The 12th Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display -The most popular fireworks display in Fukui - Fireworks (Hanabi) Festival in Fukui 2017, Part 6 (Final Episode)-

*This is a digest version of the 12th Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display I made. Please enjoy.

 

In Fukui Prefecture, there are many popular fireworks displays including Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display. The three other most famous ones beside the Echizen one are Tsuruga fireworks and Mikuni fireworks displays which are held on the sea, and Phoenix fireworks display which is held by a river in the center of Fukui City.

 

Out of all the fireworks displays in Fukui, I personally thought that Tsuruga fireworks display is the most popular one in Fukui because they shoot 13,000 fireworks on the sea and they also have Toro nagashi (sending off the spirits of the dead on lanterns floated on the waters of the sea). According to "Fireworks display 2017" (*only available in Japanese), Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display is the most popular one.

Source: The photograph of Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display from the website of “Fireworks display 2017” (https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanabi/spot_87293.html)*only available in Japanese

 

I was surprised at the fact that Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display is the most popular one, not Tsuruga one. When I went view the Echizen fireworks I realized some reasons why the Echizen one is so popular.

 

Firstly, the location of the fireworks display is great. The location to view it is extended over a large area. Therefore, the festival-goers can enjoy viewing the fireworks not only at the venue but also at several places such as the riverside, bridges, streets and mountains around the venue.

 

Even if festival-goers don’t view it at the venue, the fireworks look beautiful.

 

Secondly, since festival-goers can view the fireworks from anywhere in this spacious venue, overcrowding isn't a problem.

And as a result, it does not get crowded as much as it does at venues of Tsuruga, Mikuni and/or Phoenix fireworks displays. Therefore, festival goers can enjoy it comfortably as well.

Of course, at the venue and the area right around it gets extremely crowded though.

 

Thirdly, the loop street is close to the Takefu train station, so it’s very convenient for the festival goers to take trains as well. Also, next to the train station, there is a supermarket so they can buy some snacks and drinks as well.

 

Lastly, one of the friends of mine from Echizen City said that Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display is held in the area where is surrounded by mountains so the sounds of the fireworks echoes in Echizen City. Therefore, the sound of the Echizen fireworks is one of the highlights.

 

When I went view the Echizen fireworks, friends of mine found a great space for all of us. It was on the famous loop street called Nishiki Machi overhead crossing near the train station in the middle of Echizen City. We sat comfortably, enjoy our snacks that we bought at the supermarket near the Takefu train station and viewed the fireworks without any problem. Where we sat was very close to the venue (riverside) so the fireworks looked large and powerful.

 

Please enjoy viewing the Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display if you have a chance.

For more information, please check Official Website of Echizen City Summer Festival.

*only available in Japanese

 

T.F.

A local dish in Fukui “Volga Rice”

When you think about popular local dishes in Fukui, I guess the first one you think of is “Pork cutlet with sauce topped on rice”. In Fukui, there are other popular local dishes such as “Buckwheat noodles with grated radish”, “Salted mackerel in rice-bean paste” and “Grilled mackerel sushi”. But today, I will introduce the “Volga Rice”. Volga Rice is a kind of a rice omelet topped with pork cutlet. There are many theories about the origin of the name. For example, it’s from the Volga in Russia or Volgana Village in Italy etc.

 I went to the most popular restaurant for Volga Rice “Yokogawa Bunten” in Echizen City. In fact, I ate the Volga Rice for the first time on the day.

 

Yokogawa Bunten is located just in front of Soja Daijingu Shrine. It may be hard to find for people coming for the first time but you can park in the precincts or in front of the restaurant. If both are full, you can park in free city-run parking lot.
Yokogawa Bunten opens at 11:30 a.m. I arrived at the Yokogawa Bunten early and strolled in the precincts. I used to come there in my high school days. As far as I remember, the precincts were more spacious but now they look relatively small.

