Domestic Travel Incentives

Travel and tourism industries have had a difficult time of it the last few years. Last week Japan introduced a new travel subsidy program for residents, in all prefectures except Tokyo, which will begin on October 20th. 

The program can be used multiple times throughout the campaign which runs through late December.  It provides discounts of up to 8,000 yen per traveler per day for package tours which combine public transportation and accommodation or 5,000 yen per person per day for lodging only or vouchers of equal value for day long shopping trips. There are also daily vouchers of up to 3,000 yen on weekdays or 1,000 yen on weekends for restaurants and shopping. 

It sounds like a great discount deal, but it is a little difficult to figure out, especially for those not able to read Japanese.  I'm sure there will be many people who take advantage of it and hopefully help the Japanese economy.

Snake in the Toilet

What would you do if you raised your toilet lid and saw a big snake in your toilet bowl?

Two weeks ago, a 40 year old man in a second floor apartment in Sasa, Nagasaki prefecture opened his toilet lid and found a large snake. He quickly closed the lid again. A specialist from the local Environmental Hygiene Control Office came and removed the snake from the man's toilet.  It was a rainbow boa, a non-venomous South American snake that weighed 1.9 kilograms (4.18 pounds).

Officials at the police station were also notified, who thought it may have been a pet that escaped through the plumbing system.  This type of snake is sold in pet stores and no licensing is required to own these snakes in Japan. A few days later, the owner came forward, a man who lived in the apartment below where the snake was found. The snake escaped while the owner was cleaning the cage.  Evidently, the snake managed to enter the plumbing and climb up to the second floor apartment. Luckily, the snake is not dangerous and other than the finder getting a big shock, no one was harmed. 

I'm not especially afraid of snakes, but still, I don't want to find one in my toilet. This story will make me look before I sit down!

Coming Soon - Yokohama World Quilt Festival 2022

The last three years haven't been great for large quilt shows. Next month, the Yokohama Quilt Festival will be held! It will be held November 3 - 5 at the Pacifico Yokohama Exhibit Hall B, which is a 5 minute walk from Minatomirai Station. Additional information can be found at their website - https://jqsevent.com/

In summer 2019, I met up with fellow blogger and stitcher, Queenie, at the Yokohama Show.  In addition to spending the day admiring the quilts and shopping, we took a class and made necklaces.

We always have a good time at the quilt shows and are planning to meet again, maybe with some other friends, at this show next month. I am looking forward to it!

Over 90,000 Centenarians in Japan

A centenarian is person who is at least 100 years old. As of September 1, 2022, the number of centenarians in Japan is 90,526, which is an increase of 4,016 from the previous year.  Women account for the majority of centenarians in Japan, with a ratio of 89%. In 1963, there were 153 Japanese centenarians total! The number climbed past 1,000 in 1981, and tipped 10,000 in 1998.

The oldest woman in Japan is 115 year old Tasumi Fusa, who lives in Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture. The oldest man is Nakamura Shigeru, aged 111, who lives in Jisekikogen, Hiroshima Prefecture. There tends to be more centenarians per 100,000 in the western prefectures.  The prefecture with the highest ratio of centenarians per 100,000 is Shimane with 142.4.  The prefecture with the lowest is Saitama with 43.6 per 100,000.

Japanese Farmers Struggle with Rise in Stink Bug Populations

Stink bugs, which produce a bad smell when threatened, are causing major damage to farm crops in Japan.  By the end of August, 35 of the 47 prefectures had issued stink bug warnings to farmers by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. The number of stink bugs this year are said to be the highest in a decade, with experts claiming global warming is behind the increase.

Three types of stink bugs are causing the damage to Japanese crops - those that attack soybean plants, those that pierce the skin of fruits and extract their juices, and those that suck nutrients from and discolor rice plants. There are over 1,000 types of stink bugs in Japan, with around 100 of them causing damage to crops, according to Kenji Fujisaki, a professor emeritus at Kyoto University and former head of the Union of Japanese Societies for Insect Sciences. He has researched stink bugs for more than 50 years and recommends the use of yellow fluorescent lights that repel the stink bugs, as well as insect nets and pesticide spraying. 

How disgusting! Are stink bugs a problem where you live?

Work In Progress Wednesday

 More with the snowmen.  I finished two more and started another.

Little Toolie Tuesday - The Secret Garden

This piece was from a class I took with the Indianapolis EGA chapter. The teacher and designer was Lauren Sauer. The Secret Garden was a favorite book of mine, so I was instantly interested.  Once I saw the piece, I knew I had to take this class.

I love how the needles are tucked in behind the garden gate.

Sports Day

Today is a national holiday in Japan - Sports Day. The first Sports Day holiday was held October 10, 1966, two years after the opening of the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics. In 2000, it was moved to the second Monday in October, as a result of the Happy Monday System. The holiday promotes sports and a healthy lifestyle.

Capital Punishment in Japan

Captital punishment in Japan always seems very secretive. I know there are people in prison awaiting execution, but I never hear or read about when the execution will happen, until after it happens. Japan's Code of Criminal Procedure stipulates that the death penalty should be implemented within six months of the issuing of the sentences, but that almost never happens. 

From 2000 to July 26, 2022, 98 death sentences have been carried out. Decisions about executions reflect the thoughts and feelings of the minister of justice.  The Japanese Ministry of Justice does not clarify the criteria on which the decision to execute a prisoner is based. It seems very secretive and mysterious. 

