Monday, January 13, 2014

[Movie] The Yokohama Fire Department shows off it's disaster response ability at a New Year's event/Kanagawa

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1401120012/

January 12, 2014
The New Year's event of the Yokohama Fire Department.

On the 12th, the Yokohama Fire Department's New Year's event was held at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse event plaza. According to one of the sponsors, 78,000 people attended.

[Movies]

At the event, firefighter band drills and old-style Japanese ladder acrobatics were performed. Under the scenario that a major earthquake occurred, all of the firefighters performed a response drill, showing off their ability to deal with disasters. Visitors saw vehicles they may not usually encounter, such as special trucks, fire boats and helicopters. They were able to feel what it's like to be in close proximity as they observed the firefighters carrying out rescue operations.




Original text:
【動画】横浜消防が出初め式、災害対応力をアピール/神奈川
2014年1月12日

横浜消防出初め式

横浜消防出初め式が12日、横浜市中区の横浜赤レンガ倉庫イベント広場で行われ、約7万8千人(主催者調べ)が訪れた。

【動画】

会場では、はしご乗りなどの古式消防演技や消防音楽隊ドリル演技、巨大地震を想定した総合訓練などが行われ、災害への対応力をアピールした。来場者は普段見られない特殊車両や消防艇、消防ヘリを間近に感じながら消防職員らの救出作業に見入っていた。

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Water fowl perform an "ice dance," as the top of Sankei Park's lake is frozen solid/Yokohama

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1401110012/

January 12, 2014
Ducks "ice dancing" atop the frozen lake=Sankei Park's biggest lake (Naka-ku, Yokohama City)

The cold has even frozen the lake.

On the 11th, Yokohama's Meteorological Observatory reported a low temperature of 0.6 degrees Celsius, the coldest temperature this winter.

The freezing cold reached the largest lake of Naka-ku, Yokohama City's Sankei Park, freezing the top of it. During the morning, water fowl were seeing walking atop the sparking ice, appearing to do an "ice dance". (Photo taken at 10:46 AM)

The park commented: "At the end of last year and entering 2014, part of the lake was frozen. We've now begun the season of the whole surface being solid."


Original text:
水鳥が「アイスダンス」、三渓園の池が全面凍結/横浜
2014年1月12日

水鳥が氷の上を「アイスダンス」=三渓園の大池(横浜市中区)

寒さで池も凍る-。

11日、横浜の最低気温は0・6度(横浜地方気象台調べ)まで下がり、この冬一番の冷え込みとなった。

この寒さで横浜市中区の三渓園では、大池の全面が凍った。朝日で輝く氷の上を水鳥が歩く姿はアイスダンスをしているようにも見える(午前10時46分撮影)。

同園は「昨年末と今年に入って池が一部凍りましたが、全面が凍るのは今シーズン初めてです」。

Thursday, January 2, 2014

[Movie] All throughout Kanagawa prefecture, the area is blessed with fine weather at the start of the New Year.

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1401010005/

January 1, 2014
The view from the coast of Chigasaki (New Year's Day)

On January 1st, the Pacific Ocean along Eastern Japan was blessed with clear weather. Around 7AM, an orange colored morning sky was seen announcing the New Year throughout all of Kanagawa.

Along the beach area of Chigasaki, where Mount Fuji neighbors off to the West, and the small island of E No Shima to the East, people could be seen rubbing their hands in the cold as they witnessed the first day of the year. Additionally, even in Yokohama City people packed the elevated areas from early in the morning to view the sunrise.

[Movies]




Original text:
【動画】一年の始まり告げる「初日の出」晴天に恵まれ県内各地でも
2014年1月1日

茅ケ崎海岸から見た「初日の出」

東日本の太平洋側では元日、晴天に恵まれた。午前7時ごろ県内の各地でも一年の始まりを告げるオレンジ色の朝日が姿を見せ「初日の出」が見られた。

【動画】

茅ケ崎海岸付近では西に富士山を、東に江の島をのぞむかたちで初日が見られ、寒い中手を合わせる姿も見られた。また、横浜市でも見ることができ、朝早くから大勢の市民が高台に詰めかけた。

Monday, December 30, 2013

A big success among locals: The "daruma city" at Dairokuten Temple/Chigasaki

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1312280011/

December 28, 2013
All lined up together, a "city" of various sized darumas=Dairokuten Temple

The Daruma City, an annual end of the year tradition, was held on the 27th at the Dairokuten Temple in San-Chome, Jukkenzaka, Chigasaki City. Daruma of various sizes were lined up, as locals packed the area to purchase them for use in the New Year.

According to the temple, the annual event began over 50 years ago. This is said to be the only place to find a "daruma city" within Chigasaki. This year, 10 daruma stores from Hiratsuka City gathered for the event, also selling shimenawa decorative ropes and household Shinto altars.

To sell their Darumas, shopkeepers struck flint stones while dancing and yelling out "Yoooiyoi!" as they prayed for safety in their homes and success in business.

As a family of 6 approached the shops, a local female (age 65) said with a smile "Even though I buy lucky amulets at the super markets, I still shop at the daruma city each year. I wish to pray for the health of children as I decorate with them."


