Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information A bento vending machine that has operated for at least 52 years in a tranquil countryside of Ibaraki Prefecture is drawing nationwide attention The machine is located in an unmanned shop called Araiya Oto Kona (Araiya auto corner) in Inashiki city along Route 51 with a view of Lake Kasumigaura sits on the border with Chiba Prefecture across the Tonegawa river The site exudes the retro feeling of the Showa Era (1926-1989) a delivery company worker and a couple touring on a bike stepped inside the shed The machine offered seven types of bento: “yakiniku” (grilled meat); “kara-age” (fried chicken); “hire-katsu” (breaded and fried pork tenderloin); “menchi-katsu” (breaded and fried ground meat patty); mixed fries; hamburger steak; and a daily special The warm and tasty box lunches cost just 330 yen ($2.2) each And the shop emphasizes it only uses ingredients produced in Japan “We used to make vending machines for a few years after the war nor can we repair them,” a spokesperson for the manufacturer of the machine said “Since it is hard to imagine that the machine is operating in its initial state someone may have updated the inner machinery.” who restocks the lunches by monitoring sales from his home-kitchen next door He can tell when a group of visitors or cars have arrived from their sounds Suzuki offers about 100 lunches on weekdays and about 250 on holidays with help from a part-timer machines selling udon and soba noodles were also available he asks an acquaintance familiar with vending machines to fix it The machine does not display product samples and instead shows handwritten signs for the menu Many notes with instructions are pasted on the machine saying Another note says: “The sold-out lamp does not work so if nothing comes out after pressing the button Customers are also asked to use five or fewer 10-yen coins when buying a bento kept warm at 60 degrees will fall with a thud a 53-year-old delivery worker from Kashima “The main dish tastes good and the rice is so tasty I also like the lunch because it isn’t too filling,” he said Suzuki said the media began covering the vending machine around 2010 “I keep on selling because many people come for the rare vending machine,” he said Although the price has increased by only 80 yen in 52 years we have no choice but to raise the price soon,” he said The shop has irregular holidays and is open from 8 a.m Places and Events/ Retro vending machines: Insert coins and relive memories of old New banknotes mean big bills for ramen shops Vending machine snap goes under hammer for 4.5 million yen Vending machine with sweet ‘body parts’ a hit in Osaka Prefecture Coca-Cola offers cheaper vending machine drinks to subscribers In-flight meal makers find new market on the ground Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission The bold entrance gate emerges from thick concrete walls and extends four meters without supporting columns serving as a welcoming gateway and a cover for the car drop-off area Added louvers conceal utility pipes and equipment transforming the once stark concrete structure into a more inviting and layered facade all images by Munetaka Onodera, courtesy of Kubo Tsushima Architects Kubo Tsushima Architects aims to modernize the structure, attracting a broader demographic, including female golfers and younger generations. Inside, the clubhouse hosts wooden curved walls and natural materials, creating a serene atmosphere. The Tokyo-based practice incorporates a circular coffered ceiling and wooden louvers in the entrance hall The lobby includes shop spaces on both sides with comfortable sofas placed in its center guides visitors naturally from the clubhouse to the greens The exterior renovation uses layering techniques to enhance the building’s appearance creating a cohesive look that softens the original structure Kubo Tsushima Architects is undertaking the complete renovation of the JGM Kasumigaoka Golf Club aligning with the evolving needs of the post-pandemic golf industry is the main goal of the renovation a facade reminiscent of a large mass of earth envelopes the revamped venue added louvers conceal utility pipes and equipment the clubhouse hosts wooden curved walls and natural materials both sides of the lobby feature shop spaces a circular ceiling and wooden louvers combine with earth-tone plaster finishes a green carpet guides visitors from the clubhouse to the greens layering techniques enhance the building’s appearance name: JGM Kasumigaoka Golf Club designer: Kubo Tsushima Architects | @kubotsushimaarchitects client: Japan Golf Management project management: HUNDRED DOORS construction: M・LAND Construction Corporation location: Inashiki, Japan photographer: Munetaka Onodera | @munetaka_onodera 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. AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Sign In Subscribe Now Organizers of School District 83's exchange program with Inashiki Japan are looking for a decision on the fate of the initiative which has been on hiatus since the pandemic.  