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Assabu, Hokkaido
is a small town located in Hiyama Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Assabu is situated in the Oshima Peninsula of southern Hokkaido near the Japan Sea. Assabu is around an hour's drive by car from Hakodate and 15 minutes to Esashi. Other transport links include a road from Yakumo on the east coast and a bus to Esashi. The bus-rail links from the Esashi (JR Esashi-Line) and Hakodate railway stations closed in 2014 when the Esashi train line closed. The drive to Sapporo, Hokkaido's largest city, takes around four and one-half hours on the toll expressway; around six hours on the toll-free highways. Geography The municipality is landlocked, comprising several valley basins and is encircled by forest-clad hills, opening out towards the Japan sea to the west. More than 80% of the Assabu municipal area is forested, including Hiba (Japanese Cypress), Goyoumatsu (Japanese White Pine) and Todomatsu (Sakhalin Fir) species. Nearby cities and towns * Yakumo to the north * Hokuto to the no ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The largest city on Hokkaidō is its capital, Sapporo, which is also its only ordinance-designated city. Sakhalin lies about 43 kilometers (26 mi) to the north of Hokkaidō, and to the east and northeast are the Kuril Islands, which are administered by Russia, though the four most southerly are claimed by Japan. Hokkaidō was formerly known as ''Ezo'', ''Yezo'', ''Yeso'', or ''Yesso''. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Hokkaidō" in Although there were Japanese settlers who ruled the southern tip of the island since the 16th century, Hokkaido was considered foreign territory that was inhabited by the indigenous people of the island, known as the Ainu people. While geographers such as Mogami Tokunai and Mamiya Rinzō explored the isla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese White Pine
''Pinus parviflora'', also known as five-needle pine, Ulleungdo white pine, or Japanese white pine, is a pine in the Pinus classification, white pine group, ''Pinus'' subgenus ''Strobus'', native to Korea and Japan. It is a pinophyta, coniferous evergreen tree, growing to 15–25 m in height and is usually as broad as it is tall, forming a wide, dense, conical crown. The leaf, leaves are needle-like, in bundles of five, with a length of 5–6 cm. The conifer cone, cones are 4–7 cm long, with broad, rounded scales; the seeds are 8–11 mm long, with a vestigial 2–10 mm wing. The Latin binomial nomenclature, specific epithet ''parviflora'' means "with small flowers". This is a popular tree for bonsai, and is also grown as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. The cultivars 'Adcock's Dwarf' and ‘Bonnie Bergman’ have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Gallery File:Kiefernzapfen P4202406.jpg, female Conifer cone, cones Pi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ramen
is a Japanese dish, Japanese noodle dish. It consists of served in a broth; common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen has its roots in Chinese noodle dishes. Nearly every region in Japan has its own variation of ramen, such as the ''tonkotsu'' (pork bone broth) ramen of Kyushu and the ''miso'' ramen of Hokkaido. History Etymology The word ''ramen'' is a Japanese borrowing of the Standard Chinese, Mandarin Chinese ''lamian, lāmiàn'' (, "pulled noodles"). However, historian Barak Kushner argues that this borrowing occurred retroactively and that various independent Japanese corruptions of Chinese words had already led to Japanese people calling this Chinese noodle dish "ramen". One theory suggests that the Japanese mistook the Chinese particles "le" (了) or "la" (啦, a contraction of 了啊) for a "ra" sound when Chinese cooks would announce "hăo le" (好了) to communicate t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Park Golf
is a form of golf played in a park that was invented in Makubetsu, Hokkaido, Japan in 1983. Aesthetically, it resembles a sport somewhere between golf and croquet. The competitive object of the game is to hit the ball into a hole with a club in the fewest strokes. At the same time, there is also a strong emphasis on harmony with other players (players of park golf are referred to as ''parkers'') and the natural setting of the course. The founders of the sport wanted to keep it simple so that people of all ages could become parkers easily. A single ball and club are sufficient for a game of park golf. Courses are relatively short and the physical strain of the game is low. The cost of playing is also low and the rules are simple. For this reason, it is a good sport for children and families. Despite this, the majority of the 700,000 parkers continue to be of retirement age. Course A "round" of park golf is 9 holes. The International Park Golf Association has set upper limit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Onsen
In Japan, are the country's hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has many onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands. There are approximately 25,000 hot spring sources throughout Japan that provide hot mineral water to about 3,000 genuine onsen establishments. Onsens come in many types and shapes, including and . Baths may be either publicly run by a municipality or privately, often as part of a hotel, ''ryokan'', or . The presence of an onsen is often indicated on signs and maps by the symbol ♨ or the kanji (''yu'', meaning "hot water"). Sometimes the simpler hiragana character ゆ (''yu''), understandable to younger children, is used. Traditionally, onsens were located outdoors, although many inns have now built indoor bathing facilities as well. Nowadays, as most households have their own bath, the number of traditional public baths has decreased, but the number of sightseeing ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sake
