For centuries, residents in the snowy mountains of the Niigata, Japan, have stayed warm with the help of meticulously crafted fabrics. The region has long been known for its textiles and that heritage continues today at the Shiozawa Tsumugi Fabric Museum where visitors can weave a bit of history themselves visitors can create traditional designs with historic techniques and threads on wooden looms The museum's most popular offerings are silk weaving experiences in which visitors create bookmarks and even full kimonos under the guidance of their weavers.  Step up to the loom and find yourself connected to the thread of this region's textile history as you use your hands and feet to operate the machine. Craft your own shiozawa-ori silk creation a weaving style inspired by the region's UNESCO-honored echigo jofu fabric The shiozawa-ori silk has its own heritage but draws from the echigo jofu patterns and textures It is famous for its lightweight design and handcrafted details The museum's first floor houses displays showing the various fabric-making processes along with a demonstration room Reservations are accepted but walk-ins may also weave without advance bookings if space is available Prices for classes vary greatly depending on what you're making and can be found on their website A huge collection of artifacts in a picturesque setting a traditional spinning wheel that became a symbol of national resistance during Gandhi's freedom movements The only museum in the world dedicated to the global this museum provides a window into the lives of everyday The largest collection of woven silk tapestries in the world The former site of the world's largest paper mill is now a museum preserving the heritage of Canada's pulp and paper industries The crumbling remains of a 19th-century textile factory Garments from across the globe call this hidden gem home Beautiful scenery, tranquil waterfalls, zen gardens, and ema prayer plaques aren’t the only reasons people visit this Buddhist temple. Kankōji Temple’s most famous element is salty, a little bit sweet, and kept in a jar. It also protected some of this temple’s most invaluable religious texts in 1578—and brings good fortune to this day People from all over flock to Kankōji Temple for a lick of its homemade miso paste The paste is thick and salty with slight notes of sweetness its history and spiritual benefits are its biggest draws The original temple grounds were set on fire during 1578’s Otate War But 600 scrolls of the Great Prajnaparamita Sutra were saved from the fires as monks had stored the scriptures in barrels of homemade miso paste The miso paste and barrels protected the texts from the fire allowing the temple to rebuild after the blaze Visitors can still have a taste of the legendary temple-made miso paste that had protected the texts It is available in the temple’s main building where it’s scooped from a communal jar Take-home jars of the miso are also available for purchase It’s believed that sampling the miso brings luck and blessings The temple charges ¥500 per person admission These 33 Zen Buddhist temples were built to protect the nearby castle A grand Buddhist temple with Indian influences This temple is home to a group of Buddha statues made from thousands of bones and ashes of the deceased Displaying religious art made almost exclusively in modern styles helps set this Buddhist temple apart from the myriad others in Bangkok This compact temple is filled with garlands of colorful balls that represent restrained monkeys In the former treasury of a popular temple a rare sculptural depiction of Kannon’s diverse avatars Feast your eyes on the centuries-old statues of the judges of hell This Theravada Buddhist temple is a peaceful oasis steeped in history Manhole covers have oddly become a popular attraction with many new ones getting launched this year such as the Sailor Moon manhole cover in Minato City and the Doge manhole tribute to the dog A new challenger has entered the mix this year and it’s none other than Gundam Niigata Prefecture’s Minamiuonuma City has recently announced a collaboration effort with Bandai Namco Group’s “Gundam Project,” which originally kicked off back in 2020 Their involvement will see two Gundam manholes donated and installed at two locations within the Minamiuonuma locale This is part of Bandai Namco Group’s larger vision to install Gundam manholes with character designs and mobile suits all across Japan The reason for this very cool yet quirky marketing move The initiative hopes to rejuvenate regional locations and build bonds with local governments The project has become so popular that currently the official website has closed all inquiries This is because due to overwhelming interest the pipeline of work will already take them several years to complete all of the manhole donations We hope this is a sign of many more Gundam manholes to come Minamiuonuma has unveiled new Gundam-themed manholes featuring a mobile suit next to the city’s famous Koshihikari rice. It is hoped that this anime collaboration will boost tourism.pic.twitter.com/7iyBDmrOwQ — Jeffrey J. Hall (@mrjeffu) August 7, 2024 Two manhole variations have been created for Minamiuonuma The first features the iconic RX-78-2 Gundam holding out its beam saber while standing amongst some Koshihikari rice fields This rice variety was specifically chosen as it is a specialty of the city You can find it located at Michi-no-eki Minamiuonuma’s Yuki Akari complex The second features the YMS-15 Gyan Zeon mobile suit standing proud against the Mt You can find it located at the Minamiuonuma City Library The word “international” (kokusai in Japanese) has become a ubiquitous part of life in contemporary society As well as appearing in newspapers on a daily basis the word is routinely found in the names of everything from airports and schools to railway stations and companies of every conceivable kind.  