Cool Breeze Hand Fan

During summer many people use a hand fan to refresh themselves. In Japan there is a new kind of hand fan which gain its momentum in the refrigerator. It is made of a special kind of materials which is able to absorb the cool breezes in the refrigerator. Putting the hand fan in the refrigerator for 5 minutes, it is able to produce cooling breezes lasting for 6 to 7 minutes.

 (http://alart.shop-pro.jp)

Animation Character Exhibition

Childhood memories are some of our most precious memories. For some of us the animation characters played a role in the creation of those memories. The Amagi Museum in Izu city (Shizuoka prefecture) is now holding an exhibition displaying 150 animation characters from 7 July to 30 September. Some of the displayed characters are in the height of human. And the museum will give away 3000 movable animated dolls to visitors as presents by lottery.

www.amagimuseum.com

Maiko’s day

Kyoto is well-known for its temples, gardens and geishas. Spring and Autumn are the peak travelling seasons. Now the 5^th of every month is made the “Maiko’s day”, maiko (apprentice geisha) is invited to come to the shopping avenue in Jingu Lane (Sakyo District) to show off their dance skill or play the role of shop assistant. It is hoped that with such an event more customers will be attracted to the shopping avenue in the slow season.  

Benibana Flowers

To promote tourism in Yamagato prefecture, the hotel association in Tokamachi gave away benibana (scientific name: Carthamus tinctorius) flowers which is in bloom in summer to the passers-by on 29 June 2012. 

A campaign is also organized from 1 to 22 July during which the hotels and sight-seeing spots will use benibana as the decorations, the restaurants will provide special menu using benibana as the ingredients. 11 bodies including hotels and restaurants are participating in the campaign.

Benibana

Benibana noodles

Lavender Road Divider

In Hirosaki city (Aomori Prefecture), about 22,000 lavenders are planted in the road divider in Kita Odori. With the approach of summer, the lavenders blossom and add colours to the carriageway. The lavenders will be cut down on 3 July and freely given away from 4 to 6 July (9:00 am – 4:00 pm). 

Cemetery for single women

A burial ground especially for single women is set up in “Fureai Park” in Fuchu city, Tokyo. This arrangement is said to have met the social needs. Due to the weakening of family ties, more and more single women prepare for their own cemetery instead of joining the family altar, because they foresee that no relatives will offer memorial service to them after their death. They even look for friends who will join them in the cemetery.

The burial ground is run by the NGO body, there are 300 spaces, all of them have been fully booked due to low price. At present there are 20 occupants.

Exhibition of “Tengu Joshi” - Japanese Traditional Paper

The exhibition of “Tengu Joshi” was held on 3 June 2012 in Tosa Washi Village in Kochi prefecture. “Tengu Joshi” is a kind of traditional Japanese paper, it is said to be thinnest in the world (0.03mm) and not easy to be torn apart. The paper in different colors was mounted on the bamboo and shaped into a lamp. It was made by Hamada Hironao who has been engaging in the artwork for over 15 years following the footsteps of his grandfather. In the exhibition the décor of “Tengu Joshi” was a pleasing to the eye and fill the garden with grace.