Spring is right around the corner！ How would you like to enjoy Hinamatsuri (Doll’s Day) in Yamacho? It’s the time of the year where a presence of warmth coming from Spring can be felt in the cold with snow.

“Hina-Festival in Yamacho Valley” is an event in which 5 live acts, including a picture story musical show and Irish music session, can be enjoyed on March 11 (Sun.) at a commercial facility called “Yamacho Valley” located along Yamacho Street full of houses built like a kura, with the walls covered in mud.

We will have warm amazake and coffee ready and are planning on arranging a workshop for Hina Doll cards and an exhibition booth where customers are able to purchase cut tulips from Takaoka and Jam from Toyama. The live acts, which are free of charge, can be enjoyed by men and women of all genders and also families!

The “Yamacho Street Hina-Festival” will be held on March 10 and 11, for those who seek to enjoy the old town atmosphere as well as their housing interior and hina dolls from the various eras including Meiji, Taisho and Showa.

How would you like to feel the presence of spring along with our historic town atmosphere?

[Overview]
-Date and time: March 11, 2018 (Sun.) Noon – 4pm
-Place: Yamacho Valley (Kommadashi-machi, Takaoka-shi, Toyama-ken)
-Access: 3 minutes on foot from “Katahara-machi” tram station (Manyo-line). There are only limited numbers of parking spots. We advise you to come by public transportation.
-Admission Fee: Free of charge
-Sponsors: Art & Craft City Takaoka Promotion Committee, Takaoka City
-Contact details: Takaoka City Mayor Policy Making Department, Culture Creation Division
Tel: 0766-20-1255/ Fax: 0766-30-7299/ E-mail: bunsou@city.takaoka.lg.jp

[Performers]
1. Robin’s Egg Blue/ A live concert by an acoustic unit with a mixture of nursery songs.

2. Saomocha Music / Picture story show with music by Sao and Nocci from Grava, a chorus group.

3. Toyama Prefecture Takaoka Nishi High school’s choral club/ performance of well known music to children with a powerful tone.

4. Hedera/ The gentle tune of Celtic music through the harmony of fiddle, accordion and guitar.

5. Potstill band/ Genuine Irish music straight out of an Irish pub.

Robin’s Egg Blue/Formed in NY in the year 2009. Performance experience in Brooklyn and others. The end music for the movie “Densan” about Takaoka’s traditional industry was also performed by this unit.

Saomocha Music /Musical performance through singing and the playing of an recorder and toy piano.

Toyama Prefecture Takaoka Nishi High school’s choral club/Takaoka Nishi High school is a school with a history of 110 years that takes actions rooted in the area through their strong presence in community events and volunteer work. The choral club in particular seeks to expand their range of activities and pull off unforgettable performances.

Hedera/ Performance of Northern European music as well as modern music. Their music is not just for listening, but will warm up the atmosphere with food and joy.

Potstill band/ A band formed by members in love of Irish music who often gather at an Irish pub in front of Toyama Station. The center of Toyama’s Celtic music culture!

Have you ever heard of “art brut”? In French it means “raw art” and in English “outsider art”. It describes art work that has been created from the artists’ own impulse and creativity which have not been influenced by cultural trend, tradition, or education.

During the art brut exhibition held at Takaoka-shi museum between Wednesday, January 24-Sunday, January 28, there will not only be the “Art brut◎Takaoka Exhibition” in which artworks of artists with disabilities from Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa,Fukui, and Shiga will be displayed, but also an artwork excavating PROJECT “Art brut? Mochikon exhibition” in which anyone can bring in their artwork and display them, released artwork, symposium, and film screening. On the last day between 4:00pm-4:30pm, there will be a “Mochikon meeting” in which each artist will show off their artworks for the “Art brut? Mochikon exhibition”, will will connect to supporting future artwork activities and excavation of artworks and artists.

The big theme of this exhibition is “being yourself” or “just living”, which are the keys of “art brut”. Through the exhibition and other events, why don’t you feel the values and possibilities as well as the diversity of art in which the theme describes?

