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  • The Canvas of Cultural Fusion: The Allure of Panama

    The Canvas of Cultural Fusion: The Allure of Panama – 文化融合のキャンバス:パナマの魅力

    [Hiragana Times EXPO – March 2024 issue]

     

    In this Pavilion corner, vibrant artworks featuring the colors of Panamas national flag, blue and red, are showcased.

    今回のパビリオンは、パナマ共和国の国旗色[こっきしょく]、青と赤を基調に描かれた鮮やかな作品となりました。

    The bird with spread wings represents Panamas national bird, the Harpy Eagle, symbolizing independence and freedom. The ten shining stars above its head symbolize the unity of Panamas ten provinces. In the center, there is a symbol of the sun and stars, inspired by the woven fabricMolaof the indigenous Kuna tribe, who worship nature.

    翼を広げた鳥は、独立と自由を表すパナマの国鳥ハーピーイーグル(オウギワシ)。頭上に輝く10の星は、パナマ10州の結束を象徴しています。中央には、自然を崇拝する先住民クナ族の織物[おりもの]「モラ」からインスピレーションを受けて描かれた太陽と星のシンボル。

    Surrounding it, Panamas national flower, theEspíritu SantoorHoly Spirit Orchid,is characterized by its pure white petals with a dove seemingly perched at the center. In the background, numerous spears stand tall, symbolizing guarding peace and tranquility. Panamas strength and purity coexist.

    それを取り囲むパナマの国花エスピリトゥ・サント、別名「聖霊蘭[せいれいらん]」は、純白の花びらの中央に鳩が鎮座しているように見えるのが特徴です。背後には何本もの槍が平和と静寂を守るように力強く佇み、強靭と純粋が共存するパナマを示しています。

    The annualCarnival de Panamashowcases the rich diversity of Panamanian culture. During the early 20th-century construction of the Panama Canal, many Chinese laborers migrated to Panama. The timing of the carnival, which coincides with Chinas Spring Festival (Lunar New Year), has led to the incorporation of Asian culture into the festivities. The Chinese lion dance depicted on the bottom left side represents this influence.

    毎年盛大に開催される「カーニバル・デ・パナマ」には、パナマ文化の多様性が強く感じられます。20世紀初頭のパナマ運河建設時には、多くの中国人労働者がパナマに移住しました。そして、カーニバルの行われる時期が中国の春節[しゅんせつ](旧正月)に近いこともあり、カーニバルにはアジア文化も取り入れられています。下段左側に描かれている中国獅子舞がそれを表しています。

    The fusion of tradition and culture, along with the generous spirit of the people, has created a remarkable masterpiece captured on a single canvas.

    伝統と文化の融合、そして国民のおおらかな精神が、1枚のキャンバスに捉えられた見事な作品となりました。

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  • Meiji-mura Museum


    This outdoor museum has a collection of rare architecture built in the Meiji era (19th to 20th centuries). This year it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Here you can enjoy a light meal at the former Imperial Hotel built by the distinguished American architect Frank Lloyd WRIGHT. Steam locomotives, retro Kyoto trams, and buses are operated every day, and can be used to move around the vast grounds. Many seasonal events are held, including sessions where visitors can wear kimono or hakama and have a commemorative photo taken. It is often used as a location for movies.

    • Access: 20-minute bus ride from Inuyama Station on the Meitetsu Inuyama Line. Near the Meiji-mura bus stop.
    • Business hours: from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm (hours differ depending on the season)
    • Closed days: August 4, 18, 25, December 31, every Monday from December to February. Closed on some days in January for maintenance.
    • Admittance: 1,700 yen for adults (aged 18 and over). 2,700 yen for a ticket with a one-day pass for rides.

