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#68 SEPTEMBER 2013
JAPANS NEW WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE SITE
MOUNT FUJI
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COPYRIGHT 2013 CABINET OFFICE OF JAPAN
The views expressed in this magazine by the interviewees
or contributors do not necessarily represent the views o
the Cabinet Oce or the Government o Japan. No article
or any part thereo may be reproduced without the express
permission o the Cabinet Oce. Copyright inquiries
should be made through a orm available at :
www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/mailorm/inquiry.html
Also
Feature
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WHERE TO FIND US
Tokyo Narita Airport terminals 1 & 2 JR East Travel Service Center (Tokyo Narita Airport)
Kansai Tourist Inormation Center (Kansai Int'l Airport) JR Tokyo Station Tourist Inormation
Center Foreign Press Center/Japan Foreign Correspondents' Club o Japan Delegation o
the European Union to Japan Tokyo University Waseda University Asia Pacifc Univeristy
Ritsumeikan University Kokushikan University University o Tsukuba Keio University
Meiji University Osaka University Kyushu University Kyoto University Tohoku University
Nagoya University Sophia University Doshisha University Akita International University International University o Japan
4 22 24
|highlighting japan2
PRIME
MINISTER'SDIARY
STUDENT'S
CORNEROtsukimi
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY"K" Computer
6Mount Fuji,
Now a UNESCO World Heritage site
8A Diplomatic Home Run
An interview with Mr. Seiichi
Kondo
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ON THE COVER
Mount Fuji refected in Kawaguchiko Lake in Yamanashi Preecture.
EDITORRoger D. Smith (EDITOR)PROJECT MANAGERJonathan GroganCONTRIBUTORS Alena Eckelmann, Terrie Lloyd, Selena Hoy,
Chris Barnes, Virginia Gomez(CONTRIBUTORS)
Anna Cock Gibson (PROOFREADER)
DESIGN Louise RouseART DIRECTOR
Payoon Worachananan DESIGNER ADMINISTRATION/
ACCOUNTING Emi Sakuyama, Michiko Anezaki, JeanetteKomatsuADMINSTRATION
26 28 30
september 2013| 3
JAPANESE
ABROADTakako Yamada
47 PREFECTURES
FROM A TO YHiroshima
47 PREFECTURES
FROM A TO YHokkaido
Theme for September:
MOUNT FUJI
ount Fuji is the
quintessential
symbol of
Japan. In this
issue, we examine the various
aspects of Mt. Fuji that have
culminated in its recent
attainment of UNESCO World
Heritage status. These include
indigenous belief, Mt.Fuji as a
source of artistic inspiration,
tourism, and the challenge
of environmental protection
posed by the expected rise
in visitors to Mt. Fuji and its
associated sites.
ISSUE 68, SEPTEMBER 2013
Mount Fuji
Road to the soul
10
Alone in its Union of Grace
and Majesty
Mount Fuji in art and culture
14
Protecting the Outstanding
Universal Value of Mount Fuji
18
Journeying to Fuji Country
Tourism information for Mount
Fuji and environs
20
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Prime Minister's Diary
PRIME MINISTER VISITS
THE MIDDLE EAST ANDTHE REPUBLIC OF DJIBOUTI
Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe visited the Kingdom
o Bahrain, the State o
Kuwait, the Republic o
Djibouti and the State o Qatarrom August 24 to August 29.
The objectives o Prime Minister
Abe's visit to the Middle East
were (I) to urther strengthen
and expand the "comprehensive
partnership towards stability and
prosperity" between Japan and the
Middle Eastern countries, and (II)
to encourage Japan Sel-Deense
Forces personnel engaged inanti-piracy activities in a tough
environment and strengthen
Japan's relations with Djibouti.
Based on the strong bonds with
these countries, as demonstrated
by the 40th anniversary o the
establishment o diplomatic
relations with Japan and the
heartelt support given to Japan
in the wake o the Great East
Japan Earthquake in March 2011,
Prime Minister Abe conrmed
with their leaders plans to build
a "comprehensive partnership
towards stability and prosperity,"to cooperate in wide-ranging
areas o the economic eld
beyond resources and energy, and
to build multilayered relations,
including political and security
areas as well as cultural and
personnel exchanges.
Seeds sown by Prime Minister
Abe when he visited the Middle
East in 2007 have borne their ruitone ater another. He conrmed
Japan's policy to continue to
contribute to the region in various
elds, including education,
inrastructure, medicine and
agriculture, using its technology
and know-how in coordinated
eorts o public and private sectors.
The Middle Eastern leaders
expressed strong hopes that the
Japanese economy will become
rejuvenated by utilizing the vitality
o the ast-growing Middle East
and that Japan will play an evenmore active role in the region not
in the eld o economy but political
area as well. They highly valued
the JSDF, and Prime Minister Abe
afrmed the need or Japan to
urther contribute to the region's
peace, stability and prosperity.
Following Prime Minister Abe's
visit to the Middle East in May this
year and the hosting o the FithTokyo International Conerence
on Arican Development (TICAD
V), Japan took a big step toward
strengthening its relations with the
Middle East and Arica with this
latest visit. The visit marked also
as a historic visit or building a new
relationship between Japan and
the Gul countries.
Left: Prime Minister Abe with Prime Minister Khalia bin Salman Al Kha lia in Bahrain
Right: Prime Minister Abe shaking hands with Prime Minister Jaber in Kuwait
Above: Prime Minister Abe with Amir HisHighness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al
Than in Qatar
Below: Prime Minister Abe with President
Ismal Omar Guelleh in Djibouti
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September 2013| 5
TOKYO ELECTED AS
THE HOST CITY OF THEOLYMPIC GAMES IN 2020
On September 5,Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe, who
visited the Russian
Federation to attend the G20 St.
Petersburg Summit, held talks
in the morning with Ms. Dilma
Vana Rousse, President o the
Federative Republic o Brazil,
and Ms. Cristina Fernandez
de Kirchner, President o theArgentine Republic.
