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As we introduced in our previous blog that I visited Echizen Matsushima Aquarium with Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s family.

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji is studying at University of Fukui as a teacher trainee from Bhutan since around October of 2017. And at the end of March of 2018, his family arrived in Japan as well.

 

Today, I would like to introduce Nishiyama Park and Nishiyama Zoo in Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture which I visited with his family.

Nishiyama Park is famous for azalea flowers.

Nishiyama Zoo is well known for lesser pandas (also called red pandas).

 

 

We headed for the park and the zoo after visiting Echizen Matsushima Aquarium. It takes about an hour from the aquarium to those places. It was such a beautiful day, so it was a perfect day for going for a drive as well.

 

 

It was getting so hot that we needed to take a break. We stopped by Michi-no-eki Nishiyama Park (Road Station Nishiyama Park). Mr. Ugen Dorji's son had a soft-serve ice cream.

 

 

I had an Azalea flavored soft-serve ice cream. Not only the color was cute, the taste of it was very sweet and nice! (The video above was taken by a GEN staff in May of 2015)

 

In this building, there is a café and a local product shop (they sell local vegetables, lacquer wares, eyeglasses and so on). Also, there is an elevator which takes visitors to the second floor. On the second floor, there is a small bridge connected to the park and the zoo. The visitors can enjoy walking on the bridge and watching the scenery.

 

At the zoo, cute animals welcome the visitors.

 

 

Squirrel monkeys were very active, and they kept moving around. They were so cute that we could not help watching them for a while.

 

 

It was the first time for Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s son to visit the zoo, and of course to see a red-crowned crane was the first time for him as well.

 

 

One of the symbols of the friendly relations between Japan and China is lesser pandas (red pandas), and they are very popular at this zoo.

 

It has been about 34 years since the first lesser pandas (red pandas) were given by the Beijing Zoo in 1984. They’ve been well taken care of at Nishiyama Zoo and they’ve been also loved by many visitors.

 

 

As we went on, we saw some beautiful azalea flowers. Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s sister loves flowers and she grows azalea flowers in Bhutan, so she was so excited to see the flowers there.

 

Nishiyama Park is famous for azalea flowers. It’s stunning when 50,000 of azalea flowers are in full bloom. It looks like a large colorful carpet. The azalea flowers are usually in full bloom in the beginning of May. It was in the end of April when we visited the park and zoo, and not every azalea was in full bloom. It was little too early for all the flowers to be in full bloom.

 

 

There is a large lawn and a water fountain in the park as well. Some people were playing with balls, running, having picnics, taking a walk, and some people were just sitting and enjoying the beautiful weather. I saw many people of all ages at the park.

 

If you have a chance to come to Fukui, you must go to Nishiyama Park and Nishiyama Zoo in Sabae City, Fukui! I’m sure it will be a refreshing and fun experience for you.

 

T.F

NHK special “Human body” series were broadcasted from last year to this year.
Among them, I was particularly fascinated by the feature on “brain”.

 

The hosts were Mr. Shinya Yamanaka and Tamori.

 

　
The first is ‘inspiration’.
How can one become a condition to have an inspiration?
Unexpectedly, for that purpose, you may want to think of nothing in particular.
Such a resting-state is called “Default mode network” and as a matter of fact,
even at the time, brain spends 70 percent of its energy.
It’s considered that, while you are thinking of nothing, your brain pieces splinters of memory together freely and creates new ideas.

 

Importance of thinking of nothing in particular, which is said that it is a drastic paradigm shift for brain science.
In fact, Shinya Yamanaka had a sudden idea while he was taking a shower vacantly and the idea led to iPS cells in later years.

 

However, to piece splinters of memory together, it is necessary to store memory strong.
Then, what can we do to develop our memory?

 

Actually, to do that, anyone can do it easily, too.
The key is in message substance from all organs and it’s important to keep a balanced diet.
Also, it’s necessary to develop muscle through moderate exercise. It is said that brain has evolved to insulin secreted when human take food would lead to improve memory.
Yamanaka said that indeed, food is necessary for survival, so that may makes sense.

 

After watching the program, I learned anew that not only concentrating but sometimes being vacant and moderate exercise, not drinking and not eating too much are important. (H.S)