Top Page > Press Release 2025 > Sunflower Kamuy the 1st LNG-fueled Ferry on Oarai-Tomakomai Route (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that on January 21 owned by MOL and operated by its group company MOL Sunflower Ltd (President & CEO: Hirotoshi Ushioku; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku The vessel will serve the Oarai-Tomakomai route between Ibaraki Prefecture and Hokkaido as a replacement for the Sunflower Daisetsu The MOL Group aims to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, and in line with the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2," the group will continue to pursue a strategy of adopting clean alternative fuels to achieve decarbonization and low carbon emissions The group not only leads the way in environmental responsiveness in the coastal ferry business but also continues to research and study the use of new fuels as alternatives to LNG in the future intending to be the first in the industry to take a proactive approach * Press releases related to Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki on Osaka-Beppu route Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information Ibaraki Prefecture--Two days before the start of removal of debris from the Fukushima No a facility here that will analyze the material was shown to the media which will examine the melted nuclear fuel debris from one of the damaged reactors at the Fukushima No The laboratory will analyze the structure and properties of the debris using X-ray analysis equipment and an electron microscope The research aims to ascertain the reactor’s condition at the time of the accident caused by the massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 and assess the possibility of criticality plans to remove a few grams of debris from the No The removed debris will be transported in a container designed to shield high levels of radiation Workers will use remote-controlled devices to take the debris out of the container and analyze it while monitoring the process through a glass window The JAEA aims to compile the analysis results by the end of this fiscal year “Even through the analysis involves only a small amount we believe it will provide data that can depict the conditions inside the reactor,” said Hideki Ogino chief engineer at the JAEA’s Fukushima Research and Engineering Institute “We would like to contribute to the decommissioning of the reactors through further analysis,” he said The JAEA plans to utilize the analysis to shape future plans for full-scale debris removal TEPCO visually confirms melted nuclear fuel at Fukushima plant Robot to use brush to retrieve melted fuel at Fukushima plant Six ‘swimming’ robots will check melted fuel at Fukushima plant 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 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Japan may have a reputation for exemplary public transit systems but small towns such as Oarai in Ibaraki prefecture present the perfect opportunity for a weekend road trip with the family Oarai is 9 square miles with a population of approximately 15,000 people but holds a wide variety of entertainment for anyone interested in Japanese food The town’s premier attraction is Aqua World 213,000-square-foot aquarium that’s home to 68,000 fish and other sea creatures for a total of 580 different species The aquarium is also home to Japan’s largest variety of sharks For families more interested in eating fish than looking at them Oarai boasts a highly popular open-air fish market that’s just a 15-minute walk from Aqua World visitors may purchase freshly caught fish or try authentic Japanese cuisine such as sushi or takoyaki Traveling farther south along Oarai’s coastline visitors may find the town’s most picturesque attraction a site much older than anything else in town the Oarai Isosaki Shrine is a Shinto temple dedicated to Daikoku-sama A short walk from the shrine is Oarai’s famous Kamiiso no Torii marks the entrance to a shrine or other sacred site The Kamiiso no Torii is built on a series of oceanside cliffs Mornings at the location are awash with photographers who hope to catch the dramatic scene of the sun rising alongside or within the gate itself Oarai is a 1 ½-hour drive from Tokyo or 2 ½ hours from Yokosuka just the right destination for a weekend getaway or a daytrip the easiest option is to take the JR East Line from Shinagawa Station to Mito Station and then transfer to the Kashimarinka Tetsudo Oarai-Kashima line Oarai’s expansive topography makes an ideal setting for a drive but pedestrians may easily find a bus or taxi And the small-town scenery makes for a great view while walking too Ibaraki prefecture (Google coordinatates: 36.315730 Directions: Shinagawa Station’s JR East Line to Mito Station Kashimarinka Tetsudo Oarai-Kashima Line to Oarai Station Cost: Aqua World admission: 2,000 yen ($13.51) for adults; train fare: 4,220 yen Top Page > Press Release 2024 > Naming and Launching Ceremony Held for Sunflower Pirka LNG-fueled Ferry on Oarai-Tomakomai Route -LNG-fueled Tugboat Ishin Supports Launching Operations- (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that on September 4 the naming and launching ceremony was held for the LNG-fueled ferry Sunflower Pirka under construction at Naikai Zosen Corporation (President: Hiroshi Terao; Headquarters: Onomichi-shi Hiroshima Prefecture) by MOL and MOL Group company MOL Sunflower Ltd operated by MOL Group company Nihon Tug-Boat Co. (President: Keizo Tamura; Headquarters: Chuo-ku Kobe) assisted with towing operations during the launch of the ferry a low-carbon fuel that can be put to practical use immediately and lead the world toward the realization of a low-carbon/decarbonized society The ferry was given the name "Sunflower Pirka" by Sueji Shinohara chairman of the Hokuren Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives handling the ceremonial rope-cutting honors The Sunflower Pirka is slated for delivery from Naikai Zosen in April 2025 and will then enter service on the Oarai-Tomakomai route operated by MOL Sunflower the Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki already in service on the Osaka-Beppu route since 2023 which is scheduled to enter service in early 2025 as the first ship on the Oarai-Tomakomai route the MOL Group will operate a fleet of 4 LNG-fueled ferries on East-West routes in Japan Boasting Japan's largest service route network and the most LNG-fueled ferries in operation the group offers stable services in both logistics and passenger services MOL Sunflower as a whole operates 10 ferries and 5 RORO vessels on 6 routes giving the company the Japan's largest ferry fleet and most extensive route network offering reliable service for both logistics and passengers <About the LNG-fueled tugboat 'Ishin'> Owned by MOL and operated by Nihon Tug-Boat this LNG-fueled tugboat is a pioneer in LNG-fueled vessels and was delivered in February 2019 MOL has built a number of LNG-fueled vessels by leveraging the knowledge and expertise gained through the development and operation of the Ishin and this knowledge is greatly utilized on the newly launched LNG-fueled ferry Sunflower Pirka The towing of the ferry by the Ishin for the launching ceremony was a symbolic operation that passed the baton of knowledge accumulated thus far to the next generation The MOL Group aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, and will continue to pursue its "Adoption of Clean Alternative Fuels" strategy to achieve decarbonization and low carbon emissions in line with the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2." The group will lead the way in environmental responsiveness in the coastal ferry business and continue to research and examine the use of new fuels as alternatives to LNG in the future * Press releases/announcements related to Oarai-Tomakomai route Sunflower Kamuy and Sunflower Pirka * Press releases related to Osaka-Beppu route; Sunflower Kurenai Marc’s latest adventure took him two hours northeast of Tokyo to the picture-perfect coastal town of Oarai for the annual Oarai Sun Beach Sand Flat’s race weekend Now in its second year, the Oarai Sun Beach Sand Flat’s event is a throwback to the American beach racing of the 1940s A couple of hundred vintage bikes and cars descend upon the sunny beach town for the weekend kicking up sand and flirting with the Pacific surf on a 1/10th-mile track The emphasis is on style; capturing the atmosphere of the heyday of beach racing But even though the vehicles and competitors look like they just stepped out of a time capsule the vintage vibe does little to dull their competitive edge “Unlike some events I’ve seen in Europe that tend to focus more on the show this one was all about serious racing and beating the competition,” Marc tells us “The level of skill and speed among the participants was truly impressive and it was inspiring to see a significant number of female riders taking part too.” “Among the standout personalities at the event was Kazuo Fukada from the family-owned Buddy Customs cycle shop in Yokohama Both he and his son Kosuke are renowned for their speed on the track and their expertise in building Harley Davidson engines Kazuo’s daughter Mizuki not only races but also excels in creative graphic design and did a fantastic job as the flag girl.” “Another remarkable rider who caught my attention was Atsushi ‘Sushi’ Yasui fearlessly speeding through various classes and creating stiff competition particularly in the ’45’ class finals where he was ultimately bested by Kazuo known for their cutting-edge leather jackets and clothing.” it was a beautiful event filled with wonderful people and I was delighted to meet and interact with everyone there.” Marc shot almost everything at the Oarai Sun Beach Sand Flat’s weekend on Kodak Gold 200 film (save for the high-speed panning shots We’ve selected 34 of his best images for your perusal—so top up your glass and start planning your next trip to Oarai Images by, and with special thanks to, Marc Holstein GET THE WORLD'S BEST CUSTOMS DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX COPYRIGHT © 2008-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) | COLE PUBLISHING | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Small towns and villages in Japan are not often frequented by tourists like the bigger cities in the seaside town of Oarai in Ibaraki prefecture anime tourism has sparked an influx of visitors eager to lay their eyes on sights seen in the Girls und Panzer anime is the seaside port town setting of the 2012 anime Girls und Panzer The premise of the anime series may seem like an unlikely pick to promote tourism to a small town transfers to Oarai Girls Academy and (against her will) joins a club dedicated to tankery; a feminine art for young women coming of age in this world The series uniquely combines moe anime high schoolers and the grittiness of war tanks to make a fun and fascinating experience.But why Oarai Why a small port town along the coast of the Pacific Ocean We see an overabundance of anime taking place in the metropolis of Tokyo with a population of over 10 million people you can bet most anime on your seasonal watch list with a Japanese setting will feature Tokyo The setting of Oarai gives Girls und Panzer a homey and surprisingly relatable feel Something about high school girls driving military tanks through narrow neighborhoods as residents do mundane life chores such as hanging the laundry or getting dressed in the morning makes the idea of tankery somehow more believable; as believable as cute moe high school girls driving tanks can get set to retire at the end of 2023)As soon as you arrive at Oarai Station you will already see the influence of Girls und Panzer Character posters line the walls of the staircase The station prominently features standees of the characters in train conductor uniforms–art that is exclusive to Oarai Station After giving your ticket to the train staff and going through the gates unbranded convenience store on the left side as you enter the station lobby This small shop sells Girls und Panzer merchandise such as acrylic stands Since it is one of the few remaining convenience stores independent of the major chains such as 7-Eleven I always try to support it when I go to Oarai The other side of the station lobby features a glass case display of autographed Girls und Panzer paraphernalia Oarai Sun Beach is the longest beach in the Kanto region of Japan and is a hot spot for surfers and swimmers This beach is featured in several episodes of the Girls und Panzer franchise you can see the Oarai Marine Tower to the northwest which can also be seen in Girls und Panzer you can walk to this tower in about 15 minutes there are plenty of other incentives to visit Oarai including a fish market (and restaurants!) an old tori gate built on rocks in the Pacific Ocean that is always a breathtaking scene Even if your Japan trip is centered around Tokyo I think there are certainly enough reasons to visit Oarai during your stay they have a vital yet often uncelebrated role in supporting the marine ecosystem by serving as food for other fish Sardines protect themselves by forming schools of tens of thousands they can swiftly detect and escape potential threats This makes it difficult for predators to single them out sardines have endured the challenges of the unforgiving natural world they are essential contributors to the thriving marine life in our oceans Among sardine species, the Ma-iwashi (Japanese sardine) boasts the highest catch in Japan. It has been part of the fishing scene in Ibaraki Prefecture since the Edo Period.  It is this famous local sardine species that is now exhibited in our "Great Sea Tank of Encounters," the largest aquarium in Aqua World Oarai we exhibited these sardines simply in their school formations but we realized that this didn't fully capture the remarkable qualities of the fish we launched a new program as part of our 20th-anniversary celebration The program uses light and sound to highlight the dynamism and vitality of sardine life It encourages visitors to consider the sardines' resilience as they navigate the intricate web of the food chain we named this initiative IWASHI LIFE (sardine life) putting the program together proved quite a challenge our lighting system could only turn on and off so we couldn't create the desired light spectrum The beautiful schooling movements of the sardines were obscured by the darkness Even when the light managed to reach the bottom of the tank the sardines would invariably gather on the opposite side of the light we were thrilled to launch IWASHI LIFE in June 2021 we decided to revamp the program so that visitors could truly appreciate the incredible nature of these creatures.  The upgrade involved making changes to the lighting and increasing the sardine population from around 15,000 to 20,000 All these improvements aimed to enhance the portrayal of their captivating schooling behavior IWASHI LIFE version two made its stellar debut in May "Great Sea Tank of Encounters" is an enchanting world where a diverse range of creatures thrive together we've made it possible for the sardines to move in swirling formations throughout the entire aquarium creates a mesmerizing underwater kaleidoscope.  (Read the article in Japanese.)Author: Aqua World Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai Aquarium You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo but you can still make up for lost time at this pop-up beach library installed at Oarai Sun Beach in Ibaraki prefecture Even if it’s too cold to take a dip in the ocean you can still bask in the sun and listen to the waves crash while reading a good book.  Sunahama Library has enough space for 60 people to sit under tarp tents and parasols (two people per tent) and last year’s edition even won the Governor’s Selection award at the 2020 Ibaraki Design Selection.  Seats are spaced out to ensure social distancing and the books are sanitised after they are returned Ibaraki’s Amabie (a mythical healing creature) mascot will also make an appearance from time to time to say hi and ward off the virus A post shared by 砂浜図書館 (@sunahamatoshokan_oarai) Sunahama Library is open from 11am to 3pm on weekdays and 10am to 4pm on weekends from October 16 to October 31 You’ll need to pay a ¥500 entry fee per person when you arrive On weekends, there’ll be a food truck selling snacks, but the beach can get crowded, so advance booking is recommended for Saturdays and Sundays via the online booking form. (Japanese only) For more information, check out the Sunahama Library website Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera Temple is now open at night for a special autumn light-up 500,000 colourful cosmos are now blooming at Sakura Furusato Square in Chiba Dine in a glamping tent at this seaside restaurant in Zushi Kamakura Temples and shrines in Kyoto are open for evening illuminations this autumn Get a random cheap flight within Japan from this capsule toy machine in Shibuya Parco Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan. facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Japan’s only experimental fast reactor has secured consent from local governments to begin the safety construction work necessary before it can restart is aiming to restart the reactor in the second half of fiscal 2026 after completing safety construction work including measures related to cooling and countering accidents Oarai Mayor Kunii Yutaka handed over a document showing the town’s consent to a senior JAEA official after Ibaraki Prefecture also conveyed its consent via a document no other procedures are necessary for the operator to secure consent from hosting entities JAEA hopes to use the experimental reactor for research and development of fast reactors and also plans to offer the reactor for the production of medical radioisotopes The sodium-cooled fast reactor began operation in 1977, and is Japan’s only fast reactor since the closure of Monju in 2016 was shut down in 1995 after a sodium coolant leak and fire It was restarted in 2010 but was shut down three months later after a fuel handling machine was accidentally dropped into the reactor during a refuelling outage Joyo was shut down in 2007 after a test subassembly became jammed in the reactor vessel Special equipment had to be designed to retrieve it In 2023 Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) approved a screening report concluding that the Joyo experimental fast reactor met new regulatory standards the NRA confirmed that Joyo is equipped with a device to detect sodium leaks as well as nitrogen gas equipment to be used in the event of such leaks It concluded that the reactor meets fire safety standards Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the Progressive Media network © Business Trade Media International Limited The coastal town of Ōarai in Ibaraki prefecture's annual Angler Fish Festival has seen a huge influx of visitors ever since it merged with the Girls und Panzer anime in 2013 The event is nothing short of an all-star example of how local tourism can merge with entertainment The area suffered greatly after the March 2011 tsunami but attendee turnout for the festival helped bring revitalization to the town An event that originally hosted 25,000 attendees has since grown to over 100,000 people This year was no exception with a record 140,000 attendees The 23rd annual Ōarai Festival was held on November 17 with activities both fish and otaku oriented A local chef filleted an angler fish while it hung from a line a traditional form of cutting fish that are too slimy to handle on a cutting board The fish was used to make a soup that was served to attendees for 100 yen per bowl The event's anime-related offerings included big tie-ins with Girls und Panzer The Ōarai train station greeted visitors with panel cut outs of the characters to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the Girls und Panzer: Senshadō Daisakusen Flyers with a code to get Miho in a train uniform were distributed at the station visitors could line-up to explore the docked Nippon Maru museum ship The ship was outfitted with Anko Team and the Oarai Girls' School logos Fans could also watch a talk show featuring cast members Mai Fuchigami, Ai Kayano, Mami Ozaki, Ikumi Nakagami, and Yuka Iguchi. Singer Sayaka Sasaki also performed live