When it opens, a female staff called me “Please come in”. She was friendly and it made me feel relaxed. And then two women came over and I asked them “Where do you come from?” They came from Tokyo and Nagoya but their hometown is Shirayama, Echizen City. Also, we graduated from the same high school. We had much in common and had lunch together.

Their aged parents are in nursing homes and they visit hometown to see them on the same day at least once a month. I asked them “Is Fukui a good place for you? and they said “Of course, it is great. We think so year by year. After all, it has few natural disasters and doesn’t snow much recently. But fresh food is a little expensive.” I was surprised to hear that few disasters and high prices. Indeed, I am living in Fukui, on the contrary, there might be invisible parts.

By the way, the Volga Rice was different from what I expected. Actually, I imagined a big volume but it was quite plane, the portion was right, the cutlet was thin and soft and the tomato sauce was good. I recommend a large portion for men. Writing this makes me feel eat it again. You can eat Volga Rice in many restaurants and cafes in Echizen City. Each restaurant or cafe has its own recipe, so why don’t you find your favorite Volga Rice? (H.S)

Seven recommended restaurants and cafes for Volga Rice in Echizen City

                                   The entrance of Yokogawa Bunten

                            　Inside Yokogawa Bunten 

                                Here is the Volga Rice!

                                Looks good, doesn’t it? 

                            A flag of Volga Rice is hanging under its eaves. 

The 12th Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display -Fireworks (Hanabi) Festival in Fukui 2017, Part 5-

I went to Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display for the first time this year! Like I went to Mikuni Fireworks Festival with a friend of mine from the venue area, I got to go to Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display with friends from Echizen City. They’ve been to the fireworks display almost every year since they were children, so they knew where to go, what to bring and everything in between.

The area we held was in the middle of the street!! On the day of the fireworks display, the streets and roads around the venue are closed every year. The famous loop street called Nishiki Machi overhead crossing near the train station in the middle of Echizen City was closed as well. There was full of people.

In Fukui, there are many spectacular fireworks in Fukui, and Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display is the most popular one.
Stay tuned for the next blog!

T.F.

Soft-serve ice cream of “Milk Club, I am Lovely” from Lovely Ranch

Today, I will introduce a small soft-serve ice cream shop in front of Seibu Department Store in Fukui City. Their soft-serve ice creams are made from milk of rare Jersey cattle in Japan, which is from the Lovely Ranch in Katsuyama City. You can enjoy a nice taste of plain-milk. On the other hand, it has light taste so it is recommended for calorie-conscious women. They also have cream puffs, crapes and drinks.

By the way, if you come to Fukui from other prefectures to visit Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum or Hakusan Heisenji Shrine, “Milk Tea House”, the directly-managed store of the Lovely Ranch, which is in the free parking lot of Katsuyama Castle, is a must-stop.（H.S)

Lovely soft-serve ice cream (mini cup) Of course, you can choose in a cone.

Their shop plate with a cute cow makes you warm fuzzy feeling.

The appearance of the shop. Also, vegetables are sold at the side of the shop.

 　

World Trade Center / 16 years since the 911

September 11th, 2001 is the day that many will never forget.

It has been 16 years since the worst terrorist attack in American history.

 

“On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, deliberately crashing two of the planes into the upper floors of the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex and a third plane into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. After learning about the other attacks passengers on the fourth hijacked plane, Flight 93, fought back, and the plane was crashed into an empty field in western Pennsylvania about 20 minutes by sir from Washington, D.C.

*Reference from 9/11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM, FAQ about 9/11

 

"One World Trade Center" had been built in New York City at the site of the 9/11 attacks where "World Trade Center" used to be. And next to the "One World Trade Center", "National September 11 Memorial Museum" had been built.

 

I would like to share the video of “Earth Cam”, “Official 9/11 Memorial Museum Tribute in Time=Lapse 2004-2014”. Everything was destroyed and gone at World Trade Center site on September 11th, 2001. And from the video, you can see how the 10 years of rebuilding and construction of the site had been conducted.

