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Methods: In this study, we aimed to elucidate how lunar gravity (1/6 g) changes mRNA expression patterns in the salivary gland. Using a multiple artificial gravity research system during space flight in the International Space Station, we studied the effects of two different gravitational levels, lunar and Earth gravity, on the submandibular glands of mice. All mice survived, returned to Earth from space, and their submandibular glands were collected 2 days after landing.
Results: We found that lunar gravity induced the expression of the salivary amylase gene Amy1; however, no increase in Aqp5 and Ano1, which regulate water secretion, was observed. In addition, genes involved in the exocrine system, such as vesicle-associated membrane protein 8 (Vamp8) and small G proteins, including Rap1 and Rab families, were upregulated under lunar gravity.
Conclusion: These results imply that lunar gravity upregulates salivary amylase secretion via Rap/Rab signaling and exocytosis via Vamp8. Our study highlights Amy1 as a potential candidate marker for stress regulation in salivary glands in the lunar gravity environment.
Volume 15 - 2024 | <a class="ArticleLayoutHeader__info__doi" href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1417719">https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1417719</a>
Introduction: Space is a unique environment characterized by isolation from community life and exposure to circadian misalignment
These multiple differences from those experienced on the earth may cause systemic and local tissue stress
including sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves
Saliva is secreted from the salivary gland
and plays several important roles in the oral cavity and digestive processes
The balance of the autonomic nervous system in the seromucous glands
precisely controls serous and mucous saliva
and other triggers can cause an imbalance in salivary secretion systems
A previous study reported that amylase is a stress marker in behavioral medicine and space flight crews; however
the detailed mechanisms underlying amylase regulation in the space environment are still unknown
we aimed to elucidate how lunar gravity (1/6&#x000a0;g) changes mRNA expression patterns in the salivary gland
Using a multiple artificial gravity research system during space flight in the International Space Station
we studied the effects of two different gravitational levels
and their submandibular glands were collected 2&#x000a0;days after landing
Results: We found that lunar gravity induced the expression of the salivary amylase gene Amy1; however
such as vesicle-associated membrane protein 8 (Vamp8) and small G proteins
Conclusion: These results imply that lunar gravity upregulates salivary amylase secretion via Rap/Rab signaling and exocytosis via Vamp8
Our study highlights Amy1 as a potential candidate marker for stress regulation in salivary glands in the lunar gravity environment
Artificial imitation of these environments may provide an understanding of gravitational physiology and determine how to avoid space stress
which are representative of local fluid balance regulation by the system
Saliva maintains the moist environment of oral tissues and is essential not only for feeding
and swallowing food but also for oral functions such as digestion
saliva has antibacterial properties that help control the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth
contributing to oral hygiene and prevention of dental issues such as cavities and gum disease
Saliva helps maintain pH balance in the mouth and neutralizes the acids produced by bacteria
thereby reducing the risk of tooth decay and erosion
It plays a role in taste perception by dissolving food particles and allowing them to interact with the taste buds in the tongue
saliva is a multifunctional fluid that contributes significantly to oral and digestive health
can lead to various oral health problems and difficulties chewing
little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of salivary secretion during spaceflights
we collected submandibular glands from mice exposed to artificial lunar gravity
the large amount of saliva secretion comes from the submandibular gland
we thought that changes in salivary gland mRNA due to environmental changes might be more clearly observed in the submandibular gland compared to other salivary glands
and we considered that it would be a good model to observe the control mechanism and balance of protein secretion and water secretion by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves
This study investigated the basic foundations for oral clinical medicine under lunar gravity
We sought to understand whether lunar gravity (1/6&#x000a0;g) influence the mRNA expression in salivary glands during space flight
two independent missions (MHU-4 and MHU-5) were conducted in the space
we analyzed the mRNA expression of the whole submandibular gland tissue of mice raised under lunar (1/6&#x000a0;g) and Earth gravity (1&#x000a0;g)
C57BL/6&#x000a0;J male mice (Stock &#x00023;000664) obtained from Jackson Laboratories (Bar Harbor
United States) and Charles River Laboratories (Wilmington
United States) were used for the MHU-4 and -5 missions
All experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) (Protocol Number: No
and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (Protocol Number: No
All experiments were conducted in accordance with the guidelines and applicable laws of Japan and the United States
The ground control group (GC) comprised of six age-matched (9-week-old) male C57BL/6&#x000a0;J mice per mission, maintained on Earth under the same conditions as those aboard the International Space Station (ISS). A detailed description of the space flight experiments has been previously reported (<a href="#B7">Hayashi et al., 2023</a>)
