Living & Working in Ishikawa, Japan
Thanks to Super Awesome Happy Fun Time with Sean and Alice for the tip-off!
Japan is famous for its cute mascots, which represent everything from blood banks to local attractions. The NTT Town Page (タウンページ協賛) is currently running a contest in which you can vote for your favorite town mascot in the Yuru Character Grand Prix 2011.
Wakatama-kun from the Yuru Character Grand Prix 2011 website.
Ishikawa has six entries:
Kappuchi from Komatsu (Entry #41)
Mon-chan from Monzen (Entry #45)
Wakutama-kun from Wakura Onsen (Entry #66)
Basshon, representing Noto Heirloom Vegetables (Entry #132)
Konmaru-kun from Nanao (Entry #156)
Nyantarou from Kahoku (Entry #250)
Voting is available until 26 November. If you click the big orange button on your preferred mascot’s page, it will open your email client and make that mascot’s number the subject line. Or, email req@yurugp.jp with the number of your favorite mascot as the subject line (e.g. 66). You can vote once a day.
Leah Zoller is a former CIR (2009-11) and now works for The Art of Japan: Kanazawa/Discover Kanazawa. She voted for Wakutama-kun.
Many thanks to our crack team of JETs who have been working tirelessly to get this information out: Julia Caffrey, ALT; Sophie Bocklandt, CIR; Megan Lam, AJET Charity Rep & ALT; and Bill Smith, PA. 誠にありがとうございます!
Below is a list of locations accepting donations of goods; includes restrictions and maps.
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This information comes to us from Karen, an ALT in Nanao.
There is a marathon/10K run happening in Nanao on Sunday, March 13th, 2011. The Noto Wakura Manyo-no-Sato Marathon (登和倉万葉の里マラソン) is a great event with a good atmosphere. More importantly, you can enjoy a bath at one of the famous Wakura Onsen hotels for about 300 yen after finishing the race! Also, you can eat delicious oysters cooked in a million different ways–or other food if you don’t like oysters.
The 10k costs 3000 yen and starts at 11:10 am. The full marathon costs 5000 yen and starts at 10 am. (The 5k and the 1.4 k are limited to primary- and secondary school students.)
The application is due by December 24th. There are paper applications available at the Nanao City Hall (七尾市役所) and at the city- and town halls throughout Ishikawa prefecture, or you can apply online at runnet.jp.
There is an English guide (not application) from 2010 here (pdf) if you would like the basic information from last year.
Photo from Noto Style
Come to the Notojima Te-Matsuri (のとじま手祭り), Noto’s favorite craft fair! The “creative arts fair” will be held in the We-Land Campground (Weランド) of Notojima on Saturday, October 16, and Sunday, October 17, from 10:00-16:00 on both days.
This casual art fair is fairly small, but it’s a good chance to get gifts and omiyage from the Noto/Ishikawa and to support local artists. The arts and crafts represented are glass, lacquerware, woodwork, gold, ceramics, fabric and woven goods, cloth goods, and leather goods. There will also be food booths. (Last year, there were hot noodles and handmade sweets and coffee.)
While you’re at Notojima, be sure to check out the Glass Art Museum （グラス美術館）and/or the Notojima Aquarium (能登島水族館).
More information
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The Noto is home to fabulous natural scenery, excellent gelato, and some of the most interesting festivals in Ishikawa. Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the Okuma Kabuto Matsuri (お熊甲祭り), a festival with “national intangible cultural asset” status. Held in Nakajima-machi, Nanao-shi, it’s also known as the 二十日祭り (hatsuka matsuri) because it’s held every year on 20 September.
Okuma Kabuto Matsuri costumes. Photo by me.
Local participants carry mikoshi and wakubata, 20-meter-high banners affixed to wooden structures representing nineteen local shrines, in a parade to Kuma Kabuto Arakashihiko Shrine (久麻加夫都阿良加志比古神社) and then to Kamohara (加茂原), about 700 meters away. At the shrine, drummers and bell-ringers in colorful costumes lead the way as participants raise and rush the wakubata to the shrine as if to batter it down, then back up and rush the shrine again before carrying the mikoshi and wakubata to Kamohara.
Rush to the shrine. Photo by me.
At Kamohara, the wakubata are tipped nearly to the ground in the Shimada Kuzushi (島田くずし) and then raised upright again.
Watching the antics of the festival participants is fun, of course, but be sure to get a good look at the elaborate and beautiful mikoshi, and the stuffed monkey dolls attached to each of the wakubata. Each one is different!
One of the 19 mikoshi
More information
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The week of August 2-8 has some of the biggest kiriko and firework festivals in the Noto. Call up your Noto friends and introduce your new ALTs and CIRs to 祭の國能登–Noto, the land of festivals!
1. Wakura Onsen Summer Fireworks 和倉温泉夏花火, Wakura Onsen; Aug. 5
2. Houryou Tanabata Kiriko Festival 宝立七夕キリコまつり, Suzu; Aug. 7
3. Issaki Houtou Festival 石崎奉燈祭, Nanao; Aug. 7
4. Hakui Festival 羽咋まつり, Hakui; Aug. 7
Do you know of a great festival happening in your town? Contact us to write a guest post (or blurb)!
1. The Tale of Orihime Summer Festival 織姫夏ものがたり, Nakanoto; July 31
2. Notojima Kouda Fire Festival 能登島向田の火祭, Notojima, July 31
3. Nagoshi Festival なごしの祭り, Nanao; July 31
4. Matto Festival 松任祭り, Matto (Hakusan); July 31 – Aug 1
5. Nafune Festival 名船大祭, Wajima; July 31-Aug. 1
Experience the magic of the Noto’s illumination events this summer!
Summer Festivals, Part 2: The long weekend of July 17-19.
You don’t have to leave Ishikawa to enjoy your three-day weekend!
1. Nanao Harbor Matsuri and Hokkoku Fireworks Display七尾港祭りと北國花火大会: July 17-18; Nanao
2. Tsurugiji Hachiman Matsuri 剣地八幡祭り, July 17-18; Wajima
3. Hakusan Matsuri 白山祭り, July 17-18; Shiramine (Hakusan)
4. Horimatsu Tug-of-War Matsuri 掘松綱引き祭 , July 18; Shika
5. Hasebe Matsuri 長谷部祭り, July 18; Anamizu
6. Kasano Matsuri 笠野祭り, July 19; Tsubata
7. Monzen Matsuri (Gourai Matsuri) 門前祭り（ごうらい祭り）, July 18-19; Monzen (Wajima)
Click the cut for details.
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