Clematis Exhibit
The clematis garden at Tsukuba Botanical Garden has 1000 plants representing about 200 varieties. The garden can be viewed between May 3 and June 8 from 9am to 5pm (enter by 4:30pm).
Fee: 300 yen for adults, free for people over 65, people with disabilities and one person who accompanies them, children under high school age
Tel: 029-851-5159
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Kabuki coming to Ibaraki
松竹大歌舞伎
Shochiku Kabuki Summer Tour (East Tour)
July 29 (Tue)
Time: From 6PM
Venue: Tsuchiura Shimin Kaikan (土浦市民会館 or Tsuchiura Civic Hall), 029‐822‐8891
Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, April 24, and will be available at Tsuchiura Civic Hall, Sun Apio Shopping Center information desk, SunPal Shopping Center (the one by the JR Arakawaoki Station) information desk, Chuo Gakki store, Ryuugasaki Civic Hall, and Kijo Plaza.
July 30 (Wed)
Time: Two performances: 1PM (doors open at 12:30pm) and 5PM (4:30pm)
Venue: Kenmin Bunka Center (茨城県立県民文化センター or Ibaraki Prefectural Cultural Center) in Mito, 029‐241‐1166
Visitors are kindly requested to place their preschool-aged children in the babysitting service while they watch the performance. Babysitting service is available to those who apply at least 5 days in advance. Please call the Kenmin Bunka Center for details.
Tickets will go on sale this Friday, April 25, but they've started accepting reservation by phone at 8:30am yesterday, April 21.
Tickets:
"S" tickets: 7,000yen
"A" tickets: 6,000yen
"B" tickets: 4,000yen
Students: 1,000yen*
*It looks like that the student tickets are only available at Mito.
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Come and see the works of local artist family!
The works of a very talented Kanzan family are on display/sale at Gallery Saika. This is the gallery across the street from K's Denki's parking lot (MAP) in Onozaki.
Kanzan Daisetsu, originally from China, his wife Maiko and their children Chigusa and Sota are exhibiting their sculptures and paintings. You can see what their exhibit is like in the Gallery Saika blog.
This family exhibit ends tomorrow. I apologize for the last-minute announcement. The gallery is open from 1pm to 6pm.
Kanzan's works are also currently on display at Gallery Galatea in Moriya City (MAP). His works are in the The 3rd Gallery Galatea Biennale, which is from April 16 to 27 (Sun).
Please drop in and see their artworks when you have a chance!
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Crash Tests at JARI this Weekend
This information is from Sven.
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The Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI) will have its open days this Friday and Saturday. On both days there will be two full scale car crash tests (lots of damage), two sled tests (cute baby dummies in a child seat), and two leg impactor tests (a cheap car-shaped-object hitting an expensive and squishy leg-shaped-object). There's also a bunch of other exhibitions showcasing various car-related research done in JARI (driving simulators, electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, etc), including things to keep kids amused.
The child seat sled tests are at 10.15am and 1pm each day. A full schedule of the full scale car crashes are as follows:
FRIDAY:
10.30am - Car [50km/hr] vs. Rigid Wall [0km/hr] Crash Test
2.30pm - Car [30km/hr] vs. Bicycle (with dummy rider) [15km/hr] Crash Test
SATURDAY:
10.30am - Car [30km/hr] vs. Bicycle (with dummy rider) [15km/hr] Crash Test
2.30pm - Car [50km/hr] vs. Rigid Wall [0km/hr] Crash Test
In order to see the test, please arrive at the times given above, as the tests begin shortly afterwards. After the tests you can inspect the damage and view the tests in slow-motion on the high-speed video
cameras.
JARI is located along Tsuchiura Gakuen road, about 2km west of Tsukuba Center. There is also an entrance from Kenkyuu Gakuen Station on the Tsukuba express line. (map)
More instructions (in Japanese) on the JARI website.
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Cafe Noir Opens Tomorrow
By Avi Landau
Every day can be exciting if you live in Tsukuba. One reason for that is that new places to eat are always popping up at various locations around town. Yesterday, I stumbled upon a very soon to be opened (tomorrow, April 16) cafe, which will serve up some fine varieties of coffee and home-made cakes, along with some other exotic and wholesome offerings which will be part of an expanding menu.
The name of this new establishment is Cafe Noir and it is located off the beaten path in the Green House Lodge in Shimohiratsuka, just across the street from the Tsukuba Ham Restaurant. It can seat 12 customers at 6 small tables inside a cool, Scandinavianesque interior, with wide window views out to the Ibaraki countryside. All drinks are 500yen and you can choose from the special Noir blend, Guatemalan or organic coffee from Costa Rica. You might also want to try the supremely sour organic iyokan juice (a type of citrus) which will surely drive any drowsiness you might have away.
The daily set lunch features Ghanaian food with bread, salad, etc and can be had for 850yen.
The proprietress Yo said she wants to create a comfortable space to slowly enjoy coffee , perhaps with a book, with natural greenery just right in front of you. Her husband a sociologist who studies rural development, has many contacts with farmers, and she hopes to incoroprate their unique and fresh produce in the dishes she serves.
She will always be playing Jazz , Bossa Nova and soft Latin music.
Tuesdays are off.
11am to 7pm
Bon appetit!
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