six 9-week-old male C57BL/6&#x000a0;J mice in a transportation cage unit were launched aboard SpX-17 on 7 May 2019
from the NASA Kennedy Space Center and were then transported to the ISS
The MHU-4 partial gravity (PG) group was maintained in an artificial gravity environment of 1/6&#x000a0;g on the bottom floor of the habitat cage unit by centrifugation at 31&#x000a0;rpm in MARS using a short-radius (15&#x000a0;cm) centrifuge (MARS-S)
six 9-week-old male C57BL/6&#x000a0;J mice in a transportation cage unit were launched aboard SpX-20 on 10 March 2020
The MHU-5_PG group was maintained in an artificial gravity environment of 1/6&#x000a0;g on the bottom floor of the habitat cage unit by centrifugation at 21&#x000a0;rpm in MARS using a long-radius (35&#x000a0;cm) centrifuge (MARS-L)
The lighting in the mouse habitat cage considered the circadian rhythm and used a 12-h cycle according to the ISS and GMT (standard) time
with a light period of 7:00 to 19:00 and a dark period from 19:00 to 7:00 the next day
Cage unit was equipped with a water dispenser and a feeder that can automatically supply water and food
The crew only needed to periodically refill the water and replenish the food
The water dispenser was based on a balloon for injecting medicines
and drinking water was supplied by pressurizing the water using the elasticity of the balloon
The amount of water in the balloon was able to be detected by a sensor when it was full and when a certain amount of water had been consumed from full
a spring was used to push out integrally molded food to the feeding surface
but the food in this device was in cartridge form
making it easy for the crew to replace the cartridges
All the mice from each mission were sacrificed on the second day after returning to the Earth
Submandibular glands were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde (Wako
Japan) for 1&#x02013;2&#x000a0;d at 4&#x000a0;&#x000b0;C before replacing the paraformaldehyde with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)
The MHU-4 mission samples were processed in the United States in June 2019
and the MHU-5 mission samples were processed in the United States in April 2020
the samples were treated with different concentrations of methanol
for 30&#x000a0;min each and then maintained in 100% methanol
The MHU-4 mission samples were processed in Japan in July 2019
and the MHU-5 mission samples were processed in Japan in May 2020
Samples from the ground control experiments were treated using the same method as those from the space experiments
samples were processed in December 2019; and the MHU-5 samples were processed in October 2020
Total RNA from whole submandibular gland in each group (the MHU-4 GC
the MHU-5 PG); n &#x0003d; 1 for each was isolated from the cells using the RNeasy Mini Kit (QIAGEN
according to the manufacturer&#x02019;s instructions
RNA samples were quantified using a Nanodrop ND-1000 spectrophotometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific
and their quality was confirmed using a 2,200 TapeStation (Agilent Technologies
We conducted immunofluorescence staining by using the whole submandibular gland in each group (the MHU-4 GC
The fixed submandibular glands were embedded in paraffin
and 2&#x000a0;&#x003bc;m sections were prepared using a microtome (Leica Biosystems
The sections were deparaffinized by immersing in xylene (Wako) for 10&#x000a0;min three times
The sections were then rehydrated using sequential immersion in 100%
the sections were washed three times with PBS
the samples were permeabilized with Triton X-100 (Sigma Aldrich
United States) for 5&#x000a0;min before incubating with blocking buffer (Nacalai Tesque
Japan) at room temperature for 15&#x000a0;min
To evaluate the protein expression patterns
the samples were then incubated overnight at 4&#x000a0;&#x000b0;C with the following primary antibodies: mouse monoclonal anti-Amylase (sc-46657; 1:200; Santa Cruz Biotechnology
rabbit polyclonal anti-Aquaporin5 (ab53212; 1:200; Abcam
mouse monoclonal anti-Rap1 (sc-398755; 1:200; Santa Cruz Biotechnology
mouse monoclonal anti-Rab2a (67501-1-Ig; 1:200; Proteintech
rabbit polyclonal anti-Rab10 (11808-1-AP; 1:200; Proteintech)
rabbit polyclonal anti-Rab27b (13412-1-AP; 1:200; Proteintech)
and rabbit polyclonal anti-Vamp8 (15546-1-AP; 1:200; Proteintech)
the following secondary antibodies were then incubated for 1&#x000a0;h at room temperature: Alexa Fluor&#x000ae; 568 donkey anti-mouse (&#x00023;A10037; Thermo Fisher Scientific)
Alexa Fluor&#x000ae; 488 donkey anti-rabbit (&#x00023;A21206
the stained samples were mounted in a mounting reagent with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (ab104139; Abcam) and analyzed using a fluorescence microscope (X710
Microarray analysis to examine the changes in mRNA expression of the 22,206 genes found no correlation (correlation coefficient: 0.077052) between the submandibular gland samples obtained from the MHU-4 and -5 missions, even though both missions were conducted under the same lunar surface gravity environments (<a href="#F1">Figure 1</a>)
This may be due to differences in the centrifugal gradient caused by the radius of each MARS and circadian fluctuation between the time points for collecting samples in two missions
No correlation of salivary gene expression was observed between the MHU-4 and -5 missions
Microarray analysis revealed no correlation between changes in the mRNA expression of 22,206 genes (correlation coefficient: 0.077052) between the MHU-4 and -5 missions
we focused on mature acinar cells that have physiological functions such as protein and water secretion
Increases of gene expression in acinar cells in lunar gravity environment
