Open Day for Cherry Blossom Viewing@former Chimachi Nursery School

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Former Chimachi nursery school, where you can see the beautiful cherry blossom, was opened for the public on April 5th, 6th and 7th for cherry blossom viewing.

On April 5th, we held a cherry blossom viewing party at the place and invited our friends and others.

The cherry blossom was so beautiful on the day.

I spread a vinyl sheet on the ground and was ready to welcome people!

It was really pleasant day, and I was lying down on the sheet.
But, the rain started to drop!

We took shelter under the eaves.
People started to come by twos and threes after early afternoon.
The rain was almost stopped, and we started BQQ for lunch.

Many people included families with little kids also joined the party.

Kids were running around in the school building.

There were many people who met for the first time,
but they had common topics such as parenting or community, etc., and enjoyed conversation.

May 4, 2014, The 8th Taitosaki Toudai Matsuri (Taitosaki Lighthouse Festival)
Flea market vendors & Volunteer staff wanted

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This is one of the specialty events during Golden Week holidays, Taitosaki Toudai Matsuri (Taitosaki Lighthouse Festival).

Shout your dream at Taitosaki Lighthouse!

The event includes a lot of interesting programs such as customary Shouting competition, Japanese drum playing, and Hula dance as well as catching weatherfish with hands, Isumi delicious food stalls, and flea market etc.

Date: May 4, 2014 (Sun) 10:00 – 14:30
* In the event of rain, postponed to May 5, 2014 (Mon)

Venue: Taitosaki Toudai Hiroba (Taitosaki Lighthouse park)
* Car parking space is limited. Free shuttle bus is available from temporary car park.
For more details, see (–>).

We are looking for volunteers who can support us on the day of the event.
・Meeting time and place: 7:30AM at Titosaki Toudai (Taitosaki Lighthouse)
・Activity detail: set up of tents, helping Lighthouse Club to set up booth to sell goods etc.
* Lunch will be provided for volunteers.

We are looking for flea market vendors
・Sale of recycled goods
・No space fee
・Carry in time: 7:30 – 8:30
For more details, please contact:
Toudai Matsuri executive committee
0470-62-6147 (Sato)
0470-87-9833 (Narisawa)

(Miho / Yasuko)

“Hometown Isumi Kidoizumi Kurabiraki”
Kurabiraki – Opening of a brewery for the first time in the year

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An annual event,
I visited “Hometown Isumi Kidoizumi Kurabiraki” at March the 29th.

At the tourist information center in front of Ohara station, they were selling limited edition ochokos (small sake cup) for a toast.

It cost 300 yen, and I bought one.

Various shops from Ohara shopping street were displaying their products for sale in the event, and Sakabayashi-san (signboard of brewery, rounded cedar leaves) was displayed at the venue.

All cheese factories in Isumi City assembled to participate this time!

With drum by TAKERU, the event venue got really lively, and the Kurabiraki started.

The gate of Kidoizumi brewery was finally opened, and Furumai-sake (free sake) was offered and sake tasting activities begun. Sake-related products were likewise sold.

At the tasting counter, at least 10 kinds of sake were provided.

Besides the regular sake products, freshly made sake and ko-shu (aged, matured sake) were given for the tasting.
Many people were drinking numerous types of sake, and comparing differences.

Of course, one can buy the sake there. A lot of people were buying the different sakes they favored.

Gallery Kidoizumi is usually closed on ordinary times, but on that day, the gallery opened as the “Ko-Shu Bar”.

Successive ages of ko-shu were lined up in the room!!

3 kinds of ko-shu with cheese were sold as a set and it costs only 1000 yen each, which is a very special price.

The atmosphere of the room was like a city-styled stand-up bar.

As I cannot drink alcohol, I enjoyed the delicious food!

My favorite was a waffle with cream containing sake lees of “Afs” (their signature sake brand) and cream cheese.
One can also find the sake-manju (steamed bun with sake lees containing sweet red bean paste) and age-manju (deep-flied manju). Both of them are strongly recommended.

Then it became the time for “1000 people toasting”!

Everybody there loved sake and displayed their sense of unity through a joy inspiring toast of celebration.
After a speech by the city mayor, president of the brewery gave a toast!

The event venue became even more lively.

(Chie / Yasuko)