The Nara pref gallery and the surroundings

Mission, the Nara pref gallery and the  surroundings.(researched 27th Oct 2013)

 

"We thank "C" for his dedicating assistance on me in my wheel chair to carry

out the mission."

 

 

 I researched the Nara pref gallery and the surroundigs. Here is what I saw.

The gallery.

 a, no car park is available. ( there are several private car parks are on offer aroud the place for the tourists. Cost you ￥1500-￥2000 for one day.)

 b, admission fees. ￥400 for adult. ￥150-￥250 for child and student.(you and an assistant are allowed to get free admission with a disability  certificate)

 c,  a priority toilet is located on the first floor.

 d, an elevator and the accessible slopes are installed.

 e, the hire wheelchires are available.

 

 Over all

 The gallary has a few special exhibitions in a year. You may ask'em what's on before you go.

 In terms of accessibility, I had no problem all the way in the building. While, It was a bit bumpy on the sidewalks nearby.

 

 

 

How to get there

Train and bus

It takes 5min from the Kintetsu Nara station (the 1st exit).Heading the East.

Bus goes there from the JR Nara station. The gallery is located closely from the bus stop (Kencho-mae 県庁前)

 

Ph 07442-23-3968

 

Address 10-6 Noborioji, Nara city 🏣630-8213

 

URL http://www.pref.nara.jp/11842.htm

 

The surroundings.

I list a few spots which are near there.

1,the prefectural office building (refer  ACCIDENTAL MISSION Nara prefectural office. Researched Jun 2013)

 

 

2, shopping malls (the higashimuki-shotengai mall 東向商店街, the sanjodori-shotengai mall 三条通商店街) there is a couple more shopping malls nearby.

3, the Nara park

4, the Sarusawaike pond

5, The Kofukuji Temple

 

In fact, the pref gallery is located in the most touristy area of Nara city. I advice you to visit those spots after or before the gallery.

 

 

 

Conclusion

We went down the shopping malls to the JR Nara station, had solid lunch at an Indian restaurant at the Sanjodori-shotengai mall. (there are enormous restaurants, cafes and stuff at the malls)
How ever, a good, tough companion is reqired to explore the area.

I will research the area to provide you farther information some time. Stay tuned. If you plan to visit the area by car. Please leave me a comment for more information.

How can I survive disasters in Japan?

Mission, surviving disasters in Nara (Japan) (researched 19th Oct 2013)

 

You are advised to ask "the Nara prefectural foreign resident support centre" regarding the issue.

Address 2F Silkia Nara, 8-1sanjyo, Nara city 630-8122

PH 0742-81-3320V

FAX 0742-81-3321

E-mail nara-icsc@office.pref.nara.lg.jp

 

There are several types of disasters in Nara.

1, earth quakes (地震) "jishin"

2, floods (洪水) "kozui"

3, land slides (地滑り) "jisuberi"

4, sever winds, storm (暴風) "bohuu"

5, sever rains, storm (豪雨) "gou"

How ever, except the earth quakes, they are able to practically forecast when and where the disasters come because those disasters are caused of typhoon (台風), tornados(竜巻) and other abnormal weathers.

 

What you should do to prepare yourself for those preventable disasters

1,  regularly gather information, check waters around you, check your evacuation routes, store water and food for a few days.

2, keep good communication with your neighborhood, exchanging greetings is essential. If you get to know each other, ask 'em about the issue.

3, designate a meeting spot for your family members and friends.

4, identify things you take to run with, such as passport, banking books, banking cards, credit cards and so on.

5, watch and listen to the radio ,TV and the inter net. There are many information sauce is on offer. I personally watch the NHK (ch2, ch12) in case of emergency.

There 4 more major channels are on TV (the Kansai area) 4ch, 6ch, 8ch, 10ch.

Generally, the radio stations (FM) have more multi lingual information

1, FM Osaka, 85.1

2, FM 802, 80.2

3, FM CO CO LO, 76.5

4, NHK FM, 87.4 (奈良市 Nara city)

5,Alpha- station, 89.4

 

The NHK Nara FM has the local frequencies   

東生駒 Higashiikoma 83.4MHz / 3W

宇陀 Uda 88.5MHz / 100W

栃原 Tochihara 83.7MHz / 30W

西吉野 Nishiyoshino 89.0MHz / 10W

山添 Yamazoe 82.3MHz / 10W

川上東川(うのがわ) Unogawa 83.3MHz / 10W

下北山 Shimokitayama83.4MHz / 10W

十津川小原 Totsukawaohara84.7MHz / 10W

御杖土屋原 Mitsuetsuchiyahara 84.8MHz / 10W

天川川合 Tenkawakawai  89.6MHz / 10W

Personally, I recommend you FM CO CO LO, 76.5 to listen to the multi lingual information.

