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What's Going On? TOPICS |
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October 2020page 1 |
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What's Going On? TOPICS |
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October 2020page 1 |
October 2020 page 1 TOPICS
Children Have a Memorable Shichi-Go-San
On September 13, eleven children aged 5-7 visited Tsubaki Shrine in Matsuyama to experience the Shichi-Go-San (7-5-3) festival, a Japanese traditional event to pray for children's health and happiness. They were children from local children's homes. This was part of a "Kizuna (Connections)" project by the shine, aiming to make a world where families, friends, and their areas support each other while many events are stopped due to COVID-19. Five students from a local beautician's school applied make-up and did their hair, and three students from a local medical services training school took care of them while they were waiting. A local photo studio helped dress them up. The girls wore brightly colored kimono and gorgeous hair ornaments. The boys wore dark blue or green kimono. They joined a ritual in the main hall and had their photos taken in the precincts. One girl said, "I am happy to wear makeup for the first time." One student who arranged their hair said, "I hope this day is memorable for them." (September 16, Ehime Shimbun) |
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Honoring Centenarians
On September 15 or the day designated Seniors' Day, Japan Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare announced that the number of people in the country 100-years-old or older was 80,450, a record-high, and has been increasing for 50 years in a row. The number in Ehime was 1283, with 160 men and 1123 women. It was also a record high. The rate of centenarians per 100 thousand people in Ehime was 95.82, which was 10th place in Japan. The average was 63.76. Ehime Governor Nakamura, visited a woman who turned 100 years old this year. He presented her with a letter of congratulations and a stuffed animal of the prefectural mascot Mican. He was surprised to hear she ate 15 big watermelons this summer. According to the prefecture, 646 people in Ehime will turn 100 years old this fiscal year. The prefectural officers planned to visit all of them by September 21. (September 16, Ehime Shimbun) |
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New Medium for Interaction Between Ehime and Taiwan
The Ehime Taiwan Friendship Association outsourced the publication of the web-magazine "MOBURU+" which encourages the interaction between Taiwan and the West Setonaikai area, including Ehime, to NPO "MOBURU HOUSE", and aims at full launch on October 10. MOBURU HOUSE is currently raising funds by crowd-funding."MOBURU", a free magazine introducing hot spots/things in Matsuyama, it was published four times a year since 2016 by the Matsuyama Urban Design Center. It was translated into Taiwanese and distributed in Taiwan as well since regular air service between Matsuyama and Taipei started in July 2017. However, it had become impossible for them to continue publishing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the suspension of flights. It was determined that "MOBURU" would convert to a web-magazine and the Ehime Taiwan Friendship Association would be the new publisher. It will serve as a platform where people in the area and Taiwan can interact. A part of the web-magazine is already up, introducing cycling in both Taiwan and Ehime, and the movie of an eating tour in Dogo by a Taiwanese woman. It will be fully launched in October. "Experience" is the most important theme for this new medium. It will introduce not only tourism and products in the West Setouchi area, but also in Taiwan.The target of this crowd funding is 700,000 yen. For further information;https://readyfor.jp/projects/moburuplus (September 10, Ehime Shimbun) |
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Multi-language Emergency Notices
Matsuyama city has prepared multi-language signs to use for foreigners and those with hearing disabilities in the event of a fire or emergency evacuation, and to facilitate communication in first aid at 6 places such as Dogo Onsen Honkan, and Matsuyama Castle. Businesses which serve foreigners are encouraged to download the signs to have ready when there is an emergency. The signs are available for free for anyone to print out from the website of Matsuyama city. The Matsuyama Fire Department developed the sign with "It is on fire" on the front and "Evacuate" on the back in four languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean. It also has pictograms indicating fire and evacuation. The sign to facilitate communication in first aid can be used before an ambulance arrives. It was developed by the Meiji Yasuda Mental Health Foundation located in Tokyo. 10 kinds of symptoms are indicated such as "I have fever" and "I have pain" with images in six languages including Spanish, Portuguese and the four mentioned above. It also contains a drawing of a body which can be used to point to the problem area. The back can be used to write down personal information of the injured/sick person like name and age for easy handover to the ambulance attendant.(September 8, Ehime Shimbun) |
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Largest Zip Line in Shikoku to Open Next Spring
At a press conference on September 4, Governor Tokihiro Nakamura announced a plan to construct a zip line over the lake between Ehime Children's Castle and Tobe Zoo, scheduled to open next March. At up to 35 meters high and about 730 meters long, the zip line will be the longest in Shikoku (Tobe Zoo is the halfway point). For a person weighing 80 kilograms, the maximum speed is expected to be 40 to 50 kilometers per hour. A preview video will be posted on YouTube on September 5.Further information: https://youtu.be/VS-XcN8T3gI (September 4, Ehime Shimbun Online) |
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Loop Shikoku Cycling Project: Online Exchange Between Ehime and Taiwanese University Students
An online international exchange event named the Loop Shikoku Cycling Project was held on August 30. Students from Ehime University and National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan worked together through bicycle-related activities. About 60 students and faculty members from both universities participated in the event on the day. Despite the global spread of Covid-19, they extended their friendship through planning a cycling event in Tokushima prefecture, which was postponed until next summer. The project started in 2017 for participants to learn practical international understanding and leadership. Students from both universities cycled the Setouchi Shimanami Kaido in 2018 and the Shimanto River in Kochi in 2019. Students from Ehime University regularly visit Taiwan. However, this year's visit by students from Taiwan, who were planning to see the whirlpools of Naruto in Tokushima Prefecture, was canceled because of Covid-19. Instead, they interacted with each other online on August 30 from their homes and university. A graduate of National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology said, "People from Ehime University were all kind, and the encounters in the towns and university were wonderful. So I want to visit Ehime again." The participants were divided into 10 groups and introduced themselves to each other. They talked about holding a contest in which they introduce their town and the charm of their local areas. The videos taken will be released on YouTube and judged at the end of November.(September 1, Ehime Shimbun) |
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Matsuyama International Center |