2013 Kume Island Ha-ri-
Events, Photography, Travel/Tourism 
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Posted by Benjamin Martin, a JET from 2008-2013 in Okinawa, publisher of the blog MoreThingsJapanese.com and author of the award-winning YA fantasy series Samurai Awakening (Tuttle).
The Ha-ri- races are a yearly event on Kume Island. This year they took place on June 12 at three locations around the island. This year I stuck to the Maja area where locals and students gathered together for a day of races and fun in the water.
While the races are the primary attraction, there is also generally a ball-toss game for the nursery school children and a tug-of-war. There are numerous races from both locals and school participants. At the Maja area, students from the local Nakazato Junior High, Misaki and Nakazato elementary schools, and students from Kumeshima High School all joined together in mixed and separate races.
This year I broke out my gopro to give you a closer look at participating in the Ha-ri- races. Thanks to a few friends and students who wore the camera along the way. Of course with plenty of water a few bucket wars broke out among the high school students, and not all of the boats made it back without a little extra water. Check out the video and pictures below, then come join us next year for this great event.
For more photos and video from this special event visit MoreThingsJapanese.com
World’s Only 50kw OTEC Plant in Okinawa
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Posted by Benjamin Martin, a 5th year JET on Kume Island in Okinawa, publisher of the blog MoreThingsJapanese.com and author of the award-winning YA fantasy series Samurai Awakening (Tuttle).
June 16th marked the beginning of power generation at Kume Island‘s Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Power Plant with a ceremony and visiting dignitaries from around Japan and the world. The newly completed OTEC power plant will be able to generate up to 50kWs of electricity from a turbine driven by the difference in warm surface sea water and cold deep sea water.
This station is the only power generating OTEC facility of its kind in the world. While OTEC is not a new idea and different countries are now studying its possibilities, this is the first step towards creating an effective market for the future. In addition to power, the mineral rich deep-sea waters used by the plant can be used in a variety of industries, making the entire process more efficient and beneficial. The station is part of the Okinawa Prefecture Deep Sea Water Research Institute, and as the goal of the institute is to research the deep-sea water, the power plant’s primary role will be as a research and educational tool. Its construction has been part of a continuing dialog on clean energy between Kume Island, Okinawa, and the National Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority and their OTEC project, but was designed and built under advisement from Saga University’s Institute of Ocean Energy.
The ceremony marked the official start of power generation after initial testing and the first power generated in March of this year. Starting at ten in the morning, visitors were invited to the Research Institute Grounds to view the OTEC plant, sample some of the many products made with deep-sea water, and enjoy entertainment by artists from local to abroad. The open fair was followed by a half-hour ceremony with speeches and messages that ended with the pushing of the ‘start’ button. Special guests included:
- Aiko Shimajiri – Parliamentary Secretary of Cabinet Office and Ministry of Reconstruction from the House of Councilors
- Akikazu Shimoji – Okinawa Commerce and Labor Department Industrial Development Supervising Officer
- Yoshihisa Kawakami – The Okinawan Vice-Governor
- Alfred Mageleby – Consul General form the American Consulate General Naha
- Nonaka Tomoyo – Director of the Gaia Initiative
- Mark McGuffie – Managing Director of Enterprise Honolulu
- Gregory Barbour – Executive Director of NELHA
These guests were all involved in different aspects of promoting the OTEC project on Kume Island in communicating with the Hawaii OTEC program. This historic achievement will have an important role in the local economy and development of Kume Island and will be a key test of this clean energy technology for institutions around the world.
The official events ended with a reception before the nearby visitor’s center where more performances took place and several speakers were invited to share their thoughts on the OTEC start and future of the program. Keynote speaker Nonaka Tomoyo surprised Kume Island Mayor Taira with a proposal for creating free WiFi on the island, which the mayor was just able to avoid commenting on. Though it was a positive proposal, the Mayor is limited in the ways he can promote growth on the small island. Luckily, organizations like Gaia Initiative and the sister-city partnership with Hawaii County are providing knowledge and political support to help Kume Island grow technologically and economically.
The celebration will continue Monday with talks by people involved with OTEC. The continued dialog between interested parties promotes new ideas and the sharing of vital information.
For the future, project supporters hope that the power plant will justify the creation of a new deep water pipeline and expanded capacity generators which will allow for more industries and power. Both Hawaii and Kume Island will continue to communicate and share information that will help the different projects create new opportunities for efficient use of the deep-sea water and OTEC power.
Visit MoreThingsJapanese.com for more pictures from the event and more on OTEC power.
Why is Japanese Food so Delicious?
Food & Drink, Japan Local, Travel/Tourism, Video Comments Off on Why is Japanese Food so Delicious?
Posted by Benjamin Martin, a 5th year JET on Kume Island in Okinawa, publisher of the blog MoreThingsJapanese.com and author of the award-winning YA fantasy series Samurai Awakening (Tuttle).
It’s no secret that Japanese food is popular outside of Japan. Not only is the food in-country highly rated, but there are Japanese restaurants all over the world. A lot of people wonder, why is Japanese food so good? It’s a complex answer. Many will tell you it’s umami, others the care and thought put into food, and yet more that it’s the simplicity of the dishes that highlights natural flavors.
I’m not a food expert, but I think it’s a bit of all the above.
When I lived in the States, I never ate fish. Maybe it was because I lived in the desert and all we got were frozen or river fish. Whatever the reason, I’ve had an aversion to most fish since I was young. Then, 5 years ago, I got dropped on a little island in the Pacific, their second industry being fishing. Their food was fresh, delicious, and amazing.
A week ago I had a shrimp that was still moving a bit. And IT WAS SO GOOD. My family will tell you what large strides my palate has taken over the last five years. So why was that prawn tail I had so much better than any other shrimp I’ve ever had? How did a bit of still moving shrimp overcome 23 years of stubborn dislike?
Simplicity. The shrimp was peeled, and served with a bit of soy sauce. There were no other flavors to get in the way, no cross-contamination from sauce pans, pasta, or other fish.
Umami. The briny flavor combined with the bite of soy and the sweetness of the meat meant create that unique sixth taste that everyone raves about. It’s a balance easily lost when the simplicity is left out.
Quality. Kume Island is known for miso cookies, sugar cane, and white sand beaches, but it’s also home to many kuruma prawn farms. Kuruma Prawns are similar to tiger shrimp, but a slightly different species. They’re the kind of shrimp Jiro’s restaurant used in the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
So what makes Kume Island’s shrimp so good? Checkout the video below then head over to Kumeguide.com to learn more about Kume Island Prawns.
**Please note: At least 3 shrimp were harmed in the filming of the video and writing of this post. They were delicious.**