In the aternoon, Prime
Minister Abe held talks with
Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich
G20 ST. PETERSBURG SUMMIT
Photographs courtesy o the Public Relations Oce o the Government o Japan.Text courtesy o the Ministry o Foreign Afairs o Japan website.
Let: Prime Minister Abe with President Barack Obama at G20 St. PetersburgRight: Prime Minister Abe with President Vladimir Putin at G20 St. Petersburg
Putin, President o the Russian
Federation, and Mr. Barack
Obama, President o the United
States, ollowing which the
Prime Minister attended the frst
working meeting o the G20.
On September 8, at the
125th International
Olympic Committee
(IOC) Session held in
Buenos Aires in Argentina, Tokyo
was elected as the host city o the
32nd Olympic Games and the 16thParalympic Games.
Prime minister Abe gave a
presentation in this session.
Distinguished members
o the IOC, I say that choosing
Tokyo 2020 means choosing a
new, powerul booster or the
Olympic Movement.
Under our new plan, 'Sport or
Tomorrow,' young Japanese will
go out into the world in even larger
numbers. They will help build
schools, bring in equipment, and
create sports education programs.
And by the time the Olympic torchreaches Tokyo in 2020, they will
bring the joy o sports directly
to ten million people in over one
hundred countries.
Choose Tokyo today and
you choose a nation that is
a passionate, proud, and a
strong believer in the Olympic
Movement. And which strongly
desires to work together with the
IOC in order to make the world a
better place through the power o
sport.
We are ready to work with you.
Thank you very much.
The 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires in
Argentina
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Lake Kawaguchi
YAMANASHI PREFECTURE
|highlighting japan6
MOUNT FUJIFeature
Mount Fujinow a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
ALENA ECKELMANN
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 7
R
ISING 3776 meters
above sea level,
Mount Fuji towers
majestically over thelandscapes o Yamanashi and
Shizuoka Preectures and stands
tall as an enduring symbol o
Japan. On June 22 this year, it
was decided that Mt. Fuji would
become the 17th place in Japan
to be added to the UNESCO
World Heritage list. It became
ormal on the 26th o the same
month. Twenty-ve properties,a combination o natural
and historic sites located in a
20,702.1 ha area, were given the
inscription, Fujisan, sacred
place and source o artistic
inspiration.
Gaining UNESCO World
Heritage status or Mt. Fuji
has been a long journey. One
challenge in attaining this goalwas to prove that the mountain
and surrounding environment
possess outstanding universal
values that are important
to the common legacy o
humankind.
Mt. Fuji meets two o
UNESCOs registration criteria
or becoming a cultural heritage
site: 1) To bear a unique or atleast exceptional testimony
to a cultural tradition or to a
civilization which is living or
which has disappeared; 2) To be
directly or tangibly associated
with events or living traditions,
with ideas, or with belies,
with artistic and literary works
o outstanding universal
significance.
Mt. Fuji met these criteria ater a
UNESCO committee considered
the evidence that the mountain
and environs representedoutstanding universal values on
the basis that it is both an object
o worship and source o artistic
inspiration.
The 25 sites listed as World
Heritage Site include the
mountain itsel, Lake Yamanaka
and Lake Kawaguchi, the
Oshino Hakkai springs (eight
ponds ed by Mt. Fuji subsoilwater), the Funatsu and Yoshida
lava tree molds, the Shiraito
no Taki waterall and the
Mihonomatsubara pine tree
grove, as well the Oshi Jutaku
Lodging Houses, Hitoana
Fuji-ko Iseki and eight Shinto
shrines.
Mt. Fujis selection as a World
Heritage Site will surely have a
Lake Motosu
Oshi Jutaku Lodging Houses
Shiraito no Taki waterfall
YAMANASHIPREFECTURE
YAMANASHIPREFECT
URE
SHIZUOKAPREFECTURE
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 9
it must represent outstanding
universal values. The
conditions or the International
Council on Monuments and
Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body
to UNESCO, is very strict.
As Kondo explains, The
ICOMOS panels look or clear,scientifc evidence to prove that
a proposed site has cultural
value and to our surprise, it
was recommended in May
that while Mt. Fuji deserves
inscription as World Heritage,
Mihonomatsubara, a pine tree
grove which is 45km away
rom the mountain, should be
excluded. We had to explainthat Mihonomatsubara is
an integral part o Mt. Fuji.
The mountain has been the
source o inspiration or many
amous art works and literature
throughout the ages, such as
Hokusais ukiyo-e images, and
Mihonomatsubara has requently
been depicted as a part o the
mountain.
Luckily, the Japanese
government had chosen its World
Heritage representative well.
In act, ormer Prime Minister
Yasuhiro Nakasone, president
o the National Congress or
the Inscription o Mt. Fuji as
World Heritage is said to havetold his close aids that he would
not leave this world until he
saw Mt. Fuji inscribed. Raising
his spirits, Kondo brought his
prior UNESCO relationship
and strength o character to
bear in convincing the various
opinion leaders within the
World Heritage Committee
that Mihonomatsubara mustbe included as a part o World
Heritage.
Kondos diplomatic skill was
put to the test in Phnom Penh in
June 2013 when he had to court
the World Heritage Committee.
He started with the least
agreeable representative, taking
his time to explain that there
is an intangible link between
Mt. Fuji and Mihonomatsubara,
thereore the latter must be
inscribed. He eventually swayed
this member not to dissent by
using the non-conrontational
style that is Kondos trademark.
The next candidate took hal a
day to persuade to vote in avorand the remaining committee
members eventually ell in line
with the consensus view. In the
end, the support or the Mt.Fuji
listing was unanimous a home
run or the Japan team.
The inscription o Mt. Fuji
has strong personal meaning or
Kondo. When he frst became
aware o the Advisory Bodysrecommendation to support the
listing in early June 2013, he
called on his ather, Yoshikazu, in
hospital to share the good news.
Having happily received the news
o his sons success, Yoshikazu
passed away the ollowing
morning a bitter-sweet moment
or Seiichi Kondo.