who teaches Japanese at Salmon Arm Secondary and is on the Inashiki Twinning Committee broached the subject with the school board at the June 18 meeting in order to give the Japanese coordinators an answer on SD83's future participation "There's a number of us who'd like to carry on with the program.. adding that retired principal Pam Chudiak remains a strong supporter The question of the program's continuation is largely due to funding issues but with the district as a whole facing a budget crunch DeRosa reassured the board that the committee isn't asking for money.  "What we would like is an indication from the board whether there's any will or intent to carry on the exchange program." He added that Inashiki is willing to consider possible modifications and other cost-saving measures and would like to have an online meeting to discuss the future of the program the board isn't interested in pursuing the exchange any longer the committee would request a formal letter informing Inashiki of that decision “This was a formal agreement with a signed letter of memorandum between the City of Inashiki and School Board 83,” DeRosa said of the program’s origins a note from those of us on the twinning committee would be inadequate.” Providing additional background on the history of the program he explained that it's been taking place for 33 years pre-COVID with SD38 sending students to Inashiki for an immersive experience every March then hosting Japanese kids in August. In a cost saving move a few years before the pandemic organizers started alternating years with just one group making the trip each year An answer on the program's continuation is still pending; however as board chair Amanda Krebs explained that they don't make decisions on delegation presentations at the same meeting but will discuss it in future and provide a formal response at that time 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 Nearly three decades have passed since students began travelling back and forth between Salmon Arm and its sister city Nineteen students and four adults from Inashiki are visiting Salmon Arm from today Fortune in Enderby and one of the exchange organizers range from ages 12 to 18 and are in Grades seven to 12 A fun-filled week is planned for them and their Canadian billet hosts they’ll head to the Friendship Gate at McGuire Lake for photos a gate that was built by carpenters from Japan 29 years ago From there they’re off to city hall to receive an official welcome Read more: 2011 - Students rally for Japan relief Read more: 2011 - Japan’s plight touches Salmon Arm Then it’s the Jackson campus of Salmon Arm Secondary where they’ll tour the school things they don’t normally get to do in school like bake cookies and tie dye T-shirts,” Chudiak explains she says they’re scheduled for Adams River rafting Every year they request to go back there.” while the other half will go to Quaaout Lodge and the driving range Then they’ll get fortified with a bannock taco buffet Wednesday’s destination will be Gardom Lake where they can take part in all the activities provided like navigating the low and high rope course and giving archery a try Friday will be a Sayonara Party at the SASCU Recreation Centre Saturday morning comes time for sad farewells as the Japanese students leave Salmon Arm and head to Banff for three nights Read more: Cities celebrate 25 years of sisterhood Read more: Garden gift well over 1,000 students have gone back and forth… I think we’re very proud of our sister city exchange We got honoured a few years back by the Japanese consulate-general for being one of three of the longest running in Canada.” She says students from all over the district and in Grades eight to 12 are chosen to go She will be taking 20 Salmon Arm students to Japan in March next year Chudiak points to better understanding of each other’s cultures our Japanese students become part of our Salmon Arm families – and form long-lasting relationships Our daughter went and she’s now 28 – she still communicates with her host.” @SalmonArmmarthawickett@saobserver.netLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter Twenty nine years after he instigated Salmon Arm’s sister city relationship with a Japanese city Chris Filiatrault once again returned to city hall to help with the exchange Louise Wallace Richmond and Debbie Cannon welcome the group from Inashiki as well as supporting the Japanese guests as they expressed their thoughts and appreciation Filiatrault had moved from Salmon Arm to Japan in 1983 His idea for the exchange was accepted in 1990 and then-Salmon Arm Mayor Dick Smith went to Japan A formal declaration hangs on the wall of room #100 in city hall Read more: Salmon Arm’s sister city exchange with Inashiki, Japan marks 29 years Read more: Students rally for Japan relief Read more: Sister city grateful for assistance Read more: Japan’s plight touches Salmon Arm “There’s been a lot of support for it,” Filiatrault said “I think it’s time to retire – I’m going to be 60 pretty soon,” he said Monday with a smile He adds he’ll always join in “but it would be good to see young people come up with some fresh ideas.” Overall he said the exchange has been really wonderful all the forging of international relationships “All the people I’ve met and all the fun I’ve had; it’s been a very good part of my life.” At Monday’s welcome of the 16 junior high students three senior high and four adults from Inashiki the students bravely took to the lectern to speak in English about their families hobbies and their wish to make