But place names that feature the word are much harder to find Two of them are officially “villages”: Shōnan Kokusaimura in Kanagawa Prefecture and Kamiyama Kokusaimura in Nagano Prefecture The country’s only international “town” is Kokusaichō officially part of Minamiuonuma in Niigata Prefecture when Japan’s first international university was founded here on 16 hectares of agricultural land.  The country’s political and business leaders saw that Japan was going to need a more internationalized workforce to adapt to a globalizing world in the years to come A decision was taken to establish the International University of Japan in Minamiuonuma to provide English-language graduate-level training in international relations The idea was to make society more “internationalized” by bringing Japanese corporate employees and foreign students together to live and study under the same roof The International University of Japan carried out with the full support of the government Senior politicians and prominent business figures were appointed to positions of leadership within the new institution: Nakayama Sohei former chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives became the school’s first chairman and former Foreign Minister Ōkita Saburō the first president.  and their families live in the “international town,” representing no fewer than 57 countries and regions there are only a few dozen people from these countries in the whole of Japan This makes this small town in the Japanese countryside one of the most diverse places in the nation such a degree of diversity would be unusual anywhere in the world.  Most of the faculty hold doctorates from universities in Europe and North America the university was the only Japanese institution to win a place in the Economist ranking of international business schools this uniquely diverse setting has recently been the scene for two incidents of discrimination a member of the university faculty posted on the university’s internal server a discriminatory complaint by a student about the “bad body odor” of African students Underneath the student’s “complaint” was a reply from a faculty member that seemed to endorse or least condone the discrimination saying: “Please tell me their name and I will talk to them privately.” The media picked up on the incident in June and the university issued an apology The “international town” had been designated as a possible site for a new waste processing facility and the mayor was visiting to explain the plans to students and faculty But the English explanation he brought with him consisted of just 19 pages much shorter than the Japanese version of the text a volunteer group representing residents of Kokusaichō submitted a petition signed by 403 current students and alumni of the university demanding that plans for the facility be scrapped The petition complained that people in Kokusaichō “were not receiving equal treatment as residents,” and demanded a written reply by December 20 Some faculty and their families have lived in Kokusaichō for a decade or more Many students spend five years or more here obtaining their PhDs To suggest that these people are not entitled to the same rights and explanations from the mayor as other residents contradicts the facts How did it come about that incidents of discrimination could take place on the campus of a university that was supposed to play a leading role in making Japanese society more open to the wider world The biggest reason is that there are only limited opportunities for residents of Kokusaichō to make their views known to the local government One of the major roles of administrators is to gather the opinions of residents on important issues the city hall generally communicates with students and faculty via the university offices The people who work in the university offices are not residents of Kokusaichō The president and chairman of the university who have the ultimate powers to make decisions The current chairman was previous chairman of the board at Mitsui & Co. while the president is an emeritus professor at Hitotsubashi University the senior management of a private university is standing between the residents and city hall The plans for the waste facility propose that the city will acquire 9 hectares of the International University’s land 5.5 of which will be used to build the new waste processing plant Bathing facilities and other buildings will be constructed on the rest of the land and the city will supply electricity to the university using energy produced from the waste processing The university therefore has vested interests in the deal For the city to use the university as an intermediary in providing information about the scheme to the residents who live closest to the proposed site lacks neutrality the university told local government officials that there was “no need” for a meeting to discuss the proposal with residents of Kokusaichō When the university later changed its mind and decided to hold a meeting after all the chosen date clashed with the university sports day the university also failed to include accurate information about where the waste facility would be located—even though the proposed facility would be built close to student dormitories creating an eyesore that students would have to live with every day And although the mayor has held numerous meetings throughout the area and minutes of city council meetings have been released to the public has yet been held for residents of Kokusaichō How did a university of this kind come to be built in the mountains of Niigata in the first place The