November's Programme

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION in AKITA is so lucky to have the pleasure of welcoming Professor Darren Ashmore who will talk on ‘ANIMATION’.

Meeting will take place at 4-25-9 Goshono, Jizouden Akita on Wednesday 18 November 09, from 7 p.m. Meeting should end around 9.30 p.m.

Please RSVP (reply) ASAP (as soon as possible) to Mrs Ichikawa by email.
Closing date = Saturday 14 November.

Prof. Ashmore has been in Japan for 2 years now and is associated with the Akita International University (AIU). Prof. Ashmore is a Film Critic and Cultural Advisor and Model Maker.

Please bring a little something to share with the members for POT LUCK SUPPER, after the talk. Refreshments will be provided. During the supper you will have a chance to talk to Prof. Ashmore.

Let’s make this a successful evening. It is ‘a first’ for the IWA and we hope that members who are not able to attend the day meetings will happily come to evening ones, and others to follow in the future, too.

Guests welcome – visitors’ fee = 300yen.

Parking is available around 4-25-9 Goshono but members could all meet at Mr Donuts at 6.45 p.m. and take lifts there and back, to help alleviate parking problems and getting lost.

Further details on the blog later. Please let’s enjoy this wonderful opportunity. J.I.

OYSTER EATING at KISAKATA Akita on Wednesday 29 July 09. J.I.

5 ladies set off from Mr Donuts at 9.35 a.m. Mrs K drove us expertly to the Oyster Shop at Kisakata. Mrs K has been visiting this particular shop for 15 years and it is highly recommended.

Tsujida San Shop. For navigation and reference Tel: 018-4433052/Nikaho City.
Free dial: 0120 511639

Located on Route 7 with a view of Choukai San Mountain before us, we arrived within 1-½ hours, passing through NIKAHO main street, which has a Science Museum for Children and lots of interesting places to visit. This area was reclaimed from the sea and is now fertile with rice fields.

We passed 2 hotels with onsen, which can be visited as HIGAIRI (day onsen visit) too. At one of the two hotels called Seaside Hotel we enjoyed a delicious lunch including a free onsen pass. 3 ladies took up the offer and enjoyed a lovely onsen overlooking the sea, all to ourselves. Sunsets here are beautiful and you can view the sunset whilst dipping in the onsen!

he IWA GAKI (Iwa Oysters) are very large and delicious and at their best during August. In Europe Oysters tend to be avoided in the months without an ‘R’ in them, so I was rather nervous as July and August don’t have the ‘R’.

The oysters we ate were about 7 and 8 years in growth and were really delicious. Mrs K ordered a lot to be delivered to friends and family, as she does each year. Prices ranged from 300 to 500 Yen and were well worth it!

The famous BASHO the Japanese poet visited this area and there is a very old Shrine, which we were going to visit but then the heavens opened and we decided not to.

Basho visited a lot of places in Touhoku and it is worth studying this famous poet as he is very well recognized internationally.

Please enjoy the photos and I highly recommend that IWA make this an outing next year – I for one shall certainly visit again as the OYSTERS WERE DELICIOUS!