Free Entrance to Cultural Facilities

Third of November is a national holiday called "Bunkano Hi(Culture Day)". On the day, city of Niigata offers everyone free entrance to its cultural facilities listed below.
Enjoy your Culutral experience!

Minatopia, Niigata City Histry Museum
Entrance for the Exhibition Room wil be free. Minatopia
Web Site(English)
http://www.nchm.jp/contents15_english/15index.html

Niigata City Art Museum
 Permanent Exhibition will be free.
Web Site(Engilish)
http://www.ncam.jp/english/

The Fukushimagata Lagoon water park
Entrance to paid area of the water station View Fukushimagata will be free.
Web Site(Engilish)
http://www.pavc.ne.jp/~hishikui/index-e.html

Aizu Yaichi Memorial Museum (會津八一記念館）
Aizu Yaichi is multi-talented artist born in Niigata. He was a poet and a chirographer as well as an oriental art historian. You can see his art work and study himself in the museum.
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japnaese Only)
http://aizuyaichi.or.jp/index.html

The Saito family summer villa （旧斎藤家別邸）
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Information PDFs by English, Chinese, Korean and Russian)
http://saitouke.jp/foreign-languege/

Ex.Ozawa family Manor house (旧小澤家住宅）
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only)
http://www.nchm.jp/ozawake/index.html

Nihon Kai(Japan Sea) Tower （日本海タワー)
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only)
http://www.niigata-ss.jp/tower/

Shirone Kite and History Museum（しろね大凧と歴史の館/Shirone Otako to Rekishi no Yakata） Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only)
http://www.dbn6.net/nvcb/map/infomap_data.asp?ed=39

Old Sasakawa Manor（旧笹川家住宅/Kyu Sasagawake Jyutaku)
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only)
http://www.city.niigata.lg.jp/kanko/rekishi/bunkazai/shokai/sasagawatei.html

Soga Hirasawa Memorial Museum(曽我・平澤記念館/Soga-Hirasawa Kinen Kan)
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only)
http://www.city.niigata.lg.jp/minami/shisetsu/yoka/bunka/sogahirasawa.html

Kata Higashi Higuchi Memorial Art Museum　（潟東樋口記念美術館/Kata Higashi Higuchi Kinen Bijyutsukan)
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only)
http://www.dbn6.net/nvcb/map/infomap_data.asp?ed=88

Kata Higashi （潟東歴史民俗資料館/Kata Higashi Rekishi Minzoku Shiryo Kan）
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only)
http://www.dbn6.net/nvcb/map/infomap_data.asp?ed=89

Sawa Shogen no Yakata（澤将監の館/Sawa Shogen no Yakata）
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only) http://www.dbn6.net/nvcb/map/infomap_data.asp?ed=89

Nakanokuchi Senjin Kan（中之口先人館/Nakanokuchi Senjin Kan)
Entrance will be free.
Web Site(Japanese Only)
http://www.dbn6.net/nvcb/map/infomap_data.asp?ed=40

Enjoy racecourse

Yesterday I went to Niigata racecourse with my family. But not to bet the race. Just to watch the TV hero show at the outside stage in the site. So many families were there to see it.  My little son enjoyed it so much. 

 The site has playground equipment for kids and unregular events for families like  it in the weekends. Also, It has an indoor kid room inclding beds to change diapers and nursing room. So it is the place not only for those who enjoy betting horse race but also for the family.

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Three month weather forcast(Jul. to Sep.)

Niigata Local Meteological Observatory announced three month weather forcast in Hokuriku region from July to September.
 It has a 50% chance that an average temperature in the term gets higher than average year.

They forcast monthly as follows,

 July It gets a lot of cloudy or rainy days like an average year. It has a 80% chance that a temperature get the same as an average year or higher.

 August It gets more sunny days. It has a 80% chance that a temperature get the same or higher than an average year. It has a 80% chance that a precipitation get the same or less than an average year.

 September Wether are changed with a period of sevrel days. It has a 80% chance that a temperature get the same or higher than an average year.

Japan Meteorological Agency Seasonal Forecast(All Japan)
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/longfcst/000_1_10.html

Train info. Echigo Line 30th June

 JR East Niigata announced they would change their train schedule of Echigo line in this Sunday due to the construction to raise rails around the station of Niigata. Concerned trains are from the first train to about 11:30 AM in 30th June.    Especially, between Niigata station and Hakusan station the train services are suspended so JR will prepare alternative buses. The buses runs every 10 minutes and takes approx. 15 to 20 minutes between two stations. 

