Category Archives: Photos

IWATE, Jan. 7 – Mochi is indispensable for the new year’s day in Japan, but in Ichinoseki city, Iwate Prefecture, it’s not just for new year’s day. Ichinoseki has its own mochi culture and it’s trying to bring more people from all over Japan, year-round, by focusing on this local heritage. People in Ichinoseki eat mochi all around the year. They boast over 300 different ways of serving mochi, some with traditional toppings like “zunda (sweet crushed edamame green soybeans),” “shoga (sweet ginger sauce),” “ebi (fresh-water shrimps),” and “natto (fermented soybeans)” and others with contemporary ideas The people also serve “mochi honzen (full-course mochi dinner)” at weddings, funerals and other … Continue reading →

GUNMA, Dec. 24 — Akagi Green, a gardening and landscaping company in Maebashi city, Gunma Prefecture, is now in the busiest time of the year, making kadomatsu, traditional Japanese new year decorations. The kadomatsu in various sizes, ranging in height from 1 to 2 meters, are lined up in its garden. The company is going to make approximately 200 pairs by December 24 and ship them to the customers mainly in the Kanto region by December 28. The most poplar ones are those of 1.5 meters tall. Takeshi Ogiwara, 45-year-old president of the company, said, “Kadomatsu is inseparable from new years in Japan. We want to continue making them as … Continue reading →

MITOYO, Dec. 10 — Some people in Kagawa prefecture, western Japan, are keeping alive a dying tradition: eating udon noodles at a newly built home bath. Udon is a chunky white wheat noodle with straight edges that is a specialty of Kagawa prefecture, and is better known as Sanuki udon. Ryuji Onishi, 27, enjoys eating udon that his wife cooks at his newly-built home bath in Mitoyo city, west of Kagawa. His new home was constructed at a site on his 80-year-old grand-father’s land, and Onishi followed the udon tradition. Onishi’s mother explains: “It starts with the eldest taking a new home bath and then the family takes turns according … Continue reading →

AKITA, Dec. 18 — The display of an enormous Christmas tree made of locally-grown poinsettia plants began at Brume Messe Akita, drawing the attention of visitors to the public roadside complex in Katagami city, Akita Prefecture. The 5-meter tall tower of the poinsettia is now on display in a greenhouse in the Prefectural flower and seedling center in the complex. It uses approximately 1,000 pots of poinsettia plants sourced from local farmers, and the pots are fixed into the holes in a frame made with latticed panels. The display of the poinsettia Christmas tree began approximately 20 years ago. The tree this year was created on December 2, using three … Continue reading →