How ever, you should watch the weather forcast regularly to see what happens in the sky.

What you should do in case of the floods or tsunami. (not in Nara)

1,Running up to higher ground (高台 takadai) and get away from the coast ASAP.

2,Stay upstairs, if you are in a building 

3,try to find the nearest evacuation centre

 

On the other hand the earth quakes are still unpredictable. They only critically deriver you warnings through mobile phones, TVs and other devices on line.

The Chinese characters which you will see with those warnings are listed below.

1, 地震 (jishin) earthquake

2, 震源 (shingen) epicentre

3, 震度 (shindo) scale of an earthquake

4, 余震 (yoshin) aftershock

5, 警報 (keiho) warning

6, 注意報 (chuiho) advisory warning

7, 津波 (tsunami) tsunami

8, 避難 (hinan) evacuation

9, 到達 (totatsu) arrival

10, 時間 (jikan) time

 

When those Chinese characters appear on the screens with unfamiliar buzzer,

you must take actions.

The types of actions are listed below.

1, try to stay under a table or some solid item to protect yourself against falling things.

2, try to stay away from the unstable things, for instance a wardrobe, a refrigerator and so on.

3, turn off the gas or stove to avoid causing a fire

4, make an escape route, open the doors to prevent 'em locked by accident

5, don't panic and run out the house, check the surroundings carefully and make sure your shoes are safe to put on. (be careful of broken glass)

Turn off the circuit breaker and gas before leaving the house.

 

In case you are outside

Watch falling things such as signs and pieces of broken glass, avoid walls.

 

In case you are driving a car

1, carefully stop the car on the left side to leave some room for ambulances or fire trucks.

2, leaving the car key in side, and evacuate with out the doors locking.

 

In case you are near the coast

1, run up to higher grounds and get away from the coast ASAP . (you must run from tsunami)

 

Japanese language you will see at an evacuation centre are listed below.

1, 避難 (hinan) evacuation

2, 避難所 (hinannjyo) evacuation centre

3, 受付 (uketsuke) reception

4, 登録 (toroku) registration

5, 被災者 (hisaisya) disaster victim

6, ライフライン (raihu rain) essential utilities

7, 給水 (kyusui) water supply

8, 安否確認 (anpikakunin) safety confirmation

9, 非常食 (hijiosyoku) emergency food

10, 炊き出し (takidashi) food provision

11, 配給 (haikyu) distribution

12, 救援物資 (kyuenbussi) relief supplies

13, 備蓄品 (bichikuhin) stockpile

You might face the cultural gap at an evacuation centre. The people may occasionally be aggressive. All you need to do is that "be cool," "treat the others as you want to be treated.

 

Over all

To manage emergencies, you have to get through the initial disorder on your own. Don't estimate to be saved by someone else, store supplies, drill evacuation procedures.

 

Conclsion

It was worth attending the lecture. I had given ideas to talk about the issue on my blog.

How ever, there are 2 million foreign residents in the nation. (11 thousand foreign residents in Nara pref )

On the other hand, a variety of disarstors have been happening across the nation every year.

What we (the interpreters  and the translaters) need to do is more attending the international exchange activities to help people understanding the protection against disasters and the other culturers.

Are you lost?

Mission, the written oracles at The Daianji Temple (researched 11 Oct 2013)

 

Written oracle=0mikuji おみくじ

Daruma=ダルマ 達磨

 

 

 

We researched the uniquely shaped written oracles at The Daianji Temple to introduce you Japan's "omikuji"culture.

 

 

 

 Today, I'll tell you a few things before you go for omikuji.

1, omikuji appears at the religious sites, regardless temples or shrines.

2, omikuji comes in variety of shapes and process. (ask'em befor you try)

3, you are allowed to knot your slip on a twig of surrounding trees or reserved area.

 

 

4, in general, omikuji expires in a year

5, you are also bring your slip back home (take it back on to any shrines or temples after a year.)

6, pray the gods or Buddha prior to draw omikuji.

 

However, omikuji is a way to communicate with what they worship, therefore, what it says is more to advice you how you go with your life. Don't take it too serious.

 

 

 

This is how it's written in a slip.

