Alberta/Japan Network

Alberta/Japan Network Development (Summer 2012)

2012-08-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

Based on Suggestions from Alberta/Japan Network Development (Summer 2011) and follow up with school and community groups, the Alberta/Japan Network will be one of the networks we plan to work on next summer see FACTSnet Summer Programs 2012. Some of the possibilities are as follows:

Continue working with the Alberta Japan Twinned Municipalities Association at http://www.ajtma.com.
To look for a sister non-profit organization in Japan.
Connect with Albertan's in Japan and people from Japan (or people who have lived in Japan) who are in Alberta.
Work with School Boards, teachers and other educators to develop curriculum resources, especially for Alberta Grade 8 Social Studies.
Take an educational trip to Japan to develop networks, friendships and first-hand curriculum resources. see curriculum links in index for historical places to visit.
Further networking with other organizations, like the Edmonton Japan Community Association, to create more local networks and cultural sharing, visit them at: http://www.ejca.org

Red Brick Bulletin (from Hokkaido)

2011-12-05T09:40:00.001-08:00

To find out about Red Brick Bulletin click on the link below:
http://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tsk/akarenga_eng.htm

Some of the issues that are of specific interest to Albertan's are highlighted below (check the link for the latest issues):

Fall/Winter 2011 - Issue 8 (Pages 1 - 4) (Published 25 November 2011)
Special Feature - Hokkaido/Alberta High School Student Exchange Program
Canadians in Hokkaido - Impressions of Hokkaido/Alberta High School Student Exchange Program 2011 participants from Alberta placed in different regions of Hokkaido

February 2011 - Issue 4
A Town Close to Home - Tokoro (sister city with Barrhead, Alberta, Canada)

December 2010 - Issue 2
Special Feature - Regional Leaders International Forum in Hokkaido held in Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Friendship and Affiliation between Hokkaido and Alberta (Canada)
A Town Close to Home – Shikaoi (sister city with Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada)
Canadians in Hokkaido – Impressions of a Canadian living in Shikaoi (from Calgary)

November 2010 - Issue 1
Special Feature - Introduction of The Red Brick Bulletin
A Prefecture Close to Home – Hokkaido (twinned with the Province of Alberta, Canada)

If you would like to write something for the Red Brick Bulletin, let us know and we will put you in contact with the editor.

Alberta/Japan Network Development (Summer 2011)

2011-10-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

Based on Suggestions from our 2010 Pilot Project on Exchanges with Japan and follow up with school and community groups, the Alberta/Japan Network will be one of the networks students will work on this summer see FACTSnet Summer Jobs 2011. With the Earthquake and Tsunami, we are looking at finding ways Albertans are helping and how schools and community groups can be involved.

Students have examined social media to see how people have helped each other in the wake of the Tsunami. As well, students became Conversation Partners in conjunction with the Hokkaido Teachers of English Program. Topics discussed were, Alberta/Japan Student Life, Japan Disaster Relief, Curriculum Studies, and Parent Involvement in Education.

In 2012, ideas include working with the Alberta Japan Twinned Municipalities Association at http://www.ajtma.com to create more personal works. As well, to perhaps work with the Edmonton Japan Community Association to create more local networks and cultural sharing, visit them at: http://www.ejca.com

HTEP : Hokkaido Teachers of English Program 2011 Conversation

2011-09-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

We welcome you into our conversation with the Hokkaido Teachers of English Program (HTEP).

We will be having four round table discussions:

- Group A: International Tsunami Relief Effort

- Group B: Parent Engagement in Education

How Parents can Aid in the Education System

- Group C: Student Life in Alberta and Japan

- Group D: Learning From One Another

Canada's National Song : "Oh, Canada"

An Introduction to HTEP.

The Hokkaido Teachers of English Program (HTEP) began as an intensive English language and cultural immersion for English teachers in Hokkaido in 2001. The program has developed into two separate cultural exchanges - one in Canada and one in Hokkaido.

The Canadian component is a 4-week program that focuses on 4 key areas:

- English Language Development
- Cultural Experiences
- Second Language Pedagogy
- Professional Development

As part of this program Teachers participate in daily Conversation Groups:

"Participants gather daily with a Canadian to discuss cultural experiences, clarify new vocabulary and practice pronunciation. Each group keeps track of the new concepts that are learned in the previous meeting so that they can be reviewed in future meetings."

For more information visit one of the above links or http://www.htep.ualberta.ca/

Discussion on Alberta Japan Studies

2011-08-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

This discussion originated with HTEP teachers see HTEP : Hokkaido Teachers of English Program 2011 Conversation

Make a comment to this post to continue the discussion.

[Items in square brackets are a summary of the HTEP discussions]

Social Studies and Canadian Studies in Japan:

In Canada we study other countries in order to learn about ourselves and the world. We study some history, geography, economics, sociology and civics to understand what it means to be a good citizen. In Alberta, this is called Social Studies.

Does Japan have a subject like Social Studies? If so, what is studied in this subject area?

[In Japan elementary school children study a subject like Social Studies. In Junior High and High school they study separate subjects like Geography, History, Politics, Philosophy and Economics.]

Do students in Japan ever study about Canada? If so, under which subject and at which grade level? What are they expected to learn about Canada?

[Japanese elementary students study world geography, including Canada. In Junior High, they go into more detail. In High School there are choices in studies, which may include studying Geography, History, Politics and Economics]

Alberta Grade 8 Study of Edo and Meiji Japan:

In Alberta Grade 8 students learn about the Edo and Meiji Periods of Japanese History. (See Learning about each other links in the HTEP post)

Grade 8: Isolation during the Edo period.

As part of the study on Worldviews grade 8 students study the effects of cultural isolation (how the Japanese did not welcome foreigners) during the Edo period, how this changed Japan and how the shogun maintained control.

Do Japanese students study Worldviews? What do they study and in what grade?

[Japanese students study worldview as the study History and other subjects. They do not make a specific study of Worldviews as they mostly learn the facts.]

What do Japanese students study about the Edo period? In what grade(s) do they study this?

Do Japanese students study about how Japan isolated themselves (did not welcome foreigners) during this period?

[Japanese students study about the Edo period at all levels. They study similar content to Alberta grade 8 students, except their studies are more detailed and not connected to studying Worldviews}

Grade 8: Adaption during the Meiji Period.

In Grade 8 students also study the effects of rapid adaptation (suddenly interacting with foreigners) during the Meiji period, how this modernized Japan, why and what the changes were from the Edo period and the challenge to maintain traditional culture.

What do Japanese students study about the Meiji period? In what grade(s) do they study this?

Do Japanese students study about how Japan rapidly adapted to modern ways of doing things brought by interaction with the foreigners during this period?

[Studies of the Meiji Period are similar to the Edo period]

Places to Visit in Japan.

Do Japanese students visit historical places related to the Edo and Meiji periods?

[Elementary students visit places in Hokkaido, Junior High students places in Northern Japan, and most High School students visit Southern Japan especially Koto.]

What are the most important historical places related to the Edo and Meiji periods to visit for Canadian teachers and students to visit. See links in the grade 8 curriculum link.

[There are some places in Hokkaido to visit from that period. The Edo Tokyo Museum was also highly recommended. Also the Kyoto area and perhaps Nagasaki. Places that show the similarities between the aboriginal people of Hokkaido and Alberta would be of most interest.]

Travel And Exchange:

We want to encourage more travel and exchange between Alberta and Japan. Alberta already has an Alberta-Japan Office in Tokyo. It promotes economic exchange. Many cities in Alberta have sister cities in Japan: (See http://www.ajtma.com/news.php). These exchanges promote good will between people.

What could Canadian students and teachers learn by visiting Hokkaido and other parts of Japan? Where should they travel? [See above]

What do you think Japanese students and teachers would like to learn and see if they came to Alberta? (See Visitors to Alberta Link on the HTEP post)

[There was not much time to discuss this but festivals and places that show Alberta’s multicultural heritage would be of most interest].

What else could we learn from visiting each other? [Make a commet to this post to continue the discussion.]

HTEP Group C Student Life in Japan and Alberta:

2011-07-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

Group C: Student Life in Japan and Alberta:

In the 21^st century almost all high school students must continue their education. Some may work or take a year off to decide what they want to study but eventually good jobs and promotions require special training.

1. Is this situation the same in Japan?

Students can continue their education in:

- University

- Technical institute

- Specialized training certificate programs (e.g. hair dressing, massage therapist, day care worker)

Answer

Yes the situation in Alberta and Japan are similar and are mostly the same.

These days students look for programs that offer practical, co-op programs or work experience. Almost all students have to work at a part time job while they are studying. Some continue their studies on a part –time basis after they have reliable employment.

2. Is this situation the same in Japan?

Answer

Japanese students also work part time while in school.

We are students. Johanna goes to university while Nic goes to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). Our lives as students are similar, but also different.

Comparison Chart Between University of Alberta and NAIT

Items	NAIT	University of Alberta
Time of classes	Usually 2 hours	60 minutes or 80minutes or 3 hours
Number of Classes for full time studies	7 classes	4 classes minimum 5 classes maximum a semester
Number of breaks	2 : reading week in February and Christmas break and other holidays	2 : reading week in February and Christmas break and other holidays
Semester length	4 months	4 months
Exam format	Lab exam and/or theory exam	Written essay style
Mid terms	0-2. More important courses may have a lab and theory exam.	1-2 depending on course written style
Lecture style	Hands on demonstrations, written notes, interaction with teacher	Power points, talking, iclicker, videos
Number of days at school	5 days a week	Varies per semester (2-3 days a week of classes, 5 days for studying, writing papers)
Time spent traveling to school	Less than an hour both ways	2 hours each day
Time spent in school	25 hours per week	15 hours per a week
Time spent eating lunch	30 minutes during either a lunch break or a spare	I ate in class or after class usually 15 minutes or less
Time spent walking to class	10 minutes a day	30 minutes a day
Time spent reading	1 hour a week	15 hours a week
Time spent working on projects/ essays for class	20-25 hours a week	15 hours a week
Time spent researching	n/a	15 hours per an assignment
Time spent studying for mid term exams	0.5-3 hours per exam	3-5 hours per exam
Time spent studying for finals	0.5-3 hours per exam x ?? exams	48 hours for all 5 exams
Time spent doing my hobby	10-20 hours per week	3-6 hours per a week
Time spent sleeping	6-8 hours a day	6-8 hours a day

3. What kind of experiences did you have when you went to University? What clubs were you involved in? What classes did you take?

Answer

Most people in Japan have a similar University experience to here however they have more courses and go to school 5 days a week. Also there are clubs in University like skiing, music,

In the USA most college students leave home to study and live in the residence of the University. In Canada most students live at home while they are studying, unless they come from a small town. Of course, these students must either live in University residence like Lister Hall or find an apartment nearby.

4. Is this situation the same in Japan?

Answer

In Japan some students live at home if the University is close to where they live others live in residence if the university they go to is far from their home.