encoding marker protein for the cells comprising submandibular gland
The map represents the ratio calculated from the signal intensity of 1/6&#x000a0;g&#x02013;1&#x000a0;g
Microarray analysis revealed that the expression increases with significance were more seen in acinar cells
Gene expression increases were more observed in MHU-4 compared with those in MHU-5
(B) Genes relating to cell proliferation and apoptosis showed no upregulation
Red in heat map indicates upregulated mRNA at 1/6&#x000a0;g and green in heat map indicates downregulated mRNA at 1/6&#x000a0;g compared to the 1&#x000a0;g group
Upregulation of salivary Amy1 in 1/6&#x000a0;g lunar gravity environment in both MHU-4 and MHU-5 missions
(A) Heat map showing the ratio calculated from the signal intensity of 1/6&#x000a0;g&#x02013;1&#x000a0;g
Microarray analysis revealed that salivary protein gene Amy1 was upregulated in 1/6&#x000a0;g lunar gravity in both MHU-4 and -5 missions
No significant increases of Aqp5 were observed
(B) Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the increased expression of amylase in 1/6&#x000a0;g lunar gravity in both MHU-4 and -5 but no increase of Aqp5 even though the salivary cells were highly immunopositive for Aqp5
Upregulation of Vamp8 in the lunar gravity group in both MHU-4 and MHU-5
Microarray analysis revealed changes in expression of the v-SNARE gene
and 7 were upregulated at 1/6&#x000a0;g compared to the 1&#x000a0;g in MHU-4
Upregulation of the t-SNARE gene in lunar gravity was not observed
(B) Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the co-localization of amylase and Vamp8 in acinar cells
Co-localized expression of amylase and Vamp8 was higher in lunar gravity compared with ground control for MHU-4 and MHU-5 missions
Insets (white dotted rectangles) were enlarged from the yellow dotted rectangles
Arrowheads indicate strong expression of Vamp8 protein and amylase at apical side of cell membrane in acinar cells
Upregulation of Rap1 in lunar gravity in both MHU-4 and MHU-5
Microarray analysis revealed changes in expression of Rap1 in 1/6&#x000a0;g in both MHU-4 and MHU-5
(B) Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the upregulation of Rap1 in lunar gravity compared with ground control for both MHU-4 and MHU-5 missions
and Rab27 in lunar gravity in both MHU-4 and MHU-5
Microarray analysis revealed that changes in the expression Rab2a
and Rab27 in 1/6&#x000a0;g in both MHU-4 and MHU-5
(B) Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the upregulation of Rab2a
and Rab27 in lunar gravity compared with ground control for both MHU-4 and MHU-5 missions
and Ran family genes was observed in the lunar gravity groups of the MHU-4 and MHU-5 missions
(A&#x02013;C) Heat map showing the ratio calculated from the signal intensity on small G protein
and Ran family of 1/6&#x000a0;g&#x02013;1&#x000a0;g
Microarray analysis revealed no common upregulation of Rho
and Ran family except for GEF/GAP in lunar gravity for both MHU-4 and MHU-5 missions
changes in mRNA expression may occur downstream signals of salivary secretion system involved in vesicular transport and secretion at apical side of acinar cells
or Gq proteins involved in salivary secretion
Microarray analysis revealed no common upregulation of GPCR
involved in salivary secretion under the lunar gravity environment in MHU-4 and -5 missions
(B) There were no significant upregulation of autonomic nerve related receptor genes
including adrenergic and cholinergic receptors
GSEA results revealed that the gene set involved in oxidative phosphorylation were highly upregulated in submandibular gland samples under 1/6&#x000a0;g lunar gravity in MHU-4 and -5 (<a href="#F9">Figure 9A</a>). In addition, the gene set involved in ion exchange associated with ATP synthesis was also upregulated at 1/6&#x000a0;g lunar gravity compared to that under 1&#x000a0;g in the MHU-4 and -5 missions (<a href="#F9">Figure 9B</a>)
Enrichment in a set of mRNAs relating oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis coupled electron transport was observed in lunar gravity in both MHU-4 and -5 missions
(A) Gene set enriched analysis (GSEA) revealed the activation of oxidative phosphorylation in lunar gravity for both MHU-4 and -5 missions
(B) GSEA also revealed the activation of ATP synthesis coupled electron transport in lunar gravity for both MHU-4 and -5 missions
Downregulation of mechanosensitive ion channels in lunar gravity
Heat map showing the ratio calculated from the signal intensity of 1/6&#x000a0;g&#x02013;1&#x000a0;g
Microarray analysis revealed downregulation of mechanosensitive ion channels
in lunar gravity for both the MHU-4 and MHU-5 missions
Our study showed no increase in the expression of mRNA related to receptors for noradrenaline secreted from sympathetic nerves involved in protein secretion
where is the upstream of salivary secretion system
while upregulations of Rap/Rab signaling for transporting intracellular vesicles and v-SNARE (Vamp8) to secrete amylase via exocytosis at apical side of acinar cells were observed in the 1/6&#x000a0;g environment
salivary secretion requires high levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) not only for salivary secretion by maintaining intracellular K&#x0002b; concentration in acinar cells
but also for modification of saliva by reabsorption and secretion in ductal cells of submandibular gland
Our GSEA data show that a set of mRNAs involved in oxidative phosphorylation was highly upregulated under 1/6&#x000a0;g lunar gravity in MHU-4 and -5
mRNAs in association of ionic transport coupled with ATP synthesis or hydrolysis were also upregulated at 1/6&#x000a0;g lunar gravity compared to that under 1&#x000a0;g in the MHU-4 and -5 missions
We also hypothesized that changes in gravity may induce changes in body fluids
