2014-07-31

Would you live in the Zero Emission Town Shimokawa ?


by Kazu

This is one of the townhouse run by the municipality of Shimokawa.The maisonnette type seemed to be preferable for young couples.  
 The second floor has a pantry and a built-in desk beside the heating system delivered from the central boiler of this community.  

 The stairs may be a little bit steep but the handrail help the residents to go upstairs.
 The bath tub may be too small for couples loving each other.
The room has a small deck facing the small flower garden  and lawn.
 The corridor of the townhouse also has hand rails and is covered with sheet glasses and walls for perfect barrier free. Without them, the corridor might be invaded by heavy snow.










 A battery charger for electric vehicles were set near the townhouse.
This is the heat generating and delivering system of this community" Ichi-no-hashi".
 The fuel of this boiler is sawdust that is automatically supplied from the warehouse next  to this room.
 Preparing for the contingency, double boilers are working for the green heat-generating system.
 The sawdust produced by the key industry of the town was stocked in the warehouse.
This is the photo of the townhouse is taken from outside the townhouse community.
 A hare could be seen near the heat generating system.
How do you like
the visit to Shimokawa Town, so far . The visitors may be fascinated to live in the town, I think.
The chef of the cafe in Ichinohashi area also plays the role to deliver the fresh food to the community. This is one of the countermeasure against the sparsely populated area.  
The speakers of the vehicle were shouting around the community with the quality fresh veggies and nice smile.
Kudos to the chef of the cafe who came to this town in April.

2014-07-30

Zero Emission Town Shimokawa ② !


by Kazu

We enjoyed this buffet style lunch in the cafe of Shimokawa Town. Normally, this cafe does not serve such buffet style but just for us swamping to the cafe, the chefs showed their excellent skills in the courses of culinary delights.    
I ate up this amount of food on a wooden dish. One surprise was on this dish.
I thought this piece of meat flavored with ketchup was made of pork. But this was not meat. This was Japanese traditional "Fu" made of wheat like bread. The taste and the feeling in the mouth was that of pork, to be surprised. You may be able to shed the extra pounds in this community.
 This is real grilled chicken wing.
This steamed and flavored rice was so nice to have for our health.

 How do you like the design and the interior of the cafe ?
He is the chefs are from the outside of Hokkaido and trying to live in Shimokawa Town. They seemed to have decided to live in the town for good.
 They said that they had chosen Shimokawa Town because it had been struggling to establish Zero Emission Town making use of the woods produced on the mountains around the town.
Kudos to their deciision and efforts !

Annual General Meeting of Hokkaido Sorachi Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association ② !



by Kazu

Director-General for Sorachi sub-prefectural area Mr. Yamane reported on their courtesy visit to Taiwan paid in last March.  

The Secretary General of Iwamizawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Yamamoto exerted his best effort to hold this annual general meeting of Hokkaido Sorachi Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association. The senior board member of the chamber Mr. Shinya also devoted himself for the success of the meeting.    
The board members of the association were seated in front of the audience.
 A party was thrown after the general meeting. The president of the association Mr. Tajima seemed to enjoy talking on their visit to Taiwan with Mr. Yamane. The Vice President of the association Mr. Yamamoto from Takikawa Chamber of Commerce and Industrywas on the left. He also visited Taiwan with us.
The Chairperson of Iwamizawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Kaku Igarashi was on the right hand side of Mr. Yamane.
 From the right, the chair of Iwamizawa Tourism Association Mr. Nara, Secretary-General of the association and the president of Hokuei Company Mr. Kitazawa also visited Taiwan with us. The Vice President of the association Mr. Yoshizumi who runs a company trading rice and Mr. Iwaki who is the chair person Naganuma Chanber of Commerce and Industry did not visit Taiwan in last March but they are eager to find business chances in the .
relationship between Hokkaido and Taiwan.
 Please allow me to post all the photos taken in the party for the members of the association.
I hope the relationship between Sorachi sub-prefectural area and Taiwan will get strong and tight. That will stabilize the East Asia.  
 So many Taiwanese people visit Hokkaido every year and the number is still growing.
On the other hand, the visitors from Hokkaido to Taiwan are much fewer. It is the point to be changed.
 The staff members of Iwamizawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry that worked also for the association seemed to enjoy enough the Chinese ? Taiwanese ? cuisine served by Sun Plaza Hotel Iwamizawa.


Approximately the half of members of the association attended the party on the day.
Mr. Tagariko on the right also visited Taiwan with us. He really enjoyed the tour so much.
Actually I visited all the cities and towns in Sorachi sub-prefectural area to establish this association. I really appreciate the cooperation of the members for taking part in the association and the party thrown on the day.  
 The Secretary-General of Iwamizawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Yamamoto had to go around the party room for exchanging business cards and greeting.
The party was wrapped up by the speech and toast by Mr. Iwaki, the Chairperson of Naganuma Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We will meet again in the new year party to be held next January. See you again !

2014-07-28

Annual General Meeting of Hokkaido Sorachi Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association !


by Kazu

It is with honor to post the photos of the first annual general meeting of Hokkaido Sorachi Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association established on February 17 of this year.
Mr. Tajima, the President of the association and also the Vice Chair of Iwamizawa Chambers of Commerce and Industry delivered the speech at the beginning of the meeting.
He kindly referred to the courtesy visit to Taipei City and the cooperation with Sorachi Sub-prefectural Office of Hokkaido Government in his speech.
As the president of the association, Mr. Tajima extended his appreciation to the central government of Taiwan for the hospitality and perfect support arranged by Taiwanese people.
The board members of the association were sitting in front of the audience including the members of the association.
The Director -General for Sorachi Sub-prefectural Area of Hokkaido, Mr. Yamane was also attended to the meeting as the person who call the shot to establish the association under the order of a member of legislature of Hokkaido.
The representatives of member companies and organizations were seeking for the opportunities to make it in the relationship between Sorachi and Taiwan.
The official report of the official courtesy visit paid by the delegation from this association has not been delivered before that.
I was really happy to see the faces I  had seen at the time of the establishment of this association.
It started so calmly at four o'clock on July 25(Fri.).

To be continued.