Archive for 'Mie' Category

G7 Summit held in Ise-Shima

G7 Summit was held on May 26th and 27th in Ise-Shima area in Mie pref.(http://www.mofa.go.jp/index.html)

The top politicians of the seven countries got together at 10:45 at the entrance to the Ise Shrine, where Amaterasu, the goddess of  the sun who is believed to be the highest deity and an ancestor to the Japanese emperors in the Japanese mythology is enshrined.  And the top dogs of the states together planted trees in token of the paramount meeting of powers.

The venue of the meeting Ise-Shima has been a very popular tourists’ destination over hundreds of years as a holy area related to the imperial house. Some say Ise-Shima is the spiritual home to the Japanese, and actually a lot of Japanese visit the area for sightseeing or for their religious faith. And main venue of the Summit is in Kashimajima Island that is a small island area known as one mecca of pearl industry of Japan. Some of my relatives live on that island running pearl processing business. All those areas are quite beautiful  and  worth visiting.  The Summit was held for the two  days and the politicians discussed the world economy and how they can improve inbalance and disparities and other issues among zones and countries in the world. We hope a lot of  people even from outside of Japan come to Ise-Shima to enjoy  the beautiful scenery, the historical atmosphere and human industry there.

Visit Japan Travel Mart and JATA Toursim EXPO Japan 2014

Two huge international travel marts were held at Tokyo Bigsight in Tokyo. One was “Visit Japan Travel Mart 2014″(Sep.24-26)(http://www.vjtm.jp/) and the other was “JATA Toursim EXPO Japan2014″(Sep.25-28)(http://t-expo.jp/en/index.html).  

More than 310 foriegn buyers and about 390 Japanese sellers joined VJTM2014 and had passionate exchanges of information and ideas and hosted busines seccions.  Buyers from Asian countries were especially a lot and about the half of the Japanese sellers were municipalities or relating associations of such local governments.

On the other hand,  a lot of domestic and foreign sellers and buysers joined  JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2014. Such participants were embassies, tourism bureaus, travel agents, food companies, municipalities, railroads, airlines, hotels. universities, guide associations and so forth.  The main targets were end users of travel services and a lot of  lay Japanese people visited there and the total number was 157,589.  Upon the opening of the event, an ward ceremony  of  good  services and efforts of related promotions was hosted and the Best Tourism Award was given to The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Embassy awards were for  Thailand and Mexico, the best transporatation award was for Japan Railways East, the domestic inbound award was for  the tourism department of Tokyo Metropolis, the publicity award was for a TV show of CXTV, and the chairperson special award was for Okinawa Convention Bureau. (http://t-expo.jp/en/program/cms.html)   I personally visited the two big events and collected a lot of interesting information and exchanged ideas with the participants, some of whom were my friends or those I sometimes work with. I enjoyed the delicious food provided by tourism- related restaurants and local specialities and impressed by the greatly enthusiastic atmosphere of energies of the expos as well.

Shima Spain Village is to re-open on March 1st with new attractions

Shima Spain Village, a theme amusement park in Shima Mie pref. ,which had temporarily been closed for remodelling, is going to re-open on this march 1st with new attractions. http://www.parque-net.com/foreign/english/index.html

Felliz Cruise, a ship cruise attraction of fantasy is going to start its operation from this March on.http://www.parque-net.com/pr/  Chapu Chapu Lagoon, a swimming facility in fountains for children is to start operation,too.  In addition,  a flamenco show program will start as well.

In addition,  this park is located in near  Ise Shrine which is to undergo a special renovation which takes place every 20 years as a solemn Shinto ceremony. From March on,  shuttle bus services between Ise Shrine and Shima Spain Village will start and the traveling time of such a bus is planned to be about 39 minuates at minimum

The 120th anniversary of pearl- cuturing technology

This year 2013, the pearl industry commemorates the 120th anniversary of  pearl-culturing technology. 

 

Koukichi Mikimoto, the founder of  MIKIMOTO (http://www.mikimoto.com/jp/) whose flagship store is located in Ginza Tokyo succeeded in culturing pearls as the first case in the world in 1893.  Since then Koukichi was called “The King of Pearl”.

On this 30th  MIKIMOTO released a special accessory with pearls and jewels called “MIKIMOTO Pearl Crown “DREAMS&PEARLS”- twelve pearls and dreams”.

the item can change its form between a “crown” and a” necklace” and  has a shape of  12 flower blossoms made of big natural pearls of 5 different types and 3400 diamonds.  The designers took more than 2 years to complete this breathtaking and splendid pearl treasure.

To tell the truth, I am a distant relative of koukichi Mikimoto and recently on 18th this month, I learned a basic concept of pearls  at a  lecture program for tour guides jointly hosted by JGA(Japan Guide Association), the oldest and biggest guide- interpreters organization, and  TASAKI, a major pearl and jewelry store company like MIKIMOTO.  (http://www.tasaki.co.jp/)

Therefore, I am so happy I learned ABC of the concept of pearls in this special year to pearl industry.

 

Last Ninja becomes university professor

A man known as the “last ninja” has become a specially appointed professor at Mie University in Tsu, Mie Prefecture, to study how to apply information-gathering and other ninja techniques in the field of business.  Jinichi Kawakami, 62, the 21st head of the Koga ninja clan, assumed the post to teach ninja know-how at the university’s Community-University Cooperation Center as of Dec. 1. Kawakami has promoted ninja culture at home and abroad through his studies. He was 18 when he became head of the clan, one of Japan’s two major ninja clans dating back some 500 years. He began learning the use of ”shuriken” weapons and other skills from the age of 6 under his predecessor. Read the rest of this entry »

Burberry Blue Label Yokkaichi Chubu Kintetsu

Burberry Blue Label Yokkaichi Chubu Kintetsu
バーバリーブルーレーベル中部近鉄百貨店四日市店
At Chubu Kintetsu Yokkaichi store, 7-34, Suwasakaemachi, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie 059-357-0136
Ladies Read the rest of this entry »