Official Author

有田 和義（Kazuyoshi Arita）

This video, titled "Japan Handicrafts x Komamura Seimei-do" (ニッポン手仕事図鑑 × 駒村清明堂), was released by "Japan Handicrafts" (ニッポン手仕事図鑑). Amidst the sound of the waterwheel, what is being carefully prepared is a cedar incense stick made by Komamura Seimei-do, which has been made for over 100 years since the Meiji Era. What makes it unique is that Komamura Seimei-do is the only company in Ibaraki Prefecture that makes incense sticks using waterwheels. It takes about 40 hours to slowly grind the dried cedar leaves, which are more than 50 years old, to prevent the fragrance of the cedar from escaping. Spring water from Mt. Tsukuba is the only other ingredient combined with the ground cedar leaves. The incense sticks are 100% additive-free and derived from nature in Ibaraki. Many buyers are fascinated by the elegant fragrance that makes you feel as if you're bathing in a forest and come to experience the work or visit the factory.

This video, titled "日本のおもしろグッズ Japan in Motion S14#20 “Tokyu Hands”," was released by "Japan in Motion." In this video, Japan in Motion, which introduces the latest news and culture in Japan, visited the Tokyu Hands store in Hiroshima. It's a popular home center that offers a wide range of products, such as sundries and DIY life hacks that will make your life more convenient. This video introduces a new kind of "scratch coloring book" that can be used as a postcard. It's also a postcard, so it's the perfect souvenir from Japan, and you'll get addicted to scratching it away. There are also a variety of Japanese patterned sundries that are worth checking out. The mini gachas are also really popular, and even adults get excited to try them.

This video, titled "For Future Scientists｜#14 A Return to Superhydrophobia!" ( 未来の科学者たちへ #14「超撥水ふたたび」), was released by "nimspr." This is the 14th episode of the popular "For Future Scientists" series, "A Return to Superhydrophobia," in which you can learn about basic science using everyday objects. As you can see from the title "A return," the previous episode was about the theory and experiments of super hydrophobia, but this time, two easy to understand experiments are conducted to show how super hydrophobia works in real life. Both experiments can be done with easily obtainable materials. For super water-repellent coatings, water-repellent sprays and paints sold at home improvement stores could be used as substitutes. If you're interested in trying these experiments out, be sure to give them a try, as it's easier to learn through hands on experiences!

This video, titled "Cancer Treatment That Can Be Applied - Anti-Cancer Mesh - a Video of the Latest Research: The Power of Nims 10" (貼って治すがん治療　～抗がんメッシュ～　　最新研究映像 NIMSの力10), was released by "nimspr." Cancer is a common and dreaded disease for Japanese people. Basically, when a patient develops cancer, he or she undergoes a surgical operation to remove the cancerous cells and surrounding lymph nodes. However, the anti-cancer mesh introduced in this article is a groundbreaking invention that can provide effective cancer treatment just by applying it to the cancerous area. The video explains in an easy-to-understand manner why the anti-cancer mesh is useful for cancer treatment. Currently, it is still in the clinical trial stage for treatment after cancer surgery, but it is expected to be used in early cancer treatment and prevention of recurrence and metastasis in the future. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Japan. As the population ages, the risk of cancer increases further, which is why there are high expectations for the introduction of anti-cancer mesh that can be used to treat cancer.

This video, titled "[I See!] How to Write Beautiful Calligraphy From Left to Right!!" (【なるほど！】横書きをキレイに書くコツ教えます！！), was released by "Crown Prince Takumi" ( 東宮たくみ). Are you confident in your kanji? Many people feel anxious and uncertain about their handwriting? In this video, Takumi Higashimiya, a popular, long-time calligrapher, teaches you how to write beautiful kanji! In this episode, he shows how to make the characters look neat in "horizontal writing," a not-so-common way to write calligraphy. His advice on balancing the size of kanji and hiragana is a must-see! If you're learning Japanese, this can be a great tool to help improve your handwriting!

