Category Archives: Photos

[Our Noh no Ikebana] “We express early spring through colors,” says Etsuko Wada, 56, from Tsuwano Town, Shimane Prefecture

“The good thing about Noh no Ikebana is that we can enjoy it with free ideas. It’s not just fun. It gives me new insights as I work together with friends. We show vegetables and flowers and ask each other questions, like when I should plant them or how we can cook them. I learn from others about vegetables I don’t grow or cook at home. The theme of this arrangement is “Look; I found the spring!” The materials are vegetables and flowers in early spring. Field mustard, Chinese citrons, and mimosa in spring colors are doing a great job. We used the roots of vegetables and branches of flowers … Continue reading

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It’s mysterious circles in Japan! Drone captures circles of trees

NICHINAN, Feb. 3 ― Thanks to drones, the Miyazaki prefectural government captures a pair of mysterious circles made of cedar trees at its forest management site. Miyazaki prefecture is well-known for Japan’s biggest output of cedar trees and the Nichinan city’s forest is populated by local Obi-sugi cedar trees. So, the mysterious cycles are in fact the results of a 45-year experimental forestry program by scientists, who planted the local cedar trees to understand the effects of forest density of tree growth, explain prefectural government officials. The circle of cedar tress has now 69 meters in diameter, and there are 12 rounds of sequence in circles.

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Kobe beef steak tricks your eyes!

KOBE, Feb. 5 ― You can look, touch and have fun with Kobe beef steak. Don’t forget to bring your camera! Visitors can strike a pose, supporting huge slabs of Kobe beef at the Mysterious Consulate of Trick Art, which was formerly used as the consulate of Panama. The wall painting of beef steak is as high as 2 meters, with painting of a big dish on the floor. Both adults and children will enjoy visiting the trick art museum, which has as many as 10,000 visitors a month.

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[Our Noh no Ikebana] “We at midwinter long for the coming of spring,” says Matsuno Tsuzuki, 79, from Agui Town, Aichi Prefecture

“I began Noh no Ikebana more than 35 years ago. First, I joined the class given by a master of Noh no Ikebana, Toshie Yokoi, from an agricultural cooperative in Higashi Chita (JA Aichi Chita) at her visit at our female members’ group event. When she made some adjustments, vegetables in my arrangement suddenly looked so beautiful, fresh and lively. That moved me a lot I remember. Soon, I joined the club of the female members in Agui. Currently, the club has 19 members, but it’ll be nice if we can have some younger members, too. I always look for the materials for my arrangements, while I’m at my farm … Continue reading

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Japanese farmer keeps alive tradition of treating hoe mindfully

TOYAMA, Jan. 12 ― Hikohiro Motoyoshi, an 83-year-old farmer, and his wife Hiroko keep alive tradition of serving sake and the New Year’s food to their hoes respectfully. Their hoes — one is flat hoe and the other is three pronged cultivators — are sitting on zabuton cushions, treated like guests of honor, in the largest room in the home of the Motoyoshi family in Toyama. And the couple let their petitions be made known to the hoes for a good harvest and the safety in the coming year. “They have promised me another good harvest this year,” Hikohiro Motoyoshi smiles, after talking to the hoes, a tool designed to … Continue reading

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