MihonomatsubaraS
HIZUOKAPREFECTURE
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|highlighting japan10
MOUNT FUJIFeature
Mount Fuji
Roadto the soul
ROGER D. SMITH
Mount Fuji, orFujisan as it is called
in Japanese, is an object o aith or
Japanese people and a place that
their hearts draw support rom, as
expressed by the ocial name that it is registered
as a Cultural World Heritage Site under: Fujisan,
sacred place and source o artistic inspiration.
The culture o aith relating to Mt. Fuji can
be generally classifed into three types. The frst
is a aith expressed through actually climbing
Mt. Fuji (mountain pilgrimage, or thai), the
second is a aith expressed through viewing
Mt. Fuji rom a distance (worship rom aar, or
yhai), and the third is a aith expressed through
creating pictures or l iterature eaturing Mt. Fuji.
What ollows is an explanation o two o these
types mountain pilgrimage and worship rom
aar provided by Mr. Yukie Takeya, Proessor
Emeritus o Takushoku University and leading
scholar on the subject o Mt. Fuji.
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 11
Following a route that is meant or thai at Mt. Fuji is itsel an
act o aith and is said to be a way o perorming Fujizenj
(Fuji ascetic training), which is the practice o reaching
enlightenment through climb Mt. Fuji. There are many
thai routes, but only our are registered as part o the Cultural
World Heritage Site: the Omiya-Murayama thai route, which was
established as the frst thai in the 12th century; the Yoshida thai
route, which takes pilgrims rom the base o the mountain to the
peak; the Suyama thai route, which begins at the Suyama Sengenshrine at south east ace o the mountain; and the Subashiri thai
route which begins at the Subashiri Sengen shrine at the eastern ace
o the mountain.
The Ochd route that circles around the Mt. Fuji mountainside
is a sacred path that traditionally, only those who had climbed to the
top o Mt. Fuji three times were permitted to walk. Although today
only part o this route can be walked due to a danger o rockslides and
alling rocks, it is popular as a trekking course rich with highlights
such as orests flled with greenery and the Osawa collapse, an area
where erosion o the surace is in progress.
Sengen Shrine
SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE
Mountain pilgrimage:
Thai
Top of Mt.Fuji
People aiming for the
peak of Mount Fuji
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At the crater o the summit, one
can nd the Fuji eight peaks,
which include Ken-ga-mine, the
highest point in Japan, as wellas Hakusan-dake. The journey
around these peaks, o-hachi
meguri, is also amous.
In Japanese olklore, caves
among the mountains and coasts
are regarded as a metaphor or
the womb, and passing through
such caves is a rebirth ritual that
allows one to obtain a new lie.
The entirety o Mt. Fuji itsel canbe thought o as a large womb,
and the caves at the base o the
mountain have the name o-tainai
(inside o the womb). There are
eight representative examples
o these that are called the Fuji
8 tainai o those, the Funatsu
tainai and Yoshida tainai are
registered as part o the World
Heritage site. Since these twotainai are located beside the
Yoshida thai route, people visit
them the day beore embarking
on thai and perorm rituals
such as puriying their bodies
in the water in the cave. They
are considered sacred ground at
which to express aith during the
Mt. Fuji pilgrimage.
Although in the past womenwere not allowed to climb Mt.
Fuji, women were allowed to
enter the tainai, which made
them important places o aith
that woman o the time could
access directly.
Highlighting Japan took the
opportunity to interview some
pilgrims who had climbed Mt.
Fuji or the purpose o thai.
|highlighting japan12
MOUNT FUJIFeature
The signicance behind
climbing Mt. Fuji is what you
learn about yoursel says
Mr. Tadokoro, kannushi atShibuya Hachimangu shrine.
Climbing Mt. Fuji is similar to
lie. Reaching a goal is an uphill
struggle, but there is also the
descent ater reaching the goal.
Having the courage to aim or
something and the courage
to back out is important. One
attraction in climbing Japans
highest mountain is nding outones limits and experiencing
with ones body how strenuous
the ascent is. Tadokoro
attempted his second climb at
night, rst paying homage at
Hongu Sengen Shrine. According
to Tadokoro, kannushi take it
in turns to attend to the shrine
at the peak o Mt. Fuji. In times
past, the kannushi would placeessentials such as ood and
water in a wooden rame lined
with canvas and ascend to the
peak. Tadokoro's assistant and
ellow priest, Florian Wiltschko,
rst climbed Fuji when he was
24, considered an unlucky age in
Shinto belie. During his ascent,
the weather deteriorated, and
the wind blew so strongly thatwithout his stick, he would
not have been able to stand.
Looking back on his unlucky
age, Wiltschko considers
himsel lucky to have descended
unscathed.
While Mt. Fuji is a symbol o
Japan, or those who choose to
climb it, this amed mountain is
also a route to the sel.
Even i Mount Fuji is
an object o aith, it
can only be seen as
a ar-of mountain
when viewed rom Edo/Tokyo.
Nonetheless, rom the middle
o the Edo period (16031868),
many maps o Edo began to
eature Mt. Fuji as a major
landmark, and an awareness oMt. Fuji as a symbol o Japan
spread among the people o
Edo. Many places in Edo began
to take on names eaturing the
word Fujimi (view o Fuji),
such as Fujimi town, Fujimi
hill, Fujimi bridge, etc., and the
yhai o Mt. Fuji became central
to the culture o the residents o
Edo.
Worship
from afar:
Yhai
Mt. Fuji from
Tokyo
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An explosive boom in the
aith surrounding Fuji arose, as
did a group called Fuji-k who
regarded Mt. Fuji as an objecto aith. However, since it was
not easy to travel rom Edo to
Mt. Fuji and since women were
orbidden to visit at the time,
only young groups o men rom
among the Fuji-k group were
able to perorm thai. Thus, in
order to allow men and women
o all ages to enjoy Fuji thai,
miniature imitations o Mt. Fujicalled Fujizuka (Fuji mounds)
were constructed. Although
they are not included among the
objects that make up the Cultural
World Heritage Site, there are
many Fujizuka that have been
designated as Cultural Properties
by the national government o
Japan or by local governments.
