Hello!! Good afternoon everyone
According to the part of Michinoeki Aso's activity " Let's Walk in Aso" event, Vol. 4 successfully finished. As you know on 23rd September 2014 Aso was designated as global geopark. This year, Aso geopark are celebrating its 1st anniversary by organizing different event. Follow the anniversary Michinoeki Aso also organized a event (" Let's Walk in Aso" ) on 26th September. This event specially for foreign students and their family. We are happy that many foreign students from different country joined with us. They are from multi educational background such as engineering, artistic, management. To join with us some body come by car and some are by train. They are gathered in the front of Michino eki Aso one by one before 10:15 am. We are gave them warm reception. I gave them welcome speeches before starting the event. After welcome speeches we went to one of the most oldest Shrine called Kokuzou Shrine in Kumamoto which is our first spot of the trip.
When we reached there, Teno Meisuikai Association and Geopark guide memebers welcomed us in the front of photo exhibition house. After greetings by the president of Meisuikai association we followed Mr. Yamashiro who told us historical explanation of the place from his highly experienced knowledge. Our foreign staff Mr. Franck interpreted japanese to English all informations to the participants. Mr. Yamashiro received many questions from the participants about the gods of the place. Beside the Kokuzou Shrine we also visited Namazu Shrine which enshrines of cat fish one of the god. Then we known most interesting and attractive nature god called Teno no Sugi a 2000 years old Japanese cedar. But, unfortunately only the trunk and the roots are remains with memorable history after attack by typhoon in 1991. Lastly, we had an opportunity to enter into an ancient tomb. Its consists two gods buried. To cover all around the Kokuzou shrine took time 1hour and 30 minutes.
When time reminded us now12:30 pm we went to Teno community center. We saw the meal already served on the table. The meal was prepared by the group of women from Ofukurokai association and they are wife of the members of the Teno Mesuikai association. They provided us Teno local dishes like as two kinds of onigiri, dagojiru, Takana, ocha and vegetable salad. Dagojiru is the mixed of food recipe such as wheat flour, mushroom, taro potato, pumpkin etc. If I say in a word, it was so delicious and we are really enjoyed it.
After full of stomach we went to the last place called Daikanbou viewpoint. There we divided all participants into two groups. Aso global Geopark Geoguides told us geological formation of the Aso caldera. Daikanbou is the ideal spot where you can imagine by your own mind how the past eruptions modeled the vast landscape as well as we learned purposes of grass burning festival. Although the weather was a little cloudy but their explanation able to make us real feeling. Their imagination really made me thunder. They said to us that the shaped of the five mountains seems to be god laid down and his face in the upward direction of the sky. We had opportunity to see red ash modulated soil cause of Kagoshima volcanic eruptions. First time I went to Daikanbou and gathered lots of knowledge. In a word, really it was very enjoyable and charming event. |
Finally, we are grateful to all foreign participants and the member of the Teno Meisuikai association, the members of the Ofukurokai association and the Aso Geoguides who gave us their valuable time and shared experienced knowledges.