resulting in excessive fluid inflow into the submandibular gland
Our data shows downregulation of mechanosensitive ion channels such as TRP
Fluid balance fluctuates when gravity changes
shifting fluid to the upper body and creating a situation where the astronauts have edema around the salivary glands
It is possible that the mRNA levels of these mechanosensitive ion channels in the submandibular gland decrease because of a function that restores them to their normal state
In conclusion, our results indicate that changes in the gravitational environment induce qualitative changes in salivary secretion function and that multiple genes may be involved in maintaining salivary secretion homeostasis in the space environment. Overall, our data suggested that lunar gravity upregulates salivary amylase secretion via vesicular transport and exocytosis mediated by Rap/Rab signaling and Vamp8 at apical side of acinar cells (<a href="#F11">Figure 11</a>)
we have not shown the functional assay as amylase secretion in this study
To clarify the correlation mechanisms between these mRNAs and amylase secretion
it will need to be verified whether any effect on amylase secretion is caused by both gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments in acinar cells
Further research on salivary secretion signal and gene regulation may contribute to the future monitoring of the physical and mental health of humans living in space as well as the improvement of oral medicine
Upregulation of salivary amylase secretion via Rap/Rab signaling and exocytosis via Vamp8 under the lunar gravity
(A) Graphical scheme shows signaling pathway for salivary secretion in acinar cells
and Vamp8-encoding mRNAs and their proteins were upregulated and localized at apical membrane in acinar cells at the 1/6&#x000a0;g lunar gravity
Red boxes represent proteins and molecules for salivary protein secretion
Blue boxes represent proteins and molecules for the water/ion secretion
(B) Rap and Rab small G proteins modulate the processivity of vesicles to apical side of cell membrane
Apical side of cell membrane showed upregulation of Vamp8 protein and vesicle-membrane docking to secrete salivary amylase at 1/6&#x000a0;g environment
cyclic adenosine monophosphate; Ca2&#x0002b;
potassium calcium-activated channel subfamily N member 4; M3R
muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M3; NKCC1
phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate; PKA
target membrane-associated T-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor; Vamp8
vesicle-associated membrane protein 8; v-SNARE
vesicle-associated V-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor
The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Material
further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author
The animal studies were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) (Protocol Number: No
The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements
Written informed consent was obtained from the owners for the participation of their animals in this study
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research
Tokyo Dental College Research Grant (Wellbeing Project)
Biospecimens used in this study were provided by tissue sharing solicitation for JAXA mouse missions in space
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest
The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers
This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations
Any product that may be evaluated in this article
or claim that may be made by its manufacturer
is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher
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Kimura M and Shibukawa Y (2024) Upregulation of Amy1 in the salivary glands of mice exposed to a lunar gravity environment using the multiple artificial gravity research system
Received: 15 April 2024; Accepted: 04 June 2024;Published: 26 June 2024
Copyright &#x000a9; 2024 Ouchi, Kono, Satou, Kurashima, Yamaguchi, Kimura and Shibukawa. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).</a> The use
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&#x0002a;Correspondence: Yoshiyuki Shibukawa, <a id="encmail">eXNoaWJ1a2FAdGRjLmFjLmpw</a>
&#x02020;These authors have contributed equally to this work
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Shibukawa City in Gunma Prefecture, Japan has sponsored taxis inspired by the prominent cars from the <a href="https://hypebeast.com/tags/initial-d">Initial D</a> anime and manga series
As part of the city&#8217;s tourism campaign, three cars be available to cater to passengers around the city until the end of March next year. The vehicles will be styled after Takumi Fujiwara&#8217;s <a href="https://hypebeast.com/tags/toyota">Toyota</a> AE86, Keisuke Takahashi&#8217;s <a href="https://hypebeast.com/tags/mazda">Mazda</a> RX-7 and a car featuring an illustration of the four main characters from the original series
 vienna-based practice shibukawa eder architects has recently completed the "senior high school neulengbach" in austria
the main design theme of this school is the merging of the inside and outside space
the school offers various types of outdoor gardens and roof terraces for different activities
the six small courtyards on the ground floor are spatially and visually connected to the two large courtyards on the first floors
the building is full of natural light and there is a constant connection to the outdoors
each of the small courtyards on the ground floor faces a different room such as the cafeteria
chemistry or biology class and in turn each is designed with a different theme and can be used either as additional external classroom space or as a recreation area
all of the classrooms on the first floor are oriented towards the south to benefit from optimum light conditions and furthermore
