Have You Seen These Eye-Catching Posters? - Another Akita Bijin Tourism Campaign by Akita City!

Have you seen this poster?

If you have, you would certainly remember it: this eye-catching poster has been much talked about since when it was first introduced last month.

This poster, titled “Akita Bijin Silent Message,” was created by Akita Convention and Visitors Bureau in an attempt to improve the public image of Akita City.

As the title suggests, Akita’s beautiful women (“Akita Bijin”) are the featured concept: Each of the seven shows a face voicing a letter, and when all are combined, it makes up a “message”.

In a quiz manner, the campaign invites you to submit the answer on a website. Among those who guess the right answer, 100 will be drawn and given “Akita” prizes that include free hotel tickets and presents!



Click to enter in the campaign.



The  posters have been put up at various places like JR stations in Tokyo metropolitan area and some hotels around Akita City. For the popularity, 3,500 entries were submitted within the first 2 weeks – even some people are inquiring as to whereabouts to obtain a copy!

The posters were created “in high hopes of encouraging more people to visit Akita City and try our cuisine and sake”, says the concept designer of the Akita Bureau.

To enter, you need to submit your answer by February 29th. Posters with a correct answer will be available from the following day, March 1.

Such tourism campaign by Akita City, as well as ours by Semboku City, featured Akita Bijin (秋田美人）as the main concept. Although it is only one of many beautiful attractions that we offer, this approach has been successful in catching people’s attention – Hasn’t it worked with you? Now, you really have to come visit us!

Pension Magobei and Agri-Asano Farm at Organic Festa in Akita 2011

Organic Festa in Akita 2011 was held on August 20 at Serion Plaza in Tsuchizaki-minato Port, Akita City. Two of Tazawako’s organic farmers were among the participants, and they offered the visitors opportunities to try some of the most delicious and safe products!

Organic Festa in Akita 2011 @ Selion Tower in Akita City

Last year was the first time, which welcomed thousands of visitors and ended as a huge success. At this event, each farmer or shop owner holds a booth and sells fresh organic vegetables and products of such ingredients. The event aims to connect both sides - the farmers and the consumers – who consciously promote the organic and safe food production in Akita Prefecture.

About 40 booths offered various kinds of vegetables and products (e.g. juice, sweets) which were cultivated using organic farming method or with reduced chemical fertilizers. The visitors were encouraged to try such foods at each booth.



Mr. Taguchi of Pension Magobei （孫兵衛）

Magobei produces many different products with their delicious vegetables.

At Magobei's booth, Mr. Taguchi offered his proud Sicilian Rouge Tomatoes, bell peppers, along with home-made preservatives of tomatoes, black currants (cassis), and strawberries. They were all produced with significantly reduced amount of fertilizers. That is why all the vegetables are naturally so full of flavor! Look how red the tomatoes are! Mr. Taguchi explained, “these tomatoes are at its best since they are harvested fully ripe on the tree.”

Magobei's Sicilian Rouge Tomatoes

At a booth of Agri-Asano Farm (アグリアサノファーム), the couple offered many different kinds of vegetables like sweet corns, edamame soy-beans, potatoes, cucumbers, belle peppers, etc. They grow their vegetables with loving care, in the mineral-rich soil near the Obonai river. To every visitor, the couple kindly explained what is the best way to enjoy their beloved vegetables!

 

Agri-Asano Farm

Near the entrance, there was a fundraising booth for the earthquake victims. The products were donated by the participants and whose profit was fully donated to the ones in need. Many people stop by to pitch in and share some good thoughts!

Vegetables were donated and the original event T-shirts are also on sale for fundraising.

Organic Festa in Akita 2011 has been such an inspiring event! We are sure that this is only the beginning of new movement to raise the awareness of food safety. Farmers like Magobei and Agri-Asano Farm in Tazawako Area are one of the leaders in Akita Prefecture! Come to Tazawako and enjoy their delicious vegetables!

