Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report has received a positive preliminary evaluation for UNESCO World Heritage status the Cultural Affairs Agency announced on Oct The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) an advisory body to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has supported Japan’s nomination strategy that emphasizes the castle’s role in sustaining the feudal system during the Edo Period (1603-1867) the organization has suggested that a more comprehensive approach might be necessary to fully demonstrate the significance of the era’s governance system While a single-castle nomination is still possible it would require a more robust presentation of Hikone Castle’s significance within the network of daimyo feudal lords united under the national ruler The prefecture currently plans to proceed with a nomination for Hikone Castle alone “It’s a huge step for us that the castle has been evaluated as having outstanding universal value and potential for World Heritage listing,” said Shiga Governor Taizo Mikazuki He added that the ICOMOS’s feedback will be valuable in refining the nomination The preliminary assessment is a new initiative designed to provide technical and expert advice to countries before they formally submit their nominations It will become mandatory for nominations submitted from 2027 onward Hikone Castle is the first site in Japan to undergo this process Achieving World Heritage status requires several steps including selection as a domestic candidate by the Council for Cultural Affairs While the earliest possible registration date for Hikone Castle is 2027 a joint nomination with other castles could delay the process The current evaluation by the ICOMOS is valid for five years meaning Japan must submit a formal nomination within this period or undergo a new preliminary assessment Hikone Castle was first added to UNESCO’s tentative list of properties suitable for the World Heritage List in 1992 a garden and the remains of a palace and residences for high-ranking samurai The complex is the only remaining example of an Edo Period castle where all these structures have been preserved together the World Heritage registration of Himeji Castle in 1993 has made it challenging to differentiate Hikone Castle as a unique example of a Japanese castle from the same era The latest preliminary assessment follows the decision by Japanese officials to develop a fresh approach for the nomination strategy for Hikone Castle Architects seek to add Tange’s stadium to World Heritage list World Heritage advisers ask for more info on Sado gold mines Jomon Period sites to be added to World Heritage list Siege game app for those who want to ‘attack'’ Hikone Castle Sado gold mine site registered as World Cultural Heritage site Cabinet OKs push for Sado gold mine heritage listing 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 Today's print edition Home Delivery An advisory panel to UNESCO has told the Japanese government that Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture may possibly meet a criterion for inscription on the World Cultural Heritage list the Cultural Affairs Agency said Wednesday Notifying the agency of the outcome of its preliminary assessment on Oct the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) indicated the possibility of the castle from the Edo Period (1603-1868) being assessed as a property bearing a unique testimony to a disappeared cultural tradition or civilization and satisfying an inscription condition.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); the panel advised that serial nominations be considered because Hikone Castle alone may not be able to completely explain how systematically the Tokugawa shogunate had governed daimyo feudal lords That advice runs counter to Shiga's desire to have the castle nominated independently In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division has the potential to meet the criteria of a World Heritage site according to a preliminary assessment by the International Council of Monuments and Site (ICOMOS) the Cultural Affairs Agency announced Wednesday 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 ICOMOS is an advisory organization of UNESCO is promoting the value of Hikone Castle in that it represents the daimyo or feudal lord governing system under which local lords across the country supported the bakufu the council said the application to designate the castle as a World Heritage site could be made along with other castles and that there should be more detailed comparisons with the other castles The preliminary assessment system was introduced last year so that countries can receive advice from ICOMOS before making official recommendations “We will continue moving forward with an aim to achieve [World Heritage] registration in 2027,” Shiga Gov we’ve been able to stand at the starting line,” Hikone Mayor Hiroyuki Wada said at a press conference Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun develops and promotes the sport within the continent in cooperation with 31 Member National Associations The structure’s roof extends along the road and towards the lakeside overhanging veranda designed to enhance the lakeside openness The design incorporates a synergy with an adjacent café facilitating joint events through the creation of shared spaces under the eaves The structure and sashes were matched to the modules of the eyeglass fixtures to increase transparency inside and out The color scheme was chosen to highlight the products and the surrounding trees The elongated roof features wooden elements achieving a balance of structural integrity and aesthetic appeal The roof and rafters are crafted from wood the store presents a clear view toward the greenery of the lakeshore ensuring that the interior eyeglass displays stand out visually The design by Tadashi Hirai Design Studio emphasizes transparency and continuity between the interior and exterior spaces aligning the steel frame and sash frames with the pitch of the fixture modules with a consistent color palette across the roof and walls providing a neutral backdrop for the eyewear displays JINS Hikone Store merges with its natural setting along the shores of Lake Biwa the store design echoes the concept of a pavilion in a park a large overhanging veranda extends the roof the design integrates with an adjacent café fostering opportunities for collaborative events the overall architectural approach by Tadashi Hirai Design Studio highlights a connection to nature creating a harmonious balance of aesthetics and structure wooden roof elements enhance the visual connection to the surrounding environment the natural wood tones in the roof and rafters complement the surroundings eyewear displays inside the store are accentuated against the backdrop of the lakeshore view alignment of steel and sash frames ensures a continuous visual flow throughout the store the roof and walls feature a uniform color palette providing a cohesive background for displays large windows offer a visual connection between the store interior and the outside environment name: JINS Hikone Store architect: Tadashi Hirai Design Studio brand: JINS designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here. edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Shiga Prefecture—The city government here will offer guests a chance to experience the splendor of a samurai-style tea ceremony hosted by a feudal lord in a hidden corner of Hikone Castle Participants can enjoy meals with their tea at the site where Ii Naosuke (1815-1860) who served as the “tairo” chief councilor of the Tokugawa Shogunate toward the end of the Edo Period (1603-1867) The “feudal lord’s tea ritual” is scheduled to take place four times in March 2025 houses the Rakurakuen annex used as the residence of Naonaka The annex offers a view of the adjacent Genkyuen garden Naosuke welcomed important retainers and monks from his family temple with tea ceremonies at Rakurakuen These gatherings were staged in grand settings inclusive of Genkyuen The tourist ceremonies held in March will feature specialties prepared by a luxury restaurant in Hikone including dishes using carp from nearby Lake Biwako and salted is inspired by tea ritual records called “Hikone Mizuyacho.” also known as Jishin no Ma (Hall of earthquakes) for its old-style but seismic-resistant design will primarily be used for the tea parties During the planned “bureiko” unrestricted binge participants can indulge with an actor portraying Naosuke Attendees who complete the feudal warrior simulation program in Hikone will be awarded with a scroll-shaped “samurai certificate.” an Australian who lives in Nagoya and serves as tourism ambassador for the Omi region in Shiga Prefecture He expects sightseers from outside Japan to take part en masse “People from Europe and the United States are particularly fascinated by samurai culture and history,” Glenn said “Visitors will have the opportunity to take delight in an authentically immersive samurai experience at the historic facility.” “This project is special for non-Japanese because it offers a distinctive experience that can never be encountered in their own homelands.” Each tea rite will be open to a group of two to five individuals Costs per person will range from 75,500 yen ($497) to 165,800 yen a Zen meditation session is scheduled to take place five times in March at Goshoin Reservations for both programs can be made on the dedicated Japanese website at (https://visit-omi.com/jp/activities) 139 subsidized plans approved to lure wealthy tourists to Japan Hikone Castle takes step closer to earning World Heritage status Warlord Hideyoshi’s golden tearoom recreated in Saga photos and video