GREATER NAGOYA INITIATIVE Newsletter Issue No.32
GREATER NAGOYA INITIATIVE Newsletter Issue No.32 (January 2009)
Greater Nagoya Means Greater Business Opportunities
This GNI Newsletter provides event information and latest news of economy, industry and culture in Greater Nagoya region.
1. Event: Automotive Embedded System Industry Forum (ASIF) on February 4th 2009
2. Infrastructure: Chubu International Airport, Centrair, Airway of Greater Nagoya
3. Sports: Figure Skaters from Greater Nagoya Represent Japan
4. Entertainment: Japanese inn, Genji-koh in Greater Nagoya
5. Company Introduction: Zicofe, Uganda Café of Kato Investments Limited
6. Environment: Team Land Cruise TOYOTA AUTO BODY (TLC) used Bio Diesel Fuels in Paris Dakar 2009
1. Automotive Embedded System Industry Forum (ASIF) on February 4th 2009
Automotive Embedded System Industry Forum (ASIF) was started in April 2008, and aims at promoting Automotive embedded system industry in Greater Nagoya region. The organization so far held seniors to tackle the Human Resource issues, skill improvement, and applied technologies to further activate the industry.
In this time, the forum shares industrial trends and latest information among participated companies. It also has business exchange opportunities for local and global companies. Along the event, two global companies, Global Logic, Inc. and ACTIA China from China will visit and observe Greater Nagoya region and participate in the forum to seek business partners in the regions. Contact for further information for business matching with GlobalLogic, Inc and ACTIA China is invest@greaternagoya.org
Automotive Embedded System Industry Forum (ASIF) Official Website: https://www.tokai-monodukuri.jp/study_group/index.htm (Japanese only)
2. Infrastructure: Chubu International Airport, Centrair, Airway of Greater Nagoya
Centrair, the new century airport, is a new entertainment center that inspires awe and happiness in those who visit.
The open location, shops, restaurants, landscape bath, and events of the large-scale commercial facility all fulfill your expectations and curiosity.
Here are some recommended spots to check out at the Centrair airport. A bathhouse of the airport, “Hu No YU” is the only bathhouse at the airport in Japan where people can enjoy watching airplanes take offs and landings at an airport from the comfort of the bath itself. Whether you are to visit Greater Nagoya area or to take off to outside of Greater Nagoya, Hu No YU will provide you with very special relaxation time at the Centrair airport before your next destination. As well as brimming with the atmosphere of the aircraft, in the distance, people can enjoy the picturesque scenery of Ise Bay.
The restaurant, “Hu HU CHAYA,” has an area for seating at tables area, but if you want to experience a Japanese authentic style, you should try the tatami mat area.
4th Floor Sky Town in Centrair is not just a part of an airport, but a joyous space just like a theme park. The area is designed by various zones; the Japanese Zone, “Chochin-yokocho,” and the Western zone, “Renga-dori.” Chochin-yokocho makes people remind of an old Japanese town, and in “Renga-dori,” you can picture yourself taking a walk through a European-styled atmosphere. Various attractive shops are located in these 2 streets. It is not too late to buy Japanese traditional souvenirs before you take off or grub some Western coffee with good aroma before you explore green tea world.
“A view from the sky deck of an airplane departing” is one of Centrair’s main attractions. Two thrilling scenes of airplanes from the sky deck have been uploaded to the web for airplane enthusiasts to view. The sky deck is one of the most recommended points to stop by when visiting the airport.
Centrair, Chubu International Airport, Official website: http://www.centrair.jp/en/index.html
3. Sports: Figure Skaters from Greater Nagoya Represent Japan
Greater Nagoya is the area that produced Japan’s first Olympic medalist of figure skater, Midori Ito. After that, many excellent world famous skaters such as Miki Ando, Yukari Nakano, Yoshie Onda, and Mao Asada have come from Greater Nagoya.
International championship winners, Mao Asada and Miki Ando had trained in Nagoya Sport Center, which is located in Osu town in Greater Nagoya. The center has long history since it was established in 1953. It’s been said that the Aichi Prefecture competition is even harder to win than other national competitions. In addition, Greater Nagoya’s figure skating seems to set more medals in future Olympics.