current population of the municipality stands at around 14,000 people the area is far from a mundane provincial backwater In addition to the International University it is home to Urasa Station on the Jōetsu shinkansen line; the Kitasato Junior College of Health and Hygienic Sciences an important training college for nurses and dieticians; Kokusai Jōhō High School one of the most prestigious and competitive schools in the prefecture; and the Uonuma Kikan Hospital In front of Urasa Station is a statue of former Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei his right arm pointing optimistically into the sky This part of the country was one of the major centers of Tanaka’s political support and a base for the Etsuzankai group that backed him throughout his career This support brought its rewards in the form of numerous infrastructure projects The first mayor of Minamiuonuma was a Tanaka supporter who had come up through the ranks of the Etsuzankai group The reason that the International University owned 16 hectares of spare land in the first place is simple The original plan was to use this land for new departments and a high school as the university expanded in the future But these ambitious ideas were abandoned when the Japanese economic bubble burst more than half of the students at the university were employees sent by their Japanese companies but Japanese now make up less than 10% of the student body more than half of all the students are trainees who have come as part of Japan’s official development aid to developing countries and school fees are covered by tax-funded scholarships The tuition and living expenses alone for a single student come to around ¥3.6 million a year The International University is a private university where tuition costs around ¥2 million a year—although the high proportion of government-funded overseas students has led to a joke that the university is “privately founded but publically funded.” If you come to Japan on the trainee program the rural area around the International University is one that is almost totally built around cars The campus is in the heart of the “snow country,” and during winter in particular it is difficult to get anywhere without a car The nearest station is a 40-minute walk away and it is 20 minutes to the nearest convenience store The main lifeline for students is a shuttle bus that runs once an hour along a loop taking in the station and other important places in and around campus (On weekends there are just two buses a day.) The campus and its surroundings in winter Many students are government officials or employees with major companies in their home countries obliged to return home after their two-year period as a “trainee” comes to an end They have little time or incentive to study Japanese in a place where everyone else owns a car and few people speak English the university has become an island in the middle of the countryside an isolated mini-community of students who generally cannot speak Japanese and do not hold driving licenses Students joke that the letters IUJ stand not for “International University of Japan” but “Isolated University of Japan.” The two communities live almost totally separate lives and know next to nothing about each other. Most locals would be hard pressed to name the university president, while many foreign students return home after living here for two years or more without ever hearing the name of the famous local Koshihikari rice Dormitory rooms for single students are generously sized—around 15 square meters—with toilet and shower attached Some students cook their own meals in the shared kitchen while others eat in the university cafeteria and the computer center stays open around the clock Their entire daily lives take place on campus One foreign student confessed that spending so much time cooped up on campus leads to psychological stress and that many people struggle with feelings of loneliness and isolation and find it difficult to form relationships few students build friendships with local residents I spoke to one man in his forties who lives within a five-minute walk of the university He told me that he often used to visit the university when he was young to play with the children of the Japanese students “But not many people there can speak Japanese now,” he said “so I hardly have any reason to visit nowadays.” It seems likely that the pressure of isolation has started to impact students’ relationships with one another and that this may have contributed to the discriminatory statement described above the residents of Kokusaichō are doing what they can to become a more integrated part of the local community I launched the Uonuma Network Group on Facebook with the hope of encouraging more interaction and exchanges between students and long-term residents When I translated invitations for volunteers for things like snow clearing and emergency aid into English and posted them on the group many international students put themselves forward During the torrential rains and flooding that hit parts of western Japan in July 2018 one student from Nigeria traveled to Hiroshima for a week to volunteer at his own expense non-Japanese made up more than half of the volunteers who helped out in the city of Nagano But local authorities and the university itself have not treated students as full members of the community and an opportunity has been missed to use this energy and readiness to help as a way of reenergizing and revitalizing the local region The idea of “living with foreigners” still has associations in many people’s minds of munificent Japanese hosts and helpers Several volunteer groups support the residents of Kokusaichō with language assistance and events but at the moment there are