by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Ann Arbor Public Schools today welcomed 14 students and two chaperones from Hikone Japan during a reception at Scarlett Middle School This year marks the 40-year anniversary of this historic Hikone Exchange  which started with a teacher exchange between the sister cities of Hikone It soon evolved into an educational and cultural exchange between junior high schools in Ann Arbor’s sister city of Hikone “The idea of this program started four decades ago and is still going strong,” says Jennifer Nemecek AAPS’ international education partnership coordinator. “We look forward to further strengthening our relationship with Hikone for the next 40 years and beyond.” There are two parts of this exchange: On Monday AAPS welcomed the 14 students and two teachers to Ann Arbor for nine days of fun and cultural programming AAPS will then send a delegation to Hikone from Sunday  The 2018 Ann Arbor delegation will consist of fourteen student ambassadors and two project directors/teachers  AAPS student ambassadors will be in 8th or 9th grade at the time of travel to Japan There are four 9th graders this year from Pioneer the project directors and student ambassadors will each live with a Japanese family Student ambassadors will attend school while project directors tour numerous schools and sites Project directors and student ambassadors will also visit Hiroshima Superintendent Jeanice Swift said she hopes the students enjoy every moment in Ann Arbor and make memories that will last a lifetime “We’re so proud we get to connect with you—community to community; classroom to classroom; student to student; and heart to heart,” she said The AAPS District News welcomes thoughtful comments All comments will be screened and moderated Please note: any comment that appears to be spam or attacks an individual will not be approved and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp East of Kyoto lies Shiga Prefecture, which is home to some of Japan’s most scenic attractions such as Enryakuji Temple, Hikone Castle and Lake Biwa While these locations are picturesque anytime of year they are absolutely sublime as the foliage transitions from lush shades of green to fiery tones of orange and red This unforgettable nighttime experience will allow you to stroll around or picnic in the lantern-lit Genkyu-en Garden with great views of the illuminated Hikone Castle while you listen to the soothing “symphony” of Japanese bell crickets and other nocturnal insects There’s one other event that takes place during the Night Illumination Festival which takes place on 29 September (6.30pm to 9pm) featuring live stage performances This special event features cosplayers dressed up as samurai or townspeople from the Sengoku Period (1467-1568) who will perform martial arts or traditional arts Unlike many castles in Japan Hikone Castle is an original – it survived the post feudal era without the need for reconstruction and most of the inner moats intact after hundreds of years just outside the inner moat is Genkyu-en Garden created in 1677 with a central pond dotted with four islands connected by bridges The garden is shaped by the chisen-kaiyu-shiki (wet strolling garden) style which focuses on forming the garden landscape around a pond The effect is stunning as the landscape creates mirror-like effect when reflected off of the pond’s surface Walking around Hikone Castle and Genkyu-en Garden can certainly work up an appetite Hikone City is home to several of Shiga Prefecture’s culinary delicacies like funa zushi (fermented Lake Biwa carp) omi champon (Chinese-style soup noodles with pork and vegetables) and Omi beef — which is famous for its marbling and tenderness making it a fantastic addition to shabu shabu If you’re a beef lover, there are several excellent restaurants in Hikone City that serve omi beef like Sennaritei Kyara, Yakiniku Omien, and Hanami. Omi champon is a local twist on ramen which you can try it at any Champotei restaurant Funa zushi is a traditional specialty of Shiga Prefecture Fresh funa (a member of the carp family) are caught in Lake Biwa between March and May and cured with salt and pickled in steamed rice The fermentation process – which takes 1-3 years – makes the meat and bones soft and promotes lactic acid bacteria that give the fish a sour taste To sample funa zushi, you can purchase them pre-packed at Kimura (from 1,300 yen) or at restaurants like Ganso Sakamotoya in Otsu City The easiest way to get to the Hikone Castle is to get to Hikone Station on the JR Tokaido Main Line Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages Shiga Prefecture—The city government here plans to register a trademark for Hikonyan in China for sales of related items in the country starting next spring It will be Hikonyan’s first foray into a foreign market According to officials of the city’s entertainment section a Japanese company with an operational base in China approached Hikone with an offer to sell Hikonyan goods at a department store in Shanghai along with local products from across Japan The officials will file a trademark application in five categories: toys and stuffed toys; advertisement and online shops; travel goods; clothing; and confectionery The official Chinese name for the mascot will remain undisclosed to prevent the use of the name before the trademark is registered The city government has been making diligent efforts to promote Hikonyan creating new illustrations and charging no license fee for use in Japan “We want to give it a more active role in other countries depending on the response,” an official said Hikonyan is modeled after a legendary cat that beckoned the lord of the feudal Hikone Domain (present-day Shiga Prefecture) and saved him from an imminent thunderstorm The Kumamoto prefectural government has obtained the trademark for its bear-like mascot Kumamon in China South Korea and 15 other countries and regions Its Chinese name is pronounced “xiong-ben-xiong,” meaning “Kumamoto bear.” ‘Sake train’ to run in Shiga offering local favorites on ride Morning exercise deemed threat to national treasure Hikone Castle Lake Biwako’s secret: Warlord’s Osaka Castle bridge is there Ann Arbor’s business community is honoring a long running exchange program that brings together middle school age students from Ann Arbor and Hikone The Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Regional Chamber awarded the Hikone-Ann Arbor Public Schools Exchange Program with an Exemplary Educational Endeavors Bank of Ann Arbor’s David Norton says the program meets many of the criteria that are considered for the E-3 Awards Norton serves on the Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Regional Chamber’s E-3 Awards Committee He says some of the things the committee looks for are programs that provide enhanced educational experiences for students inside and outside of the classroom prepare students to enter the workforce and develop lifelong learning skills and continue to improve the quality of Washtenaw community schools Scarlett Middle School teacher Ian Shephard is the Project Director for the Hikone Exchange Program “It’s really fantastic to see members of our community but particularly the chamber and the business community want to support a program like this for the benefit of our students,” Shephard says Norton says the exchange has a lifelong impact on students “It’s a program that these kids are going to do it’s something they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives these kids keep in touch with the Japanese kids throughout their lifetime and I think it’s something they will never forget,” Norton says Norton goes on to say the program helps prepare students to enter the workforce there are cultures from all over the world in Ann arbor so I think it’s important that the kids get to know different cultures and get to know different ways of doing things,” Norton says “That’s important for the business community also because we all need to learn from other areas and how other people do things.” Shephard agrees that the exchange fits well with Ann Arbor Public Schools efforts to prepare students for the global world of the 21st century “When I was in middle school we weren’t necessarily teaching about a globalized society,” Shephard says “Of course that’s really the main thing that we’re trying to teach a lot of our students in social studies and here we have this program that really supports a global community and an understanding of what the benefits of a globalized society can be Shephard says the financial award that comes with winning an E-3 will go to help offset costs for students going to Japan support training that takes place before the visit and pays to help welcome the next delegation from Hikone that comes to Ann Arbor Other finalists for an E-3 Award from AAPS include a water bottle holder project from Burns Park Elementary Common Sense Media-Digital Citizenship program at Clague Middle School the engineering program at Huron High School Lakewood Elementary School’s Homework Club and Skyline High School’s conflict resolution group ‘house in hikone’ by tato architects is a single family dwelling for a young couple and their children in shiga japan. the residential area exists mainly of grassland but will soon be occupied by ready built homes the challenge was to seek a proper constructed form which would resolve the surrounding environment while keeping the memory of natural terrain exterior view of the windows wrapping around the façade the design process resulted in a white oval cylinder with 42 windows into which wooden boxes and a floor were inserted to create a living space. the building is placed diagonally in the site the fenestration is arranged in three evenly dispersed rows expecting to manipulate the overall visual scale each glazed panel segments the view and help the façade work as a filter. ‘in this way the house is ready for any change in the surrounding environment invisible parts were supplemented suitably and a certain type of transparency appeared,’ said the studio. ‘the outer wall mediates a variety of living issues it appears as if it is renovated from the structure for a different use which we expected to bring a certain type of fresh quality of ruins to this house.’ (left) view towards void from first floor (right) desk and stair the result of the formal justification develops a continuously curved interior highlighted by wooden furnishings supported by a timber framework multiple materials of various grains lend their own character to the decor as they hierarchically divide the private and public functions this concept can best be seen within the core adjacent kitchen leads circulation towards the dining area and desk where a stark white staircase navigates towards the multipurpose room interior view towards windbreak room  view towards living and dining space from kitchen  (left) window (right) view towards void through window on first floor japanfamily structure: couple + two childrenarchitects: yo shimada yuka himeno (tato architects)structure: takashi manda (takashi manda structural designconstruction: amuza koumutenmain structure: timberscale: two-storey housesite area: 77.63㎡building area: 61.62㎡ (30.46% of max 60% of coverage ratio permission)total floor area: 106.39㎡ (53.20% of max 200% of floor area ratio permission)first floor: 61.62 ㎡second floor: 44.27 ㎡ designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.  with a gabled roof whose extended eaves create a sheltered veranda that acts as a transitional boundary between exterior and interior spaces which results in having two street façades instead of one the two front elevations of the building respond to the surrounding context accordingly hearth architects has designed the house with two front elevations each of which facing a different road and enclosing separate functions looks toward the south and features a garden whose privacy is secured through a concrete wall that defines the perimeter of the plot topped with a large gable roof that seems to be floating above it this side incorporates a sheltered veranda area that enables a smooth transition between interior and exterior spaces including a japanese-style room and a japanese garden common living spaces are located in a double-height open plan space characterized by wooden beams the tranquil interior is complemented by pops of green found on the velvet couch and planted trees which grown inside the house architect: hearth architects Shiga Prefecture--Four centuries after its construction the beloved Hikone Castle here came under “siege” from a growing band of early birds including a number of elderly participants gathered at a square in the compound of the castle almost every morning to do a well-known exercise called “radio taiso.” They did their calisthenics while looking up and enjoying the view of the magnificent keep tower a morning routine that had continued for about four decades the city government of Hikone declared war on the exercisers it imposed a ban on the daily activity “in light of the preservation of cultural properties and for security and disaster-prevention reasons.” Citing the 2019 disastrous fire of the Shuri-jo castle in the capital of Okinawa Prefecture Hikone Mayor Hiroyuki Wada said the city “is positioned to take the national treasure (Hikone Castle) under its care.” “I fully understand that the (exercise) helps maintain good health but (the city) cannot take responsibility (if something happens),” he said Wada admitted that the city has given silent consent to the gathering for years and “the management has been poor.” entering the premises of the castle in the early morning “will be considered trespassing,” he said The city has sought to have it added to UNESCO's World Heritage list Before the gate of the castle officially opened people gathered almost every morning around 6:30 a.m only a small number of people came to do the morning exercises initially a total of about 6,800 joined the exercise routine There has not been any problem associated with the practice The city government had given a tacit nod of approval to the exercise before the gates opened the city government asked the residents to voluntarily refrain from doing the exercises on the premises of the castle and move somewhere else an 80-year-old resident who has enjoyed participating in the sessions for 30 years They formed a group to “promote health at the castle keep” and launched a petition drive the group submitted a petition with 140 signatures to the city government we have created a rhythm in our lives and nurtured our love for the community,” they said in the petition “We have paid attention to see if there is something unusual or someone suspicious at the castle and our presence has had a crime deterrent effect to a certain extent.” Murakawa and others met with Wada on May 16 the city officials told Murakawa and others that the entrances to the castle premises would be locked thoroughly and security guards would be dispatched starting from May 17 “It is sad,” Murakawa said after the meeting He said the group would comply with the city’s decision “The exercise has helped us stay healthy and the view from the square has been amazing.” Murakawa said the early morning sessions have provided a valuable place for exchanges and communication for longtime residents like himself and newcomers such as people who have transferred to Hikone for work Nishimura urged the city to implement corrective measures he plans to join other residents who gather to do the daily radio taiso in a nearby parking lot Temple bells part of scrap metal used to fuel Japan’s war effort Alarm bells ring in Kinki region as Lake Biwako keeps shrinking Siege game app for those who want to ‘attack'’ Hikone Castle Growth rings confirm Inuyama Castle keep the oldest in Japan started operating a sake-themed excursion train on Jan The "Omi no Jizake Densha" (train of sake brewed in Omi) service is the company's annual offering to entertain riders with locally brewed sake and regional specialties while they enjoy the passing scenery The service will run once a day on weekends and holidays for a total of 14 days until March 3 It will offer sake from 11 local breweries across the prefecture The sightseeing service will accommodate 72 passengers for 7,500 yen ($51) each as well as a bento lunch box made with local specialties from the prefecture The train will make a round trip between Hikone and Yokaichi stations the train will be operated as a premium service between Feb offering 22 sake brands and more food options while running for an extra hour Carrying up to 54 passengers for 15,000 yen per person the premium service will make a round trip between Hikone and Omi-Hachiman stations Each service will come with a one-day pass for Omi Railway lines Reservations must be made by seven days prior For reservations and inquiries, call (0749-24-8103) or visit the company's official website at (https://www.ohmitetudo.co.jp/en/) Train schedules for March roll out new Tsubasa JR Tokai forging 1st train running on carbon-free hydrogen engine Trains featuring Hanshin Tigers running in the Kansai region All Shinkansen trains in Japan to be smoke-free in spring 2024 Maglev test ride offers a glimmer of train travel at 500 kph Stationmaster’s expertise a hit with riders near Koshien Stadium Shiga Prefecture--Feudal era enthusiasts eager to learn about Hikone Castle in a fun way can do so by attacking the impregnable fortress with an informative app The National Treasure Hikone Castle Explorer app was produced by the Omi Tourism Board amid mounting calls for the castle to be added to UNESCO's World Heritage list The app contains a siege game where users can attack the castle Soldiers automatically appear on-screen to thwart any invasion when users hold up their smartphones at one of the four locations from the front gate to the main keep The app also has videos that explain the castle's defense system and other features The video clips explain the castle's secrets that are so easily missed by tourists unless explanations are offered With the help of an augmented-reality (AR) feature users can also take photos of themselves wearing the "kabuto" helmet of Ii Naomasa Developed to attract foreign tourists once the novel coronavirus pandemic is contained an Australian DJ who is a big fan of castles and serves as tourism ambassador for the Omi region He also appears in the videos to provide commentaries "It is designed for non-Japanese who are not familiar with Japanese history," Glenn said "I hope people can learn about the castle in a fun way and feel proud of it." There is no need for users to visit Hikone Castle to download the app on their smartphones and tablet devices for free but the siege game can only be enjoyed on site For inquires, visit Omi Tourism Board's website at (https://oh-mi.org/) Ruins of Edo Castle stone wall from 400 years ago unearthed Found sketch to aid rebuilding of dragon sculpture at Shuri-jo castle Nagoya Castle to be stripped of mythical statues for a while Silhouette of Shimabara Castle looms over Sea of Ariake Only photo of Fukuchiyama Castle in feudal age causes a stir all Ann Arbor middle schools and Ann Arbor Open @ Mack hosted visitors from Hikone as a delegation visited the area for the 32nd time The delegation from Ann Arbor’s sister city came for a cultural visit and educational experience in The Ann Arbor Public Schools The group spent time