Sad to hear that Hirabayashi Yuko (平林祐子), a 28-year-old woman from Nagahama (Kinomoto) who was missing in Christchurch, New Zealand after the earthquake struck, has been confirmed dead by the… Read more
I watched and photographed the 5th Tokyo Marathon on Feb. 27, 2011 at Tokyo Big Sight. It was a warm, sunny day for over 33,000 runners chosen by lottery from… Read more
Ishibashi Takatoshi (石橋貴俊) has been fired as the head coach of the Shiga Lakestars, one of the bj league’s pro basketball teams in the Western Conference. The team announced the… Read more
The January 2011 Hatsu Basho grand sumo tournament saw a newly-promoted Juryo wrestler named Nionoumi (鳰の湖). Nionoumi is from Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. His ring name (shikona) means Lake of the… Read more
In concert with NHK TV’s year-long Taiga Drama called Go–Himetachi no Sengoku (Go–Noble Ladies of Feudal Japan), Nagahama is holding a year-long mini expo called Go and Azai Sister Trio… Read more
This is to help you better understand the historical background of Go–Himetachi no Sengoku (江〜姫たちの戦国〜) which I translate as “Go–Noble Ladies of Feudal Japan.” The TV series will be broadcast on… Read more
I recently visited Guesthouse AN in Otsu which opened as a backpackers’ hostel in Nov. 2010. I was invited by the proprietors Mr. and Mrs. Shuji Fujisawa. I had been… Read more
The tourist industry in Shiga is abuzz and excited over NHK TV’s Taiga Drama for 2011 called Go-Himetachi no Sengoku (Go–Princesses of Feudal Japan 江〜姫たちの戦国〜) starting on Jan. 9, 2011… Read more