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seosharks · 22 days

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All About Your Solution for Grave Closure in Nagasaki Prefecture

In the intricate web of life, death is an inevitable thread, weaving its way through the fabric of existence. As loved ones depart, they leave behind memories etched in the hearts of those who remain. Yet, to honor their legacy, many seek solace in erecting gravestones, engraving them with sentiments that endure beyond the passage of time. In Nagasaki Prefecture and Sasebo City, Okubo Stone Store stands as a beacon of support, offering comprehensive services for grave closure, gravestone erection, posthumous engraving, and renovation.

Established with a profound understanding of the cultural significance attached to honoring the departed, Okubo Stone Store has been a cornerstone in facilitating the journey toward closure for countless families. With meticulous craftsmanship and unwavering dedication, they transform raw stone into enduring symbols of remembrance. Whether it's a traditional gravestone or a modern memorial, each creation is imbued with the essence of the departed, serving as a tangible connection between the past and the present.

For those navigating the delicate process of 墓じまい, Okubo Stone Store extends a compassionate hand, guiding them through every step with care and empathy. Understanding the importance of personalization, they offer a myriad of customization options, allowing families to encapsulate the unique essence of their loved ones in stone. From selecting the perfect material to choosing intricate engravings, every detail is thoughtfully curated to reflect the individuality of the departed.

Moreover, Okubo Stone Store goes beyond mere craftsmanship, offering a range of services aimed at easing the burden of funeral arrangements. With their expertise in cemetery closures, they ensure that every aspect is handled seamlessly, from securing permits to coordinating with local authorities. Their commitment to excellence extends to posthumous engraving, where skilled artisans breathe life into stone, etching heartfelt messages and poignant symbols that serve as enduring testaments to the lives that once graced this earth.

In a world where time marches relentlessly forward, Okubo Stone Store recognizes the importance of preserving the past for future generations. Through their meticulous renovation services, they breathe new life into aging gravestones, restoring them to their former glory while honoring the memories they represent. Whether it's repairing weather-worn inscriptions or reviving faded engravings, their expert craftsmen approach each project with reverence and respect, ensuring that the legacies of the departed endure for years to come.

At Okubo Stone Store, their dedication to customer satisfaction extends beyond mere craftsmanship. Understanding the financial considerations that accompany end-of-life arrangements, they offer free estimates for cemetery closures, gravestone erection, posthumous engraving, and renovation. This transparent approach not only alleviates concerns but also empowers families to make informed decisions that align with their needs and budgetary constraints.

The journey toward closure is a deeply personal one, marked by moments of reflection, remembrance, and reconciliation. In Nagasaki Prefecture and Sasebo City, Okubo Stone Store serves as a steadfast companion on this path, offering unwavering support and expert guidance every step of the way. With their unparalleled craftsmanship, compassionate service, and commitment to excellence, they ensure that the legacies of the departed are honored with dignity, respect, and enduring beauty. For those seeking solace in stone, Okubo Stone Store stands ready to turn memories into monuments that transcend time itself.

#墓じまい #The grave is closed

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crystal-in-nagasaki · 1 month

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yosakoi dance festival

Near the end of October, I visited the Yosakoi Dance Festival in Sasebo, the big city north of my town where there is a US navy base.

Yosakoi is a style of dance originally from Kochi prefecture in the island of Shikoku, where the first Yosakoi dance festival was held in 1954. The dance is a mixture of traditional and modern dance styles, and quickly became popular and spread all over Japan, including Sasebo. (source)

Here's a map of Kochi's location for reference (Kyushu is the bigger island to the west):

Yosakoi is performed in groups, with the dancers usually donning a specific uniform similar to a happi jacket or some form of yukata. The dancers hold small wooden clappers called naruko while they dance, which were traditionally black and white on wood, but in modern times can be many different colors to match the performers' costumes. According to Wikipedia, naruko were first used in Kochi to scare birds away from rice fields before they became a tool of the Yosakoi dance. Also in modern times, other props like drums, other percussion instruments, flags, and floats can be used in the performances.

naruko clappers (image source)

At the Yosakoi Festival in Sasebo, many different dance teams participated, each in their own unique costumes with their own naruko and props. Even some Sasebo city ALTs participated in their own group, which was really cool to see!

At various points throughout the city, open areas and stages were used for individual dance performances by dance groups. Most of the groups used huge flags to wave around and drums, and it really made the performances dynamic and exciting. One group even did a costume change where they released the top part of their dark-colored costume to reveal a vibrant pink underneath!