The construction of "National Sptember 11 Memorial Museum" was started in 2004 and it was completed in 2014. The museum has important memories of the people who were killed by the attacks. I’m also sure that it has many thoughts, wishes and feelings from the victims’ families and friends, and everyone who was involved with rescuing the victims and/or reconstructing the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan about what happened that day.

 

 

To take a look inside some parts of the museum, I would like to share another video, “Visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum – New York, NY” by “ArtAboveReality”.

We have conflicts and crimes all the time in this world.

I think that if we can look at each other’s good parts and make things better for everyone, the world would be a better place.

I strongly wish for world peace.

 

 

T.F.

Visiting Jakushu Itteki Bunko

Last weekend, I went to Jakushu Itteki Bunko, where is in Oi Town, Fukui Prefecture. Jakushu Itteki Bunko is a facility which the late author Tsutomu Mizukami who was born in the Oi Town, built. His thought on the facility was described in his own words on its brochure.
 The following is a part of it.
 “I have not graduated from even the village elementary school, because I left for Kyoto when I was ten years old. There was no light in my house, so I couldn’t read books. Recently the books I possess have been increased, so I decided to build a small library in the village where I was born and open it up to boys who want to read but cannot like the old me. Books should be read by many people. Pick up something out of one of the books and create your life.”

Entering the main building, you can watch an interview video of Mizukami before death.  

In the video, Mizukami said, “I was born as the second of five brothers and  we were always fighting. When my mother grilled one mackerel, I was given the fish meat but my youngest brother was given only the fishbone, so we got into a fight. Moreover, my mother had not eaten at all. She was just watching the fire grilled the mackerel with an empty stomach. I was very poor so I feel grateful I have anything now. I appreciate that I can put on my socks. Because I was always barefooted. “

What might his mother was thinking when she grilled the mackerel?

Tsutomu Mizukami had grown seeing the way his mother raised him.

If he hadn’t had the mother and he wasn’t poor, probably Mizukami literature would not have been born.

*Remarks : Jakushu is the Wakasa region of Fukui Prefecture.

  Itteki means a drop.

  Bunko means a library. 

 　　　　　　　　　　The theater gate of Jakushu Itteki Bunko 

                                                      The entrance

　　　　　　　　

There was a photo of Mizukami at the entrance in the Wheelchair Theater on the premises.  

　　The stage of the Wheelchair Theater and a bamboo forest. 

      There was another photo which Mizukami sitting on the floor.

      I was filled with deep emotions as Mizukami was really sitting there. 

          

                   When I walked out of the theater, I spotted a tiny autumn scene. 

                                       A thatched house in the garden 

                                 The modest sized garden to stroll.

      It is the garden which has beauty in nature blended in with the surroundings.

In the main building, the special exhibition of a painter, Sunao Watanabe, who was born in Oi Town too and passed away at the age of 86 years old in this past August, was holding. He drew many book covers and illustrations of the books of Mizukami. Sunao Watanabe kept painting simply and honestly while charcoal making and deliver mails. I can imagine that Mizukami and he found some subjects in common and became close immediately. 

Also, the Bamboo Doll Hall is a sight to see. The sixty bamboo dolls which play Mizukami literature literally were alive there. They had a strong presence just being decorated, so what will happen if they are moved on stage? I am sure that it will be breathed life into them beyond dolls. 

After taking a look-around, I took a quick break at a rest place, Rokkakudo (hexagonal hall). They brought me barley tea. You can order noodles and coffee. 

The place where Itteki Buko is located was once the rice fields where Mizukami’s mother had to do heavy labor. And there is the site of his birthplace at a short distance from there, which no buildings remain and there is only bamboo grove. If I visit it again, I would like to go out there. (H.S) 

The 37th Mikuni Fireworks Festival -One of the largest fireworks display in the Hokuriku region of Japan!- -Fireworks (Hanabi) Festival in Fukui 2017, Part 4-

As I introduced in our previous blog about Mikuni Fireworks Festival that a friend of mine from Mikuni area took me to the fireworks festival. We went by a car from Fukui City to Mikuni.

