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2019-06-22  Oranda-Jima House 5th Anniversary Event

The 5th Anniversary Open House of the Oranda-Jima House was held at the House, and Yamada Machi invited us (Oranda Jima Foundation), together with De Liefede Club and JNS from Tokyo, and many other supporters from Yamada, and Ms Conny Jongbloed from the Netherlands.

  

Programme started with the Welcome speech by Mr Yoshida, Deputy Mayor of Yamada, followed by guest speech:  Ms Conny Jongbloed – She has long relation with Yamada way before Oranda Jima Foundation started, and at the time we donated the House to Yamada Machi (town), she supported very much from the Netherlands, and sent “Mega-Size” key and the kitchen clock at a time of the donation ceremony held 5 years ago.  Conny was a board member of the Netherlands Japan Associationin The Netherlands and her relation with Yamada is long-lasting since then.

Our Representative Director, Yuji Nakahara also made congratulation speech to Children and Yamada Machi, and wished further recovery and the best use of the House by Children and Parents with Yamada Machi’s initiative.

Mr Yoshida, Deputy Mayor   Ms Conny Jongbloe on Right     Yuji Nakahara

(Mr Yoshida, Deputy Mayor)            (Ms Conny Jongbloed from the Netherlands)   (Mr Yuji Nakahara, OJF Rep Director)

As Yamada Machi granted as “ARIGATO” Host Town of the Netherlands for Tokyo 2020 Olympic/Paralympic, Mr Genshin from the Cabinet Secretariat also came to the House and made speech.  As previously reported, Yamada is promoting the Dutch Meal in Yamada Style, which were offered dudring this event as well.

Children are listening to the Greeting and Speeches in good behavior 🙂

Mr Genshin from Cabinet Secretariat         

                                                               (Mr Genshin from Cabinet Secretariat)

Now, the official speech by guests are over, and we all moved to the B&G Gym behind the Oranda Jima House.  There, the lecture by Ms Eva Sprinkhuizen from the Netherlands Embassy gave presentation on “Let’s learn about the Netherlands” – she made whole presentation in Japanese !!

     

 

It’s time for Lunch now!! We returned to the House where ladies from Yamada were preparing a very nice Dutch Food Yamada Style, and Chef and Supporting members from Rational prepared “Croissant” and “Okonomi-Yaki (pancake)”.  We all enjoyed food and gain lots of energy for the up-coming game.

        

Famous Dutch Croquett “Bitterballen”

       

                                                                                           Super Ladies in Yamada !                              Explaining the Menu !

 

            

Children enjoying lunch outside, and grown-ups were enjoying in the House

And he’s ready for the Game 🙂

Now, it’s time for the Sjoelen Tournament.  The tournament is with children in Yamada Machi – from various after school club.

You see many grown-ups around the Sjoelen board, but they are for counting scores, not for interrupting the games 🙂

     

    

There was also the game of Dutch team vs tournament winning team.  Dutch team is also very serious 🙂

    

The winner of the Tournament is the Todoroki Children Club !  Congratulation !!

After the Tournament, it is time to close the Open House Day, and Children gave us their thank you message.

Lower grade boys are so shy, but they try their very best to tell us their message.

Upper grade girls are making very thoughtful and thankful message to us, and we are all glad to hear their messages.

    

Closing message was given by the Mayor Sato of Yamada Machi.  He was attending the opening ceremony of the San-Riku Road between Ohtsuchi-Machi and Kamaishi thus he could join us at the latter part of the event.  You can see the beautiful antique Western Dolls behind Mr Sato – those are sent from Ms Conny Jongbloed.  She brought them from the Nethelrands for this event.  Children were excited to see those beautiful dolls.

The exciting event of the 5th Anniversary Open House day closed without any trouble, and we head back to Tokyo.

We wish that Sjolen tournamet will take place at least once a year in Yamada, and will eventually spread in Iwate, then to all over in Japan !

 

2019-04-06 “Let’s Cling Together! 2019”

     

The music live by DSM and other employees band called “Let’s Cling Together! 2019” was held in Roppongi, Tokyo.
At this annual event, the members present the latest reconstruction status of Yamada Machi and remind people that the continuous support is necessary.

Thsi year, “Oranda Jima Beer” was introduced and people enjoyed as well as making a donation !   By purchasing of Oranda Jima Beer, JPY10 is donated to the reconstruction of Yamada Machi.  More you enjoy Oranda Jima Beer, more donation will go to Yamada Machi 🙂

This year’s live was with audience of 136 people and 6 groups – every year, they receive more audience.
As the drink with donation reached 132 glasses incluing 21 bottles of Oranda Jima Beer, and lots of donation was made at this event.