good friends in Salmon Arm They were praised by mayor and council for their excellent command of the language The group leaders spoke of how happy they are to be here how proud they are of the exchange and how their wish is to keep the exchange going strong Salmon Arm’s exchange has been recognized by the Japanese consulate-general for being one of the three longest running in Canada The exchange actually began with Azuma-Machi but that community became amalgamated into Inashiki 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 2023 shows customers browsing through items sold as part of the Uniqlo Pre-owned Clothes Project at the brand's Harajuku store in Tokyo TOKYO — A second-hand pop-up store in Tokyo by casual clothing giant Uniqlo was a first for the Japanese firm but also a sign that a local aversion to used garments may finally be fading Uniqlo is a major player in an industry blamed for immense carbon emissions and other pollutants like microplastics growing awareness of the sector's huge environmental impact has yet to spark much interest in second-hand options Uniqlo's Aya Hanada said the 10-day pop-up in the hip Harajuku district where second-hand clothes were a third of their original price — with some dyed for a "vintage" look — showed attitudes were changing "I think the feeling of resistance to used clothing has disappeared in Japan mainly among young people," said the 45-year-old who works for the firm's recycling programme RE.Uniqlo The change is in part thanks to the internet she told AFP outside one of Uniqlo's major stores which allows customers to access items "without having to go all the way to a second-hand clothing store." 34 per cent of discarded clothing is recycled or reused according to the environment ministry.  But this includes exports to developing countries where the waste also often ends up in tips or is incinerated the equivalent of a truckload of clothes is burnt or buried in landfill every second according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation a charity focused on eliminating waste and pollution estimates that the Japanese second-hand segment represents less than six per cent of the US$75 billion (S$99.9 billion) market used clothes were a small niche confined to hipsters JapanConsuming's co-founder Michael Causton said "Maybe compared to somewhere like France and UK where the ecological it was a fashion thing," Mr Causton told AFP In Japan "there is a very strong concern with hygiene And that definitely was a barrier for the average consumer," he added which touts efforts to transform second-hand clothes into new products and also donates them to refugees and others in need used garment specialist 2nd Street has expanded to 800 stores across Japan There has also been growth in online sales between individuals driven mainly by the popular Japanese platform Mercari where around a third of transactions by value are fashion items Second-hand Japanese clothes are even popular in China and elsewhere "because people know the Japanese look after their stuff and what they will send is a high level of quality." it's clearly stated if there's any damage," said Charlotte Xu an Australian tourist looking through a thrift store in Harajuku "In my home country everything is just in a pile which after years of deflation have been hitting Japanese wallets since 2022 have also helped some to drop their opposition to second-hand "We conducted a user survey last year and it showed that clothes was the number one voted category for purchase on Mercari as a countermeasure against rising prices," a Mercari spokesperson said But the biggest factor for many is simply whether something looks good or not "I am aware of the sustainable side of things but I often buy them simply because they are stylish," shopper Yamato Ogawa Todayonline.com and Today Online domains and apps are now part of 'Channelnewsasia.com' domain We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with TODAY to be fast Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us National Report Thieves are increasingly raiding solar power stations across Japan for copper transmission wiring as prices for the metal have surged globally Local governments are planning ordinances to regulate trade in the metal but they are seeking nationwide legal measures to discourage the thefts was hit by copper thieves three times in April alone suffering an estimated loss of 33 million yen ($213,000) Police said the perpetrators severed cables extending a total of 10 kilometers discarded the sheaths and absconded with only the copper wires The solar plant generates enough electricity to supply 2,400 households on land equivalent to two Tokyo Domes the operator and a security company discussed preventive measures thieves broke fences and stole copper cables at the site on two more occasions Copper thieves strike solar plants mainly at night when the electric current is barely flowing and the removal of wires is more likely to go unnoticed Cutting cable wires alone does not trigger an alarm Operators notice irregularities only after checking the power output the theft group splits up the roles of the members or changes its lineup The management company said copper thieves struck four times over five years at another solar power farm it manages in Inashiki There were also