This video, titled "[Promoting Cross-Cultural Exchange Through Flowers] Flower Arrangement Artist・Shogo Kariyazaki｜nippon.com" (「花を通じて異文化交流を深めたい」 華道家・假屋崎省吾 | nippon.com), was released by "nippon.com." In this video, you can see flower arrangement artist Shogo Kariyazaki's solo exhibition. The solo exhibition is held every year, and Kariyazaki says that it's his life's work. You can check out his artistic and powerful works in this video!

This video, titled "Shoko Kanazawa, a genius calligrapher with Down's Syndrome - Inori no Zouko - nippon.com" (ダウン症の天才書家・金澤翔子 ー 祈りの造形 | nippon.com), was produced by "nippon.com." In this video, you can see a calligraphy exhibition by Shoko Kanazawa, a calligrapher with Down syndrome, at the Ueno Royal Museum in September 2017. Shoko Kanazawa began her calligraphy career at the age of five with her mother, a calligrapher, as her teacher. At the age of 20, she made her debut as a calligrapher, and is now considered a genius calligrapher! Check out the video to see the many wonderful works and thoughts of her mother.

This video, titled "Mukaitaki Ryokan, Higashiyama Hot Springs (3) | nippon.com," was released by "nippon.com." Aizuwakamatsu is a tourist destination in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan's Tohoku region. In addition to famous scenic spots, such as Mt. Bandai and Lake Inawashiro, there are also many historical and archaeological sites from the Warring States period and the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate. However, due to the reputational damage caused by the nuclear power plant accident, many inns and other businesses began to struggle to get by. However, there is one ryokan that has endured the hard times and improved. That is, the long-established ryokan called Mukaitaki in Higashiyama Onsen, located about 10 minutes from Aizuwakamatsu Station. Since its establishment in the Edo period as a health resort for the Aizu clan, it has been visited by many celebrities, and its wooden sukiya-zukuri architecture is a nationally registered tangible cultural property. The charm of this ryokan lies in the fact that it retains the atmosphere of the time when Hideyo Noguchi and Hirobumi Ito stayed there. Rather than adding new facilities, the inn has become a thriving ryokan with regular visitors as a result of valuing the fact that the space from that time period can be shared with others.

This video, titled "Flavors of Kaga and Noto (Fermented Food): Kabura Sushi, Konka Iwashi - nippon.com" (加賀・能登の美味「発酵食」：かぶら寿し・こんかいわし | nippon.com), was released by "nippon.com." Fermented foods made from fish and shellfish have been made in Japan's Hokuriku region since ancient times. An environment where it is cold enough to maintain low temperatures is ideal for food fermentation. Kabura sushi, a Kanazawa specialty, is said to have originated as a preserved food made from fermented vegetables and fish. Nowadays, yellowtail fillets caught on the Sea of Japan are placed in between salted turnips. The turnip is then enclosed in a vat and the space between the two is filled with koji, and the koji bacteria ferments the turnip to produce a delicious taste. The crunchiness of the turnip and the flavor of the yellowtail are combined with the aroma of koji to create a complex taste. On the other hand, sardine soaked in bran is called "konka iwashi" and is eaten lightly grilled with bran on top. This is also eaten with sardines and bran neatly spread in a tub and fermented.

This video, titled "A Dragon's Eye That Appears at Hachimantai in Early Summer: Akita-Iwate Border [nippon.com]" (初夏の八幡平に現れる「ドラゴンアイ」：秋田・岩手県境 | nippon.com), was released by "nippon.com" Hachimantai, which lies near the border of Akita and Iwate prefectures, is a mountain range in the northern part of the Ou Mountains dotted with rolling lakes and swamps at 1,600 meters above sea level. One of the lakes, Kagami-numa in Senboku City, Akita Prefecture, is called "Hachimantai Dragon Eye" because the snow on the surface of the lake melts into a doughnut shape, making it look like the eye of a dragon. The dragon's eye is only visible for two weeks, and heavy equipment is required to climb the mountain during the snowy season. Seeing a scene like the one in this video is extremely rare, so it's a must-see!