Chiba Nanohana News (Dec, 2011)

 Index

　I.News　　　II. Festivals and Events　　　 III.Exhibitions, Concerts, etc.

 I. News  

  1)Free Consultation for Foreign Residents

 If you have any concerns about legal matters, visas, labor problems, social insurance, welfare, taxes, or any other legal issues, the Chiba International Center is providing free consultation at Funabashi City Central Community Center on Saturday, January 21. Interpreters are available upon request. Please make reservations by Friday, January 13.

 

• Date: Saturday, January 21
• Time: 13:00-16:00
• Place: Funabashi-shi Chuo Kominkan (Funabashi City Central Community Center)       
           2-2-5 Honcho, Funabashi City
• Access: 5 minutes by foot from Keisei Funabashi Station or 7 minutes by foot from the South Exit of JR Funabashi Station
• Inquiries/reservation: TEL (043) 297-0245 (Chiba International Center)
          E-mail: kudo@ccb.or.jp
• URL: http://www.mcic.or.jp/e_index.html    

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 II. Festivals and Events

 1)Recommended Spots for Hatsuhinode (First Sunrise of the Year)

 In Japan, it is a popular tradition to go and see the hatsuhinode, or first sunrise of the year. Chiba has a great variety of places to view the sunrise all over the prefecture, including spots with gorgeous mountain views or full views of the Pacific Ocean. There are great spots all around, so you can stick to somewhere around home or you can take a short ride out to the beach or mountains. Below are some examples of great locations to watch the hatsuhinode in Chiba: 

Chiba Port Tower

The first 200 visitors can view the first sunrise of the year from the observation deck of the 113m tall Port Tower (if necessary, numbered tickets will be distributed at 4:00 and admission will begin at 5:45).

Chiba Port Tower will also be open from 9:00-17:00 from January 2-4 (last admission is at 16:30).

•  Address: 1 Chuoko, Chuo-ku, Chiba City
• Access: 15 min. by foot from Chiba Minato Station (JR Keiyo Line)  
              Free parking (250 spaces available)
• Admission: 410 yen for high school students and older   
                  200 yen for elementary and junior high school students
• Inquiries: (043)241-0125 (Chiba Port Tower)  

Inubosaki

Except for mountain and remote island locations, here you can see the earliest first sunrise in all of Japan (predicted to be at 6:46).

•  Address: Inubosaki, Choshi City
• Access: 7 min. by foot from Inubosaki Station (Choshi Railway)
• Inquiries: (0479)24-8181 (Choshi Tourism & Commerce Division)  

Katakai Chuo Beach: “New Year’s Festival”

Observe the first sunrise climbing out from the Pacific Ocean at Katakai Beach.

• Address: Katakai, Kujukuri-machi, Sanbu-gun
• Access: Take the bus departing from Togane Station (JR Togane Line) bound for Katakai or Motosuka and get off at Nishinoshita.
• Inquiries: (0475) 76-9449 (Kujukuri Town Tourism Association)  

Umihotaru PA

Umihotaru is located around the middle of the Tokyo Bay Aqualine, which connects Kisarazu and Kawasaki. The first sunrise of the year seen from the middle of Tokyo Bay is particularly amazing.

•  Address: Nakajima-Chisaki, Kisarazu City
• Access: Tokyo Bay Aqua Line
• Inquiries: (0438) 41-7401 (Trans-Tokyo Bay Road)  

Seichoji Temple’s Asahigamori

• Address: 322-1 Kiyosumi, Kamogawa City
• Access: 15 min. by the Kamogawa Community Bus bound for Kiyosumi departing Awa-Amatsu Station (JR Sotobo Line)
• Inquiries: (04) 7095-2218 (Kamogawa City Tourism Association Amatsu-Kominato Branch Office)  

Shirahama Nojimazaki Lighthouse

Enjoy the silhouettes of the first sunrise of the year together with that of the lighthouse.

•  Address: 627 Shirahama, Shirahama-cho, Minamiboso City
• Access: Take the Nitto bus bound for Shirahama from Tateyama Station (JR Uchibo Line) and get off at Nojimazaki Lighthouse.
• Inquiries: (0470) 38-4412 (Minamiboso City Tourism Association Shirahama Branch Office)   

 2)Recommended Hatsumode Spots in Chiba

 In addition to the going to see the first sunrise of the year, another popular tradition of the hatsumode, or one’s first visit to a shrine or temple of the New Year.  

