Aichi Comes to Life in the Springtime

Issue 19, Spring 2010 Is a Publication of the Aichi Prefectural Government San Francisco Office

Aichi Comes To Life In The Springtime Noritake Garden in Aichi represented in the competition but by 2009 swords, armor, Noh costumes and masks, a total of 15 countries from around the lacquer furniture, ceramics, calligraphy, and world were competing. paintings. The Owari Domain was in what is now Aichi Prefecture. A parade in the streets of Nagoya will be held on July 31st, and the competition will Travelers and historians agree that some of be held on August 1st. For travelers the most important and valuable treasures interested in people-watching the Cosplay at the museum are three Heian period Summit offers a wonderful opportunity. illustrated handscrolls of The Tale of Genji, www.tv-aichi.co.jp/wcs/e dating to the 12th century. The scrolls represent the earliest extant depictions of Toyota’s Techno Museum the epic tale and are National Treasures of The Morimura Brothers owned a trading Japan. company at the turn of the 20th century. During their travels the brothers became Next to Museum grounds for a small extra infatuated with western dinnerware. They fee you can enter Tokugawaen, a traditional felt that using the craftsmanship in Aichi Japanese garden. The original garden was they could create high quality porcelains in destroyed, but in 2001 reconstruction of the the western style, but for a lower price. So garden began and it opened to the public in in 1904 they founded the Noritake 2004. Company and in less than a decade www.tokugawa-art-museum.jp/english Noritake became a leader in Japanese www.tokugawaen.city.nagoya.jp/english/ porcelain goods. The name “Noritake” Tokoname Pottery Path comes from the village where the company For travelers who are interested in Toyota was established. Motors but cannot make the plant tour in Toyota City, there is the alternative. Toyota The Noritake Garden is located just minutes Techno Museum in central Nagoya from Nagoya station. Visitors can watch as introduces the history of Toyota from its artist hand paint the porcelains or they can beginnings as a textile machinery try it themselves at the Crafts Center. manufacturer and also features many www.noritake.co.jp/mori/ (Japanese only) exhibits on automotive technologies and the car production process. Conveniently Cosplayers Get Ready! located near Nagoya Station and it is only a short trip from Noritake Garden as well. www.tcmit.org/english Welcome to the city of Tokoname and its Tokugawa Museum Samurai Collection "Yakimono Sanpomichi" or Pottery Path. Starting in the early 1970s curious pedestrians created an unofficial tour of various points of interest in Tokoname. They traveled between old traditional houses, workshops and buildings of great character and interest. A path has been laid The "World Cosplay Summit" is an annual out and visitors can easily travel along a event and competition that attracts tens of marked route. Even with increased notoriety thousands of cosplay enthusiast from the path remains unchanged keeping its around the world. “Cosplayers” dress up in charming pottery-town atmosphere. elaborate (usually handmade) costumes The Tokugawa Art Museum houses more www.city.tokoname.aichi.jp/fl_html/english based off manga and anime characters. than 12,000 items. A unique quality of the Currently all around the world hundreds of museum among private museums in Japan Aichi Prefectural Government thousands are competing in preliminary is that the collection houses the hereditary c/o JETRO San Francisco rounds, and in August the main competition heirlooms of the Owari branch of the 201 Third Street, Suite 1010 will be between the best teams. Tokugawa Clan. The main building of the Phone: 415-392-1333 ext. 252 museum was constructed in the 1930s in a Email: [email protected] The first World Cosplay Summit was held in classic Japanese style with western Yasunobu Sugimoto Osu, Nagoya in 2003. 3 countries were elements. The expansive collection includes Sean Lampe