November 2017 The Lucky Island Events

Name: 9^th Takasato River Side Walk

Date: Saturday November 4^th

Area: Takasato, Kitakata City

Time: Registration 8 am, Opening Ceremony 9 am

Address: Kaminodai Takasatomachi Kamigō

Kitakata-shi, Fukushima-ken 969-4301 (旧雷神山スキー場 Parking lot)

Details: There are 2 courses prepared for this river one, the first one is a 7 km course that takes you through the power station and the second, a 10 km course which follows the Aga River Romantic course. There is only 100 spots per course and they’re on a first come, first serve bases. Pre-registration is on the website although you can register on site.

Price: ￥600 per adult, ￥300 kids of Junior HS or under.

Website: https://www.city.kitakata.fukushima.jp/soshiki/sangyo-t/7419.html

Name: Iizaka Food Festival

Date: Saturday November 4^th and Sunday November 5^th

Area: Fukushima City, Iizaka Onsen

Time: Saturday 13:00 to 19:00 and Sunday 9:00 to 16:00

Address: Paruse Iizaka 福島市飯坂町筑前27-1

Details: Come and enjoy this onsen town’s locally grown food and produce made available to you by local shops. With food and drink provided by 12 different shop, this little festival is bound to give you a taste of what Iizaka has to offer. Among the things you can try are curry, wine and local made sake. And after you are done stuffing your face and enjoy, hop into one of the many onsens in town.

Price: Free

Website: http://iizakasupporters.com/2547.html

Name: Sukagawa Taimatsu Akashi

Date: Saturday November 11^th

Area: Sukagawa City

Time: Food stalls and such start at 11 am, torches are lit at 6:30 pm

Address: Midorigaoka Park, Atagoyama, Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture 962-0867

Details: Following a tradition that spans centuries, this festival is one of Japan’s largest fire festivals right here in our back yard. Gaze at the torches burn as you enjoy the background beating of the taiko, truly a spectacle worth attending.

Price: Free

Website: http://www.city.sukagawa.fukushima.jp/taimatsu/

Name: FuJET 2017 Midyear Beer Hall

Date: Thursday November 16^th

Area: Fukushima City

Time: 17:45 meet up outside of the Sun Route Plaza Hotel in Fukushima City

Address: Asahi Beer Garden in Shikinosato 四季の里 アサヒビール園

荒井字川石田1-1, Fukushima, Fukushima 960-2156

Details: There is only one time every year where we have all of us in one place and therefore can expect prefecture wide shenanigans. If you like eating, and drinking, partying and clinking (your glasses that is) come join us at the Midyear celebration dinner, forget the stress of the day’s conference. All you can eat and drink for 2 hours plus transportation from and to the hotel. Please make sure to RSVP, we still have some spots left!

Price: ￥4550 (Please have exact change and pay the day of)

Website: https://goo.gl/7jRNL8 

Name: Odaka Volunteer Day

Date: Saturday November 18th

Area: Odaka, Minami Soma

Time: 8:30 am~ 4 pm

Address: Odaka Station

Details: After the 2011 disaster Odaka town in the Minami soma region was one of the most heavily affected areas, now six years later, efforts are still being made to recover and helping to allow people to return to their home. The day’s work can range from anything from cutting grass and raking to chopping down trees. Rain or shine, volunteers from all over the prefecture and even as far as Tokyo come together once a month. If you have a free day, come join, you can even enjoy the discounted onsen after.

Price: Free

Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/137013493691950/?active_tab=about

RSVPs Closed!

The production team of the annual This is Fukushima calendar project are announcing the start of photo submissions for the 2018 edition. From the production team:

Now in our sixth consecutive year, we are excited at the prospect of another excellent production. The photographs we publish in the calendar are critical to the success of each year’s project, because without them there can be no calendar!

If you have any photographs you would like to submit to us for consideration for the 2018 Calendar, you can submit them to us via email to:

ThisisFukushima@gmail.com

The final deadline for photo submissions is October 31st, but please don’t wait until the final days to submit your photos! The calendar is completed by December each year, after which it is distributed to every prefecture in Japan as well as to many recipients in countries around the world. If we do end up using your photos, we’ll gladly send you your own copies of the new calendar to share with family and friends.

Photo criteria:

The photos must have been taken in Fukushima prefecture. It doesn’t matter when although images taken post-2011 would be more ideal for the purposes of the calendar. Our theme is: Beautiful Fukushima – The Land and Its People. Any submitted images that support this theme are given greater consideration in the selection process.