The Oarai High School Marching Band performed for the crowd and included the song "Senshamichi Kōshinkyoku! Panzer Four!" in their set list. The nearby shopping district featured more character cut-outs, an itasha dedicated to the show, a bus that welcomed fan art all over its exterior The lines for the food stalls and merch stalls were long this year. The latter was thanks to the Garupan Mini Mini Hobby Show where visitors could pre-order the home video release for the second Girls und Panzer das Final film. Suitable to the foodie-friendly event, the film release will include a special OAV titled "Taiyaki War!" The film opened in Japan on June 15. The movie sold 118,000 tickets to earn 145 million yen (about US$1.33 million) and rank #4 in its opening weekend Source: Famitsu (Nishikawa-kun), Kyodo News Safety and security concerns raised after equipment inspection at research facility just north of Tokyo goes wrong Five workers at a Japanese nuclear facility have been exposed to high levels of radiation after a bag containing plutonium apparently broke during an equipment inspection Contamination was found inside the nostrils of three of the five men, a sign they had inhaled radioactive dust, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) said on Wednesday. All five also had radioactive material on their limbs after removing protective gear and taking a shower. Agency spokesman Masataka Tanimoto said one of the men had high levels of plutonium exposure in his lungs. The worker, in his 50s, had opened the lid of the container when some of the 300g of plutonium and uranium in the broken bag flew out. Read moreThe incident occurred on Tuesday at the agency’s Oarai research and development centre a facility for nuclear fuel study that uses plutonium The cause of the accident is under investigation It raised nuclear security concerns as well as questions about whether the workers were adequately protected Internal exposure creates the greatest concern because of the risk of cancer could mean the effect on his lungs may not be immediately life-threatening but would add up over time and he would need to be regularly monitored a doctor at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences the chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority blamed work routine complacency as a possible cause Regulators have started investigating possible violations of safety standards at the facility JAEA has a poor safety record at another site – Monju a plutonium-burning fast breeder reactor that it oversees There was a major accident there in 1995 and has since hardly operated The government recently decided to close the facility Japan’s possession of large plutonium stockpiles from the country’s spent-fuel recycling program Critics say Japan should stop extracting plutonium which could be used to develop nuclear weapons To reduce the stockpile, Japan plans to burn plutonium in the form of Mox fuel – a mixture of plutonium and uranium – in conventional reactors. But the restarting of halted nuclear plants has proceeded slowly amid persistent anti-nuclear sentiment since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami Tuesday marks the three-year anniversary of the powerful 8.9 earthquake off the coast of Japan that triggered a damaging tsunami along 250 miles of Japan's coast the world watched in horror as video and photos showed a wall of water roaring inland as far as six miles carrying away cars and people and leveling towns Children living in the vicinity of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are still not supposed to be outside more than 15 to 30 minutes each day because of radiation fears People are still searching from their loved ones including a man who learned to scuba dive so he could look for his wife's body The photos above were taken in the Miyagi Prefecture in the days immediately following the disaster as well as photos taken just a few days ago MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Secret Under Alcatraz We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview Tuesday marks the three-year anniversary of the powerful 8.9 earthquake off the coast of Japan that triggered a damaging tsunami along 250 miles of Japan's coast the world watched in horror as video and photos showed a wall of water roaring inland\u00A0as far as six miles including a man who learned to scuba dive so he could look for his wife's body as well as photos taken just a few days ago.\u00A0 24 on Bandai’s official shopping site Premium Bandai for iPhone cases based on Oarai Girls High School and its rival Kuromorimine Girls High School of Girls und Panzer a heartfelt tank story anime following the everyday lives of highschool girls pursuing sensha-do (the way of the tank) using actual tanks The cases are available in Oarai and Kuromorimine versions each made of highly durable duralumin and available in sizes to fit the 6 or 6s These duralumin-made iPhone cases are available in two designs based on the Oarai Girls High School team and Kuromorimine Girls High School team appearing in Girls und Panzer der Film Colored using anodized aluminum processing these cases are made of highly durable and pure duralumin This special metal is also used in aviation and space Each school weapon and tank have been engraved using laser machining H used by protagonist Miho Nishizumi and the Tiger I used by her older sister Maho Nishizumi both come vividly to life in light on the Oarai and Kuromorimine versions These iPhone cases capture both the tenacity and detail of tanks 2016 at 11:00 p.m.Estimated Release: February 2016 please see the product page.*Products only available while supplies last.**Sales may end without notice.**Product details may change without notice.**Images show products in development and final products may differ.**Products shown may be sold outside of Japan.* Source: @Press Ibaraki Prefecture--A sand tiger shark was born at the Aqua World Ibaraki Prefectural Oarai Aquarium here the first successful breeding of the species in Japan a keeper spotted fetal movement in the swollen abdomen of a female sand tiger shark at Aqua World Aquarium staff in March began watching over the shark almost around the clock every day The birth brought tears to the eyes of at least one worker at Aqua World “My hands trembled with excitement and emotion as they held a camera to record the event,” said Kotaro Tokunaga The baby female was 90 centimeters long and weighed 4.3 kilograms immediately after birth as she lithely swishes her tail fin during her swims Aqua World has been trying to breed the sand tiger shark a viviparous species whose eggs hatch inside the womb The keepers found the rutting season for the male shark that was brought from South Africa was autumn while the estrus period was spring for the female kept at the aquarium They adjusted water temperatures and daylight hours to bring the season for the male shark closer to that of the female a sand tiger shark at Aqua World became the first of its species to become pregnant in captivity in Japan The newborn is currently off-limits to the public Plans for public viewing will depend on the baby’s physical conditions Modest shark quietly swims into record books at Mie aquarium aquarium finds out its rays are a new species Okayama man seen as world’s earliest victim of shark attack Photographer’s new book covers the secret lives of sea turtles Fishing boat owner pleads guilty in shark finning case there are plenty of top reasons to visit Ibaraki but has more than enough to explore for a long weekend or more including our recommended places to sleep and eat Northern Ibaraki boasts stunning coastal views and has long been a destination for artists seeking inspiration While 97 percent of urushi used to make lacquerware products is imported from China 15 percent of Japan’s domestically produced urushi is harvested in northern Ibaraki Kijian in central Daigo town uses local high-quality urushi to make handcrafted lacquerware items like bowls with the goal to pass on this traditional craft to future generations The store is housed inside a charming shop built in 1896 and serves as a gallery and café Browse their wares and soak up the atmosphere while enjoying a matcha tea set complete with wagashi sourced from a nearby confectionery store It’s the perfect place to take a break on the way to nearby Fukuroda Falls More info: tsujitohru.jp/en/ Though the name Tenshin Okakura may not ring any bells at first most people will recognize his Meiji-era international bestseller The Book of Tea a collection of meditations on the importance of tea and tea ceremony to Japanese culture Okakura is best known for being a champion of Nihonga (Japanese-style paintings) visitors can learn more about Okakura and his mission to share the artform abroad in the very region he studied with his apprentices The museum offers breathtaking views of the Izura coastline from its café and grounds Take a 15-minute stroll down the coastal path to Rokkaku-do one of Japan’s most famous scenic spots that’s known for inspiring Okakura in his later years More info: www.tenshin.museum.ibk.ed.jp/07_english/index.html World-famous Hitachino Nest beer’s headquarters lie in the heart of Ibaraki’s Naka city Before Kiuchi Brewery got into beer in 1996 it spent about 170 years distilling and brewing sake Stop by for a tasting at the bar and follow up with a bite to eat at their rustic soba restaurant For those seeking something a little bit extra book a session to brew your own beer on the premises More info: kodawari.cc/en/ Fall sleep to the lull of the Pacific Ocean and wake up to the views that inspired Tenshin Okakura and his apprentices the Izura Coast is listed as one of Japan’s top 100 shores one of the top 100 white sand beaches with pine groves and has one of the nation’s top 100 soundscapes More info: www.izura.net Ibaraki Prefecture’s capital city and longtime cultural and economic hub has a wealth of amazing locations in and around the area together with Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and Korakuen in Okayama one of Japan’s three great gardens from the Edo Period Mito Domain’s ninth daimyo Nariaki Tokugawa founded the garden