Famous Fujizuka within the
precincts o Tokyo include the
Shitaya-sakamoto Fuji (within
the grounds o the Onoterusaki
shrine), the Nagasaki Fuji (besidethe main shrine building o
the Fuji Sengen shrine) and the
Ekoda Fuji (within the grounds o
the Ekoda Sengen shrine).
One such Fujizuka is ound at
Shinagawa Shrine near Shinbanba
station in Tokyo. According to the
shrine's kannushi, Mr. Suzuki, the
Fujizuka, built between 1869-72,
is a relatively late addition, and issaid to bestow the same beneft
on those who climb it as climbing
Mt. Fuji.
The Sengen shrines, which
are distributed in all regions
o Japan rom Hokkaido in the
north to Nagasaki in the south,
are also important relics o the
oundations o the Mt. Fuji aith
culture. From the late Nara period
Shinagawa Shrine (main gate)
SEPTEMBER 2013| 13
Shinagawa Fuji
to the Heian era, an increase in
Mt. Fujis volcanic activity led
to Mt. Fuji being called the great
god o Sengen rather than justa mountain, and the peoples
awe and ear o the mountain
(god) increased. This great god
o Sengen was enshrined by
the Sengen shrines, eight o
which are registered as part o
the Cultural World Heritage Site
including the Mt. Fuji Hongu
Sengen shrine (located in
Fujinomiya, Shizuoka) and theKitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen
shrine (located in Fujiyoshida,
Yamanashi).
Such aspects demonstrate the
depth o the aith surrounding
Mt. Fuji, and it is hoped that its
registration as a Cultural World
Heritage Site will serve as a
chance to learn even more about
the mountain o aith, Mt. Fuji.
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|highlighting japan14
MOUNT FUJIFeature
Mount Fuji in Art and
Culture
M
OUNT Fuji and
its environs have
inspired poets,
painters, artistsand travelers or generations.
One criterion required or
UNESCO inscription is that Mt.
Fuji must refect outstanding
universal values as a source o
artistic inspiration. Since the
earliest portrayal o Mt. Fuji in
Japans oldest written poetry
anthologyManysh (Collection
o a Thousand Leaves) and oldest
story Taketori Monogatari (The
"Alone in Its
Union of Grace
and Majesty":
ROGER D. SMITH
The Great Wave,
Hokusai, c.182932
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 15
Tale o the Bamboo Cutter), the
magnicent orm o Mt. Fuji has
inspired Japanese and oreigners
alike across the ages and reectsupon the universal spirit o these
artists and poets.
One o the rst depictions
o Mt. Fuji can be ound in the
Manysh, an anthology o 4516
waka poems dating back to the
7th and 8th Centuries. Tago no ura
yu/ uchidete mireba/ Mashironi
so/ Fuji no takane ni/ Yuki wa
furikeru (Passing through Tago
Bay and coming to a clearing, I
see snow alling, pure white, on
Fujis loty peak). Other waka
eulogize Mt. Fuji as a divine peak
that has stood since the partingo heaven and earth. Around
this time, the image o Mt. Fuji
began to appear in paintings,
including the oldest example o
an illustration on a paper screen
rom Shtoku Taishi Eden (The
Illustrated Biography o Prince
Shtoku) dating rom the Heian
period (794-1185).
When the political center
o Japan shited rom Kyoto to
Kamakura (Kanagawa Preecture)
in the latter hal o the 12th
Century, more people began to
traverse the road linking thecapital cities that ran to the
south o Mt. Fuji. Hereater, large
numbers o people, including
travelers and artists, began to
record their impressions o Mt.
Fuji and it consequently acquired
an even greater symbolic meaning
in the Japanese consciousness.
From the 14th Century onward,
Mt. Fuji became a popular moti
in painting, literature, crats,
It is a grand scene beyond all description. It
was covered in snow. In the shining of the sun,it looked like frozen silver. I even thought thatits awe-inspiring, lofty form was yet moreinspiring than that of the famous Dhaulagiri in theHimalayas, which I saw in January 1855.
Townsend Harris (1804-1878)
First United States Consul to Japan
Left:The Sea ofSatta, Hiroshige,c.1858
Below:Red Fuji,Southern Wind, Clear
Morning, Hokusai,c.1830
Right: The Sea Of
Miura, Hiroshige, c.1858
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|highlighting japan16
MOUNT FUJIFeature
I stopped the palanquin to take a look at it,
as the mountain stands soaring high and
penetrates the blue sky like a white gemhairpin, while the lower part below the
middle is shaded under the cover o clouds.
It is as beautiul as the white lotus fowering
in Gem Pond o Mt Huashan in China.
Shin Yu-Han (1681-?)
Visited Japan in 1719 as the Documentation Ocer
o the 9th Korea Communication Mission
...We got a beautiul view o Fuji, the
Peerless One, springing rom the
ground as it seemed almost behind the
inn, and liting its beautiul head into
the pale blue sky, above horizontal
wreaths and stretches o cloud.
Ernest Satow (1843-1929)
British Diplomat
gardens and other artistic
elds to the extent that it was
becoming a standard image o
Japan. O the many popularrepresentations o Mt. Fuji in
popular culture, the three best
known are those produced by
Hiroshige (1797-1858) in the
ukiyo-e prints, Tkaid gojsan-
tsugi (Fity-three Stations o
the Tkaid Road) and the
Fuji sanjurokkei (Thirty-six
views o Mt. Fuji), as well as by
Hokusai (ca. 1760-1849) in the1834 publication o the ukiyo-e,
Fugaku hyakkei (One-hundred
Views o Mt. Fuji). The Tkaid
Hiroshige Art Museum that
houses many original Hiroshige
works can be ound in Shizuoka
Preecture. As pointed out by its
curator, Mr. Katsunori Takahashi,While Hokusai's woodblock
prints place emphasis on orm,
Hiroshige's woodblock prints are
aithul to the subject matter. The
dierence between the two lies in
Hiroshige's depiction o scenery
as it is. Hiroshige's depictions o
Mt. Fuji leave a strong impression
as landscape images, and many
people have had a near lieexperience o viewing Mt. Fuji
rom dierent places through the
woodblock prints o Hiroshige.
