Japanese Class will start from April

Japanese Class will start from April in Tsukuba Capio and the Science Information Center.

Both of these are located in the center of Tsukuba, near Dayz Town and Right On.

For more details about the class, please visit this page:
http://www.e-inter.tsukubacity.or.jp/japanese.htm

Hinamatsuri (Dolls Festival / Girl's Festival)

Hinamatsuri   ひなまつり  is known as the Doll Festival or Girl's Festival and is held on March 3. Even though it's called a "Festival", the event itself is family-based one.

Families who have daughters display the dolls for a few weeks before March 3 and have a party on March 3 with family members and sometimes with friends.

This festival is for families to pray for the daughters' health and happiness.

One interesting thing about Hinamatsuri is that:

"Families generally start to display the dolls in February and take them down immediately after the festival. Superstition says that leaving the dolls past march 4 will result in a late marriage for the daughter.(Wikipedia)"


Thankfully our neighboring towns are having Hinamasuri (Dall Festival) until March 3. You can see a lot of displays of beautiful dolls and experience intersting things.


This is the HP of the Tsuchiura Doll festival.
http://www.ibarakiguide.jp/db_kanko/?detail&id=0800000002427rakiguide.jp/db_kanko/?detail&id=0800000002427


This is the HP of the Makabe Doll festival.
http://www.ibarakiguide.jp/db_kanko/?detail&id=0800000000778

Swans in Ottonuma Park

At the end of the last year a lot of swans arrived at Ottonuma park pond (乙戸沼公園）.

The swans' arrival was a little later than usual years but since the city government cleaned the surface of the pond last year, the pond has more than the usual number of swans this winter.

Ottonuma park is good place to go for a walk and you just need about 30minutes to walk around the pond.

The swans will go back to Siberia soon, so if you are interested, please go there before they leave.