Thank you so much for making opportunity to tell about the latest Yamada Machi situation, and thank you for your continuous support which is very much needed, and furthermore we should not forget about what had happened on March 11th.

2019-02-21  “Enjoy Dutch Meal Yamada Style”

Members from JNS, De Liefede Club, and Oranda Jima Foundation, as well as people from Olympic/Paralympic Tokyo Secretariat Office enjoyed the Dutch Meal in Yamada Style.  It was well prepared by the professional cook from Yamada, and all the dishes are so delicious and fancy looking !

Saga offered the Dutch Waffle in Saga style which was also appreciated much by the people joined this event.

Suntory offered their “YOGURITO” – this is basically Dutch style drink.  We also enjoyed “ORANDA JIMA BEER” from Yamada !

The cook from Yamada are enthusiastic to promote Dutch meal Yamada Style at their restaurants.  So, when you visit Yamada, why not exploring seeking the Dutch Meal there.  We are sure you will encounter a nicely modified Dutch Meal in Yamada Style with enriched seafood from Yamada Bay.

People from Yamada townhall gave us the update of the Yamada reconstruction situation as well.  It once again reminded us how badly the city was damaged with TSUNAMI.

  

2019-02-01  “Dutch Meal Cooking Lesson”

Yamada Machi city hall organized the “Dutch Meal cooking lesson” as part of the cross cultural event.

The event was coordinated by H3Food Design – Mr Hirofumi Kikuchi who was born and broght up in Yamada Machi, together with Ms Yoko Hasuike the food coordinator, and cook from Yamada Machi – Mr Jun Yamazaki, and Mr Kazuhiko Satozawa.  They got together in Tokyo on 21 January, invinting Jan Waninge (Dutch) residing in Japan.  Jan shared how the Dutch meal at home so that food coordinator and cook can think of Dutch Meal in Yamada Style.

Menus they have choen are ”Zoals Thuis” (big meat ball!), “Stamppot” (mashed potato with kale) and “Bispaneche (sorry, phonetic, Gratin with white fish – this time they used trout caught in Yamada Bay)

Listening carefully the professional cook’s explanation, and cooking start.   “Stamppot” is as it says, just like stamping, mashing boild potatos.  Lady is really stamping hard the potato.

  

Big Meat Ball is also called “Dutch Meat Ball”.  While serving many children at home, cooking many small meat balls are troublesome for mother, and children can easily start argueing who gets more (this happens in everywhere 🙂 , then they make big, really big, meat ball, and serve one per children.

 

Smoked sausage from the Netherlands will go along well with “Stamppot”.  This smoked sausage is, again, very big !!    And meals are almost ready.

 

“Bon appetit”  Now it’s time for tasting.  People who joined already start coming up with ideas of how to match with Yamada local cuisine, or Japanese food.   We look forward how they will create Dutch Meal in Yamada Style !

 

In the afternoon, we served these meal at Oranda Jima House for children.   Children enjoyed meal ball very much.  Gratin was also well accepted despite a bit of lemon in it.  Mashed potato… with lots of “green” vegetable was not popular for them.  These are different from what they eat at home.  Still some children said they were good – it really relieved us.

 

2018-11-24   “Arigato” Host Town – cross cultural event

On 24th November, the cross-crultural event titled “Let’s learn and experience The Netherlands” was held at Oranda Jima House.

This event was organized by Yamada Machi city hall and from Tokyo, members from Japan Netherlands Society, ladies from De Liefede Club, and OJF members visited the House to join.

Proramme was started with learning – starting from the location of the Nethelands, old costume, main indutries etc.
During the first part, Makoto Harada from Oranda Jima Foundation (OJF) made brief explanation of who we are and why we are here.
Wolter Vennhoven from OJF gave Dutch greeting lesson, such as “goe de morgen”, “dank u wel”, “tot ziens”.
Children repeated shyly after Wolter and Anna-Maria’s presentation.

Chilren also tried to wear Dutch Wooden Shoes – seems difficult to walk !
Then we planted 600 tulip bulbs around House.

      

One of the main activity of this event is playing “Sjoelen” – Dutch origin known as Dutch Shuffleboard or Sjoelen.
For those who do not know about Sjoelen, Sjoelen consists of each player being given three chances to slide the disks (made of wood) along the lonw two meter table in an attempt to get them through 4 arches at the other end.  And compete the score.  It comes into family get-togethers where it can be enjoyed by anyone from little children to grown ups – as you can see!

Since Sjoelen is such a big (2 meter long) game, it was not easy to ship them from the Netherlands.  Then we obtained the design drawings from Jos van Ruyven (ex Representative Director returned to NL few years ago), and Sasaki-Gumi in Yamada Machi (who was constructing the Oranda Jima House) made two beautiful Sjoelbak.