Original text:
地元客で盛況、第六天神社で「だるま市」/茅ケ崎
2013年12月28日

さまざまな大きさのだるまがずらりと並んだ市=第六天神社

年末の恒例行事「だるま市」が27日、茅ケ崎市十間坂3丁目の第六天神社で開かれた。さまざまな大きさのだるまがずらりと並び、正月用品を買い求める地元客らでにぎわった。

同神社によると、50年ほど前から毎年行われており、市内で開催されるだるま市はこの1カ所だけという。今年は平塚市のだるま店など10店ほどが集まり、しめ縄飾りや神棚なども販売された。

だるまが売れると、店員が火打ち石を鳴らしながら「ヨヨヨイヨイ」と威勢のいい掛け声と手拍子で、家内安全や商売繁盛などを祈願した。

家族6人で訪れた近くに住む女性(65)は「スーパーでも買えるけど、縁起ものなので毎年だるま市で購入している。子どもたちの健康を願って飾りたい」と笑顔で話した。

Sunday, December 22, 2013

[Movie] A lighting test at Samukawa Temple, for a nebuta float that welcomes the New Year with a legend/Kanagawa

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1312200043/

December 20, 2013
The nebuta float of Samukawa Temple, set up for a lighting test.

At Samukawa Temple (Miyayamai, Samukawa-Cho, Chief Priest: Tone Yasunori) the annual welcoming of the New Year with a float featuring a legend, was set up on the 20th at the shrine's gates. It's been set to light up on 12:00 AM, New Years Day.

[Movies]

This year's theme is Ama No Iwato (Cave of the Sun God). Aomori prefecture's nebuta artist, Kitamura Renmei, spent three months on it's creation. During the process, he poured in his wishes for people to seek and embrace hope for Japanese economic revival during the dawning of each day, as well as to take one steady step at a time towards a happy 2014.

The nebuta is 9 meters wide, 2.6 meters tall and 1.7 meters deep. The float's 250 light bulbs giving off an eerie glow, the lighting tests are performed in the evenings. The float will remain lit at night until February 3rd of next year, welcoming visitors to the shrine.



Original text:
【動画】神話ねぶたで正月出迎え、寒川神社で試験点灯/神奈川
2013年12月20日

試験点灯された寒川神社のねぶた

寒川神社(寒川町宮山、利根康教宮司)で恒例の迎春神話ねぶたが20日、神門に設置され、元日午前0時の点灯へ準備が整った。

【動画】

今年のテーマは「天の岩屋戸(いわと)」。青森ねぶた師の北村蓮明さんが約3カ月かけて制作。経済回復の兆しが見える日本の夜明けに希望を抱き、着実な一歩を踏み出し幸せな一年になるよう、願いが込められている。

ねぶたは幅9メートル、高さ約2.6メートル、奥行き1.7メートル。試験点灯した夕暮れ時には、約250個の電球が幻想的な光を放った。来年2月3日まで夜間に点灯され、参拝客らを出迎える。

Friday, December 20, 2013

During Hakone's first snowfall, the mountainous region is covered in white/Kanagawa

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1312190024/

December 19, 2013
Ashi No Kohan Lake, covered in snow.

Snow continually fell from the morning of the 18th, leaving Hakone-Cho's mountain area covered in white.

According to the city's fire department, Sengokuhara measured 8.5 centimeters of accumulated snowfall and Hakone measured 8. From the pile up on the roads, it looks like the snow season has begun. Last season was said to have started one month earlier.

On the 19th, people all over town could be seen clearing away the snow. In the snow covered Ashi No Kohan Lake, a sight-seeing boat emerged from the middle of the fog.


Original text:
箱根で初雪、山間部が白く染まる/神奈川
2013年12月19日

真っ白に雪化粧した芦ノ湖畔

18日朝から降り続いた雪で、箱根町の山間部は真っ白に雪化粧した。

同町消防本部によると、仙石原で8・5センチ、箱根で8センチの積雪を観測。道路に積もるような積雪は今シーズン初で、昨シーズンに比べ約1カ月早いという。

町内では19日にもあちこちで雪かきに追われる人の姿が見られ、雪化粧した芦ノ湖畔では、霧がかった中を遊覧船が行き来していた。

Friday, December 13, 2013

Burning off worldly desires, praying for health and peace of mind/Odawara

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1312060021/

December 7, 2013
During their ceremony, Yamabushi Priests use torches to draw Sanskrit characters through the air.

To burn off this year's earthly desires and pray for abundance in the New Year, the annual Mount Akiba Fire Protection Festival was held on the 6th at Ryōgaku Temple in Mount Akiba, Itabashi, Odawara City.

Amidst the darkness, a pile of firewood inside the temple grounds was ignited. 30 fully dressed Yamabushi Buddhist priests gathered from all over the country began to perform a cleansing ceremony, drawing Sanskrit characters with their torches. As they continued, visitors to the shrine crossed barefoot over a charcoal fire, praying for health and peace of mind.



Original text: 
煩悩焼き払い、無病息災祈願/小田原
2013127

たいまつで梵字を書く儀式を披露した山伏

今年1年の煩悩を焼き払い、新年の繁栄を願う恒例の「秋葉山火防(ひぶせ)祭」が6日、小田原市板橋の秋葉山量覚院で行われた。

暗闇の中、境内に積み上げられたまきに点火。全国から集まった約30人の修験者装束の山伏が登場し「法剣作法」で場を清め、たいまつで梵字(ぼんじ)を書く儀式を披露した。山伏に続いて、参拝者がおき火の上を素足で渡り歩き、無病息災を祈願した。