Canadians are becoming more and more health conscious. We try to eat nourishing food. We also eat special dishes on special occasions

5. What kind of food do you eat for breakfast, lunch, and supper?

Answer

For Breakfast Japanese people traditionally have misou soup, rice and vegetables, now this is changing as some only have a banana for breakfast. For Lunch the school usually provides a lunch through a cater and the students serve their classmates lunch. For Supper many Japanese are now starting to eat out as they do not have time to cook or go home and eat.

5. What kind of food do you eat on special occasions? What holidays or festivals do you celebrate?

Answer

Japanese people celebrate many festivals a few that are in Hokkaido include the Sapporo ice festival in February and the Hokodate fire works festival in the summer.

Life is becoming more and more hectic. We are told that we must find balance in our lives. This means having hobbies, going out with friends and working out.

7. What do you do when you are not working?

Life in the 21^st century is driven by technology. Young people use twitter, facebook, and other social media on a regular basis. Using computers is a necessity. So are cell phones.

8. How is technology used in your daily life in Japan?

For more information see Student Life in Alberta and Japan links in HTEP post on http://abssgr8.blogspot.com and/or email pacinet@gmail.com

Other Tsunami Relief Efforts

2011-07-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Alberta Aids Japan

Graduate Students at UofA create Hope
Cranes for Hope
Alberta Japanese Teachers' Association
Alberta Gov't donates $5,000,000 for Tsunami Relief

Alberta/Japan Municipal Twining

2011-07-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

As of December 2010

Canadian municipal / Province / Japanese municipal / Prefecture / Twinning date

Jasper / AB / Hakone / Kanagawa / July 4, 1972
Banff / AB / Unzen / Nagasaki / May 19, 1976
Taber / AB / Higashiomi / Shiga / March 27, 1981
Rocky Mountain House / AB / Kamikawa / Hokkaido / June 21, 1984
Stony Plain / AB / Shikaoi / Hokkaido / August 26, 1985
Camrose / AB / Kamifurano / Hokkaido / September 5, 1985
Lacombe / AB / Rikubetsu / Hokkaido / July 5, 1986
Slave Lake / AB / Kamishihoro / Hokkaido / February 1988
Canmore / AB / Higashikawa / Hokkaido / July 12, 1989
Stettler / AB / Okoppe / Hokkaido / June 26, 1990
Wetaskiwin / AB / Ashoro / Hokkaido / September 15, 1990
Barrhead / AB / Kitami / Hokkaido / July 4, 1991
Hanna / AB / Wake / Okayama / March 21, 1993
Hinton / AB / Wanouchi / Gifu / August 21, 1998

Gibbons / AB / Daigo / Ibaraki / September 2, 1998

Devon / AB / Motosu / Gifu / April 4, 2003
Lethbridge / AB / Haebaru / Okinawa / June 30, 2003
Didsbury / AB / Miki / Kagawa / April 28, 2009

- List Courtesy of Dr. Olenka Bilash, Professor, Department of Secondary Education, University of Alberta

Also see Other/Hokkaido Municipal Twining
and Canada/Japan Municipal Twining

Other/ Hokkaido Municipal Twining

2011-07-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

As of December 2010

Canadian municipal / Province / Japanese municipal / Prefecture / Twinning date

AB: Alberta, BC: British Columbia, MB: Manitoba, ON: Ontario, QC: Québec, PE: Prince Edward Island, YT: Yukon

Burnaby / BC / Kushiro Hokkaido / September 9, 1965
Lindsay / ON / Nayoro / Hokkaido / August 1, 1969
Penticton / BC / Ikeda / Hokkaido / May 19, 1977
Sparwood / BC / Kamisunagawa / Hokkaido / September 23, 1980
Quesnel / BC / Shiraoi / Hokkaido / July 13, 1981
Halifax / NS / Hakodate / Hokkaido / November 25, 1982
Campbell River / BC / Ishikari / Hokkaido / October 24, 1983
Port Alberni / BC / Abashiri / Hokkaido / February 9, 1986
Castlegar / BC / Enbetsu / Hokkaido / June 21, 1989
Lake Cowichan / BC / Date / Hokkaido / October 8, 1989
Charlottetown / PE / Ashibetsu / Hokkaido / July 1, 1993
Ashcroft / BC / Bifuka / Hokkaido / July 23, 1994
Port Hardy / BC / Numata / Hokkaido / September 3, 1994
Summerland / BC / Toyokoro / Hokkaido / June 11, 1996
Abbotsford / BC / Fukagawa / Hokkaido / September 14, 1998
Kenora / ON / Shimokawa / Hokkaido / February 16, 2001

- List Courtesy of Dr. Olenka Bilash, Professor, Department of Secondary Education, University of Alberta

Also see Alberta/Japan Municipal Twining

Canada/Japan Municipal Twining

2011-07-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

As of December 2010

Canadian municipal / Province / Japanese municipal / Prefecture / Twinning date

AB: Alberta, BC: British Columbia, MB: Manitoba, ON: Ontario, QC: Québec, PE: Prince Edward Island, YT: Yukon

New Westminster / BC / Moriguchi / Osaka / April 10, 1963
Vancouver / BC / Yokohama / Kanagawa / July 1, 1965
Hamilton (Dundas) / ON / Kaga / Ishikawa / March 21, 1968
Prince Rupert / BC / Owase / Mie / September 26, 1968
North Vancouver / BC / Chiba / Chiba / January 1, 1970
Winnipeg / MB / Setagaya / Tokyo / October 5, 1970
Richmond / BC / Wakayama / Wakayama / March 31, 1973
Hamilton / ON / Fukuyama / Hiroshima / October 4, 1976
Kelowna / BC / Kasugai / Aichi / February 5, 1981
Mississauga / ON / Kariya / Aichi / July 7, 1981
Timmins / ON / Naoshima / Kagawa / August 28, 1981
Collingwood / ON / Katano / Osaka / November 3, 1981
Oakville / ON / Neyagawa / Osaka / April 6, 1984
Whitehorse / YT / Ushiku / Ibaraki / April 19, 1985
Victoria / BC / Morioka / Iwate / May 23, 1985
Vernon / BC / Tome / Miyagi / August 22, 1986
Nelson / BC / Izu / Shizuoka / May 1, 1987
Windsor / ON / Fujisawa / Kanagawa / December 2, 1987
Oliver / BC / Bandai / Fukushima / April 23, 1988
Surrey / BC / Koto / Tokyo / April 20, 1989
Burlington / ON / Itabashi / Tokyo / May 12, 1989
Salmon Arm / BC / Inashiki / Ibaraki / April 11, 1990
Kamloops / BC / Uji / Kyoto / July 1, 1990
Trail / BC / Sagamihara / Kanagawa / April 15, 1991
Toronto (Scarborough) / ON / Sagamihara / Kanagawa / May 31,1991
Vaughan / ON / Sanjo / Niigata / October 18, 1993
Hope / BC / Izu / Shizuoka / August 1, 1995
Minnedosa / MB / Ishii / Tokushima / August 1996
Nanaimo / BC / Saitama / Saitama / September 25, 1996
Mission / BC / Oyama / Shizuoka / October 7, 1996
St-Valentin / QC / Misaku / Okayama / October 24, 1997
Montreal / QC / Hiroshima / Hiroshima / May 20, 1998
Whistler / BC / Karuizawa / Nagano / March 3, 1999
Colwood / BC / Shika / Ishikawa / May 11,1999
Crowsnest Pass / AB / Anpachi / Gifu / April 25, 2000
Perth / ON / Asago / Hyogo / July 5, 2000
Squamish / BC / Shimizu / Shizuoka / November 3, 2003
Kimberley / BC / Annaka / Gunma / December 16, 2005
Thunder Bay / ON / Gifu / Gifu / May 2007
Sidney / BC / Niimi / Okayama / June 30, 2008

- List Courtesy of Dr. Olenka Bilash, Professor, Department of Secondary Education, University of Alberta

Also see Alberta/Japan Municipal Twining

Parkland Schools Show Their Support for Japan

2011-06-11T14:26:00.001-07:00

The Stony Plain Reporter in the last month has written two excellent articles regarding the compassion and generosity of students in Parkland County assisting in the Japanese relief effort.

The first article:
Demonstrates the perseverance of over 30 students who hosted a wake-a-thon at Greystone Centennial Middle School, which raised over $4,500 for the Red Cross Japanese Relief Fund.

The second article:
Is another initiative starting from High Park School, and extending to: Duffield School, Parkland Village School, The Stony Plain Connection for Learning, Central Elementary School in Whitecourt, and Ecole St. Paul's in Fort McMurray, were selling Japanese inspired headbands.

:The headbands were sold for $10, and $7.50 from each headband sold was donated to the Canadian Red Cross' Japanese Earthquake/Asia-Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund.

Other Albertan Schools which have helped raise money for the Relief effort:

Vermillion and Clandonald
Sherwood Park
Vauxhall
Red Deer

Curriculum Index

2011-06-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

Story Index Post

2011-06-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Archived Regions of Japan

2011-06-10T02:22:00.000-07:00

Regions of Japan Index

Story Index Post

2011-06-10T01:17:00.000-07:00

• The Story of Mika Takana

• Story of How Facebook Posting Outfits Two Baseball Teams

Helping Japan - Pray and Give

2011-06-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

With so many problems that affect us locally it is often hard to be help others. The Stony Plain Alliance Church, however, has indicated two ways you can help:

"PRAY – The needs are overwhelming. Where do you start? “How to Pray When Disaster Strikes” [and]
GIVE – There are many organizations that will be helping in the relief effort. Who can you trust? Who will use the money for its intended purpose? There are many reputable organizations that will be helping in the relief effort, including our own denomination."

http://sites.advancedministry.com/index.cfm?i=3279&mid=1000&id=338376

Other Prayer Requests

2011-05-24T20:08:00.001-07:00

Overwhelmed…[After one month]

Day after day, as we see and hear new reports from public media and from those travelling north, we continue to be overwhelmed by the extent of the destruction and loss caused by the tsunami.

CRASH director Jonathan Wilson, returning after a trip to visit the base camps, said that they drove all one day and never left the disaster zone.

Complete Prayer List

2011-05-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

At 2:46 PM local time, March 11, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck Japan off the eastern coast of Miyagi Prefecture. This is the largest recorded earthquake ever to have struck Japan, and one of the five largest recorded earthquakes in the world.