Please check the details at the station.

Here is a direct link to the announcement PDF(Japanese only)

http://www.jrniigata.co.jp/press/20130530niigataekikouji.pdf

Signs:Heights

The board says a height above sea level. With the boards You learn how you run away from disasters like floods just in case. They are set to signals and power poles at main intersections of trunk routes.

Aruku, free rest space at Bandai

 Photos are taken at a free rest spot named "Aruku". It is located at the third floor of Bandai Bus center building near "Lovela Bandai", shopping complex building and "Isetan", department store.

  It provides you not only rest space but also nursing room s for babies and playing space for kids.  It is free of charge to use.

 It is a very useful,  especially for families with small children. for them, it's boring to accompany their parents to shopping so you can use them for thier switch.

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Media Ship

  New landmark building in Niigata city "Media Ship" up-anchored last month.

 The building constructed by a Local News paper company Niigata Nippo is located in bandai area, Niigata's famous commercial area. and is 105 meters high with 20 floors above ground.

 It is not only office building but also a complex of culture, commerce and academic activities for  citizens.

 "Media Ship" looks a sailing boat, which comes from  commercial boats called "Kitamaebune"　which carried  people and  goods among cities along the side of Japan sea in Edo era to Meiji era.
Niigata prospered as a one of key cities they called up. 

 Photo below are view from free observation floor, on its 20th floor of the building.
You can get beautiful sight wide range of Niigata city.

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100 day memorial photo

 With my family I went to photography studio in Furumachi to take photos of my daughter as a memory of 100 days passed since she had been born.

  In Japan,　people celebrate the hundredth day of thier children birth by hold a ceremony called "Okuizome". "Okuizome"means the first day they eat. In the ceremony people pretend to serve foods to children praying for that they don't have any difficulty to eat all through their lives.

 Adding to the ceremony, it is common to take pictures on the babies at photo studios nowadays.

 Pictures show taking the memorial photos at Stadio Roop in Furumachi.
 Hama san(Cameraman) took a very warm photos  not only on my daughter but also with other family members including me.

Children's Free Swimming Pools

On Children's day ,5th May, Japanese holiday, Children use six swimming pools of Niigata city on free of charge for children.

Here is a list of the municipal swimming facilities of Niigata city

• Yusui Kan, Kita-ku(Nothern ward)
• Shitayama Sport Centre, Higashi-ku(Eastern ward)
• Toyano Sogo Taiikukan, Chuo-ku(Central ward)
• Nishikaigan Koen Shiei Pool, Chuo-ku(Central ward)
• Kameda Sogo Taiikukan, Konan-ku(Konan ward)
• Nishi Sogo Sport centre, Nishi-ku(Western ward)

Albirex NO1 in Eastern Conference

Albirex NO1 in  Eastern Conference

Niigata Albirex BB progressed to the play offs tournament of Professional Bascketball league BJ League.

They beat Sendai by 109-63 yesterday in the final game of the regular season and comfirmed the first place in the eastern conference league for the first time since the league begun.

The play offs are competed by 12 teams from top 6 teams  of both 2 conferences.
As Niigata are at 1st place, they attend it from the Eastern conference semi finals.

The semi fainals are held in 11th and 12 of May, both at Toyano Sogo Taiikukan, Niigata.

Please cheer for the team to win the long awaited championship as an original members of the league.

Enjoyed La folle Journee

I went to classic music event "La Folle Journee" yesterday.
The event was born in France in 1995 and aims to give cizinzens oppotunities to listen to classic music on low price.
Also In Niigata, It has been held since 2010.

I wanted to take my childrens(3 yrs old and 4 monts old) a certain programme in the event named "A Concert from O year."  I'm pleased with the idea of the programme because I have images for classic concerts that it is hard to take little babies to the concerts.

Unfortunately, the tickets were sold out so we didn't enter.
However We enjoy the 15-minite concerts are held in the entrance hall of one of the event site "Ryutopia".

The pciture is the mini live by the local musician.

I hope my little childrens enjoyed and were inspired something from it.
Also hope the event will be held next year and then.

100 yen to Furumachi with Ryuto

If you have "Ryuto", prepaid IC card for bus offered by Niigata Kotsu, bus fare between Niigata Station and Furumachi would become only 100 yen, usually it costs 200 yen.