a series of thefts earlier this year The cost for repairing and replacing the cable wires was covered by insurance But the deductible cost for the insurance has increased because of the thefts The management company has installed security sensors and is considering hiring guards to patrol the facility but these measures will be an additional financial burden “An increasing security cost is a big headache for us but we have to find a way to keep thefts from recurring,” a company official said said stolen cables at solar power facilities accounted for 50-60 percent of all thefts involving metals “Damage from thefts appears to have nearly doubled in recent years due to the sharp spike in copper prices,” an association official said Statistics by the National Police Agency showed 16,276 cases of metal thefts in 2023 Chiba prefectural police said more scrap metal dealers have emerged across Japan to buy metal cables--even stolen ones--as metal prices have risen in tandem with inflation Demand is so great that wire thieves can easily find buyers Gunma prefectural police exposed a metal dealer who was suspected of knowingly bought stolen cables from a group of thieves Police believe the dealer likely resold the stolen cables overseas Prefectures in the greater Tokyo area have had the most metal wire thefts with the annual number reaching four digits each Ibaraki led the nation in 2023 for the fourth straight year where thefts doubled from the previous year more than 1,000 theft cases involved cables from solar power facilities the most among the stolen items in the prefecture Local governments are trying to set ordinances to regulate metal buyers Chiba prefectural police revealed a draft ordinance that would designate solar power cables and steel grates that cover roadside ditches as “specific metals.” Dealers trading in specific metals would be required to obtain a commercial license from the Chiba Prefectural Public Safety Commission The proposed ordinance would also require confirmation of the names and addresses of sellers and buyers during the transactions business suspension orders and punitive clauses Ibaraki Prefecture is preparing to revise an ordinance on scrap metal businesses to require them to confirm the identifications of sellers and preserve copies of such IDs But these rules may have only a limited effect in preventing thefts because the ordinances would not apply if the stolen items are taken across prefectural borders A senior official with Chiba prefectural police called on the Diet to enact a law that would allow authorities to tackle cable thefts on a national level (This article was written by Jun Sugie and Daichi Itakura.) Luxury cars fall prey to thieves armed with new ‘invader’ tool Thieves swipe components off old Priuses for the rare metals Thieves raking in millions stealing tiny killifish from aquariums Nearly 20% of Lexus LX SUVs stolen in Aichi Prefecture Thieves target bonsai trees across Japan for lucrative resale When Troy and Heather de Vries hosted Japanese students several years ago they couldn’t have known it would alter the course of their daughter’s life “I was 11 when my family was asked to host a girl for five weeks We would have other Japanese students over and they doted on me and my younger brother I equated this experience with Japan,” says Koryn In her youthful all-encompassing enthusiasm she decided: “One day I’m going to Japan and I’m never coming back.’” to earn money for a trip she knew she would take one day Koryn graduated half a year early and planned to go to Inashiki for a ‘gap year.’ Koryn went over a week before an official delegation from Salmon Arm was due to arrive “Mayor Nancy Cooper stayed at the same home as me and I translated for her they needed me to translate and it kept me from being homesick.” she attend high school to improve her language skills But most of her strong friendships and influences came from other places a retired couple who made her feel very welcome he knows everybody and is on the planning committee whenever anyone from Salmon Arm comes over Koryn wrote a blog (ryninjapan.wordpress.com) and it is filled with interesting details of daily life in Japan “One of the highlights was my road trip to Matsumoto castle I went with the oldest daughter (of the host family) and one of her friends It was a lot of fun to connect with her and see something incredible and I learned a lot about the country.” She is also a big fan of the cuisine and it shows in her blogging “Japanese food is amazing and the special dinners were so pretty they needed to be photographed.” Koryn says another very special memory was volunteering at a Bible camp “It was super cool to connect with little kids from different areas of Japan and to see what’s going on in their lives.” Koryn can smile at the idea that she would never leave Japan She will be going to a Christian university in Japan starting this fall This past year has been a year of great personal growth for Koryn and she encourages other young people to travel and dream globally “It’s character building and important to do It broadens horizons and lets you see mindsets beyond your own.” A moderate magnitude 4.5 earthquake hit 12.2 km (8 mi) away from Tsuchiura, Ibaraki,  Japan The quake had a moderate depth of 99 km (61 mi) and was felt widely in the area.