HARD-HIT AREAS:

In many coastal cities, the ground sank as a result of the earthquake. Because of this, these cities experience floods of several feet twice a day at high tide. Many of these people are financially unable to move away from these areas. Pray for those whose lives and homes are being damaged by these floods. (5/11)
Weeks after the earthquake, heavy aftershocks and other unrelated earthquakes are still being felt throughout Japan, with no way of knowing how long these earthquakes will continue. Some experts have said that there could be strong aftershocks of up to magnitude level 8 for six months. Please pray that the earthquakes will cease.
Pray also for the buildings that survived the initial shock, but are being hammered by the aftershocks. Many buildings still stand, but were weakened, and because of this strong aftershocks are very dangerous.
The devastation from the initial earthquake was compounded by heavy tsunami that hammered the east coast. Some towns were entirely obliterated by the tsunami. With the threat of strong aftershocks, the threat of tsunami still loom. Praise God that these tsunami have ceased for the time being. Please pray that the affected areas remain safe from further tsunami.
Due to the seismic activity, the ground level in much of coastal Japan actually sank, so sea water that came in during the tsunami is not receding. This is hampering relief efforts. Please pray that relief teams will be able to work safely in these areas.
Pray also for cities such as Uruyasu in Chiba Prefecture, in which sinking land has put many buildings in a precarious situation.
In the wake of the earthquake, fires raged throughout affected areas. Pray for the victims of these fires and those who have lost their homes.
Many of those reported missing have not been found, and it is likely that there are many bodies that may never be found, having been swept out to sea. Pray for those who have still heard no word on their loved ones.
Casualty reports are still coming in. Over 14,949 bodies have been found, and over 9,880 people remain unaccounted for. It is estimated that the death toll could exceed 15,000 in Miyagi prefecture alone. Pray for those who have lost their loved ones in this disaster. (5/11)
5,279 people were injured in the earthquake, 124 severely. Please pray for continued healing for the injured. (5/11)
Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the coastal areas and the area around the Fukushima nuclear power plants. As physical needs are starting to be fulfilled, many of those living in shelters are starting to become accustomed to life there. One of the main challenges, however, is figuring out a long-term solution for these communities. Please pray for them, and all who are having to stay in public shelters.
Pray for those who are have taken refuge in unofficial shelters. The government and official relief teams do not know about these places to send help. Pray that they can get word out to relief teams and receive the help they need.
The future is uncertain and grim for those who have lost everything in this disaster. Pray for hope.
Pray for the injured and the elderly. Many who were already weak before this disaster occurred are finding the stress more than they can handle. Several have died due to the stress alone, and more are dying in shelters because of the shortages. Please pray for continued healing and proper care for this very vulnerable segment of the population.
Pray for medical and hospice workers who were unable to rescue all of the people under their care. Many of them are struggling with intense feelings of guilt. Pray for God's comfort for them.
Pray for the restoration of municipal offices and the recovery of the government; many officials are still missing, and many buildings were destroyed in the disaster. Many important records have also been lost in this disaster. Pray for the restoration of order.
30 out of 33 designated disaster hospitals are now capable of accepting patients, but overall 20% of hospitals and clinics in the disaster zone are still closed. Please pray for the continued restoration of medical services.
Pray for those whose homes are still without electricity or running water.
Pray for SDF forces and other relief workers who have worked so hard in the past few weeks, and seen horrors that no one could be prepared for. Pray for them as they deal with the emotional impact of having to respond to a disaster of this magnitude.
Many different areas affected by the disaster have different needs, and needs are constantly changing. This leads to confusion with the delivery of supplies. Pray for accurate communication of needs.
Suicide has been a very serious problem in Japan for years, and with the added horror of this disaster and all its repercussions, many more people in the months and years to come may attempt to end their own lives. Pray for these people, that God would intervene and give them hope.
Strong aftershocks over magnitude seven are still hitting, and with them come the risk of landslides and house fires, in addition to building collapse and tsunami. Please pray for God’s mercy and protection from strong aftershocks.
Debris is a problem for those trying to rebuild their lives. Many ports are clogged with debris, and in the disaster zone, debris and rotting material are contaminating the air with bacteria and terrible smells. Debris carried out to see will also present difficulties for other countries bording the Pacific Ocean in the months to come. Please pray for the speedy, safe removal of debris, and for the restoration and rebuilding efforts of those in affected areas.
Much farmland has been rendered unusable by saltwater. Pray for farmers as they begin the procedures necessary to clean their ground and resume planting.

NUCLEAR CRISIS

The Nuclear Crisis in Fukushima has, as of Tuesday, April 12th, been raised a Level 7 on the international scale of 1 to 7. Pray for wisdom and strength for those who are struggling to get this situation under control, and for the workers who are risking their lives to prevent this situation from worsening.
Elevated radiation levels have been detected as far away as Tokyo. To constitute a health risk, these level would have to be hundreds of times higher than they currently are. The Japanese government is taking appropriate measures to protect its people. Please pray for people to be calm and to refrain from overreacting in fear.
Pray for the young and the unborn. Very young children and babies are at the greatest risk of long-term damage from radiation exposure. Pray that levels will remain low enough not to cause lasting damage for the children.
Elevated radiation levels have been detected in tap water, vegetables, and milk coming from Fukushima and the surrounding prefectures. The government of Japan has ordered food shipments from these areas to be stopped. The ban on milk has been lifted from 25 municipalities in Fukushima, but in 11 areas the ban is still in place. Please pray for the agricultural industry of northern Japan.
Pray also for the weather. With radiation being diffused into the air, wind or rain could carry it into populated areas and expose people. Pray that any wind will carry radiation out to sea rather than into populated areas.
A leak in the first week of April resulted in thousands of gallons of contaminated water being poured into the sea. On April 6, the leak was reportedly plugged. However, cesium beyond the legal limit has been detected in small fish caught off the coast of Ibaraki. Please pray for Japan’s fishing industry.
As the crisis drags on, experts are predicting that it may take years to resolve the situation. Pray for strength and wisdom.
As of April 11th, residents within the 30 km radius have been informed that they need to evacuate within the month due to the long-term effects of the radiation. Those whose homes are within the 20 km radius are still stuck in evacuation centers, uncertain when or if they will be able to return home. Pray for everyone who is being affected by the fear and uncertainty of this situation.
As of April 22nd, the 20 km radius was sealed. Many people will not be able to return to their homes for a very long time. Pray for them to find a place to stay and to be able to deal with the loss of their property and family homes, farms, and businesses.
Radioactive water is currently being stored, and TEPCO hopes to have a facility to decontaminate the water operational by June. Please pray about the contaminated water from the plants, that there will be no more leaks, and that it can be swiftly decontaminated.

IMPACT ON JAPAN:

Public transit systems in Tokyo and the surrounding areas are taxed to the limit by this disaster, and the transportation companies are no longer confident that the infrastructure can handle rush hour traffic. Please pray that this transportation situation can be resolved.
Pray for the Christians of Japan, that we would be able to mobilize relief efforts and provide for people's needs, both physical and spiritual. Pray also for the impact this is having on regular ministries, that Christians would be able to help their neighbors to remain calm, and that we would be able to provide comfort for the grieving.
Pray for the Japanese economy, for which the outlook was grim even before this disaster. Since the earthquake, massive losses have been posted, and there is no telling what impact this disaster will have on the economy for the long term.
Many University graduates who had been promised jobs beginning in April are without work because of damaged or completely destroyed companies. In addition to the many other struggles, there are many who are without work now and for the future. Many people’s jobs have also been put in jeopardy by the current crisis. Pray for the unemployed of Japan.
Pray for Japanese food service companies and farmers, who are finding domestic and international customers reluctant to buy food from Japan out of fear of radiation contamination, regardless of whether they are from affected areas.
Pray for Japanese companies whose production is severely affected by rolling blackouts. Experts estimate that from the damage to factories and the blackouts affecting undamaged factories, Japan’s total industrial production has decreased by 25%.
Pray for the South Korean economy and other related economies as well. South Korea’s economy is heavily interconnected with Japan’s, and it is estimated that this disaster and its influence will adversely affect South Korea in the months to come.
Schools across Japan are starting the new school year, but for many, they have to plan around exams that students were unable to take, records that have been lost, and school buildings that have been ruined or are being used as evacuation centers. Pray for the educators and students of Japan.
Pray for the tourist industry of Japan. With the current nuclear crisis, nobody wants to come to Japan, and areas that have been economically fueled by tourism are going to suffer heavily.

PRAY FOR THE JAPANESE CHURCH

Until this catastrophe, the Japanese church has been hampered by strong denominational division and legalism. Since March 11th, we have seen the church here in Japan drawing together as one to respond. Pray that this unity will continue long after the crisis has passed.
Pray for God to call Japanese Christians into ministry.
Pray for the Japanese church to persevere. This is a situation that will not be over for a very long time, so pray that Japanese Christians will partner with the needy through every step on the road to recovery.
Pray for willing hearts among the Japanese, and for Christians to have the boldness to pursue witnessing opportunities.
Pray for God to provide the resources for Christians to reach out to those who are in need. Pray for compassionate hearts that actively pursue opportunities to help others.
Pray for the Japanese church to focus on creating disciples. At this time, many Japanese are open to the gospel and may make a decision to follow Christ, but the danger is that Christians may focus on conversions, then leave new converts on their own without focusing on any further spiritual development.
Pray for Japanese pastors, who often have to balance tradition and the approval of the congregation, and have little energy left to focus on God’s guidance for their churches. Pray for them to be bold in serving God rather than man.
Pray for Japanese Christians on the fringes who do not attend church or regularly interact with other believers, that God will bring them back into unity and discipleship, so that they can grow in Him and become a powerful force in spreading His love to their friends and neighbors.

PRAY FOR LOVE ON JAPAN | CRASH QUAKE RELIEF

On Friday, April 1, CRASH hosted a meeting at Aomori University for Japanese churches to learn about CRASH, in the hopes that we can partner largely with the Japanese church in serving the people of Japan. Please pray that the people who came to this meeting will be able to motivate their churches to do everything possible to help and to spread God’s fame throughout Japan.
Samaritan’s Purse has donated 93 tons of supplies, to be distributed via CRASH’s volunteer network. Pray for CRASH Japan’s teams, that they would be able to distribute the supplies safely, and that they would bless the people receiving them, both physically and spiritually. Pray also for God to continue to supply for the needs of the suffering, and that CRASH Japan workers will have the strength and resources to distribute.
CRASH has now established five base camps in four prefectures. These base camps will be used by teams from all over Japan to minister to those in heavily affected areas. Pray for the staff at these base camps, that they would have strength and wisdom, and that through these camps God will work in Japan to bring His hope and salvation.
Pray for relief teams that are on the ground, assessing needs in disaster-struck areas, and providing supplies to evacuees. Pray for their safety and maximum effectiveness in providing relief for the suffering.
Pray for CRASH Japan to be able to set up an effective, organized infrastructure. Many of CRASH’s workers are volunteers. Pray for these volunteers and for those organizing them, that the teams would work well together and that God would bless our efforts to bring relief and hope to the people of Japan.
Pray for supplies, especially gasoline.
Pray for salvation and hope for the people of Japan, and pray that Love on Japan can do its utmost to spread hope and the love of Christ in this difficult time.
Pray for stamina for all those working relief; for enough rest, for emotional fortitude, and unshakable faith.
Pray for those of us at the CRASH HQ to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, not losing sight of Him, His glory, and His sovereignty.