It is a pilot program conducted for a limited time by Niigata city government.
It starts in 27th April and ends in 30th June.
(Available only Buses handling Ryuto card.)

Suzumaki!

Niigata is famous for rice cropping, especially major rice brand "Koshihikari."
The rice crop starts in spring.
One of the preparatory works for rice planting called "Suzumaki" (or "Sujimaki").
Suzumaki is to sow rice seeds in trays. And then the the trays are placed in a plastic greenhouses.
Depends on areas and varieties, in Niigata, Suzumaki is conducted in early April and transplanting the seedlings into rice fields is done in Japanese spring holidays in early May called " Golden week".

Spring Storm Coming

　Niigata Local Meteological Obsevatory warns the storm wind may come to all over Niigata pref. from 6th Saturday night to 8th Monday.
 A low pressure system will approach from East China sea to Japan sea on 6th night and moving towards north developing to bring heavy wind to Niigata on 7th and 8th.

 Also it warns snowslip and snow melt flood in the river due to temperature increase on 6th and 7th( it will get to over 20 degrees on 6th in many part of Niigata pref.)


 Please be careful going out this weekend.

Niigata Selected Eco Model City

City of Niigta is selected Eco Model City(EMC) by Japanese govenment.

 EMC is that the government select cities who tries for Low-carbon society like setting ambitious goals for deduction of CO2 and support them to implement.

 For the selection,Niigata propse to implement "Garden city style Eco city" which she has always said to aim. It is combination between urban and rural areas by exchanges of "People", "Food and Culture" and "Energy".

 As for CO2 deduction, Niigata sets very ambitious goal to reduce 80% of level of year 2005 by the year of 2050.

Traffic Closed Information

Both ways between Tsugawa IC(Exit) and Yasuda IC(Exit) in Banetsu Expressway which connects Niigata pref. and Fukushima Pref. will be closed to traffic due to inspections of tunnel in five days in mid April.

The inspections will be taken in follwing term.　

17th April 8:00 PM -6:00 AM
18th April 8:00 PM -6:00 AM
19th April 8:00 PM -6:00 AM
22nd April 8:00 PM -6:00 AM
23rd April 8:00 PM -6:00 AM

Niigata Shoku no Jin Toujitsuza

Here are some pictures of "Niigata shoku no Jin Toujituza, food festival" at Niigata station. You can eat famous dishes from all over Niigata pref. some are from out of Niigata. The festival is held at five areas, Furumachi street, Bandai city area, Pia Bandai, Furusato mura as well as the station until tomorrow.

Tai Chazuke Crowned the grand prize

Kashiwazaki's famous local gourmet "Tai Chazuke" was crowned the grand prize in 4th rice bowl championship held in Tokyo.

It had got third place two years ago and runner-up last year.

Tai Chazuke is a sea bream rice with hot green tea or hot soup stock adding various toppings.

Kashiwazaki is known as one of the largest catch of sea bream in Japan Sea. Therefore various sea bream dishes have been served traditionally.

You can eat Tai Chazuke adding Kaoriage(fragrant fried Sea bream), and Namero(finely chopped Sea bream), same as the one served at the rice bowl championship at restaurants below.

-Kappo Inaho
 Address:Shinhanacho 5-29, Kashiwazaki, Niigata Pref.
 Tel:0257-24-2043

-Funaei(kashiwazaki)
 Address:Higashi Honcho 1-16-35, Kashiwazaki, Niigata Pref.
 Tel:0257-22-0288

-Hotel Naniwaya Yunagitei （reservation required）
Address:Kujiranami 3-11-6, Kashiwazaki, Niigata Pref.
Tel:0257-23-3030

-Hotel Yumotokan （reservation required）
 Address:Oaza Ohirota 770, Kashiwazaki, Niigata Pref.
 Tel:0257-25-3500

-Kappo Okui Kashiwazaki （reservation required）
 Address: Nishikicho 5-37, Kashiwazaki Niigata pref.
 Tel:0257-24-6486

Also many other restrants in Kashiwazaki. serve various types of Tai chazuke.
Let's go to Kashiwazaki and enjoy Tai Chazuke!


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Niigata-Slovakia Association

Niigata-Slovakia Association has been founded.
 It came from that the Niigata born chairwoman had married Slovakian man in 2011. Also this year is a 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Slovakia, and Lerch,a major of the Austro-Hungarian Empire who brought ski into Japan teaching in Niigata was born in Bratislava, a capital of Slovakia .
 Cultural and economic exchanges are expected.