to be protected from the noise of passing trains along the north side of the building
students approach the school from the promenade along the southern fa&ccedil;ade where a landscape with trees and seating areas has been designed
the building has not only been planned for school use but also for various activities in the community of neulengbach
there are two entrances along the promenade and the rooms are organized in such a way that they can be divided flexibly for multifunctional use
this school is also one of the first ecologically sustainable schools in austria
the building fulfills the austrian standard for low energy consumption by using a heat recovery ventilation system
outside sun protection and superior energy saving insulation
the structural system uses a 12m span precast concrete ceiling
this system creates large spaces free from supporting columns
which enables flexible spatial organization for possible modification in the future
austria landscape design: idealice area: 4500m2 photograph: kurt kuball
 multifunctional room with a flexible wall
 <a href=http://www.shibukawaeder.com target=_blank>www.shibukawaeder.com</a>
AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function
but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style
A giant tortoise weighing some 55 kilograms has gone missing from a zoo in Okayama Prefecture in western Japan
which permits some creatures to roam within the park during opening hours
said its security camera footage showed the tortoise nicknamed "Aboo" wandering out of the entrance gate Tuesday morning
The same tortoise also went missing on July 21 and was later caught on a nearby road
it is hard to miss on a street," a park official said
adding that it may have gone into nearby woods
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Before I close out the coverage of my visit to the Yokota Museum
I want to share a few photos of one the most interesting displays in the entire place
I’m gonna go ahead and guess that most of you guys are familiar with Initial D
the Japanese manga and anime series which is set primarily in Gunma Prefecture
While the characters and events in the racing-themed story are fictional
It’s not just the mountain passes that are real either
The town where Takumi Fujiwara lives and the tofu shop his family runs are also based on actual locations
originally called ‘Fujinoya Tofu Shop’ was located in the town of Shibukawa
just a short distance away from the Yokota Museum
As Initial D grew in popularity many fans of the series would travel to Shibukawa to see the shop for themselves
It was even used as a set for the Chinese-made Initial D live action film released in 2005
with the exterior sign changed to match that of the store in the manga
in 2006 the tofu shop closed down and not long after that the entire building was demolished as part of city construction project
It turns out the family preserved the original store front
and last year it was restored and put on display as part of an Initial D exhibit at the Yokota Museum
It was the perfect way to sustain the memory of the legendary little tofu shop
and to share some local Gunma lore with visitors to the museum
It’s not just the facade that’s been restored
but some of the items that were actually used inside the shop
Could these be the most famous tofu kitchen tools on the planet
In addition to the items preserved from the shop
there’s other Initial D artifacts on display
which can be purchased in the museum’s gift shop
Of course the exhibit would not be complete without an AE86
This Trueno was built to authentically recreate the Fujiwara Tofu Shop delivery car – the real star of the Initial D series
The car was restored by the AE86 specialists at Carland in Kyoto
and it has all the correct details of the Initial D car
Although I am a bit disappointed that I never got to see the Fujiwara Tofu Shop as it once stood
it’s fantastic that the Yokota Museum has this little slice of Japanese car culture on display for all to see
Is this exhibit a permanent one in Yokata Museum
Speedhunters is an international collective of photographers
writers and drivers with a shared passion for uncovering the world's most exciting car culture stories
a popular manga and anime series that takes place in Gunma
is collaborating with taxis in Gunma’s Shibukawa city
The collaboration sees taxis in the city wrapped with three different designs based on the series
including one based on protagonist Takumi Fujiwara’s Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86)
Ryuki IshiiTranslated by.&nbsp;Nick Mosier
one based on Ryosuke Takahashi’s beloved Mazda RX-7 (FD3S)
and one adorned with four characters from the series
The collaboration is set to run until the end of March in 2023
Initial D is a manga that was serialized in Weekly Young Magazine between 1995 and 2013
an amateur driver who street races against other driving enthusiasts in order to become the fastest driver around
the series surpassed 55 million copies in circulation and boasts a popular anime series and movies as well
is dotted with a number of locations that appear in Initial D
the city contains spots that served as models for Takumi’s home
In order to attract “anime tourism” and draw Initial D fans to the city
Shibukawa announced a collaboration with the series back in 2020
The goal of the collaboration is to liven up the region through tourism and get fans to have a stay in the city where Initial D takes place
This current taxi collaboration is one piece of that project
While the characters in Initial D drift across the area’s mountain roads
Tokyo Shimbun reports that Nippon Chuo Koutsu
one of the taxi companies running the collaboration
will “not drift and strive to drive safely.”