Chiba Shrine (Chiba City)

The shrine will offer prayer services from 0:20-3:00 on early New Year’s morning, and from 8:30-17:00 from January 1-3.

• Address: 1-16-1 Innai, Chuo-ku, Chiba City
• Access: 10 min. by foot from Chiba Station (JR Sobu Line or Keisei Line)
• Inquiries: (043)224-2211 (Chiba Shrine)  

Katsushika Hachiman Shrine (Ichikawa City)

Right around midnight of New Year’s Eve, the shrine maidens will perform a dance at the kaguraden hall.

•  Address: 4-2-1 Yawata, Ichikawa City
• Access: 8 min. by foot from Motoyawata Station (JR Sobu Line) or 5 min. by foot from Yawata Station (Keisei Line)
• Inquiries: (047)332-4488 (Katsushika Hachimangu Shrine Office)  

Katori Shrine (Katori City)

Approximately 500,000 visitors come to Katori Shrine over the first three days of the New Year to pray for safe travels, safety for their family, success in business, and protection against bad luck.

• Address: 1697-1 Katori, Katori City
• Access: 10 min. by taxi from Sawara Station (JR Narita Line)
• Inquiries: (0478)57-3211 (Katori Shrine)  

Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (Narita City)

Nationally renowned as Narita’s O-Fudo-sama, approximately 3,000,000 visitors come to worship at this major temple during the first three days of the New Year. Also, on the Wednesday, December 28, there will be a ritual burning talismans as an offering of thanks to Fudo-myoo for his divine assistance.

• Address: 1 Narita, Narita City
• Access: 15 min. by foot from Narita Station (JR Narita Line or Keisei Line)
• Inquiries: (0476)22-2111 (Naritasan Shiinshoji Temple)  

Tamasaki Shrine (Ichinomiya Town)

Many visitors from the Tokyo Metropolitan area come here to pray for good luck. There will also be the Chiba Prefecture-designated Intangible Folk Asset “Kazusa Kagura” dance.

• Address: 3048 Ichinomiya, Ichinomiya Town, Chosei-gun
• Access: 7 min. by foot from Kazusa-Ichinomiya Station (JR Sotobo Line)
• Inquiries: (0475)42-2711 (Tamasaki Shrine)
• URL: http://www.tamasaki.org/home.htm  

Kasamori Kannon (Chonan Town)

Bring in the New Year here as you also enjoy exploring the many national, prefectural, and municipal cultural assets that can be found within the temple grounds.

• Address: 302 Kasamori, Chonan Town, Chosei-gun
• Access: Take the bus bound for Ushiku departing from Mobara Station (JR Sotobo Line) and get off at Kasamori.
• Inquiries: (0475)46-0536 (Kasamoriji Temple)
• URL: http://kasamori.jp/  

Awa Shrine (Tateyama City)

Said to have a history dating back to over 2660 years ago, visitors come here to pray for safe travels, good luck, protection from bad luck, safety for one’s family, and success in business.

• Address: 589 Daijingu, Tateyama City
• Access: 5 min. by foot from the Awa Shrine bus stop on the JR bus bound for Awa-Shirahama via Awa-Kanbe departing from the east exit of Tateyama Station (JR Uchibo Line).
• Inquiries: (0470)28-0034 (Awa Shrine)   

  3)First Sunrise of the Year That Can Be Seen Twice by Boat/Tokyo Bay Ferry (Yokosuka City – Futtsu City)

Experience a different “first sunrise of the year” aboard the Tokyo Bay Ferry (runs between Kurihama Port in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture and Kanaya Port in Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture). You can also see “Benifuji (Crimson Mt. Fuji)” from the boat.

[From Kurihama Port (Kanagawa Prefecture)]

Board the first ferry departing the port at 6:40, and witness the first “first sunrise of the year” from the ferry’s deck. Then, as the ferry approaches Kanaya Port, the risen sun will hide in the shadow of Mount Nokogiriyama, one of the Boso region’s 3 greatest mountains. Shortly after the ferry docks at Kanaya Port, you can see the second “first sunrise of the year” when the sun reappears from the peak of Nokogiriyama.

Additionally, there will be free amazake for the first 300 passengers to ride the 6:40 ferry from Kurihama Terminal on this day.

 

[From Kanaya Port (Chiba Prefecture)]

Passengers of the first ferry departing the port at 6:20 can witness the first sunrise of the year from the ferry’s deck. (The “first sunrise of the year” can only be seen once from Kanaya Port. Amazake will not be available for passengers departing from Kanaya Port.

