Watching the street corner: A tree of Totoro at a middle school

Translated from the original article at: http://www.ryoutan.co.jp/news/2011/11/22/004434.html

Picture: The shrub before the entrance of Nisshin middle school

In Maeda, Fukuchi City, before the entrance of Nisshin Middle School, is some rather interesting shaped shrubbery. Vaugely resembling Totoro, who appears in the animated movie (My Neighbor Totoro), it's a become a topic amongst students visiting the school.

The bush seems to have been planted in 1978, the approximate opening date of the school. Before, the height of the bush was short, and the trimming was the responsibility of the school staff. Each year during trimming time, the top portion of the foilage was left to stretch, as if ears were appearing. No one noticed that it was coming to resemble Totoro.

Now, it's grown to about 5 meters. At the area where a "face" would be, holes have been trimmed in at two points, resembling eyes.

Now, the resemblance is close. Staff members and others going up and down the stair landing find themselves looking directly into the eyes of Totoro.


Original text:
街角ウオッチング：中学校にトトロの木

写真＝日新中学校玄関前にある植え込み

福知山市前田、日新中学校玄関前に、おもしろい形をした植え込みがある。どことなくアニメ映画「となりのトトロ」に登場するトトロに似ており、来校者の話題となっている。

この木は、１９７８年の開校当時から植わっているらしい。以前は今より背が低かった。刈り込みは校務員が担当。毎年刈っていくうちに、上部の枝葉が耳のように伸び、いつしかトトロに似てきた。

今では高さ５メートルほどに成長し、顔の部分にあたる場所には、穴になるよう２カ所を刈り込んでいて、目のように見せている。

 近くでも良く分かるが、職員室などがある校舎の昇降階段の踊り場からだと、トトロの目が真正面に見える。

54 disaster rescue dogs take examination and are officially recognized as showing improvement in their ability/Hakone

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1111200014/

Caption: Inside a closed-down school in the town of Hakone, the International Rescuedog Organization　conducted exams and accreditation

Disaster rescue dogs excelling in searching ability undertook a certification exam with the International Rescue Dog Association from the 18th until the 20th. Conducted in a closed-down school in the town of Hakone, 54 dogs participated. The Rescue Dog Trainer's Association nonprofit corporate body is based out of Kuzuhara Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Training that included searching, obedience, etc were split into three subjects and carried out. Three international judges from Holland, Austria and Germany gave decisions.

The searching portion was carried out in the town of Hakone's former elementary schoolhouse, both inside the building and in the courtyard. For advanced levels, there was a thirty minute time limit established to search out for three survivors hidden in the area. According to the dog handler's instructions, sheperds and labradors searched about the premises. When survivors were discovered, the dogs howled for the handlers to come and confirm, after which they began their search for the next survivor. After the exam, the handlers received comments from the judges by way of an interpreter.

The three survivors were discovered, and the dogs received the IRO's rescue dog certification, for which the IRO had exactly two special reasons for granting them. The organizers explained that after East Japan's earthquake disaster, the public agencies' involvement and concern with rescue dogs was high. And upon undertaking the exam, as many locations as possible could be prepared with rescue dogs.



Original Text:
災害救助犬５４頭が“お受験”、能力向上へ公認試験/箱根

箱根町の廃校で行われた、国際救助犬連盟公認試験

災害救助犬の捜索能力を高めようと、国際救助犬連盟（ＩＲＯ）公認試験が18日から20日まで、箱根町の廃校で行われ、54頭が受けた。ＮＰＯ法人救助犬訓練士協会（藤沢市葛原）主催。

捜索、服従訓練などの３科目に分かれて実施され、オランダ人、オーストリア人、ドイツ人の３人の国際審査員が判定した。

「捜索」は箱根町箱根の旧箱根小学校の校舎内と中庭で行われた。上級は、30分間に隠れている３人の生存者を捜し出す設定。指導手の指示で、シェパードやラブラドールが駆け回った。生存者を発見し、犬がほえると指導手が確認。次の生存者の捜索に取り掛かった。試験後に指導手は審査員から、通訳を介して、講評を受けた。