First, we took the quickest and the shortest route that only local people know.
And then, we parked the car at an area where only the local people know and it was very close to the venue.

One of the good points of the Mikuni Fireworks Festival is the location of venue. It is at the beach in a small portal town of Fukui called Mikuni where there are no tall buildings. Therefore, even while we were walking toward the venue (beach side), we got to enjoy watching the fireworks feeling the nice breeze from the ocean.

The road in front of the venue was kept completely free of cars and it was full of people. There were also some food stands there and many people were lined for those stands.

As soon as we arrived at the venue, we found the best space where we were able to watch the fireworks clearly and comfortably. The fireworks festival was already begun, so we could not go to the beach because there were no spaces for even one person. We watched it from behind the beach. According to the friend of mine from Mikuni area, if anyone want to watch it from the beach, it is the best to be at the beach from the morning and hold the space.


Here's the video I took at Mikuni Fireworks Festival this year. Please enjoy it!


If you have a chance to visit the Mikuni Fireworks Festival, please enjoy it!
Official Website for Mikuni Fireworks:The 37th Mikuni Fireworks *only available in Japanese

T.F.

Local food of Fukui I had during my Bon holiday

Although it’s September already, I would like to write about local food I had during my Bon holiday. in mid-August. I think that many people went out for dinner with the whole family during the Bon holidays. I also went out for dinner with family in a soba and tempura restaurant near my house. Here are some local food of Fukui they served. (H.S)

“Dengaku of Yoshikawa eggplant”
Originally, Yoshikawa eggplants used to grow in Yoshikawa district, Sabae City. Yoshikawa eggplants are big and round, which have 1,400 years of history. According to one estimate, it is thought that they are an origin of Kamo eggplants in Kyoto.

”Deep-fried tofu of Fukui”
It is a regular item in Fukui. I often have it in the refrigerator too. In Fukui,
“Deep-fried tofu of Takeda” is popular but I still remember the taste of the deep-fried tofu of a tofu shop where was next door to my house when I was a child.

“Thick new buckwheat noodles made from 100% buckwheat flour with grated radish”
Normally, buckwheat is harvested in autumn, so summer new buckwheat noodles are rare.

 “White peach sherbet”

 It’s a dessert. Although I don’t think the peach is from Fukui, the topping of

 buckwheat berries is like a buckwheat noodles restaurant. 

The 37th Mikuni Fireworks Festival -One of the largest fireworks display in the Hokuriju region of Japan!- -Fireworks (Hanabi) Festival in Fukui 2017, Part 3-

At Sunset Beach, Mikuni, Japan, every August 11th there will be a splendid display of fireworks. I finally went to the Mikuni Fireworks Festival for the first time in approximately 20 years.

The fireworks shot directly off the water were amazing. As I introduced in our previous blog that approximately 10,000 of water fireworks, 1-shaku-dama (round fireworks with a circumference of about 12-inch/30cm shells) fireworks which create an illumination 12,598-inch / 320 meters in diameter on the ocean, 2-shaku-dama (round fireworks with a circumference of about 24-inchi/60cm shells) fireworks which crate an illumination 17,716-inch / 450meters in diameter on the ocean and several other kinds of fireworks were shot off. For about one hour, the fireworks light up the sky splendidly.

The people watching the fireworks were amazed by such a powerful sound of the fireworks and the various kinds of colorful fireworks.

Since I watched the Mikuni Fireworks display about 20 years ago, I’d always wanted to go watch it again. Because the train and the road for Mikuni, and the venue gets very crowded, so I never went back there for 20 years.

This year, I was lucky that a friend of mine from Mikuni area took me there and watced the fireworks together. Of course, the local people know many things that people from outside of the area know and it always makes things a lot more fun and exciting.

Stay tuned for the next blog for Mikuni Fireworks Festival!!

If you have a chance to visit the Mikuni Fireworks Festival, please enjoy it!
Official Website for Mikuni Fireworks:The 37th Mikuni Fireworks*only available in Japanese

T.F.