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Update: November 10, 2023

Chiba Nanohana News (November 2020)

 Index

 I. News   II.Charm of Chiba  

 I. News

1) Infection Prevention against COVID-19

If you plan on taking part in any winter festivities or events, be aware of the following points in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

  • Refrain from going to places where the Three C’s are likely to occur, such as events, going out to eat, and other places where infection prevention measures are not strongly enforced. You should particularly refrain from attending parties and events where an unspecified number of people can gather and talk in loud voices.

  • If you participate in any events, go out to eat, etc., take appropriate infection prevention measures by keeping a safe distance from others, disinfecting your hands, wearing a mask, and refraining from speaking in a loud voice.

  • Refrain from late night drinking in crowded streets and restaurants or participating in similar events as much as possible.

  • Find new ways to have fun at home such as spending time with your family or joining online events.

2) Introduction of Chiba's Host Towns and their Partnering Countries participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games

In cooperation with Daihatsu Chiba Sales Co., Ltd., host towns in Chiba Prefecture are holding an event to introduce their partnering countries that will participate in the Tokyo 2020 Games through panel exhibitions, fliers, etc.

“Host towns” were established to promote a variety of exchanges such as business, culture, and interpersonal relationships between municipalities throughout Japan and the countries/regions that will participate in the Tokyo 2020 Games. These exchanges will continue even after the Games.

Duration:November 1, 2020 - December 27, 2020
※Dates may vary depending on the municipality

Country name [Host town] / Daihatsu Shop Venue (Location):

  • Netherlands [Chiba Prefecture] / Oyumino Ekimae Shop (Chiba City), Funabashi Shop (Funabashi City), and 20 other Daihatsu Chiba Sales Shops
  • New Zealand [Ichihara City] / Ichihara Shop & Anesaki Shop (Ichihara City)
  • New Zealand [Kimitsu City] / Kimitsu Shop (Kimitsu city)
  • Bulgaria [Ichikawa City] / Ichikawa Shop (Ichikawa City)
  • Sri Lanka [Sanmu City] / Togane Shop (Sanmu City)
  • Belize [Yokoshiba Hikari Town] / Togane Shop (Sanmu City)
  • Nigeria [Kisarazu City] / Kisarazu Shop (Kisarazu City)

Chiba Prefecture plans to serve as a host town to the Netherlands and will host series of sports pre-camps (swimming & track and field) in preparation for the Games. Chiba first received the Dutch track and field team for a pre-camp at the time of the Beijing World Championship in Athletics held in August of 2015 and was officially registered as a host town to the Netherlands in 2017.

The Prefecture along with 20 municipalities are registered as host towns.
Chiba Prefecture Host Town List

Inquiries: Chiba Prefecture Olympic and Paralympic Bureau TEL:043-223-3479

 

 3) CHI-BA+KUN Partners Officially Appointed

Partner

Chiba aims to be a prefecture where foreign and Japanese residents can live comfortably. In order to achieve this, 21 foreigners who are living, working, or studying in Chiba have officially been appointed as CHI-BA+KUN Partners. The appointment ceremony took place at the Chiba Prefectural Government Office on October 20th.  

CHI-BA+KUN Partner is an extension of last year’s CHI-BA+KUN Ambassadors program; the program still aims to promote Chiba and its many attractions but will also include a wide range of activities and cooperation with the prefecture. This year, the program is made up of 21 members from 14 countries/area who will participate in opinion exchange meetings and events held by the prefecture, and disseminate information about Chiba to foreigners.

※“CHI-BA+KUN Partner” is an abbreviation for the official program name, which is “A Partner Who Works with CHI-BA+KUN to Make Chiba Prefecture a Comfortable Place to Live.”  

Partners’ home country/area (number of people)

Taiwan (4), Vietnam (3), China (3), Indonesia (1), New Zealand (1), Australia (1), Myanmar (1), India (1), Pakistan (1), Russia (1), Ukraine (1), Peru (1), USA (1), Thailand (1)

Appointment Period

Until late-March, 2022

  • Inquiries: Chiba Prefecture International Affairs Division (Multicultural Coexistence Promotion Section)
  • TEL: 043-223-2436

 II.Charm of Chiba

1) Chiba’s Fall Colors 2020

As fall intensifies, the color changing leaves spread. Take a journey that will enrich your heart to the colorful Boso! We will introduce the many spots where you can see koyo, also known as the changing fall leaves in Chiba.

Matsudo City / Tojogaoka Historical Park

Tojogaoka Historical Park

Selected as one of “Japan’s Top 100 Historical Parks,” the park is home to the Tojo Museum of History, which displays items related to Akitake Tokugawa, the brother of the last shogun in the Edo Shogunate. The park has Akitake’s former residence and a beautiful garden, which is a nationally designated Site of Scenic Beauty. Along with the seasonal vegetation, the momiji (maple) leaves begin to change into beautiful colors in the fall.

  • Peak viewing time: Mid November – Early December
  • Location: 714-1 Matsudo, Matsudo City

Narita City / Naritasan Park

Naritasan Park

Naritasan Park is a massive 165,000 square meter park located behind Naritasan Shinshoji Temple’s Daihondo Hall. Although it may be known as a famous spot for ume  blossoms, about 250 old momiji, kunugi (saw tooth oak), nara (oak), and icho (gingko) trees also bring out beautiful colors in fall.

  • Peak viewing time: Mid-Late November
  • Location: Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, Naritasan Park / 1, Narita, Narita City

Katori City/Kanpukuji Temple

Kanpukuji Temple

Kanpukuji Temple is one of the three Great Daishi (Anti-Evil Temples) of Japan. Here you can see the grave of Ino Tadataka, who drew the first map of Japan by surveying the country on foot through measured steps in the Edo period. Kanpukuji Temple is known for its beautiful views during every season.

