Chiba Nanohana News (April 2021)

 Index

I. News   II. Charm of Chiba   III. Festivals and Events 

 I. News 

1) Preventative Measures against COVID-19 Reinforced and Expanded to 12 Municipalities in the Prefecture from April 25

Preventative measures against COVID-19 were reinforced in 5 municipalities in the Prefecture on April 20.

However, from April 25, the reinforced preventative measures have been expanded to 12 municipalities in the Prefecture.

Duration: April 20, 2021 (Tues) – May 11, 2021 (Tues)

 

<This is a request for the residents of the Prefecture>

• Please refrain from parties, flower viewing, or going on a trip during Golden Week.
• Please refrain from nonessential outings. If you need to go out, please avoid crowded places and peak times, and keep your group as small as possible.
• Please don’t talk while eating. If you go out to eat, choose an establishment with thorough COVID-19 countermeasures such as good ventilation, spaced out seating, and acrylic partitions between seats and go in a small group.
• Do not gather with others to drink alcohol on the street, in parks, or at home. Also, if you buy food at a festival or other event, please try as much as possible to take it to-go.
• Wear a mask when using a karaoke booth and while singing.
• Do not go to restaurants after 8:00pm in Chiba City, Ichikawa City, Funabashi City, Matsudo City, Kashiwa City, Urayasu City, Noda City, Nagareyama City, Abiko City, Kamagaya City, Narashino City, Yachiyo City.
• Please continue taking proper safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by wearing a mask, washing your hands, and keeping a safe distance between yourself and others.

 

About the Novel Coronavirus (Foreign Languages / Chiba Prefecture)

 

 2) Free Legal Consultation for Foreign Residents

The Chiba International Center, in association with the Chiba Prefecture Lawyers Association and the Chiba Prefecture Notary Association, provides a variety of free legal consultation services in legal matters, divorces, accidents, inheritance, or labor problems as well as immigration, visas, and business start-up procedures once or twice a month throughout the year.

The next free consultation will be on Monday, May 10 and will cover all of the aforementioned legal matters while the following consultation on Monday, May 24 will only cover legal matters, divorce, accident, inheritance, and labor issues.

Consultation is free of charge, but a reservation is required on a first-come-first-served basis. Interpreters are available if requested 10 days prior to the consultation date.

 

• Reservation: Chiba International Center TEL: 043-297-0245 E-mail: kudo@ccb.or.jp
• Time: 13:00-16:00 (45 min. consultation/ person)
• Schedule: Yearly schedule from April 2021 to March 2022 is available on the Chiba International Center website
• Venue: Chiba International Center, 14th Fl. Marive East, World Business Garden (WBG), 2-6, Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba City
  (5min. walk from Kaihin Makuhari Sta. South Exit)

 

3) Spring National Traffic Safety Campaign

The Spring National Traffic Safety Campaign will take place for ten days from April 6 (Tuesday) to April 15 (Thursday). As it is the time of year when children are about to enroll in school, many children are involved in traffic accidents because they are not familiar with the roads, and there is also a high percentage of elderly people who die while crossing the street. Therefore, let’s make sure that children learn the basic traffic safety rules and manners during this time. Drivers should also be more aware of the need to protect children and the elderly. Each and every resident of the Prefecture should follow all traffic rules and practice traffic manners in order to prevent road accidents.

<Pedestrian Safety>

• (1) Walk on the sidewalk.
• (2) If there is no sidewalk, walk on the right side of the road.
• (3) When crossing the street, make sure to obey the traffic light if there is one. If there is no traffic light, use the crosswalk. When crossing, make sure you look both ways and only start walking once the cars have stopped.
• (4) Absolutely do not run haphazardly onto the road.
• (5) At night, either attach reflectors to your body, or wear bright clothes.
• (6) You are not allowed to cross in areas where crossing for pedestrians is prohibited.
• (7) Many traffic accidents occur when children commute to school and when elderly pedestrians cross the street, so please be careful.
• (8) Be careful of traffic accidents around sunset.