in 1842 with the desire to provide a beautiful Japanese garden that was open to the public It boasts about 3,000 plum trees in about 100 varieties and a beautiful traditional house called Kobuntei Nearby Kodokan (Nariaki Tokugawa’s school for men) offers a chance to take a deep dive in regional feudal history More info: www.ibarakiguide.jp/park/foreign_language/en/index.html Sudohonke Sake Brewery is unique for many reasons Surrounded by a slew of ancient trees – some an astonishing 800 years of age – this brewery values its natural resources and is built around them Known as the brewery in the woods by locals the owners built one of their newer buildings around the trees instead of cutting them down Visitors can reserve tours of the brewery that finish with tastings of a selection of the brewery’s award-winning sake (a fee applies and reservations are required in advance) More info: www.sudohonke.co.jp/en/tour/ Just a stone’s throw from Kairakuen and with a view over Senba Lake Tousuian offers modern kaiseki meals in a beautiful setting Seasonal fare showcases Ibaraki’s finest ingredients when they are at their best The unique enju course offers a taste of truly historic food: dine on special cuisine based on recipes from the Edo Period that was beloved by Mito Domain’s second daimyo More info: www.tousuian.com Designed by Thomas Edison’s great-grandson Mito Plaza Hotel offers a verdant oasis from the city surrounding it – both inside and outside The interior fuses modern comfort and traditional style and offers decadent luxury for a fraction of the equivalent Tokyo price tag Make the most of the greenery with a relaxing afternoon tea at Cafe & Bar Plaza in the greenhouse-like atrium Staff are extremely well-versed in the area and will give suggestions for dining out and sights outside of the typical tourist traps More info: www.mito-plaza.jp For beautiful ocean views – including one of Japan’s most beautiful sunrise locations – look no further than Oarai and its surrounding area Ibaraki’s biggest claim to fame for many visitors is Hitachi Seaside Park a picturesque green space of enormous proportions with a view of the ocean including its famous baby blue nemophila in mid-April to early May The park’s Pleasure Garden has over 25 rides and attractions Cycling enthusiasts will appreciate the dedicated cycling course while those who want to enjoy the area at a more relaxed pace can check out the barbecue zone More info: hitachikaihin.jp/en/ One of Japan’s oldest and most notable shrines is remarkably connected to a soccer team Kashima Jingu and Kashima Antlers have an unbreakable – if informal – bond partly due to the proximity of Tokyo 2020 Olympics venue Kashima Stadium has several Edo Period structures due to its popularity among Tokugawa shoguns who came to pray to war deity Takemikazuchi no Okami Keen-eyed visitors will also spot four-legged messengers of the gods — the ancestors of the famous Nara deer on the grounds More info: kashimajingu.jp Oarai Isosaki Shrine is Oarai’s namesake – not the other way around This historic shrine on a hill overlooking the coast has an ancient history that can be traced back to its exact founding day Its most famous structure is Kamiiso-no-Torii a white torii gate that faces Oarai’s rugged coastline Photographers gather here in the early hours to catch one of Japan’s most stunning sunrise sceneries The shrine itself displays some unique architectural peculiarities that one of the shrine priests will be happy to explain More info: oarai-isosakijinja.or.jp For exquisite Japanese meals featuring seasonal ingredients from both land and sea look no further than Yamaguchirou’s secluded Oarai location One of its highlights is teppanyaki dining al fresco (best to enjoy from May to October) Enjoy a view of the ocean through the pine trees while dining on freshly grilled seafood and Hitachi beef Guests can also stay in one of the exclusive six rooms at the inn – perfect for golf fans as Oarai Golf Club is next door Note that Yamaguchirou’s flagship restaurant More info: yamaguchirou.com Satoumitei Kinparo Hontei’s clean design is a perfect fit for its extraordinary ocean-side location Its quiet location and limited number of rooms makes it the perfect getaway destination Experience soaking in a soothing bath filled with spring water from Mt Oarai with a view that – from the right angle – looks like it spills right into the sea More info: www.satoumitei.jp Home of JAXA and the University of Tsukuba and internationally lauded as a high tech research center Tsukuba can seem like it’s all about the future The truth is that it stands side by side with the history that made its present possible To get a firsthand look at some of the world’s leading robot technologies head to Cyberdyne Studio on the second floor of Iias Tsukuba shopping mall Cyberdyne is the developer of HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) a wearable cyborg-like robot that helps users expand their physical capabilities It is increasingly used for treatment of patients with physical disabilities Make a reservation to receive a guided tour of the facility that includes a chance to test HAL’s mechanisms yourself More info: www.cyberdyne.jp/studio/index.html Mt Tsukuba is one of Ibaraki’s top hiking destinations Gaze across the Kanto plains and see as far as Mt Fuji (weather conditions permitting) from the mountain’s summit Many people choose to take the ropeway down as the steep incline can be difficult to navigate after rain More info: www.mt-tsukuba.com Touemon and its neighboring bakery Kurabiyori are the ultimate in rural elegance The complex hides a treasure trove of secrets and surprises – soba pasta is one of them – and serves fine Italian fare in a traditional house that is almost 200 years old It’s the perfect stopping point on the way to or from Mt Tsukuba and many guests arrive by bicycle More info: touemon.com Head to this delightful traditional inn to offset the modern vibes of central Tsukuba Soothe aching muscles after a climb up Mt Tsukuba in one of the hotel’s hot spring baths one of which boasts panoramic views of the neighboring area a stunning display of traditional Japanese art More info: tsukuba-grandhotel.co.jp/english/ A visit to Ibaraki’s western region may feel like traveling back in time as ancient customs and crafts are still alive and well This facility is dedicated to yuki tsumugi a silk weaving technique that hails from Yuki city and is a designated UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity visitors can discover the beauty of this ancient art that dates back more than 2,000 years and learn the time-consuming work involved to make just one kimono There are also silk thread coaster workshops but do check the website in advance for details as these are currently subject to change Don’t forget to drop by the complex’s shop More info: yukitumugi.co.jp Seasonal vegetables are the main focus of Kokyu’s menu which offers a selection of course meals in a traditional house from the Showa era Most ingredients are sourced in either Ibaraki or neighboring Tochigi Reservations required for both lunch and dinner they are happy to serve guests from all over the world More info: kokyu.in  Hotel Sansui has spent the better part of a century serving visitors to Koga The hotel has a lovely traditional Japanese feel More info: hotelsansui.co.jp/en/ To book a taxi tour to some of the spots mentioned in this article, go to english.ibarakiguide.jp/taxi-top.html Top Page > Press Release 2024 > Naming and Launching Ceremony for the Sunflower Kamuy Held 1st LNG-fueled Ferry on Oarai-Tomakomai Route - MOL Group's 3rd LNG-fueled Ferry to Enter Service in Early 2025 (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) and its group company MOL Sunflower Ltd (MOL Sunflower; President & CEO: Hirotoshi Ushioku; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku Tokyo) today announced that the naming and launching ceremony for the first of two LNG-fueled ferries which are under construction at Naikai Zosen Corporation (President: Kosaku Hara; Headquarters: Onomichi-shi was held at Innoshima Shipyard on April 11 The vessel was given its name Sunflower Kamuy by Tomoyasu Marutani The vessel will be delivered at Naikai Shipbuilding in December 2024 and is slated to enter service on the late-night Oarai-Tomakomai route operated by MOL Sunflower in early 2025 The second of the two new vessels is scheduled to enter service on the same route within 2025 the MOL Group will operate a fleet of four LNG-fueled ferries on east-west routes in Japan by 2025 joining the Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki which went into service on the Osaka-Beppu route in 2023 Click the image to view the video of the naming and launching ceremony for the Sunflower Kamuy The vessel will be able to reduce CO2 emissions by about 35% compared to currently in-service vessels on the Hokkaido route by adopting various state-of-the-art technologies in addition to LNG fuel thereby contributing to the reduction of overall CO2 emissions the MOL Group will promote Japan's "Modal Shift" and strive to solve the "2024 problem of logistics," by expanding the loading space for trucks compared to the currently in-service vessels and providing more comfortable space for truck drivers by making all cabins private rooms The MOL Group aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, and will continue to carry forward the strategy of "adoption of clean alternative fuels" in line with the "MOL Group Environmental Vision 2.2" to achieve decarbonization and low carbonization In addition to leading the way in environmental responsiveness in the coastal ferry business the group will continue to research and examine the use of new fuels as alternatives to LNG in the future and will continue to actively lead the industry in this area Kotobukiya is bringing the “GaruPan Hobby Show” to the 20th Oarai Ankou Festival Girls und Panzer merchandise including Kotobukiya’s Cu-poche figures are expected to be on show at the event and the company will also be hosting a store filled with limited goods at their festival booth for the very first time Event InfoName: GaruPan Hobby Show at 20th Ooarai Ankou Festival Date & Times: Nov. 