist tax on October 1 for each tourist to Miyajima the island home to Itsukushima Shrine and its renowned giant torii gate that appears to float in the sea at high tide The 30.39km2 island attracted a record 4.65 million tourists in 2019 leading to concerns about the protection of the shrine which is regarded as one of the three most scenic spots in the country The Miyajima Visit Tax will be 100 yen (US$0.67) per visit but residents Local officials expect the new tax to generate 140 million yen within its first fiscal year of implementation (by end-March 2024) which encompasses nine inhabited islands in the Okinawa archipelago including World Natural Heritage Site Iriomote island will submit a draft plan for a similar visitor tax in March 2024 The income would be used to ease the strain on local infrastructure and reduce environmental damage caused by tourists who numbered more than one million annually pre-pandemic are also considering imposing taxes or asking for donations from visitors to help protect the endemic species and natural environment that make it one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots A growing number of municipalities are also considering joining Tokyo Kutchan (a ski resort town in Hokkaido) and other popular destinations in adopting a lodging tax to support local tourism services Seafront stays and heritage charm at Penang Marriott Hotel Is Your Business Listed On TTGmice Planner Online Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version Kyoto University's "Atomic Bomb Disaster Research Investigation Team" was in Hatsukaichi City treating and examining survivors of the atomic bomb that had been dropped on the adjacent city just a month earlier the team was in the path of a major mudslide caused by a powerful typhoon that had been raging through western Japan a memorial service was held for those 11 victims in Miyahama Onsen (formerly Ono Town) in front of the cenotaph that had been built in their honor formed at the request of the Japanese military in the immediate aftermath of the bombing and nurses mainly from the Faculties of Medicine and Science Having set up their base at an army hospital in Ono Village (now part of Hatsukaichi City) on 3 September the 50 or so team members were treating A-bomb survivors and investigating the pathology of their conditions when the Makurazaki Typhoon caused a mudslide that would claim a total 156 lives That incident is commemorated annually with people coming individually to pay their respects on the closest Saturday to 17 September This year's ceremony was attended by some 70 persons addresses were delivered by President Juichi Yamagiwa Professor Shinji Uemoto (Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine) Professor Atsushi Moriwaki (Dean of the Graduate School of Science) chair of the Hiroshima Branch of Shirankai These were followed by remarks by Mr Yoshio Makka including President Yamagiwa and Mayor Shinno placed floral tributes at the foot of the cenotaph The ceremony concluded with President Yamagiwa presenting a letter of appreciation to Mayor Shinno and two other local officials -- the president of the municipal assembly and the director of the Ono branch of the municipal government -- expressing his gratitude for the many years of generous support provided for the event The ceremony was followed by a social gathering held at a nearby hotel Placing a floral tribute at the cenotaph Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version