China Week

September 29 (Tue) to October 4 (Sun)

Sept. 29 to Oct.4, 9:00AM to 7:00PM (5PM on the last day)

• Exhibition of Chinese culture and 2010 Shanghai Expo, and showing of a movie on Chinese culture.

• Sales of Chinese products such as tea and liquor

Oct. 4 (Sun), from 4:30pm to 7:00pm

• Chinese Music Concert, with Chinese dance and sweets.

Tickets: 500yen per person. Tickets are on sale at Fureai Plaza.

Event details: http://www.fureai-plaza.jp/f2009-09.pdf

Venue:
Tsukuba-shi Fureai Plaza
Shimo Iwasaki 2164-1 Tsukuba City, Ibaraki 300-1273
Phone: 029-876-2311
Web: http://www.fureai-plaza.jp/
Map 1 and Map 2

Given the recent unfortunate event in China (a 7.9 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan area last Monday May 12), the Association of Chinese Students in the University of Tsukuba has organized a donation-collecting event within the Tsukuba area. This Saturday, they
are going to be in Ninomiya House room #3308 from 7 pm to 9 pm to collect donations. Those people who want to support the earthquake victims in China, please stop by. Any amount will be welcomed. Even with 100 yen, you are offering a bit of warmth for those who are in need. (Please check out the association website if you can read Chinese.)

If the schedule is inconvenient to you but you still want to help, please make your donation by depositing money to the Association of Chinese Students or the Red Cross Japan. Please find below the
information about both donation accounts:

1. Red Cross Japan (by the post office)
Account number: 00110-2-5606
Account name: 日本赤十字社 (Nihon Sekijyuujisha)
For more details please check this URL:

http://www.jrc.or.jp/sanka/help/news/1394.html

2. Association of Chinese Students in the University of Tsukuba (by Joyo Bank)
Branch: 研究学園都市 (kenkyugakuentoshi)
Account #: 2995843
Account name: Tsukuba daigaku chuugoku ryugakusei gakuyukai
After you make the deposit please notify the Association by email　(acssut[AT]gmail.com) with all the information about the deposit.

As far as I checked over the internet there are some other donation methods in Japan such as Yahoo Wallet. Please check them out to find the most convenient method for you.

1 Comments

• At May 16, 2008, poetryman69 wrote:

  may God bless those who suffer

YAMAMOMO on campus at Tsukuba U

Leaving the offices of the Tsukuba University Medical School, I crossed over the pedestrian bridge which takes you into the OIKOSHI cluster of dormitories at the southern end of the unusually long and narrow campus. With the morning air already sweltering, and my mind (and stomach) set on some ONIGIRI (rice balls) which I hoped to get at the convenience store just up ahead, my ears were grabbed by a muffled, yet distinct series of rapid-fire THUDS- thud..thud..thud..thud. When I stopped to search for the source of the sound, I looked to my left and saw a large tree. At that moment I was also just able to catch a glimpse of an excited looking group of birds descending greedily into its foliage. The ground beneath the tree was littered generously with what looked like large round rasberries, and the branches themselves were heavy-laden with these same fruit, which were in fact falling from the tree at a quick and steady pace ( the pecking of birds no doubt helped keep the fruit falling).

A closer look !

 Too late in the season to be mulberries , I stepped onto the grass for an up-close look- YAMAMOMO - which anyone who has been to China (or a Chinese grocery store)  might know of as YANG-MEI (楊梅). The Japanese reading of these characters is YO-BAI (which it is sometimes referred to as  in written sources in Japan), but in this country these fruit are almost only referred to in conversation using the rustic moniker YAMAMOMO , which literally means mountain peach, or wild peach.

 Luckilly, this particular tree was low enough for the fruit to be within easy grabbing reach (other trees in Tsukuba are often too high for casual foraging), I picked one, popped it into my mouth and savoured its soft texture and sweet-sour flavor. My fingers were stained dark red in the process, but that did not stop me from pulling off a few more to enjoy as I walked on.

Sometimes called Chinese bayberries in English (scientific name- myrica rubra), YAMAMOMO are native to Japan and China, and can be found growing in East and South-East Asia. The YAMAMOMO tree flower in April and bear their fruit, in clusters, in June. The berries do not keep very well, so if you do pick them you will want to eat them right away (and NOW is the absolute best time, and the harveting season lasts about 2 weeks). Japanese people also use the berries to make jam and YAMAMOMO flavored liquor.

A full view of the tree

In China YANG-MEI (yamamomo) are something of a major product, especially south of the Yangtze. They are harvested and processed as dried fruit (some flavored with licorice), canned fruit, and various types of liquor. Recently, Chinese companies have been making juice from YAMAMOMO and marketing it in the west as YUMBERRY JUICE. If you are interested, I have found a New York Times article about this beverage. Fortunately, those of us living in Tsukuba (and other parts of East Asia) can enjoy FRESH YAMAMOMO, and for free, at that.

Here is the NYT piece

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/dining/12yumb.html?_r=1

YAMAMOMO contain plenty of important vitamins (vitamin c, carotene, riboflavin etc.) and minerals.

Remember, you have a bout a two week window of opportunity to pick these berries at their most delicious. After that its back to dried, canned and frozen! There are plenty of their trees around Tsukuba ( I have alreadt told you the general location of one)and in Tokyo as well (where they are a common roadside tree). Im not gonna give any more details on the trees whereabouts ! I dont want to spoil the joy of the search for you!

1 Comments

• At June 28, 2009, ginni wrote:

  "Yum Fruit" I'll be right over! Quickly, from North Coast California! When I first looked at your "yumfruit" I thought certainly it must be the squishy reddish fruit of my childhood, hanging in clusters over the neighbor's fence - just for a little kid to climb up and eat on the spot! Much like little peaches, yes, but not your yumfruit... (guava) sigh. Myrica rubra: yamamomo; kanji: 山桃 (Wikipedia [mountain山 peach - I'm a real beginner!]) Everything you said is true re: health benefits! By the time I get to Tsukuba, tho, they'll all be gone. Happy Memories! Thanks, Avi -ginni, Mendocino Village. BTW~Would 'ya be willing to send me my Spring&Summer-name kanji: "Flower Thief" ~ I Am & All in fun. But it's my Best Therapy, and furthers my practice of ikebana! only if you wish... ; )