An annual event to drive away pests from rice plants called "Ineno Mushi Okuri," was held on July 6 in the Tamonin area of Maizuru with around 70 residents and others walking through paddy fields in a procession was discontinued after a 1953 typhoon disaster It was revived only in 2013 by a group of senior citizens and has since been held annually in early July participants included not just area children and their parents but workers involved in the operation of the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway The participants lit their torches and began marching at 7 p.m on July 6 before the sun had completely set Over about an hour and a half along Sobotani River beating the hyotan (gourd) and sending them off to the island off the shore." the brightly lit torches created a spectacle in the passageways of the paddy fields but it was also very fun," a 9-year-old fourth grader at the local Shinmaizuru Elementary School said with a smile Kyoto Shimbun Unique volleyball tournament in muddy rice paddy held in Shiga Kyoto local expert teaches how to create hornet trap using plastic bottle "Trainee manager" connects people through her share house in northern Kyoto 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 Today's print edition Home Delivery the only son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko will attend a coming-of-age ceremony on Sept the Imperial Household Agency said Thursday The event will be the first coming-of-age ceremony for a male member of the imperial family since that of Crown Prince Akishino 40 years ago.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Japan's age of adulthood was lowered to 18 in a recent revision to the Civil Code became an adult when he turned 18 last September But his ceremony was postponed as he focused on his studies before entering university currently a third-year student at the University of Tsukuba's Senior High School at Otsuka in Tokyo is set to enter the national university in Ibaraki Prefecture in April The coming-of-age ceremony schedule was decided "in consideration of imperial family event plans and his life after entering university," Yasuhiko Nishimura The ceremony will be held during the prince's summer break from school the ceremony will be hosted by his parents Following the precedents of Emperor Naruhito and Crown Prince Akishino it will include a ritual for receiving a crown for an adult imperial family member a crowning ritual and a ritual for greeting the Emperor and Empress Masako It is customary for imperial family members to receive the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum on the day of their coming-of-age ceremonies Prince Hisahito will attend palace events as an adult member of the imperial family The prince is set to hold his first news conference Monday 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 Leaf KYOTO Store Locations Found in Maizuru A popular cafe [Laboratoire] where you can take a coffee break at your favorite time After leaving his hometown and gaining food and beverage experience at cafes where he can have a cup of coffee before work in the morning or talk with friends without losing track of time This unlikely café space has already become an indispensable and popular place in Higashi Maizuru The counter is lined with a wide variety of baked goods such as canelés as well as roll cakes and cream puffs on standby Seven years have passed since Maeda opened his store believing that "it should be possible to do interesting things even in a rural area." This fall is scheduled to open in the same row house We will continue to keep an eye on Maeda's challenges Nice-style sandwiches filled with boiled potatoes is available in a choice of five different beans Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information Kyoto Prefecture—Dubbed the “Venice of the East” on social media and elsewhere the city is not in danger of sinking but is working to preserve its traditional landscape The Yoshihara district in Maizuru is a step out of time with a water channel lined with “funaya” boatsheds These and other historical features are rooted in its distant past as a fishing district within the Edo Period (1603-1867) castle town The district's strip-like docks stretch out on both sides of the Yoshihara Irie waterway which is 10 meters wide and 550 meters long and spills into the west port in Maizuru Bay Spanning the channel is Minatsuki bridge—a popular photo spot for visitors who want to capture the picturesque scenery Yoshihara earned its online nickname thanks to views of fishing boats moored beside narrow homes Maizuru city hopes to eventually register Yoshihara as a state-designated protected zone for historic buildings Its recent efforts include releasing a survey report and sightseeing map “A characteristic of Maizuru lies in its well-preserved town design,” said Tatsuya Matsumoto a senior Maizuru official in charge of history we will be gearing up for the district’s designation while winning over residents’ understanding.” Yoshihara was a slice of a thriving town outside Tanabe Castle in what is now the western part of Maizuru The district is said to have relocated to its current site from the castle town following a huge fire in 1727 Maizuru launched its survey on Yoshihara with the assistance of Kyoto Women's University in 2020 The aim was exploring methods to conserve the area’s historical landscape and the research report was compiled in March of this year The report illustrated the district’s history up to present day by comparing materials that included the local Tanabe domain’s records and a cadastral chart of land ownership from the Meiji Era (1868-1912) with findings from the on-site study the structure of the district has mostly been maintained since the early Meiji Era for up to 150 years Among its existing historical features are the narrow docks lined with 500 houses paths leading to the waterway and a network of streets linking boatsheds A private home there was allegedly built as early as in the late Edo Period A closer look at the cadastral charts from the Meiji Era and the Taisho Era (1912-1926) revealed that the funaya could accommodate upwards of 480 boats characterized by around 500 fishing boats lining the funaya was remarkable in its magnificence,” the report states While no funaya from those times remain operational some of them still retain their original appearance The report concludes that Yoshihara is “extremely rare across Japan because the former fishing town continues to maintain its initial design.” it called for the protection of funaya as traditional buildings to represent “essential components of Yoshihara.” the report estimates that “more than 40 percent of homes are left vacant” in Yoshihara given that many residents of the district are elderly couples or live alone as 16 fishermen were working in Yoshihara as of 2020 the report demands that the area be protected as “an active fishing town.” With potentially cramped roads in Yoshihara in mind the report cites the need for countermeasures against an excessive influx of tourists as a particularly urgent challenge to overcome Maizuru took the report into account when it commissioned Kyoto Women's University to create a Yoshihara walking map in an endeavor to showcase the district’s life The map is available on the websites of the municipality and the university while 2,000 paper copies were made and distributed in September; they can be found at the city government office and elsewhere Century-old Kyoto ‘sento’ to join tangible cultural asset list Separating fact from fiction in shadowy world of the ninja Only photo of Fukuchiyama Castle in feudal age causes a stir Castles resurrect wooden donjons to restore former splendor Hilltop Miharu Castle comes to life again with free app 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 Spots Photo courtesy of Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau Sapporo Development and Construction Department can you see the trapezoidal plaza in the middle of the field There is also a watering hole on the premises that is popular with wild birds Naganuma Town was originally an area of marshes and swamps With the construction of the Maizuru Retarding Basin in 2015 many different birds can now be seen again When you look at the gracefulness of the swans flying in formation and the faces of the swans as they land on the water's edge you'll notice how cute and charming they are The sight of the white-tailed eagles circling leisurely in the sky is truly majestic The sight of all the migratory birds taking flight at once is a spectacular sight there are many exhibits where you can learn about the types of birds you can see here and the efforts being made by Naganuma Town Naganuma Town is working on "town development where red-crowned cranes can live" and it has been confirmed that red-crowned crane chicks have been born in the Maizuru Retarding Basin for the first time in over 100 years Team Buchi Neko has many connections to Hokkaido's tourist spots and facilities There are many wonderful resources in Hokkaido that we take for granted when we live there We will spread the charm of such a wonderful Hokkaido [7 minutes walk from Sapporo Station] Enjoy hot springs A comfortable stay at the 605-room "Sapporo Hotel by Granbell" [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels "So cute it's unfair" - Feel the healing power of a sleeping miniature horse [Information on the early opening on April 25th] Sapporo Odori's newest attraction Floor details and highlights of "4PLA" opening in summer 2025 A hotel in the center of Sapporo with a superb sauna and large public bath Experience the warmth that is unique to Hokkaido at "Danyuki Sapporo" [2025 Edition] 7 recommended cherry blossom spots in the Kitami and eastern Hokkaido areas Enjoy cherry blossom viewing in the great outdoors Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category You can check the information of your “town” in one place Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service 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 A large arch with the words “Welcome back!” greeted those landing on the shore from the ship Town citizens gathered around the bay with Japanese flags How great it must have felt to come back from the ravages and suffering of the Second World War This was a common scene on the beautiful bay of Maizuru City a small port town along the Sea of Japan with a population of 80,000 people the first point of contact for an estimated 346 ships and 6.6 million Japanese landed back in Japan was this small town: Maizuru.  