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India Gazette
6 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
Japan: Tokushima prefecture Governor eyes stronger India-Japan partnership
Tokushima [Japan], June 4 (ANI): Masazumi Gotoda, Governor of Tokushima Prefecture in Japan, shared his vision for strengthening international relations, particularly with India, to promote exports and attract skilled foreign talent. Located on Shikoku Island, one of Japan's four main islands, Tokushima has emerged as the most proactive of the island's four prefectures in advancing global engagement. Governor Gotoda, who took office two years ago after serving 23 years in Japan's House of Representatives, has introduced bold administrative reforms aimed at transforming the prefecture. Among his first initiatives was the establishment of the International Affairs Office, a division he oversees directly. 'Deepening overseas relations is not just a policy--it's a necessity in a rapidly changing Japanese society,' said Governor Gotoda in an exclusive interview with ANI. Tokushima's ties with India are already robust, with several major Japanese firms operating in the country. Otsuka Pharmaceutical and its subsidiaries have set up facilities in Rajasthan and Gujarat, while the well-known LED manufacturer Nichia Corporation operates in Gurgaon. Shikoku Kakoki, another company from the region, exports shelf-stable, paper-packed tofu -- a unique food product that does not require refrigeration, showcasing Tokushima's innovation in food processing. Facing Japan's demographic challenges such as declining population and workforce, Governor Gotoda emphasised the need for innovative governance and international collaboration. A strong advocate of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, he pointed to the success of Kamiyama Marugoto College, where nearly 90 per cent of students come from outside the prefecture. 'This institution is a symbol of our commitment to cultivating future-ready talent,' he said. Governor Gotoda is also championing the acceptance of foreign workers to address labour shortages. Last year, Tokushima recorded Japan's highest increase in both the rate and amount of the minimum wage. He believes this competitive wage growth will help attract high-level professionals and visitors from India. 'We are committed to creating an environment where international talent can thrive,' he said. Tokushima is not only progressive in policy but also rich in tradition and natural beauty. The prefecture is home to Awa Odori, Japan's iconic dance festival, as well as sacred pilgrimage routes and lush landscapes. Governor Gotoda's office reflects his pride in local culture, adorned with Tokushima's specialty products. 'Promoting our cultural assets through global partnerships is a vital part of our strategy,' he added. In his concluding remarks, Governor Gotoda expressed hope that India and Tokushima will forge even stronger ties in the coming years--anchored in shared values of innovation, tradition, and mutual prosperity. (ANI)
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Japan: Tokushima Prefecture Governor Masazumi Gotoda eyes stronger ties with India
Tokushima [Japan], May 29 (ANI): Masazumi Gotoda, Governor of Tokushima Prefecture in Japan, shared his vision for strengthening international relations, particularly with India, to promote exports and attract skilled foreign talent. Located on Shikoku Island, one of Japan's four main islands, Tokushima has emerged as the most proactive of the island's four prefectures in advancing global engagement. Governor Gotoda, who took office two years ago after serving 23 years in Japan's House of Representatives, has introduced bold administrative reforms aimed at transforming the prefecture. Among his first initiatives was the establishment of the International Affairs Office, a division he oversees directly. 'Deepening overseas relations is not just a policy--it's a necessity in a rapidly changing Japanese society,' said Governor Gotoda in an exclusive interview with ANI. Tokushima's ties with India are already robust, with several major Japanese firms operating in the country. Otsuka Pharmaceutical and its subsidiaries have set up facilities in Rajasthan and Gujarat, while the well-known LED manufacturer Nichia Corporation operates in Gurgaon. Shikoku Koki, another company from the region, exports shelf-stable, paper-packed tofu -- a unique food product that does not require refrigeration, showcasing Tokushima's innovation in food processing. Facing Japan's demographic challenges such as declining population and workforce, Governor Gotoda emphasised the need for innovative governance and international collaboration. A strong advocate of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, he pointed to the success of Kamiyama Marugoto College, where nearly 90 per cent of students come from outside the prefecture. 'This institution is a symbol of our commitment to cultivating future-ready talent,' he said. Governor Gotoda is also championing the acceptance of foreign workers to address labour shortages. Last year, Tokushima recorded Japan's highest increase in both the rate and amount of the minimum wage. He believes this competitive wage growth will help attract high-level professionals and visitors from India. 'We are committed to creating an environment where international talent can thrive,' he said. Tokushima is not only progressive in policy but also rich in tradition and natural beauty. The prefecture is home to Awa Odori, Japan's iconic dance festival, as well as sacred pilgrimage routes and lush landscapes. Governor Gotoda's office reflects his pride in local culture, adorned with Tokushima's speciality products. 'Promoting our cultural assets through global partnerships is a vital part of our strategy,' he added. In his concluding remarks, Governor Gotoda expressed hope that India and Tokushima will forge even stronger ties in the coming years--anchored in shared values of innovation, tradition, and mutual prosperity. (ANI)
The Mainichi
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
News in Easy English: Big traditional 'Awa Odori' dance event held at Osaka Expo
On May 2 and 3, there was a big traditional dance event at Expo 2025 in Osaka. Around 700 dancers performed the "Awa Odori" dance. About 10,000 people joined in for one big circle dance at the end. The Tokushima Prefecture government organized this event. They did this to celebrate "World Dance Day." The dancers were in nine groups. Each group showed their dance to the visitors. They danced beautifully with drums, Japanese flutes, and other instruments making special music called "Zomeki-bayashi." On the night of May 3, all dancers came together for the final dance at a place in the Expo called Expo Arena "Matsuri." This arena is outside, and 16,000 people can watch there. The dancers made a very big circle together with people from the audience. The circle looked like the Expo's well-known building, the "Grand Ring." About 10,000 people joined in this circle. Minoru Yamada, 71, from the Awa Odori Promotion Association, was one of the dancers. He also danced at another Expo in Osaka in 1970. He said, "Dance does not need words. It was great to see the circle become bigger and everyone dance together." (Japanese original by Yoshihiro Yamamoto, Tokushima Bureau) Vocabulary Expo: A big event where many countries show culture or technology. traditional: Old or special things from a country's culture. audience: People who watch a show or performance. instruments: Things we use to make music, like drums or flutes. circle: A round shape where people stand together.
The Mainichi
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
10,000 participants join biggest ever Awa Odori circle dance at World Expo in Osaka
OSAKA -- Some 700 dancers descended on Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai on May 2 and 3 for a traditional Awa Odori dance event hosted by western Japan's Tokushima Prefecture, with a huge circle dance on the final day drawing in some 10,000 participants. The Tokushima Prefectural Government, which is taking part in the Expo as a member of the Union of Kansai Governments, staged the event under the "World Dance Day" theme. The dancers, divided into nine groups, showcased their Awa Odori performances on stage in turns. Visitors were captivated by their dynamic and graceful moves synchronized to "Zomeki-bayashi" music played with Japanese flutes, drums and other instruments. During the finale on the night of May 3, all the dancers gathered at the Expo Arena "Matsuri," an outdoor venue which holds 16,000 people, to attempt the largest circle dance in history. As they expanded the circle by involving the audience, it ultimately formed a single large ring, symbolizing the Expo's iconic wooden structure, the "Grand Ring." According to the Tokushima Prefectural Government, the number of participants in the dance eventually grew to 10,000. Minoru Yamada, 71, from the Awa Odori Promotion Association, who also performed at the World Expo in Osaka back in 1970, reflected, "Dance needs no words. Watching it expand and become one big circle was amazing." (Japanese original by Yoshihiro Yamamoto, Tokushima Bureau)
SoraNews24
28-04-2025
- SoraNews24
How to do an overnight bus trip to Tokushima from Tokyo – Part 2【Photos】
Local dances, local ramen, and more to love about Tokushima. When last we left our traveling reporter Masanuki Sunakoma, he'd just finished summiting Mt. Bentenyama, one of Japan's most unique mountains, having arrived earlier that morning in Tokushima Prefecture after traveling from Tokyo to the island of Shikoku on Japan's first full-flat overnight sleeper bus. Making his way back into downtown on the rental bicycle he'd gotten at Tokushima Station bright and early that morning, he made his way over some of the 138 rivers and waterways that crisscross through Tokushima City. Masanuki was on his way to the Awa Odori Kaikan, a museum and cultural center focused on the Awa Odori, a dance festival that's been taking place in Tokushima since the late 1600s. Originated by peasants dancing in the streets during the samurai era, the Awa Odori is held every summer and features troupes of performers doing lively and gracious dances as they march through the city and spectators cheer them on from the roadsides. ▼ Awa Odori Kaikan ▼ Route from Mt. Bentenyama to Awa Odori Kaikan In addition to exhibits about the festival and its history, the Awa Odori Kaian also has daily Awa Odori dance performances. When Masanuki pedaled up, he was still a little early for the 11 a.m. performance, so before heading into the museum he paid a quick visit to Bizan Tenjinsha, a Shinto shrine located next door to the museum. Founded in 1809, the shrine is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, a deified scholar held to be a god of learning. As such, Bizan Tenjinsha is often visited by students getting ready for high school/college entrance exams and people engaged in other academic endeavors. Masanuki doesn't have any tests of his own coming up, but he was intrigued by the shrine's unique omikuji fortunes. ▼ The ones on the right in the photo here. Omikuji are paper strips that you draw at random and which contain your fortune according to a ranked scale. At most shrines and temples there are seven tiers, but Bizan Tenjinsha's special omikuji brutally simplify things and are all either daikichi, the luckiest fortune ranking, or kyo, the absolute unluckiest. There's even some showmanship to them, as you have to unfold multiple parts to get your fortune… …and Masanuki breathed a sigh of relief when he saw he'd gotten daikichi (大吉). Now it was time to head to the Awa Odori Kaikan, where Masanuki bought a combo ticket for the museum exhibits, dance performance, and access to the Mt. Bizan ropeway for 2,640 yen (US$18), which is 660 yen less than buying them separately. Starting with the museum section, there are photos and explanations of the festival and its history, plus spots where you can drum along to the Awa Odori music and take photos that digitally insert you into a ren, as the dance troupes are called. As interesting as the exhibits are, though, the real highlight is, of course the live Awa Odori performance from the museum's resident ren, Awa no Kaze. This isn't a purely passive activity for visitors, either. The good-naturedly self-aware lyrics of the song that accompanies Awa Odori famously state 'The fools who dance and the fools who watch are fools all the same, so why not