touring the schools last week and the 14 student visitors stayed with local host families and attended middle and high school classes Logan Elementary Principal Terra Webster was one of the school staff members to greet visitors and take them on a tour “What a treat for our Japanese-speaking students,” she said “To see their culture not only represented but invited.” Kayoko Baba of the Hikone International Friendship Association and Shoichi Hinatsu a senior staff member with the Hikone Board of Education toured and asked questions about teaching styles how non-English speaking students learn and how schools in the United States pay for books and other educational materials Webster explained that Logan has 360 students enrolled – about 30 more than last year due to schools of choice – and that 25 different languages are spoken there “We have a number of international fairs and festivals; we try to have two or three per year to have all of our cultures represented,” she told the visitors She said visitors and families “can experience the diversity of culture right here in our building.” It was the first time a Japanese delegation had visited Logan Webster told the two that non-English speakers have their lessons in English but they also have tutors and help from translators as needed Non-English speaking families also get assistance including help filling out needed paperwork and tutoring help when necessary which helps the school to better serve its population Baba and Hinatsu were surprised to hear that U.S schools paid for textbooks and other materials – something that Japanese families must do on their own Webster also told the visitors about Logan’s Harold Logan Fund which is used to assist students for other non-school items they might need including coats The two communicated with staff and students through interpreter Mariko Mackie except for a few Japanese students who were pleased to greet the visitors and speak in their native language Ann Arbor teachers volunteered their time to accompany the delegation on each of its visits; on this day at Logan who has traveled to Japan and hosted a number of Japanese visitors in his home “I’m a great supporter of the Hikone Exchange program,” he said the visitors saw a sampling of classrooms and student ages including a visit to the first-grade class of Ann Marie Borders who served as a project director for Ann Arbor students visiting Hikone last fall Borders has incorporated Japanese culture into her class including allowing students to dress in traditional Japanese clothing and teaching them to eat with chopsticks as well as using cultural lessons for writing assignments who coordinates the Hikone exchange program for The Ann Arbor Public Schools said one of the final things outgoing Superintendent Todd Roberts did on his last day was to meet with the visiting Japanese project directors Twenty-one Ann Arbor students were involved with hosting the Hikone students in their homes last week. Along with attending school with Ann Arbor students, the Hikone students visited Greenfield Village and joined in a number of home-stay activities with their host families and attended a Sunday night “Sayonara Party” at Conor O’Neill’s in downtown Ann Arbor In his first official act as Interim Superintendent Robert Allen attended the Sunday night party on behalf of the district “This exchange program is indeed a special partnership between our countries and our students learn so much from their exposure to another culture and customs,” Allen said “I am proud of our student hosts and their families along with Larry Dishman and the Rec & Ed staff for their gracious hospitality to our visitors.” Japanese students attended Skyline High School and Ann Arbor Open @ Mack as well as Scarlett Tappan and Forsythe middle schools while they were here a delegation of 12 Ann Arbor eighth- and ninth-grade students will travel to Japan on a goodwill mission during which the students will spend a week in Hikone attending local schools and staying in the homes of junior high school students  This will be the 17th delegation of Ann Arbor students to participate in the exchange program; the trip is typically undertaken every other year unless there is a reason to merit a special trip an Ann Arbor student delegation made a special visit to Hikone to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the sister city relationship The Hikone delegation visit and subsequent trip overseas dovetails into The Ann Arbor Public Schools initiative to incorporate World Language into its schools at a young age third-graders began learning Spanish through an initiative with The University of Michigan; this year the program was expanded to include both third- and fourth-graders and will be added at the fifth-grade level next year Although the program has started with Spanish lessons U-M officials said it is the hope that it will eventually include additional languages all Michigan high school students must have two years of a world language Casey Hans edits this newsletter for The Ann Arbor Public Schools. E-mail her or call 734-994-2090 “The ideas are flowing like a fountain,” said Kathy Scarnecchia, AAPS interim administrative liaison for the program. Parents were recently surveyed about the program and their opinion on a balanced year school calendar; that data is being studied. […] By Tara Cavanaugh The Huron High School river rats held their graduation ceremony at Eastern Michigan University on Wednesday Current data from the state-mandated Michigan Educational Assessment Program, or MEAP, tests has been posted on the Ann Arbor school district Web page. Visit the “About AAPS” link on the district’s home page or click […] As 13 Japanese students and their new American friends belted out The Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye” (see video below) it was easy to see the commonality across cultures The teens all wore trendy clothes and big metallic smiles The song and dance-filled party at Conor O’Neill’s Sunday night was one of many activities of the Hikone-Ann Arbor Educational Exchange Program The program provides young teens from Ann Arbor and its sister city of Hikone Japan the opportunity to engage with a culture halfway across the world when Hikone sent its first delegation of junior high students to Ann Arbor to stay with host families and the cities have been participating in the exchange ever since and Ann Arbor sends students every other year forcing them to open up more than they would have to just in Ann Arbor,” said Nan Reed Twist Her son Adrian went to Hikone two years ago and her daughter Miranda is set to go in early November Eighty percent of the students who go to Hikone haven’t ever left the U.S Rec & Ed Hikone Exchange Program Supervisor who’s now hosting her third Hikone student said one of the best things about the exchange is the lifelong friendships that result A Hikone student her family previously hosted came to visit them a few weeks ago after being accepted into a program at the University of Michigan my kids are very much in touch with the ones they hosted and visited,” Twist said students take part in group activities such as the gathering at Conor O’Neill’s They also spend plenty of downtime with their host families taking part in typical American activities such as birthday parties and bonfires As the American and Japanese students spend time together The Japanese students study English at school and the Ann Arbor students take lessons in Japanese language and culture for the four months leading up to their visit to Japan The city of Hikone sends its top-performing students but the application process for AAPS students is different around 40 students apply for the exchange and only 12 are accepted responsibility and openness to new cultures The students who are accepted have to be dedicated to preparing for the trip “They can’t miss more than five of the language and culture classes,” said Bairley we excuse them from the program and we have alternates who are ready to go.” the Hikone Exchange Program Coordinator who has been with the program since 1996 at Rec and Ed said getting accepted into the exchange wasn’t always as difficult But we had all kinds of problems with kids being homesick and shocked by the culture.” The Ann Arbor students are now prepared for day-to-day life in Japan such as eating raw fish or using high-tech toilets “I’m really excited about the trip,” said 15-year-old Ken Simpson who’s hosting Hikone student Yuma Kutzumizu Simpson said he’s had the most fun hanging out with Yuma downtown “I’ve learned that we really aren’t that different,” he said He liked one of my favorite TV shows I showed him the whole community feels like a big welcoming family They’re tighter with the kids in this exchange program than they are with their classmates at school They even reunite with the Japanese families they visited They’ll go over there and get together with them again there in Japan “This is a life changing experience,” Dishman said “People value this part of their education with AAPS.” General education and special education students at Clague have become fellow thespians and friends, through a theater program called ACT-UP. […] Lakewood Principal Michael Johnson promised any student who participated in fundraising for the school’s Jump Rope for Heart Event and earned more than $50 would be able to pie him in the face. […] The school communities at Abbot, Lakewood, Lawton and Wines elementary schools all welcome new leaders to their buildings this fall. […] That’s my nephew Kenneth hanging with Yuma Andrea Hikone has designed a circular residential in Yokosuka all images courtesy of Yoshifumi Moriya, Nakasa and Partners The project was launched during the pandemic crisis when being at home took on a whole new meaning the architect came up with the idea of creating a comfortable pleasant environment where individuals could spend time with family circular home with an above-ground level and an underground level The rounded design generates an inner private courtyard where occupants can gather and interact with each other in a semi-protected open-air space.  