few attempts to tap the potential of the foreign students to bring new energy to the community Like many local government authorities around the country Mayor Hayashi says he wants to attract more foreign tourists to visit the region would it not make sense to think of foreigners not as people who receive assistance but as active agents who can play a leading role in injecting much-needed energy into the local area and its community I look forward to the day when the mayor will stop regarding these people as visitors “who are only here for two years” and no longer think that he is doing them a favor by organizing a halfhearted informational meeting on their behalf I hope he will take a lead and see it as part of his job to provide them with more information in the hope that they will decide to stay longer The government has recently changed its position on international labor opening the door to more foreign workers even while insisting in public that it is not adopting a pro-immigration policy As “internationalization” becomes an ever more familiar part of our everyday lives the state of affairs at the country’s only “international town” makes it clear that numerous problems still need to be addressed before Japanese society is ready to accept foreign residents on equal terms as full-fledged members of our communities (Originally published in Japanese on January 15 Banner photo: Ceremony to mark the end of the academic year at the International University of Japan in June 2019 Self-defence forces called out to provide food blankets and fuel to motorists after sudden snowfall More than 1,000 people in Japan were forced to spend the night in their cars on Thursday after record snowfall blanketed parts of the country The first few motorists travelling on an expressway connecting Tokyo with Niigata on the coast of the Sea of Japan found their route blocked on Wednesday evening The number of trapped cars grew quickly on Thursday as huge quantities of snow fell on central and northern Japan At one point the line of vehicles stretched for 10 miles (16.5km) Members of the self-defence forces were called in to provide food blankets and fuel to motorists forced to spend the night in their cars A woman removes snow on a street in Yuzawa, Niigata prefecture. Photograph: Kyodo/ReutersJapan’s meteorological agency said heavy snow would continue to fall until Friday in the region and warned drivers to look out for frozen roads and avalanches. Heavy snowfall in central Japan and along the northern coast also cut power to about 10,000 households, prompting the government to call an emergency meeting. The heaviest snowfall was centred on Niigata and Gunma prefectures, which had about 2 metres (6.6ft) of snow over three days, according to the public broadcaster NHK. Some of the affected drivers complained they had been left in the dark about efforts to end the gridlock. “I hardly slept, and I was worried because I had absolutely no information about the situation,” a man who was driving to Tokyo from his home near Niigata told the Kyodo news agency. Yoshinobu Wakiya, who was driving towards Tokyo, said he had been trapped inside his car for 17 hours. “I never expect this much snow to fall so quickly,” he told the Asahi Shimbun. “This is a life-or-death situation.” Wakiya said he had been unable to sleep as he had to keep removing snow from the exhaust pipe to prevent potentially deadly fumes from entering his car. “I haven’t eaten since last night, and I don’t have much water left,” he told the newspaper. “I don’t have any information on what is going to happen. I’m exhausted. I want to lie down and rest in a futon soon.” but venturing to prefectures that hug the coastline yields seafood specialties aplenty While stopping between trains at Tokyo Station visitors can indulge in one of Japan’s well-loved culinary cultures in Tokyo Ramen Street—a collection of eight shops that serve different types of ramen.Photograph courtesy of Tokyo Station Development With everything from Michelin-starred sushi to bustling izakaya (casual bars) Tokyo has cemented its reputation as one of the great gourmet capitals of the world You can sample that culinary culture on even the most fleeting visit to the Japanese capital perhaps stopping between trains at Tokyo Station to visit Tokyo Ramen Street in the station’s maze of underground malls The eight ramen shops there each make a different version of Japan’s beloved noodle dish including the salt-based broth of shio ramen and the heartier stock of miso ramen From left to right: Fukui - Oshizushi (pressed sushi) Toyama - Takoka/Imizu snow crab & seafood Connected via local train lines.Illustrated by Tatsuro Kiuchi you could also hop on a bullet train for an epicurean adventure in other parts of Japan This includes the Hokuriku Shinetsu region to the north and Toyama boast some of Japan’s best seafood while also offering insights into the country’s rich culinary heritage A Hokuriku journey could begin with a Joetsu Shinkansen bullet train ride 70 minutes north of Tokyo to Niigata Prefecture An off-the-beaten-path option here is to venture into the paddies of Minamiuonuma for FARM FRONT SEKI NOEN where you could try salted rice balls made from pesticide-free rice and served alongside views of paddies that are lush green in summer before yellowing ahead of the autumn harvest FARM FRONT SEKI NOEN is only a few miles away from the Echigo-Yuzawa bullet train station which as well as being the gateway to great skiing in winter is also a good place to try sake made with local rice Pop into the Ponshukan store at the station where over 100 Niigata sakes can be sampled from a wall of self-serve vending machines Niigata Prefecture is renowned in Japan for the quality of its rice which you