Japanese school for Brazilians reopens in Aisho

Santana Gakuen (サンタナ学園) in Aisho is a school catering to Brazilian children. However, due to the children’s parents losing their factory jobs in Shiga due to the recession, the kids… Read more

Photos of Hiko-nyan in Hawaii!!

Aloha from Hawaii!!! From Hiko-nyan. Hiko-nyan looks great wearing a lei!! I asked a friend in Honolulu to take pictures of Hiko-nyan in the Pan-Pacific Festival parade held on June… Read more

Hiko-nyan in Honolulu, Hawaii

Hikone’s official mascot Hiko-nyan will be off to Honolulu, Hawaii this weekend during June 5-7, 2009 to appear in the 30th Pan-Pacific Festival (also called “Matsuri in Hawaii”). This festival… Read more

Enman-in temple in Otsu auctioned for over 1 billion yen

A highly unusual auction occurred last month when Enman-in temple (圓満院) in Otsu went on the auction block held by the Otsu District Court. It went to the highest bidder… Read more

Rowing lessons for 5th graders at Nagahama

From June 2 to late Oct. 2009, Nagahama will host about 7,500 fifth graders from 147 elementary schools in Shiga for rowing lessons as part of the Lake Biwa hands-on… Read more

My information sources for Shiga news

The news about Shiga which I present here are gleaned from various Japanese sources. When I’m in Shiga, I always try to watch NHK TV news at 6:10 pm on… Read more

Smoking banned in central Nagahama

禁煙 From June 1, 2009, smoking on the streets in and around Kurokabe Square in Nagahama is banned. Smoking is banned along the main shopping arcades in central Nagahama, including… Read more

Old Toyosato Elementary School reborn

Renovation of the old Toyosato Elementary School (豊郷小学校), housed in a building designed by William Merrell Vories in 1937, has been completed and a ceremony was held on May 30, 2009… Read more