one group which stands out was composed of about 460,000 Japanese who returned home after enduring forced labor all over the ex-Soviet Union.  Where one might imagine it as a mere transactional process here lies an instance of the kindness of human nature took it upon themselves to welcome those who returned and generous donations of food and drink.   a small parenthesis showcasing the benevolence of man in the midst of destruction.  There is a problem though: not many people know about this history.  so does the risk of forgetting the role Maizuru played in postwar Japan Yet there are those who are trying to do something about it.  High school students are coming together to find new ways to communicate this important piece of local history to the next generation.  Teaming up with the Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum, one class in Higashi Maizuru High School has performed an English play based on one story connected with the repatriation, which was posted on YouTube on March 20 The play has the ambitious aim of telling this history of Maizuru to the world.  twenty or so middle school and high school students from all over the city have offered their free time as guides at the local Repatriation Museum By doing so they can tell the story in their own way and therefore contribute to keeping the town’s oral history alive.  is from Nissei High School and is one particularly active student guide at the museum She told us about her determination to pass the message on to the next generation:  but I think many of us don’t have a concrete idea it’s a shame if it gets lost.[...] I want to work as hard as I can so that as many people as possible know about this history.” How do you bring something which goes 75 years back to WWII into the 21st century students did it by carrying out an English performance of the story of Kuro the dog.  Ten students rehearsed their lines over a period of several months, helped by their teacher Shizuyo Tanaka and their English teachers (James Kuba and Andrew Sinnes). Students from the art club did illustrations, and then ten students acted out an English voice over. Their effort culminated in a roughly ten minute video, which was uploaded on YouTube just on March 20 It narrates the true story of soldiers who were held captive in Siberia and their friendship with a black dog promptly baptized “Kuro” (black) the captives and their friend Kuro manage to survive And the kids' powerful performance brings the message home they act out the glee of the soldiers when being reunited with their friend Kuro reproducing the emotion of the time.  There were of course difficulties in creating the English version of the project compared to the Japanese version which was done in 2016 Several of the kids referred to the difficulty of getting speed and intonation right and putting extra emotion in their voices so as to convey the story better.  it was an opportunity to get to know the story better and becoming active ambassadors in relaying this history to the world.  grew up in the Philippines before moving to Japan She shared with us how she first learned of the project:  so I had never heard this specific story before so personally I thought ‘Oh there is a dog how cute.’ But then when there was a moment when the dog risked his life I shed a little tear...The fact that the war is bad and that life is preciousー not just the life of humans but also those of animalsー it’s an important lesson it’s necessary and important to relay this story to as many people as possible.” Although most students had heard of the story before through visits to the museum many admitted that the experience of performing the play made them more confident about passing on the stories to others.  Another project participant Aya Yokoi explained her feelings this way:  “I feel like I have really left something tangible I didn’t have enough knowledge to share with people and enough to tell peopleー not only people abroad I think I have developed enough of a skill to deliver the message.”  reflected this way on her hopes for the future: “We don’t often get to do something like this so I think it’s a precious opportunity to relay the story I hope that this is not just the first and last time but it can be an opportunity to continue to the next generation.” aptly summarized the importance of the project: “I think it’s a history that Japanese can be proud of I think that if people go to the museum it would be great so apart from the museum I think this sort of activity of doing videos and using SNS is really important.” The town’s memory of this period of history is preserved in the Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum It was built from a joint effort of the town and people all over the country donating funds.  It features objects and memorabilia of those held in labor camps in freezing Siberia There are letters written in censored language for the USSR authorities and objects such as diaries made out of white birch wood made to help the Japanese captives keep a shred of mental sanity.  and the verbal accounts of people who were instrumental in bringing attention to the Japanese held in Siberia ー and in welcoming them back to Japan.  The museum has come a long way since it was initially opened in 1988 At the time many didn’t know about Maizuru’s history outside of the townspeople who lived through the time Now every student in the city visits the museum when they are in the last year of elementary school and the last few years the venue welcomed almost 100,000 visitors per year.  told us of the importance of getting out the word of the history of the town:  of which there is still so much which is unknown spreading the word about the history of Maizuru.” But how does one communicate this history to the younger generation?  a 17-year old who is an active participant in the effort to keep the memory of Maizuru’s history alive.  she first approached the idea of being a guide in the repatriation museum It was the memories of her grandfather that pushed her to become an active proponent of passing the history of Maizuru to the next generation.  But he always told us stories of when they would hear the sound of the ship approaching the port when he was in elementary school The classes would be interrupted so that everyone could go and greet the returnees.” Aoi Mashimo is a direct link to this history and she wants to keep that link alive.  She is now part of a group of 20 or so middle and high school students who dedicate their free time to being part time guides in the museum They split up their roles and find their ways of telling the story.  but I have an interest in this and therefore I studied and I try to convey the history to adults and children alike in a way which reflects me.” She described how she would adjust her language when she talks to children and take a more interactive approach in the section of the museum which reproduces a life sized labor camp dormitory.  “I would tell them to try lying down and thinking about what it must have been like.” explained why the activity was so important to her:  “I am especially happy when people thank me for being a guide some people come to the museum and ask if the student guides are available but it’s important to think how we can communicate with the younger generation If I can be a way for people to know more about this she explained why it was so important that this history isn’t just forgotten:  “My grandfather was one of the people who was welcoming these returnees back to Japan I don’t want to let this memory of him fade I want to work as hard as I can so that as many people as possible know about this history.” which struck me the most when we talked about the importance of this history:  “We made a promise to those who came back to remember what happened here [...] This is a story which above all is about love the city is finding ways of bringing out this positive message thanks to the tireless efforts of the mayor the city succeeded to get the history of repatriation recognized on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.  Maizuru has started ties with the capital of Uzbekistan The theater and the Japanese laborers who built it are held dear in the collective memory of the locals.  have visited the city to keep the ties alive The Uzbek judo and wrestling team were also supposed to visit Maizuru for their training before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.   Mayor Tatami concluded: “The people here are kind I think it perhaps goes back to the repatriation period.[...] I would like for the city to become a place where we can always help each other and where people from all over Japan will want to come and live.” Perhaps the younger generation is finding ways to help this spirit become a reality.  You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Museums have no borders,they have a network each set to tackle two main topics: “Museums and Global Issues” and “Local Communities and Museums” The opening speeches were delivered by Ryozo Tatami Commissioner of Cultural Affairs in Japan; and Johei Sasaki president of the ICOM Kyoto 2019 Organising Committee dedicated to challenges with a global scope showed examples of how museums around the world respond to issues such as climate change The second panel focused on local communities and how museums enhance the knowledge of their own history by going beyond walls encouraging participation and building meaningful relationships with indigenous peoples These inspiring discussions demonstrated the vitality of the reflection around the theme of the General Conference which is “Museums as Cultural Hubs: The Future of Tradition” The sessions concluded with closing remarks from Masumi Zeniya President of the Japanese Association of Museums and executive director of the Tokyo National Museum the National Museum of Kyoto hosted a reception where the local authorities Tatami and the governor of the Prefecture of Kyoto Takatoshi Nishiwaki reiterated their involvement in the organisation of the General Conference and sent their best wishes for its success participants travelled through the historic mackerel route to arrive to the Kyoto Conference Centre which will host the 2019 ICOM General Conference Representatives from the international committees were able to visit the facilities and meet with the Organising Committee of ICOM Kyoto 2019 to start organising their sessions which will be held during the General Conference Thanks to the excellent preparation of the Organising Committee this rehearsal of the General Conference was a great success and a good omen for the debates that will take place next year In the morning before the Maizuru conference participants were able to visit the Repatriation Memorial Museum which is situated on the eastern coast of Japan was the port of return for around 660,000 people who had been deported during the conflict which retraces the historical evolution of this material The 18-year-old student at the University of Tsukuba's Senior High School at Otsuka in Tokyo passed a test at the Samezu driver's license center in the Japanese capital according to the sources.