◯Outline
Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2018-Sunday, January 28 (9:30am-5:00pm) +Admission available until 4:30pm
Location: Takayama-shi museum City gallery/Bitoku hall
(1-1-30, Nakagawa, Takaoka-shi, Toyama-ken)
Admission fee: Viewing for free

◯Symposium and film screening
Saturday, January 27
   □１０：００am〜１１：００am
  News film collection of kokopeli acivity
（Continuous screening of what was broadcasted on Tulip TV “News 6”

□１１：１５am〜１１：５６am
  Movie screening「A Short Film About　DISTORTION」
（Recording movie of the daily life in “Yamanami workshop”, a welfare office in Shiga where more   than 80% of the users are involved in creative activity）

□１：３０pm～2：１０pm
Lecture ”Report on Art brut Japone　～About international exchange of art and culture between people with disabilities, and the Tokai-Hokuriku area department～” Social male corporation of “Minna de ikiru” Corporate department Kenichiro Sakano
   □2：１５pm～2：５５pm
Lecture ”From Shiga prefecture　From Professor Itoga to Shinsei museum and hereafter” Shiga prefecture Prefectural lifestyle cultural promotion department Shinsei museum manager Motohiko Kimura　
   □3：10pm～4：００pm
Panel session ”Future of art brut that connection creates” Motohiko Kimura, Kenichiro Sakano. MC: Masanori Yoneda
　　
Sunday, January 28
   □１０：００am〜１１：００am
News film collection of kokopeli acivity
（Continuous screening of what was broadcasted on Tulip TV “News 6”

□１：３０pm〜2：１1pm
Movie screening ”A Short Film About DISTORTION”
   □2：２０pm～3：００pm
Panel session ’For everyone to feel peace’ Facility manager of Yamanami workshop　Tadakazu Yamashita
MC　Masanori Yoneda　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
   □3：１５pm～3：４０pm
Lecture “From Fukui ’Let’s all get on stage！’～Good relationship between people with disabilities and stage～” Representative of Minabuta　Harumi Sakai　　　　　　　　　　　　
   □3：４５pm～4：２０pm
Panel session”’being yourself’ and ’just the way it is’　～Art for community and people with disabilities～” Representative of Minabuta　Harumi Sakai
Fukui・Art and culture forum　Yuko Arakawa MC　Masanori Yoneda

Do you know the new company building of Nousaku Co., Ltd., conceived as “industrial tourism” which opened on April 27 (Thursday) this year? Visitors can enjoy their fashionable cafe / shop, cast-making experience and factory tours.

Among the buildings constructed on the site of approximately 4,100 tsubo (1 tsubo = 3.954 sq. yds.), there are not only manufacturing factories, but also the following attractions with large open space: “NOUSAKU LAB” which lets you experience six types of cast-making experience; “FACTORY SHOP” which sells all kinds of items with superb design, including items that are limited to this company, such as large sake cups and trays; café “IMONO KITCHEN” where you can enjoy the cuisine made with local ingredients and served in Nousaku ware.

You can also visit the manufacturing factory and see the work process of the craftsmen while listening to the commentaries of the guide. By standing up close to the craftsmen, rather than through a glass barrier, you can experience the traditional technique of Takaoka Casting close at hand.

In addition, the “tourist information space” which was established to fulfill “Toyama’s sightseeing hub-like role” is a must-see. Available for the visitors here are the information cards which the members of the Nousaku Industrial Tourism Department have produced, using their unique cutting-edge method in collecting the material. Visitors are free to take home these information cards, totaling about 200 kinds, ranging from those on the well-known spots to those on unique spots that are only familiar to the local residents.

◼ Factory tour
・Advance reservation system (free)
・Days off: Sundays, holidays, year-end and New Year holidays (Saturdays may be closed, depending on the month)
・For further information:　www.nousaku.co.jp/main/en/tourism/tour/

◼ Cast-making experienceー”NOUSAKU  LAB”
・Advance reservation system (fee: Elementary school student: 500 yen ~ : adult: 800 yen ~)
・Days off:New Year holidays
・For further information:　www.nousaku.co.jp/main/en/tourism/nousaku_lab/

◼ Cafe—”IMONO KITCHEN”
・Business hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (last order at 17:30)
・Days New Year holidays
・For further information:　www.nousaku.co.jp/main/en/tourism/imono-kitchen/

◼ Shop—”FACTORY SHOP”
・Business hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (last order at 17:30)
・Days New Year holidays
・For further information:　www.nousaku.co.jp/main/en/shops_info/factory_shop/

◎Nousaku Official Website   www.nousaku.co.jp/main/en/
   ◎Nousaku Facebook Page     www.facebook.com/nousaku1916/