the residence encourages residents to deepen their connection with the natural environment The large floor-to-ceiling windows further enhance this relationship while facilitating lighting and ventilation the design also incorporates solar panels that capture the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity that can be used by residents in the home we have always considered it important to consider energy,’ the architect explains ‘We believe that this attitude will be even more in demand in the future.’ large expanses of glass open up to the sea the house is located on the top of a small hill the rounded design generates an inner private courtyard natural light permeates the interior thanks to the large floor-to-ceiling windows name: UMY architect: Andrea Hikone | @a.h.a_andrea structural design: Ladder Architects Takashi Takamizawa construction: Yuichi Hakozaki Mina Okumura’s dream is to draw out everyone’s inner and outer beauty so she created a wellness facility like no other the small picturesque castle town of Hikone is a much-loved day trip destination a wellness facility built to be a place for self-care washing away life’s stresses and finding a good balance Dharmakur is a name coined by owner Mina Okumura It consists of “Dharma,” a concept of social order and duty from Sanskrit that emphasizes balance and harmony Mina wanted to create a wellness facility that would heal visitors while also helping them connect with their inner and outer worlds There are several ways to do that at Dharmakur There’s also a spa and hair care facilities Opened in 2019, Dharmakur is located in a century-old traditional Japanese house in Hikone. Built in 1917, the residence, owned by a local merchant, was built to last 100 years and it has now passed that milestone. Drinking Shiga Prefecture organic green tea in the tatami room and looking at the garden you can feel the history and culture of the place The kura storage house behind it is even older It was built in 1910 and is now an Ayurvedic therapy salon an Ayurvedic treatment here is a luxurious experience Unlike other samurai strongholds that were demolished at the turn of the Meiji period (1868-1912) the Hikone Castle tower still stands to this day It’s one of only 12 original castle towers in Japan Mina describes it as a peaceful town with friendly and welcoming locals It stands in contrast to places that are suffering from overtourism It’s a place with a deep history and culture A self-care day trip here starts as soon as you leave Hikone Station and stroll the streets passing by the castle that’s not too far from Dharmakur Dharmakur owner Mina is a certified hair stylist Dharmakur is her additional passion project She personally leads the yoga classes and provides hair care and beauty treatments A little window opens to an unobstructed view of Hikone Castle visible to customers sitting for a haircut or a head massage “I wanted to block out the parking lot but keep the view of the castle It was probably what people could see from here 100 years ago,” says Mina She goes on to explain that the design choices at Dharmakur are meant to further disconnect you from the stresses of modern life and give you a moment of timelessness After a head spa and a newly developed Angelic hair care treatment Mina offers an organic coffee and delicately shaped raw chocolate from the local shop Dharmakur collaborates with many local businesses to bring the best of the town and the prefecture together as part of the experience Dharmakur offers a rare opportunity to do aerial yoga with colorful strips of synthetic fabric called airsilk that hang from the beams It additionally offers support for some yoga poses that might be difficult without certain fabrics Mina has studied yoga for many years and aims to provide a gentle yoga experience for her guests easy simple yoga for a better daily life,” is how she describes it Dharmakur provides everything needed for a yoga class A yoga class at Dharmakur is always followed by meditation Mina realizes that meditation is key to relaxing the brain “Even when you’re doing something fun and not stressful “To rest after yoga helps the brain calm down.” She plays a recording of a mantra in English and places a heated eye mask and a blanket on you for maximum relaxation an Ayurvedic massage and Angelic hair care treatment by Mina It’s not only about beauty or being pampered but also about leaving the facility healthier inside and out She wholeheartedly gives advice on how to maintain this relaxed state she puts you in and how to live a better life “It’s wonderful to see beautiful things and it’s also wonderful to notice beautiful things that are already inside of you,” says Mina Her mission is to draw out the beauty in all her visitors so they can look in the mirror and feel better about themselves overall Highlighting everyone’s beauty instead of chasing unattainable and unrealistic beauty standards the emphasis is placed on people’s wellbeing and health “I want to make Hikone known as a beauty town She sees wellness activities as preventive healthcare Mina created Dharmakur as a project to present to the local government “Become who you want to become.” For Hikone it’s about having a peaceful body and a peaceful heart Contact Dharmakur Hikone to reserve online Follow Dharmakur on Instagram  a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial to place paper origami cranes and sleeping on futons seem like an unlikely combination but all were part of a student cultural experience in a visit this fall to Hikone Nine middle school and three high school students from Ann Arbor were part of the district’s 16th student delegation to visit Ann Arbor’s Japanese sister city of Hikone which also sent a delegation to Ann Arbor in the fall Students and project directors did a debriefing and enjoyed a potluck dinner in December where they shared stories of the trip According to project coordinator Larry Dishman the role of the delegates is to bring good will to the people of Hikone as the two communities celebrate the 40th anniversary of the sister city relationship “This is something you will remember for many if not for a lifetime,” Dishman told students At the potluck students were able to report back on their experiences share their favorite (and not-so-favorite) times from the trip said she didn’t have to walk to school as did many of the students but was driven by her Japanese host family “It was hard talking to them in Japanese,” she said “They tried to speak English to accommodate me said her family had a translator to help them communicate and said her host mom was an English teacher “But the most powerful day was the day we went to Hiroshima” where the students were immersed in the country’s history of World War II When the group left to return to the United States was one of two project directors for the trip Borders did a Web page for the students where photos of the trip were posted along with their memories “You can’t go there without getting to know one another,” she added She agreed that the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was the most memorable part of the trip The only thing standing (within two kilometers of the blast) is that dome from one building.” Locally some 239 students have traveled to Japan with the Hikone exchange over the years Dishman said “These groups of kids are from different middle schools and form a group unto themselves,” Dishman explained coordinator for team sports for the district’s Red & Ed Department has been the Hikone program coordinator since 1996 but has worked with the program in various capacities since 1990 He has served as the coordinator for 10 of the program’s 13 trips “I embraced the culture and learned about the culture,” he said It’s nice to touch a kid’s life in such a fashion Eighth- and ninth-grade students visit Hikone every other year; this year’s trip was special to celebrate the sister city anniversary Dishman explained that all students are trained in Japanese language and culture over the summer months before taking the delegation’s trip in the fall “They become like a family unto themselves,” he said Dishman said students must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and their family must be willing to pay a user fee for the student to travel Each student ambassador was required to raise $600 through individual and group fundraising projects for this special delegation trip Ann Arbor middle school students will begin receiving information about the next Hikone exchange trip in early February at their schools This year’s Ann Arbor delegation spent one week in Hikone with Japanese host families where they attended local junior high schools Miyajima and Kyoto and delivered 1,000 handmade origami paper cranes to the statue of Sadako in the Hiroshima Peace Park a delegation of 14 junior high school students from Hikone visited Ann Arbor Activities while they were here included an opening day reception at Forsythe Middle School an all-day trip to Greenfield Village and a Sayonara Party at Conor O’Neill’s in downtown Ann Arbor It was the 31st time the Japanese city sent a delegation to Ann Arbor “The idea is to let them know that everything isn’t as it is in Ann Arbor many of them have never been out of the (United) States.” – Larry Dishman The adage that “life happens while you are making