PRAISES

On Saturday, April 16th, shipping was resumed at the seaport in Sendai. Praise God for this progress in the restorative process, and pray that healing continues.
Praise God for his continued provision and protection for the hundreds of thousands of people in Japan who have been touched by this tragedy. As bad as this is, we acknowledge that things could have been much worse, so we praise God that so many have survived, and that so many are safe.
The news focuses on the many, many horrible things that have happened in this tragedy, and we are heartbroken, but we praise God for the amazing stories of survival and reunion that have been coming out of Tohoku since the day of the disaster. The lives of many have been spared, and as people continue to be reunited with loved ones for whom they feared the worst, we praise God for even the smallest of blessings.
We praise God for the love and support that has poured in from all over the world since this nightmare began. Truly, God is blessing Japan through His people all over the world, and we are humbled, touched, and overwhelmed by the love we have been shown.
We praise God for the organization and fortitude of our friends and neighbors. The Japanese people are bearing this tragedy with impressive discipline and sacrifice, and we praise God for the respectfulness and mutual concern native to this culture which has led the people of Japan to act with swiftness and dedication to help their countrymen.
God is bringing people together from all over the world to help Japan, both with her physical needs, and her spiritual needs. God is on the move in Japan.
The wind is helping to minimize airborne exposure since the earthquake, as winds from the northwest have blown many emissions from the plant out to sea.
On April 6, TEPCO was able to stop a leak that was pouring large amounts of contaminated water into the sea. Praise God for this success, and pray that no further leaks will occur.
Many of the places experiencing shortages have had their needs supplied, and gasoline shortages are no longer a problem. Praise God for his provision, and continue to pray for those who are still without homes and supplies.(5/11)

Last updated: 5/11

PowerPoint 1

2011-05-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Days in Prayer

2011-05-19T16:10:00.001-07:00

Prayer For Japan

2011-05-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

Days in Prayer

School/Community Projects

2011-05-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

West Edmonton/ Spruce Grove

Stony Plain Central
High Park See "Bandanas for Japan"

Videos for Japan

2011-05-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

Justin Bieber Video
Pray for Japan Video
CBS Response Video

Public Duty Before Personal Worries

2011-05-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

For some, the well-trained response by this quake-prone land was something to be proud of in a weekend of humbling setbacks. Even before the government mobilized Japan's Self-Defense Forces, local groups such as volunteer firefighters were hard at work. Riot police managed the Shimo Yahagi school morgue, and police from Osaka 450 miles away, worked in Rikuzentakata itself — many volunteers were putting public duty before personal worries.

On an approach road to the city, Kenichi Onodera was waving a flag to control traffic amid aftershocks and additional tsunami warnings Sunday.

"My relatives live near the sea, and I really want to look for them, but I have to serve here," said Onodera, 51, a volunteer firefighter who works at a chicken farm.

He worried about residents who had moved to appointed evacuation zones, which are common in Japan, soon after the first tsunami alert. Later came calls to move to even higher ground, but for many they came too late.

"The tsunami was too big, it washed out those evacuation centers with the people," Onodera said.

"My legs were shaking when I saw the aftermath" of the tsunami, he said, "but we must keep on living. People will return to live here again."

Kawai Saiichi, 58, said he was driving his forklift truck, moving crates of sake bottles in the warehouse of Rikuzentakata's Drunken Immortals sake brewery, when his cellphone buzzed with an earthquake warning. At the very same time, bottles of the Japanese rice wine and roof tiles were crashing to the ground.

"It seemed like I was riding on a wave," he said.

He ran to his car and drove 12 miles to rescue his 90-year-old mother. He got her into the car and as they were driving to an emergency shelter they stopped on a hilltop road above the city. There they watched aghast as the tsunami claimed their town.

"There's a 20-foot breaker wall, but the tsunami came 6 feet over it," Saiichi said.

As a community leader responsible for 80 households, he went door-to-door to alert mostly elderly residents and to drive several of them to the shelter.

"We have earthquake drills, and we know what to do," Saiichi said. His own future is less certain: "I don't have a house, any money, and all my assets. All I have is what I'm wearing now — and my car."

Personal Stories

As enormous as the disaster looked on TV, the tragedy can be broken down to thousands of more poignant stories. In Rikuzentakata, Etsuko Koyama escaped the water rushing through the third floor of her home, but lost her grip on her young daughter's hand and has not found her.

"I haven't given up hope yet," Koyama told public broadcaster NHK, wiping tears from her eyes. "I saved myself, but I couldn't save my daughter."

Ayumi Osuga, 24, said she had been practicing origami, the Japanese art of folding paper into figures, with her three children when the quake stuck. She gathered her children — age 2 to 6 — and fled to higher ground with her husband. They spent the night in a hilltop home belonging to relatives.

"I have come to realize what is important in life," Osuga said, flicking ashes from a cigarette onto the rubble at her feet as a giant column of black smoke billowed in the distance.

As night fell and temperatures dropped to freezing in Sendai, people who had slept under overpasses or in offices the past two nights gathered for warmth in community centers, schools and City Hall.

At a large refinery on the outskirts of the city, 100-foot-high bright orange flames rose in the air, spitting out dark plumes of smoke. The facility has been burning since Friday. A gaseous stench hung in the air.

In the small nearby town of Tagajo, dazed residents said the water surged in and quickly rose higher than the first floor of buildings. At Sengen General Hospital, the staff worked to haul bedridden patients up the stairs one at a time. With the halls now dark, those who can leave have gone to the local community center.

"There is still no water or power, and we've got some very sick people in here," hospital official Ikuro Matsumoto said.

It took Shinichirou Uto 24 hours to drive from Tokyo to survey the damage at a wrecked Lawson convenience store in Rikuzentakata. Founded in Ohio, the franchise chain is tackling blackouts in 1,300 stores, said Uto, Lawson's director of construction planning.

"We don't know yet if we will rebuild, but we are gathering donations at other stores, and providing water,"

News Story

Japan Tsunami Survivors Found

2011-05-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

Elderly woman and teenage grandson found alive among ruins of their home in Ishinomaki

Nine days after they were believed killed by the tsunami, an elderly woman and her teenage grandson were found alive in the rubble of their home in north-east Japan on Sunday. The 80-year-old and the boy survived by eating yoghurt and other scraps of food salvaged from a refrigerator after being trapped in Ishinomaki, one of the worst-hit coastal cities.

They were found by police when 16-year-old Jin Abe called for help from the roof of their residence. He had been trapped for a week and finally managed to pull himself through a hole in the debris and alert rescue workers.

His grandmother, Sumi Abe, was unable to free herself because her legs were caught under furniture. When she was found, she was shaking and had a low temperature, but was conscious and able to answer questions coherently. Jin had lost feeling in one of his legs and showed symptoms of hypothermia. The survivors have endured a snowstorm and freezing temperatures without electricity or heating.

Amid widespread jubilation, the national broadcaster NHK ran images of a helicopter winching the survivors out of danger in a yellow harness. They are both now receiving medical treatment in the Ishinomaki Red Cross hospital.

"I always believed he was alive," Jin's father told reporters.

The astonishing rescue has given a much-needed boost to emergency workers amid a grim and growing death toll from Japan's deadliest disaster since the second world war. The casualty list stands at 8,277 dead and 12,722 missing and the figures are rising daily.

The situation at the evacuation shelters – where more than 400,000 homeless people have sought refuge – has improved, but it remains inadequate and vastly different from place to place.

At Ishinomaki, the situation remains tough. "Some of us are still just eating one meal a day," said Yoshinori Sato, the secretary of the municipal press office. "Assistance is coming, but it is two or three days behind other areas."

Further up the coast, however, the town of Onnagawa, which was flattened by the tsunami, is receiving more than adequate aid.

“We have enough food and blankets and a surplus of kerosene for heating," said Hironori Suzuki, the chief of the planning department. "The priority now is baths. People have been in shelters for 10 days without proper sanitation. Baths would make a big difference."

Similar views were expressed at the local hospital, where the office manager Toshihiko Abe said the emergency medical needs have largely been met.

"We probably have all we need in terms of material goods. Now the next stage is to rebuild infrastructure and to address the psychological needs of the displaced people, They have lost their homes and their histories, which leads to anxiety. This is something we need to address," he said.

New elemental challenges continue to plague the recovery effort. The sea returned to the streets of northern Japan on Sunday, although this time it was a creeping high tide rather than a surging tsunami that caused the damage. Homes and roads were flooded by the rising waters, which bubbled up through sewers and drains. Cars and trucks had to turn back from inundated routes in Ishinomaki and Samada. Locals, whose homes had survived the seismic disaster, were faced with a fresh crisis as the waters flooded through their property.

While the high tide posed no immediate threat to life, it could prove a longer term worry because it shows how the coastline has been permanently and dramatically shifted by last week's massive, magnitude nine earthquake.

"It's just one thing after another, but there is nothing we can do. The earthquake drove the coastline down by 75 centimetres and today is the high tide so we cannot stop the water," said Yoshinori Abe as he splashed through the flooded streets.

News Story

Disaster in Japan: Man is rescued 10 miles out to sea

2011-05-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

This is the remarkable moment a tsunami survivor was rescued from the roof of his house - which had been swept 10 miles out to sea.

Terrified Hiromitsu Shinkawa, 60, spent two days adrift in the ocean after monstrous waves engulfed the town where he lived. He tried desperately to attract the attention of helicopters and passing ships - but nobody saw him.

Rescuers eventually spotted him clinging to a piece of roof from his destroyed two-bedroom home, waving a home-made red flag. He was plucked to safety yesterday by Japan's maritime self-defense force and quickly hugged his rescuers. The retired construction worker was taken to hospital and later gave medics a dramatic account of his miraculous rescue.

Hiromitsu, from the devastated town of Minamisoma, said: "I ran away after learning that the tsunami was coming. But I turned back to pick up something at home and was washed away. I was rescued while I was hanging to the roof from my house. I was saved by holding on to the roof, but my wife was swept away." When handed a bottle of water, Hiromitsu drank it before bursting into tears.

He told medics: "No helicopters or boats that came nearby noticed me. I thought today was the last day of my life."

His dramatic rescue was a rare glimpse of good news following Friday's mammoth quake.

News story

Miracles in Japan: Four-Month-Old Baby Found Alive

2011-05-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

Amid the silent corpses a baby cried out—and Japan met its tiniest miracle.

On March 14, soldiers from Japan's Self-Defense Forces went door to door in Ishinomaki, a coastal town northeast of Senda, pulling bodies from homes that had been flattened by the earthquake and tsunami. More accustomed to hearing the crunching of rubble and the sloshing of mud than sounds of life, they dismissed the baby's cry as a mistake. Until they heard it again.

They made their way to a pile of debris and carefully removed fragments of wood and slate, shattered glass and rock. And then they saw her: a 4-month-old baby girl in a pink woolen bear suit.

A tidal wave literally swept the baby from her parents' arms when it hit their home on March 11. Afterward, her parents — both of whom survived the disaster — took refuge in their wrecked house, worried that their little girl was dead. Soldiers managed to reunite the baby with her overjoyed father shortly after the rescue.