The skating arena of Nagoya Sport Center is not only for the public, but also operated as a junior skate school. Worldwide-recognized coaches, Machiko Yamada and Yuko Monna who taught world famous skaters are there to teach young figure skaters in next generation. Classic ballet, ballroom dance, ice hockey, and skating folk dance classes are also available.
4. Entertainment: Japanese inn, Genji-koh in Greater Nagoya
Genji-koh is an inn with spa facility and hot baths, which is redolent with the elegant fragrances of incense. In Japan’s long history, there is a tradition that people enjoy the fragrances, and there were established blends like Genji-koh that have existed since the Heian Period. It is so named because it is a blend of five fragrances and five is number of chapters in the Story of Genji. Unlike any other hotel in Japan, this Japanese inn takes fragrance as its theme and uses a gentle scent to help people to relax. The scent of fragrances and aromas blend harmoniously with the beauty of the pure Japanese architecture is enjoyable and hospitable. Many religious ceremonies and spiritual pacificator rites employ incense, a practice that persists to this day. Incense is also used in medicine and for its aesthetic value. While “aroma therapy” is enjoying popularity in many places, at Genji-koh, it has been established practice for years. Wide open-air bathes called “Isenoyu” and “Hushiminoyu” are also worth to experience.
Genji-koh Official Website: http://www.genji-koh.co.jp/ (Chinese, Taiwanese, or Korean languages are available)
5. Company Introduction: Zicofe, Uganda Café of Kato Investments Limited
It is so hard to find good coffee with nice aroma in Japan, but in Greater Nagoya, it is easy to find pure and organic Uganda coffee, just go to Zicofe. Many visitors to Japan say that the coffee disappoints them. It may be true and it can be the same for Japanese people who morn not finding good Miso soup in abroad. If you are in Greater Nagoya, here can be a good solution for your coffee needs.
Three years ago, Uganda Coffee Company, Kato Investment limited established its first coffee café, Zicofe, in Greater Nagoya. Representative Director, Kato Rose Nakayenga Kayondo, had first arrived in Greater Nagoya to serve Uganda coffee in Aichi Expo 2005. After the Expo, she decided to stay in Greater Nagoya and expanded her business to sell her coffee while she runs Zigoti Coffee Works Ltd back in Uganda．The Kato Investments limited now also has their own website set up and sell the coffee online in Japanese. Many of their customers are serious café owners.
Currently, Kato Investments Limited not only is dedicated to sell great coffee, it also started to serve their authentic Ugandan food for lunch and dinner. Ugandan food is healthy and has various combinations of dishes, and the meal usually come with a lot of vegetables like peas, beans, pumpkin. Matooke, steamed plantains is usually found on the table, and Chapati is Uganda-styled stir fried rice. The meals are normally served with stew cooked with beef or chicken. Authentic Ugandan food is able to find in Greater Nagoya. The Zicofe is located in the Princess Garden Hotel at the center of Nagoya city. Many business people who want to have a real aromatic cup of coffee take a break in the shop.
Kato Investment Limited: http://www4.ocn.ne.jp/~kanzi/sub05.htm (Japanese)
Zicofe Onlineshop: http://6808.teacup.com/zicofe/shop (Japanese only)
6. Team Land Cruise TOYOTA AUTO BODY (TLC) used Bio Diesel Fuels in Paris Dakar 2009
Team Land Cruiser TOYOTA AUTO BODY (TLC) participated in the Paris-Dakar 2009 road rally by using Bio Diesel Fuel (BDF). BDF used in the competition was developed by four companies, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Ohta oil miss co., LTD,
Toyota Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd. and Wakamatsu (Consultant company in Yokohama). These four companies gathered spent-oil in schools and companies in Greater Nagoya area and reprocessed it into BDF, and this reprocessed fuel is used for one of the two cars in the rally.
Team Land Cruiser TOYOTA AUTO BODY (TLC): http://www.toyota-body.co.jp/dakar/index.html
Dakar Official Website: http://www.dakar.com/
〔Editor’s Note〕******************************************************************************************
Thank you so much for reading our e-newsletter, and sharing in our excitements for expansion of Greater Nagoya. To unsubscribe, please email us at gninewsletter@greaternagoya.org
〔Issued by〕 Greater Nagoya Initiative Center（GNIC）
〔Contact〕 Kiyono Sumi, Hiroko Takagi
〔EMAIL〕 gninewsletter@greaternagoya.org
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