 

<To those who drive>

• (1) Follow traffic laws, and obey traffic lights and road signs.
• (2) Fasten your seatbelt when riding in a vehicle. Children under 6 years of age must ride in a child car seat.
• (3) Make sure to slow down before a crosswalk and to stop when there are pedestrians. You must stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk even if there is no traffic light.
• (4) Road rage and using your phone or other distractions while driving is dangerous and annoying behavior. Don’t do it!  
• (5) Drunk driving is a felony. This will make you and your family unhappy. Don’t do it!
  Be careful not to drive while hungover. Drinking alcohol and riding a bicycle is also subject to detection.

 

<To those who ride a bicycle >

Bicycle accidents accounted for about 25% of all traffic accidents last year. Though traffic accidents are decreasing, the percentage of bicycle accidents is increasing.

• (1) As a rule of thumb, bicycles must be ridden on the road. Ride on the left side of the road.
• (2) Prioritize pedestrians.
• (3) Do not ride while using an umbrella, smartphone, or other distractions.
• (4) Make sure to proceed with at an intersection.
• (5) Turn on your light from the evening onwards.
• (6) Head injuries are the most common in injury from bicycle accidents, so wearing a bicycle helmet is effective.
• (7) Get bicycle insurance.

 

Traffic Safety Multilingual Leaflet / Community Safety Promotion Division

Spring National Traffic Safety Campaign / Community Safety Promotion Division (Japanese)

II. Charm of Chiba 

1) Introducing the Prize Winning Products for the Discovering Chiba’s Specialties Contest 2021

The prize winners for this year’s “Discovering Chiba’s Specialties Contest,” a contest for processed foods made mainly from agricultural, forestry, and fishery products produced in Chiba Prefecture, have been chosen! Feast your eyes on this year’s discovered specialties of Chiba!

 

General category

These are products with the goal of becoming a specialty of Chiba by establishing a production and sales structure which aims for ationwide sales.  

Top 3 (out of 49 products submitted)

[Gold Prize] Boso Red Sea Bream and Japanese Horse Mackerel Ochazuke Set “Irodori” (Rokuya Co.)

This is ochazuke (green tea or broth poured over rice with other ingredients) from Rokuya Inn, run by a master fisherman, which is made with fresh fish fillets of red sea bream and Japanese horse mackerel caught in Minamiboso and a special broth rich in flavor and aroma. Enjoy this ochazuke as if you are staying at a traditional Japanese ryokan! This is a recommended souvenir from the Boso area.

• Price: 3,280 yen per set (tax incl.)
• Producer: Rokuya Co.(Japanese)

 

[Silver Prize] Sumiyaki Tori Don (Asanoya LLC.)

This is a dish using a brand of chicken from Chiba Prefecture called Kinsodori, which is slowly grilled over charcoal, then stewed in a special sauce. The tender and crunchy meat, rich and salty-sweet sauce, and aroma of the charcoal will definitely stimulate your appetite. Serve it over warm rice and dig in!

• Price: 550yen / 100g (tax incl.)
• Producer: Asanoya LLC.  (Japanese)

 

[Bronze Prize] AOTOBI (Iizuka Nori Shop Co.)

This nori from Chiba is a very flavorful, grilled seaweed which grows in the nutrient-rich Tokyo Bay in winter. After you take a bite, the seaweed will melt in your mouth, filling it with the seaweed’s sweetness and delicious taste, and your nose will be filled with the seaweed’s unique aroma. Please give it a try!  

• Price: 1,080 yen (pack of 10 sheets) (tax incl.)
• Producer: Iizuka Nori Shop Co.  (Japanese)

 

Direct sales category

These are products which aim to become local specialties, and are directly sold in stores in local areas and other local markets.

Top 2 (out of 24 products submitted)             

[Silver Prize] Funabashi’s Specialty Sweets, Nashi no Sato (Ogiya Co.)

Funabashi City’s Niitaka pears are pureed and kneaded with shiroan (white bean paste), wrapped in a buttery dough with Funabashi-produced komatsuna powder, then baked while still staying moist.
Even though is a baked good, it’s fresh, has a cute pear shape, a rich aroma, and even has an original pear taste!