"Her discovery has put a new energy into the search," a civil defense official told a local news crew. "We will listen, look and dig with even more diligence after this."

Ahead of the baby's rescue, officials reported finding at least 2,000 bodies washed up on the shoreline of Miyagi prefecture. How the child survived drowning — or being crushed by fallen trees and houses — remains a mystery.

In a nation short on good news, other rescues have buoyed morale too. In Iwate prefecture, a devastating tidal wave swept away an elderly woman along with her house — but it didn't extinguish her will to live. Rescuers found the 70-year-old alive inside her home on March 15, four days after the wave wiped out much of the region.

Osaka fire department spokesman Yuko Kotani told the Associated Press that the woman is receiving treatment at a local hospital. She is conscious but suffering from hypothermia.

News story

Operation Safe: Healing for Tohoku’s Children

2011-05-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Tokyo, Japan- March 25, 2011 – After a traumatic experience like the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, anxiety disorders that create prolonged psychological trauma can become common among survivors, especially children. Symptoms of these anxiety disorders, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), include re-experiencing, avoidance and hyper emotional arousal. For children, these symptoms can also include fear of separation from loved ones, anger or aggression and re-enactments of the trauma experience through play.

CRASH Japan is establishing Operation SAFE – a child-friendly space for children to come and begin the healing process. Crafts, songs, stories and games are made available and used by experienced Christian volunteers who help the children deal with the difficult emotions they are facing through Operation SAFE’s five important principles, including “I am Not Alone,” “Be Strong and Courageous” and “You are Loved.”

“These campgrounds are an oasis of peace and shelter,” said CRASH Japan director and founder of

Operation SAFE, Jonathan Wilson. “In these child-friendly spaces, children can receive child-appropriate trauma care through the Operation SAFE program.”

CRASH Japan is currently in discussion with other child-focused relief teams to implement Operation SAFE throughout the Tohoku area to bring hope and healing to Japan’s children. For more information about Operation SAFE, please visit opsafeintl.com

Operation Safe

Facebook Posting Outfits Two Baseball Teams

2011-05-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

by David Sedlacek

On March 11, 2011, 25 of the 30 members of a Little League baseball team in Onagawa, Japan lost their homes to the tsunami. But not only their homes―their baseball equipment was washed away as well.

In the nearby town of Rifu, a friend of one of the team's baseball coaches called Oasis Chapel for help. Could the church replace the team's baseball bats and gloves? Pastor Makito Matsuda posted the need on Facebook.

Pastor Matsuda had a new Facebook friend―CRASH volunteer Yoshi Ehara, who had worked out the arrangements to lease Camp Morigo from Oasis Chapel to serve as CRASH's Sendai area base.

Ehara saw the need posted for baseball equipment, and emailed me to ask if we could do something about it. The CRASH Logistics Department was extremely busy―coordinating container shipments of relief supplies, arranging vehicle rentals, obtaining a warehouse, etc.―but this was a specific request we definitely wanted to do something about.

We started looking around Tokyo for baseball equipment to supply two baseball teams. Soon we found a sports outlet that was willing to give a huge discount on the basic supplies―10 bats, 50 balls, three large boxes of gloves, even all the catcher’s needs. But not only that... they donated additional equipment that they would ship up later for free.

So on Thursday, April 14, we loaded five boxes of baseball equipment into my car to take to Sendai. When we arrived at Camp Morigo, we met Pastor Matsuda and passed the equipment on to him. I chose to add a special personal gift for the coach―my 2010 World Series edition Texas Rangers hat. With that, our job was done. We had worked through the Church in Tohoku to bring help and hope to the people of Tohoku.

Two days later, on April 16, the coach of the Little League team in Onagawa came to Oasis Chapel to receive the equipment. He had only asked for gloves and bats, but was delighted to get far more than he had imagined.

The coach believes these children who lost so much will benefit from being able to play baseball again. What provision, that a church in their neighborhood could bring them this joy!

Facebook Posting Outfits Two Baseball Teams

Story of Mika Takana

2011-05-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Mika Takana was cooking in her second-floor Sendai apartment when the earthquake struck. As everything started shaking and falling, she remembers some things vividly.

She watched a 31-story downtown building swaying and saw the communications tower on its roof fall over. She saw the power poles swaying and the power lines moving like jump ropes. But mainly she remembers a strange sound – the buildings around her were literally groaning and crying.

“It was a strange sound that I’ve never heard in my life. The buildings were moving so hard, they were making a sound like crying,” she said.

Mika ran out of her apartment, without shoes. “Next time, I will take shoes,” she said with a smile.  She wound up in a nearby cold, dark school gym with 1,000 others, including tourists who had just arrived from Europe. The earthquakes continued, she said, with about two days of seemingly continuous shaking. “We were always afraid the next one would be even bigger,” she said.

The cheerful, outgoing Mika, a well-known Christian musician and worship leader, immediately began making friends and reaching out to others in the makeshift evacuation center. She was able to return to her apartment sooner than the others, so she went back and brought her blankets and pillows to others who had none.

She even began volunteering at the center, helping prepare food for her fellow evacuees with whom she had occupied a cold, dark gym floor. As she has reached out with the tangible love of Jesus, some of her fellow shelter dwellers have already become close friends, including Chie Nakajima. Chie said that as her apartment rattled, she believes she heard a voice telling her to move out of the center of the room. So she grabbed her husband and moved against the wall, just as the ceiling collapsed where they had been standing.

Three weeks after the earthquake, Mika is still opening her electric-powered home so that her new friends who lack gas can have a hot shower.

“Mika is a great example of how people can show the love of Christ no matter how difficult the situation,” said Paul Nethercott of CRASH.

Regions of Japan Index

2011-02-06T07:49:00.000-08:00

Tokyo and Designated Cities

A city with a population of over 500 thousand is considered a "designated city." Excluding Tokyo (which is a prefecture of its own), there are seventeen designated cities in Japan.

Other Cities

Other Prefectures
Hokkaido

Historical Periods of Japan Index

2011-02-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

*indicates that period is covered by the grade 8 social studies curriculum

Alberta Relief Projects for Japan

2011-01-02T13:42:00.000-08:00

Hokkaido

2010-08-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hokkaido is the northernmost prefecture of Japan, and is one of the four main islands of the Japanese archipelago. The island has a population of 5.58 million people, and its capital city, Sapporo, has 1.89 million people. Hokkaido is particularly known for its open nature, and Sapporo for its winter festival. The island is also the home of the Ainu people, the indigenous people of Japan, similar to the First Nations of Canada. Alberta is twinined with the province of Hokkaido and municipalities are also twined.. For example, the town of Shikaoi is a sister town to Stony Plain in Alberta. See Alberta Japan Twinned Municipalities Association website at http://www.ajtma.com for other relationships.

Here is a Journal of Someones Experiences on a 10 day trip to Japan

2010-07-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

http://nihongotipjourmal.blogspot.com/

Ishiyama Temple

2010-07-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Ishiyama Temple is in the city of Otsu, the capital of Shiga Prefecture. Built in 792, it contains several cultural assets, including the two guardian statues said to have been sculpted by the famous sculptors Tankei and Unkei. Lady Murasaki Shikibu was said to have begun writing the Tale of Genji, the world's first novel, in 1004 at this temple. The temple thus holds significant value to Japanese (and world) literature.

Site: http://www.artofjpn.com/kyoto/ishiyama.html

Itsukushima Shrine

2010-07-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Itsukushima, also known as Miyajima (Shrine Island), is an island off the coast of Hiroshima. It is best known for the Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is believed to have been first built in the 6th Century, and its current form built by the samurai Taira no Kiyomori. The shrine is dedicated to the daughters of Susano-o, the Japanese god of seas and storms. The island is considered holy, and historically, commoners were not allowed to set foot on the island. To this day, births and deaths in the shrine, as well as burials on the island, are forbidden to keep the purity of the shrine. The shrine is known for its torii gate, which is in the middle of the water and appears to be floating at high tide. The view of this torii gate was declared by the philosopher Hayashi Razan to be one of the Three Views of Japan.

Site: http://www.miyajima-wch.jp/index_e.html

Nanzen-ji

2010-07-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

Nanzen-ji is a Zen temple founded in 1291 by Emperor Kameyama, initially as a retirement villa, similar to Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji. By his request, it was converted to a Zen temple. When the Ashikaga Shogunate instated the Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto, this temple was not included among them, but rather stood in a class of its own, above both the temples in Kyoto and Kamakura, gaining the title of "First Temple of the Land." It played a role in supervising the other Zen temples, and demonstrates the role of religion in government in the Muromachi period.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-nanzenji.htm

Heian Shrine

2010-07-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

This shrine was built relatively recently, in 1895, in Kyoto, to commemorate the 1,100th Anniversary of the establishment of the capital at Heian in 794. It is dedicated to the emperors Kammu and Komei, the emperors who moved the capital to Heian and then to Tokyo, thus being the first and last emperors who lived in Kyoto. It has one of the largest torii gates in Japan, and is built as a scaled replica of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. One of Kyoto's most important festivals, the Festival of Ages, is held here.

Site: http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/index_e.html

Holy Resurrection Cathedral

2010-07-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

The Holy Resurrection Cathedral, also known as Nikolai Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox Church in Japan built by St. Nicholas of Japan, founder of the Japanese Orthodox Church. It was built in the Meiji period in Kanda, near the Kanda Myojin shrine. It was destroyed by an earthquake and later rebuilt in the 1920s.

Site: http://www.geocities.jp/ynicojp2/english/index.html

Engyo-ji

2010-07-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

Engyo-ji is a temple in Himeji. It was founded by the Buddhist priest Shoku Shonin in 966, and is a pilgrimage site and one of the three greatest training centers of Tendai Buddhism. Many emperors, including Go-Shirakawa, Go-Daigo, and particularly Kazan, who donated 100 koku of rice (approximately 180,000 liters) to the temple, visited the temple and Shoku Shonin. This temple was also used as the set for The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise.