    Meiji-mura Museum
    明治時代(19~20世紀)を中心とした貴重な建造物を集めた野外博物館。今年オープンから50年を迎えた。著名なアメリカ人建築家、フランク・ロイド・ライトが建てた旧帝国ホテルでは軽食が楽しめる。蒸気機関車やレトロな京都市電、バスが毎日運転を行い、広大な敷地内の移動に利用できる。着物や袴姿での記念撮影体験や、季節ごとのイベントも数多く開催。映像作品のロケに使われることも多い。

    • 交通:名鉄犬山線犬山駅から路線バス明治村行き20分、下車すぐ。
    • 営業時間:午前9時30分~午後5時(季節によって時間帯の変更あり)
    • 休村日:8月4日、18日、25日、12月31日、12~2月の毎週月曜日。1月に数日間メンテナンス休日あり。
    • 入村料:大人(18歳以上)1,700円、乗り物一日券付きは2,700円

    博物館 明治村

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  • Jiyugaoka Sweets Forest

    [:ja][2015年7月号掲載記事]

    スイーツ店が多い街、東京・自由が丘にある日本初のスイーツテーマパーク。有名パティシエによる作りたてのスイーツを、テイクアウトやその場で食べることができる。11年目を迎えて店内をリニューアルし、フォトスポットなどが誕生。子ども連れでも楽しめるテラス席やくつろげるソファ席が店内にある。期間限定スイーツや、イベントも開催されている。

    • 交通:東急東横線、大井町線自由が丘駅南口より徒歩約5分。
    • 営業時間:午前10時~午後8時
    • 休館日:1月1日
    • 入場料金:無料

    自由が丘スイーツフォレスト[:en][From July Issue 2015]

    With its streets packed with sweet shops, Japan’s first sweets theme park is located in Jiyugaka, Tokyo. There, sweets made by famous pastry chefs are available to be taken away or eaten on the spot. To celebrate the park’s 11th anniversary in business, the shops have been given a refit and it’s possible to have a commemorative photo taken. Those bringing children can enjoy the terraced seating or the relaxing sofas available within the stores. Also on offer are limited edition sweets and events held at the site.

    • Access: Five-minute walk from the south exit of Jiyugaoka Station on the Tokyu Toyoko and Oimachi Lines.
    • Opening hours: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
    • Closed on January 1
    • Admission: free

    Jiyugaoka Sweets Forest[:]

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  • New-Style Inns at Hot Springs Offer Lodging Without Meals

    [:ja][2015年6月号掲載記事]

    温泉宿といえば通常1泊2食付きです。宿の食事は旅の楽しみでもありますが、食事が付くことで料金は高くなります。食事が付かない低価格の素泊まりの温泉宿はこれまでもありましたが、ほとんどが長期滞在して体を癒す湯治客向けの簡素なものでした。近年、その2つの宿の長所を取り込んだ新しい形の温泉宿が増えています。
    大分県別府市の鉄輪温泉で2012年に開業した素泊まり専用宿「癒しの宿 彩葉」はすべての客室が温泉付きの離れというぜいたくな造りです。アメニティーも充実しており館内には無料のドリンクサーバーもあります。料金は2名1室利用の場合、平日1名8,640円(税込)から。温泉宿としては安めに設定されています。
    彩葉を運営する株式会社ニューグロリアリゾートでは、大分県の別府温泉と湯布院温泉で11の温泉旅館を経営しています。そのうちの3軒が素泊まり専用です。「1泊2食にこだわっていては多種多様化するお客様のニーズにこたえることができないと考えました」と宿のチーフ、日野正剛さんは説明します。
    近隣に飲食店が多かったことも素泊まり宿にした大きな要因です。また、食事のサービスがないことでお客が時間にしばられずに行動できるようになるのではないかとも考えました。開業後、利用客は予想通り20~30代のカップルや幼児連れの若い夫婦が多く、「部屋でのんびりするよりも街を散策される方のほうが多いようです」と日野さんは話します。

    昨年7月、兵庫県城崎温泉の旅館「錦水」は別館をリニューアルし、素泊まり専用の宿「街のねどこkinsui」をオープンしました。錦水は1泊2食付きで平均18,000円ですが、街のねどこは1泊5,000円(税込)で泊まることができます。
    錦水でも素泊まりプランは扱っていましたが、利用する設備やサービスの面から価格はどうしても8,000~9,000円になっていました。城崎には学生カップルの観光客が多く、オーナーの大将伸介さんは、彼らが利用しやすい価格にするためにはもっと思い切る必要があると考えました。
    宿泊費を抑えるためにタオル類の貸し出しは有料、布団も自分で敷きます。本館の内湯を利用する場合は有料です。そのかわり湯めぐりパスの「ゆめぱ」を使って城崎温泉の7つの外湯に無料で入ることができます。「宿の外のお風呂や飲食店を利用することで、城崎の街全体を楽しんでもらえる機会をつくれればと思いました」。街のねどこという名前にも街歩きを満喫し寝るときだけ帰るという、その思いを込めたと大将さんは話します。
    大将さんは、低価格でシンプルに旅館という文化を楽しみたい若いお客と外国人客が増えていると実感しています。宿泊費の安い街のねどこを旅の拠点にし、京都に日帰り旅行をする観光客もいます。新しいスタイルの温泉宿が生まれたことによって、利用方法も広がりつつあります。

