Support and Subsidies for Creating a Greener, more Beautiful Prefecture 三重県が環境美化活動を支援します Share!FacebookEmailTwitterWhatsApp 2014/04/07 Monday Announcements, Highlights, Housing Support and Subsidies for Creating a Greener, more Beautiful Prefecture Local authorities, businesses, school PTAs, clubs and NPO’s across Mie Prefecture have been working to create a cleaner, more natural environment in the region’s towns and cities for all to enjoy. Mie Prefectural Government offers several schemes and subsidies to support groups who can help make our towns, coasts, rivers and roadsides greener and more beautiful. There are four schemes currently running: Roads, Rivers and Coastal Clean-Up Volunteer Activity Subsidy For local groups involved in activities such as litter picking, grass cutting and planting flowers etc. in areas under prefectural management. This subsidy provides a portion of the funding for necessary tools and the standard insurance needed to protect volunteers in the case of an unforeseen accident while working on the project. Road Clean Up Subsidy This support scheme is available to groups of ten or more people from NPOs or citizen groups who cut the grass and clean-up along 500 meters or more of the prefectural road network at least three times a year. The scheme covers the cost of the tools needed for the above activities and cost of the standard insurance needed to protect volunteers in the case of an unforeseen accident while working on the project. Contractual Work Schemes The prefecture offers contracts to groups who cut more than 1,000 square meters of grass along prefectural roads, waterways and national highways administered by Mie Prefectural Government. The prefecture will pay contracted groups for this work by the area of work the grass they cut. Flower Oasis Project For groups that are working to plant flowers and trees in the parks and grounds of the embankment areas of prefectural managed rivers and waterways, we offer subsidies of up to 500,000 yen to cover the cost of flower seeds, saplings and fertilizer. For more information please visit the link below (Japanese language): http://www.pref.mie.lg.jp/DOROKI/HP/htm/borantia.htm Share!FacebookEmailTwitterWhatsApp « [Exploring Mie] Festivals in Northern Area (2014/April) Application Period for Prefectural Housing Tenants » ↑↑ Next Information ↑↑ [Exploring Mie] Festivals in Northern Area 2014/04/07 Monday Announcements, Highlights, Housing 「三重を知ろう」三重の祭 Share!FacebookEmailTwitterWhatsApp Festivals in Mie Within Mie Prefecture remain longstanding traditions and customs, and glamorous dancing that highlight each season. Festivals that borrow heavily from local traditions are held in all parts of Mie Prefecture, throughout the year. Festivals in Northern Area Tado Festival (Kuwana City) April 4th and 5th The Tado Festival is held at Tado-Taisha Shrine to perform the most renowned Horseback Climbing Ceremony in order to beseech the gods for a good harvest during the year. Young boys dressed as warriors climb up an extremely steep slope approximately 3 meters high while on horseback. ■ 5-minute bus ride to the Tado-Taisha Mae bus stop from Tado Station on the Yoro Railway. Inabe Shrine Taisha Festival (Toin Town) Beginning of April It is said that this festival was started to raise the morale of young people. Various ceremonies are dedicated to this, including Yabusame (archers clad in the hunting outfit of medieval warriors shoot at three targets as they race by on horseback) and a horseback climbing ceremony. ■ 15-minute walk from Toin Station on the Hokusei Line of Sangi Railway Sekijuku Summer Festival (Kameyama City) End of July During the day, a miniature shrine is drawn through Sekijuku (Seki Town), and four floats are paraded during the night. Seki was a town for travelers on the old Tokaido Road, which once flourished in the Edo Era (1603–1867). ■ 5-minute walk from Seki Station on the JR Line Grand Yokkaichi Festival (Yokkaichi City) Beginning of August Various events and traditional events such as traditional dancing are performed in Yokkaichi City. ■ 10-minute walk from Yokkaichi Station on the JR or Kintetsu lines Ishitori Festival (Kuwana City) Beginning of August This is one of the strangest Japanese festivals, called “the noisiest festival in Japan.” Over thirty floats continue ringing bells and beating drums for three consecutive nights. This is an extremely vigorous and unique festival! It has been designated as a prefectural intangible folk cultural asset. ■ 20-minute walk from Kuwana Station on the JR or Kintetsu lines Souhei Festival (Komono Town) Beginning of October Souhei Matsuri – Kuwana Souhei Festival is an autumnal festival held among the brilliantly colored leaves of fall in the Yunoyama hot springs area and Gozaisho Ropeway. ■ 20-minute walk from the Yunoyama-onsen bus stop after a 10-minute ride from Yunoyama Onsen Station on the Kintetsu Line Ise Grand Divine Music Performance (Kuwana City) End of December This is a shrine ritual of dancing while wearing lion masks for the purpose of exorcising evil spirits. Professional dancers who perform all over Japan gather in the Masuda Shrine at the end of December to perform these gorgeous dancing rituals. ■ 5-minute walk after a ride to the Tayu bus stop from Kuwana Station on the JR or Kintetsu lines Suzuka Balloon Festival (Suzuka City) Middle of September The festival has more than 20 years of history. Hosting the Hot Air Balloon Honda Grand Prix, it is one of the biggest balloon festivals in Japan and invites top balloon pilots from across Japan. ■ Near Kasado Station on the JR Line Share!FacebookEmailTwitterWhatsApp