Site: http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/foreigner/en/_10735/_10770/_10807.html

Kiyomizu Temple

2010-07-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Kiyomizu Temple is one of the most popular Buddhist temples in Kyoto. It was founded in 798, but its present reconstruction dates to 1633. Originally affiliated with the Hosso sect, it has been independent since 1965. There is a terrace overlooking a hillside, and an old Edo period tradition says that if one were to survive jumping off it, one's wish would be granted. No nails were used in the construction of this temple.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-kiyomizudera

To-ji

2010-07-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

To-ji literally means "Eastern Temple." After Emperor Kammu moved the capital to Heian, he decided that to keep Buddhism from having the influence on the Emperor that it did in Nara, there would only be two Buddhist temples built in Heian. These were To-ji and Sai-ji (Western Temple). Together, they stood on each side of the gate to the city, and served to protect the capital. Sai-ji no longer stands today, but To-ji features the tallest wooden building in Japan; the pagoda is nearly 55 meters tall. It remains a symbol of Kyoto.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-toji.htm

Ryoan-ji

2010-07-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

Ryoan-ji is a particularly notable Zen temple in Kyoto. Initially a Fujiwara estate, this came into the hands of the Hosokawa clan, and Hosokawa Katsumoto willed that it be made a Zen temple after his death. The temple is particularly famous for its rock garden, which has fifteen boulders placed so that whatever angle one looks at the garden, there appear to be only fourteen. Buddhists see the number 15 as completion, thus demonstrating that the complete view of the world needed to fully appreciate the garden is not possible in this world. Only through enlightenment, says the Zen Buddhist, can one see the fifteenth boulder.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-ryoanji.htm

Kyoto Imperial Palace

2010-07-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

The Kyoto Imperial Palace was the residence of the Emperor of Japan for most of Japan's history; from the middle of the Kamakura Period in 1227 until the beginning of the Meiji Period in 1869. It was built after the original Heian Palace was abandoned. Emperor Meiji ordered that the Kyoto Imperial Palace be preserved in 1877, and the grounds are open to the public. These grounds demonstrate the position and lifestyle of the Emperor during the era of the Shogunate.

Site: http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/guide/kyoto.html

Iga-ryu Ninja Museum

2010-07-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

The city of Iga, in Mie Prefecture, was the center of the Iga school of ninjutsu, which, along with the Koga school, was one of the most well-known schools of ninjitsu. The ninja of Iga stalwartly defended Iga from Oda Nobunaga's son Nobukatsu, but were forced into submission by Nobunaga, who outnumbered them ten-to-one. When Tokugawa Ieyasu became the shogun, he employed Iga ninja as his guards and intelligence agents. They continued to guard the castle until Tokugawa Yoshimune dismissed them in 1716. The museum in Iga is located near the castle and tells the history of the Iga ninja. The current honorary director of the museum is also the head of Iga ninjutsu. With so much fascination by ninjas in Western culture, and with so much of it fictionalized, this museum is a great effort to separate fact from fiction and chronicle the real place of ninjutsu in Japanese history.

Site: http://iganinja.jp/en/

Iga Ueno Castle

2010-07-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

This castle began construction in 1585 in Iga, which is currently in Mie Prefecture. It was built by Tsutsui Sadatsugu, who was relocated to the area by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After being accused of sloppy government, Tokugawa Ieyasu abolished the Tsutsui clan, removed Sadatsugu from his position, and replaced him with Todo Takatora in 1611. Todo expanded the castle and build 30m-high walls, the highest castle wall in Japan. It was not seen as important as it was after the threat of rebellion passed, and the keep was destroyed in high winds in 1612 and was not rebuilt until 1935. Today, it serves as a museum and the center of the Ueno Castle Park.

Site: http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/mie/ueno_castle.html

Hiroshima Castle

2010-07-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Mori Terumoto, a powerful daimyo, established this castle in 1590, naming the area Hiroshima and establishing the city around it. He was forced out of the castle when his side lost in the Battle of Sekigahara. The castle was given to Fukushima Masanori, who felt nostalgic for the days under Toyotomi's rule, which upset Tokugawa. A flood destroyed the castle in 1617, but Tokugawa did not give him permission to rebuild it. When he began reconstruction anyway, he was forced out of the castle. The castle served as a military facility in the Meiji Period, and was named a National Treasure until it was destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945. The current reconstruction, mostly of concrete, dates to 1958.

Site: http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/44-Hiroshima-Castle

Kanagawa Prefecture

2010-07-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Kanagawa Prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, directly south of Tokyo, with a population of 2.4 million. Its capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is famous for being the prefecture that Commodore Matthew C. Perry landed in. It was also the center of the Kamakura Shogunate in the 12th to 14th Centuries, as well as Odawara Castle.

Locations in Kanagawa Prefecture covered by this blog:

Odawara Castle

Odawara Castle

2010-07-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Odawara Castle was first built by the Omori clan and then taken over by the Hojo Clan. During the Sengoku Period, the castle withstood attacks from Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen, two major warlords of the time, before falling to Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590, who entrusted it to Tokugawa Ieyasu. In the Edo Period, Ieyasu then handed the castle to Okubo Tadayo, his retainer, who downscaled the castle significantly. It was torn down in 1872 when the Meiji government ordered the demolition of all feudal structures, and was rebuilt in 1960.

Site: http://www.city.odawara.kanagawa.jp/kanko/kanko_4/e_index.html

Nagoya Castle

2010-07-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

Along with Atsuta Shrine, Nagoya Castle is one of the most significant historical locations in Nagoya. The original castle was built in 1525 and was in the hands of the Imagawa clan until 1532, when Oda Nobuhide, father of Oda Nobunaga, took over it. It was abandoned, and Oda Nobunaga set up his office in Kiyosu Castle. In 1610, Tokugawa Ieyasu commissioned the building of Nagoya Castle to secure a strategic position on the Tokaido Highway that connected Edo to Kyoto. The Owari Tokugawa, a major secondary branch of the Tokugawa Family, resided here. During World War II, the castle was used as a military headquarters and POW camp, and was burnt down by US bombing on May 14, 1945, along with most of its artifacts. It was rebuilt in 1959.

Site: http://www.nagoyajo.city.nagoya.jp/13_english/index.html

Meiji Mura

2010-07-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Meiji Mura is an open-air museum in Inuyama, near Nagoya. It is dedicated to the preservation of Meiji-era and Taisho-era architecture, which was heavily inspired by Western architecture of the time. It was founded by Taniguchi Yoshiro and Tsuchikawa Motoo in 1962 after Taniguchi saw that the Rokumeikan, a symbol of Meiji era architecture, was being torn down, and wanted to preserve the architecture of the Meiji era. The most notable structure in the museum is Frank Lloyd Wright's Imperial Hotel. This site demonstrates how the Meiji period was influenced by the West, particularly in architecture.

Site: http://www.meijimura.com/english/

Atsuta Shrine

2010-07-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Along with the Ise Grand Shrine, the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya is one of the most significant shrines in Japan. Founded in the first century during the reign of Emperor Keiko to venerate his dead son Yamato Takeru, this is said to be where the Kusanagi Sword, one of the three legendary Imperial Regalia given to Emperor Jimmu by Amaterasu, is enshrined. In the Edo Period, it was a major waypoint on the Tokaido Highway, and a town started around it to support travelers. In the Meiji Period, it was one of the major government-supported shrines.

Site: http://www.atsutajingu.or.jp/en/intro/

Nagoya City

2010-07-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

Nagoya is the capital of Aichi Prefecture. It has a population of 2.25 million, is a designated city, and is the center of Japan's third-largest metropolitan area. It is around the center of Japan, and the three great unifiers of Japan, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, were initially based in Nagoya. The city grew in the Edo Period for two reasons. First, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved the castle in the region from Kiyosu to Nagoya, creating a castle town around it. Second, Atsuta Shrine was designated a way-station on the Tokaido Highway that connected Edo and Kyoto, and a town was built to support travelers.

Sites in Nagoya covered by this blog:

Kiyosu Castle

2010-07-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Kiyosu Castle is in the city of Kiyosu, near Nagoya. It was built in 1394 by the head of the Shiga clan, but in the Sengoku period was taken over by Oda Nobunaga. It was from this castle that Oda launched his conqest of Japan. Unlike Azuchi Castle, this was intended to be primarily a military structure. It was dismantled in the Tokugawa Period and parts were moved to Nagoya Castle. It was reconstructed in 1989 to celebrate the city's centennial.

Site: http://www.city.kiyosu.lg.jp/en/sightseeing01.html

Sendai City

2010-07-15T10:11:00.001-07:00

Sendai is the capital of Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan. It has a population of one million people and is one of Japan's seventeen designated cities. It was founded by the warlord Date Masamune in 1600. It is one of Japan's greenest cities, and was known as the City of Trees prior to World War II. It is also known as the Academic City, for the number of universities in the city. As Masamune attempted to forge relations with the Pope before Christianity was outlawed, Catholicism is a major religion in Sendai today.

Sites in Sendai related to this blog:

Aoba Castle

Aoba Castle

2010-07-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

Aoba Castle, also known as Sendai Castle, was built by the feudal lord Date Masamune in the Sengoku Period. Masamune, also known as the One-Eyed Dragon of Oshu, was an excellent tactician and one of the most intelligent feudal lords of the time. He supported Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Sekigahara, and was thus allowed to keep his castle and domain. He also supported Christianity until Ieyasu outlawed it, and even sought to establish relations with the Pope. The castle remained in the hands of the Date family until the Meiji Period, when it was partially dismantled, and much of what remained was bombed in World War II, but much of it is being reconstructed.

Site: http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/30-Sendai-Castle

Yamanashi Prefecture

2010-07-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yamanashi Prefecture lies to the west of Tokyo, and has a population of 884 thousand people. Its capital city, Kofu, has 201 thousand people. The region was formerly called Kai, and was the fief of the Takeda family until the Sengoku Period. Yamanashi Prefecture is also home to Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan, as well as Mt. Kita, the second-tallest.

Sites in Yamanashi covered by this blog:

Takeda Shrine

Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto

2010-07-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

Similar to the five temples of Kamakura, the Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto were state-funded Zen temples in the Muromachi period that held both religious and political influence.

The first temple, Tenryu-ji, was originally an imperial villa built by Go-Saga called Kameyama. It was converted to a Zen temple in 1339 by Ashikaga Takauji after Empe

ror Go-Daigo's death, for a memorial service to his former friend. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, and the current temple dates to the Meiji

period. During the Muromachi Period, it was the most important

Zen temple in Japan.

Site: http://zen.rinnou.net/head_temples/10tenryu.html

The second temple, Shokoku-ji, was founded in 1382 by Ashikaga Takauji's grandson Yoshimitsu. It is a major center of Zen Buddhism in Japan, and both Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji are affiliated with this temple. Even after the Muromachi period, many Japanese leaders, such as Toyotomi Hidyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, supported the temple.

Site: http://www.shokoku-ji.or.jp/english/e_shokokuji/index.html

The third temple, Kennin-ji, was founded in 1202. It is believed to be the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto. It contains notable artwork, including a painting of Fuujin and Raijin, the gods of wind and thunder.

Site: http://www.kenninji.jp/english/index.html

The fourth temple, Tofuku-ji, was founded in 1236 by the imperial . It was built to resemble the Buddhist temples Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji in Nara. It was burned down in the 15th Century, but was rebuilt. The main gate is the oldest Zen gate in Japan.

Site: http://www.tofukuji.jp/english.html

The fifth temple, Manju-ji, was founded in the late 13th Century. It contains a noteworthy figure of the Amida Buddha, as well as esoteric art about the life of Siddartha Gautama.

Site: http://www.museumstuff.com/learn/topics/Manju-ji

Collectively, these temples demonstrate the role of religion in the government in feudal Japan.