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Prince Hisahito is set to enter the University of Tsukuba in April Many students at the national university in Ibaraki Prefecture use bicycles and cars to travel around the campus and its surrounding areas "We want him to live a safe and fulfilling university life," an aide to the prince said "We believe he will consider a suitable way to go to school." Croissants from Boulangerie mon coeur that everyone is reaching for Hashimoto opened his own business in his hometown of Maizuru at the age of 40 having always had a passion for the bread industry which he had been away from for a long time Now celebrating its sixth anniversary this year the bakery's passion for bread has not changed and "I am energized by customers who choose bread with a smile on their faces," says the baker who bakes 70 to 80 kinds of bread using 14 different types of dough in a kitchen that looks into the store with deft hands The signature item you don't want to forget to buy here is the croissant whose reputation continues to spread by word of mouth are filled with the ideas of the female staff combining crispy dough and custard with seasonal fruit Croissant Sandwich Caprese 388 yen is a royal combination of tomato and mozzarella cheese with a refreshing basil sauce twice-folded type with a strong buttery flavor a store serving exquisite rice balls and rice flour sweets a rice shop that has been in business for 80 years has opened an antenna store for onigiri rice balls and rice flour sweets "I hope people will rediscover the deliciousness of rice," especially now that the price of wheat has skyrocketed and rice food is once again attracting attention The rice balls are made mainly from Koshihikari rice grown in Tango by contract farmers blended with a little glutinous rice so that the rice tastes good even when cold The freshly milled rice is cooked in fresh water from Manai and combined with special ingredients Also interesting are novel products that show the potential of rice such as financiers and madeleines made with homemade rice flour and chicken fried chicken using rice flour for the batter rich flavor of the egg yolk soaked in broth and soy sauce for two days enhances the sweetness of the rice Sujiko (sushi roe) 250 yen is a luxurious dish with the original flavor of sujiko which is not marinated in soy sauce but salted to perfection Ebi temmusu (shrimp tempura) 250 yen is battered with finely milled rice flour to ensure crispy frying Japanese version Leaf KYOTO Cafe Commercial complex "atick" will open on September 14 (Sat) adjacent to Maizuru Akarenga Park in Kyoto a commercial complex [atick] will open on the site of the former Bunkoyama Gakuen Leaf KYOTO I want to go out of my way to visit! Seafood in season in winter in Kyoto's northern area "Umi-no-Kyoto With the cold weather in full swing, winter foods are finally coming into season. Many people may look forward to brand-name crabs, such as the Manin crab and Maizuru crab, as a reward for a year's work. The northern part of Kyoto, facing the Sea of Japan, is known as the "Kyoto of the Sea" and is blessed with delicious seafood throughout the year. To learn more about this area, we took a special tour of the Maizuru Fishing Port! Shivering in temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, I arrived at the Maizuru Fishing Port to observe the auction. ［The auction at Maizuru Fishing Port usually starts at 9:30 a.m., and middlemen gather to examine the fish on display. A middleman with a numbered tag on his head tells the auctioneer how much the fish will be sold for, and when the fish is sold, the price and the buyer's number are affixed to the fish. It was the first time for me to observe the auction, and I was surprised that I could not read the hand movements at all. I couldn't help but wonder how they were able to see the whole process. The person wearing the orange hat is the auctioneer. I had thought that larger fish were more popular, but he says that larger fish are not necessarily better, as reasonable sized fish sell best in supermarkets. They look at the condition and form of the fish to identify the best fish. I learned that it is a tough world where one must have a proper knowledge of the condition and market price of fish in order to be able to bid for them at a fair price. In fact, by reading the QR code on the white plate attached to the green tag and entering the number on the back of the tag on the search page of the official website of the fishery cooperative, you can find out where and when the fish was landed as well as which fishing boat caught it. It is a little reassuring to know that the process from the time the fish is landed to the time it enters our mouths is shared with us. Select your souvenirs at Tachibana Shoten, a fish shop loved not only by tourists but also by locals. The lineup of fresh sashimi and crabs, as well as side dishes, will make you wonder which one to buy. One after another, the stores were crowded with customers seeking delicious seafood. It was impressive to see so many people enjoying their shopping that they always stop by here when they come to Kyotango. would pollute it.Tatami was eventually taken to a nearby hospital and his life was not in danger according to city officials.The sumo association's newly elected chairman Hakkaku apologised for the incident and thanked the women."It was an inappropriate response in the life-threatening situation I deeply apologise," Hakkaku said in a statement.The action of the referee has drawn sharp criticism from some sections of the Japanese media including sumo wrestling journalist Taro Arai."I think it is all right for women to get on the ring when there is a reason to do so," Arai told Reuters "There is no historical ground or reason at all why they cannot."Arai who supervises the Sumo Fan magazine aimed at the sport's growing female fanbase said it was not the first time females had been allowed onto the sumo ring."In the past there have been cases where little girls got on the ring and wrestled with sumo wrestlers in sumo fan events," he stressed."So women on the ring has been approved by the Sumo Association (previously)."The incident comes at a difficult time for sumo in Japan The ancient sport has been plagued by a series of scandals in recent months.Hakkaku is attempting to rebuild his sport's tarnished reputation after former yokozuna – the highest ranking in the sport – Harumafuji retired in December after assaulting a junior wrestler.In February Japanese police said they had referred a sumo wrestler to prosecutors on suspicion of indecent assault and last month Egyptian wrestler Osunaarashi was asked to retire after being involved in a car accident while driving without a license.Reporting by Jack Tarrant; Additional reporting by Ami Miyazaki; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Sudipto Ganguly Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Tendo City in Yamagata Prefecture has a reputation for shogi which is sometimes known as Japanese chess it is the largest producer of flat wooden shogi pieces in Japan.  a human shogi game with forty men and women dressed in traditional kimono Each one played the role of a shogi piece.  faced off in a heated battle against rival Daichi Sasaki It was the first time to hold the event in 3 years following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic the Tendo human shogi game board was set up on a 15-meter square on the top of Mount Maizuru in the city.  calling out: “Let’s have a fair fight!” There are special rules in Tendo human shogi Competitors must move each piece at least once during the game while speaking their moves in the language of samurai.  Early in the game when the pieces were barely moving from their initial positions don’t you think?.” Laughter burst out in the audience.  After much effort was exerted in maneuvering all the human pieces Fujii won the match in the 130th move for checkmate The venue is a frequent location for major title matches of the game as well as home to the annual human shogi match.  the five-titled Fujii was enthusiastic about the experience “The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and the weather is fine It has been a great experience ー I want to come back again for the next title match.”  What is your hidden wonder of Japan? Upload your picture here (Read the article in Japanese at this link.) You must be logged in to post a comment. 2018 1:57 AM EDTFemale medics attempting to save the life of a Japanese mayor who collapsed in a sumo ring were ordered to get off the stage which is considered a sacred space from which women are banned Medical attendants rushed onto the platform in Kyoto on Wednesday when Maizuru Mayor Ryozo Tatami, 67, tumbled to the floor while making a speech, the Mainichi reports. Amid the mayhem an announcement ordered the women attendants to leave the ring Tatami was hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage and underwent surgery but is in stable condition The Japan Sumo Association subsequently issued an apology “The response was inappropriate considering that someone’s life was in danger I am deeply sorry,” JSA chief Nobuyoshi Hakkaku said in a statement Women are traditionally barred from entering or touching the sumo ring, known as the dohyō. Japan’s first female governor, Fusae Ota, repeatedly clashed with the JSA over whether she would be permitted to crown the champion of an annual tournament a traditional responsibility of the governor of Osaka In recent years, women’s sumo competitions have gained popularity, but the sport’s governing body limits them to the amateur level Write to Eli Meixler at eli.meixler@time.com One of Japan's oldest shipyards has thrown in the towel and will focus on ship repair Japan’s Marine United (JMU)'s 100-year-old shipyard at Maizuru has delivered its last commercial ship — to Taiwan’s Wisdom Marine Line. The Japanese shipbuilder said the 82,418-dwt panamax bulk carrier Sakizaya Victory (built 2021) — handed over to Wisdom Marine on 26 May — would be the last merchant ship to be built at the shipyard. The bulk carrier is built to Energy Efficiency Design Index Phase 2 standards and is fitted with a high-efficiency bulb, duct... Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Your data on TradeWinds TradeWinds is part of DN Media Group AS From November 1st DN Media Group is responsible for controlling your data on TradeWinds We use your data to ensure you have a secure and enjoyable user experience when visiting our site. You can read more about how we handle your information in our privacy policy DN Media Group is the leading news provider in the shipping, seafood, and energy industries, with a number of English- and Norwegian-language news publications across a variety of sectors. Read more about DN Media Group here TradeWinds is part of NHST Global Publications AS and we are responsible for the data that you register with us and the data we collect when you visit our websites We use cookies in a variety of ways to improve your experience such as keeping NHST websites reliable and secure personalising content and ads and to analyse how our sites are being used For more information and how to manage your privacy settings please refer to our privacy and cookie policies Cruising to Kyoto Prefecture offers travellers a fresh way to explore the natural and cultural treasures of one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations home to Japan’s ancient imperial capital is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations the prefecture offers a wealth of natural and historical treasures from the shrines and gardens of the city to the scenic landscapes of the northern coast is that the many sights of the region can be visited onboard a cruise ship.  Kyoto Maizuru Port is accessible through an inlet eight kilometres from the open sea where cruise guests are greeted with a coastal landscape surrounded by mountains with calm waters and a tidal range of less than 30 centimetres throughout the year The 2nd Quay features a passenger terminal which was opened in 2021 and is equipped with customs as well as a waiting space that includes a nursing room and toilet can accommodate larger ships of over 130,000gt Cruise ships can also anchor in Miyazu Bay or further up the coast in Ine Bay.  Costa Cruises' Costa Serena was among the cruise ships welcomed to Kyoto Maizuru in 2024 When cruise ships dock at Kyoto Maizuru Port guests have access to a tourist information counter offering informative pamphlets and maps of the area in multiple languages as well as a currency exchange counter to ensure they are prepared for their visit They also benefit from a free wi-fi service.   Maizuru City offers a range of culinary treats for guests to sample is said to have been created in the city when a Japanese citizen who had studied in England returned home and recreated the stew he had enjoyed while abroad using soy sauce and sugar instead of wine and butter Local produce can be sampled at the city’s oyster huts which serve Pacific oysters in March and rock oysters from May to August a local type of sushi featuring mackerel oboro was originally prepared by families for festivals but can now be found in restaurants Visitors can also try making Maizuru Kamaboko a local speciality dish made from minced fish in a kitchen just 10 minutes from the passenger terminal.   one of the traditional scenic sights of Japan by taking a 50-minute bus ride from the port The pine-covered sandbar has been a tourist destination since ancient times when pilgrims from the city of Kyoto used Amanohashidate as a path to visit shrines and temples The landscape has appeared in works of art for hundreds of years including in some of Japan’s famous ukiyo-e woodblock prints Visitors to Amanohashidate can take part in the custom of mata-nozoki bending forward to view the scenery upside down through their legs from vantage points overlooking the sandbar.  sea taxis offer views of the 230 boat houses or ‘funaya’ where boats are stored on the first floor while the second floor serves as a living space Visitors can tour the interior of a funaya and experience the unique lifestyle of the residents.   The city of Kyoto is only 90 minutes away from Maizuru by bus offering a perfect opportunity for guests to explore the popular destination Kyoto was the capital of Japan for more than 1000 years and 17 shrines and temples are registered as part of the ‘Historic Properties of Ancient Kyoto’ World Cultural Heritage Site The city’s mix of history and modernity offers a rich destination for guests to explore.  Tags: ports and destinations   News   CFR-64   CFR-SS-2024 The most popular stories of the month delivered to your inbox Sofia Lotto Persio reports mainly on Asia and gender issues for Newsweek She previously covered international affairs with a specific focus on Europe and the Middle East for IBTimes UK She has previously reported on global trade finance and fintech at Global Trade Review and written about LGBT rights in Italy for the Economist Intelligence Unit either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Female medics who rushed to save a man's life after he collapsed during a sumo event were told by organizers to "get out" of the ring The incident occurred at a gym in the Kyoto Preferecture hosting a Japan Sumo Association event on Wednesday The 66-year-old Maizuru city mayor Ryozo Tatami was giving a speech in the dohyō (sumo ring) when he suddenly collapsed to the ground A video of the event broadcasted on several Japanese channels shows a woman swiftly stepping onto the ring where a few officials surrounded the mayor entered the ring to assist in the life-saving efforts But a referee repeatedly told them "Ladies please get out of the ring," according to the translation provided by Japanese broadcaster NHK—the message was heard loud and clear across the gym's public speaker system The women can then be seen stepping out of the ring but remaining by the sidelines to supervise the rescue efforts The mayor was taken to a hospital and is said to be in a stable condition The women's treatment was widely criticized on social media and warranted an apology by the chairman of the JSA Nobuyoshi Hokutoumi "It was an inappropriate response in the life-threatening situation I deeply apologize," Hakkaku said in a statement quoted in Reuters adding he was deeply grateful to the women who provided first-aid response Sumo wrestling is one of Japan's most popular sports and it's deeply embedded in Shinto religious principles because their presence is considered "unclean"—due the belief menstrual blood is "impure"—and would pollute it Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Four cities in Japan have come together to showcase their history as catalysts of modernization and invite visitors to discover their appeal chosen during the Meiji Period (1868-1912) to become centers for developing Japan’s naval capability on the path to an industrialized world These cities experienced an influx of Western cuisine were hubs for talented people and new ideas speeding the modernization of their respective local communities And recently, they have come up with a YouTube video to showcase their charms to the world Kure and Maizuru first came up with the idea to highlight their shared history and transformations in 1999 and they organized the annual Naval City Gourmet Exchange Each of the four cities has their own local specialties inspired by Western influences like Kure’s Nikujaga ー a stew usually made with beef the Naval City Gourmet Exchange has been held regularly the four cities also chose to take one step further using the opportunity to showcase their common characteristics in new ways the cities applied to have their shared history recognized as a unique “Japan Heritage'' by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs They successfully achieved this accolade in April 2016 While the four cities share similar characteristics and historical importance there is something different in each one for everyone to enjoy famous for its stunning views and fun summer activities There is the Kure Maritime Museum “Yamato Museum” preserving the history of the region.  