• Price: 216 yen each (tax incl.)
• Producer: Ogiya Co. (Japanese)

 

[Bronze Prize] Kashu Cilantro Wieners (ma'amPig Co.)

Kashu Cilantro Wieners are made of Chiba’s high quality and taste, Kashu pork, which are fed a mixture of wheat and herbs to match their growth process and raised in a relaxing environment. Using Chiba-grown organic cilantro, these wieners are produced using original manufacturing methods to create Kashu pork’s umami flavor along with the preserved aroma of cilantro, giving them a rich, flavorful finish. People who don’t like cilantro can still enjoy this Chiba specialty!

• Price：648 yen / 140g (tax incl.)
• Producer: ma’amPig Co.  (Japanese)

 

Discovering Chiba’s Specialties Contest 2021 Results（Distribution and Marketing Division）(Japanese)

III. Festivals and Events

1) Chiba Citizen's Music Festival ~Resonate Around the World! Harmony Created by Everyone~    A Journey to the World of Music Vol.3

The Chiba Citizen’s Music Festival will be held at the Chiba Prefectural Cultural Hall on June 20.

This festival has variety of performers, including performers chosen by an open call, who will all create a stage together regardless of age or disability. 

Amateur performers from Chiba Prefecture and the renowned Chiba Symphony Orchestra will showcase Chiba’s music culture. Also, a variety of guest performers, including dancers, a tenor singer, a traditional Japanese instrumentalist and professional artists with disabilities will be invited to present a stage filled with diversity.

Attendees are required to fill out an application. The application period will end on May 23.

 

※The Chiba Citizen’s Music Festival is a co-hosted program of the Tokyo 2020 NIPPON Festival, which is a nationwide cultural festival in preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

<Performers>

• Conductor: Kazufumi Yamashita
• Orchestral music: Chiba Symphony Orchestra
  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.

<Special Guests>

• Koichi Omae (Dancer)
• Wataru Kitao (Dancer)
• Satoshi Nishimura (Tenor)
• Tasano Mochizuki (Traditional Japanese instrumentalist)

<Performers by Open Call>

• Instrumentalists
• Social Welfare Corporation Okubo Gakuen: “The Succeed”
• Association by Children with Down Syndrome and their Parents: “Jupiter”
• Specified Nonprofit Corporation: “Yasashinetto Yui”
• Kimitsu Junior Chorus
• Junior Chorus Fairies
• Chiba Wakashio Boys and Girls Chorus
• Happiness Dance School

 

• Sponsor: Chiba Prefecture
• Co-sponsor: The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
• Date and time: Sunday, June 20, 2021 Start time: 2:00 pm (doors open at 1:00 pm)
• Venue: Chiba Prefectural Cultural Hall, 11-2 Ichiba-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba city (10 min walk from Honchiba Station on the JR Uchibo/Sotobo Line)
• Admission: Free (advanced reservation required)
  ※If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity of the hall, a lottery will be held. The results will be sent to your listed contact information from June 7.
  ※No admittance to pre-school age children.
  ※Childcare is available. Please contact us after the lottery is announced.  
  ※Please note that the seating arrangement will be determined by the organizer. Visitors will not be able to choose their own seats.
  ※Seating will be arranged in consideration of COVID-19 infection countermeasures.
• Application period: April 5 to May 23, 2021 
• How to apply:
  1. Apply via the application form on the Chiba Citizen’s Music Festival official website（Japanese）
  2. Application via return postcard: Please write your address, name, phone number, names of all attendees (up to two people), request for wheelchair seating (if needed), and send to the address below.
• Inquiries and applications: Chiba Prefectural Cultural Promotion Foundation,11-2 Ichiba-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba city 〒260-8661
  TEL 043-222-0077（Weekdays 9:00～17:00）
• Chiba Citizen’s Music Festival official website

 

I. News   II. Charm of Chiba   III. Festivals and Events