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SoraNews24
3 days ago
- General
- SoraNews24
Tokyo's Hydrangea Mountain is a spot of beauty created by one son's love for his parents【Photos】
Thousands of flowers bloom in the west Tokyo mountains, but they all started from one man's kind thoughts. As we flip the calendar over to June, we're getting close to the start of hydrangea season in Japan, or ajisai season, to use the flowers' Japanese name. Many of the best places to see hydrangeas in Japan are temples or gardens that once belonged to local lords whose descendants eventually opened up their lands to the public, but the origin of Minamisawa Ajisaiyama ('Hydrangea Mountain') in Akiruno, a district in western Tokyo, is different. This beautiful forested area is filled with hydrangeas because of a local resident named Chuichi Minamisawa, seen in the photo below. Minamisawa's roots in the area go back generations, and his parents' grave is nearby, along a path that winds up into the mountains. A little over 50 years ago, he got the idea to beautify the trail, and so he started planting hydrangeas along it. A self-taught cultivator, Minamisawa started with 20 seedlings. As his experience and expertise grew, he added more every year, eventually planting thousands and thousands by himself. Though he occasionally got some help from friends and relatives, for the most part Ajisaiyama was something Minamisawa tended to by himself, making him a community celebrity. A few years ago, he was approached by members of Do-mo, a local entrepreneurial organization that was hoping to produce a hydrangea tea and hoped Minamisawa could help them with sourcing some of the ingredients. 'Sure, I can let you use some of the hydrangeas,' Minamisawa told them. 'But I'm getting older, and I don't have that many years left, and once I'm gone, there's no one to take care of the flowers.' Seeing a way they could both help each other, Do-mo then agreed to take over as the hydrangeas' caretakers, with Minamisawa imparting his knowledge about how to differentiate the different varieties of hydrangeas that grow on the mountain, and when and how to prune and otherwise care for each of them. ▼ Minamisawa with members of Do-mo Sadly, Minamisawa passed away in July of 2023, shortly after the end of that year's hydrangea season, at the age of 93. The hydrangeas, now some 15,000 in number, still bloom every June, and this year's petals are about to unfold. This year's hydrangea season peak is expected to be from June 7 to July 6, during which the Minamisawa Ajisaiyama will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no admission charged. The hydrangea mountain is 40-minutes on foot from Musashi-Itsukaichi Station on the Itsukaichi Line, but between June 13 and 30 there's also a shuttle bus that runs from the station to the mountain for 300 yen (US$2.10) roughly twice and hour between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., with the full timetable available on the official website here. Location information Minamisawa Ajisaiyama / 南沢あじさい山 Address: Tokyo-to, Akiruno-shi, Fukasawa 368-362 東京都あきる野市深沢368−362 Website Source: PR Times, Minamisawa Ajisaiyama Top image: PR Times Insert images: PR Times (1, 2, 3) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
SoraNews24
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Beyond matcha sweets: Japan's favorite katsu sandwich maker releasing matcha pork cutlet sandwich
Masters of their crafts in Tokyo and Kyoto team-up for a very unusual, but very appealing, innovation. It might be hard to believe, but matcha sweets are, for the most part, actually a relatively recent addition to the Japanese culinary scene. Yes, green tea ice cream has been a thing for a long time, and a handful of traditional Japanese confectionaries used matcha, but for the most part matcha was a beverage, not a flavoring. Of course, modern Japanese society has now fully embraced all sorts of sweet matcha treats. But what about using matcha as a seasoning for something savory? Maisen is a Tokyo pork cutlet restaurant that was founded in 1965, which also has pre-prepared takeout shops in some Japanese department stores' food sections. One of their biggest hits is their hire katsu (pork tenderloin cutlet) sandwich, pictured above. This summer they're offering a new version, created in partnership with tea-brand Iemon (part of the Suntory group): a katsu sandwich made with matcha!?! The cutlet itself is the same deep-fried slice of tenderloin that Maisen fans know and love, but the soft, crustless bread is matcha infused, with Iemon green tea powder kneaded into the dough before baking. Maisen promises a refreshing green tea flavor and aroma as you bite into the bread, and even the sweet and savory katsu sauce that's poured on the cutlet slices is a special matcha version made just for this collaboration. Maisen's Iemon Hire Katsu Sandwich goes on sale June 1, priced at 540 yen (US$3.70). In recognition of the Iemon brand's Uji/Kyoto Prefecture roots, it'll be available at the Maisen branches in the Kyoto Daimaru, JR Kyoto Isetan, Kyoto Porta department stores/shopping centers, and will also be coming to the Osaka World Expo via a Maisen food truck, though there's no exact date announced for that yet. Meanwhile, here in Tokyo we'll be keeping our fingers crossed and our stomachs growling that this special sandwich eventually makes its way to east Japan too. Source: Maisen, PR Times via Japaaan Top image: Maisen Insert images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
SoraNews24
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
New retro museum in Tokyo is like a time portal back to the Showa era【Photos】
