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Update: October 16, 2023

Chiba Nanohana News (October 2020)

 Index

 I. News   II.Charm of Chiba  III. Festival and Events IV. Exhibitions and Concerts

 I. News

 1)Let’s Protect Ourselves from Influenza

Influenza is an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus. Symptoms of influenza include a sudden fever, headaches, body aches, etc. and it is much stronger than the common cold. Severe symptoms such as bronchitis and pneumonia can also result from influenza, so it is important that the elderly and infants take extra caution during the flu season.

<Influenza Vaccinations>

On top of influenza, we must also be concerned about the possibility of being infected with COVID-19 this year. Because people 65 and older are at a severe risk if they are infected with influenza, they are required to get vaccinated based on the immunization act and are highly recommended to do so by October 25th. In addition, young children (6 mos.-2nd grade elementary school age), pregnant, those with a pre-existing medical condition, and medical service workers are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. Please consult your primary care doctor about getting vaccinated as soon as possible. In order to give people 65 and older priority, please wait until after October 26th to get vaccinated if you don’t fit into this category. Thank you for your cooperation.

※Inquire within your local municipal office to learn more about a vaccination subsidy.

 <Influenza Countermeasures>

  • If you suspect you’ve caught influenza, go to a medical clinic or hospital to get tested as soon as possible
  • Wash your hands daily
  • Use an indoor humidifier to prevent dryness
  • Get proper nutrition and rest to build up your strength and resistance towards getting sick

Let’s protect ourselves against influenza (Chiba Prefecture Disease Control Division)

 II.Charm of Chiba

 1) Chiba Prefecture's New Kind of Rice: "Tsubusuke"

kome chibakun

tsubusuke

 

Over the last thirteen years, Chiba Prefecture has been working on a new delicacy that finally made its debut this fall: “Tsubusuke” rice. “Tsubusuke” rice is sticky, supple, and has a delicious flavor and almighty texture that can go with nearly any food, such as meat, fish, sushi, and donburi! Harvesting this rice is also a breeze because of its short stem that allows it to withstand heavy rain and strong wind.  

 

The name “Tsubusuke” comes from “o-tsubu,” or “large grain,” in English and “suke,” which is a common name for boys in Japan. Adding the suffix “suke” to the name gives the image that this large grain of rice is like your own child. Although production of “Tsubusuke” rice is still low and there are only a limited number of stores that sell this rice, if you happen to find it in your local supermarket, be sure to try its prominent taste!

The “Tsubusuke” Debut Campaign will begin on October 1st!

A “Tsubusuke” menu will be available at about forty restaurants where you can eat delicious “Tsubusuke” dishes. If you fill out a questionnaire with your meal purchase, you can enter for a chance to win a special present! You can find more information on participating restaurants and how to apply on the “Tsubusuke” website( External link ).

<The Development of "Tsubusuke">

As of 2019, Chiba Prefecture was ranked #9 in Japan for best rice acreage and harvest. The prefecture’s mild climate makes it the perfect place to produce delicious rice earlier than usual and distribute it to metropolitan areas. For this reason, it’s featured as a “hayabamai,” or “early rice.”

Since 2005, Chiba has aimed to create a product that is both delicious and easy to cultivate. After much research and effort, the “Tsubusuke” was chosen out of around 4,000 candidates. Not only does the rice undergo a machine analysis, but an actual taste test also takes place in which test participants eat the rice to judge its flavor. After ten years and a total of 3,500 taste tests, the final result came down to “Tsubusuke’s” grain size, whiteness, flavor and smell, ability to cook well, and its perfect amount of stickiness that allowed it to beat its contenders. “Tsubusuke” is a cross-breed of the flavorful rice, “Koshihikari,” and the large-grain “Sakei 1181” which has short stalks that are hard to knock down. This is the perfect combination to create the delicious “Tsubusuke.”

 

 

<Let's eat Chiba's delicious rice!>

kome

Chiba’s main varieties of rice: Fusaotome, Fusakogane, Koshihikari, and Tsubusuke

If you are using a rice cooker:

  1. Be sure to wash the rice quickly but gently without over washing it.
    Immediately dump out the old water after the first wash and re-wash the rice again with fresh water. Repeat this several times.
    ※Over washing the rice causes it to separate and not cook well.  
  2. The rice will cook better if you let it sit in the water for 30min.-1 hour in the summer or 1-2 hours in the winter first before cooking.
    ★Because “Tsubusuke” is sticky and soft, using slightly less water when cooking is recommended.  
  3. Don’t forget to steam the rice after cooking.
    Once the rice is finished cooking, immediately fluff the rice with a rice spoon and let it steam for about 15 minutes to even out the firmness.
  4. Be careful of storage.
    Avoid direct sunlight. Store in a cool, dry place such as the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.
    ※The rice will lose its freshness if stored for a long period of time.