The vivid images displayed
in these ukiyo-e were later a
source o inspiration or many
western artists who were part o
a new Japonisme movementin Europe, whereby Mt. Fuji
became well-known abroad as
a symbol o Japan. The iconic
mountain infuenced the works
o Impressionists andfn de sicle
artists, such as Monet, Van Gogh
and Henri Riviere.
As Japan began to accept
greater numbers o oreign
visitors in the 19th Century,overseas explorers, traders and
diplomats began to transcribe
their impressions o their outings
to this holy volcano. Perhaps
best expressed by Henry Heusken,
interpreter and secretary to US
Ambassador Townsend Harris,
Glory orever to the mountain
o mountains o the Pacic Sea,
which alone raises its venerablebrow covered with eternal snow
amidst the verdant countryside
o Nippon! Jealous o its beauty, it
will not suer a rival which might
lessen its splendor. Its crown o
snow stands out alone above the
highest mountains o Nippon.
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 17
Georges Bousquet (1845-1937)
French lawyer
Fujiyama, ever all-knowing,
divine, and entire, rises shrouded
in the color o rose like a giganticstamen in the center o a fower.
Natives and oreigners, artists
and holiday-makers, alike all
down in adoration beore the
wondrous mountain which
stands utterly alone in its union
o grace and majesty. Basil Hall Chamberlin (1850-1935)
Famous Japanologist
...The beauty o Fuji sticking out proudly into the ar reaches
o the sky is the most elegant spectacle in all Japan no, it
is, in act, one o the worlds greatest spectacles. Because the
oot o the mountain, ree o snow, is largely o a blue that
could be mistaken or the sky, people can only look at the
cone-shaped mountain, bristled with the white o snow, as it
reaches up to the heavens.
Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904)
Japanologist and Writer
Nowadays, Mt. Fuji is closely
associated with the best
in Japan and something
auspicious. Thus it is oten usedas a standard when comparing
the magnifcence o other
mountains (such as reerring to
Mt. Rainier in the United States
as the Tacoma Fuji) and the
iconography o Mt. Fuji is still
largely depicted in everything
rom high-class artwork to
mass-produced goods and tourist
trinkets. It is also a avorite choiceo mural or Japanssent (public
bath houses) and many replicas
o Mt. Fuji are incorporated into
garden landscapes, much as the
Daimy (lords) had done in the
18th Century.
The scenic grandeur o Mt.
Fujis nearly perect, solitary
volcanic cone inspires a sense
o majesty, introspectionand beauty that has been the
subject o creative endeavors or
centuries. As a volcano, it also
evokes ear, respect and awe,
which may be one o the reasons
that it has become a widely
understood symbol. When oreign
travelers visit Japan rom abroad, Mt. Fuji can be ound not only in
representations in vases and ans, but in the many portrayals displayed
in popular advertisements, art posters, and murals. The UNESCO
designation is an attempt to not only draw attention to this ount oinspiration, but to also provide the means to protect the high level o
integrity associated with its grandeur.
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MOUNT FUJIFeature
Environmental andConservation Eforts in the newUNESCO World Heritage Site
Protecting the Outstanding Universal Value of Mount Fuji
ROGER D. SMITH
MT. Fuji is a verypopular destination
or visitors rom
home and abroad.
On the other hand to reduce the
mischie brought by climbers and
tourists, a durable conservation
plan to protect the environmental
integrity o the Mt. Fuji region
is required. Suitable control and
protection o the mountain isrequested.
During the two-month
climbing season in the summer,
approximately 300,000 people
climb the peak. The mountain
has many man-made acilities,
such as lodges or hikers to stay
overnight, rest stops where the
weary can take a drink break,
restaurants or rereshmentsand even a bulldozer that is used
to maintain the trails, whereas
the surrounding areas have
many conveniences built or
tourism, including gol courses,
hotels, ski runs and, o course,
hiking trails. It is rather unique
that even a mailbox is put up
on top o the Mt. Fuji during
the months o July and August
so that the climber can send
the postcard to their riends
and amilies. With the newWorld Heritage designation,
however, even more tourists are
anticipated in the uture and
one o the primary concerns
o UNESCO is how to properly
balance the conservation eorts
o the area with the renewed
interest in Mt. Fuji as a visitor
destination. Local, preectural
and national governments arenow coordinating eorts to
conserve historic and cultural
sites while also acilitating access
to travelers to the region.
To protect the integrity o the
mountain itsel, the Preectural
governments o Yamanashi
and Shizuoka passed the Fuji
Charter in 1998 which became
the origin o the nationalmovement to instate Mt. Fuji as a
Japanese symbol which Japanese
are proud o. Today, however, the
obligation is to protect not only
the ecology o the mountain, but
the various historical and natural
sites in the environs surrounding
Mt. Fuji that presently alls under
various jurisdictions.
For the conservation o Mt.
Fuji and the surrounding area as
a world heritage, the Mt. Fuji
comprehensive conservationplan was established. At the
same time Mt. Fuji cultural
heritage council was constituted
or the preservation o the
property and the vicinity surely.
This involves the cooperation o
many government ministries and
levels, including the Ministries
o the Environment, Cultural
Aairs, Deense, Forestry andInrastructure, Transport and
Tourism as well as the Preectural
governments o Shizuoka and
Yamanashi and their various city
councils. Some residents, asset
holders, concerned afliates
are the member o the sectional
meetings which regulate the
council. An academic committee
has also been ormed to assistinvestigations and counsels.
The upper reaches o Mt. Fuji
has been designated as a special
protection zone o the national
park in order to oer the highest
degree o natural conservation
possible. For example, in the
Shizuoka preecture, the Mt. Fuji
Eco-Rangers which is organized
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 19
by local volunteers can oer
guidance and lectures relating
to hiking manners, the Fuji
Charter and the abundant naturalwildlie. Representatives o the
Shizuoka Preectures Group or
Environmental Protection o Mt.
Fuji, Bureau o the Environment,
state that Now that Mt. Fuji
has been designated as a World
Heritage Site, it will become even
more imperative to protect and
preserve the natural environment.