A look back at Japan's past in one of Tokyo's more modern neighborhoods. In a lot of ways, Tokyo's Odaiba neighborhood feels like a futuristic place. It's built on a man-made island in the middle of Tokyo Bay, with modern shopping centers, high-rise hotels, and, oh yeah, a life-size Gundam statue. But if you're looking for a glimpse of old-school Japan, you can find that at Odaiba too. Late last month the Odaiba Retro Museum opened its doors to visitors, and in doing so also opened a portal to the past. The specific style of retro on display here is the Showa era, the period of Japanese history that ran from 1926 to 1989. Generally speaking, though, when people in Japan are reminiscing about the good old Showa retro days, they're primarily talking about the mid-1950s onward, especially the period of progressing prosperity of the '60s, '70s, and early '80s, after Japan had finished the most painful parts of its post-war recovery but before the high-intensity atmosphere of the bubble economy. To many, that stretch of the Showa era represents a time of simple happiness, of peace and relative prosperity without the pressures of more modern times. 'It was a time without smartphones, personal computers, or social media,' says the museum. 'It was a time when things were handmade, handwritten, and handcrafted. That's why the things and places of the Showa period were imbued with a sense of warmth and humanity.' The Odaiba Retro Museum seeks to recreate those Showa spaces, and does so using numerous actual preserved artifacts from the period. Built within the facility are townscapes and storefronts in the Showa style, such as a wood-floor school classroom, public bath entryway, and appliance store selling all sorts of then-novel conveniences to boost your quality of life. A number of the spaces even allow you to step on into the past and imagine what your Showa life would have been like. To some, a visit to the Tokyo Retro Museum, which is located within the Decks Tokyo Beach building, will be doubly nostalgic. For many years, the complex contained a similar retro recreation floor, which has now been reopened and is being expanded as the Tokyo Retro Museum. The museum is looking to make the experience even more authentic and is seeking donations of Showa-era items such as housewares, toys, posters, and signage. And if you want to keep the Showa vibes going even after you leave, there's also this immersive recreation in Chiba Prefecture. Museum information Odaiba Retro Museum / お台場レトロミュージアム Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Daiba 1-6-1, Decks Tokyo Beach 4th floor 所在地：東京都港区台場1丁目6-1 デックス東京ビーチ4階 Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (weekdays), 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (weekends, holidays) Adult admission 1,300 yen Website Source, images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
Japan Today
14-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Japan Today
Waist fan to keep you cool
In just a few weeks, it will be the rainy season in Japan, which marks the start of summer. From there on, the temperature will only start to rise. Staying cool isn't just about comfort; it's a necessity. From handheld to wearable neck fans and full-on fan vests, these gadgets make a big difference. For a hands-free option that doesn't take up too much attention, the Sanwa Supply 400-TOY048 is not your average fan. This small fan clips onto your waist and blows cool air up inside your clothes, kind of like a casual air-conditioned outfit. You can use it in three different ways. Clip it to your belt, wear it around your neck using the included strap or set it on a desk with the built-in stand. It's USB-C rechargeable and cordless, so it's easy to carry around. It also has a little LED display that shows how much battery is left. If you've got outdoor plans this summer or even just want to stay cool while working indoors, this fan is a must-have. The clip-on fan weighs 230 grams and is priced at ¥3,619 before tax. Available online here. Source: PR Times © Japan Today
SoraNews24
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Life-sized sushi monster figures are coming to get us all hooked on cuteness
This new line of displayable toys looks like a raw deal for sushi enthusiasts, but in a good way. Sometimes, it's the little things in life that can maki your day brighter–and when life gives you adorable little sushi monster figures, you should just roll with it. Otaku shopping store AmiAmi recently announced that it's now taking pre-orders for Sentinel's 'Sushi Monster Sushi L.A. Real Sushi Size Figure Collection 2' following the success of the first series, which consisted of egg, shrimp, and tuna sushi offerings. This time, some new variations of popular sushi toppings join the mix in a six-pack of five standard toys plus one randomly selected secret toy out of three options. ▼ The new sushi monster lineup While we've never had an encounter with a sushi monster in real life, if we were to have one someday, we can only hope that the monster will look something like these guys with their sushi topping hairdos, beady little eyes, and cute rice limbs. Let's now take a look at each of the five new known figures. The runny egg sushi is decked out egg-cellently with its Zoro-like mask of nori. Meanwhile, the runny egg & wasabi overkill sushi seems to be having a hard time reining in its raw emotions with a spill of shockingly green wasabi. The sweet shrimp sushi has a veritable shrimp ponytail. If this were our sushi toy, we would be shellfish and wouldn't want to share it with anyone. Similarly to the runny egg & wasabi overkill version above, the sweet shrimp & wasabi overkill sushi looks like it's seen better days (certainly nothing to be green with envy about). Lastly, replacing the tuna sushi in the first series, the salmon sushi is a real catch, lending a bright visual impact to the mix. By the way, the sixth figure is a salmon & wasabi overkill sushi that comes in three currently unknown variations. Having a mystery monster is certainly one way to keep reeling us in–hook, line, and sinker. Each of the sushi monster figures measures between 70-75 millimeters (2.8-3 inches), which mirrors the actual size of nigirizushi ('hand-pressed sushi') in real life. Consequently, they also make great specimens to practice using chopsticks. You can display the sushi monsters in various ways, from the face-down approach that mimics an actual plate of sushi… ▼ Tails up! …to upright in what we suppose is their truest monster form. They still come across as nothing but adorable, though. AmiAmi's online store is now taking pre-orders for the six-pack of sushi monsters detailed above. It costs 5,280 yen (US$36.42) and is expected to ship in November. In the meantime, if that feels like an impossibly long time away, check out some of Japan's other niche sushi figures or cute snacks made from rice that will float everyone's boat. Let the good times keep rolling! Source, images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