plans” could best explain Larry Dishman’s path His interests and studies have led him to create the building blocks upon which he has built his career In pursuing his multiple college degrees in linguistics and working toward a goal of teaching he took a job working as an umpire for The Ann Arbor Public Schools Recreation Department That led to a part-time job and eventually a full-time career coordinating team sports for the district’s Rec & Ed Department which he said has “helped me to touch a lot of lives I’m glad I ended up here,” said Dishman who has been in his post since 1974 Contacts through his job helped hiim arrange a series of exhibition games throughout Michigan for the NSK Global-sponsored Japanese Women’s National Championship fast-pitch softball team in the 1980s as well as being one of the architects and chief programmers for the Arborough Games Canada and a German internship exchange with Ann Arbor’s German sister city led him to become involved with the Hikone-Ann Arbor Educational Exchange Program which helps middle school students visit Japan and also arranges host families when Japanese student delegations visit Ann Arbor Dishman now coordinates this exchange program for Ann Arbor “I sort of entered through the back door,” he said I served as a fund-raiser for the program.” The program has sent dozens of young Ann Arbor students to Japan such as this years’ when a special delegation of 12 students and two teachers visited this fall he has been able to encourage a love of Japanese culture and language “I’ve tried to expand their knowledge of world languages,” he said many of them have never been out of the (United) States.” Dishman’s parents moved to Ann Arbor from Nebraska (“They chose to go east instead of west during the Dirty Thirties,” he said,) and Dishman was born and raised here He is married to Donna and they have two adult daughters In addition to his dedication to the Hikone exchange program and enjoys the early history of college football (pre 1950.) He also loves Irish culture and music Casey Hans edits this newsletter for The Ann Arbor Public Schools. E-mail her or call 734-994-2090 ext The Ann Arbor Educational Exchange Program provides young teens from Ann Arbor and its sister city of Hikone, Japan the opportunity to engage with a culture halfway across the world. […] The Ann Arbor school board has approved participation in a countywide International Baccalaureate school and students heading for Japan raise money for their trip. […] Visitors from Ann Arbor’s sister city, Hikone, are welcomed into area homes and schools for one week. […] Based on the concept of ‘a world full of peace’ the DANDELION PROJECT from Japanese digital art collective NAKED is taking over iconic landmarks across the world in an attempt to break down barriers and form meaningful connections The networking-type art project designed by artist Ryotaro Muramatsu follows digital dandelions which are “planted” (installed) in specific locations Visitors can make a wish upon the dandelion blooms which then disperse into dandelion fluff and float away to other DANDELION PROJECT locations the project has appeared at Shibuya’s MIYASHITA PARK with the newest being Japanese National Treasure site Hikone Castle Aiming for World Heritage Site recognition conveys it’s Edo-era appearance even after more than 400 years since it’s construction.During the DANDELION PROJECT collaboration the stone walls of the castle tower will be illuminated by digital dandelions and other vibrant coloured flowers leisurely travel is not so easy for those who are affected by the ongoing pandemic but NAKED and it’s partnering locations hope that through the DANDELION PROJECT individuals can at least feel a connection from one national icon to another The DANDELION PROJECT will be displayed on Saturdays Sundays and holidays at Hikone Castle from the 27th of November 2021 to the 30th of January 2022 The illuminations will last from 18:00pm – 21:00pm with last admission taking place at 20:30pm Shiga PrefectureAdults: 600 yenElementary and junior high school students: 200 yen The rest of the article, including other locations to see digital art installations by this project, can be viewed on our partner’s website, grape Japan at “NAKED’s DANDELION PROJECT illuminates the walls of Hikone Castle this winter” You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy If you’re on the hunt for national treasures to visit in the Land of the Rising Sun, Hikone Castle in Shiga is surely a top tier choice. The historic edifice which was constructed during Japan’s Ego period took over a whopping 20 years to build and is currently maintained in its original makeup. Recently, Leica snapped a stunning 4K video of the gorgeous fortification using the Ronin-MX and M-600 drones alongside its signature SL device Find instant serenity by watching the minute-long clip above a unit of the company that took over failed airbag maker Takata Corp. discovered that falsified production data at its Japanese seatbelt factory was used to pass safety standards for a European certification agency The issue comes on top of revelations last week confirmed by Japan’s transport ministry had given faulty data to automakers on seatbelts shipped from its factory in Hikone 15 that as many as nine million seatbelts supplied by JSSJ to Japanese automakers fell short of strength standards JSSJ is ultimately owned by Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp. the Chinese company whose subsidiary acquired the bankrupt Takata in 2018 The Japanese firm became aware of the faulty inspection data at the Hikone factory in April with certain data also appearing to have been manipulated to pass product safety requirements imposed by the International Automotive Task Force who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public It’s unclear when the alleged data falsification took place “We are investigating the issue and would like to formally address the facts and numbers being circulated by the media but it is difficult to do so at the moment,” a representative for Hisayoshi Iwamitsu declining to comment further when asked about the IATF issue dominates about 30% of the global seatbelt market competing with other auto-parts makers such as Sweden’s Autoliv Inc A seatbelt recall in Japan could potentially impact 2 million vehicles Evidence of further issues at the factory could put the manufacturer at risk of losing the confidence of customers and businesses globally The faulty seatbelt data underscores the painful legacy left by Takata which filed for bankruptcy three years ago after it supplied more than an estimated 100 million defective airbags worldwide Automakers will probably conduct a review on seat belts made by Takata or JSSJ when bad news like this occurs “If they find unknown defective parts that potentially may lead to another round of recalls,” he said.After the Nikkei’s revelations Joyson Safety Systems said it is looking into “reporting inaccuracies” at the Hikone factory according to a statement last week from company spokesman Bryan Johnson “The reporting issues arose long before the acquisition of the plant from Takata in April 2018,” Johnson said in the statement posted on the parent company’s website Oct “JSS is currently reviewing available and relevant data over a 20-year period on a test-by-test and product-by-product basis The investigation is ongoing and JSS is focused on clarifying the issues with urgency to identify the causes and take appropriate corrective measures.” The “data integrity issue” flagged in media reports mainly occurred between 2000 and 2010 Ningbo Joyson Electronic said in a statement to the Shanghai stock exchange Monday The company is looking into practices after it took control of the plant A spokesman for the transport ministry said it was investigating the case following the Nikkei report The audit and supervisory committee established to strengthen governance at JSSJ after it assumed control of Takata’s operations had sought for an inquiry into the seatbelt issue JSSJ’s corporate disclosure documents show that several members of the committee left their positions on Aug Standards such as “IATF 16949” set by the organization are designed to prevent product defects and differences in quality throughout production and are considered a prerequisite for supplying equipment to automakers Volkswagen AG and various trade associations are members of IATF Takata’s annual sales before declaring bankruptcy were about 660 billion yen ($6.3 billion) Ningbo Joyson Electronic reported sales of 61.7 billion yuan ($9.2 billion) last year 15 that there was evidence of tampering with data for seatbelts used in child-safety seats at the Hikone factory The Takata scandal unleashed one of the most significant recalls in automotive history The company sold defective air bag inflators using ammonium nitrate which were at risk of exploding violently in a crash and injuring passengers with metal shards They were linked to at least 23 deaths worldwide and more than 200 injuries in the U.S Takata pleaded guilty to a wire-fraud charge as part of a $1 billion settlement with the U.S Justice Department over the air-bag problems Please tell us what we can do to improve this article Get the latest insurance newssent straight to your inbox We have updated our privacy policy to be more clear and meet the new requirements of the GDPR. 