 

 

<Chiba’s “Shinmai” Campaign>

When you purchase a new bag of rice, you can enter to win high quality Chiba-made pork, beef, and baked seaweed with the “Shinmai Campaign!” Don’t miss out on a chance to win even more delicious food!

  • How to apply: You can apply at select stores when you purchase a new bag of rice. An application sticker will come with your purchase. This sticker contains a code to access the campaign application online.
    You can also apply via postcard by sticking the application sticker onto the postcard (¥63) and mailing it in with the necessary information.
  • Application deadline: October 31st (Sat.) (postmarked)
  • Chiba “Shinmai” Campaign website( External link )

 III. Festivals and Events

 1)Para Sports Festa Chiba 2020 

boccia

Photo provided by Yoshiaki Yoshino

sitting vb

Photo provided by Yoshiaki Yoshino

There’s less than one year left until the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games! The “Para Sports Festa Chiba 2020” will be held on Saturday, November 14th at the Chiba Port Arena. This festival will introduce the fun of para sports to everyone regardless if you have a disability or not. Let’s experience the joy of para sports together!

1. Para Sports Experience 10:00-13:00

(Prior sign-up required, up to 300 people)

Chiba Prefecture will host four para sports events at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. At this event, you can experience para athletics and yuru sports, totaling 13 different kinds of activities. The term “yuru sports” comes from the Japanese word “yurui,” or “relaxed.” Yuru sports are all-inclusive games that can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their age, gender, or disability.

<Experience Activities & Games>

(1)Goalball, (2)Sitting Volleyball, (3)Taekwondo, (4)Wheelchair Fencing, (5)Wheelchair Basketball, (6)Wheelchair Rugby, (7)Boccia, (8)Track and Field (Wheelchair Racer), (9)Track and Field (Prosthetic), (10)Blind Running and Guide Running,
(11)See-saw Beanbag Toss, (12)Ton-ton! Voice Sumo,
(13)Kotsu-kotsu! Braille Block Relay

※Activities (1)~(4) are the events that will be held in Chiba Prefecture for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
※Activities (11)~(13) are yuru sports

Para sports experience application page (External link )

2. Para Sports Tournament 14:00-17:00

(Prior sign-up required, up to 9 sitting volleyball teams and 32 boccia teams)

A sitting volleyball and boccia tournament will be held for special needs school students, university students, company teams, etc. to compete in.

Para sports tournament application page (External link ) 

 

※Wear comfortable clothes that are easy to move around in and bring indoor shoes and masks.
※In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the event will follow guidelines based on those set by the Japan Sports Agency. All participants must take their temperature, turn in a health check form, and have the COVID-19 Contact-Confirming Application (COCOA) in use before joining this event.

【Four sports held in Chiba Prefecture for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games】

 ◆Goalball

Goalball is a sport contested by visually impaired competitors, with teams of three battling it out wearing eye shades. Teams attack on the court by rolling, bouncing and throwing a 1.25 kg ball, with a bell inside, into the opposing team's goal. They compete over two 12-minute halves. The defenders listen to the sound of the bell and the footsteps of their opponents, and defend using their whole bodies.

◆Sitting Volleyball

Sitting Volleyball is a six-person volleyball game where players must keep part of the body, the area between the buttocks and the shoulder, in contact with the court at all times. The ball is the same as a standard volleyball, but the court is narrower than a standard court and has a lower net. A match is 5-sets of first to 25 points (first to 15 points in the 5th set) with no right to serve.

◆Taekwondo

 There are two events: gyeorugi (sparring for competitors with physical disabilities) and poomsae (forms for competitors with intellectual disabilities). Gyeorugi will officially be held at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games! Just like Taekwondo, you will want to watch the spectacular kicks.

◆Wheelchair Fencing

A fencing competition that takes place with wheelchairs fixed to a platform called a piste. The uniforms, swords and masks used are the same as in standard fencing. There are three events, "foil,” "epee," and "sabre,” which are divided into two classes depending on the type and extent of the disability.

 IV. Exhibitions and Concerts

 1)Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba Special Exhibition: “Shell Mounds and the Life of the Jomon People in Chiba”

dogu

Dogu excavated from the Yoyama Shell Mounds in Choshi City
An important cultural property
Collection of the Public Interest Incorporated foundation Tatsuuma Archaeological Museum

doki

Artifacts excavated from the pits of the Minami-hatori-nakanogoki Ruins 1 in Narita City
An important cultural property
Collection of the Narita City Board of Education, entrusted to Chiba Prefectural Boso-no-mura
Picture provided by the Chiba Prefectural Board of Education

The Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba is now holding an exhibition about the Jomon culture displaying a collection of artifacts and treasures from the Jomon Period (roughly 13,000 to 2,500 years ago). Chiba proudly claims it has the largest number of “kaizuka,” also known as shell mounds in Japan. You can still see many large scale shell mounds today in the prefecture, such as the Kasori Shell Mounds. Visitors to the museum can take a journey into the world of the Jomon people by looking at ancient treasures such as earthenware, stone tools, clay figurines and accessories made from bone and shells. In addition, through the latest research, the exhibit also introduces the lives of the Jomon people.  