And Sasebo offers the Huis Ten Bosch Maizuru features the Repatriation Memorial Museum which traces the city’s history as a major port for soldiers returning to Japan after the Second World War There are also sites in each city where the technological and cultural exchange of the time can be fully appreciated. Sasebo’s imposing 136-meters high Hario Transmitting station is among them. It is thought to have been used to transmit the code message ordering the attack of Pearl Harbor is now converted into a cultural space with a museum and event spaces which bring the community together The Naval City Gourmet Exchange has been on hold for the past two years due to COVID-19 but it is set to return ー this time in Sasebo ー in the fall 2022 the cities welcomed domestic visitors and overseas tourists Sasebo and Yokosuka have plenty of appeal for people from all over the world And they are a must see for those who want a warm welcome and different tourism experience (This article was realised in collaboration with the four naval station cities. Find more information about the four cities here.) You must be logged in to post a comment At the time of Japan’s defeat in August 1945 around 6.6 million Japanese nationals found themselves stranded outside the country This total was made up of roughly equal numbers of military personnel and civilians Repatriation of soldiers and other members of the armed forces got under way in September in accordance with the provisions of Item 9 of the Potsdam Declaration which decreed that: “The Japanese military forces shall be permitted to return to their homes with the opportunity to lead peaceful and productive lives.” There were no legal provisions in place regarding the repatriation of civilians and the Japanese government was slow to respond to the developing crisis the government even instructed Japanese nationals overseas to stay where they were Japanese civilians were subject to the authority of five different zones of military control each run by a different Allied power: China the United States (in Saipan and other southern parts of the defeated Japanese empire Britain and the Netherlands (most of Southeast Asia) The victorious powers varied greatly in the treatment they meted out to Japanese Those who ended up under Soviet authority fared particularly badly Areas in the Soviet zone of control included the former Japanese puppet state in Manchuria (northeastern China) northern parts of the former colony of Korea Sakhalin (the southern half of which had been the Japanese territory of Karafuto) the Soviet Union unilaterally abrogated its treaty of neutrality and declared war on Japan home to around 1.55 million Japanese at the time including groups of agricultural pioneers who had been sent to settle and develop the colony Since most of the young men and adolescent boys had been mobilized into the Kwantung Army in the desperate final stages of the war and children who were left to flee for their lives They wandered on foot through fields and wilderness coming under attack from a frequently hostile local population and when they finally reached urban areas were met with violence and looting at the hands of Soviet soldiers Many children were handed over to Chinese families in a desperate attempt boost their chances of survival while many women gave up any hope of ever returning to Japan A boy waits forlornly to be repatriated to Japan the boy was not allowed to board a ship because he had no papers to prove his identity This photograph is believed to have been taken in Busan in 1946 The Soviets had no interest in repatriating Japanese civilians left behind in Manchuria and it was only after the withdrawal of the Soviet troops in May 1946 that repatriation finally began Some of the people on board the first ships to leave had traveled 2,000 kilometers from the Soviet border to the port of Huludao in southern Manchuria the departure point for the repatriation transports Some 245,000 people lost their lives in Manchuria including those killed in the fighting with Soviet troops at the end of the war—more than those who died in the massive fire-bombing raids on Tokyo The disarmed Japanese troops did not fare much better The Soviet Army rounded up around 575,000 disarmed Japanese soldiers and carted them off to the Siberian Gulag where they were forced to labor in temperatures of 20 to 40 degrees below zero succumbed to the harsh conditions and starvation during this Siberian captivity Each transport carried between 2,000 and 3,000 people The ships were subject to strict quarantine rules to prevent the spread of infectious disease there was an outbreak of cholera on a repatriation vessel that had sailed from Canton and had already entered the port of Uraga near Yokosuka A strict offshore quarantine was imposed on 20 ships waiting to offload their passengers Around 70,000 returnees were forced to wait with their homeland agonizingly within reach Some 400 of them died on board before touching Japanese soil curator at the Memorial Museum for Soldiers the hardships continued even after they eventually did make it back to Japan Many had abandoned everything they owned in the countries they had been forced to flee and had nothing left on which to rebuild their lives once they got back home In the case of people who had been caught up in the Soviet sphere of control the young men who would normally have been the breadwinners often failed to come home for years making it impossible for families to rebuild their lives in the turmoil and upheaval of postwar Japan The indigent condition of many of the repatriated Japanese was covered in the media and became a social scandal The government established a benefit system for repatriated nationals and granted them a small subsidy but these paltry payments were rarely enough to live on and the assets that people had left in the colonies and occupied territories were lost forever The task of bringing home Japanese nationals from the shattered ruins of empire was a massive undertaking all returnees to Japan reentered the country through the port of Maizuru on the coast of Kyoto Prefecture which had prospered before the war as Japan’s only naval port on the Sea of Japan In the 13 years following the end of the war some 660,000 people passed through the port on their way home along with the repatriated remains of around 1.6 million Japanese who had died overseas Japanese prisoners interned in Siberia faced an ordeal that dragged on for up to 11 years for the unluckiest cases it was from this port on the Sea of Japan that they caught their first glimpse of home the city opened the Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum and applied to have materials related to the repatriation experience registered on UNESCO’s list of tangible world heritage and materials documenting the repatriations were added to the International Memory of the World Register under the title “Return to Maizuru Port: Documents Related to the Internment and Repatriation Experiences of Japanese (1945–1956).” In the film Rāgeri yori ai o komete (From Siberia with Love) the protagonist is a Japanese soldier in a Soviet internment camp The film depicts his unvanquished belief that he will one day return to Japan the film comes at a time when the tragedy of war is tearing families apart again in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine war feels closer than it has for many decades a recent exhibition was held to pass on memories of the war and its aftermath to the next generation and communicate a message of peace for the future the Repatriation Memorial Museum in Maizuru and the Memorial Museum for Soldiers and Postwar Repatriates in Tokyo held a joint exhibition to bring the repatriation issue to the attention of a new audience of younger people Under the title Rāgeri kara no messēji: Shiberia yokuryū no kioku o tsunagu (Messages from the Camps: Remembering the Siberian Internment) the exhibition displays around 90 pieces drawn from the collections of the two museums The exhibition ran from February 22 to March 5 at the Kitte (Tokyo Central Post Office) building opposite the South Marunouchi entrance to Tokyo Station The Maizuru museum contributed several materials registered on the International Memory of the World Register including copies of the Shirakaba nisshi (White Birch Journal) that was put together by Japanese inmates in the Siberian internment camps prisoners used birch bark to write waka poems in which they expressed their longing for their homes and families back in Japan Other exhibits included materials that belonged to Hashino Ise a mother who never gave up hope believing that her only son who had been called up and sent to fight overseas She traveled repeatedly to Maizuru to meet the ships bringing home repatriated soldiers and was the model for the Ganpeki no haha (Mother on the Wharf) a popular song and later a television drama depicting the plight of bereaved mothers waiting in vain for sons to return from the war The exhibition also featured a model of the landing bridge built inside the harbor at Maizuru across which thousands of returnees took their first steps on Japanese soil after their perilous journeys home The Shirakaba Nisshi inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World was one of the items on show in the joint exhibition The journal contains around 200 poems written by Japanese internees in Siberian camps The prisoners used the bark of white birch trees instead of paper (Courtesy of the Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum.) A reconstruction of the landing bridge built after the war in Maizuru harbor across which many thousands of repatriated Japanese reentered the country The Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum is nearby (Courtesy of the Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum.) says the idea behind the exhibition was to bring an important message to as many people as possible: “We toured all the ports around the country that were used to repatriate soldiers and citizens after the war communicating the facts about the repatriation and the Siberian internment With the eightieth anniversary of the end of the war approaching in 2025 our hope was that this joint exhibition in the national capital would provide an opportunity for people all over the country to think again about the importance of peace.” One innovative decision the exhibition took was to use young people from Maizuru as narrators and guides people born in the twenty-first century told stories that were previously always narrated by people who had experienced the events at first hand This marked the passing of the torch to a new generation: the work of passing on the history to the next generation was being done by people who belong to the same generation themselves and one from a junior college worked as narrators passing on the story of Maizuru’s history to other young people of their own generation A junior high school student works as a guide passing on the lessons of history to a group of young visitors to the Repatriation Memorial Museum in Maizuru The museum and others like it face serious problems as the last survivors of the war generation pass away materials and other souvenirs that survivors preserved during their lives are scattered or simply thrown away when their owners die who worked to get materials relating to the Japanese repatriation experiences included in the Memory of the World register says he’s worried that precious memories and historical documents may be lost “Some 6.3 million people were brought back home alive And now it’s starting to fade from Japanese history,” he says The Memorial Museum in Tokyo says the museum has been approached by an increasing number of people—both survivors and their children—who want to donate items to the museum But he says he is worried about the next generation “The