Maido,
everyone! Brazilian CIR Luciana here,
bringing you the latest Hyogo Goodwill Envoy News. How have you all been dealing with the summer heat this
year? Brazil
has a mainly tropical climate, but I still haven’t gotten used to the humidity
of Japan,
even though one year has passed since I arrived here. As soon as I finish taking a shower, I find
myself sweating again! In light of this
situation, I would like to talk about some interesting places and cool spots in
Hyogo to enjoy during the summer.
I know many of you are interested in
Japanese history like me, so I’d like to
introduce some historical spots. This
year, leaflets about “Kobe de Kiyomori” are to be found in stations in Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto and other places in
Kansai. This is because an NHK period
drama “Taira no Kiyomori” has been running since this January. In Kobe, two attractions related to the show have opened – the Drama
Museum and History Museum. When I saw them, I started to wonder, “Who
was Kiyomori? How is he related to Kobe?” To solve the questions, I visited several
places in Kobe.
―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――
Starting
early in the morning, I bought a highly economical “Kiyomori
1-day pass” in Sannomiya Station.
With the pass, I could ride subways and some other trains freely. Attached to the pass were a ticket
to the two Museums above, a gift coupon, and a railway map. I got off at the Harborland subway station
and headed for the Drama
Museum. On the way, the “Street
Dance Festival in Kobe Harborland” was going on and I saw some girls doing some pretty awesome
dances. In the Drama Museum,
some handsome men welcomed me and let me take pictures with them (I was really
glad!). A
full-scale figure of Ken’ichi Matsuyama, who plays the role of Kiyomori in the
drama, stands in the lobby and visitors can take pictures with it. The plot of the drama, dresses, and inside
stories are also introduced in the museum.
The History Museum
tells us about Kobe
800 years ago, and Kiyomori’s achievements are
introduced in an animation. Excavated
objects from those days are on display as well.
There were various outdoor events, such as a stage performance and
guided historical tours. It was too
early for the starting time, so I decided to look around by myself. The History Museum
is located just in front of the central wholesale market, so I enjoyed a sashimi set meal. It was a generous
portion and cheap, too (only 500 yen)! I
feel like I would like to have it again.
After lunch, I visited Wada Shrine and received a small gift. Then, at a transfer station, I stopped off,
went through a large shopping street and dropped in at Nagata Shrine. Then I moved to my final destination, Sumaura Sanjo Amusement Park. I bought a set ticket for the ropeway, “carlator”
and revolving observatory. The scenery
was of course wonderful, but what impressed me most was the carlator, which I
had never seen before. Very shaky but really fun!
The view from the top was simply gorgeous.
I could see the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge,
the cities of Kobe and Akashi,
and Awaji Island. Next I got off at
Sumadera Station. The day fell on July
7, so I saw events related to the star festival. Japanese communities hold larger annual
events in Brazil as well,
but they are a little different from those in Japan. Here children in yukata enjoy goldfish scooping, receive toys and eat
Japanese food. It was a uniquely
Japanese scene.
With its long history, Suma-dera Temple
is a very unique temple. In addition to
the treasure house, there were interesting items and monuments. “Shichifukujin Manikoro”: Roll the seven
deities on the back of a turtle, and pray.
You can get on the back of the turtle, but if you ride on the deities,
you will be punished by them. “Buji
Kaeru”: If you want to be surprised, touch its eyes, and if you are in trouble
with loans, turn its neck around. “Misia
Guma”: If you pat its head, the tune of “Ikoku-no-oka” (an old Japanese popular
song during WWII) is played by a simple-stringed Japanese zither.
Then I visited Hyogo Sumiyoshi Shrine to
see Kiyomori-zuka (a memorial tower dedicated to the soul of Kiyomori). It is a 13 storey stone tower with an
inscription of the year 1286. At the
shrine, there was also a statue of Kiyomori that was constructed during the
Showa era. I concluded my tour by seeing
the Great Buddha of Hyogo.
On my way home, I lost my pass. But
thanks to a kind member of the station staff, I managed to get home safely. I’m really grateful, thank you! There are many other Kiyomori-related
historic sites to be seen in Kobe, Kyoto and Miyajima (Hiroshima). Each of them may have their own unique
features, but I believe Kobe
is very special. I will continue my
adventure, as I have still a wealth of places to visit! I recommend that you also try Kiyomori tours!
【Kobe de Kiyomori 2012 Project】
Period: Jan. 21, 2012 (Sat.) – Jan. 14, 2013 (Mon.)
Venue: various locations in Kobe
(1) Drama Museum & History Museum
Special sites established at the Kiyomori-associated harbor area of Kobe as a venue to learn about Taira no Kiyomori and the
history of Kobe.
(2) Promotion of Taira no Kiyomori
Spreading information in and out of Kobe
concerning the city’s historical value, with a focus on Kiyomori.
(3) Citizen’s involvement
Promoting historical and cultural events, especially those featuring Kiyomori,
in the city of Kobe by involving citizens and
local communities at the History
Museum and other places.
Events in Hyogo this September
(A tour around locations of the movie “Norwegian Wood” and TV drama “Taira no Kiyomori”)
In the morning, participants will visit the majestic Tonomine Highlands, a filming location for “Norwegian Wood” and “Taira no Kiyomori.” This is an ideal place to enjoy Kamikawa’s romantic atmosphere.
Afternoon events include an introduction of inside stories during filming, performance by Kiyomori Chaya Osettai (café Kiyomori hospitality team) from Kobe, live performance of Heike-biwa (a type of Japanese lute) by Mr. Tsutomu Arao, and a lecture by Mr. Atsuro Kawauchi to retrace the life of Kiyomori. The day is concluded with a mini concert by Kami Fusen.
Date and time: Sep. 29, 2012 (Sat.) 11:00-16:30
Venue: Tonomine Highlands and Kamikawa Central Community Center Grindel Hall (located in the town hall premises)
Access: (by car) An 80 min. drive from Chugoku Expressway Suita IC to Kanzaki-Minami ramp via Bantan Renraku Road. The town hall is a 5 minute drive from Kanzaki-Minami.
(by public transportation) 40 min. from JR Himeji Station to Teramae Station via Bantan Line. A 3 minute walk from Teramae Station to the town hall.
What is the "eco cap campaign"?
Through recycling caps of PET bottles, the eco cap campaign provides
opportunities to learn, consider and take action against environmental
problems, poverty and other problems that the world is facing. CO2 emission is reduced by collecting and
recycling bottle caps*. The profit
gained through recycling is contributed as vaccines for children in developing
countries**.
*If 400 caps are incinerated instead of being recycled, 3.15 kg of CO2 will
be emitted.
**With 800 caps, one polio vaccine can be purchased.
Collection place: Mizuno Square in Hanshin Koshien Stadium
Collection day: On the days of Dream Link festivals (5
times/year, 10 games at Hanshin Koshien Stadium)
Let’s go and participate
in this great project!
About 