大吉 daikichi=great blessing

中吉 chukichi=middle blessing

小吉 shokichi=small blessing

吉 kichi=blessing

凶 kyo=curse

半凶 hankyo=half curse

大凶 daikyo=great curse

 

As you can see a written fortune at The Daianji Temple is shaped "daruma". Daruma symbolizes patience and accomplishment.

 

 

 

Over all

The Daiaji Temple is not very friendly for the wheel chair users. The accessible slopes are old, beat up as well as too steep,dangerous to use.

The courtyard is fully gravelly. I was stragling in my wheel chair. In addition the monks are unhelpfull, they were just looking at me getting stuck. No priority toilet is available. Free car park is located nearby (2min walk). There is another entrance on the East side (a lot easier for wheel chair.)"a monk told us about it after all."
 

 

 

Cost

¥400 per person, ¥ 360 per person with disable certificate , you are allowed to have 2 assistants (¥360 per assistant).

Free to go in to the temple. They charge you to see the statues of Buddha.
¥300 for a daruma shaped omikuji

 

 

 

The Daianji Temple was built in the Asuka period (year 6??)

The temple accommodated monks from South East Asia to study.

Today, The Daianji Temple is known as an effecting temple for anti cancer.

 

 

 

Conclusion

As I expected, the temple was not well accessible. While it was a good fun to buy a daruma shaped omikuji. My daruma shaped omikuji turned out to be "chukichi"中吉. I take it for "every thing gonna be alright."

 

 

 

Tips

A written slip is hidden somewhere in a daruma. Better ask some one to translate ( a lot more things are written in a slip.) A good, tough assistant is needed to accompany with your wheelchair.

 

 

ONIGAWRA

Mission, roof  tiles at "Gado" 瓦道 (researched 04 Oct 2013)

 

 We researched "Gado" 瓦道 (the roof tile manufacturer ) in Nara city to see what's there.

 

 

roof tile = 瓦

鬼瓦 onigawara = a gargoyle

 In Japan, the roof tiles are the most general and traditional building materials. You can see the materials on the roofs of the houses all over nation.

 

 How ever, we found something that is very rare as well as indeginous at Gado.

 

 

Here is what they do.

1, manufacture and construct special roof tiles for the major historic buildings across the nation. For example, The Kofukuji Temple (Nara pref), The Kasugataishya Shrine (Nara pref), The Entsuji Temple (Tokyo pre), The Himejijyo Castle (Hyogo pref) and so on.

2, administrate those buildings to maintain them in good conditions.

3, inherit the skills and the tradition.

The roof tiles first came in from the Korean peninsula 1400 ears ago.

They have kept the roof tile culture for centuries.

4, let the public know our roof tile culture.

A manufacture lesson is available, cost ¥2000 per person. (my wife tried it, says it was a good fun.)

 

 

The souvenirs are available (I bought a key ring.)

 

 

The brief history of roof tiles.

 In the beginning, according to Nihon-shoki (the oldest chronicles of Japan), the roof tiles came in to the nation from the Korean peninsula for construction of the religious buildings in the year of 588.

In the Medieval Period, the temples were decreased to be built. Wile, the castles were more to be built.

In short, the roof tiles were still to be used as building materials after the big change.

Nowadays, the roof tiles are far more developed to deal with today's needs. As a result, roof tiles are seen across the nation,

 

"How ever, I was working for a roof tile constructor during the summer, when I was very young. It was a good opportunity  for the young man experiencing the true spirit of workmen. The summer is very much memorable for me."

You can make your own small replica "onigawara" in a lesson.

 

 

How to get there.

Bus

Bus from JR/Kintetsu Nara station. Take a Nara kotsu bus at 2nd platform (the Aoyama housing line), get off at Narasaka, 1min walk from the bus stop to Gado (瓦道)

Car

It takes 10 min from the Kizu exit of the Keinawa motorway.

It takes 20min from the Koriyama exit of the Nishimeihan motorway.

 

Car park is available.

Open 9am-5pm

Manufacture lesson   ¥2000 (postage be added)

A lesson takes 1hour

 

Ph 0742-22-2391

Fax 0742-22-2393

URL http://www.gado.co.jp

 

Bookings are essential to take lessons. 

Disposable aprons are available

 

 

Over all

It's accessible for wheel chair at the factory.

A Western type toilet is available. (there are 4 steps to enter the toilet.) "better ask for assistance."  

 

Conclusion

I and my wife had a good time at Gado trying a manufacture lesson as well as come across rear findings . The research was successes all the way.