For this reason, expectations arehigh to start some environmental
initiatives in the area. Moreover,
road signs and interpretation
boards are being installed in our
languages (Japanese, English,
Chinese, and Korean) and new
thematic hiking courses at the
lower reaches o the mountain
have been assigned according to
the interests o visitors.Since Mt. Fuji is a volcano,
the ground changes to sand and
lava detritus beyond the 2500
meter point, but the surrounding
oothills are lush in ora and
auna. The water on Mt. Fuji
is well known or its clarity,
reshness and invigorating
coolness, and hikers passing
streams and wells can enjoy
drinking it as a rereshment. The
water not only supports trees and
vegetation, but also the manydeer, bears, mountain goats and
tanuki (racoon-dog) and also
a variety o buttery and bird
species that thrive in the orests
and felds as well. Currently,
several scientifc stations have
been established to study
wildlie in the area, including an
international feldwork survey
o butteries as a measure oecosystem health.
Mt. Fuji is a masterpiece o
earth orogenic movements.
The registration o this sacred
mountain as a world cultural
heritage means the original
Japanese valuejudgemnt onature and culture which fnds
out spirituality, artistry and
religionality in nature itsel was
recognized internationally. The
registration isnt a goal but a
new start to keep this mountain.
The eort such as, environment
conservation, security o the
climbers, accepting visitors, all
links to the succession to themountain surely to the uture
generation is the essential
challenge.
Mt. Fuji Eco-Rangers
SHIZUOKAPREFECTURE
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MOUNT FUJIFeature
Journeying to
Fuji Country:Tourism Information for
Mount Fuji and Environs
MANY people are inspired to visit Mt.Fuji each year, but have you ever
considered the challenges o getting
there or the special rewards involved?
Many transportation links and tourist acilities exist
or those people wishing to visit the Mt. Fuji area or
ascend the peak o Mt. Fuji. The climbing season or
Mt. Fuji runs or only two months between July 1st
and late August each year. Approximately 300,000
people hike to the top o the mountain via one o our
trails (Fujinomiya, Gotemba, Subashiri and YoshidaRoutes), and many more travelers visit the Fuji Five
Lakes and the surrounding areas each season.
The closest train stations are either Fujinomiya
sta., Gotemba sta. or Kawaguchiko sta., you can
catch local buses departing to the 5th Station o the
mountain rom each station. Alternatively, it is also
possible to take a tour-bus shuttle that is operated
by Fujikyu Shizuoka, Fuji Kyuko and Fujikyu
Yamanashi bus lines that run daily during the open
season.For those hikers who wish to try visiting Mt. Fuji
without climbing all the way to the peak, thirteen
nature trails have been built at the lower reaches o
the mountain that traverse orests, hills, streams
and elds and have a longer open season than the
national park at the upside. Several Preectural parks
can also be ound in the vicinity o Mt. Fuji that ofer
options or camping, swimming, picnicking and
cycling.
Guide books are available to provide basic
inormations related to ascending Mt. Fuji,
including the guidelines or manners and saety
as well as instructions on adequately preparingor the challenges o the climb. Various volunteer
groups and nature studying groups ormed the
Mt. Fuji Network which copes with environmental
conservation synthetically.
The summit stands at 3776m in height and
weather can be unpredictable at higher elevations,
so altitude sickness and hypothermia are concerns
or mountain climbers, as well as adequate water
supplies and proper boots and clothing. Visitors
must come prepared, since the ascent to the top is aphysical and mental challenge.
As or tourism destinations beyond the
mountain itsel, many cultural and natural wonders
draw people to the region. For instance, the Fuji
Five Lakes, the Sengen shrines, Shiraito no Taki
wateralls and Mihonomatsubara pine tree grove.
You can enjoy boat riding, driving, camping in the
Fuji Five Lakes. Its not only the place or summer
resort but you can also experience various kinds
ROGER D. SMITH
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 21
o activities there throughout
the year. In the spring Cherry
blossoms and Azaleas , in
the summer Lavenders andHydangeas color the beautiul
views o the mountain. Many
oreigners look orward to see
the reworks displayed above
the lake. People are delighted to
see the colored leaves in the all,
the mountain covered with white
snow in the winter. Not only the
nature is the entertainments,
numbers o museums andart galleries dotted around
the Kawaguchi lake. You can
relish the arts Mt. Fuji in the
background.
A new recreation initiative
known asFuji-no-kunior Fujisan
country oers various green
tourism options to visitors. Found
in over ty locations around
Shizuoka Preecture, visitors are
given an opportunity to try their
hand at various arts and crats,
participate in outdoor excursionsand experience a traditional
Japanese inn or restaurant.
Fuji-no-kunidraws upon the
connection that Mt. Fuji provides
in linking various locations
in Shizuoka together through
sights, sounds and tastes.
Preectural delicacies are also
a draw or travelers. Yamanashi
Preecture is an abundant ruitgrowing region that produces
peaches and grapes, whereas
Shizuoka is amous or its green
tea,Mikanoranges and seaood,
so visitors are encouraged to try
these locally produced goods
as well. Most travelers to the
Mt. Fuji region are not only
struck by the magnicence o
Cycling
YAMANASHI PREFECTURE
the countryside, but also the
bountiul oods and varied
favors that are on oer.
Ms. Nicole Bauer a touristwriter rom America, climbed
Mt, Fuji in August 2012 and
had this to say about her
impressions: Watching the
sunrise rom the top o Mount
Fuji, Japan's highest mountain,
is an unorgettable experience
incomparable to any other
sunrise I have ever seen. The
views are magnicent and thelight is magic; plus, it's dierent
every time, depending on
general weather conditions,
especially the clouds. This is
my second time to climb Mount
Fuji, and I'm bringing my best
camera with me this time!
Further inormation can
be ound online at the JapanNational Tourist Organization
(JNTO, http://www.jnto.go.jp/),
the Preectural Government
o Shizuoka (http://www.pre.
shizuoka.jp/a_oreign/english/
index.html) and the Preectural
Government o Yamanashi
(http://www.pre.yamanashi.jp/
oreign/index.html).