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The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser A police sergeant was shot to death at a police box in western Japan late Wednesday and a 19-year-old fellow officer was arrested on suspicion of his murder early Thursday after several hours on the run with a handgun was found collapsed with bullet wounds to his back and head at around 8:45 p.m at the police box in front of JR Kawase Station in Hikone He was later pronounced dead at a hospital (Police box where police sergeant Akira Imoto was shot to death) Police detained the 19-year-old officer who had been on duty with Imoto at around 1:35 a.m He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and has admitted to the allegation the teenage officer confessed to shooting Imoto because the senior officer "yelled at" him The National Police Agency said it believes the incident is Japan's first murder case by a teenage police officer NPA Commissioner General Shunichi Kuryu said at a press conference in Tokyo it is also the first case of a police officer using a handgun to murder a fellow officer The Shiga prefectural police said they found no indication of problems in the behavior of either officer prior to the shooting  (A vehicle carrying a 19-year-old police officer leaves the Hikone police station in Shiga Prefecture on April 12 the junior officer also told the investigators he "was rigid The senior officer is believed to have been shot from behind as he was found in a seated position slumped over a desk the younger officer was apparently carrying his handgun with up to three bullets remaining the Shiga prefectural police temporarily released the 19-year-old officer's name and photo despite his being a minor which stipulates different treatment from adults bans reports identifying underage criminals Kyodo News decided to withhold his name after the police took him into custody as he no longer poses a danger to the public (The police car apparently used by the suspect after the shooting) The 19-year-old was hired in April last year and was posted this January to Hikone Police Station which oversees the police box in front of Kawase Station He and Imoto were assigned to the police box on March 26 with Imoto and the junior officer on duty on Wednesday It is located in a commercial-residential district in Hikone on the eastern coast of Lake Biwa The police suspect the teen officer used a police car that was discovered in a paddy field in Aisho after Imoto was found shot "I've lived here since I was born but never expected such an incident to happen I'm scared because the arrested suspect is a police officer who is supposed to ensure our safety." 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 Shiga Prefecture-- Eighteen-year-old Akinari Muranishi proudly put the pedal to the metal on what appeared to be a mashup of a boat and a tricycle was the finished product of project to re-create a Shinsei Rikushuhonsha a pedal-driven vehicle dating from the Edo Period (1603-1867) two and a half centuries after the death of its inventor the Shinsei Rikushuhonsha was one of Japan's first forms of transportation Seniors at Hikone Sogo High School built one as a project devised by their teacher to keep them engaged after the school's sports event was scrapped and the school festival was scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic “I wanted to provide students with something to pour their unrelieved passion into,” said Kumagai The operational replica was based on a design drawing by its developer Measuring 2.2 meters long and 1 meter wide which is sometimes called one of world's earliest tricycles It is said that the world’s oldest bicycle was developed around 1817 in Germany and went by the name of Draisine The person riding it operated it not by pedaling but kicking the ground The re-created Rikushuhonsha has one wheel at the front and two at the back The wheels are designed to be rotated by pedals in the rear while the driver is supposed to operate it while standing and gripping the handlebars in the center pedaled the Rikushuhonsha down the school corridor one day in February were part of the six-member group involved in the project “did come to fruition because of the coronavirus crisis.” students at Hikone Sogo take a class to survey the local history and culture outside the school But because of concerns over inadequate social distancing Kumagai in November last year proposed students make a model of a Rikushuhonsha Third-year students had attended a Zen mediation session at Choshoin temple in the Chuocho district of Hikone Another reproduction of a Rikushuhonsha was exhibited on its precincts at the time offering students a chance to see the historic invention According to the accounts by Toshio Kajiwara Kuheiji compiled “Shinsei Rikushuhonsha no Ki” (Records on Shinsei Rikushuhonsha) in 1732 to design and complete a Rikushuhonsha who was allegedly famous for his deep academic insights and studied astronomy in order to draw astronomical charts succeeded in traveling with the finished vehicle After Kumagai proposed the students build a Rikushuhonsha replica one student said they had to make one "that could be operated." though he said he was initially unwilling to work on the Rikushuhonsha “We're not in an engineering course so we won't be able to make a vehicle,” Muranishi recalled thinking But he grew more confident after he saw Kumagai buy plywood boards Kumagai painted a detailed design based on “Shinsei Rikushuhonsha no Ki,” an illustration now kept at the Hikone Public Library The students set aside every Friday after school to work on replicating the Rikushuhonsha They set one rule for the project: The Rikushuhonsha had to be made just using items available at DIY shops One of the most difficult things to work out was how to make the handlebars turn the front wheel The students connected them with black and yellow tiger ropes or cable ties After Muranishi and Tatsumi passed their college entrance exams through the admission system based on recommendations they continued working on the program during the winter holidays The last obstacle was getting the pedals to operate the back wheels so as a last resort they again turned to iron was named “Hikoso-style” Shinsei Rikushuhonsha after their school “I feel we have achieved the biggest goal in our three years of high school,” Muranishi said commenting on his experience of working on the unexpected project in their final academic year “It was an experience I may never have again for the rest of my life,” he said This year marks the 250th anniversary of Kuheiji’s death and the finished reproduction was sent to Choshoin temple in February for display Visitors can observe and ride the replica through the end of March if they make a reservation Train’s eternal flame design honors founder of Enryakuji Devoted train fan spends 5 years to resurrect famed SL locomotive College cinema clubs link up for anthology movie amid pandemic Students feast on Kobe beef school lunches to help meat industry Yakushiji temple to open its East Pagoda for first time in a decade Japanese version The University of Shiga Prefecture (USP), in partnership with the UST Department of Biological Sciences hosted the 3rd UST-USP Joint Symposium in the Lecture Hall A4-205 & 206 at the University of Shiga Prefecture campus in Hikone The event had taken place twice at the University of Santo Tomas—February 10 The two universities have been conducting joint academic and research activities specifically in aquatic biology since 2012 and have an active Memorandum of Agreement signed in the year 2013 The 3rd symposium was ably organized by Prof The event opened with a welcome address by Prof President of USP and was followed by 11 lectures The poster session that followed included 19 poster-papers with five coming from the University of Santo Tomas The closing address was delivered by the Dean of the School of Environmental Sciences Shinji Ide and was followed by a welcome dinner The UST delegation included a total of 10 undergraduate students The University of Santo Tomas is one of the leading private research universities in the Philippines and is consistently ranked among the top 1000 universities in the whole world With academic degrees and research thrusts in the natural the University continuously strives to make a positive impact on the society and punch,” sounded the voice of shihan (master instructor) Robert Knott at his dojo inside a renovated building in Hikone he moved to look at a television monitor to check the forms of seven other students who appeared on the screen Black Belt English is an English-language karate dojo Knott not only gives in-person karate lessons but also trains students at his “cyber-dojo” using the online conference system Zoom the purpose is the same: to enhance and evolve oneself,” Knott said Knott was raised in the United States and began practicing karate when he was 6 years old he got into a fight with an older boy who was picking on him and was able to pin him down This gave him confidence and made him more motivated to learn karate He met Chie in Hikone in 1997 when he was assigned a new job as an English conversation instructor he went back to the United States and married Chie he gave martial arts lessons to policemen and students at a university in the United States he finally realized his dream of having his own dojo In a detached building of Chie’s parents’ home he started giving martial arts lessons in karate As a result of their enthusiastic teaching style The dojo started with only three students but has now grown to have about 100 the coronavirus began to spread within the country a state of emergency was declared for Tokyo Although the dojo should only hold in-person practices Knott thought: “With the situation being what it is he posted videos on YouTube explaining and showing various techniques he began using Zoom to teach his students and was able to look at each student’s form and give them advice While Knott contemplated the content of the lessons that students can practice