Other collaborations happening in the city include manhole covers with Initial D characters on them and original stamps for sale
AR digital stamp rallies were held in 2020 and 2021
It’s possible to catch Initial D taxis from the taxi stand in front of Shibukawa Station
so if you want to guarantee an Initial D taxi
it’s best to call and reserve one in advance
Each of the three different taxi designs also has a commemorative card for passengers with original Initial D illustrations. These are limited to 2,000 per design. Check the Shibukawa city <a href="https://initiald-shibukawa.com/wrapping2.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">official website</a> for more details (Japanese only)
Hopping in an Initial D taxi and visiting some locations from the series might be a fun way to go about an anime pilgrimage
Former JP AUTOMATON editor &amp; former AUTOMATON WEST editor in chief (*until May 2023)
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<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20201017/k00/00m/010/020000c">Japanese version</a>
The official website for the <a href="/news/2016-11-28/keisuke-itagaki-baki-manga-gets-tv-anime-adaptation/.109263">new</a> <a href="/daily-briefs/2017-01-13/new-baki-tv-anime-teased-with-2017-premiere/.110867">anime</a> of <a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=10205">Keisuke Itagaki</a>'s <a href="/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=19981">Baki</a> (<a href="/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=6091">New Grappler Baki</a>: In Search of Our Strongest Hero) manga revealed two new cast members for the anime on Monday
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=86706">Nobunaga Shimazaki</a> voices the protagonist Baki Hanma. <a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=543">Masami Kikuchi</a> voiced the character in previous Baki anime
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=662">Takehito Koyasu</a> as Doyle
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1015">Issei Futamata</a> as <a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=278266">Yanagi</a> Ryūkō
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1669">Banjō Ginga</a> as Dorian
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=4885">Chafūrin</a> as Speck
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1501">Bin Shimada</a> as Gōki Shibukawa
the master of the Shibukawa fighting style of aikidō 
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=8136">Rikiya Koyama</a> as Kaiō Retsu
a grappler who attained the title "Kaiō" with Chinese martial arts
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=76338">Takuya Eguchi</a> as Kaoru Hanayama
"Japan's top brawler" who became the second head of Hanayama group at the age of 15
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=18802">Yoshihisa Kawahara</a> as Katsumi Orochi
the adopted son of Karate Shinshinkai founder Doppo Orochi 
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=119743">Sora Amamiya</a> as Kozue Matsumoto
Baki's schoolmate and the daughter of Baki's landlady 
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=459">Akio Ohtsuka</a> as Yūjirō Hanma
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=3076">Tohru Furuya</a> provides the narration
<a href="/encyclopedia/company.php?id=10441">Netflix</a> is <a href="/news/2017-08-02/netflix-to-stream-new-baki-anime-series/.119631">premiering</a> the anime this summer inside Japan
The series will have 26 episodes and is also airing on television
The anime features the "Most Evil Death Row Convicts" arc from the manga
which features underground ring fighters in the no-rules combat environment of death row convicts
<a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=57405">GRANRODEO</a> <a href="/news/2018-04-19/granrodeo-azusa-tadokoro-perform-theme-songs-for-new-baki-anime/.130583">performs</a> the show's opening theme song "Beastful," and <a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=112367">Azusa Tadokoro</a> performs the ending theme song "Resolve."