Grape Picking
YAMANASHI PREFECTURE
Tea feld
SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE
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CHILDREN'S SECTIONFeature
SELENA HOY
THE moon can be viewed
in many ways. In some
countries, people see
a man in the moon,
whereas in others, they see
handprints, or a tree. But in
Japan, many people think o a
rabbit when looking at the moon.
Do you know why? Generations
o Japanese children have learnt
about the origins o the moon
through this traditional olk tale.
Once, long ago, there were
three riends: Fox, Monkey, and
Rabbit. One day, while out on
walk they came across a rail old
man in the road. The man was
sick and weak, and the riends
elt sorry or him. They decided
to oer help and went in search
o ood.
The nimble Monkey ound
uit and vegetables in the orest
and brought back his bounty.
The clever Fox caught some
fsh in the river and came back
proudly. They made a fre to
stay warm and prepare the ood.
Meanwhile, Rabbit was not able
to fnd anything except grass
to contribute and came back
OtsukmiThe rabbitin the moon
empty-handed and ashamed. In
a desperate eort to help the old
man, she threw hersel on the
fre, oering hersel as ood.
Right at that moment, the old
man transormed into his true
sel, a god who came down rom
the heavens to test the riends.
He quickly pulled Rabbit rom
the burning fre and, as a reward
or her help, took her to the moon
to live with him. You can see her
there now where, some people
say, she can be seen making
mochi (rice cakes).
Today, moon-watching or
otsukimi is still a tradition in
Japan. People say that the most
beautiul view o all is the
harvest moon in all when the
moon looks bigger and more
reddish than any other time.
When people used the old lunar
calendar, the moon-watching
ceremony was held on the
15th day o the eighth month.
Nowadays, we use a dierent
calendar, but we still use the
name jgoya, (the night o the
15th) to reer to the moon-viewing
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGYSeries
ALENA ECKELMANN
K" is short or the kanji kei, meaning
10 quadrillion (1016) that serves
as the name o ourth most powerul
supercomputer in the world.
Developed by RIKEN, a Japanese natural
science research institute, in partnership
with the electronics rm Fujitsu, the K
computer is hosted at the RIKEN Advanced
Institute or Computational Science (AICS)
on Kobe Citys Port Island. K computer ispart o the High Perormance Computing
Inrastructure (HPCI) promoted by the
Japanese Ministry o Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
Supercomputers have tens o thousands
o processors enabling a hitherto unknown
speed o calculation to develop algorithms
that provide solutions to sciences most
difcult problems. In the case o K
computer, there are 82,944 2.0 GHz 8-coreSPARC64 VIIIx processors which are
contained in 864 cabinets. Each cabinet
houses 96 computing nodes and each node
consists o a single processor and 16 GB o
memory.
Such a speed is almost like a miracle.
It makes simulations that seem impossible
come true, says Dr. Ryutaro Himeno,
Director o the Advanced Center or
Computing and Communication (ACCC),
which manages RIKENs computing
and communications inrastructure. Dr.
Himeno has been involved in a K computer-
related lie science project, or six years.
As a Project Leader, he contributed to the
development o more than thirty sotware
applications.Operational since June 2011, the rst
public research projects with K computer
were launched in September 2012. There are
currently 62 projects, including 29 general
use projects, 8 young researcher projects
and 25 industry-related projects.
One recent other project was the
development o advanced novel data
sotware or the brain simulation sotware
NEST. Conducted in collaborationwith the German research institute
Forschungszentrum Jlich, the Okinawa
Institute o Science and Technology (OIST)
and the RIKEN Brain Science Institute (BSI),
the NEST team successully simulated a
brain network consisting o 1.73 billion
nerve cells connected by 10.4 trillion
synapses by using the 82,944 processors o
the K computer. To complete the simulation
o 1 second o neuronal network activity inreal time, K computer takes 40 minutes.
International cooperation is an important
component o these research initiatives. Four
members hail rom China, Korea, Germany
and the United Kingdom. As Dr. Himeno
observes, Computer coding must have
international acceptance in oreign scientic
communities to survive. Utilization by
oreign users provides proo o international
support and trust in our work.
K COMPUTERScientist's
best partner
Dr. Ryutaro
HimenoDirector o
the Advanced
Center orComputing and
Communication
(ACCC)
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 25
One o the oreign researchers at RIKENis Dr. Florence Tama. Originally rom
France, she is now a Research Unit Leader
o the Computational Structural Biology
unit. Her research group is trying to
determine the dynamics and structure o
biological molecules.
Dr. Tama notes that Computers such
as K computer provide the resources that
enable us researchers to think ahead and
nd solutions to global problems. I cansee a huge impact on society rom the
progress that is being made as a result o
our research endeavors. RIKEN and Japan
are very open to international collaboration
and there are several unding mechanisms
in place. Such cooperation is critical
or sharing ideas within the scientic
community.
Perhaps put most succinctly by Dr.
Himeno, Diferent native languages exist
around the globe, but computers like K computer shareone common language. Even i there are borders between
countries, there are no borders in science.
Riken
Advanced
Institute forComputational
Science
K Computer
housed in RikenAICS building
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|highlighting japan26
JAPANESE ABROADSeries
AT a comparatively
young age, Takako
Yamada has already
started her own
company, travelled extensively
around the Philippines in her
humanitarian work, become a
Global Shaper with the World
Economic Forum (WEF) in
Switzerland and has earnedthe kudos o her community
back in Japan. In short, Ms.
Yamada is one o Japan's up-
and-coming young leaders who
has demonstrated perseverance
and ingenuity in the ace o
considerable hardship.
During a trip to Cebu City in
the Philippines seven years ago,
Ms. Takako Yamada was still a
youth who was struck by thecontrasts with her own home
town in Japan in terms o wealth
and opportunity. One important
point o commonality, however,
was the emphasis that Filipinos
placed on the bonds o amily,
community and trust. It was
this point more than any other
that drew her to this southern
island to start her lie anew.Ms. Yamada hails rom
Yugawara, Kanagawa
Preecture. She grew up in an
environment that had a very
supportive amily, school and
community that encouraged
her to pursue her ambitions
beyond the normal limits. Her
rst trip abroad as an exchange
school student in Australia let
A Dandelion in Cebu
Ms.TakakoYamada
an indelible impression thatstoked her passion or travel.