  • Peak viewing time: Late November – Early December
  • Location: 1752, Makino, Katori City

Kamogawa City / Shiroiwa・Yomogi Fudo Waterfall

Shiroiwa-Yomogi Fudo Waterfall

Shiroiwa is a famous spot to see the beautiful changing fall leaves which borders Kamogawa City and Kimitsu City. The congruent contrast of the bare rocks’ pure white color against the red leaves creates a wonderful scene. The bamboo and cedar deep within the forest area around Yomogi Fudo Waterfall truly is an unexplored landscape. As you head upstream, you are lead into a deep gorge where you can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the colored leaves in early winter alongside the waterfall.

  • Peak viewing time: Late November – Early December
  • Location: Within Yomogi, Kamogawa City

Otaki Town / Awamata Waterfall

Awamata Waterfall

Located upstream, Awamata Waterfall boasts having the best scenery in the Yoro Valley. Awamata Waterfall is also referred to as Kazusa Yoro Waterfall. Stretching 100m in length with a 30m drop, the scene of the waterfall flowing down is definitely worth checking out! On the promenade leading to the waterfall, visitors can see momiji, urushi, kunugi, and nara trees painted with spectacular views of red and yellow during the koyo season.

  • Peak viewing time: Mid November – Early December
  • Location: Along Awamata, Otaki Town

Kimitsu City / Koyo at Lake Kameyama

Koyo at Lake Kameyama

Vivid colors of the fall leaves cover the lakeside and gorge at Lake Kameyama. Lake Kameyama is full of many attractions such as the Inokawa Valley and Shichirigawa Valley hiking course. You can appreciate the lake dyed by the reflection of the colored leaves not only while on a walk but even on a cruise or bicycle.  

  • Peak viewing time: Early November – Early December
  • Location: Around Lake Kameyama, 8 Kawamata Kyu Kawamata, Kimitsu City

2) Chiba's Specialty Products: Peanuts

peanuts

Chiba Prefecture is the largest production area of peanuts in Japan and produces about 80 percent of the country’s peanuts. Chiba’s peanuts naturally dry in the fields and are strongly supported by consumers for their great taste!

November 11th is Peanut Day. November is the season when new, delicious peanuts come on the market. Each peanut pod contains two nuts that look like cute little twins. Because the date 11/11 is stacked together like the two peanuts in each pod, this day was officially established as Peanut Day in 1985 by the National Peanut Association.

Peanuts are known for their aroma and crispy consistency. When you think of peanuts, roasted peanuts usually come to mind. However, boiled peanuts are also widely eaten throughout Chiba. Boiled peanuts are sweet, soft, and flaky and are sold in the form of retort pouches or frozen packaging. Don’t hesitate to try boiled as well as roasted peanuts! 

<Main Varieties>

  • Chiba Handachi: Best when roasted, its unique richness and flavor is very popular!
  • Nakate Yutaka: Best when roasted, these peanuts have a light, sweet flavor.
  • Sato-no-ka: Best when boiled, Sato-no-ka peanuts have white pods and are sweet.
  • Omasari: This peanut’s size is very large, sweet, and soft and tastes great when boiled.
  •  Q-NUT: These peanut pods are white and have a strong, sweet taste when roasted.

<Peanut Cultivation>

Peanuts are sown from mid-May to early June and the flowers bloom after about 40-50 days from sowing. The flower petals stretch approximately 1cm wide and resemble dainty butterfly wings and are yellow in color. The flowers continue to bloom until mid-August.

flower

 

bocchi

After the peanuts are dug up, they are left to dry in the field for one week. This process of drying on the ground is called “jiboshi” (ground + to dry) in Japanese. After that, the peanuts are piled up in a cylindrical shape and are exposed to the wind to naturally air dry in the field for 1-2 months. This process is called “bocchi.” This late fall landscape is very well known within Chiba Prefecture. Once they are done drying, the peanuts are taken from the field for shipping.

<How to Choose a Tasty Peanut, its Nutritional Components, etc.>

  • Just because a peanut may have a nice appearance, it doesn’t mean it will taste good! If the peanut pods are clean, they’ve been picked too early. Well-made peanuts absorb calcium well and have hard pods.
  •  Peanuts that have dark red skin and no wrinkles are tasty and have a lot of nutrients (vitamins C and E).  
  • Eating peanut skins is recommended because they contain a lot of resveratrol, a type of polyphenol. If you don’t like the skin around peanuts very much, the Q-NUT is recommended because its skin is thinner, making it easier to eat in comparison to other varieties.
  •  Boiled peanuts contain various minerals and vitamins and are abundant in vitamin E and Niacin in particular.

<The History of Peanut Cultivation>

Peanuts are a leguminous crop native to South America. It is said that peanut cultivation started in Japan in 1874 after the government introduced peanuts from America. Peanut cultivation in Chiba Prefecture began in 1876 in what is known as Sanmu City today and eventually expanded to Asahi City, Yachimata City, and Tomisato City.

After World War II., peanut sales and prices sky rocketed, mainly because of their high nutritional value. The best variety of peanuts, Chiba Handachi, have been developed at the Chiba Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Research Center since 1952. Because this type of peanut is easier to cultivate and has a high yield and stability compared to other peanuts, its cultivation has expanded to places throughout Chiba Prefecture such as Inba, Katori, Sanmu, Chosei, and Kimitsu region.  

To learn more about how to purchase peanuts, please visit the website below.

Information on Ordering Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery Products from Chiba Prefecture

 

  I. News  II.Charm of Chiba 

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