In addition to the Netflix premiere screenings, the anime is running on the <a href="/encyclopedia/company.php?id=13028">Tokyo MX</a> 1, <a href="/encyclopedia/company.php?id=536">Sun TV</a>, <a href="/encyclopedia/company.php?id=4614">TV Q Kyuushuu</a>, <a href="/encyclopedia/company.php?id=15102">TV Aichi</a>, <a href="/encyclopedia/company.php?id=4315">KBS Kyoto</a>, and <a href="/encyclopedia/company.php?id=1451">Hokkaido TV</a> channels
The anime premiered on Tokyo MX1 on July 1
about one week after it started running on Netflix on June 25
Itagaki's original <a href="/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=1601">Baki The Grappler</a> martial arts manga ran for 42 volumes in Weekly Shōnen Champion magazine from 1991 to 1999. The manga has more than 63 million copies in circulation. The series has received two television anime adaptations and an <a href="/encyclopedia/lexicon.php?id=35">original animation video</a>
with a possible print release in the future
Source: Baki anime's <a href="http://baki-anime.jp" target="_blank">website</a> via <a href="http://www.ota-suke.jp/news/223782" target="_blank">Ota-Suke</a>
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20220707/k00/00m/040/096000c">Japanese version</a>
Focus features two in-depth reviews each month of fine art
architecture and design exhibitions and events at art museums
galleries and alternative spaces around Japan
The contributors are non-Japanese residents of Japan
The composition of the hangings at Hara Museum ARC is as eye-catching as the paintings themselves
"We weren't focused on timelines or themes," a museum spokesperson told me
Kato knew just how he wanted it to look." Photo by Yusuke Sato
Like the snowball of his shows' shared title
there's no divorcing his work from imagery picked up along the way
But Kato maintains that his creatures are simply the result of his dialogue with material -- what pigments will look right here
Ultimately it's up to the viewer to find his or her own meaning
That's more important than anything I can tell you," he insists
Thus most of Kato's works after the year 2000 are untitled
and his painted creatures typically appear alone
"When you populate a canvas with more than one figure
A cluster of works from Kato's first solo shows
At the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art (right)
Kato offers in his artist statement that the snowball of the exhibition title is a metaphor for life
but from a distance it's a pure white sphere
Eventually the entire creative process melts and returns to earth
"For as long as I call myself an artist," he writes
Installation view of Izumi Kato -- Like a Rolling Snowball at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art
A little over two and a half hours from Shinjuku by bus
Hara Museum ARC was erected in 1988 and expanded 20 years later
Conceived as the summer branch of the Tokyo Hara
it sits on rolling land in the foothills of Mount Haruna
All artwork shown is &copy; 2019 Izumi Kato
photos are courtesy of the artist and Hara Museum
This article was published more than 3 years ago
Kotone Furukawa as Meiko and Ayumu Nakajima as Kazuaki in Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy.Courtesy of Film Movement
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Two close friends make an unexpected discovery about their lovers
A literature professor has a startling encounter with a student
A high-school reunion takes a curious turn amidst the backdrop of a global emergency
Each of the three short stories making up Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s new omnibus film Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy could stand on its own as a work of top-tier drama
with the themes of coincidence and kindness being the only real connective tissue
the narratives spin themselves into something just shy of cinematic profundity
The first film, “Magic (or Something Less Assuring)” – which, like Hamaguchi’s other <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/reviews/article-epic-japanese-drama-drive-my-car-is-the-best-cinematic-ride-of-the/" target="_blank">2021 masterpiece Drive My Car</a>
a drive in a car – follows model Meiko (Kotone Furukawa) as she hears about the new love interest of her friend Tsugumi (Hyunri)
once Meiko realizes just who Tsugumi is infatuated with
resulting in a drama both nerve-wracking and heartbreaking
“Door Wide Open,” involves a mature student named Nao (Katsuki Mori) and her attempts to seduce professor Segawa (Kiyohiko Shibukawa)
who may or may not have done Nao’s young lover wrong
“Once Again” looks at two women (Fusako Urabe and Aoba Kawai) both aching to resolve lingering adolescent traumas – a tragicomic vignette that is set
for dramatic reasons that eventually become semi-clear
in a world where the internet has been wiped out by a computer virus
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy plays like a collection of short
two- or three-person plays.Courtesy of Film Movement
Approaching his work like a modern-day Krzysztof Kieslowski
Hamaguchi is fascinated by quiet characters whose lives – and our interest in them – depend on the intervention of what some call happenstance
This is not the realm of dramatic fireworks
but small bursts of melancholic epiphanies
with each short story building upon the other to present a world that demands open eyes
Shot in-between the bifurcated production of Drive My Car – which started filming just before the pandemic hit in March
necessitating an eight-month break – Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy plays like a collection of short
two- or three-person plays that might pique the interest of Drive My Car’s lead character
theatre director Yusuke (Hidetoshi Nishijima)
so fascinated was he by life’s tiny moments of unexpected intimacy
What might also impress Yusuke: Each story contains perfectly pitched performances
with Shibukawa and Kawai offering especially affecting work
Each short story builds upon the other to present a world that demands open eyes
minds and hearts.Courtesy of Film Movement
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy could have once included seven stories – a not surprising admission given that the director cannot resist going long (Drive My Car’s three-hour length is but an afternoon diversion compared to the day-long affair that is the director’s four-hour-plus drama Intimacies and his five-hour-plus epic Happy Hour)
But given the confidence of and sharpness to each story
Hamaguchi is welcome to make a sequel or three whenever he wants to spin his wheels
In the interest of consistency across all critics’ reviews
The Globe has eliminated its star-rating system in film and theatre to align with coverage of music
works of excellence will be noted with a Critic’s Pick designation across all coverage