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.Venue: Ooarai Outlet Mall Admission Fee: freeOfficial Website Kotobukiya Booth Product Info1. Cu-poche Ankou Odori Set (Miho Nishizumi & Yukari Akiyama)Special Event Price: 8,000 yen (including tax)Height: approx 2. Girls und Panzer Support Flag (Oarai Girls’ High School / Keizoku High School)Special Event Price: 1,500 yen each (including tax)Flag Dimensions: approx ©GIRLS und PANZER Projekt©GIRLS und PANZER Film Projekt Source: @Press Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. One worker found to have high levels of the deadly element in his lungs I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Five workers in a Japanese nuclear facility have been exposed to high levels of radiation after a bag containing plutonium allegedly broke during a routine inspection Initial details indicated three of the five workers were found to have contamination inside their nostrils and all five had contamination on their limbs after removing protective clothing and taking a shower Agency spokesperson Masataka Tanimoto said one worker in his 50s was found to have up to 22,000 becquerels of Plutonium-239 trace in his lungs after he opened the lid of one of the containers A broken bag with approximately 300g of plutonium and uranium powder came out The agency estimates his body has approximately 360,000 becquerels of radioactive material inside overall a radiology expert and a member of the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) said at a meeting: “This is an unusually high amount of radiation We must carefully look into whether the workers took proper steps." An official told Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun that “the amount is not enough to cause acute radiation.” Internal radiation exposure has potentially detrimental long-term affects because of the risk of cancer The man in question will need to be monitored for the rest of his life said a doctor at the hospital where he and the other workers are being treated which has frequently criticised the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) for conditions in its facility blamed workplace complacency for the incident JAEA’s safety record has been a source of controversy is being closed by the government following a major incident in 1995 An expert told the Japan Times the accident may have been the result of long-term buildup of helium emitted by plutonium In an effort to reduce the stockpile, Japan is burning plutonium. Progress is reportedly hindered by the anti-nuclear sentiment which has prevailed since 2011, following the Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies 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 The Japan Atomic Energy Agency said it has filed a request with the Nuclear Regulation Authority to add medical radioisotope production to the goals of the Joyo experimental fast reactor in Oarai The JAEA has high hopes that the radioactive substance JAEA officials said their aim is to develop a therapy whereby a drug containing actinium-225 is injected into a patient’s body to pinpoint cancer cells They said the use of a fast reactor to produce actinium-225 has few parallels elsewhere in the world Officials added that they are hoping to manufacture the radioisotope by the end of fiscal 2026 The JAEA and the National Cancer Center Japan signed a collaboration agreement Feb 29 for research and development of cancer therapy using actinium-225 Therapeutic trials of the radiation therapy are under way in many countries but the limited global supply of actinium-225 means that only 3,000 or so patients can be treated each year The Joyo is a compact experimental reactor for developing a plutonium-fueled fast reactor It entered operation in 1977 but has remained offline since 2007 due to equipment failures The JAEA is hoping to reactivate the Joyo around the middle of fiscal 2026 and is forging ahead with the formalities to obtain prior agreement from authorities in Ibaraki Prefecture and the town of Oarai (This article was written by Morio Cho and Takahiro Takenouchi.) sand tiger shark born at Ibaraki aquarium Exhibit shines light on visit by ‘UFO’-like ship in the Edo Period Vaccine officials split on whether to expose visa overstayers ‘Beach library’ opens in fall for seaside book lovers in Ibaraki Japan to approve virotherapy drug for 1st time for cancer treatment Girls und Panzer, the 2012 anime that combines cute high school girls with lumbering armed vehicles, takes place in Oarai, an actual Japanese town situated in Ibaraki Prefecture 80 miles north of Tokyo. To help rejuvenate the tsunami-ravaged area, it has incorporated Girls und Panzer-themed events into its annual Angler Fish Festival in November drawing 65,000 visitors to an event normally attended by 25,000 This year's Angler Fish Festival is being held this weekend, and Oarai has been bombarded with a barrage of girls und their Panzer. Kashima Rinkai! Railway the company operating the local train line has painted two of their cars with the show's characters passengers can see more of the show's characters While looking out the windows of these trains a whine associated with one of the characters complete with the slogan "Panzer vor!" ("Tanks forward!") signs of feminine militarization are also evident This guy's car has been outfitted with a gun turret and painted for the occasion City councilor Kazuaki Imamura has also finished his tank Various stores have placed cardboard cut-outs of Girls und Panzer characters outside or inside to woo passing otaku Street vendors are selling bottles of plum syrup for 1,800 yen (or about $18); they come with a free Saori badge Or one could opt for this box of sweet plums The actual festival mostly revolves around angler fish Events include a public angler fish gutting 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 MITO — A test run of tuk-tuks — three-wheel motor vehicles widely used in Southeast Asia — is being conducted in Oarai in the hopes of the vehicle boosting tourism The trial service will be conducted on four routes until Aug plans the full introduction of the service from September after identifying issues need to be addressed in the test run Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Bandai Namco has released the English version of the second trailer for Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match the Jatkosota High School tanks introduction trailer and announced physical day-one and digital early purchase bonuses for Southeast Asia (Singapore Th English trailer introduces features like crew customization and character skills as well as different gameplay modes such as “Story Battle,” “Domination Battle,” “Extra Missions,” and “Online Battles.” the following physical premium and early purchase bonus downloadable content will be available when users purchase Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match on day one at participating retailers across Southeast Asia or digitally: Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match is due out for PlayStation 4 on February 22 in Japan and with English subtitles on February 27 in Southeast Asia (Singapore Watch the trailers below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLt0QxWKPyg Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without acknowledgment of Gematsu is prohibited Use of this site is governed by all applicable laws Website by 44 Bytes an Assistant Professor of Applied English at Ming Chuan University Taipei-based film critic for The News Lens Mizushima Tsutomu’s hit anime and film franchise Girls und Panzer delivers exactly what it promises on the tin: high school girls engaging in tank battles and the battles are fierce and competently portrayed for the most part and a financial boon for the town of Oarai runs continuously from the 12-episode anime (2012) through a two-hour film (2015’s Girls und Panzer der Film) to the ongoing six-part film series of hour-long installments the story’s premise should be enough to help you get your bearings In a Japan where high schools are gender-segregated and built on town-sized aircraft carriers (complete with the town) and “tankery” (sensha-do) is a more prestigious school club activity than archery Oarai Girls’ Academy student council president and ship captain Kadotani Anzu (Fukuen Misato) revives its renowned but long-dormant tankery club and strongarms transfer student Nishizumi Miho (Fuchigami Mai) into joining who transferred there precisely to escape tankery and the pressures of her traditional tankery family famous for its “Nishizumi-style” no-retreat tactics And if Oarai does well in the championships she might have to face her own older sister team captain of Kuromorimine Girls’ High School The Ministry of Education (etc. abbreviated as MEXT) plans to shut down Oarai Girls’ due to budget cuts — a danger familiar to Japanese and Taiwanese teachers — and Anzu revives tankery hoping that winning the championship will change its mind so Anzu gets an agreement in writing that Oarai will stay open if they defeat the University All-Stars Team thereby launching us into the story of der Film They win again (with the help of some other high schools) and stay open but student council vice-president Kawashima Momo (Ueda Kana) fails to get into a university so the Oarai team tries to embellish her extracurriculars by making her the nominal team captain and winning a winter tournament which is what the das Finale series is all about the engagements are exciting in their own right You can viscerally feel the firing of the main cannons an experience that the series itself makes a joke about — unsurprisingly the 4DX theatrical releases have been widely acclaimed The use of 3D-animation for POV shots adds live-wire tension and only such a ludicrous premise to begin with could allow for tanks climbing over other tanks to achieve strange firing angles being catapulted through the air for the same purpose The implausible creativity makes for great fun On top of being exciting, these battles are themselves vehicles (sorry) for character dynamics. Though technically still a version of Saito Tamaki’s beautiful fighting