Apart from these more stationary performances, there was a large stream of dance groups walking through the shopping street in a parade-like fashion. They danced while walking and using their naruko, with small trucks at the front of each group with speakers to play music and announcements from a microphone.

This dance group from Nagasaki city had a stained glass design on their costumes to represent the churches of Nagasaki, which I thought was really cool and beautiful.

This is pretty much the extent of the festival. I got to watch so many talented performers and experience a kind of dance that I've never heard of before. All the dancers looked like they had a lot of fun and the many hours of practice they put in paid off for them. And the ALTs that joined in were able to join a part of their community in a meaningful way!

I hope you enjoyed this post, and thanks for reading :)

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chloeunit6 · 2 months

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Japan urbanisation

youtube

Urbanisation is often a very recent phenomenon. Before the 16th century, only the capital cities of Nara, Kyōto, and Kamakura existed as significant towns. Most of ancient Japan's province capitals, or koku-fu, were administrative centres with official homes rather than established towns. After the late 16th century, powerful temples and feudal lords began to construct cities by assembling merchants and craftsmen near their headquarters. Feudal lords established jōka-machi (castle towns) to dominate transit routes and surrounding territories, leading to the development of major Japanese cities such as Tokyo.

The port towns, like as Hakata and Sakai, were next in prominence and had more ups and downs than the castle towns. Furthermore, several religious towns, like as Ise and Izumo, rose to significant sizes throughout time. During the Tokugawa shogunate (1603-1867), tranquil conditions led to unprecedented countrywide pilgrimages, resulting in the growth of temple and shrine cities like Kyōto and Nara. Dusk in central Yokohama, Japan. The late 19th century saw the establishment of international ports at Kōbe, Yokohama, Niigata, Hakodate, and Nagasaki, as well as naval bases in Yokosuka, Kure, and Sasebo, leading to widespread urbanisation. With industrialization came fast expansion in Japanese cities, and certain industrial towns (such as Yawata, Niihama, Kawasaki, and Amagasaki) were established in response to economic boom. The majority of old castle towns, particularly those on the country's Pacific coast, have grown directly or indirectly as a result of industrialization. Raw minerals and electricity resources in Hokkaido and southern Kyushu have attracted a small number of industrial units, which are solely responsible for the survival of cities like Tomakomai, Muroran, Nobeoka, and Minamata. The late 19th century saw the establishment of international ports at Kōbe, Yokohama, Niigata, Hakodate, and Nagasaki, as well as naval bases in Yokosuka, Kure, and Sasebo, leading to widespread urbanisation. With industrialization came fast expansion in Japanese cities, and certain industrial towns (such as Yawata, Niihama, Kawasaki, and Amagasaki) were established in response to economic boom. The majority of old castle towns, particularly those on the country's Pacific coast, have grown directly or indirectly as a result of industrialization. Raw minerals and electricity resources in Hokkaido and southern Kyushu have attracted a small number of industrial units, which are solely responsible for the survival of cities like Tomakomai, Muroran, Nobeoka, and Minamata.

Japanese cities are a confused combination of old and new, East and West. Mixed land use, including agricultural activity, coexists with the most modernised business centres and industrial establishments, and the fragmented, patchwork pattern of land ownership poses a formidable challenge in ever-expanding cities of skyscrapers, subways, and underground plazas. Other severe issues include a lack of adequate housing, increased usage of automobiles, congested public transit systems, a lack of open space for leisure, environmental degradation, and the continual threat of earthquakes and floods.

Havard referencing:

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannic. (1998). Japan urbanisation. [Online]. britannica. Last Updated: 27 October 2023. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/Religion [Accessed 23 February 2024].

#Youtube

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stuckonpageone · 9 months

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Day whatever of sharing photos I took while living abroad.

This was in 2018 or early 2019, I'm not entirely sure. I lived in Sasebo for the first 6 months I was in Japan, and while it had lots of nearby nature that was nice, the city itself was a little small for my liking. Also it felt very segregated because of the Navy base there. Everyone just assumed I was also a part of the base and so strangers kind of kept their distance a bit. Not to be mean or rude. I just felt a natural hesitancy. That being said I met my first local friend here. He owned a Hanko shop, which is the most important stamp you'll ever have in your life if you live in Japan. You need it to sign up with a bank, at least at a bank at a smaller town like Sasebo. Yuji did me a solid and made me one in an hour. I still have it.

Hirado is a cute little town on an island of the same name, accessible from Sasesbo by train; the station of which is pictured here. As you can also see, there isn't exactly a taxi stand. But this cute orange taxi reminded me of the red taxis in Hong Kong, so I had to take a picture.