 

[Special “cruise discount ticket”]

Passengers on the Kurihama-Kanaya Route who do not disembark at the opposite shore can use this discount ticket to enjoy an hour and a half long mini cruise. 

• Date: Sunday, January 1
• Fare: (Single trip) Adults 700 yen, children 350 yen    
          (Cruise discount ticket = round-trip ticket for passengers who will not disembark at the opposing port) Adults 1000 yen, children 500 yen
• Access: (Kanaya Port) 8 min. by foot from JR Uchibo Line Hamakanaya Station      
              (Kurihama Port) 10 min. by bus departing from Keikyu bus stop 2 at Keikyu Kurihama Station or JR Yokosuka Line Kurihama Station
• Inquiries: (046)830-5622 (Tokyo Bay Ferry Sales Department)
• URL: http://www.tokyowanferry.com  

  4)Nokogiriyama Ropeway Christmas Extended Nighttime Hours/Nokogiriyama Ropeway (Futtsu City)

 From Friday, December 23 to Sunday, December 25, Nokogiriyama Ropeway will be extended its nighttime operating hours for couples celebrating the Christmas holidays. The Kanaya District of Futtsu City, where Nokogiriyama Ropeway is located, was the first spot in Chiba Prefecture to be chosen as a “love power spot,” or lover’s holy ground. Please come to Nokogiriyama, which is a love power spot, and enjoy a nightscape you cannot normally see.

 

[Must-see views]

1)Sunset at Nokogiriyama (Sunset is forecasted to be at around 16:30)

2)Stars seen from Nokogiriyama (Jupiter, the Taurus constellation, and Orion constellation can be seen to the east)

3)Nightscape seen from Nokogiriyama (Tokyo and Yokohama areas, including Tokyo Sky Tree)

 

[Special event: “Candle Heart”]

Visitors can use candles to help make the shape of a heart at the observation deck at the mountaintop station.

1. Date: Begins at 17:00 every day during extended hours period
2. Place: Nokogiriyama Ropeway mountaintop station observation deck (located on the side of the mountaintop station cafeteria)
3. Eligibility: Visitors who have purchased a round-trip ticket for the ropeway
4.  Fee: Free

              *Please note that the number of candles available is limited. 

• Date: Friday, December 23 – Sunday, December 25, from 16:00-17:00     
           *Ropeway operation may be suspended in case of bad weather
• Place: Nokogiriyama Ropeway  
              4052-1 Kanaya, Futtsu City
• Fare: Adults 900 yen (round-trip)    
          Children 450 yen (round-trip)
• Access: 8 min. by foot from Hamakanaya Station (JR Uchibo Line) or 5 min. by car from Futtsu-Kanaya IC (Futtsu-Tateyama Expressway)
• Inquiries: (0439) 69-2314 (Nokogiriyama Ropeway)
• URL: http://www.mt-nokogiri.co.jp
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/mt_nokogiri   

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 III. Exhibitions, Concerts, etc.     

 1)New Philharmonic Orchestra Chiba New Year Concert 

Come immerse yourself in the charming sounds of New Philharmonic Orchestra Chiba. During this concert, the orchestra will welcome the world-class soprano singer Mai Washio, and feature performances of Vienna waltz and polka pieces to brighten the New Year. 

• Date: Sunday, January 15
• Time: Begins at 14:00
• Place: Chiba Prefecture Cultural Hall Main Auditorium
• Access: 10 minutes by foot from Hon-Chiba Station (JR Sotobo and Uchibo Lines)
• Program: “Ouverture” from the opera Waldmeister , “Mein Herr Marquis (soprano)” from Die Fledermaus: Act 2, and “Kaiserwalzer” (works by Johann Strauss II)
• Conductor: Takeshi Oi (Resident conductor)
• Soprano: Mai Washio
• Admission: S tickets    4,000 yen   
                  A tickets    3,000 yen     
                  B tickets    2,000 yen   
                    *500 yen discount for undergraduate students and below and adults 65 years and older                  
                    *All members of the New Philharmonic Orchestra Chiba will receive an additional 10% discount.
• Inquiries: TEL (043) 222-4231 (New Philharmonic Orchestra Chiba Office)
                  FAX (043) 222-4269
                  E-mail: contact@npoc.info
• URL: http://npoc.info/ (Japanese)     

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