When she nally graduated rom
university, she was keen on
living in the Philippines to assist
the needy there.
Four years ago, she ounded
Waku Work in an efort to create
work or under-privileged youth
o promising talent. She hires
individuals seeking utureopportunities and involvement
in the community, and partners
them via the internet as English
language teachers with university
students in Japan. Presently,
Waku Work has links with Meiji
Gakuin University, Kaetsu
University and Kyoto-Zokei
University. Individuals can also
sign-up to the program as well.
ROGER D. SMITH
Left: Takako Yamada
holds up 3 ngersindicating 'W' or
"Waku Work"
Right: Takako Yamadaseen here ofering
some riendly words to
underpriviliged youngchildren.
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SEPTEMBER 2013| 27
The university links also oer
student exchanges. Japanese
undergraduates are given
the opportunity to visit thePhilippines or a one-week tour
to partake in lie in Cebu and
explore the city and countryside.
During this component o the
course called adventuring
by Waku Work students
take seminars that emphasize
interpersonal communication,
participate local projects and
develop a personal bond withtheir local hosts. Ms. Yamada
emphasizes, most participants
learn the undamentals required
or eective communication,
namely trust, love and
community.
The students are also guided
by an older generation, who are
dubbed Mamas and Papas.
The elderly and women play acentral role in Philippine society
and this is relected in Waku
Works exchange program.
Mamas and Papas sit in on the
seminar meetings to help oer
guidance and vision when
necessary.
In the uture, Ms. Yamada
aims to provide greater
opportunities to younger
generations, especially
disadvantaged children. I hopeto help create a world in which
our children are given greater
opportunities, irrespective o
whether they come rom cities
or the countryside, are rom
Japan or the Philippines. Being
a WEF Global Shaper also taught
her that such collaboration and
having aspirations or the uture
are o great value and can leadto betterment o ones station
in lie. Much like one can find
dandelions growing between
the cracks o pavement even in
the middle o Shibuyas urban
sprawl, the human spirit can
survive against even supposedly
insurmountable odds. It is this
spirit that can then oer lie and
hope to a new generation.
....I hope to help create a
world in which our children aregiven greater opportunities,
irrespective of whetherthey come from cities or thecountryside, are from Japan orthe Philippines.
Waku Work project members and
students share a smile
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WHEN
Japanese oer
recommen-
dations on
what to do and where to visit
while in Hiroshima City, most
people will respond with,
Hiroshima? Great ood! It
is a city amous or oysters
and okonomiyaki. Oystersare raised in the nearby
Seto Inland Sea, whereas
okonomiyaki is a dish
that must be tried to ully
appreciate.
In downtown Hiroshima,
one may nd businesspeople
rushing rom one meeting
to the next, or ans heading
to see the Hiroshima Carp
baseball team at the nearby
Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium.
Taking the tram line to
Hatchobori brings the traveler
to the amous department
store PARCO.
Behind PARCO is a building
by the name o Okonomiyaki
Kyowakoku Hiroshima Mura
that contains okonomiyakioutlets grouped together.
We paid a visit to
Jigoya on the 3rd foor o
Okonomiyaki Kyowakoku.
Outside the entrance, a large
red lantern is hung with
the name o the restaurant
written in kanji, indicating
that this is an okonomiyaki
shop. Once inside, the
DINING OUT
restaurant eatures a large
counter that also serves as
a grill where ches prepare
their dishes in ront o their
customers. Hiroshima Carp
memorabilia hangs on the
walls, since Hiroshima is also
a very large baseball town
and their ans like to gather
here or evening matches andbeers.
Skilled ches can ry up
an okonomiyaki meal in
under ten minutes with
the customer watching on.
Okonomiyaki is not unlike
a pancake or burrito that is
prepared with an assortment
o batter, vegetables, meat,
eggs and noodle. It is also
HIROSHIMAHiroshima
VIRGINIA GOMEZ
a
b
c
d
e
f
G
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
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28
47 Prefectures from A to Y HIROSHIMA
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served with mayonnaise and
sweet sauces that add avor to
this layered dish. The che cooks
the okonomiyaki on a teppan,
or hot plate, that is built into
the table where the diners eat.
Hiroshima has its own version
o okonomiyaki that diers rom
those made in Tokyo or Osaka,
and essentially it consists omore toppings and less batter.
Another restaurant worth
visiting is a cozy bistro called
Kaki Tei (oyster conclave),
located in Inarimachi on the
banks o the Kyobashi River.
Its quiet and intimate terrace is
urnished with wooden chairs,
owers and colorul lights that
add atmosphere to this riverside
location. Established in 2005,
Kaki Tei serves the many oreign
guests who happened to visit
the city while also oering a
romantic environment or those
who may appreciate its European
decor and ambiance.
O course, the main eature
on the menu are oysters that are
prepared in many variations,including Salade de oyster et
bee with vino bianco or Mini
flet bee o matsuzaka steak
with oyster sauce vino rosso.
Both restaurants are good
alternatives to the crowded
ast-ood outlets located in
the city center. You can enjoy
avorul Hiroshima dishes in
an environment that is ar more
memorable and stylish. Eating out
in Hiroshima can be expensive,
but aordable options exist i one
knows where to look. Follow your
nose and you may be pleasantly
surprised.Bon Apptit!
SEPTEMBER 2013| 29
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SEARCHour database forkeywords that interestyou
www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/
UjkntokiUjikintoki is a cool and rereshing dessertthat is usually enjoyed during the summerseason in Japan. Ice shavings are topped with a
combination o green tea syrup and kintoki (sweet
azuki beans), and typically eaten as a dish with
a spoon. It is similar to kakigori, which is also a
shaved-ice dessert served with a colorul variety o
sweeter and ruitier toppings, such as lemon and
strawberry sauces. Ujikintoki was rst eatured in
Kyoto probably because o the area's hot summers,
but its popularity has spread throughout Japan and
it is better known as a dessert o traditional favors.
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