girl the protagonists generally aren’t the tall and lithe figures seen in going instead for a cuteness that facilitates character archetypes As each tank is driven by three to six crew members and each school fields at least five tanks the archetypes are an efficient way to help us keep everyone straight without having to remember some of the minor characters’ names Tank commander Miho’s crew and central friend group includes a serene gunner The other Oarai tank crews each have a theme: student council leadership public morals committee (風紀; Taiwanese schools inherited these during the Japanese Colonial Period) The other schools each represent a nationality German (Maho’s Kuromorimine translates to “black forest peak”) and even colonial Japan — the German flavor of the vaunted Nishizumi style explains the bilingual titles These cultural and military stereotypes don’t just inform the respective battle tactics; they’re also incredibly funny That’s perhaps Girls und Panzer’s greatest secret: it’s hilarious. The first few anime episodes feature some very droll editing, and the overall humor runs the gamut from dad jokes to farce. Don’t worry about anyone dying: Like in Speed Racer (2008) a technobabble explanation is given for why though commanders often stand with their torso outside the tank even when taking tracer fire (for us viewers’ sake) no one gets seriously hurt (and Miho always checks to make sure) The ensuing visual chaos is perhaps meant to evoke the actual chaos faced by the characters with each shot lingering just long enough to register a cannon fire The climax of the installment’s second match is equally incoherent despite taking place on flat ground Yet that’s still only two minor blots on an otherwise pristine record of 17 works of animation (and more, if you count the OVA extras) There’s a reason the Girls und Panzer franchise is such a hit Girls und Panzer das Finale: Part 4 is in theaters READ NEXT: ‘Leave the World Behind’? More Like Leave Your Brain Behind TNL Editor: Kim Chan (@thenewslensintl) If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more story updates in your news feed, please be sure to follow our Facebook Ibaraki Prefecture--Beaches are ideal places to read books while soaking up some sun and autumn is a great time to cozy up with a warm drink and a good read--so why not combine the two The local tourism association has done just that opening up a fall “beach library” on Oarai Sun Beach “The sea can attract many visitors for marine sports bathing on the beach and many other things,” an association official said “We hope that people who usually do not come to the sea will also visit our beach.” Normally the thought “reading on the beach” brings summer to mind but this beach was closed in the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic So the Oarai Tourist Association decided to open the beach library for about three weeks in August This is the second time that the beach library has opened after the first event proved highly popular placed under tarps and parasols that have been set up about 10 meters apart along the beachfront The first floor of the beach center hosts a reception desk and packed bookshelves The collection boasts about 1,000 books that span a wide range of subjects The librarians chose works that would “allow visitors to open the doors to new worlds on their journey.” The fall beach library will continue through Nov It will be closed in the event of rain or strong winds it will also be open in the evening from 4:30 p.m visitors can read books by the light of lanterns The town of Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture will be holding an event celebrating anime series Girls und Panzer The event will be part of the town's yearly spring festival a girl who just transferred into the Oarai Girls' Academy in Ibaraki Prefecture but then joins the "senshadō" (tank combat) course — in this school the girls drive real-life tanks the way girls in other schools take archery or kendō sword fighting Miho's Ankō (Angler Fish) Team competes with the other teams The anime takes place in the seaside town of Oarai and utilizes many actual landmarks and locations as a setting for the story Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture Girls und Panzer Courtesy of Golf Travel THERE’S no way to hide it … golf is massive in Japan And it’s surprisingly cheaper than you might imagine in a country where land is at such a premium In a country where manners and cleanliness are so valued their golf courses are equally as impressive And if you haven’t considered a golfing holiday there it’s time we gave you just a glimpse of what’s on offer Golf is actually an extremely accessible sport in Japan and while largely undiscovered by international golf lovers this country’s courses will strike you with their beauty perfect course maintenance and warm hospitality We don’t need to remind you that golf is a popular leisure activity in Japan with the country ranking third worldwide in the number of golf resorts.  If you’re wondering where to enjoy golf in or around Tokyo It is one of Japan’s top-10 golf destinations This region was named “Hitachi Province” in the 7th century meaning “vast land with abundant water and a pleasant place to live” and people in Ibaraki have been well off since the old days.  From flower plains to a myriad of Sake breweries Ibaraki holds some of Japan’s richest and secret spots not made wholly aware to many Australians Ibaraki is located in the Kanto region of Japan north-east of Tokyo along the Pacific Coast.  It is an area with an abundance of Japanese culture and its tradition flows from its beautiful natural surroundings multitude of shrines and delicious food.  You can see that the historical and cultural traditions of the Mito domain are deeply rooted in historical buildings such as Kairakuen The land is blessed with abundant natural resources and delicious cuisine is available due to the availability of fresh seafood and agricultural products The good news is golf courses in Ibaraki are within easy reach of Tokyo and Narita/Haneda International Airports.  Surrounded by diverse nature including sea it is no surprise that Ibaraki is renowned as the ‘treasure trove of golf courses’.  This area boasts an incredibly diverse array of golfing challenges with 114 golf courses in just the prefecture itself; Ibaraki actually holds the fifth largest number of  golf courses in Japan It is an area blessed with a warm climate and few snowfalls making it just as enjoyable to play golf all year round No less than 10 Ibaraki golf courses have previously hosted Japan’s finest golf tournaments while casual games are also available at the weekday rate of around 4000 yen ($45).  Playing the courses in Ibaraki ranges from flat courses overlooking the stunning view of the ocean that utilize the vast plains and gentle sloping terrain of the Kanto Plain Indeed it is sure to suit every golfer’s needs some Ibaraki golf courses are equipped with golfing Segways self-balancing electric personal transportation vehicle More golfers seem to be aiming for an alternative and unique way to get around the golf course with these special transports This month Inside Golf is going to give you a tiny review of what is available at some of the golf resorts of Ibaraki Here international visitors can enjoy some of the best golf in Japan.  And in addition to these excellent golf courses there are facilities offering delicious local cuisine and easy access to great places to visit nearby Oarai is also known by knowledgeable golfers as the location of Oarai Golf Club Created in 1953 by respected designer Seiichi Inoue Oarai is one of only a few seaside courses in Japan and is laid out on the shores of the Pacific with many of its wide fairways doglegged and lined with age-old black pine trees Despite the shelter afforded by many trees around the course strong winds off the ocean can badly affect good scoring at Oarai as many professionals discovered when playing the Japan Open there in 1998 Not that the sea breezes prevented Hidemichi Tanaka from winning the competition for the first time Relentless wind from the ocean influences the game except the par-three 16th are set parallel to the shore Years of sea wind blowing through each hole created artistic designs on the pine branches the big pines hang over fairways severely on many holes and act as ‘hazards in the air’ Fairway bunkers are very few in spite of the Seichi Inoue design This is due to the fact the pines seemingly form more severe hazards than fairway bunkers You need to not only hit accurate tee shots to either half of the narrow fairways but also have command of low balls fades and draws in order to score well here Seiichi Inoue is the most famous Japanese golf course architect who designed 40 courses in Japan and two overseas Website: www.oarai-golf-club.co.jp/ Taiheiyo Club Oarai (Sherwood Course):  Taiheiyo Club Oarai Sherwood Course is also located in Oarai the facility was named after Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest.  The lakes scattered around the holes allow golfers to enjoy some thrilling shots One of the highlights of the Taiheiyo Club Oarai Sherwood Course is the restaurant overlooking the course.  The menu consists of exquisite Japanese and Western dishes made with seasonal ingredients including the high-quality seafood that Oarai is famous for The resort is operated by Taiheiyo Club,  one of Japan’s golf chains in the field which boasts 18 facilities throughout the country Taiheiyo Club is affiliated with prestigious golf clubs from Australia Members of partner clubs are automatically members of Taiheiyo Club and enjoy an entire array of privileges in addition to access to all its facilities in Japan They also have an English page with tips and information on how to enjoy golf in Japan to the fullest After an exciting golf session at Taiheiyo Club Oarai Sherwood Course how about exploring local highlights such as Oarai Isosaki Shrine with its beautiful torii gate located on a rock in the ocean which is famous for its nemophila flowers in spring Website: www.taiheiyoclub.com/oarai-sherwood the layout at PGM Ishioka Golf Club was designed by one of the greatest golfers of all time He himself praised it as “the best among all the golf courses in Japan that I know.” The course makes full use of the natural terrain and requires strategic playing; golfers will need every club in the bag PGM Ishioka Golf Club has served as the venue for various national and world tournaments including the Acom International men’s professional tournament the first-ever European Tour event was held in Japan The facility also takes pride in its extensive restaurant menu which includes Japanese and Western dishes.  