Moto Hachiman

2010-07-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

The Yui Wakamiya Shrine is commonly known as Moto Hachiman, which means "Original Hachiman." It is the original location of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu. It was founded by Minamoto Yoritomo's ancestor, Minamoto Yoriyoshi, in 1063 after his campaign against Abe no Sadato. Though Yoritomo moved the shrine, he visited his ancestors at this site. Though not nearly as magnificent as the current Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu, it retains deep historical significance.

Site: http://www.kcn-net.org/e_kama_history/zaimokuza/zaimokuza_1.htm

Tomb of Minamoto Yoritomo

2010-07-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

This site, 100 meters from the former location of the Kamakura Shogun's place of office, is commonly believed to be the resting site of the first Shogun of Japan, Minamoto Yoritomo, who died in 1199 after falling off a horse. He was buried in a temple that was his personal place of worship, which has since moved. The temple was also where Yoritomo's son Sanetomo found refuge from rebels, and where 500 members of the Miura Clan committed ritual suicide to culminate their feud with the Hojo and Adachi clans. In the Edo Period, after the temple had moved, Yoritomo's cenotaph was moved back here, and a small pagoda was built to mark the gravesite.

Site: http://www.japanican.com/japaninfo/Detail.aspx?BookID=A1800150&category=S

Five Great Zen Temples of Kamakura

2010-07-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

There are five particular Zen temples in Kamakura that are significant enough to bear the name of the Five Great Zen Temples of Kamakura. These temples are connected by the Five Mountain System which started in China of state-sponsored temples. A similar Five Mountain System exists in Kyoto.

The first temple, Kencho-ji, is the oldest Zen monastery in Japan, built in 1252, and along with Hachiman-gu, is

the pride of

Kamakura. It was founded by the Emperor but its main

sponsor was the Hojo Clan, which acted as regents for the Kamakura Shogunate. Thou

gh this was for religious purposes, it was also political; the head temple controls the rest, so the Shogun (or rather, the Shogun's regents) was able to better control the country through Zen temples. Though it used to have 49 sub-temples, only ten remain.

Site: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/kenchoji.htm

The second temple is Engaku-ji. It was commissioned in 1282 by the regent Hojo Tokimune after Japan successfully repealed the Mongolian invasion, as a way to honor those who had died during the battles with the Mongols, both Japanese and Mongol. This temple was instrumental in the popularization and s

pread of Zen.

Site: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/engakuji.htm

The third temple, Jufuk

u-ji, is the oldest Zen temple in Japan, though not as famous as Kencho-ji, and was not a Zen temple initially. It was founded in 1200 by Hojo Masako, wife of Minamoto Yoritomo, after her husband's death. The first priest, Myoan Eisai, is considered to be the father of Japanese Zen. The temple, though small now, once had 14 sub-temples. In addition, there is a vast graveyard made of caves in which all the chief priests are buried, as well as Hojo Masako and her son Minamoto no Sanetomo.

Site: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/jufukuji.htm

The fourth temple, Jochi-ji, was founded in 1282 by Hojo Morotoki after his father Hojo Munemasa's dea

th at the age of 29. It is assumed that Munemasa's wife and brother made significant contributions, as Morotoki was very young at the time. By the 20th Century, the temple was in decay, and it has since been completely rebuilt.

Site: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/jochiji.htm

The fifth temple, Jomyo-ji, was originally founded as a Mikkyo temple in 1188 by the priest Taiko Gyoyu, but after the opening of Kencho-ji, it changed its denomination to a Zen temple. It is the only one of the five that was not founded or sponsored by a member of the Hojo clan. Instead, its chief sponsor was Ashikaga Sadauji, whose son Ashikaga Takauji would found the Muromachi Shogunate. It was damaged and its sponsorships lost in the Sengoku Period, but it was rebuilt in the 18th Century.

Site: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/jomyoji.htm

These temples demonstrate the beginnings and rising popularity of Zen Buddhism in Japan, and the ties it had to the government in its early years.

Kotoku-in

2010-07-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

The Kotoku-in Temple was built in 1252, and was destroyed by a tsunami in the 15th Century and never was rebuilt. The Great Buddha that was in the temple, however, remains. It now stands in open air. The bronze statue of Amida Buddha is 13 meters high and weighs 93 tons, making it one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan. It remains a famous icon of Japan.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kamakura-great-buddha

Tsutsujigasaki Palace/Takeda Shrine

2010-07-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

The site of the Takeda family's former residence is now a shrine to Takeda Shingen, one of the greatest warlords in the Sengoku Period, who was often called "The Tiger of Kai." Shingen did not build any castles, saying, "men are your castle, men are your castle walls, men are your moats," thus placing faith in his men rather than in fortifications. As such, not even Tsutsujigasaki is formally called a castle, and Shingen never built any other castles. The Taisho Emperor commissioned a shrine to be built on the ruins of Tsutsujigasaki to honor Shingen in 1915, in a move to honor those who had died in war.

Site: http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/28-Tsutsujigasaki-Palace

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu

2010-07-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

This shrine, the most important shrine in Kamakura, was built in 1063, and was moved to its present location by Minamoto Yoritomo, the first shogun of Japan, in 1191. It is dedicated to Hachiman, the Japanese god of war. The foot path leading up to the shrine was built so that Yoritomo's son could have a long procession when visiting the shrine. It doubled as a Buddhist temple until the Meiji era, when Buddhism and Shinto were forced to separate. The shrine shows the role that Shinto played in the Japanese shogunate.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kamakura-tsurugaoka-hachimangu-shrine

Kamakura

2010-07-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Kamakura is today a small city of only 174 thousand people, but in the 12th to 14th Century, it was the seat of the Kamakura Shogunate and was the fourth largest city in the world at the time. It is directly south of Tokyo and borders Yokohama to the north. Much of Kamakura's heritage was destroyed after the fall of the Shogunate, but some important temples and shrines remain.

Sites in Kamakura listed in this blog:

Iwami Ginzan

2010-07-12T15:15:00.000-07:00

Iwami Ginzan is a silver mine in Shimane Prefecture, and is now listed as a World Heritage Site. Developed in the mid-16th Century, it was frequently contested by warlords until Tokugawa Ieyasu took control of it following the Battle of Sekigahara. The silver was used to mint coins. In the 17th Century, it produced 38 tons a year, a third of the world's production of silver at the time. It was closed down in the nineteenth century. This site shows the role that resource production played during the Sengoku Period and Edo Period.

Site: http://ginzan.city.ohda.lg.jp/wh/en/

Ise Grand Shrine

2010-07-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

This shrine is the oldest and most important shrine in Japan, commonly agreed to have been built in 4 BCE. It is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, from whom the Imperial Family is said to have descended. The legend goes that the daughter of the Emperor established the shrine after searching for 20 years for a permanent place to worship Amaterasu. Ise Grand Shrine is a shrine complex with several shrines surrounding it. There are two main shrines, the Inner Shrine and the Outer Shrine, that are six kilometers apart. Access to the public is strictly limited, and the High Priest or Priestess must be descended from the Imperial Family; it is said the Sacred Mirror, one of the three treasures given to the Imperial Family by Amaterasu, is in them. These shrines are some of the few Shinto shrines that exist today before the introduction of Buddhism, and essentially show Shinto in its purest form.

Site: http://www.isejingu.or.jp/english/

Mie Prefecture

2010-07-12T14:18:00.000-07:00

Mie Prefecture, near Osaka, has a population of 1.85 million. Its capital city, Tsu, has a population of 292 thousand. Mie Prefecture is known best for Ise Grand Shrine, and Tsu was a popular stopping point for travelers going to the shrine.

Locations in Mie Prefecture covered by this blog:

Matsue Castle

2010-07-12T14:12:00.000-07:00

This castle, nicknamed the "Black Castle," is the symbol of the city of Matsue. It is the second-largest castle of the twelve castles that remain in Japan in their original wooden form, and not a concrete reconstruction. Though it was never in a war, all but the castle tower had been destroyed in 1875, and was not reconstructed until the 1950s. Having been preserved so well, it provides an excellent look at the castles of feudal Japan.

Site: http://www.city.matsue.shimane.jp/kankou/jp/e/castle.htm

Shimane Prefecture

2010-07-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

Shimane Prefecture is near the very western end of the island of Honshu. With a population of 761 thousand, it is the second-least populous prefecture in Japan. Its capital, Matsue, has a population of 196 thousand. It is mainly significant for Izumo Taisha, one of the most important Shinto shrines in the nation.

Locations in Shimane Prefecture covered by this blog:

Izumo Taisha

2010-07-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

Izumo Taisha, located in Shimane Prefecture, is one of the oldest and most important Shinto shrines in Japan, second only to the Ise Grand Shrine. Shinto mythology says that the sun goddess Amaterasu personally presented this shrine to the god Okuninushi personally after he gave the country of Japan to her grandson, the great-grandfather of the first Emperor of Japan. It is not known exactly when it was built, but in the 10th Century it is said to be about 48 meters tall, even taller than Todai-ji. It was reduced in size during the Kamakura period, and today it stands only half as tall as its original size. It was an important location for pilgrimage during the 18th and 19th Century, and one of the most important government-funded shrines in the Meiji Period.

Site: http://www.sacredsites.com/asia/japan/izumo_taisha.html

Yakushi-ji

2010-07-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

This Buddhist temple was founded in the 7th century by Emperor Temmu, to pray for his wife's illness. It was moved to Nara soon after its completion. Today, it remains one of the most important Buddhist temples. One of its pagodas dates back to the original 7th Century construction.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/nara-yakushiji.htm

Horyu-ji

2010-07-12T12:30:00.001-07:00

Commissioned by Prince Shotoku in the early 7th Century, this temple in Nara houses a pagoda widely accepted to be the oldest wooden building in the world, though some believe it is a reconstruction. Due to its age, it is valuable for learning about early Japanese architecture, as well as the influence of early Buddhism in Japan.

Site: http://www.taleofgenji.org/horyuji.html

Osaka Castle

2010-07-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

Osaka Castle was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1583. It was modeled after Oda Nobunaga's Azuchi Castle, but Toyotomi sought to surpass it. The Toyotomi clan managed to maintain a hold of the castle for 15 years after Tokugawa's victory in the Battle of Sekigahara. Though much of it was burned in the Meiji Restoration and damaged by bombing raids in World War II, it has been reconstructed and is open to the public. The interior has been converted into a museum and does not resemble the interior of a Japanese castle.

Site: http://www.osakacastle.net/castle_en/index.htm

Osaka City

2010-07-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

Osaka is the third-largest city in Japan, with a population of 2.6 million, and the center of the Kansai region of Japan, which also includes Kyoto and Kobe. It is one of Japan's seventeen designated cities. It is the center of Japanese economy, with the GDP of the region being the seventh largest in the world, and in Japan only second to Tokyo. It is also referred to as "the nation's kitchen."