    文:市村雅代[:en][From June Issue 2015]

    Inns at hot springs usually offer half-board accommodation – i.e., one night’s lodging with breakfast and dinner. Although meals are a part of the pleasure of traveling, they increase the expense. Up until now, low-cost lodging that doesn’t include meals has been on offer, but most of these are simple accommodations aimed at people staying long-term at a spa for health reasons. Recently more and more new-style hot spring hotels that offer the advantages of both types of lodging are appearing.
    Opened in Kannawa Onsen (Hot Springs), Beppu City, Oita Prefecture in 2012, “Iyashinoyado Iroha,” an inn that offers lodging without meals, is lavishly constructed; all of its guest rooms are cottages set apart from the main building with their own hot springs. It’s well fitted out with amenities, including a free-of-charge drinks dispenser. When a room is occupied by two people, the fee for one person a night on a weekday starts from 8,640 yen, including sales tax. For a hot-spring inn, this price is rather low.
    New Gloria Resort, Co., Ltd., which operates Iroha, has 11 hot-spring inns in Beppu Hot Springs and Yufuin Hot Springs – both in Oita Prefecture. Among these, three exclusively provide lodging without meals. “We thought we could not meet the diversifying needs of our guests if we stuck to offering half board only,” explains HINO Masatake, manager of the inns.
    One of the main factors affecting the company’s decision to offer accommodation without meals was the large number of restaurants in the neighborhood. The reasoning is that without a meal service, guests would be free to act as they pleased without being tied to a schedule. After opening, many of the guests have been couples in their 20s and 30s, as well as young married couples with small children. “It seems that most guests prefer to walk around the town rather than to relax in their rooms,” says Hino.

    Hot Spring Inn Kinsui in Kinosaki Hot Springs, Hyogo Prefecture, opened “Machi no nedoko kinsui” – a refurbished annex dedicated to providing lodging without meals – in July 2014. While Kinsui offers a one-night package including two meals for one person for around 18,000 yen, it costs 5,000 yen per night, including tax, to stay at Machi no nedoko.
    Although Kinsui already had plans to offer lodging without meals, bearing in mind the facilities and services provided, the charge had to be at least 8,000 or 9,000 yen. Seeing as there were many student couples among the sightseeing guests in Kinosaki, owner TAISHO Shinsuke thought that a bold step was required in order to make accommodation available to these people.
    To keep the accommodation charges low, towel rental is available for a fee, and guests themselves have to lay out their own futon. They are charged if they use the indoor bath in the main building. But, this includes a “Yumepa” pass that allows them to use seven other outdoor baths in Kinosaki Hot Springs without charge. “I thought that, by allowing our guests to use baths and restaurants outside our inn, we would give them the opportunity to enjoy the whole town of Kinosaki,” Taisho says. The name “Machi no nedoko” conveys Taisho’s idea that the inn is a place to sleep at after enjoying a walk around town.
    Taisho feels that the number of young guests and international guests who want to enjoy the culture of a Japanese- style inn at a low-price without any hassle is increasing. Some sightseeing guests use the low-priced Machi no nedoko as a base to travel from when they take day trips to Kyoto. With the advent of new-style hot spring inns, the ways people use them are expanding, too.

    Text: ICHIMURA Masayo[:]

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  • Numazu Deepsea Aquarium & Coelacanth Museum

    [:en][From June Issue 2015]

    This aquarium is the only one in the world that has coelacanth – so called living fossils that are protected by the Washington Convention – on display. There it’s possible to see five mounted coelacanth, two of which are cryogenically preserved. Also exhibited are deep-sea creatures found in Suruga Bay, Japan’s deepest bay. Additionally, you can enjoy observing the movements of species including giant isopods and chambered nautilus, and observe unusually shaped creatures collected from around the world in their natural habitats.
    Access: A 15 minute bus ride to Numazu-ko from the south exit of Numazu Station on the JR Tokaido Line.
    Opening hours: From 10 am to 6 pm (It’s possible to enter up until 30 minutes before closing.)
    Dates: Open throughout the year except for temporary closures.
    Admittance: 1,600 yen for senior high school students or adults, 800 yen for children or junior high school students, 400 yen for infants aged four or over, 100 yen discount for senior citizens aged 65 or over (with identification).
    Numazu Deepsea Aquarium & Coelacanth Museum[:]