Sake, also spelled saké ( ; also referred to as Japanese rice wine), is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asian rice wine (such as huangjiu and cheongju), is produced by a brewing process more akin to that of beer, where starch is converted into sugars which ferment into alcohol, whereas in wine, alcohol is produced by fermenting sugar that is naturally present in fruit, typically grapes. The brewing process for sake differs from the process for beer, where the conversion from starch to sugar and then from sugar to alcohol occurs in two distinct steps. Like other rice wines, when sake is brewed, these conversions occur simultaneously. The alcohol content differs between sake, wine, and beer; while most beer contains 3–9% ABV, wine generally contains 9–16% ABV, and undiluted sake contains 18–20% ABV (although this is often ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shōchū
is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, or brown sugar, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as chestnut, sesame seeds, potatoes, or even carrots. Typically shōchū contains 25% alcohol by volume, which is weaker than baijiu, whiskey or vodka but stronger than huangjiu, sake or wine. It is not uncommon for multiply distilled shōchū, which is more likely to be used in mixed drinks, to contain up to 35% alcohol by volume. Etymology The word is the Japanese rendition of the Chinese ''shaojiu'' (), meaning "burned liquor", which refers to the heating process during distillation. The Chinese way of writing ''shaojiu'' with the character 酒 is considered archaic and obsolete in modern Japanese, which uses the character 酎. Nevertheless, both characters mean "liquor". Culture Drinking ''Shōchū'' should not be confused with sake, a brewed rice wine. Its taste is usually far less fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Azuki
''Vigna angularis'', also known as the adzuki bean , azuki bean, aduki bean, red bean, or red mung bean, is an annual vine widely cultivated throughout East Asia for its small (approximately long) bean. The cultivars most familiar in East Asia have a uniform red color, but there are also white, black, gray, and variously mottled varieties. Scientists presume ''Vigna angularis'' var. ''nipponensis'' is the progenitor. Origin and diversity Speciation and domestication The wild ancestor of cultivated adzuki bean is probably ''Vigna angularis'' var. ''nipponensis'', which is distributed across Japan, Korea, China, Nepal and Bhutan. Speciation between ''Vigna angularis'' var. ''nipponensis'' and ''Vigna angularis'' var. ''angularis'' occurred around years ago. Archaeologists estimate it was domesticated around 3000 BC. However, adzuki beans (as well as soybeans) dating from 3000 BC to 2000 BC are indicated to still be largely within the wild size range. Enlarged seeds occur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soybeans
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu and tofu skin are made. Fermented soy foods include soy sauce, fermented bean paste, nattō, and tempeh. Fat-free (defatted) soybean meal is a significant and cheap source of protein for animal feeds and many packaged meals. For example, soybean products, such as textured vegetable protein (TVP), are ingredients in many meat and dairy substitutes. Soybeans contain significant amounts of phytic acid, dietary minerals and B vitamins. Soy vegetable oil, used in food and industrial applications, is another product of processing the soybean crop. Soybean is the most important protein source for feed farm animals (that in turn yields animal protein for human consumption). Etymology The word "soy" originated as a corruption of the Cantonese or J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Daikon
Daikon or mooli, ''Radish, Raphanus sativus'' Variety (botany), var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia, daikon is harvested and consumed throughout the region, as well as in South Asia, and is available internationally. In some locations, daikon is planted for its ability to break up compacted soils and recover nutrients, but is not harvested. Names In culinary contexts, ''daikon'' ( ja, 大根, lit=big root) or are the most common names in all forms of English. British India, Historical ties to South Asia permit ''mooli'' () as a general synonym in English. The generic terms white radish, winter radish, Oriental radish, long white radish, and other terms are also used. Other synonyms usually vary by region or describe #Varieties, regional varieties of the vegetable. When it is necessary to distinguish the usual Japanese form from others, it is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kaminokuni, Hokkaido
is a town located in Hiyama Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of September 2016, the town had an estimated population of 5,161, and a density of 9.4 per km2. The total area is 547.58 km2. Geography Kaminokuni is located on the southwest of the Oshima Peninsula and faces the Sea of Japan. Amano River flows through the central town. Esashi Line used to run along this river. Neighboring towns * Hiyama Subprefecture ** Esashi ** Assabu * Oshima Subprefecture ** Kikonai ** Shiriuchi ** Matsumae ** Fukushima History Strongman Takeda Nobuhiro (1431-1494), progenitor of the Kakizaki (later Matsumae) house, established a fort (tate) in Kaminokuni leading to the settlement of the area by other Wajin merchants and fishermen. *1879: The village of Kaminokuni was founded. *1902: Kaminokuni Village was merged with neighboring villages to form the new village of Kaminokuni. *1967: Kaminokuni Village became Kaminokuni Town. Education * High school ** Hokkaido Kaminokuni High Scho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kikonai, Hokkaido
is a town located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 4,448, and a density of 20 persons per km². The total area is 221.88 km². Geography Kikonai is located on the southwest of the Oshima Peninsula and faces Tsugaru Strait. Neighboring towns * Oshima Subprefecture ** Hokuto ** Shiriuchi * Hiyama Subprefecture ** Kaminokuni ** Assabu Climate History *1902: Kikonai village was founded. *1942: Kikonai village became Kikonai town. *2012: Hokkaido Kikonai High School was closed. Transportation Kikonai's station, Kikonai Station, is located at the north end of the Seikan Tunnel, which connects the islands of Hokkaido and Honshū. The town government is actively promoting the development of the Hokkaidō Shinkansen and proposes offering intermodal service on the line. Matsumae Line used to run from Kikonai but it was abolished in 1988. The section of Esashi Line from Kikonai to Esashi was also abolish ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
