Conferring Awards !

by Kazu

The ceremony was also to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the establishment of the Paraguay Hokkaido Society and  the 20th Anniversary of Hamanasu Center that had been the base of the immigrants from Hokkaido and their descendants.

 Speaker of Hokkaido Legislative Assembly Mr. Noritoshi MURATA delivered a congratulatory speech and praised the efforts exerted by the immigrants and their descendant to settle in the country. The fame of the immigrants from Japan including Hokkaido was established by them.

One of my able staff played the role of proceeding the ceremony smoothly as the MC in the event.Thanks to her high degrees of skill to carry out the event, everybody felt so comfortable during the ceremony. Some immigrants from Hokkaido and their descendants was conferred awards fore their contribution to keep the community and the relationship with their home island Hokkaido.

At the end of the dinner !

by Kazu

I can not post the details of the dishes served in the dinner hosted by Ambassador Naohiro ISHIDA but the silhouette and the beauty of the collor can be posted like this. Of course, they were so delicious. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the taste and talk in the dinner. 

 Originally, I was out of the number of the guests and I had to play the role of an attendant but Ambassador Ishida kindly provided me with the delicious cuisine too. I was seated at the end of the table. It was the best place to take photos.

I took the photos of he president of Hokkaido Association of Towns and Villages Mr. Takao TANAHASHI and Director General of the Association Mr. Yasuhiro YAMAUCHI with Ambassador ISHIDA and his wife.

Dinner hosted by Japanese Ambassador to Paraguay 2 !

by Kazu

After raising glasses, Mrs. ISHIDA worked wonder to take care of the Hokkaido Delegation and order the butler to serve the dishes in an appropriate timing.  I thought Ambassador ISHIDA took a nice Chef for the residence.

 Nowadays, some skilled Japanese-cuisine chefs are from Thailand or Vietnam. They were trained under the Japanese chefs and learned the basic skills to make Japanese cuisine and then arrange their own original Japanese cuisine.

It's much cheaper to hire Thai or Vietnamese Japanese cuisine chefs for Japanese Ambassador nowadays. All the Hokkaido Delegation members were so impressed by the dishes served so nicely.

The Gift from the Hokkaido Delegation !

by Kazu

The representative of each entity that took part in the Hokkaido Delegation handed a souvenir to His Excellency Ambassador Naohiro ISHIDA.
From Hokkaido Government, Hokkaido Legislative Asembly, Hokkaido International Exchange and Cooperation Center, lithograph Ainu textile and glassware were handed to Ambassador ISHIDA.

It may be so tough for Ambassadors to keep all the gift from the delegations that visited his residence that most of the mementos were left in the residence. Butlers work wonder when an Ambassador leaves the residence.

All the members of the Hokkaido Delegation went out of the residence to see the beautiful garden of the residence. So many beautiful carps were coming up to the members, seeking for the baits.

Talk in the residence of the Consul General of Japan !

by Kazu

The Honorary Counselor of Paraguay Hokkaido Society Mr. Toshikazu SHIROSAWA asked the President of Paraguay to make the way for the Hokkaido Delegation even in the traffic jam in downtown. We could arrive at the residence of Japanese Ambassador to Paraguay on time.

The Vice Governor of Hokkaido Mr. Yusuke NAKANO, the Speaker of Hokkaido Legislative Assembly Mr. Noritoshi MURATA and his wife were listening to Ambassador ISHIDA and undewrstood the difficulty to run the federal government of Paraguay smoothly.

Mrs. ISHIDA did treat the Hokkaido Delegation so nicely. Her husband Ambassador ISHIDA had been a top officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Japan and not a diplomat originally but Mrs. ISHIDA was like a well-trained diplomat. I know that the obligation required to the wife of an ambassador is very tough but she seemed to be doing so well.

Dinner hosted by Japanese Ambassador !

 by Kazu

I took the photo of the Hokkaido Delegation to Paraguay and Brazil from the opposite side of the pond in the garden of theAmbassador's residence in Paraguay. Ambaqssador Mr. Naohiro ISHIDA and his wife joined us in taking these photos.

 The top members of the Hokkaido Delegation was invited to the welcome dinner hosted by Ambassador ISHIDA and his wife. Other members of the Hokkaido Delegation were having dinner in a churrasco restaurant in Asuncion.

Ambassador ISHIDA proposed a toast solemnly with the words of congratulation and appreciation. The butler of the residence seemed to be well-trained. That turned to be correct after we left the residence.

Briefing from the Ambassador !

by Kazu

Ambassador Naohiro ISHIDA kindly gave us a briefing on the current economic and political situation in Paraguay. Minister for Foreign Affairs resigned and some kinds of fiasco occurred in Paraguay. To maintain a sound democratic system seemed to be difficult in South America. 

 Having a cup of tea, we exchange opinions on the future interaction and exchange between Hokkaido and Paraguay as well as the way to keep the Japanese language level of future generations in Paraguay.

This is the beautiful garden of the residence of Consul General of Japan to Paraguay. Well-maintained and -trimmed plants made a beautiful harmony with the building, lighted by the sunshine from the west.  Would you like to live in such residence ? The work of Consul General is so tough and thre cost to maintain the beautiful garden is expensive.

Residence of Japanese Consul General in Paraguay !

by Kazu

Consul General of Japan to Paraguay Mr. Naohiro ISHIDA kindly invited the Hokkaido Delegation to his residence after the ceremony to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the immigrants from Hokkaido to Paraguay. I think it is unnusual to invite such large a delegation to the residence of the Consul General nor Ambassador.

 As the residence had a very beautiful garden behind the building, so all the delegation members could sit back and relax for a while. We really appreciate Ambassador ISHIODA for his consideration and cooperation.

At the entrance of the residence, a beautifu Japanese traditional clothes for females called "Kimono" was displayed in front of a Japanese traditional gold screen. It was a kind of art we Japanese can be proud of. It may be a little bit tough for females to wear this kind of decorative kimono, dragging the bottom of it but the beauty may give the energy to the female who wear it.

Friend from Argentine !

by Kazu

As I had expected before our visit to Paraguay, I could meet Mr. Tetsuya HIROSE whom I met in Escobar near Buenos Aires, Argentine. He run a farm of indoor house plants in Escobar. Unfortunately, some bad guys broke into his farm and scared him with a gun inserted into his mouth and robbed him of money.

Mr. Hirose resisted against the robber but he was hit on his head  with the grip of the gun by the robber. His wife was so scared and stopped to live in the outskirt of Buenos Aires and is now living in the city. Mr. Hirose said he had handed down his farm to his son and moved in with his wife in the city.

This is the outlook of Hamanasu Center in Asuncion. Hamanasu means "rugosa rose" in Japanese and it is designated as the flower of Hokkaido Prefecture. It was so beautiful building and it is playing the role as the base of the community of the immigrants from Hokkaido and their offspring.

Orchestrate the goodwill of Hokkaido immigrants !

by Kazu

In the midst of the reception, beautiful comfy sounds were filling up the venue of the reception. The offspring of the immigrants from Hokkaido started to play the musical instruments. To celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the immigrants from Hokkaido, they seemed to have practiced some tunes.

Some players walked down to the tables from the stage and played their instrument just in front of the guests. The strong relationship among the immigrants and their offspring should be kept so nicely. Their Japanese language learning level was so high that Hokkaido Government would be able to maintain the relationship and interaction with them even if only few staffers of Hokkaido Government have a good command in English.

I am not sure at this moment if I will be able to visit there and meet this friend in 2024 when thy celebrate the 85th Anniversary of the immigration from Hokkaido but I am sure that I will not have to get another vaccination against yellow fever. Once you got the vaccination, the immune system is valid for lifetime.