Iwakuni Friendship Day - May 5th, 2010

US - Japan Friendship Day (click here for the link).

Every year, for one day only, on May 5th, the United States Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni base (located about an hour south of Hiroshima) holds U.S.-Japan Friendship Day and opens its gates for anyone and everyone that wants to visit. Normally, in order to be allowed on a US military base, one must either be military and show their military ID badge, or be sponsored and escorted around by a military personnel friend. Where I am neither US military personnel and don't have any US military friends in Iwakuni that can escort me, I too wait every year in anticipation for the chance to be surrounded by the finest of the fine...our (America's) beloved troops.

Or for the chance to eat here (don't judge me...it is a once a year treat for those of us that live in small town rural Japan):



Most show up for the air show...between 250,000-300,000 show up annually for a chance to be impressed with the best of America and the best of Japan showing off some of the military might with impressive take offs, turns, dives, loops, and what not. This year featured 2 paratroopers, one from Japan with the Japanese flag, and one from America, with the American flag.



The other cool thing was that this year, the U2 spy plane made a guest appearance....one of the few chances ever of being able to take photos of this famous aircraft! Other reasons to go are for the children...a great play area for the children, and if bikes are your thing...they have a place for everyone to park and show off their sweet rides...who knew there were so many bikers in Japan!!







Thanks, guys...keep up the great work and see you next year!

Huis Ten Bosch, Japan

For those not familiar with a blog “matsuri”, it is where a hosting blog chooses a theme and other bloggers write a blog post related to that theme and submit it to the hosting blog. On certain Japanese related blogs and blog hosting sites, there is a blog matsuri every month. I was amused at this months theme of "secret Japan."

During an overnight stay in Nagasaki prefecture, we discovered a little known and well hidden secret in Japan. Her name is “Tulip”(チューリーちゃん）in Japanese. She is the official mascot for Huis Ten Bosch. Which is another popular but well hidden secret in Japan. Just how well hidden is this secret? According to a recent article, Huis Ten Bosch is once again bankrupt. A blog search showed that the park had closed down once in 2003 due to lack of visitors. It reopened under new management. Once again, Huis Ten Bosch is restructuring and changing management and ownership due to lack of visitors.

Huis Ten Bosch first opened in 1992, to honor the historical ties between the Netherlands and Japan dating back to the 1600's. Wikipedia teaches us that "Huis Ten Bosch is a theme park in Nagasaki Prefecture that recreates the Netherlands by displaying real size copies of old Dutch buildings. The name Huis Ten Bosch literally translates into English as "House in the Forest". It is named after Huis ten Bosch Palace, one of the four official residences of the Dutch Royal Family, located in The Hague in the Netherlands. The park features many Dutch-style buildings such as hotels, villas, theatres, museums, shops and restaurants, along with canals, windmills, amusement rides and a park planted in seasonal flowers."

With great theme parks comes great mascots. Disney with Mickey and friends...Universal Studios with Woody Woodpecker and friends, Fuji-Q Highland with its Mt. Fuji mascot...and Huis Ten Bosch with....this...



Other reasons to visit Huis Ten Bosch...