grandchildren are often less informed or concerned about these things that were so important to their grandparents we’re running an exhibition of postcards sent by the last internees to return from Siberia These men often spent a decade or more in Siberia before returning on the last repatriation vessels This exhibition collects some of the cards they sent to their friends and family back in Japan,” says Yamaguchi “The exhibits include a selection of nineteen postcards from a larger collection donated to the museum just last August So materials like this do get brought in from time to time So that would be my message to people who might have anything like this: Please talk to a public museum or archive first before throwing anything away that might have historic value.” The repatriation of millions of Japanese from the ruins of the defeated empire was a huge operation that happened across vast stretches of Asia and the Pacific It is to be hoped that the joint exhibition and other projects organized by these two museums will help to preserve the memories of these events and to pass on a message to young people of the misery and suffering caused to ordinary people by war Banner photo: Japanese evacuees boarding a repatriation ship in Busan having escaped from the Soviet zone of control in northern Korea Courtesy of the Memorial Museum for Soldiers 2014 — Singapore headquartered Swire Pacific Offshore Operations (Pte) Ltd (SPO) has celebrated the naming of its second L Class vessel The naming ceremony was held at Maizuru Shipyard of shipbuilder Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) “The delivery of Pacific Legacy in Japan continues our successful collaboration with JMU The L Class series are very high quality vessels designed for fuel efficiency and with a specification aligned to the exacting requirements of our clients around the world,” says Managing Director of SPO The 97.29 m vessel is the second of a series of four L Class vessels that SPO has commissioned JMU to build The first vessel Pacific Leader is currently operating in Africa Pacific Liberty will be delivered over the next six months The L Class vessels (5,258 DWT),feature newly developed large cargo carrying capacity and bulk cargo system makes them well suited for supply duties in deep water environments The bulbous bow design takes into consideration varying operating speed drafts and sea states that offshore support vessels (OSV) typically operate in and is designed to maximise its effectiveness over a wide range rather than a tuned design point The hull is designed for a 7.5-year window between Class required mandatory drydockings and propulsion and tunnel thrusters have been selected for their ability to be changed out when the vessel is afloat The main deck has a clear deck space of 912 sq.m A Cargomaxx bulk system allows for the carriage of dry and wet bulk cargoes in five separate tanks using a pressure vacuum system to load and unload the cargo and has a product weighing system to accurately measure a product delivered as an individual parcel or as an aggregated amount over a period of time The propulsion system features a computerized power management system that is programmable to ensure optimization of diesel engine load and fuel consumption DPII vessels are also SPS Compliant and Clean Class The fire-fighting pump is independently driven using a variable speed electric motor to improve operating efficiency through a quick start-up time and reliability through a direct drive system The vessel is equipped with three 999 kW variable speed controllable pitch tunnel thrusters and fitted with SOLAS Lifeboats You must be logged in to post a comment April 2025 Marine Log’s Top Women in Maritime Celebration 2025 A Japanese dockyard prized by many owners in decades gone by for its VLCCs and panamax bulkers is to quit the merchant shipbuilding market in the latest cutback to shipyard capacity in the country amid fierce competition from rivals in China and South Korea Japan Marine United (JMU) will switch its Maizuru Shipyard to focus on naval repairs the Kyoto yard is one of five in the JMU stable the facility has focused on kamsarmaxes and MR tankers Its current orderbook expires at the end of next year Loss-making JMU is getting a capital injection from rival shipbuilder Imabari with the two groups set to combine their merchant shipbuilding facilities and Maizuru deemed surplus to requirements Don't have an account? 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 Kyoto — Ports and maritime safety are usually not the first things that come to mind when thinking about baked goods but the 8th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters and Kyoto Prefecture’s Maizuru municipal government want to change that The coast guard and the city government released an assortment of maritime-themed cookies in tins called Maizuru Kaiho Cookie Kan with help from a local agricultural corporation Some of the cookie designs include ships and lighthouses Those involved in the project are enthusiastic about making the cookies a new Maizuru specialty The city is not only home to the 8th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters but also to the Japan Coast Guard School and Maizuru Coast Guard Office The coast guard planned the project with the city government and other entities to promote the coast guard and its efforts to protect maritime safety The sable cookies come in three flavors — plain green tea and chocolate — and have various designs stamped on them and on the lid of the tin is an image of a Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel “It will be great if people take an interest in the coast guard and its operations [after trying the cookies],” a coast guard official said and can be found at various places in the city including Maizuru Brick Park and Maizuru Fu-ruru Farm They can also be purchased from Maizuru Fururu Farm’s official website Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun National Report Kyoto Prefecture—A gasoline depot that the Imperial Japanese Navy built on an uninhabited island here after World War I has opened to the public for the first time The city government intends to ensure the safety of visitors to Jajima island and develop the remains as tourism resources featuring naval history “We want to examine the conditions of the facility so that it will be effectively utilized in the future,” Maizuru Mayor Ryozo Tatami said took part in a tour to Jajima in the east side of Maizuru Bay on Nov The island was purchased by the Navy in 1916 during World War I apparently to store flammable gasoline away from residential areas The depot consists of four tunnels extending 65 to 70 meters from the island’s eastern to western ends The tunnels are 3.6 meters wide and 3.5 meters high Maizuru was designated as a Japan Heritage site along with Yokosuka as the four cities all hosted the Imperial Japanese Navy’s naval stations Jajima was included among locations as a heritage site in 2020 a state-owned property managed by the Kinki Local Finance Bureau Jajima was only shown to nearby residents in the past measures 260 meters north to south and 100 meters east to west Study planned for radio center used for Pearl Harbor code Huge changes in store at Yamato battleship museum Replica of famed Shinden wartime fighter finally graces museum City in Kyushu pitches war past in VR format as peace message Unfinished base for subs to defend mainland Japan found on island Kyoto Prefecture--Tried and tested curry recipes prepared by Maritime Self-Defense Force personnel are perennially popular with Japanese consumers three dishes served at restaurants here are available in sealed pouches as well The prepackaged curry sauce mixes are being offered only at restaurants and sightseeing facilities in the city where the MSDF’s Maizuru Naval Base is located Nine more versions are expected to join the Maizuru Kaiji Curry series over a two-year period The three varieties released in the first batch are: the destroyer Fuyuzuki’s spicy beef curry served at 5-Goto Cafe in the Maizuru Red Brick Park; the destroyer Myoko’s mildly hot beef curry at Goro Sky Cafe Nanako inside the Goro Sky Tower; and the multipurpose support ship Hiuchi’s minced chicken curry at Bayside Place M’s Deli in the Maizuru Shinkai Koen park “I hope the series will become a souvenir representing Maizuru and make visitors feel like they want to come back to Maizuru for the curry,” said Yukio Gomi played a central role in asking a company in Aichi Prefecture to produce the pre-packaged sauce mixes The project is the brainchild of the Maizuru Chamber of Commerce and Industry which aims to promote local development through curry dishes the chamber has encouraged local restaurants to learn from MSDF personnel curry recipes traditionally served on vessels and at naval units based in Maizuru The curry dishes served at restaurants are all certified by ship captains and others as exactly what crews dine on when they are at sea Local delicacies from remote isles now available at Haneda Airport Provocative Japanese curry dish criticized by Korean media Kanazawa style considered the curry champion in Ishikawa Schoolgirl helps the homeless with free meals and kindness In-flight meal makers find new market on the ground Plate of curry at eatery changed life of struggling dancer Kyoto researchers spend a decade tracking changes in fish communities and with Ryukoku University have developed a method to calculate the fluctuating stability of a natural ecological community in Maizuru Bay provide insight into and new methodologies for ecological and population research How biological communities are maintained is a big question in ecology While current studies suggest community stability can be influenced by species diversity and interactions these ideas have almost never been tested in natural ecosystems "Previous research focused on issues such as the birth-death process and inside a somewhat controlled environment," explains lead author Masayuki Ushio it is challenging to measure the rapidly changing interactions of multiple species in nature." A key reason for this is that natural ecosystems do not typically exhibit equilibrium dynamics and so the most viable way to measure changes is to keep constant records of organisms in a particular location Reiji Masuda of the Field Science Education and