Guests can enjoy flavourful seafood and hamburger menus which is just 15 minutes away by car offering picturesque views even for cyclists Website: www.pacificgolf.co.jp/ishioka/ Shishido Hills has been host to the Japan Golf Tour Championship.  featuring spacious and flat fairways lined by old trees Nishi (West) course features undulated fairways and many bunkers that are strategically placed West course is a real championship course that has played to host professional tournaments incorporates an American-style design with Japanese-style landscaping Their two clubhouses are large and offer traditional Japanese fare The city is home to Kasama Inari Shrine (one of Japan’s three most famous Inari shrines) and the Sudo Honke (the oldest sake brewery in Japan) The city is also Japan’s largest producer of chestnuts Website: www.shishido.co.jp/shishido/ Here is a hilly course for advancedgolfers Standing out through its dome-shaped clubhouse the course at Shin Seizansou Country Club is located on a hilly terrain overlooking the surrounding area Designed by famous American golf designer Pete Dye and other hazards that require bold decisions and precise shots Transportation around the course is done with golf carts without caddies and their carts are equipped with the latest navigation system Visitors can stay overnight in the lodge-style hotel or in one of the eight log housetype villas which allow them to enjoy the spirit of an outdoor adventure In addition to the restaurant that provides excellent meals such as sukiyaki there is also an izakaya (Japanese-style bar) where guests can unwind at the end of the day Shin Seizansou Country Club is located in Hitachiota Website: www.unimat-golf.jp/seizansou/ golf is quite an enjoyable experience that can meet the needs of various players in Ibaraki There are traditions to uphold – but most golfers in Australia would expect that it is customary to have lunch during a one-hour break after the ninth hole so visitors can take this opportunity to sample the local specialties.  Prestigious clubs have a dress code and while the requirements may differ for each resort T-shirts and sandals are not acceptable.  Golfers are usually required to wear jackets (except in summer) shoes with metal spikes are also prohibited tattoos need to be hidden underneath the clothes Most golf resorts have a bathing area or hot springs where you can refresh after completing the course Japanese bathing etiquette requires cleansing one’s body before entering the large bath.  Enjoy playing golf on high-quality courses with the golf culture of Ibaraki and don’t forget to explore the local tourist attractions Book a Tokyo and Ibaraki fully-escorted eight-day golf tour at CGE Golf. Log on to www.cgegolf.com.au/golf-experiences/tokyo-ibaraki-golf-experience-2024 Want to enjoy Ibaraki to the fullest? Book a seven-day Ibaraki golf tour with five rounds of golf at Gimme Golf. Log ontowww.gimmegolf.com.au/itinerary/itinerary_details/98/67/Ibaraki-Golf-Tour Japanese version Citizens' Nuclear Information Center CNIC Statements / energy policy / Other / Press Release 2025 The Public Comment system is a procedure that was legislated by the Amendments to the Administrative Procedure Act in June 2005 “aiming to ensure the fairness of and to improve... Newsletters / Nuke Info Tokyo Nuke Info Tokyo is a bi-monthly newsletter that aims to provide English speaking friends with up-to-date information on the Japanese nuclear industry and the movements against it   Editor: Takakuwa Mayu Translators: Pat Ormsby,... energy policy / International / News / Nuclear Fuel Cycle / Radioactive Waste   Strategic Energy Plan and Other Cabinet Decisions Japan’s government adopted the 7th Strategic Energy Plan on February 18 together with the GX2040 Vision and Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures in cabinet decisions Who's Who/Group Intro Network of Nuclear Disaster Victim Groups   Ms She is like a girl who has advanced in age but whose heart has not... Fukushima former nuclear engineer   The Events So Far A fuel debris sample from the Unit 2 reactor of Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s (TEPCO’s) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station has been extracted... Contaminated Soil / Contamination / Fukushima / Fukushima Daiichi related data Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science Kyoto University   Changes in dose rates in Iitate Village Iitate Village lies in the Abukuma Highlands 30 to 45 km northwest of the... Contaminated water / Fukushima / Fukushima Daiichi related data By Matsukubo Hajime   State of the Plant The water temperature in the containment vessels and the spent fuel pools (SFPs) shows no great variation despite seasonal temperature changes Contaminated Soil / Exposed work / Fukushima By Yamaguchi Yukio   This month marks 14 years since the Fukushima nuclear accident It was so severe it put Japan under a “nuclear emergency declaration” that is still in effect CNIC Statements / Fukushima 14 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident which sets the basic direction of the... CNIC Statements / energy policy the Ishiba Cabinet approved the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan which removed the invaluable lesson learned from the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station 
 Editor: Takakuwa Mayu Translators: Pat Ormsby,... Who’s Who: Oda Chiyo Who’s Who: Mukohara Yoshitaka – A Person Having Both Feet Firmly on the Ground Comments on the Analysis of the Fuel Debris Sample Retrieved from the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 Reactor Environmental Standards and Hazard Maps Are Required to Deal with Radioactive Contamination – Iitate Village Radiation Dose Survey Results and Contamination Forecasts Citizens' Nuclear Information Center 1F Ogura Bldg Japan TEL.03-6821-3211 FAX.03-5358-9791 Email Powered by  - Designed with the Hueman theme Tsutomu Mizushima is not an arthouse director In contrast with those directors who generally leave a clear aesthetic signature on their productions or who impart all their works with some socially relevant commentary and love of both anime and goofy genre films clear in all of his works Mizushima is an entertainer above all else and his Girls und Panzer der Film is absolutely designed to entertain The film's absolute focus on its core goals is actually one of its more unusual qualities. While many films embrace the widely accepted wisdom that things like “narrative” and “character development” are useful tools for creating compelling drama, the Girls und Panzer movie largely dispenses with all of that The film opens in the midst of an expedition match pairing the original season's faux-British and faux-Russian teams off against the heroes of the first season and some new allies This expedition match doesn't really serve any narrative purpose it's made clear very early on that there are no stakes here beyond the immediate rush of the battle that match carries on for a good twenty minutes as Miho attempts to corral useless allies and spars with old foes all across a golf course and seaside village Girls und Panzer der Film's actual conflict is introduced: the school administration were just kidding about saving Oarai High School last time and so now Miho's group are going to have to fight an even tougher team to save their school Also all their friends will be fighting with them There's an amusement park and a mountain on the course Girls und Panzer der Film wraps up all of its actual plot into a concise twenty minute interlude mixing that with some goofy comedy courtesy of Miho's friends and a little more character work for the original series' underserved squads (the six freshmen There's also some light seeding of a barely-there connection between Miho and the antagonists' team captain courtesy of their shared love of a very strange bear mascot and the introduction of a whimsical Finnish team who eventually literally float away on a tank-raft for an hour-long fight that defies all traditional rules of narrative structure in favor of having an incredibly good time Of course, if any franchise could pull off a film that discards narrative entirely in deference to more action scenes The original series stands as one of the most viscerally entertaining and can't-put-downable shows of the last few years marrying a silly premise and lighthearted tone to some of the most intelligently composed sports battles out there While many shows rely on character work and narrative consequence to impart their battles with a sense of impact Girls und Panzer soars by making sure the audience understands exactly how impactful each action is And with thirty tanks facing off against thirty more tanks Girls und Panzer der Film's second half is one of the most impressive and entertaining battle scenes you could imagine Part of Girls und Panzer der Film's strength comes down to its effectively understated character work Girls und Panzer's characters aren't rich human beings something that's very important for a film that stars around thirty relevant protagonists You don't feel invested in individual members of the historical squad or freshman team but it's easy to feel invested in them as a unit - whether through goofy shtick or minimalist individual arcs all of Girls und Panzer der Film's stars earn their moments in the sun The film is able to put all of the goodwill engendered by the series proper to work banking on our existing investment in characters like Anchovy and Katyusha to forego basically any purely character-focused scenes here Essentially the only human conflict that's given any