Hashima Island (also known as 'battleship island' for it's size, shape and cement sea walls): From 1905 until the coal mining ended in 1974 it was a unique community; quoting http://www.jamaipanese.com/hashima-island-documentary/
Except for the former resident who guides the movie crew, most of the 15 minute documentary is narrated in perhaps Swedish (subtitles in English).
In 1916 the largest concrete structures in all of Japan were built on Hashima Island to help protect it's inhabitants from typhoons and at it's peak in 1959 the population was over 5000 or 1,391 people per 10,000 square metres the highest population density ever recorded in the world. Please take the time to have a look at an awesome documentary video I have embedded below that tells the history of Gunkanjima from someone who grew up there as a child.
[vimeo URL, http://vimeo.com/2044441]
A trip to this island would make an amazing out of the box location to visit if/when I eventually make it to Japan, I wonder if I'd survive the trip by boast to get there though. Would you want to visit Battleship Island?
Official Website (Japanese); Hashima Island on Wikipedia
2010-08-22
Peace Declarations - Hiroshima & Nagasaki ceremonies
---surely is one more element in learning the languge & society of Japan.
=-=-= Hiroshima Peace Declaration
6 August 1945, the fist atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima, Japan. 65years later, today the Mayer of Hiroshima declared the Peace Declarationat the Peace Ceremony. Here is the full text of Declaration, and you canget PDF at http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/0000000000000/1110537278566/index.html
The direct link to the pdf in English is http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/0000000000000/1110537278566/files/Peace_Declaration_2010.pdf
[excerpt]
PEACE DECLARATION August 6, 2010
In the company of hibakusha who, on this day 65 years ago, were hurled,without understanding why, into a beyond ...
=-=-= Nagasaki Peace Declaration from August 9, 2010, delievered by Mayor Taue Tomihisa.
http://www1.city.nagasaki.nagasaki.jp/peace/english/appeal/
[excerpt]
This year Nagasaki's peace ceremony has commenced with a song by hibakusha,survivors of the atomic bombing. The song was full of the strong hope that that fateful day must never berepeated. On August 9, 1945 at 11:02 a.m., a single atomic bomb dropped by a UnitedStates military aircraft devastated Nagasaki instantly. The intense heatrays, blast winds, radiation, and ceaseless fires.... They claimed theprecious lives of 74,000 people, while inflicting deep physical and mentalwounds on those who narrowly escaped death...
=-=-= Hiroshima Peace Declaration
6 August 1945, the fist atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima, Japan. 65years later, today the Mayer of Hiroshima declared the Peace Declarationat the Peace Ceremony. Here is the full text of Declaration, and you canget PDF at http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/0000000000000/1110537278566/index.html
The direct link to the pdf in English is http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/0000000000000/1110537278566/files/Peace_Declaration_2010.pdf
[excerpt]
PEACE DECLARATION August 6, 2010
In the company of hibakusha who, on this day 65 years ago, were hurled,without understanding why, into a beyond ...
=-=-= Nagasaki Peace Declaration from August 9, 2010, delievered by Mayor Taue Tomihisa.
http://www1.city.nagasaki.nagasaki.jp/peace/english/appeal/
[excerpt]
This year Nagasaki's peace ceremony has commenced with a song by hibakusha,survivors of the atomic bombing. The song was full of the strong hope that that fateful day must never berepeated. On August 9, 1945 at 11:02 a.m., a single atomic bomb dropped by a UnitedStates military aircraft devastated Nagasaki instantly. The intense heatrays, blast winds, radiation, and ceaseless fires.... They claimed theprecious lives of 74,000 people, while inflicting deep physical and mentalwounds on those who narrowly escaped death...
2010-08-06
becoming a Japanese citizen these days
This hotlink comes from the newsletter of Sapporo's Arudou Debito
This may perhaps be of interest to students of Japanese language & society!
===================================
http://www.turning-japanese.info/
...blog with details about taking Japanese citizenship, in English, written by other fellow naturalized Japanese
Late last June a naturalized Japanese friend of mine set up a website devoted solely to offering information to people interested in taking out Japanese citizenship (or of course for those who just have a curiosity about what's involved). Written by people who have actually gone through the process...
===================================
Topics thus far covered there:
High-fidelity MS Word and OpenDocument Japan naturalization forms
FAQ: Which is more difficult: permanent residency or naturalization
Comparison: The U.S. Citizenship Test on Video
Misinformation: justlanded.ru: Japanese citizenship
The three types of naturalization
Misinformation: eHow: How to become a Japanese Citizen
FAQ: Do you have to speak perfect Japanese to naturalize?
FAQ: How much paperwork is involved?
FAQ: Can I have an official Japanese name even if I don't naturalize?
What the Ministry of Justice website says about naturalization
Analyzing the Application Procedures
FAQ: Do you have to be a permanent resident or special permanent resident to naturalize?
Your newly acquired right to vote: Using the web to know your candidates
FAQ: Do you have to take a Japanese name if you naturalize?
FAQ: How much does it cost to naturalize?
Becoming Japanese is becoming more expensive for Americans
Japanese "Naturalization Permission Application Guidance" booklet
Renouncing Former Nationalities
My first visit to the Nationality Section
This may perhaps be of interest to students of Japanese language & society!
===================================
http://www.turning-japanese.info/
...blog with details about taking Japanese citizenship, in English, written by other fellow naturalized Japanese
Late last June a naturalized Japanese friend of mine set up a website devoted solely to offering information to people interested in taking out Japanese citizenship (or of course for those who just have a curiosity about what's involved). Written by people who have actually gone through the process...
===================================
Topics thus far covered there:
High-fidelity MS Word and OpenDocument Japan naturalization forms
FAQ: Which is more difficult: permanent residency or naturalization
Comparison: The U.S. Citizenship Test on Video
Misinformation: justlanded.ru: Japanese citizenship
The three types of naturalization
Misinformation: eHow: How to become a Japanese Citizen
FAQ: Do you have to speak perfect Japanese to naturalize?
FAQ: How much paperwork is involved?
FAQ: Can I have an official Japanese name even if I don't naturalize?
What the Ministry of Justice website says about naturalization
Analyzing the Application Procedures
FAQ: Do you have to be a permanent resident or special permanent resident to naturalize?
Your newly acquired right to vote: Using the web to know your candidates
FAQ: Do you have to take a Japanese name if you naturalize?
FAQ: How much does it cost to naturalize?
Becoming Japanese is becoming more expensive for Americans
Japanese "Naturalization Permission Application Guidance" booklet
Renouncing Former Nationalities
My first visit to the Nationality Section
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