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  • View Monkeys Up Close at Monkey Park

    [From May Issue 2015]

    At Jigokudani Yaen-koen (Monkey Park) in Nagano Prefecture there are macaque monkeys known for their habit of bathing in hot springs. Visited by tourists the world over, these macaques are called “snow monkeys” in English.
    The Park has some rules for visitors. Feeding the monkeys is forbidden because they can attack tourists for food. Touching the monkeys and prolonged eye contact isn’t allowed either because they will become wary. You can bring neither dogs nor cats with you. The monkeys are unafraid of humans and aren’t bothered by the tourists’ excited cries nor flash photography because visitors have always followed these rules.
    The monkeys of Jigokudani used to flee as soon as they saw humans. In those days, some locals tried to exterminate them because they were running amok in fields after their habitat was lost to mountain and forest development schemes. Couldn’t there be a way to protect the farms and people’s livelihoods, while also protecting the monkeys and their living environment? Those who thought this way tried to keep the monkeys from going to the farms by creating a feeding site in Jigokudani far from any human habitation.
    At that time Jigokudani was a small resort town with only one old inn and a vigorous hot spring. If its monkeys, its un-spoilt natural habitat and hot spring were turned into tourist attractions, the municipality would reap the economic benefits. This idea, which predated the emergence of ecotourism, kick started the effort to get the monkeys used to humans. With help from the inn, the locals successfully fed the monkeys and five years later in 1964, the park opened.
    The monkey bath was created after baby monkeys started playing in the open-air bath of the spa inn – that had been lending its support to the park. Today, the park has open-air baths for the monkeys where many of them bathe on cold days. People visit in droves to take pictures. In this way, photos taken there have won prizes both in and outside Japan and created quite a buzz. In recent years this has led to an increase in the number of winter visitors and foreign tourists.
    Though some might think the park is a winter attraction, it’s actually open throughout the year. It’s not only for tourists, but is also an institution for education and research. In the spring baby monkeys are born one after the other. Their hair is still black and you can witness the charming spectacle of suckling babies cradled in their mother’s arms. In the summer, you can see them enthusiastically playing around, independent from their mothers.
    As records of the name and mother of each and every monkey covering the past 50 years have been kept by the park, university researchers visit for fieldwork from within and without Japan. The park is also used by elementary and junior high school students for outdoor classes. To get to the park, it’s a two-kilometer half-hour walk on a mountain trail from the dedicated Monkey Park parking lot. Hiking clothes will therefore be necessary and you’ll need to prepare for cold temperatures in wintertime.
    Jigokudani Yaen-koen
    Text: SAZAKI Ryo[2015年5月号掲載記事]