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He previously served as the Executive Producer of Features for the National Post
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The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory Project
which is building a 6.5-meter telescope at the summit of Mount Chajnantor in Chile
has captured and unveiled images of the Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet
was found by researchers at China&#39;s Purple Mountain Observatory in January last year.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); });
The comet can be seen only this time as it does not approach periodically
the comet is expected to be seen in the lower eastern sky at dawn until early this month and in the southwestern sky right after sunset later in the month
"I was so impressed that my body trembled when a faint ray of light of the comet came into view from the eastern sky," said Hidenori Takahashi
assistant professor at the national university
who is part of the project&#39;s photographing team
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This year's 30th issue of <a href="/encyclopedia/company.php?id=909">Shueisha</a>'s <a href="/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=1363">Weekly Shonen Jump</a> magazine revealed three additional guest cast members on Monday for the <a href="/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=18559">One Piece: Heart of Gold</a> television <a href="/news/2016-05-22/one-piece-anime-gets-heart-of-gold-tv-special-featuring-shun-oguri-on-july-16/.102346">special</a>
In addition, the magazine revealed that the first two million theatergoers for the <a href="/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=18113">One Piece Film Gold</a> movie will receive a deck of playing cards. The cards' packaging and joker cards will feature illustrations drawn by original manga creator <a href="/encyclopedia/people.php?id=4639">Eiichiro Oda</a>
The special will tie in to One Piece Film Gold
which opens a week later in Japan on July 23
The special's story will center around a mysterious treasure called "Pure Gold" that even Gild Tesoro desires
The Straw Hat Pirates meet a girl named Orga who knows the treasure's location
and together they sail to the legendary island Alchemy
Original manga creator Eiichiro Oda drew the designs for the new characters as well as new costume designs for the Straw Hat Pirates for the special
One Piece Film Gold is getting 3D, 4DX, and MX4D screenings in Japan, and six theaters in Japan will also <a href="/news/2016-05-18/one-piece-film-gold-gets-english-chinese-subtitles-in-5-japanese-cities/.102240">screen</a> the film with English and Chinese subtitles starting on July 23. The film will open on 743 screens, which is the <a href="/news/2016-05-27/one-piece-film-gold-gets-biggest-opening-for-japanese-films/.102583">largest</a> opening for any Japanese film
City of Logan landmarks have been showcased in Japan through a unique joint art opportunity that will now be displayed locally
Primary school students from the sister cities of Logan and Shibukawa in Japan have created artwork based on a shared theme of Our Town for the children's art exchange project
City of Logan students chose to represent landmarks such as Kingston Butter Factory
Beenleigh Historical Village and Mayes Cottage
Students from Shibukawa represented the historic Stone Step Street of Ikaho Onsen
Kajika Bridge and the Belly Button Festival of Shibukawa
all artworks were shown in a digital format in Shibukawa in February this year
The artworks will now go on display at a Logan Art Gallery Pop-up at Logan West Community Centre in Wineglass Drive
Due to maintenance work at the gallery in Logan Central
This exhibition round will be officially opened between 6pm and 8pm on Friday
June 17 by Australia Japan Society Queensland Inc Vice President David Shields
who will also present a traditional musical performance
said the art exchange between the City of Logan and Shibukawa began 15 years ago
"This bi-annual exhibition gives our local students the wonderful opportunity to work with others in another part of the world to create a shared vision of their local communities," Cr Koranski said
"I encourage City of Logan residents to take the time to visit the Logan Gallery Pop-Up and experience the students' artworks as well as the other interesting exhibitions on display."
Division 2 Councillor Teresa Lane said students from Woodridge State School and Harris Field State School had worked hard with teachers and art gallery staff to create their artworks
"This program helps to foster cross-cultural understanding and gives both groups an insight into the City of Logan and Shibukawa," Cr Lane said
"Students from both countries have produced some amazing artworks which represent places of personal interest to them
This gallery round also includes the following exhibitions:
Logan Gallery Pop-Up will open from 10am to 5pm between Tuesday and Saturday
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Izumi Kato began his career as a painter during the 1990s and later focused on wooden sculptures from the 2000s.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); });
he is internationally recognized for his series of unusual humanoid figures that
Kato's more recent works involve installations and prints
the Hara Museum ARC brings together around 100 of Kato's works
some of which are being shown to the public for the first time
The selection of both well-known and more obscure pieces will also be complemented by a Hara Museum of Contemporary Art solo show in Tokyo
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20191024/k00/00m/040/106000c">Japanese version</a>
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20171213/k00/00e/040/264000c">Japanese version</a>
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six packs to kegs - all types of stomachs were celebrated last weekend as thousands of people in Shibukawa
Japan went navel-gazing at the annual Belly Button Festival
Dancing in the streets is compulsory during the festival where revellers paint faces on their stomachs and cover their real heads by hats
&quot;The belly button is traditionally believed to be located in the middle of the body and the most important part
That is how this festival began,&quot; explained festival organiser Kazuo Yamada
And it isn’t just the locals that have the stomach for a spot of belly dancing
who travelled to Shibukawa for the Belly Button Festival
asks in the video below: “How much better does it get than getting your belly painted?”
See a news report on the Belly Button Festival below
and below that watch a video of the rumoured British entry for 2009’s premier tummy celebration