Ohagi (おはぎ）, traditional Japanese sweet
with a red-bean jam, sweetened soy bean powder, or sweet sesame paste.
the Vernal Equinox Day and Autumnal quinox Day, when pious Buddhists pay
homage to their ancestors and offer Ohagi to them.
Breakfast today (今日の朝食）
soybean soup with asari clams, tsukune (chicken meatloaf with egg,
dried laver seaweed, natto ( fermented soybeans) and raw egg mixed
with steamed rice.
今日は典型的な日本の朝食を食べました。
Dango-jiru (だんご汁)
It is made by boiling flat noodles made from wheat flour together
with ingredients such as radishes, carrots, burdock roots, aroids,
and shiitake mushrooms in miso flavored dashi (broth).
could cook it easily and eat it quickly.
だんご汁は私が大好きな大分の郷土料理です。
具とともに、味噌味のダシで煮たものです。農作業で忙しい農家の人が、
簡単にでき、さっと食べられるものとして考案したのもがだんご汁です。
Environmental Future City, Kitakyushu
Kitakyushu-city is the birthplace of Japanese modern steel industry, is now the world’s
leading environmental future city after overcoming serious environmental pollution
while it contributed greatly to Japan’s industrial development.
Situated at the northern end of Kyushu Island, Kitakyushu City is one of Japan’s
20 government-decreed cities, with a population of 969,000
(according to the estimation as of May, 2013) and has an area of approx.490㎢.
In 1963, five municipal cities were equally merged to make Kitakyushu City,
which was a very rare case in the world as each of the cities had such different
personalities;Moji City flourished as an international trading port, Kokura City
had lots of historical background as a Samurai town, Wakamatsu City was a
busy coal port, and Yahata City and Tobata City had steel industry which greatly
contributed to the industrial modernization of Japan.
Kitakyushu City has long been called the ‘Town of Manufacturing’ as its economy
relies on such heavy chemical industries, such as steel, chemicals, and metal
manufacturing, which occupy a much higher percentage of its gross product
compared with other major cities in Japan.
Ever since the international trading ports were constructed in Moji and Wakamatsu.
Japan’s steel industry began in Yawata in 1901, and many other manufacturing industries
have originated here in Kitakyushu City, which has made the city a major driving force of
Japan’s industrial development and made a gateway to Asian countries and regions.
Kitakyushu City experienced serious environmental pollution in the 1960’s. However,
it has completely overcome these issues thanks to close cooperation with the
government, industry, and academia. By fully utilizing a wide variety of technologies,
know-hows, human resources, acquired during this process, it is continuously engaged
in the creation and development of environmentally-friendly new technology.
The ‘Eco-Town Project’ is one of the fine examples of Kitakyushu’s specific commitment
towards environmental business and development in the field of recycling and innovative
energy.
Especially Kitakyushu has been designated as the ‘Environmental Model City’ in 2008
as the environmental future city in 2011. And also nominated as the ‘Model City for
Green Growth’ by the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD).
Kitakyushu City has an incredibly important role as the world’s leading
environmentally-friendly city.
Kumamoto Castle after the Earthquakes
Osaka Castle and one of the 100 best places in Japan to view cherry blossoms.
took 7 years to complete.
Suddenly, without any prediction, the series of Earthquakes including magnitude
7.0 main shock which struck in April 2016 beneath Kumamoto-city.
Then severe damages occurred Kumamoto prefecture including Kumamoto Castle.
Kumamoto Castle sustained damage to its roof and exterior buildings and walls
because of the earthquakes and associated aftershocks.
Several of the castle’s shacihoko ornaments were destroyed, and a large number
of kawara tiles also fell from the roof.
Now the restoration activities are being performed as fast as possible.
surrounding the castle.
We will welcome you to our place Kumamoto Castle.
All the photos on the page were taken in August 2016.