Momiji lit up at Shukkeien

If the lights down on Peace Boulevard are a bit much for you, why not check out the more restrained and very beautiful maple leaves in Shukkeien Garden that are lit up until 7pm until November 30 as part of the Momiji Matsuri.

Ebisu-ko final day: pedestrian paradise, kagura, taiko drums

The center of town will be bustling this week as Ebisu-ko festival starts on tomorrow  (Nov 18).  On the final day (Thurs, Nov 20) Chuo-dori will be closed to traffic for 3 hours between 7pm and 10pm and addition to all the stalls and activity arund Ebisu shrine there will be two stages set up, one at the Ebisu-dori intersection and another at the Shintenchi intersection where there will be kagura dance and taiko drum performances.

As well as putting up all the decorations in the streets around the shrine,  the other day local police ran through drills as to how to disperse any groups of bosozoku under the city orinance that bans groups of people who "wear unusual clothes, mask their faces and gather in a huddle" in public places without approval from authorities. Ebisu-ko marks the "graduation ceremony" for bosozoku members and they used to take over most of Chuo-dori during the festival, culminating in the clash with riot police in 1999 (video below).

Kouyou rush at Butsu-ji Temple

I posted a link to some lovely pictures of the autumn leaves at Butsuji Temple (variously rendered as 佛通寺 and 仏通寺）near Mihara the other day and, as I've never been out there, was thinking about going with the family this weekend. I've just read on the Chugoku Shimbun [ja] site, however, that they are expecting so many people that they will be making the road loop that is most often used a one way circuit at weekends and on the Nov 23 National Holiday. There be a free shuttle bus running between the temple and the parking lot at Takasaka Nature Recreation Village running on these days too.

There are also extra buses running from Mihara Station to the temple until November 24.

Buses leave Mihara Station at 07:40, 10:05, 10:24, 11:40, 12:18, 13:40 and 15:07 and return at 10:45, 12:20, 13:19 and 14:20 ¥600 one way for adults, ¥300 for kids).

Shrine that survived A-bomb to be rebuilt

Nihohime Shrine in Minami-ku which survived the A-bomb blast and provided shelter to survivors is to be rebuilt after being destroyed in a fire last year. Public donations will pay for part of the reconstruction.

Read more at Yomiuri Online.

The drinks are on the permanent residents!

This should go some way to make up for the GetHiroshima family missing out on solar panel subsidies 'cos we had ours installed a few weeks too early!

http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/11/11/all-permanent-residents-to-get-12000-yen-handout/.

UPDATE

Just seen this article in English at the Daily Yomiuri.

The ruling bloc agreed 12,000 yen would be distributed to each person, with an additional 8,000 yen for those aged 18 or younger and 65 or older.

However, the ruling parties left it up to each local government to decide whether to limit benefit recipients by setting a personal income cap. As an eligibility yardstick, the parties suggested an annual income ceiling of 18 million yen.

...

Under the benefit program, a couple with two children aged 18 or younger would receive 64,000 yen.

...

Regarding the distribution method, it is likely that householders will first apply to their local governments with claim forms that will be sent by municipalities to each householder, and then municipalities will transfer the benefits to householders' bank accounts.

There will also be an income cap which will be set by local authorities - there seems to be some confusion about it, but it is estimated to be set at about 18 million yen/year take home pay.

By the way, if you want to ask around about this the cash benefit is called teigakukyufukin [定額給付金].

Geihoku Kokusai saved

This was announced last month but a Tokyo company Snow Management Japan has stepped in and saved one of the area's biggest ski resorts. Formerly Pine Ridge Resort then resort will get its old name, Geihoku Kokusai, back and be open for business on December 20. The question now is whether there will be any snow.

Autumn colors at Butsuji Temple

Red and Yellow
Originally uploaded by whiskyforthedevil

whiskyforthedevil has posted some lovely pictures of the autumn leaves at Butsuji Temple near Mihara.



Click here for larger map

Autumn Leaves

 

Photo of Taishaku-kyo generously uploaded to 

Flickr by ori2uru under a Creative Commons license

From Goo's koyou page [ja] and various twitterings it sounds like the Autumn colors are now at their best in the north of the prefecture at places like Sandan-kyo and Taishaku-kyo.

Buses leave Hiroshima Bus Center for Sandan-kyo at 06:10 (arr 08:26) and 11:35 (arr 09:30) and return buses leave at 15:30 (arr 17:36) and 17:55 (arr 20:00).

Feel free to post koyou info and tips in the comments below.

Welcome to the "Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium Hiroshima"

 

Mazda has been awarded the naming rights to the officially titled "Shin Hiroshima Shimin Kyujyou" due to open in spring 2009.  The local car manufacturer beat out Izumi with a bid of 1.5 billion yen over 5 years to christen the new home of the Hiroshima Carp "Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium Hiroshima".

While Chugoku Shimbun reports much support for the new name, it also quotes people disappointed that the word shimin or "citizens'" will not be included in the new name. A member of a group of Hiroshima City University students making a documentary about the 51 year old downtown stadium which the "Zoom Zoom" will replace regrets that the new name will conjure up an image not of the peoples' stadium, but of a major corporation's  stadium. Another young lad complains the name is too long, thugh he shuldn't worry; one local blogger has already nicknamed the new stadium the "ZoomStar".

Tokyo Gore Police

In the mood for some post Halloween grotesque? Thought Kill Bill #1 was good, but that it could have done with a bit more blood? Pick up a few cans and maybe a God Burger and go check out Tokyo Gore Police at Yokogawa Cinema this week.



Showing at 21:00 until Friday, November 7.

Shugo Tokumaru: Tribute to Elliot Smith

Shugo Tokumaru is playing at tribute to Elliot Smith concert at Yokogawa Cinema tonight



Admission:
Adv: ¥3300 (plus a drink order)
Door: ¥3800 (plus a drink order)

Shugotokumaru.com
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