Sites in Osaka City covered by this blog:

Daisen Kofun

2010-07-12T09:13:00.001-07:00

The Daisen Kofun is a burial mound in the middle of a large cluster of burial mounds in Sakai, Osaka, called the Mozu Cluster. Each tomb in this cluster features a keyhole-shaped mound, which is unique to Japan. The Daisen Kofun is the largest burial mound in the world, measuring at over 500 meters long. It is believed to be the tomb of Nintoku, the 16th Emperor of Japan.

Site: http://www.culturalprofiles.net/japan/Units/6735.html

Ishibutai Kofun

2010-07-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

Ishibutai Kofun is a tomb built in the late Yamato period in Asuka, near Nara. It is said to be the tomb of Soga no Umako, who played a role in the political reforms of Prince Shotoku. The tomb, which is the largest in Japan, demonstrates a major part of what we know about the Yamato Period.

Site: http://www.asukanet.gr.jp/asukahome/ASUKA2/ASUKAKOFUN/isibutaiK.html

Shoso-in

2010-07-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

The Shoso-in, or Imperial Repository, is a part of Todai-ji. It houses treasures and artifacts related to Emperor Shomu and Empress Komyo, who ruled during the early eighth century in Nara. It was founded by Empress Komyo after the death of her husband Shomu, when she donated 600 items to the temple. Today there are over 9000 items, mostly from the Nara and Heian periods of Japan. They are not on display for the public, but once a year, items are exhibited at the Nara National Museum.

Site: http://aris.ss.uci.edu/rgarfias/gagaku/shosoin.html

Kofuku-ji

2010-07-08T16:42:00.000-07:00

Kofuku-ji is one of the Four Great Buddhist temples of Nara. One of it most distinctive features is its five-story pagoda. It was formed by the Fujiwara clan, who would later hold much of the power in Japan. Thus, it continued to have influence over the Imperial Family. When the Fujiwara's power declined however, so did the temple. While few of the buildings remain, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/nara-kofukuji.htm

Heijo Palace

2010-07-08T16:20:00.001-07:00

Heijo Palace was the Imperial Palace while the capital of Japan was in Nara. Like the city itself, the palace was inspired by the Chinese capital of Chang'An. After the capital was moved to Heian, the palace was abandoned, and by the Kamakura Period, there was nothing left above ground. Starting in the 1950s, archaeological expeditions have been uncovering the palace, and certain parts of the palace have been reconstructed recently. In commemoration of the 1300th Anniversary in 2010, the First Council Hall has been restored.

Site: http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/nara_heijo_palace.htm

Nara City

2010-07-08T16:09:00.000-07:00

Nara, the capital of Nara Prefecture, has a population of 368 thousand people. It was the capital of Japan for less than a century during the Nara Period. It was modeled after Chang'An, the capital of Tang China at the time. There are many early shrines and temples in this city. In addition, many deer roam free throughout the city, believed to be sacred.

Sites in Nara covered by this blog:

Todai-ji

2010-07-08T16:02:00.001-07:00

Todai-ji is a Buddhist temple in Nara constructed during the Nara Period. The main hall is the largest wooden building in the world, even though it is only two-thirds of its original size. It also houses the largest statue of the Buddha Vairocana, which left the country nearly bankrupt to construct. In addition, the influence of this temple on the government was so tremendous that the Imperial Family had to physically move from Nara to Heian (now Kyoto) to resist its influence. It clearly demonstrates the power and influence of early Buddhism in Japan.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/nara-todaiji

Ginkaku-ji

2010-07-08T15:09:00.001-07:00

Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavillion, is similar to Kinkaku-ji in many ways. It was built by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as a retirement villa, and he requested that it be converted to a Zen temple after his death. Originally, it was covered in lacquer that gave it a silvery appearance, thus earning it the nickname "Silver Pavillion." As the devoutly Zen Shogun retired into this villa, admiring the beauty of the temple, the Onin War was escalating and Kyoto was being razed to the ground.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-ginkakuji

Kinkaku-ji

2010-07-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavillion, is one of the most famous temples in Japan. Originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the gold-covered pavillion was converted to a Buddhist temple after his death. Originally only the ceiling of the top floor was covered in gold, but after its most recent reconstruction in 1955, the entire pavillion was coated with gold. This site demonstrates the luxury that the Shogun of Japan lived in during this period.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-kinkakuji

Shiga Prefecture

2010-07-08T13:56:00.001-07:00

Shiga Prefecture, with a population of 1.3 million, is in the Kansai region of Japan, near Kyoto and Osaka. Its capital city, Otsu, has a population of 329 thousand. The prefecture contains Japan's largest lake, Lake Biwa.

Locations in Shiga Prefecture listed in this blog:

Hamarikyu Gardens

2010-07-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hamarikyu Garden was formerly the summer villa of the Tokugawa family. Since the Meiji Restoration, it has passed to the Imperial Family, and then to the City of Tokyo in 1946 when it became open to the public. The culture of the high-class Edo Period is maintained in this area of Tokyo bay surrounded by an ever-modernizing city.

Site: http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=421&pID=1528

Hikone Castle

2010-07-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

This castle is one of the most important historical sites in Shiga Prefecture. It was constructed by Ii Naokatsu, son of Tokugawa Ieyasu's general Ii Naomasa. Naomasa was awarded the castle for his participation in the Battle of Sekigahara. As Tokugawa only allowed one castle per region, it is believed that buildings from many other castles were incorporated into this castle. This is one of the few castles from the Edo Period that has not been demolished, since Emperor Meiji personally requested that it remain as he was touring the area. It is one of the oldest original-construction castles in Japan.

Site: http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/36-Hikone-Castle

Fushimi Castle

2010-07-08T11:57:00.001-07:00

Fushimi Castle, also known as Momoyama Castle, was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1594 as a retirement palace. After Toyotomi's death, it was given to a vassal of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who defended it from Ishida Mitsunari, Tokugawa's enemy in the Battle of Sekigahara, giving Tokugawa time to amass his forces. It was later dismantled and its buildings incorporated into other locations in Kyoto. The former site of the castle is now the location of Emperor Meiji's tomb, and a replica was built in 1964.

Site: http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/25-Fushimi-Castle

Azuchi Castle

2010-07-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

This castle was built by Oda Nobunaga in 1575, where he lived and ruled until his death. It was intended to serve both as a castle and a luxurious mansion. After Nobunaga was betrayed by his general Akechi Mitsuhide, the castle was burned to the ground by Mitsuhide's forces. Today, the stone base of the castle remains in its original location, and a replica exists in a theme park in Ise, and a replica of the top floors is on display in a museum near the castle grounds.

Site: http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/22-Azuchi-Castle

Nyoko-do Hermitage

2010-07-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

This small house near Nagasaki Peace Park is the former residence of Dr. Nagai, who treated many patients suffering from the atomic bomb explosion. Himself suffering from radiation sickness and leukemia even before the bomb, he remained bedridden for the last few years of his life in this hermitage, where he wrote many books and essays. Himself a devout Catholic, many of Nagai's books are inspired by his faith, as was the name of the hermitage.

Site: http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/nagasaki_nyoko-do_hermitage.htm

Gifu Prefecture

2010-07-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

Gifu Prefecture lies in the center of Japan, and has a population of 2 million people. It is often referred to as the crossroads of Japan, and during the Sengoku Period a common saying was "control Gifu and you control Japan." Its capital city, Gifu City, has a population of 422 thousand people, and many warlords in the Sengoku Period, particularly Oda Nobunaga, used it as a base of operations.

Locations in Gifu Prefecture covered by this blog:

Sekigahara

Kasuga Shrine

2010-07-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

This massive shrine was the shrine of the Fujiwara Family, who held much influence over the Imperial Family in early Japanese history. The shrine itself has a long pathway leading up to it, and over 3000 stone and bronze lanterns. During the Meiji Period, it was one of the seven topmost-ranking Imperial shrines.

Site: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/nara-kasuga-grand-shrine.htm

Sanno Shrine

2010-07-07T10:09:00.002-07:00

Sanno Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Nagasaki. It is known for its one-legged torii gate. The gate was 900 meters from the hypocenter of the atomic bomb attack on August 9, 1945, and though one column was knocked down, the other somehow stayed up. In addition, two camphor trees, though stripped of their leaves and scorched, survived the blast. Both the torii and the trees are a testament to Nagasaki's survival even amidst the attack of the bomb.

Site: http://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/earns/torii.html

Nagasaki Peace Park

2010-07-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

Similar to the Hiroshima Peace Park, the Peace Park in Nagasaki is dedicated to the memorial of those who died in the atomic bomb attack on Nagasaki, and to ensure that the attack never happens again. The most notable memorial in this park is the Peace Statue, which has one arm pointing up to symbolize the threat of nuclear weapons, one arm pointing outward to symbolize the hope for peace, and eyes slightly closed in prayer.

Site: http://www.at-nagasaki.jp/foreign/english/spot/002.html

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum

2010-07-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

Like the museum in Hiroshima, the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum is dedicated to telling the story of the atomic bomb attack on August 9, 1945. It has three purposes: to remember those who perished, to offer information on international cooperation concerning medical treatment of survivors, and to preserve pictures of the deceased and memoirs and personal accounts. Unlike the Hiroshima museum, there is a section of the museum that talks about the aggression Japan perpetrated in the war, thus acknowledging that they were not just helpless victims.

Site: http://www.at-nagasaki.jp/foreign/english/spot/003.html

Himeji City

2010-07-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

Himeji City is located in Hyogo Prefecture, and has a population of half a million people. It is in the Kansai region, near Kyoto and Osaka. It is most famous for Himeji Castle. The headquarters of four Shinkin banks are stationed here, and the government considered moving the capital to this city after the 1923 Tokyo Earthquake.

Sites in Himeji referenced in this blog:

Saitama Prefecture

2010-07-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

Saitama Prefecture is immediately north of Tokyo, with a population of 6.9 million. Its capital city is Saitama City, with a population of 1.18 million. Saitama City is one of Japan's seventeen designated cities. Most of Saitama can be considered suburbs of Tokyo, as many people who live in Saitama work in Tokyo.

Sites in Saitama referenced in this blog:

Kawagoe City

Hiroshima City

2010-07-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hiroshima City is the largest city of western Honshu and one of Japan's seventeen designated cities, with a population of 1.17 million, and the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture. It gained historical significance by being the first city to be attacked by an atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. Since the bomb, the city has been very active in promoting peace and abolishing nuclear weapons.

Sites in Hiroshima from this blog:

Kyoto City

2010-07-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

Kyoto City is the capital of Kyoto Prefecture and the former Imperial Capital of Japan, where the Imperial Family resided for over a millennium until the Meiji Period in the late 19th Century. It has a population near 1.5 million people, and is one of Japan's seventeen designated cities. Because the city was hardly bombed in WWII, many prewar buildings remain in the city. It is one of the best preserved cities in Japan, though modernization is occurring. There are 2000 religious sites and many other historical sites, some of which are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is also the center of the Japanese film industry, with many historical films being filmed here.

Sites in Kyoto listed in this blog: