Latest news with #GreatKantoEarthquake
Yomiuri Shimbun
22-07-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Rengatei Carries on Tradition of Yoshoku Cuisine in Tokyo's Ginza District; Restaurant Has Served Western-Influenced Japanese Food for 130 Years
A block away from the fashionable main street of Tokyo's glitzy Ginza district is Ginza Gasuto Dori ('Gaslight street'), where a building with simple brick exterior stands: It is Rengatei, a restaurant that has been serving up yoshoku — Western-influenced Japanese cuisine — for well over a century. It was Rengatei that was responsible for popularizing famous yoshoku dishes such as omurice (stir-fried rice wrapped in an omelet), katsuretsu (cutlet of beef, pork or chicken) and hayashi rice (a plate of rice with beef and sauce). The restaurant is believed to have helped spread a culture of restaurants offering Western-style food at reasonable prices for ordinary opened in 1895 (the 28th year of the Meiji era) in the Ginza district. The restaurant underwent the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II, which burned down the restaurant. Its current building was constructed in 1964. Items inside the restaurant, such as a red public rotary telephone and a cash register which has been used for about 60 years, give customers a deep sense of the establishment's long history. I quickly ordered one of best-selling dishes, Meiji Tanjo Omurice, priced at ¥3,000 including tax. Firstly, I broke the firm omelet with a spoon and scooped up a mouthful of the food. I was surprised by the way the taste of egg softly spread through my mouth. The stir-fried rice contained seasoned minced beef and pork, and ketchup added to the overall flavor. Though the taste was simple, it precisely balanced the flavors of the egg and the rice. In a happy mood, I looked over the menu again and saw many delicious-looking yoshoku foods. Masahisa Nakamura, grand chef of Rengatei, said, 'I also recommend the katsuretsu, fried oysters and other fried dishes.' The restaurant's way of preparing fried foods has not changed since it opened, and its chefs have always been very particular about the blend of cooking oil they use. They also use fresh breadcrumbs, giving Rengatei's fried food a crispy texture. Rengatei's dishes have been loved by several famous people over the years, such as novelist Shotaro Ikenami, who was fond of their pork katsuretsu. After some cutlets and alcohol, he would always finish with a plate of hayashi Tezuka, a legendary manga artist, was another frequent customer. Koichiro Kida, the fourth-generation owner of Rengatei, said with a smile, 'Each frequent customer has their own favorite foods.' Kida's own favorites are ham steak and ham rice, which his grandfather, the second-generation owner, often cooked for him. Rengatei has passed down traditional flavors from the Meiji era to the Reiwa era. The restaurant marked the 130th anniversary of its opening this June. It feels luxurious to come into this comfortable space and enjoy the yoshoku cuisine which has been loved for so long in the Ginza district. The next time you want to reward yourself for all your hard work, this restaurant is an excellent choice. ***Rengatei Address: 3-5-16 Ginza, Chuo Ward, Tokyo Access: 3-minute walk from Ginza Station on Ginza Line Hours: Open from 11:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Closed on Sundays.
The Mainichi
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
60% of Japanese military deaths during WWII were from illness or starvation: PM Ishiba
TOKYO -- Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba mentioned on a July 20 radio program that 60% of Japanese military deaths during World War II were due to illness or starvation, after being asked about "historical revisionism" by another participant in the program. When asked about historical revisionism on a TBS Radio program, Ishiba replied, "I don't really know what it means to revise history." He went on to say, "Sixty percent of Japanese soldiers who died did not die in combat. We must consider that they died of illness or starvation. I believe that we must not forget to face the past squarely." The prime minister has shown enthusiasm for issuing his views on the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, and his aforementioned comments appeared to reflect the historical awareness that will form the basis of his opinion. In a Mainichi Shimbun interview on July 2, Ishiba said, "I want to consider, in my own way, why the last war unfolded as it did and the nature of civilian control." Ishiba was also asked about the massacre of Koreans during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, to which he replied, "We must always reflect on and examine why accurate information was not conveyed, and continue to seek answers." (Mainichi)
Daily Mirror
14-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mirror
Rare 'Firenado' vortex captured as wildfire rips through 9,000 acres in Utah
The massive blaze has already scorched 8,925 acres and remains completely uncontained, with firefighters struggling to gain control amid dangerous conditions A shocking new video has captured the formation of a rare 'firenado' during the raging Deer Creek Fire in Utah, USA. The colossal inferno has already burnt through 8,925 acres and remains entirely uncontrolled, with firefighters battling to gain control under perilous conditions. Fanned by dry winds, the wildfire has expanded rapidly, forcing crews to withdraw from the front lines and leading to wider evacuations in the area. Even here in the UK, where wildfires are less common than the US, a wildfire recently swept through a London suburb, requiring the efforts of 80 firefighters to combat the flames. Authorities have cautioned that the extreme heat and unpredictable wind patterns are creating hazardous firefighting conditions, as the fire continues to spread unchecked. A 'firenado', or fire tornado, is a rare and dangerous event that occurs when intense heat from a wildfire causes rising air to spin into a vortex, drawing in flames, ash, and debris, reports the Express. Unlike traditional tornadoes, which form from severe thunderstorms and atmospheric instability, firenadoes result from extreme heat and turbulent wind conditions on the ground. They can reach temperatures of up to 1,000°C and generate winds exceeding 100 mph. The term "firenado" became widely known during a 2003 wildfire in Australia, although such events have been recorded for over a century. One of the most notorious instances happened during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan, where a firestorm claimed over 38,000 lives in Tokyo. Firenadoes are typically short-lived but highly destructive, posing significant challenges to firefighters. Recent events in the US, Australia, and Canada have highlighted their growing frequency, likely linked to increasingly severe wildfire seasons driven by climate change. Firefighters remain on high alert as the blaze continues to rage out of control, with officials confirming there was still 0% containment as of Sunday night. Crews are battling against dry conditions and powerful gusts that are fuelling the flames and complicating efforts to bring the inferno under control.
Yomiuri Shimbun
30-06-2025
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Tokyo Bridge Connects 2 Cathedrals Across Kanda River; Hijiribashi Bridge Attracts Fans of Suzume for Picture Opportunities
Hijiribashi bridge, which crosses the Kanda River, remains crowded more than 30 years after author Ryotaro Shiba wrote about it in his book 'Kaido o Yuku' (Go on the road). Meiji University and Nihon University are nearby, giving the area a relaxed student town atmosphere. The bridge gets its name from the fact that it connects two holy places on the river — Yushima Seido, also known as the Mausoleum of Confucius at Yushima, and Nikolaido, also known as the Holy Resurrection Cathedral. Hijiri means holy in Japanese. Hijiribashi bridge was built in 1927 as part of reconstruction following the Great Kanto Earthquake that struck in 1923 and destroyed both Yushima Seido and Nikolaido. The bridge, measuring 92 meters long and 22 meters wide, is made of steel and concrete and was designed by Mamoru Yamada, a modernist architect who later designed the Kyoto up from the Aioizaka slope next to Yushima Seido, the bridge is beautiful with its large, smooth half-moon arches. Four small arches adorn the bridge at each end as if they are playing a rhythm. The simple appearance of the bridge conveys its strong will to withstand earthquakes. The JR Chuo and Sobu lines and Tokyo Metro's Marunouchi Line run under the bridge. The manmade valley is deep enough for the subway to reach above the early Edo period (1603-1867), the shogunate had the Sendai clan excavate the valley for flood control. Eventually, the valley became overgrown with plants and trees, giving it the nickname 'Meikei,' and even today, the street just south of the Kanda River is still called Meikei-dori. Yoshio Awano, 84, who runs Cafe Hotaka along the street where he was born and raised, said, 'Even now, with all the buildings around, a nice breeze passes by when I walk along Hijiribashi.' When he was a child, he climbed up on the wide straight railing. 'I would be scolded now as it was so dangerous,' he said with a laugh. On weekends, people including foreign tourists line the bridge with cameras. Fans from all over the world gather to take pictures from the same angle that the main character looked down from in Makoto Shinkai's anime film 'Suzume.' The bridge, which has connected two religious structures for nearly 100 years, is now itself cherished as a sacred place. ***Hijiribashi bridge Address: Between Kanda Surugadai 4-chome, Chiyoda Ward, and Yushima 1-chome, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo Access: Near the Hijiribashi exit of JR Ochanomizu Station
The Mainichi
29-06-2025
- General
- The Mainichi
Retro Japan: University auditorium in Tokyo a blend of strength, beauty
TOKYO -- An auditorium at Japan Women's University in the Japanese capital was created to display both strength and beauty in its timber framing. Among the modern buildings on the campus in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward, a structure exuding an elegant atmosphere catches the eye. The Naruse Memorial Auditorium originally opened in 1906 as the Homei Library Room & Auditorium. At the time, it featured brick walls, but after suffering significant damage in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, the bricks were removed, and the building was turned into a wooden structure. Inside the auditorium, a wooden truss structure disperses the weight of the roof with its beams arranged in triangles. The evenly spaced timber framing gives off a sense of orderly beauty within its robust design. Stained glass windows on each side of the stage add a touch of color to the serene setting. In 1961, as part of the university's 60th-anniversary commemorative projects, the auditorium underwent renovations that included structural reinforcement. At that time, the building was renamed in honor of the university's founder, Jinzo Naruse (1858-1919). Recognized as a valuable relic of Meiji-era (1868-1912) wooden auditorium architecture, it was designated a tangible cultural property by Bunkyo Ward in 1974. (Japanese original by Akihiro Ogomori, Photo and Video Department) * * * The Japanese version of this article was originally published on March 19, 2023. * * * This series explores Japan's architectural wonders and secrets of yesteryear. Read more Retro Japan articles here.