at their homes his wife sent advice and encouragement to them every evening via the text messaging app LINE The couple explained that without a partner to practice with it can be mentally difficult for the students and said they have to make sure students are supported so they can stay motivated but about 10 students continued with the Zoom lessons “I can see the shihan’s form and movement more clearly in the cyber-dojo,” a 46-year-old man from Hikone said Knott plans to set up a course that is exclusively for online practices in April The couple hope they will be able to meet new people living farther away Knott plans to show his form and movement and give detailed explanations in the online practices When confronted with the coronavirus crisis Knott said he realized that since “we don’t know what will happen in the future continuing with routine practices will help a person remain mentally stable and allow them to move forward.” Shiga — A national championship of a unique game popular mainly among residents in Hikone Carom is a game played on a board that has rules similar to billiards a disc measuring about 3 centimeters in diameter with their fingers and tries to hit pucks of their color so they fall into any of the four corner pockets Once a player hits all 12 of their pucks into the pockets they are allowed to finally try and hit a special puck called the jack If they succeed in hitting the jack into a pocket Families and children’s associations in Hikone and surrounding areas enjoy playing the game since players both young and old can take part in it whose office is located in the Hikone Chamber of Commerce and Industry which produced Buddhist altars and fittings The game was once so popular in the region that each family had a carom board at home has been suspended since 2020 due to the pandemic Despite the name “national championship,” more than half of its participants were locals Ann Arbor's Japanese sister city's mascot SaturdayMeredith Bruckner ANN ARBOR – Hikone is coming to the Ann Arbor District Library's downtown branch on Saturday The cuddly white cat that was struck by lightning (as legend has it) will be making two appearances at 10:30 a.m Created in 2007 to commemorate the founding of Hikone Castle, Hikonyan has become a Japanese phenomenon and has boosted tourism to the area, including tens of millions of dollars spent on Hikonyan merchandise. The character's official Facebook page has more than 80,000 likes ✉  Like what you're reading? Sign up for our email newsletter here Mayor Christopher Taylor was in Japan this summer and visited the central Japanese city whose officials reportedly have encouraged Taylor to develop an Ann Arbor mascot The event is a partnership between Ann Arbor and Hikone So bring friends and family of all ages for the meet and greet happening from 10:30 a.m and enjoy coloring pages and button-making for the kiddos All About Ann Arbor is powered by ClickOnDetroit/WDIV.  Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WDIV Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. Hikone in Bleach has become a hot topic of discussion ever since he was made a playable character in the Bleach Brave Souls video game Fans may like to know that Hikone appears in Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World a novel that deals with the events after the Great War in Tite Kubo's Bleach and what sort of importance does he hold to the narrative The Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World novel by Ryogo Narita offers the answer to this pertinent question While it's true that he was introduced as the Soul King's replacement This article explains the role of Hikone in Bleach and how he is integral to the above-mentioned spin-off novel Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World light novel Hikone Ubuginu was first introduced in Ryogo Narita's light novel which focuses on the events after the Thousand Year Blood War arc of Bleach The light novel describes Hikone as an androgynous artificial hybrid soul created by Seinosuke Yamada and Aura Michibine under the direct orders of Tokinada Tsunayashiro Although he served as a retainer to the Tsunayashiro family the role of Hikone in Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World novel was more than that Tokinada's true purpose in creating Hikone According to the narrative of Ryogo Narita's light novel Tokinada Tsunayashiro was an evil mastermind who sought nothing but the destruction of the Soul Society Having learned the fabricated history of the Soul Society and its original sin Tokinada adopted a path of anarchy and wanted to rule over all the institutions he planned to create an artificial hybrid capable of becoming the next Soul King he commissioned Aura Michibine and Seinosuke Yamada to create such a being by combining the soul pieces of thousands of humans Hikone's being contained several soul king's fragments the end result was a grotesque mess without any sort of stability In the end, Hikone's chaotic consciousness was brought to stability by using Gremmy Thoumeaux's brain as the hybrid core that Tokinada had confiscated from the battlefield Tokinada wanted to make him the next Soul King and rule over all the realms in Bleach Moreover, as a hybrid like Ichigo Kurosaki and Kugo Ginjo Hikone was an ideal candidate for the Soul King's position Since he served as the retainer to the Tsunayashiro family he is described as someone with a childlike appearance and an upbeat attitude Despite his innocent appearance and childlike attitude He didn't show any hesitancy to cut people down under the orders of Tokinada Tsunayashiro Hikone was gifted a Zanpakuto named Ikomikidomoe by Tokinada which could only be wielded by hybrids or those considered candidates for the Soul King's position As seen from the light novel, Hikoni is quite skilled in Zanjutsu, as he fought on an equal footing against Kenpachi Zaraki it is also seen in the novel that he is unbelievably agile thanks to his use of a combination of Sonido and Hirenkyaku Since he possesses within him the Hollow powers Hikone can use Gran Rey Zero and activate a form similar to resurrection Hikone's immense spiritual pressure skyrocketed once he released his Zanpakuto Ikomikidomoe Horaku Hakkei and gained a resurrection-like form Although he looked up to Tokinada as his master His whole existence was for him to become the next Soul King Be sure to keep up with more anime news and manga updates as 2023 progresses Your perspective matters!Start the conversation The possibility of seeing Hikone in the Bleach: Thousand Year Blood-War anime has become an intriguing topic of discussion in the community Hikone was first introduced in the world of Bleach through one of the most popular spin-off light novels named Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World by Ryogo Narita As an androgynous artificial hybrid soul created for a specific purpose Hikone had a pivotal role to play in Narita's light novel Considering the Bleach: Thousand Year Blood-War anime has shown several moments where it deviated or included new elements into the story fans want to know whether Hikone might appear in this or the next installments of the Bleach TYBW anime adaptation While Hikone is a fairly popular character from Ryogo Narita's light novel Bleach: Can't Fear Your Own World they are unlikely to appear in the Bleach: Thousand Year Blood-War anime unless the studio decides to incorporate the main events of the novel into the series the latest season of the Bleach: Thousand Year-Blood-War anime saw Studio Pierrot under the supervision of Tite Kubo which was one of the exclusive moments in Ryogo Narita's light novel This gave several fans hope that Hikone might also feature in the anime adaptation Hikone plays an essential role in the events of Narita's light novel Considering the story of this light novel takes place after the events of the Great War it's highly improbable for Hikone to appear in the Bleach: Thousand Year Blood-War anime for Hikone to feature in Bleach: Thousand Year Blood-War Studio Pierrot has to adapt the main events of the light novel Even though there are only 70–75 chapters left for the next two cours of the anime it's improbable for the studio to adapt the narrative of post-war which doesn't even feature the protagonist As such, Hikone's appearance in Bleach can only become a definite possibility if the Studio decides to animate Ryogo Narita's light novel as a different series. On the other hand, it will be fascinating if Tite Kubo decides to include Hikone as a character in Bleach Hell Arc While Hikone may not appear in the events of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood-War they are nonetheless an integral character in Bleach Hikone is described as a genderless artificial hybrid soul created by Seinosuke Yamada (Hanataro's brother) and Aura Michibine on the orders of Tsunayashiro Tokinada While they served as a retainer to the Tsunayashiro family Hikone's purpose of existence was sinister The light novel's narrative reveals that Tokinada created Hikone as the Soul King's replacement As the last member of the Tsunayashiro clan Tokinada was a true evil mastermind who wanted to take over the Soul Society's institutions and rule over the world it was only possible if he could control the Soul King As such, he commissioned Seinosuke and Aura to create an artificial hybrid being by combining thousands of souls of Soul Reapers, Hollows, Quincies, and Fullbringers. Tokinada also retrieved Gremmy Thoumeaux's brain from the Great War and used it on Hikone to provide them with stability That's how Hikone came into being and became a loyal puppet of Tokinada Be sure to keep up with more anime news and manga updates as 2023 progresses