    長野県にある地獄谷野猿公苑には、温泉に入ることで知られるニホンザルがいます。英語では「スノーモンキー」と呼ばれ、世界中から観光客が訪れます。
    野猿公苑にはルールがあります。観光客がえさをやると、サルがえさ欲しさに人を襲うようになるので禁止です。サルをさわったり目を見つめたりするのも警戒心を起こさせるのでだめです。イヌやネコを連れていってはいけません。観光客がルールを守ってきたため、サルは人間を恐れず、観光客の歓声もフラッシュを使っての撮影も気にしません。
    かつて地獄谷のサルは、人間を見るとすぐ逃げていました。その頃は山林の開発が進んで住む場所を追われたサルが畑を荒らしたため、殺そうとする動きもあったからです。サルやサルが生きられる環境を保護しつつも、人間の畑や生活を守る方法はないだろうか。そう考えた人たちは人里から離れた地獄谷をえさ場とすることで、サルが畑に行かないようにしました。
    地獄谷はとても熱い温泉が激しく噴き出す、古い温泉旅館が一軒だけある小さな保養地でした。サルや手つかずの自然、温泉を観光資源とすれば、地元にも経済効果があります。このようなエコツーリズムの先取りともいえる発想から、サルの群れを人に慣れさせる作業が始まりました。温泉旅館の協力もあって5年後にえづけに成功し、1964年に公苑がオープンしました。
    サルの温泉は、公苑を支援してきた温泉旅館の露天風呂に、子ザルが入って遊ぶようになったことから生まれました。今では公苑内にサル専用の露天風呂があり、寒い日には多くのサルが浸かっています。たくさんの人が訪れ、撮影します。そのようにして撮られた写真が国内外で賞をとって話題になりました。そのため、近年、冬期の入苑者や外国人観光客が増えています。
    冬の観光地と思う人もいるかもしれませんが、年間を通じて運営されています。観光だけでなく教育、研究のための施設でもあります。春には、子ザルが続々と誕生します。子ザルはまだ毛も黒く、母親に抱っこされておっぱいを飲む愛らしい姿を見せてくれます。夏になると母親から離れて元気に遊びまわる姿が見られます。
    公苑では50年にわたってサル一匹一匹の名前や母子関係が記録されているため、国内外の大学から研究者が訪れ、フィールドワークが行われています。小中学生の野外学習にも役立てられています。公苑へ行くには、上林温泉の野猿公苑専用駐車場から山道を約2キロ、約30分歩きます。ハイキングの服装、特に冬は防寒対策が必要です。
    地獄谷野猿公苑
    文:砂崎良

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  • World Heritage Site: Gokayama, Known for its Steep Thatched Roofs

    [From May Issue 2015]

    In Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture there are two villages with unique so called “gasshou-zukuri” style steeply sloping thatched roofs. This year marks the 20th anniversary since they were registered as a World Heritage Site. While most of the houses were built around 100 to 200 years ago, some of them have a history of around 400 years. Residents still live in them and at houses where accommodation and meals are provided, guests are served edible wild plants and iwana mountain trout by the hearth. The site is also a centre of production for washi Japanese paper and visitors can make round fans and postcards by taking part in the Japanese paper-making experience. From around mid-May every year, Ainokura Village is illuminated to create a magical Japanese countryside scene that will delight visitors.
    Access: At JR Shin-Takaoka Station, get on the “World Heritage”bus, get off at “Ainokuraguchi”and walk about five minutes to Ainokura Village, or get off at “Suganuma” and walk about three minutes to Suganuma Village.
    Gokayama Tourist Information Center
    Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
    To park in the villages you must pay a fee that will be used for the conservation of these properties: 500 yen for standard or light vehicles, 100 yen for two-wheeled vehicles.
    http://www.gokayama-info.jp/
    Text: KAWARATANI Tokiko[2015年5月号掲載記事]

    富山県南砺市にある2つの集落で、合掌造りと呼ばれるかやぶき屋根が特徴。今年世界文化遺産登録20周年を迎える。100~200年前のものが多いが、約400年前に建てられたものもある。住民が今も生活しており、民宿ではいろりのそばで山菜やイワナが食べられる。和紙の産地としても知られ、和紙すき体験ではうちわやはがきを作ることができる。毎年5月中頃には相倉集落はライトアップされ、幻想的な日本の原風景が楽しめる。
    交通:JR新高岡駅から世界遺産バスで「相倉口」下車、相倉集落まで徒歩約5分。または「菅沼」下車、菅沼集落まで徒歩約3分。
    500 yen for standard or light vehicles, 100 yen for two-wheeled vehicles.
    五箇山総合案内所
    営業時間:午前9時~午後5時
    相倉、菅沼集落の駐車場を利用するには、集落保存協力金として駐車代が必要。普通車、軽自動車500円、二輪車100円。
    http://www.gokayama-info.jp/
    文:瓦谷登貴子

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  • Yoshimi-Hyakuana

    [From April Issue 2015]

    This unique and ancient burial mound consists of numerous caves dug into the rocky hillside. It’s thought that many caves are horizontal burial pits dating from the late Kofun era (6-7th centuries) and at the time of writing 219 have been counted as such. It’s possible to enter some of the caves, while others with their naturally-occurring luminous moss – designated as a protected species – can be viewed and photographed from behind a fence. In the springtime cherry blossoms can be enjoyed on the Hyakuana burial grounds and its environs. There is also a cave built to house a munitions factory during World War II that is often used as a location for television dramas.
    Directions: Take the Tobu line to Higashi-Matsuyama Station. Then take the Kawagoe Kanko Bus heading towards Konosu License Center and get off at the “Hyakuana Iriguchi (entrance)” stop. From there it is only a five minute walk. Or you can take the JR Takasaki Line to Konosu Station, then take the Kawagoe Kanko bus bound for Higashi-Matsuyama Station and get off at the “Hyakuana Iriguchi” stop. From there it is only a five minute walk.
    Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Entrance fees: 300 yen for adults and children of junior high school age or over, 200 yen for elementary students and free to children not yet in elementary school.
    Open 365 days a year
    Yoshimi-Hyakuana
    Text: KAWARATANI Tokiko[2015年4月号掲載記事]

    岩山一面にたくさんの穴が見られるユニークな古墳群。古墳時代末期(6~7世紀)の横穴墓と考えられ、確認されているだけで219個。中に入れる横穴もある。国指定の天然記念物ヒカリゴケが自生している横穴もあり、フェンス越しでの撮影が可能。春は百穴構内と付近の桜が楽しめる。第二次世界大戦中に軍需工場目的で掘られた洞窟があり、テレビドラマなどのロケによく使われている。
    交通:東武東松山駅下車。川越観光バス鴻巣免許センター行き「百穴入口」下車、徒歩5分、または、JR高崎線鴻巣駅下車 川越観光バス東松山駅行き「百穴入口」下車、徒歩約5分
    入園時間:午前8時30分~午後5時
    入園料:中学生以上300円 小学生200円 小学生未満無料
    年中無休
    吉見百穴
    文:瓦谷登貴子

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  • Promoting Delicious Edo Era Vegetables

    [From March Issue 2015]

    Boso-no-Mura
    Run by local government, Boso-no-Mura is a theme park located in Chiba Prefecture. It’s a 20 minute drive away from Narita International Airport. There you can experience the traditional lifestyle and crafts of Boso – the peninsula that covers the greater part of Chiba Prefecture. The theme-park covers an area of 51 hectares and is 11 times as big as Tokyo Dome. At its center is Boso-no-Mura where a project to grow and promote Edo era (17-19th centuries) vegetables has got underway.
    Lots of vegetables used by people in Edo (the former name for Tokyo) were grown in the Hokuso Area (northern part of Chiba Prefecture which includes Narita City and Katori City). Vegetables eaten in Edo during the Edo period were called “Edo vegetables.” For the current project they are cultivating four kinds of vegetables: carrots, daikon (Japanese white radish), turnips, and Japanese mustard. Although they are not exactly the same varieties as those grown in that period, strains were selected that were as close as possible to those used.
    Compared to modern-day vegetables that tend to have a standard size, appearance and harvesting season, Edo vegetables were quite diverse. As productivity is paramount in modern-day agriculture, selective breeding has advanced to the extent that Edo vegetables are no longer cultivated. However, as Edo vegetables are rich in fibre, sweet and strong tasting, they are delicious in soups and pickles.
    In Boso-no-Mura, you can try your hand at harvesting Edo vegetables. Furthermore, at a nearby affiliated restaurant, the menu has been designed so visitors can enjoy eating these vegetables either boiled or pickled. GUO Chuanyu, a Chinese citizen who took part in the activity says, “Since I have hardly ever harvested daikon and carrots, it was a lot of fun. The Edo vegetables were delicious, too.”
    Project manager OGASAWARA Nagataka says, “With Edo vegetables, cooperation within the region is growing. Some farming families, people who have their own kitchen gardens, and schools are now growing Edo vegetables. From now on, I would like to cooperate with people living in other areas too; by promoting Edo vegetables to people living in cities and to tourists from overseas, hopefully they will participate in our agriculture experience program. As these cultural exchanges blossom, it would be nice if that regenerated our local economy.”
    The town of Sawara is a 30 minute drive away from Boso-no-Mura. The town’s shipping trade prospered during the Edo period and some of its streets from that time are still intact. Also of interest is the house of INO Tadataka, the first person to complete a map of Japan based on surveyed measurements. Nearby, too, is Katori Shrine, a location thought to be filled with spiritual energy. By not only experiencing Edo vegetables, but also by walking the streets of this old town, you’ll feel as if you’ve slipped back in time.
    Boso-no-Mura
    Text: KONO Yu[2015年3月号掲載記事]