I'm from the United States, where the death penalty is legal in some but not all states. Personally, I have always been against the death penalty, no matter what the crime charged. The main reason is, that if a mistake is later found to be made, you can't bring the executed person back.  If you are interested in seeing what other countries in the world allow convicted criminals to be put to death, check out this Wikipedia page.

McDonald's Japan Changes from Plastic to Paper Straws and Wooden Utensils

 

In April, Japan enacted a law to cut down on single use plastic at convenience stores and restaurants. McDonald's held trials at test locations earlier this year and is now introducing paper straws and wooden utensils nationwide. Last year the fast food chain threw away about 6,500 tonnes of plastic waste from its 2,900 restaurants. 

The wooden utensils look nice, although they also become trash.  I haven't seen anything about how long the wooden utensils take to break down, or how much of a difference they make. There is so much plastic and packaging in Japan. I'm in favor of the change to less plastic.

Do you know if McDonald's in other countries are also changing from plastic? What do you think about changing to alternatives to plastic?

Friday Finish - Cross Stitch Ornament

I stitched this little piece a month or so ago and just finished it into an ornament.  

The pattern came from this book, which is full of cute patterns.

Security Alert from the US Embassy in Tokyo

This was sent out on Tuesday. What is next?

 

Security Alert – Mission Japan (October 4, 2022)

Location: Japan

According to multiple sources, North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its east coast with a trajectory near to or passing over Japan.

At this time, the missile appears to have flown over Japan and past Japan and appears to have fallen into the Pacific Ocean.  However, the Japanese government has warned citizens to continue to be cautious and monitor local media for guidance.

Actions to Take: Notify friends and family of your safety and monitor local news media for updates.

ASSISTANCE:

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

U.S. Embassy Tokyo
Telephone: 03-3224-5000, After-Hours: 03-3224-5000
TokyoACS@state.gov
https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/

U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe
Telephone: 06-6315-5900
AOK@state.gov

U.S. Consulate Nagoya
Telephone: 052-581-4501
AOK@state.gov

U.S. Consulate Fukuoka
Telephone: 092-751-9331
FukuokaACS@state.gov

U.S. Consulate General Sapporo
Telephone: 011-641-1115
SapporoACS@state.gov

U.S. Consulate General Naha
Telephone: 098-876-4211
NahaACS@state.gov

State Department – Consular Affairs
Telephone: +1 (888) 407-4747

Work In Progress Wednesday

 The Snowmen -  I finished the one from last week and stitched two additional snowmen. Six of ten finished.

Little Toolie Tuesday - Pins and Needles

I bought the chart for this little project long ago from a vendor at an EGA seminar and finally made it after moving to Japan. Then, I gave the chart away to someone else who also made it.  I like it but so far I only look at it because I have so many other toolie sets.

New Regional KitKat Flavor

There have been over 300 regional and seasonal KitKat candy flavors in Japan since 2000. A new regional flavor has just been announced, celebrating a specialty from Ogasawara Town located in Tokyo's Ogasawara island chain. The Ogasawara island chain is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and difficult to get to.  The only way to get there is a 24 hour trip by ship from mainland Japan.

The new KitKat flavor is made with "island lemons" an Ogasawara specialty. The fruit is about one and a half times the size of a regular lemon and has a more rounded shape. Local people in Ogawawara add the juice to shochu (a clear alcohol made in Japan) and call it mizu lemon (lemon water).

Would you like to try this flavor?  Do you have a favorite KitKat flavor? I don't think I have tried a flavor I didn't like. You can check out some of the other flavors on this Wikepedia page.

Japanese Cafe for the Elderly with Dementia and their Families

I read a wonderful story about a coffee shop in Aichi Prefecture that caters to elderly people with dementia, creating a place for customers and their caretakers to feel welcome.  In addition, children get to wait on them. 

The cafe's name is Anki Cafe, which is named after the regional word "anki" meaning relief. Customers can visit with friends and no one is annoyed if someone starts singing or wandering around the shop, things that may not be welcome at other cafes. Caretakers would like to go out for  a cup of tea, but can't leave their elderly relatives at home and can't be relaxed taking them along, not knowing what the relative might do if taken out. 

The cafe is managed by 52 year old Tomoka Sugino, who cared for her father after he was injured in a workplace accident. She created a place for people of different ages to communicate, including children who have fewer opportunities to interact with their grandparents. Ms. Sugino hopes that spending time with the elderly would foster kindness in the children that would lead to them helping the elderly later when they are in need. She has "hired" around 40 children from nearby elemenary schools to be shop staff. A 7-year old who was helping out in the cafe said, "Sometimes I feel a bit nervous, but it's fun asking what people want and bringing them drinks. I play card games with guests sometimes too." 

Dementia has become an issue in aging Japan. The Japanese government estimates that around 7 million people, or one in 5 over the age of 65, will suffer the illness by 2025.  

I think this is a wonderful idea (and not just because I am getting old and forgetful). Do you know of any other such cafes?

People's Choice - Wild Animals

 

Every month, on the first Saturday, Jo at Serendipidous Stitching hosts a Stitch A Long, with the topics chosen by her readers. This month's topic is Wild Animals. I have stitched quite a few animals - mostly small ornaments, but calling them wild is stretching it. Here they are in no particular order.