can try at places like FARM FRONT SEKI NOEN.Photograph courtesy of FARM FRONT SEKI NOEN With 500 or so species of fish and shellfish inhabiting Toyama Bay the ports here land some of the finest seafood in Japan with specialties including firefly squid and various types of crab The local food culture has also traditionally incorporated seaweeds such as konbu (kelp) The auctions at Shinminato Fishing Port in Toyama Prefecture see a variety of locally caught produce on sale including highly prized crab.Photograph courtesy of kittokito-ichiba stop by Craftan in Takaoka City where you can try all sorts of konbu specialties and seafood a traditional Toyama dish that sees seafood meat and vegetables sandwiched between kelp You could also visit Imizu for Shinminato Fishing Port’s lively seafood auctions which take place at 12:30 on most days between September and May and then try the neighboring Kittokito Market’s kaisendon bowls of rice topped with freshly caught seafood the next region of Hokuriku you’ll encounter is Ishikawa Prefecture and sites like the magnificent Kenrokuen Garden Kanazawa is a city that wears its long-lasting traditions with pride Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture is home to Omicho Market which has been a focal point of the region’s culinary culture for hundreds of years.Photograph courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture this indoor market is still a key hub for fresh produce with stalls selling everything from regional sake to highly sought after seasonal delicacies like the snow crab of late autumn to early spring There are also sushi and other seafood restaurants in the market serving up dishes with super fresh market produce With the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen in 2024 direct bullet train services from Kanazawa Toyama and Tokyo now reach the city of Tsuruga from where local and regional JR trains spread out across Fukui Prefecture which during the Edo era (1603-1867) was one of the starting points of the Saba Kaido (Mackerel Road) highways along which the region’s prized seafood was transported into Kyoto travelers can learn about the region’s culinary heritage with a visit to the Miketsukuni Wakasa Obama Food Culture Museum.Photograph courtesy of Miketsukuni Wakasa Obama Food Culture Museum　 That heritage is detailed at the Miketsukuni Wakasa Obama Food Culture Museum in Obama where travelers can also learn about Japanese food’s designation as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage and experience authentic cooking and crafts you can even learn how to make Fukui specialties like kamaboko fish cakes (made from wild white fish and kudzu (arrowroot) starch dumplings—recipes that will allow you to cook up Hokuriku flavors when you get home Discover more sights and delights just a short trip from Tokyo here. The Tokyo Olympics face a lengthening list of concerns as the clock ticks down to the opening ceremony -- a bid bribery scandal transport congestion and a potentially catastrophic coronavirus outbreak -- but a lack of snowfall is an unexpected addition Organizers had hoped both real and fake snow would help keep spectators cool during the July 24-Aug 9 sports festival after they tried other cooling solutions like misting machines umbrella-like hats and potted morning glories But plans to transport snow from Minamiuonuma in Japan's north-central Niigata Prefecture a skiing and snowboarding resort famous for its deep powder snow to Tokyo are under threat because of a record shortage in snowfalls Japan's ski resorts are enduring their worst snow season in decades as a result of mild winter temperatures forcing many to postpone opening dates or cancel the season altogether With many Japanese and international visitors who normally flock to the country for its near-unrivaled amounts of snow not arriving concerns are being raised over the impact on tourism in the short and long term According to the Niigata District Meteorological Observatory large amounts of snow are not expected to come any time soon spelling trouble for local authorities who are having to consider transporting it from higher elevations "I don't ever recall experiencing a no-snow winter like this one," said Mutsumi Seki a Minamiuonuma city employee in charge of a snow storage facility near the ski resort Minamiuonuma built a 2,500-square-meter storage facility that can hold 1,600 tons of snow to ensure a supply for special events held in the Tokyo area only a few centimeters of snow had settled there The shortage has also proven a challenge for two of 10 local ski fields and the cancellation of the annual Minami Uonuma Snow Festival was recently announced by the city's resort tourist association a demonstration of an air-conditioning system using snow stored in Minamiuonuma was held in front of Saitama Stadium and Saitama Super Arena and the two cities' efforts were met with optimism "It was fun to be able to touch snow in the summertime," said one person who took part in the demonstration experiment (Minamiuonuma in Japan's north-central Niigata Prefecture in March The plan had been to send the snow by rail or road set up tents with these snow coolers and pass out 10,000 personal snow packs at the soccer and basketball venues in Saitama every day during the Games are needed to make the plan work during the Tokyo Games The Tokyo Olympics already announced a plan to provide 1,360 tons of ice to be used as cooling baths for athletes cooling packs and ice cream in order to stay hydrated Since relying on the snow storage facility is proving an unrealistic option for Minamiuonuma officials they have started looking into collecting snow from sites around Sagurigawa Dam Olympics: Artificial snow tested as heat countermeasure