It's just a reminder that modern Japan is more than just Tokyo or Kyoto. Things work a lot more slowly and on a much smaller scale in the outer reaches of the country, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth a visit. Hirado is a gorgeous little town with excellent ice cream, a well preserved castle, a rich local history and a quaint little downtown. I highly recommend it if you're in Kyushu.

#my photos #photography #sonya6000 #japan #life abroad #hirado #kyushu #small town life

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whatisonthemoon · 11 months

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U.S., Philippines Kick off Largest-ever Balikatan Exercise as Defense, Foreign Affairs Leaders Meet in Washington (April 11, 2023)

▲ U.S. Marines with 3rd Landing Support Battalion, Army Soldiers, Navy Sailors, and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines listen during a rehearsal of concept brief in preparation for Balikatan 23 at Camp Agnew, Casigueran, Philippines on April 4, 2023.

from USNI news by Rene Acosta and John Grady

MANILA – The Philippines and the United States began the largest iteration of Balikatan, the annual military exercise involving Filipino and American troops, during a Tuesday ceremony at the Philippine military’s general headquarters of Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino opened the exercise on Tuesday as defense and foreign affairs officials also met for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington D.C., to discuss the direction of the alliance between the two countries.

“For the Armed Forces of the Philippines, in particular, this year’s Balikatan Exercise is most timely as we fast-track the enhancement of our capabilities for maritime security and domain awareness, as well as our employment concept of newly acquired equipment and weapon systems under our modernization program and application of newly developed doctrines – with the end-in-view of projecting a credible defense posture,” Centino said.

More than 17,600 American, Filipino and Australian sailors, Marines, soldiers and airmen will participate in the exercise, Enrique Manolo, secretary of foreign affairs, said in Washington, D.C., on Monday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The exercise illustrates the importance Manila places on internal security, Manolo said, and signifies another step in modernizing the more than 70-year-old alliance between the United States and the Philippines.

The increased emphasis on interoperability required to address new security challenges, primarily coming from Beijing, facing the alliance allows Manila “to shore up our defensive posture.”

“Balikatan provides unparalleled opportunities to demonstrate the strength and readiness of the Philippine-U.S. security alliance,” Lt. Col. Daniel Huvane, Balikatan Combined Joint Information Director, said in a news release from the American embassy in Manila.

Last year’s drills saw about 9,000 military participants in the annual exercise that began in 1991.

Philippine military public affairs office chief Col. Jorry Baclor said the 38th iteration of the bilateral exercise highlights four major events – a command post exercise, cyber defense exercise, field training exercise and humanitarian civic assistance.

Weeks before the exercise, the Philippine military said that this year’s phase would be the biggest, as U.S. armaments will even be in full use, including the Patriot and Avenger missiles and HIMARS.

This coming Thursday, U.S. and Filipino troops will also conduct a live firing of the U.S. anti-tank weapon Javelin, still as part of the recently concluded phase one of the U.S.-Philippines “Salaknib” exercise, which involved the Philippine Army and the U.S. Army in the Indo-Pacific, according to Philippine Army spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad.

An F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Figther, assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, sits parked on the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) during a scheduled port visit at Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo April 5, 2023. US Navy PhotoOn the eve of Balikatan’s opening, Filipino and American soldiers trained together in “bunker and room-clearing” operations as part of the opening salvo at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

“This year’s Balikatan will be the biggest ever, an indication of the growth of our alliance and how it continues to evolve to meet our shared goals,” Heather Variava, U.S. Chargé d’affaires in Manilla said on Tuesday. Baclor said the participating forces will enhance their joint and combined capabilities in maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire exercise, urban operations, aviation operations, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

The Philippines emphasized the importance of Balikatan to both U.S. and the Philippine forces, as Licudine said it builds “interoperability, enhances capabilities, and demonstrates mutual defense of the Philippine sovereign territory.”

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declared: “Balikatan is an important opportunity to train shoulder-to-shoulder and build trust and confidence that enable our forces to respond to crises and contingencies as a team.” In Washington D.C., Filipino Department of National Defense Officer in Charge Carlito Galvez and Enrique Manolo held the 2+2 meeting with Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. The U.S. State Department in a statement issued ahead of the meeting said Blinken and Austin would reaffirm Washington’s ironclad commitment to its alliance with the Philippines, which it said has “contributed to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”

Speaking at CSIS on Monday, Manalo reiterated the distance between the Philippines and Taiwan – about 90 miles – where tensions have been rapidly rising between the United States and China over the future of the self-governing island.