<Features>

■ There are three nationally designated, important Jomon-related cultural properties that were excavated in Chiba prefecture. This includes “dogu,” humanoid clay figurines, excavated from the Yoyama Shell Mounds in Choshi City.

■ Artifacts that have been vigorously excavated from Chiba Prefecture (a substantial field for Jomon research because of its large number of shell mounds) since the Meiji Period. These pieces are valuable relics that glimmer with archaeological history.

■ Information about the chronology of earthenware and the chronological measurement method, the basis of archaeological research.

■ Introduction of the research about the paleo environment restoration conducted at lowland swamp ruins sites, Kaminarishita and Domeki Yatsu (both located in Ichikawa City).

■Through the latest science technology such as mitochondrial DNA analysis and extensive research of the roots and culture of the Jomon people, scientists were able to create an image of what the Jomon people looked like.

■The exhibit introduces the eating habits of the Jomon people from three perspectives: food waste (animal and plant remains), tools excavated from the ruins, and natural science analysis.

■Artifacts made from the bones of animals that did not live in the surrounding areas were found in the ruins as well as shells and rare stones such as jade. These artifacts can give us an idea about the Jomon people’s wide range of activities in their daily lives.

  • Exhibition period: October 10th - December 13th
  • Location: Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba (Exhibition Room) / 955-2 Aobacho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City 
  • Admission: General ¥500;High school/university students ¥250
  • Free admission for those 65 and up, middle school and under, and persons with disabilities (certificate required)
  • Hours: 10:00-16:30(last entrance at 16:00)
  • Closed: Mondays (in the case that a holiday falls on a Monday, the following Tuesday will be closed)
  • Inquiries:Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba TEL:043-265-3111

  2)The Power of Culture and Sincerity to Make Chiba Lively! 
      Collaboration Concert of Dreams

Chiba’s very own Chiba Prefecture Youth Orchestra and the Chiba Symphony Orchestra will hold a “Collaboration Concert of Dreams” at Chiba Prefectural Cultural Hall on November 15th. This concert will brighten up Chiba through the power of music.

 

youth

Founded in 1996, the Chiba Prefecture Youth Orchestra was the first prefectural level youth orchestra in Japan. The orchestra is made up of 160 total members ranging from 10-20 years old. They work hard to follow the motto, “Good sound, good performance.” 

 

symphony

©Yutaka Kanase

The Chiba Symphony Orchestra is a professional orchestra in Chiba. Formerly known as the New Philharmonic Orchestra for 31 years, they got their new name in 2016. They focus on community-based performance activities within the prefecture, aiming to be an orchestra that is loved by the residents of Chiba.

<Program>

Chiba Prefecture Youth Orchestra
  • Conductor: Kazuki Yamada
  • Soloist: Risa Hokamura (violin)
  • Music selection: Beethoven- Romance No. 2 in F major Op.50 (Risa Hokamura)
    Beethoven- Egmont Overture in F minor Op.84
Chiba Symphony Orchestra
  • Conductor: Kazufumi Yamashita
  • Soloists: Masaya Kamei (piano) & Naoka Aoki (violin)
  • Music selection: Liszt- Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major S124/R455 (Masaya Kamei)
    Sibelius- Violin Concerto in D minor Op.47 (Naoka Aoki)
Collaboration Performance

Elgar- Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 Op.39
※Performances are subject to change.

  • Date and time: November 15th (Sun.), Performance starts at 3 p.m. (doors open at 2 p.m.)
    ※Kazufumi Yamashita and Kazuki Yamada will start the introduction speech at 2:40 p.m.
  • Venue: Chiba Prefectural Cultural Hall, Large Hall (10 min. walk from JR Hon-Chiba Station)
    ※Please use public transportation.
  • Admission: Free
  • Application by return-postcard:
    Write the applicant’s name, address, postal code, and amount of attendees (2 people max per postcard) and send it to the following address:
    Chiba Prefectural Cultural Promotion Foundation, Chiba Youth Orchestra “Collaboration Concert of Dreams” Section
    11-2 Ichibacho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City 〒260-8661
  • Application deadline: Application must arrive by October 23rd (Fri.)
    ・In the case that there are a large number of applicants, attendees will be chosen via lottery.
    ・Please refrain from bringing children preschool-age and under.
    ・There will be assigned seating in consideration of social distancing in order prevent the spread of COVID-19.
  • Inquiries: Chiba Prefecture Youth Orchestra Office TEL:043-222-0077

 

  I. News  II.Charm of Chiba  III. Festivals and Events  IV. Exhibitions and Concerts

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