September 2013

The Ambassador’s Residence on the Upper East Side was packed with an overflow crowd on Tuesday, August 27th as New York was treated to an evening reception featuring Japanese sake, lacquer ware, local foods, and koto music from the City of Ninohe in Iwate Prefecture. Ninohe is responsible for roughly 75 percent of all lacquer resin production in Japan, which is of the highest quality and is used in restoring structures such as the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto and Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, as well as for traditional bowls, cups, and other items. And what better way to enjoy the locally brewed rice wine than by drinking it from lacquer… Read More »Iwate Prefecture’s Ninohe City Sells the Perfect Combination

Governor Takuya Tasso of Iwate Prefecture gave a talk at Japan Society in New York on Monday evening, August 26th, entitled “Thank You Tomodachi (Friend)”, to review the events of March 11th, 2011, introduce measures being taken to foster recovery in the prefecture, and to thank everyone for their support since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The Governor outlined the prefecture’s Open Reconstruction Policy, carried out with the support of the Iwate Sanriku Reconstruction Bridging Foundation, and its Community-based Reconstruction Policy, carried out in partnership with local governments. He then laid out the three principles of the prefecture’s overall reconstruction plan, which are: 1) Ensure public safety through… Read More »Governor Tasso Gives Thanks for Iwate’s “Tomodachi”