Our Lady of Akita at the Chapel of Seitai Hoshikai

Our Lady of Akita is perhaps more widely known among Christians overseas, for Japan is mainly Shinto and Buddhist country. However, the Catholic Chapel in Akita City has been visited by many Catholic pilgrims and travelers who wish to catch a glimpse of the holy statue, which is said to have shed tears 101 times from 1975 to 1981.

The Chapel of Seitai Hoshikai in Akita City, Akita Prefecture.

The chapel of Seitai Hoshikai （聖体奉仕会）is located on a hill in Yuzawadai on the outskirts of Akita City. The church gives you an impression of a shrine or a temple, as it was built in a traditional Japanese style. According to the website, the place was dedicated to Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer) on May 1, 2002.

You are not allowed to take photos nor videos inside of the building. At the entrance of the main building, you are asked to take off your shoes. You will be probably approached by a nun who will show you the way.

Pamphlets, Books, Postcards, Keychains and other goods are available at the store inside.

The Statue of Our Lady of Akita, also known as Statue of Saint Mary in Tears ("Namida-no-Seibozo "), is enshrined in a small alter located in the left hallway; the Statue of Jesus is in the main chapel; and that of St. Joseph is in the right hallway – all of them were hand-carved by Mr.Wakasa Saburo around 1963.

Most of the interior architecture and furniture are made of wood. (You will notice it once you step into the building – it smells really nice!) This is a quite interesting place where you get to see a combination of two different styles: Japanese traditional architectural decorations are carved to express the Western, Christian motifs such as wheat and grapes.



The Garden of Mary

A statue enshrined in the end of the Way of Cross.



The Garden of the Lamb



There is a beautiful garden called the Garden of Mary, which is a Japanese garden dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to a pamphlet, the garden was created in 1976 by the hands of amateurs and with tree donated by friends from different part of Japan. Here, on this day, we saw a group of foreigners enjoying the gospel songs, while gardeners were trimming the trees in Japanese traditional style. Another garden called the Garden of the Lamb is next to the garden. You can walk on the Way of the Cross.

The Chapel of Seitai Hoshikai is open from 9:00 to 4:30 (Closed between 11:30 and 1:00 p.m.) everyday. In winter, it opens from 10 a.m. It welcomes guests for free. You can access from JR Akita Station by a local bus (take one heading for Akita Onsen or Nibetsu Resort Koen) that would take about 20 minutes. The Convent is 10 minutes walk up on the hill from a nearest bus stop.

Multilingual Information About Akita City in A Radio Show and Mobile Travel Guide

From May 11th, 2011, a radio program in Japanese, English, Korean, and Chinese, has started broadcasting to introduce the lifestyle in Akita Prefecture. The program is broadcasted every Wednesday from 12:00, and each week a personality in a different language takes a charge to spread the message that “Akita is doing fine. Come to Tohoku!”

The program has been created as a part of a public project called “Good-Japan Project”. Aftermaths of the 3.11 earthquake have been lingering on only economically. In Akita the affect is minimal and our life is back to normal! However, the overseas media and online rumors have been steering the tourists away. The purpose of this project is to let the world know that you will be safe to travel in Akita and we are ready to welcome you in Akita. This is another effort to spread the energy from Akita to the rest of the Tohoku prefectures that were more directly damaged and in need of cheer-up.

The radio show is broadcasted from ALVE, a public plaza facility in front of JR Akita station. Another company, Ubusuna, also creates an Android application called Omotenavi, which would give you detailed guide information at different touristic locations. To see how it works, watch the following video:

The program can be downloaded in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and English on your Android mobile phone. At the moment, downloading it is free of charge; however, it will required a fee after September. So hurry up if you are planning a trip to Akita Prefecture with your Android phone.

Download

Click your language.

Detailed tourist information will be shown in your desired language.

We recommend you to have it at hand if you are planning a trip to Akita City. In Tazawako in Semboku City, make sure you stop by at Folake Tazawako Tourist Information Center at JR Tazawako Station. They will give you Semboku City guide maps in Japanese, English, and Korean.