Research Center has been doing just that in Maizuru Bay he has been diving into the waters every two weeks recording the populations of all the fish and jellyfish he encountered "I initially started these observations in 2002 to see what organisms lived in the area and how they change over time," Masuda describes "When I showed my work to Masayuki Ushio and Michio Kondoh at Ryukoku University they suggested we work together and build a model to chart the interactions between the organisms." The model was constructed by applying a time series analysis tool -- empirical dynamic modeling EDM is designed to analyze the fluctuating dynamics of a natural ecosystem This was then further developed to analyze the ecosystem's dynamic stability What they found was a complex web of interactions where organisms have positive or negative effects on each other showed that short-term changes in the network influences overall community dynamics "We could even see that things such as diversity and stability itself fluctuate throughout time," says Ushio "This suggests that these properties are key to understanding the mechanisms underlying the functioning of natural ecosystems." The team's methods can be readily applied to other fields "This is by far one of the most comprehensive looks at how much an ecosystem can change in the natural world," concludes team leader Michio Kondoh "I was surprised to see that community stability The robustness of ecological communities depends on timing and seasons." Researcher spends over a decade recording the changes in the populations of all the fish and jellyfish he encountered (Kyoto University/Reiji Masuda) 【DOI】 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25504 Masayuki Ushio, Chih-hao Hsieh, Reiji Masuda, Ethan R Deyle, Hao Ye, Chun-Wei Chang, George Sugihara & Michio Kondoh (2018). Fluctuating interaction network and time-varying stability of a natural fish community. Nature. Copyright © Kyoto University. All Rights Reserved. An early, two-hour ride on the bullet train brought me to one of the most postcard-worthy cities in the world. After hastily dropping off the bags at the hotel, I set off to enjoy the first rays of sun sipping through the bamboo forest of Arashiyama and wrapped up the day savoring matcha in a tea house of Gion. As I imagined walking alongside the footsteps of graceful geisha and brave shoguns, Kyoto unfailingly fired up my imagination and beguiled me with its old-world charm. Yet, as fascinating as it was to immerse myself in the world of Memoirs of a Geisha for the umpteenth time, I knew it is nothing but a quintessential image on a cover of the centuries-old book which has far more complex stories to tell. Next morning, I set off on a journey to the hinterlands of the Sea of Japan. A trip past the atmospheric alleys of Gion, verdant tea plantations of Uji and deer-trodden forests of Nara brings you to the northern part of the prefecture dubbed Kyoto by the Sea. This untapped region is home to seven sleepy towns that weave along the coast of Tango Peninsula and exude rich rural heritage. Here is an overview of the region’s most fascinating and off the beaten path wonders and experiences you should not miss. Location: Hama 18, Maizuru-shi, Kyoto. About 1 km from JR Higashi Maizuru Station. Parking available. Also within 1 km to Maizuru Brick Park. The sandbar might not be your direct gateway to heaven, but a leisurely stroll (or a bike ride) along its dirt path to the opposite shore undoubtedly makes for a memorable and somewhat therapeutic experience. Lined up with matsu pine trees and punctuated with rocks and shrines, with a white sand beach on one side and blue water on the other, this geographical oddity has, in fact, served as an inspiration for traditional Japanese garden landscaping. The greater city of Ayabe has a lot to offer to the visitors, from ancient temples that date back to the 6th century to waterfalls, fireflies and relaxing hot springs. And when you have done and seen it all, you have a chance to tap even deeper into the laid-back life of rural Japan by staying at one of the farmers’ guesthouses. Their hospitality was as soothing and satisfying as the miso soup I slurped to finish off the breakfast. Even though these families consider themselves to be on the receiving end, farm-stay experiences like these are what opens your horizons as a traveler and grants a deeper appreciation and understanding of the culture and people of your host country. This seemingly unassuming village hides the secret to the longstanding craft of washi papermaking kept alive by a handful of local families and made by hands of its tenacious women. Now part of the bigger Ayabe city, the history of Kurotani started roughly 800 years ago when the surviving soldiers of the defeated Heike Clan picked the secluded, steep valley as their hide-out spot. Today, Kurotani is firmly pinned on the world map as one of the leading producers of authentic, 100 percent hand-made washi which has earned it a status of intangible cultural property of Kyoto prefecture. Eager to spread the word about their traditional art, the locals welcome tourists, who can now not only observe but also partake in the centuries-old washi-making process at Washi Craft Training Center (Traditional Arts School of Kyoto), located in the former Kuchikanbayashi Elementary School. Did you know that Tango Peninsula has it’s own silk road? The favorable humid climate made this region a perfect place for textile and silk production. Tango became famous for chirimen technique, which yields high quality and delicate silk crepe introduced here from China in the 18th century. While the industry enjoyed its heyday in the 1970s, the region continues to supply roughly 60% of the silk all over Japan, mostly used for tailoring high-end kimonos and obi belts. Chirimen Kaido street in Yosano is a time capsule of the region’s former glory and a pleasant place to explore. The former residence of the Bitou family, which had 12 generations of Tango chirimen wholesale merchants, and Tango-chirimen History Museum, a remodeled silk factory dating back to 1935, both provide a closer look into the history of local silk production. Hot Springs, Gourmet Dining & Stunning Coastline Perhaps the most scenic spot to end your journey in this beautiful part of Japan is its coastline. Yuhigaura has a great beach and offers fantastic sunsets, while Kotohikihama Beach has silky white sand and turquoise waters. Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan, Korea, Guam, and Okinawa with travel tips, restaurant reviews, recipes, community and event news, and more. Support non-profit journalism and perspectives from around the world. See all those languages? The Lingua project at Global Voices works to bring down barriers to understanding through translation. Navoi Theatre in Tashkent A historic theatre in Central Asia demonstrates an ongoing connection between Japan and Uzbekistan Opened in 1947, the 1,400-seat, Soviet Orientalist-style Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre in Tashkent Uzbekistan was built in part with the help of convict labour by Japanese soldiers who had been transported to Uzbekistan following the end of the Second World War in August 1945 The theatre in Tashkent illuminates not only a continuing connection between Central Asia and Japan but also the fate of millions of Japanese troops and civilians stranded all over Asia at the end of World War II In August 1945, an estimated 6.6 million Japanese soldiers, colonial administrators, colonists and other members of the military and occupying forces — about 9 per cent of the total population of Japan — were located all over Asia and Oceania all of these people were faced with the challenge of somehow making their way back to Japan Of the Japanese soldiers and civilians interned for forced labour by the Soviet Union after the end of the war One of their projects was the Navoi Theatre A plaque commemorating their work can still be found on the outside of the building Plaque on side of Navoi Theater that praises Japanese citizens who were forced to work many Japanese internees would wait up to a decade before being repatriated (引き揚げ) back to Japan Repatriation of the 6.6 million Japanese soldiers colonists and other former occupation forces at war's end was a massive effort the Japanese government set up repatriation centres in several prominent ports all over Japan Repatriated Japanese soldiers returning from Siberia wait to disembark from a ship at Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, in 1946. From Wikimedia, Public Domain returnees would be received and processed in order to return to their home communities often to an uncertain future in a Japan struggling to rebuild after a cataclysmic war many returnees were suspected of being Communist sympathizers after spending long years toiling at forced labour in the Soviet Union: I’d long had the impression that life was difficult for repatriated Japanese soldiers after WW2 but this 1949 passage from the Nippon Times (Japan Times) is brutal End of article blames the Communism, as the returnees had been held in Soviet prison camps. pic.twitter.com/pKfCKrzCDS — the tokyo files (@thetokyofiles) November 16, 2019 The geographically isolated Japanese port of Maizuru, in Kyoto Prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, became host to the sole remaining repatriation centre until it closed its doors in 1958 and large-scale repatriation efforts ended carrying approximately 660,000 people arrived in Maizuru between 1945 and 1958 Reconstruction of the pier at the site of the former pier at Maizuru Repatriates Relief Bureau in Taira Remains of berthing posts can be seen out in the bay Today, the Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum in Maizuru, Kyoto, documents the history of internment in the post-war Soviet Union and the repatriation of Japanese soldiers and civilians The artefacts and displays at the museum include an installation that depicts a relationship between Japan and Uzbekistan that has evolved over time “from detention to (friendly) exchange” (抑留から交流ヘ) Maizuru will host the Uzbekistan national Olympic wrestling team Poster advertising exhibit about Japanese detention in Uzbekistan There is also some pride in Japan about the contribution internees made to Uzbekistan. An archived web page on the website of Japanese trading house Marubeni states: When the great earthquake occurred in 1966 that toppled most of the buildings in the city clearly demonstrating the architectural skills of Japan ERROR: SECURITY TIMEOUT - Please copy your message to a backup location Global Voices stands out as one of the earliest and strongest examples of how media committed to building community and defending human rights can positively influence how people experience events happening beyond their own communities and national borders Please consider making a donation to help us continue this work Donate now Authors, please log in » Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Stay up to date about Global Voices and our mission. See our Privacy Policy for details. Newsletter powered by Mailchimp (Privacy Policy and Terms) Global Voices is supported by the efforts of our volunteer contributors, foundations, donors and mission-related services. For more information please read our Fundraising Ethics Policy Special thanks to our many sponsors and funders Located less than 900 kilometers from North Korea and beside Fukui Prefecture's nuclear power reactors Japan Coast Guard's 8th Regional Headquarters in Maizuru finds some of the nation's challenges close at hand The Maizuru base is one of 11 regional coast guard headquarters nationwide Its patrol areas include the coasts of Fukui Tottori and Shimane prefectures.