substance here is the repairing of the relationship between Miho and her sister which earns an adorable flashback in that one pre-battle preamble But far more of Girls und Panzer's appeal comes down to its understanding of how to make fights exciting for their own sake Few shows regularly manage consistently visceral and self-justifying fights In a medium where fluid fight choreography is the exception rather than the rule it's hard to convey the pace and stakes of battles without relying on voiceover (“she's going for his weakness!”) or preexisting emotional investment Girls und Panzer is the rare exception to this issue; though there are moments within this sixty-tank scuffle that are hard to parse what a given feint is attempting to accomplish or how bad a situation is for one or the other side and desperation purely in the physical mechanics of how the film's fights play out By using the film's far-too-many characters as a kind of tonal chorus and always focusing on the salient strategic variables Girls und Panzer der Film constructs a “narrative of battle,” where all of the rising tension and dramatic peaks of a conventional narrative are here expressed entirely through fighting It also helps that the film looks terrific The film's traditional animation is actually very fluid and certainly far above the level of a television production Though the show's art design has always been a little bland and plenty of jokes and character moments are sold largely through physical gestures and body language it's the film's use of CG animation that feels truly praiseworthy Girls und Panzer's characters spend most of their time cooped up in metal boxes and so it's greatly to the film's credit that the character acting of the tanks is somehow very strong The tanks' CG models don't squash and stretch or endear themselves through other classic animation principles but their movements are lively and expressive feeling surprisingly reflective of the personalities of their crews Girls und Panzer's heavy reliance on CG also allows it to operate entirely outside the limitations of traditional animation Traditional animation is a tricky art form - though it can convey the movements of characters on a still frame with relative ease it is almost impossible to “move the camera” in animation particularly either swinging it on an angle or moving it towards or away from the frame as the perspective of all characters and objects in frame change relative to the camera's positioning This doesn't mean these shifts aren't done but they're techniques to be used sparingly and are often the crowning animation achievements of a given work With Girls und Panzer's canvas of CG tanks on a CG set Girls und Panzer der Film constructs a golf course and expansive amusement park just so it can blow them to pieces its camera's eye spinning wildly all along the way The show consistently adopts the perspective of one of the actual tanks creating a sense of visceral engagement and enhancing the solidity of the terrain Other shots spin wildly around uneven embankments marrying the film's CG terrain to splashes of traditional animation in order to convey frantic momentum Girls und Panzer der Film doesn't just rely on CG because it has to gleeful demonstration of the kind of setpieces only CG can create Girls und Panzer's last hour feels like one of the imaginative directionless games you might play as a child where all of your toys are heroes and villains fighting across the treacherous expanse of your bedroom Or it's the most satisfying competitive videogame match you've played or a nail-biting soccer match from your glory days Supported by its steady marriage of engaging characters Girls und Panzer der Film answers questions like “what if a tank was chasing another tank on top of a roller coaster,” or “what if one tiny tank used two other tanks as ramps to fight a super big tank.” The film is a celebration of goofy action and sports drama untethered from the mundane and sensical its sturdy dramatic foundations letting its overt story ideas run wild and free Girls und Panzer der Film's dub is a generally solid effort, with the cast's many distinctive voices making it easy to parse conversations even as half a dozen characters are shouting over tanks exploding on-screen. I found Molly Searcy's Mako affectation to be a little stiff and some characters even feel a bit more fully realized in dub (like the student council's Yuzu Koyama who comes across like much less of a one-note airhead here) The film's music is just as strong as its direction offering a lively and eclectic mix of marshal anthems “tanks flying in circles shooting at each other while polka plays in the background” might sum up Girls und Panzer der Film better than any of my words could hope to and has basically nothing to say except “tanks are sweet and fights are fun.” I found its argument in favor of that point utterly convincing Full encyclopedia details aboutGirls und Panzer der Film (movie) Ibaraki — TV personality and Ibaraki Prefecture native Naomi Watanabe participated in an event held at Aqua World Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai Aquarium on Feb 24 to promote locations in the prefecture to tourists from Taiwan attended the event held at the aquarium’s Ocean Theater introduced landmarks such as Fukuroda Falls and the Ushiku Daibutsu Buddha statue as well as specialties such as melons and dried sweet potatoes She mingled with visitors during a quiz game after the talk and was also interacting with a sea lion The Ibaraki prefectural government has been making efforts in recent years to expand exports of local products and promoting tourism to Taiwan as a promising sales destination who serves as a Taiwan Ibaraki promotional ambassador Kazuhiko Oigawa participated in the Ibaraki grand trade fair in Taipei which showcased prefectural products and tourist attractions “I was able to enjoy hearing about famous spots in Ibaraki Prefecture,” a visitor from Taipei said I’d like to further promote Ibaraki so that people from Taiwan can enjoy the charms of Ibaraki.” Japanese version Indonesian streaming service Ponimu Indonesia added the Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle!, Girls und Panzer der Film, and the first episode of the Girls und Panzer das Finale films to its catalog earlier this month Ponimu Indonesia previously added the Girls und Panzer television anime in August 2018 Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle! debuted in theaters and home video in Japan in July 2014. The OVA shows Oarai Girls Academy tankery team's battle with Anzio High School an event that was hinted at but ultimately not shown in the plot of the television anime The tight-budgeted and Italian-themed Anzio team is equipped with numerous tankettes and is led by the ambitious but tactically myopic Anchovy who is affectionately called "Duce" by her teammates The first episode of Girls und Panzer das Finale is the first in a six-part series The film focuses on Momo Kawashima's dilemma of failing to get into her college of choice (though everyone seems to think she will repeat a year) due to her efforts to ensure that Oarai will never again face closure To ensure that Momo passes another college entrance exam Oarai decides to join the Winter Continuos Track Cup to ensure its prestige as a tankery school and fulfill Momo's wish Oarai faces off against the French-themed BC Freedom High School whose capable machines and tactical acumen are undermined by its divided leadership who roll into battle with the archaic Mark IV tank Source: Ponimu Indonesia's Facebook page Japanese version The most recent Oarai Angler Fish Festival is the gift that keeps on giving, especially if you're a fan of Girls und Panzer a series that not only takes place in the town of Oarai but also uses its landmarks and scenery as backgrounds and references for the series The event included a fan-made full-size replica tank, cosplayers plenty of itasha—cars decorated with images from Girls und Panzer Check out this video of some of the itasha on display Here's an earlier video of the tank "in action." [Via Nicotube Anime] The "Girls und Panzer der Film Ōarai Hoshizora Jōei-kai" (Girls und Panzer der Film Ōarai Starry Sky Screening Event) event will screen the 2015 anime film in its setting city of Ōarai and it will also recreate a scene from the film in which an audience watches a sensha-dō exhibition match on a screen in a certain field in Ōarai After the screening, the film's sound director Yoshikazu Iwanami will appear for a talk show The franchise's Oarai Garupan Gallery shop began offering tickets on August 4 for 2,500 yen (about US$22) each and a total of only 1,000 tickets is available Attendees will receive an exclusive leisure sheet (small plastic tarp) to sit on during the screening he described the screening as a "chip-in party" and made an apparent reference to the film series production's deficit He asked fans to buy merchandise at the event if possible Merchandise available for purchase near Oarai Garupan Gallery will include a variety of items (seen below) from Curtain Damashii The event is being held in conjunction with Ōarai Hassaku Matsuri, an annual festival in Ōarai that will be held on August 25-26 this year. In addition, a Girls und Panzer talk show event will be held at Ibaraki Airport on August 26 The second film in the six-part Girls und Panzer das Finale film series will open in Japan in June 2019 This year the anime also joined forces with the Ōarai Spring Matsuri Kairaku Festa Kairaku is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan and is located in Mito Over 80,000 attendees came out for the nice weather on Sunday an increase of 30,000 compared to last year The PlayStation 4 version of World of Tanks was set up on the second floor of the Ōarai Maiwai Market for a tournament between Ōarai Prefectural Girls High School and rival school St Participants could choose to play on either team The festival was sent off with fireworks that evening and a ceremony designating professional wrestler Masahiro Chōno as an Ōarai ambassador Chono has actively worked to raise awareness for earthquake reconstruction assistance [Via Otakomu, 4Gamer