    房総のむら
    千葉県に「房総のむら」という県立のテーマパークがあります。場所は成田国際空港から車で約20分。房総(千葉県の大部分を占める、房総半島エリア)の伝統的な生活様式や技術を体験することができます。広さは約51ヘクタール、東京ドーム約11個分です。房総のむらを中心に、江戸時代(17~19世紀)の野菜を育てて広めようというプロジェクトが始まっています。
    江戸で暮らす人たちの野菜は、北総地域(成田市や香取市など、千葉県の北側エリア)で盛んに作られていました。江戸時代に江戸の町で食べられていた野菜を、「江戸野菜」と呼びます。今回のプロジェクトでは、ニンジン、大根、カブ、小松菜の4種類を育てています。当時と全く同じ品種ではないのですが、なるべく近いものを選んでい
    ます。
    江戸野菜と現代で採れる野菜を比べると、現代の野菜は大きさ、見た目、収穫時期が均一なのに対して、江戸野菜は全てがばらばらです。そのため、効率を重視する現代農業では、品種改良が進み、作られなくなってしまいました。しかし、江戸野菜の繊維は細かく、味は甘くて濃く、煮物や漬物にすると、とてもおいしいのです。
    房総のむらでは、江戸野菜の収穫などの農業体験ができます。さらに、提携している近くのレストランでは、煮物や漬物で食べることができるよう、メニューを開発しています。体験に参加した中国人の郭伝宇さんは、「大根やニンジンの収穫作業はなかなか体験できないのでとても楽しかったです。江戸野菜もすごくおいしかったです」と話します。
    このプロジェクトの担当者である小笠原永隆さんは、「江戸野菜を通じて地域の連携が広がっています。いくつかの農家や家庭菜園、学校では既に江戸野菜を育てています。今後はもっと多くの地域と連携しながら、都市に住んでいる人や、外国人観光客にもっと江戸野菜を知ってもらい、農業体験に参加していただきたいです。人々の交流が盛んになることで、地域経済を活性化させたいですね」と話します。
    房総のむらから車で30分ほどのところに佐原という町があります。江戸時代に海運で栄え、当時の街並みが多く残っています。江戸時代に日本国中を測量してまわり、初めて実測による日本地図を完成させた伊能忠敬が住んでいた家などもあります。また、パワースポットで知られる香取神宮(香取市)も近くにあります。江戸野菜の体験だけでなく古い街並みを歩いてみると、自分がその時代に存在しているかのような気分を味わうことができます。
    房総のむら
    文:河野有

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  • Sleeper Trains Being Phased Out

    [From March Issue 2015]

    Due to the huge economic impact of high speed shinkansen trains, sleeper trains in Japan are about to disappear. One of the enjoyable things about sleeper trains is the time spent riding on them. Although they were once a means of transportation for students reluctant to spend too much on traveling expenses, sleeper trains today have become a luxurious space for people with both money and time to spend on traveling. Many people are sad to see the discontinuation of the sleeper trains which had a charm that set them apart from ordinary means of transportation.
    This March two sleeper trains linking Hokkaido and Honshu will be discontinued. The final run of the “Twilight Express” running from Osaka Station to Sapporo Station along the coast of the Sea of Japan will be on the 12th, while the final run of the “Hokutosei” running from Ueno Station to Sapporo Station along the Pacific coast will be on the 13th. From April to August, a special Hokutosei train service will operate once every two or three days.
    There were 39 so called “Blue Train” sleeper trains – painted with a blue exterior – in operation in Japan. The Hokutosei is the last one. The news of its discontinuation surprised even those who weren’t particularly interested in trains. A large number of people want to ride on it at least once before the service is shut down. The occupancy rate of the trains is higher compared to last year.
    Dinner is served in the dining car (reservations required), at 6,000 or 8,500 yen a head. The set menus are popular despite being expensive. Long queues form during bar hours when no reservation is required for entry. Since it was decided that the service would be discontinued, people want to buy the original products sold while the train passes through Hokkaido as a souvenir of their last ride. So, now they’ve become hard to get hold of.
    At terminuses, many people – including non-passengers –take pictures of the carriages and of the signature plate affixed to the train’s nose. To capture the best shots, some wait for the train at stations where the train does not stop or at curves in mountainous areas. At Hakodate Station, where the train stops for a longer period of time to switch engines, quite a few passengers descend onto the platform with cameras to photograph the scene.
    In the past, Blue Trains on other lines were discontinued mainly because of the decreasing number of passengers and the increasing age of the cars. This time, the discontinuation is due to ageing of the cars and the imminent introduction of the Hokkaido Shinkansen. SUZUKI Takafumi of the PR department of JR Hokkaido points out that “the cost to get new cars would be tremendous.” Train carriages that retain an old world atmosphere are attractive, but it’s becoming hard to repair parts and furnishings.
    The Hokkaido Shinkansen is scheduled to begin operating in March, 2016. This high speed train is going to operate under different conditions from other shinkansen routes in that it will share a rail track with conventional trains and operate in the coldest part of Japan. “Many different inspections and tests will be carried out in an extremely limited period of time overnight, so it might be necessary to modify the night train timetable,” says Suzuki.
    The advantage of the shinkansen is that it’s a speedy and convenient way to travel. It’s expected that the Hokkaido Shinkansen will have a huge impact. “You’ll be able to travel quickly from the Tokyo Metropolitan Area to Hokkaido without changing trains. This will have a positive influence on tourism not only in southern Hokkaido where the shinkansen will be running, but also across the whole of Hokkaido. Ties between Tohoku and Hokkaido will strengthen further,” says Suzuki.
    JR Hokkaido
    Text: ICHIMURA Masayo