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); While tensions along the Sea of Japan coast are rising due to a series of North Korean missile launches tangible problem is cracking down on poachers Field Science Education and Research Center was honored with a visit from Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino who were in town for the 11th Umi Festa Kyoto being held in northern Kyoto Prefecture Having been greeted by Director Takahito Yoshitaka and others from the Research Center the Imperial couple was guided by Assistant Professor Yoshiaki Kai to the storage room for liquid-based fish specimens located on the second floor of the Aquatic Life Specimen Building The Prince and Princess inspected specimens of gobies and oarfish while listening to the Assistant Professor's explanation The next stop for the couple was the live specimen building where they observed fish juveniles swimming in the tank and listened to Associate Professor Reiji Masuda Director of the Maizuru Fisheries Research Station describe the experiments being conducted to determine how environmental factors impact the development and behavior of juvenile Japanese flounder and an ongoing study aimed at leveraging threadsail filefish's feeding preference to prevent jellyfish blooms himself a researcher specializing in catfish asked frequent questions as he listened intently to the Associate Professor's explanation The couple exchanged greetings with Nishi-Maizuru High School students will soon make history in the bathing industry which will mark its 100th anniversary this year is set to be designated as a tangible cultural asset That would make Maizuru the first municipality in Japan with multiple operating sento on the registration list The Hinodeyu sento is located in the Yoshihara district which has flourished as a fishing town since the Edo Period (1603-1867) features boats and waterways behind houses leading to comparisons with the canal-lined city in Italy A red and white striped fabric banner hanging from the eaves of the gable-roofed sento distinguishes it from the traditional “machiya” townhouses on a narrow street Customers entering the building by ducking under “noren” shop curtains can expect Ichiro Takahashi to greet them with “okini” (thank you) in the local dialect from the counter located between the sento’s sections for men and women The fee is 450 yen ($4.30) for adults to use the bathing facilities The changing room has an old-fashioned massage chair that was installed 60 years ago and still functions at a charge of 10 yen per use The sento does not sell coffee-flavored milk at the room as a typical bathhouse does Takahashi said the bathroom was initially built with stones but they were replaced with tiles during renovation work around 70 years ago The soft hot water in a bathtub in the center of the bathroom eases tension in all parts of the body The light of dusk can be seen in a skylight that has been there since the sento opened The sento draws riverbed water that flows from nearby Gorogatake mountain “Customers often say the water is soft and makes them feel relaxed,” Takahashi said ‘HINODEYU USED TO BE PACKED WITH FISHERMEN’ which was originally a communal bath in the town Takahashi’s grandfather took over the bath and opened it as a sento in October 1920 The current manager is Takahashi’s mother Tsuya Takahashi began helping her run the sento after he retired from teaching at an elementary school 11 years ago “Hinodeyu used to be crowded with many fishermen,” Takahashi said “They talked so loudly that people mistakenly believed they were quarreling The Council for Cultural Affairs on July 17 recommended the sento to the culture minister for registration as a national tangible cultural asset because its appearance blends in with the surrounding landscape another sento in Maizuru that opened in 1903 was designated as a tangible cultural asset in 2018 The city was home to 20 or so sento in the 1960s “It’s natural for me to run Hinodeyu,” Takahashi said “I was really surprised and delighted at the news since I’d never thought it would be a cultural asset I feel like I’ve received huge encouragement to cherish the sento.” HUNDREDS OF KYOTO PREFECTURE STRUCTURES ON LIST 16 other structures in Kyoto Prefecture were also recommended for registration as national tangible cultural assets Their listing would bring the total number in the prefecture to 608 Among the 16 recommended structures are the main building of the house of Japanese painter Kijiro Ota (1883-1951) which doubles as an atelier in Kyoto’s Kamigyo Ward and the former front gate and stone wall of schools operated by Koka Women’s Educational Institution in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward Famed architect Koji Fujii designed the main part of the wooden two-story structure The two were colleagues who taught at the department of architecture at Kyoto Imperial University Fujii’s early style can be seen in a tatami-matted space in one corner of a Western-style room and built-in lighting on a coffered ceiling made with “shoji” paper screen designed by Ota and added to the house in 1931 has a large north window that can take in a stable amount of light The former front gate and stone wall in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward were built around 1941 The gate features a Japanese-style design with hollowed-out concrete copestones placed on the top of the gateposts (This article was written by Naoki Okubo and Rikako Takai.) Japanese version Leaf KYOTO A special collaboration course and event will be held in Maizuru was introduced to Japan from the West and has evolved over time An event featuring Western-style Japanese cuisine will be held on Saturday at the Shoeikan Naval Restaurant in Maizuru Local chefs and Japanese cuisine chefs will serve a limited collaboration course was home to the "Chinju-fu," the base of the Japanese Navy during the Meiji era It is said that the Japanese Navy brought back many Western dishes from its long history of exchanges with other countries Maizuru is especially famous as the birthplace of Japanese Western cuisine such as meat and potatoes and other dishes that are still popular today XFASTINDEX The hand-made red clay brick was found under the old promenade in front of Southsea Castle during coastal defence construction works It was part of an excavated structure built to house a swivel gun and dates back to the early 19th century is delivering the brick to Japan personally during a visit to mark the 25th anniversary of Portsmouth becoming a sister city to Maizuru and to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Maizuru becoming a city "It's a privilege to donate this brick to our sister city as part of our 25-year commemoration,” said Coles "The brick will sit alongside worldwide examples of red brick including one from the historic dockyard in Portsmouth which was donated in 1993 "The fact that the brick is likely of military origin and discovered during coastal works makes it even more appropriate to Maizuru given both of our cities' coastal locations and rich naval and military history." Maizuru is famous in Japan for its abundance of red bricks which can be seen in buildings across the city Its World Brick Museum was built from red brick by the former Navy in 1903 and was originally used as a torpedo warehouse The museum's website declares that “inside this museum you will find bricks from all over the world On display are bricks from the four great civilizations of the world Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk 9 hours Following a recent expansion into North America, Murphy Group has now entered Australia. 3 days A Devon housing development has emerged as the centre of a web of corruption. 9 hours Controversial government plans to allow developers to pay into a central nature levy to offset local environmental harms are generating increasing opposition. 3 days Dolphin Living has appointed The Hill Group to deliver the redevelopment of the New Era housing estate in Hackney. 3 days Tilbury Douglas continues to progress after collapse of parent company 3 days John Sisk & Son has started work on a £65m refurbishment of Haringey Civic Centre in London. © 2025 The Construction Index [Company No ' + response[i].created_nice + ' ' + response[i].description + ' Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version Kyoto officials pressed their case this week for routing the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line via Maizuru on the Sea of Japan Coast a decision that would take the train through Kyoto as well as all Fukui Prefecture towns that host nuclear power plants met with Diet members in Tokyo on Wednesday evening to push for approving a final route for the Hokuriku line.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The route is already scheduled to run from Kanazawa home of the troubled Monju fast-breeder reactor Japanese version Japanese version Japanese version