Chinese naval militia continue to harass and ram Filipino fishermen working in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, he said. Beijing warships and coast guard vessels are ignoring a 2016 international tribunal’s ruling dismissing its claims to much of the South China Sea. The Chinese are treating the region as its sovereign territory.

Beijing has built at least seven artificial islands on coral reefs that are capable of supporting maritime operations and military airfields. One of those man-made islands is in the Spratlys, off the coasts of the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Manolo added, “we feel the United States is an important partner” militarily and economically. He noted several times at the CSIS event the importance of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with Washington in keeping the Indo-Pacific a safe and secure environment for maritime commerce. He indicated that the United States and other nations, possibly Japan and Australia, may soon begin conducting joint maritime patrol operations with the Philippines to secure its expansive ocean borders.

Manolo added that the Philippines has the fourth largest coastline in the world, and it’s hard to secure but vital to economic development. The secretary added that Manila also looks to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, as a forum to resolve differences peacefully. The association is developing guidelines on acceptable international behavior and mechanisms to avoid conflict in territorial and trade disputes. China is a member.

Included in the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)were arrangements for the United States to establish nine facilities for future American operations. He said he will discuss what activities will be allowed at the last four added in the arrangement during the meeting in Washington with his counterpart, Blinken, and the two nations’ secretaries of defense.

The “2 Plus 2” meetings had been shelved for seven years when then-President Rodrigo Duerte promised he’d shift security priorities away from the United States and more toward China to bolster Manila’s sovereignty in regional politics.

A September meeting in New York between President Joe Biden and newly installed President Ferdinand Marcos that led to the new defense agreement clearly demonstrated the shift back toward the United States.

“We obviously have to work [WITH?] them,” Manolo said, referring to China. “Equity in the maritime commons” is a foreign policy goal as Manila is “on the threshold” of becoming a regional economic power. He welcomed public and private assistance in filling infrastructure needs for future development and growth. He pointed to how important Manila can be in delivering clean energy renewables with investments made to explore its deposits of important raw earth and other green minerals.

“Multilateralism must thrive” to avoid conflict, said Manolo.

But “we want to make [discussions with China] compatible with the U.S. alliance.”

Notes and links below

Japan to join Salaknib drills between PH, US armies - “Japan is joining a large-scale joint exercise between the Philippine and US armies for the first time, a top military official said, in the latest of the emerging trilateral defense partnership of the three nations.A handful of observers from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will participate in Salaknib (shield in the Ilocano dialect) — an annual exercise led by the Philippine Army to strengthen the readiness and interoperability with its counterparts from the United States — which will kick off next week.”

Stop US and Chinese aggression in the Philippines! Turn imperialist wars into wars against imperialism! The US is complicit in war crimes

The WACL and CAUSA’s Role in the Ruthless Violence of US-Philippines Counterinsurgency

Death Squads in the Philippines by Doug Cunningham

Those Spared in Duterte’s “War on Drugs” May Go to Moonie Rehabilitation

#imperialism #inter-imperialism #china #u.s.a.#united states of america #the philippines #philippines #ecda #enhanced defense cooperation agreement #military #u.s. military #armed forces of the philippines #afp #balikatan

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okamachi-tuushin · 2 years

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汽笛は東へ　The whistle goes east

令和4年1月3日　January 3 2022

#松浦鉄道 #Matsuura Railway #相浦駅 #本山駅 #北佐世保駅 #佐世保線 #Sasebo Line #特急 #みどり #佐世保市 #長崎県 #Sasebo City #Nagasaki Pref.

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travelonlinetipsofficial · 1 year

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The BEST Cake Shop in Sasebo Japan - Travel Online Tips Hands down my favorite cake shop in all of Sasebo City in Japan! Science Patisserie Sasa Nagasaki, Sasebo, Yorozucho, 7−13 Food & Drink #FoodDrink #travel #love #photooftheday #nature #photography #instagood #travelgram #travelphotography #travelblog #travel #travelgram #travelphotography #wanderlust #instatravel #travelling #travel #travelgram #photooftheday #travelphotography #trip #instatravel #foodandtravel #foodie #foodporn #food #foodblogger #foodphotography #foodies #foodiesofinstagram #travel #foodpornshare #sogood #travelonlinetips #MarkWeins #holiday #vacation #staycation

#Food &amp; Drink

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occucarehealthcare · 1 year

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Occupational Health And Safety System In Japan | OHS Software In Japan

Occucare’ on-demand occupational health and safety system in Japan offers a digital platform where you can manage, control & streamline all actions & risk assessment processes through an real-time data visualization system.