dance?', and in keeping with that philosophy, as Awa no Kaze's performance goes on guests are encouraged to stand up and join in. Next to the museum is the bottom station of the Mt. Bizan ropeway, with gondola departures every 15 minutes that whisk you up the mountain for sweeping views of the city. On clear days you can see all the way to Awaji Island (home of the 120-meter [393-foot] long Godzilla statue) and even the Wakayama Prefecture mainland on the other side of the Seto Inland Sea. Even on a day with some lingering marine fog the view is beautiful, and since the ropeway runs until 9 p.m. between April and October, it's also a popular date spot for couples coming to see the city's lights after sundown. After coming back down from the mountain, Masanuki's stomach informed him that it was time for lunch, and he'd already decided where to eat: Inotani, Tokushima's most famous ramen restaurant. ▼ Awa Odori Kaikan to Inotani Inotani is credited with popularizing Tokushima ramen with foodies nationwide. Characterized by an extra-thick and opaque brown pork stock/soy sauce broth, Tokushima ramen is rich and heavily flavored, and that distinct character meant that even though Masanuki was there on a weekday afternoon, the place was packed, with some of the customer cars parked out front having out-of-prefecture license plates ▼ The line of people waiting inside the restaurant for seats to open up. Masanuki selected a bowl of the chuniku (medium-sized meaty) ramen for 800 yen. Once he had a seat he handed his meal ticket to an employee, and soon after that they placed this beauty in front of him. The broth and pork were immensely delicious, and the noodles were fantastic too, invitingly chewy and with a subtle sweetness to their dough. Hardcore Tokushima ramen fans say it's even better with a raw egg cracked into it, sort of a ramen version of tamagokake gohan, and Masanuki made a mental note to try it that way when he has his next opportunity. After he finished eating, rather than hopping back on his bike Masanuki hopped on a boat. As we mentioned earlier, Tokushima is a town that was built along its rivers, and not far from Inotani is the dock for the Hyotanjima river cruise. ▼ Inotani to Hyotanjima Cruise Tour Boat dock The roughly 30-minute cruises leave every 40 minutes between 11 a.m. and 3:40 p.m., with adult tickets costing 600 yen. Having seen the city from the top of Mt. Bizan a few hours ago, zipping around at the water level made Masanuki feel like he was really getting to see the many aspects of the town's beauty. A different pressing work project meant that Masanuki needed to spend a chunk of his afternoon working on his laptop in a cafe, but he did manage to sneak away long enough to pick up a snack at Atariya, a sweets shop in front of Tokushima Station. ▼ Hyotanjima Cruise Tour Boat dock to Atariya Atariya's specialty is obanyaki, a disc-shaped pancake-like confectionery filled with anko (sweet red bean paste). Not only was Masanuki's obanyaki grilled to perfection, the anko, which Atariya makes itself in-store, was outstanding. Considering that Atariya only charges 100 yen for them, they're shockingly good. Masanuki then spent some time meandering around and soaking up the atmosphere until dinnertime, which brought his next chance to try out a local Tokushima specialty at Hayashi no Okonomiyaki. ▼ Atariya to Hayashi no Okonomiyaki Hayashi no Okonomiyaki bills itself as an okonomiyaki (savory pancake) restaurant, but the dish they're really famous for is different from what you'll find in Hiroshima or Osaka, the two towns most associated with okonomiyaki. Instead, what really brings diners to this place is the mameten tamayaki, which is more commonly known across Tokushima as mametama. Mametama is similar to Osaka-style okonomiyaki in that the ingredients are all mixed together before being flat-grilled (whereas in Hiroshima okonomiyaki ingredients are cooked in layers which are stacked together as the final preparation step). The mametama twist is that red beans are mixed in with the batter, giving the dish a touch of sweetness and a captivatingly varied texture. Masanuki could easily see himself putting mametama into his regular dinner rotation if it was something you could find in Tokyo, especially with the sweet-and-spicy sauce that's drizzled over it. Hayashi's version seems to be considered an especially tasty mametama, and the restaurant quickly filled up with customers as Masanuki ate. Having finished up his far-from-the-station sightseeing for the day, Masanuki returned his bike to the rental counter in the underground bicycle parking lot next to Tokushima Station… …and then walked to his hotel for his first not-in-a-bus night of sleep since leaving Tokyo. Sleep well, Masanuki, because we know it's only a matter of time until your next overnight bus adventure. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