For more information about photo criteria and technical specifics, as well as our calendar project in general, please visit our website: ThisisFukushima.org

Let’s work together to produce another great calendar on behalf of the people of Fukushima!

August 2017 The Lucky Island Events

Name: Uneme Festival うねめ供養祭

Date: Thursday to Saturday 8/3-8/5

Area: Koriyama

Time: ~12 pm

Address: In front of Koriyama Station

Details: This is the biggest festival in Koriyama which originated from the legend of Uneme (court lady) in the Nara period. As a symbol of summer, the town is adorned with Uneme lanterns and the drums can be heard all throughout the streets while everyone joins in dance and wearing yukata.

Website: https://www.ko-cci.or.jp/event/maturi/uneme.html

Name:  Waraji Festival わらじまつり

Date: Friday 8/4 and Saturday 8/5

Area: Fukushima City

Time: 4 pm on Friday, 10 am on Saturday

Address: 960-8034 Okitamacho, Fukushima-shi, Fukushima

Details: Would you like to see some locals parade around a straw sandal that is 12 meters long and weighs 2t? well You’re in luck because this is the festival for you. Accompanied by many groups of dancers and festival food, the Waraji Festival is one of the biggest festivals in all of Tohoku.

Website: http://www.fmcnet.co.jp/waraji/

Name: Iwaki Fireworks いわき花火大会

Date: Saturday 8/5 (Rain day Sunday 8/6)

Area: Iwaki

Time: 7 pm to 9 pm

Address: 971-8101 Onahama, Iwaki-shi, Fukushima

Details: Watch 12,000 fireworks of different shapes, sizes and colors light up the Iwakian sky. This year’s theme is “Magic in the night sky”

Website: http://www.iwakihanabi.com/index.htm

Name:  Soma Bon Odori Festival 相馬盆踊り大会

Date: Sunday 8/13- Monday 8/14

Area: Soma City

Time: 5 pm

Address: 976-0042　相馬市中村字北町55-1相馬市千客万来館１階

Details: Observe the Soma Bon Odori dance competition in this year’s festival that has been expanded to two days! The dance is performed to the town song “相馬盆歌”Enjoy general festival food and a fireworks display.

Website: http://www.nihon-kankou.or.jp/fukushima/072095/detail/07209ba2210114804

Name: Motomiya Summer Festival

Date: Tuesday 8/15- Saturday 8/16

Area: Motomiya City

Time: 12 pm- 7pm, Fireworks display on Wednesday 8 pm- 9 pm

Address: ＪＲ本宮駅前目抜き通り

Details: Although only a local festival, this one promises to bring you plenty of enjoyment. You will find events from typical festival games to a haunted house! Even though it’s during the week, it will be worth your time.

Website: http://www.city.motomiya.lg.jp/soshiki/15/dai11kaimotomiyashisatsumatsuri.html

Name: Date Drum Festival だてな太鼓まつり

Date: Sunday 8/20

Area: Date

Time: 8:30 am – 9:00 pm

Address: 960-0634 Fukushima Prefecture, Date, 保原町大泉宮脇２６５

Details: Come and enjoy a day full of Taiko drumming, brought to you by some local drumming groups, Ryozan Taiko as well as high school groups and other performances.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/datenataikomaturi/

Name: Kawamata Shamo Festival 川俣シャモまつり

Date: Saturday 8/26- Sunday 8/27

Area: Kawamata, Fukushima

Time: Sat 10a-8p and Sun 9a-3p

Address: 960-1463　川俣町字樋ノ口11

Details: Do you enjoy chicken or just eating in general? If so, this is the perfect festival for you! You can find chicken in any shape you can imagine, enjoy dance performances, taiko performances among others and be witness to the breaking of the world record for the longest chicken spin. Can’t miss it! Buy yourself a whole chicken.

Website: http://www.town.kawamata.lg.jp/site/kanko-event/syamomatsuri15kaisai.html

Name: Sukagawa Shakado River Fireworks Festival

Date: Saturday 8/26

Area: Sukagawa City

Time: 7 pm- 8:30 pm

Address: 962-0851 Nakajuku, Sukagawa-shi, Fukushima

Details: This is the spectacle that promises to be the biggest fireworks display of all of Fukushima prefecture. Enjoy gazing at the night sky as thousands of colorful pyrotechnics illuminate it. Choreographed to the rhythm of the music, you’ll see famous fireworks such as the Niagara.

Website: http://www.city.sukagawa.fukushima.jp/2730.htm