Japan has always set an example for other countries in innovation, adopting a modernized approach, and following policies. Occupational health and safety is not an exception. Industries spread across the Japanese cities like Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya, Kure, Sasebo, and others have already approached technology-oriented approach to achieve workplace safety. But there are several industries which are about to shift from their existing software or don’t have existing, so wanted to adopt a fresh approach to workplace and workforce safety. OccuCare, a renowned name in the domain over a decade of years, fills this gap prominently with feature-rich products like health and safety software, employee wellness app, and others.

#ohs management system #ohs software

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konradnews · 1 year

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Huis Ten Bosch "Countdown in the City of Light 2023", New Year's Eve with 8,000 fireworks and live music!

Huis Ten Bosch “Countdown in the City of Light 2023”, New Year’s Eve with 8,000 fireworks and live music!

Huis Ten Bosch (1-1 Huis Ten Bosch-cho, Sasebo, Nagasaki) will hold “Countdown in the City of Light 2023” on New Year’s Eve, December 31. The event will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during special opening hours, allowing visitors to enjoy a day full of festive moods. The highlight of the event will be Japan’s largest New Year’s Eve fireworks display, which will shoot 8,000 fireworks in 20…

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#Japan #Travel

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mi6021joelturnbull2 · 1 year

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1-1 Feedback

Re-draft title,

Has AI made a significant impact on the animation industry as a whole?

Draft Structure

Introduction,

what is animation historically,

what is AI a definition and explanation,

How is AI being used within the animation industry,

which sectors within the animation industry are effected (concept art, facial rigging and motion capture. etc),

Has AI had a significant impact on the industry,

Will AI in the future hold a more significant impact,

Conclusion

Research into where AI has been used within industry

Cubic Motion:

Made developments in digital humans using AI. Used a machine learning algorithm in order to track certain parts of the face and capture movement without having it physically marked.

“Cubic Motion’s machine-learning algorithms are based on years of experience and extensive work in the field of computer vision, allowing us to precisely track facial features even without physical markers. It requires us to train the tracker to capture the right information, such as separating parts of the face, digitally marking facial elements, and allowing for the level of dynamic flexibility of a human face.”

https://cubicmotion.com/case-studies/siren/

Disney:

Disney is using machine learning in order to capture the subtitles in facial animation that bring a character to life.

“The researchers at Disney have smoothened this process using a machine learning tool that makes it easy to generate and manipulate 3D faces through 3D face modelling using neural architectures.”

“Conventionally, face models that are built from 3D face databases, which are used in tasks such as facial reconstruction, replacement, and manipulation, use multi-linear morphable models.”

“To overcome this drawback, researchers have been adopting deep neural networks which offer nonlinear face modelling. However, the research in nonlinear morphable models has been limited to generating realistic 2D facial images, with a lesser focus on 3D modelling.”

Toei Animation:

Toei animation has been using AI in order to generate animation backgrounds in an anime style as well as using other tools to accelerate the colouring of characters clothes. In this example this has been a good development as AI has been able to cover labor shortages.

“It has recently used AI software to generate animation backgrounds, and is employing a separate tool to accelerate the coloring of characters’ clothes.”

“In Urvan, an experimental short released in February, Toei’s in-house research team used Scenify to convert photos of Japan’s Sasebo city into images with a basic anime-like rendering”

“ ‘I feel that the number of hits is small compared to the number of works that are out in the world. How do you now make a profit from animation works that are expensive to produce?’ “

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/tech/japans-toei-is-using-ai-tools-to-speed-up-animation-production-206801.html

More information on Toei Studios : https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/toei-animation-1235009726/

Laika Studios:

“famous for producing films, like Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, has partnered with Intel to combine ML and AI to develop a program that can streamline the animation process.”

“When producing the 2019 stop-motion animated film Missing Link, the production team at Laika needed to swap out magnetic faceplates on the puppets ... since the faceplates are not seamless, there is a gap between the different parts of the puppet’s face”

“with AI and ML, animators don’t have to sit at their desks to rotoscope out the lines manually. The 3D modeling program powered by Intel can shorten the time required to rotoscope 70 frames from five to six hours to five minutes and 25 seconds. As a result, it can cut production time by a margin and massively reduce the animators’ workload.”

https://www.jumpstartmag.com/how-are-ai-and-machine-learning-used-in-the-animation/

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