at canoe venue "This is a perfect opportunity to showcase the attractiveness of Japan's yukiguni (snowy regions) All we can do is pray for heavy snowfall," said a Minamiuonuma official With fears over heat dangers at the Tokyo Olympics growing a "cooling project" was launched in June 2019 with games organizers publishing a 38-page overview of countermeasures being taken to minimize the risk of heat on athletes workers and volunteers at the Summer Games more than 100 people in Tokyo's 23 wards died of heat-related causes and thousands were taken to hospitals in ambulances were moved to October to address these problems About 28 million yen ($255,000) has been set aside specifically for heat-busting measures using snow Saitama and its friendship city Minamiuonuma will split the cost Both Saitama and Minamiuonuma can only hope for lower temperatures in the coming weeks with still a long way to go to reach the latter's seasonal average and catch up on its snowfall deficit "It's obvious this year has been different from other years and I'm guessing heavy snowfall will be coming (soon) We'll try to be in close communication with Minamiuonuma," a Saitama official said 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 six students and myself boarded the bullet train that would take us on a 5-day study trip to Minamiuonuma Though famous for the gargantuan amounts of snowfall recorded every year Many of us who had been looking forward to playing in the snow Winter and snow holds a particularly special place in my heart having been raised in the harsh winter regions of the United States and I was looking forward to experiencing what I considered the first real “winter” since coming to Tokyo we settled ourselves into our seats on the train watching dejectedly out the window as the bare fields and hills flashed past the last mountain range we have to cross before we arrive at our destination before we emerge — into a beautiful world covered in white who’d been on their phones or talking quietly amongst themselves surge up as one to crowd around the windows to plaster their faces on the cool surface as if to feel the falling snow on their cheeks It was like entering one world from the next snow had begun falling the evening before and kept snowing the whole day and night we arrived as if to welcome us to Niigata we had many amazing and unique experiences Despite hearing about Japan’s super-aged population in Tokyo it is a distant problem that many of us are aware of but don’t truly comprehend Seeing tiny villages in the mountains of Niigata comprised of only 50 or so elderly people who have to rise at the crack of dawn to shovel 3-4 meters of snow from their roofs and roads only for their back-breaking work to be buried by midday How the local elementary school has less than 20 students total where teachers are forced to combine grade levels and teach integrated courses because of how few children there are Visiting the Echigo Jōfu weavers whose population has dwindled so much that it is a dying craft that very few still know how to do All of these things amounted to the stark realization that Japan’s shrinking population is a very real issue that is pushing the cultural richness and tradition of the rural regions to extinction the 1-2 meters of snow that we encountered in our time there were massive Yet for the local populace who are used to upwards of 5 meters so much of their livelihood depends upon the snow and this year was a devastating blow There were so many ways in which snow plays an unseen but vital role in their way of life to oxidizing and cleansing their Echigo Jōfu fabrics to keeping the wild animals from descending into the valley and disturbing their city; these things made us realize that unlike the metropolis of Tokyo wherein our lives have become completely disconnected from nature and no matter the weather or the rising and setting of the sun So different from the people who awake with the sun who use the snow and the nature that has been gifted them to live alongside and in harmony with their environment as a part of nature rather than as its masters this trip taught me the importance of the natural world and no matter where you live to sometimes take a step back to reevaluate our place in things and to not forget the significance of the role it plays We are just as much a part of nature as it is a part of us To forget that is like a tree forgetting it was born from an acorn we should remember our roots and strive to live as one with nature So maybe consider switching off your phones and just stop and smell the roses and give thanks for what we have been given Student Affairs Section (Former Residence Life Center) is a department that plans management policies for student dormitories and provides services for students regarding dormitories The Waseda University official website <<https://www.waseda.jp/inst/rlc/en/>> doesn't support your system Please update to the newest version of your browser and try again Continue  Google ChromeWindows version 38 laterMacintosh version38 laterWebSite Fire FoxWindows version 33 laterMacintosh version 33 laterWebSite SafariWindows version 38 laterMacintosh version38 laterWebSite Internet ExplorlerWindows version 10 laterWebSite Niigata Prefecture boasts the largest rice acreage and harvest both of which are essential to the Japanese diet Among the famous Koshihikari rice produced in Uonuma Minami Uonuma rice is particularly popular for its excellent taste a new local festival where you can encounter music will be held in this place where other local cultures such as sake breweries and skiing are sprouting in the rich nature of the area Local sustainability is the theme of this event, which will be held at the new viewing area of Ishiuchimaruyama