    [2015年3月号掲載記事]

     

    大きな経済効果を生む新幹線の陰で寝台特急が消えようとしています。寝台特急は乗車している時間そのものが楽しみの一つです。かつてはあまり旅費をかけたくない学生の乗り物でしたが、現在では移動にお金と時間をかけられる人が乗るぜいたくな空間になっています。単なる移動手段としてではない魅力を持った寝台列車の廃止を多くの人が惜しんでいます。

    今年3月、北海道と本州をつなぐ2本の寝台列車が廃止になります。日本海側を通り大阪駅から札幌駅を走行する「トワイライトエクスプレス」は12日が最終走行、太平洋側を走行し上野駅から札幌駅を結ぶ「北斗星」は13日が定期列車としての最後の運行になります。北斗星は4月以降8月までは臨時列車として2、3日に1回程度の割合で運行されます。

    日本には「ブルートレイン」と言われる寝台列車が39本走っていました。北斗星は最後の路線です。廃止決定のニュースは列車に特に関心のない人も驚かせました。廃止前に一度は乗りたいという人は多く、予約率は昨年に比べてアップしています。

    食堂車のディナー(予約制)は6,000円または8,500円。高額ですが人気です。予約なしで入れるパブタイムには長い列ができます。道内走行中に車内販売されるオリジナルグッズは、廃止が決まってから記念品として求める人が増えました。そのため現在では入手困難になっています。

    始発駅では、乗車しない人を含め多くの人が車体やヘッドマークを撮影しています。通過駅や山間部のカーブで列車を待ち、ベストショットを狙っている人もいます。牽引機関車を交換するため停車時間が長い函館駅では、乗客の多くがカメラを持ってホームに降り、その様子を写真に収めています。

    これまでブルートレインの廃止の理由は利用者の減少と車両の老朽化が主でした。今回は老朽化と北海道新幹線開業が関係しています。JR北海道広報部の鈴木隆史さんは「車体を新しいものにしようとすると莫大な金額がかかります」とコスト面での問題をあげます。運行を始めた当時の雰囲気を残した車体には味がありますが、修理のための部品や備品は入手困難になりつつあります。

    北海道新幹線は来年3月末までの開業が予定されています。この新幹線は今までの新幹線とは異なり、在来線と線路を共有し、日本で一番寒い地域を走ります。そのため「夜間の極めて限られた時間内でさまざまな検査や試験を行うので、夜間走行する列車の運転計画の調整が必要になっています」と鈴木さんは話します。

    新幹線の長所は、早く、便利に移動できることです。北海道新幹線には大きな役割が期待されています。「首都圏から乗り継ぎなしで早く北海道へ行けるようになります。観光面では新幹線の通る道南だけでなく、北海道全域にとっても良い効果があります。東北と北海道の交流もますます盛んになるでしょう」と鈴木さんは言います。

    JR北海道

    文:市村雅代

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