Ski Resort. In addition to live music and DJs in a location overlooking the Uonuma Plain, the festival will also feature new Minamiuonuma Koshihikari rice, food using local ingredients, local sake made by sake breweries, local stores and markets, and an art exhibition by local creators. You can taste the charm of Minami Uonuma from various angles. The live performances will feature Tagaryu, Kan Sano, JJJ, E.scene, and Sala, and admission is free! Come celebrate the autumn harvest by eating, drinking, and dancing in a venue where even the air is delicious. Days of continuous snowfall have significantly disrupted daily life and travel in Japan's Niigata Prefecture. In Minamiuonuma City, many roads are now covered with an average depth of one meter of accumulated snow. The city, renowned for winter tourism, attracts numerous sightseers each winter due to its abundant snowfall. However, the ongoing snowstorm in recent days has inconvenienced local residents, requiring them to spend more time clearing the snow. "If I work quickly, it will take me about an hour to clear all the snow. When there is a large amount of snow, I have to remove it from the roof, which can sometimes take up to three hours," said a local resident. Snowfall has also impacted Ishikawa Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture, leading to a six-kilometer-long traffic jam on a highway in central Japan. Strong wind, rain, and snow are expected to persist in many parts of Japan, with meteorological authorities warning of the risk of secondary disasters such as avalanches and landslides in some areas. Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466 MINAMI-UONUMA, Niigata — The Junior Chamber of International Yukiguni in the city of Minami-Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture, held an event on Saturday to help local residents rediscover the charm of the snowy region they call home. To use this site, 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, and analyzing our website traffic. 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. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. At the event, titled “#YukiguniRantan — Furusato ni Hikari o Tomosu Hi” (#YukiguniLanterns — The Day to Light up Our Hometown), local residents, including families, gathered on Bokushi Street and lit and released into the night sky about 350 lanterns they wrote their wishes on. The participants also enjoyed taking photos of the orange-lit lanterns on their phones. “The lanterns went up higher than I thought and were so beautiful,” said an eight-year-old boy of Jonai Primary School. Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting, readable fomat. © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Heavy snow along the Sea of Japan coast stranded around 1,100 cars on a highway Thursday and left more than 10,000 homes without electricity at one point, authorities said, prompting the Self-Defense Forces to be deployed for disaster relief. Many people were forced to stay overnight in their vehicles as the year's most intense cold spell has disrupted road and train services since Wednesday. The Japan Meteorological Agency forecast that heavy snow will continue to fall through Friday and warned that slippery roads could cause further traffic disruptions. About 750 vehicles on the southbound lanes and 350 on the northbound lanes of the Kanetsu Expressway, which connects Tokyo and Niigata Prefecture, were stranded as of 4 p.m., police said. According to the police and highway operator East Nippon Expressway Co., the line of cars stretched up to 16.5 kilometers at one point Thursday. The congestion was caused after a trailer got stuck in the snow near an interchange in Minamiuonuma, Niigata, on Wednesday night. The government set up a task force and held an emergency Cabinet meeting in the afternoon, at which Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said members of the SDF were headed to Niigata after a request from Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi. The personnel will distribute food, fuel and blankets, and confirm the safety of those on the expressway, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said at a press conference. More than 10,000 households lost power in Niigata, stretching across the Sea of Japan coast, and Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan, among other places, Kato said. At the Cabinet meeting, Suga called for people to be on alert for further possible traffic disruptions and damage as well as snow falling from rooftops and avalanches, and to keep an eye on weather forecasts and "make necessary preparations beforehand." "I don't have any information. I want to know what the current situation is, and at around what time I will be able to get out of this," said a truck driver in his 40s from Niigata Prefecture, who spent the night stuck on the road in Gunma Prefecture. Some 300 vehicles were stranded at one point on the Joshinetsu Expressway, which connects Niigata, Nagano and Gunma prefectures, after a truck became stuck Wednesday night. The gridlock lasted until around 10 a.m. Thursday. East Nippon Expressway distributed food, water and portable toilets to drivers who were stranded on the expressways. Some areas of the country have seen record levels of snow. Minakami in Gunma Prefecture had 217 centimeters over a 72-hour period to Thursday morning, while Yuzawa in Niigata Prefecture saw over 180 cm as of 8 a.m. To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox, subscribe here. 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. If you wish to change your message, press 'Cancel' to go back and edit. Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible. Authorities are trying to dig out cars from the heavy snow cover with machines and physical labour Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Over 1,000 vehicles have been stranded on an expressway for over two days as a heavy snow storm wreaked havoc in northwest Japan. Self-defence force troops have been distributing food, petrol and blankets as hundreds of drivers were forced to spend the night in the car while the Kanetsu expressway, which connects the capital Tokyo to Niigata, in the north was completely jammed after record snowfall. The fire service crews rescued some drivers, including at least three people who were taken to hospital, according to public broadcaster NHK. But till Friday noon local time, over 1,000 cars remain stuck on the highway. "The government will do its utmost to rescue anyone who is stuck in their vehicle," the government's top spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, said at a regular briefing. Officials are attempting to dig out the cars one by one stuck in heavy snow cover using heavy machinery and physical labour. More than ten thousand households also faced complete blackout on Thursday and multiple road and train services have been disrupted since Wednesday.  According to Kyodo News, the biggest jam on the Kanetsu expressway began when a trailer got stuck in the snow on Wednesday night. The gridlock now stretches up to 16.5 kilometres, according to police and highway operator quoted by Kyoto News. "We are trying our best to rescue drivers and passengers, we are ready to continue the operation through the night," a Niigata disaster management official told AFP on Thursday night. The snowfall is expected to continue to fall heavily through Friday in the already affected north-western regions along the sea of Japan, according to the country’s meteorological agency. Some places are bracing for as much as 80 cm (32 inches) of snow amid a cold snap that has affected much of the country. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies In the “snow country” of Niigata Prefecture fresh food produce used to be stored all year round in natural refrigerators called “yukimuro” (literally a brewing company is drawing on the wisdom of snow refrigeration to produce “uniquely mellow and rich” sake No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through this form Today's print edition Home Delivery the air in the uplands of Niigata Prefecture is fresh the fertile farmland of Minamiuonuma is covered with lush green rice fields But for a few short weeks in early October the land glows with a rich golden hue as the grain ripens for harvest and the forests start to display their autumn foliage This is the season for thanksgiving — for festivals celebrating the crops the bounty of the harvest and the hedgerows It’s a time for gratitude and appreciation.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); this is the time to get busy preparing for the oncoming winter 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 Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information Niigata Prefecture--The Night Market will return from Aug creating an extraordinary space here with about 30 food trucks and market stalls each day The event is the brainchild of Shingo Kimura "I want to continue (the Night Market) for many years to come and make it an event that makes people in and outside the prefecture want to see at least once," Kimura said The third installment will feature about 60 vendors--among the most booths in the prefecture--joining the five-day event to be held in the “Minami-Uonuma Yukiakari” roadside rest area as well as street vendors offering daily goods new vendors will replace them the following day who operates a food truck equipped with a wood-fired kiln to serve pizzas came up with the idea to invigorate the community with its declining population The first edition was held in August last year and it was planned for nine days along the Uonogawa river Although the event was only held for four days due to rain held in December at a park and an adjacent gymnasium in the city center The latest installment will see about 20 more stalls compared to the previous two editions with an additional 10 or so stalls expected to open each day A merry-go-round will also be set up at the venue visit the official Instagram account at (https://www.instagram.com/minamiuonuma.nightmarket/) Arita ceramics fair a go for the first time in three years Bangkok’s street food hub comes alive as lockdown eases Fans wary of going to baseball game with eased attendance limit 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 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 Bandai Namco and Sunrise have set up a new Gundam utility hole cover in Japan’s Niigata prefecture People can find the uniquely designed cover in the city of Minamiuonuma The new cover features the RX-78-2 Gundam with the Koshihikari rice plant as its backdrop The Niigata prefecture has been known as the largest rice-producing region in the country and Minamiuonuma City also hosts some of the Koshihikari rice paddy fields in the region The video showing the placement of the Gundam utility hole cover in Minamiuonuma is also available to watch via Asahi Shimbun Digital’s official X account: The RX-78-2 Gundam will not be the only design to appear in Minamiuonuma. The city revealed in May 2024 that it will also place another utility hole cover featuring the YMS-15 Gyan with Mount Hakkai as its background These utility hole cover placements are part of the Gundam Manhole Project which has been ongoing since February 2020 Sunrise temporarily stopped accepting new applications in June 2022 as many cities and towns across Japan have lined up for the project The studio plans to clear its backlog by the 2024 fiscal year