 

During the Lunch time, children tried to slice the big Gouda Cheese, and they all enjoyed fresh taste of thin sliced Gouda Cheese – some boy claimed that he does not like Cheese, but after tasting the Gouda Cheese, he said “I like this one !!” – so it was ended with big smile.

2018-08-10   “Arigato” Host Town for Supporting Reconstruction.

On 27th July 2018, the website of “Prime Minister of Japan and his Cabinet” announced that Yamada Machi is registered as “Arigato” host town for supporting reconstrution for the Netherlands.

Following is about the promotion of “Arigato” Host Town mentioned in their website.

The Secretariat of the Headquarters for the Promotion of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, Cabinet Secretariat established new type of host town in the three disaster-stricken prefectures (Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima) September 2017.   The Secretariat designates local governments attemptingto realize exchange of residents while showing its recovery to the countries/regions abroad that have supported them as “Arigato”Host Town for Supporting Reconstruction,and fully supports the exchanges towards 2020.  (Source: Prime Minister of Japan and his Cabinet)
The application Yamada Machi aiming to deepen the relationship with the Netherlands is accepted.

Oranda Jima House, and the relationship Yamada Machi has with the Netherlands been mentioned in their application.

You can read more in the following website of “Prime Minister of Japan and his Cabinet” :

“Host Town Initiative”

“Arigato”Host Town for Supporting Reconstruction

List Showing Yamada Machi (Japanese only)

 

 

We hope this will strengthen the relationship between the Netherlands and Yamada Machi, further.

 

 

2018-04-14  Let’s Cling Together 2018

The annual Live event of “Let’s Cling Together” 2018 was held in Roppongi.    Since 2011 May, these members are holding the Live Event named “Let’s Cling Together” and every time they are telling the audience the status quo of Yamada Machi.  This is backed with their strong mind and spirit of “not forget what happened in 2011” .  We thank you for all members and audience for this event, and thank you all for donation you made for us.

We hope one day you will play at Oranda Jima House !

   

 

2018-03-10  Memorial Service at Yamada Bay beach

7 years have already passed after the tragedy.  Children gathered at Yamada Bay beach made lanterns with their words on it.  Then they drew the word of “ARIGATO” meaning “Thank You” on the beach with their lanterns.

  

City is building the high wall along the coast and children are drawing paints on the wall.

Small children are enjoying ping-pong, while being observed by mothers and care-takers  😛

  

When the photo taken, only few children were there, but the numbers of cups and toothbrushes show many children are using the Orandajima House.

 

2017-03-11  Let’s Cling Together 2017

DSM Japan employees with their customers held the music live at “Bow House” Roppongi, Tokyo.  This becomes the annual event, and everytime they hold this music live event, musicians are asking donation to the auience.

As this year, the event fell on the exact date which the big earthquake hit, the talk from the musicians, who made visit to Oranda-Jima House in June 2016, refreshed the audience of that Day – this event becomes it’s one of the aim of “not to forget” what had happened, and “knowing” prople are still struggling to recover in those areas.

2017-03-10  Thank you, Mr Dick Bruna

On February 16th, Dutch artist/illustrator, Mr Dick Bruna passed away in Utrecht, the Netherlands.  Mr Dick Bruna created Miffy (Nijntje) which has been loved globally.   Miffy is also been appeared as logo of Oranda Jima House.  At the Oranda Jima House, Children using the Oranda Jima House wrote message to Mr Bruna, and held the “Dick Bruna Corner – the smallest exhibition in Japan” to show thier big thanks to Mr Bruna with greatful heart.

 

2016-06-11  Open House at Oranda Jima House

It’s already two years passed after we donated the Oranda Jima House to Yamada-Machi.   Time flies..    After a long interval, members of the Oranda Jima Foundation decided to make visit to Oranda Jima House with Supporters.    Yamada Machi ward office supported the Open Hosue of this event.   When we got to the House, many more children compared to the starting time were welcoming us together with the supporters in the neighbourhood.    With their lively welcoming, we were all extremely grateful.
People from Rational – they donated cocking oven to the House, Oyster fisherman in the neighbourhood supported this event as well, and children prepared very delicious seafoodo pizza with their help.  After enjoying good food, children showed their powerful dancing with “SORAN-BUSHI”, the most popular traditional fisherman’s song.
The time at the House passed so quickly, and we jumped to the bus heading back to Morioka to catch the train to Tokyo.   We promised to visit and meet them again.

2014-05-24   Oranda Jima House – Opening Ceremony

The Inauguration Ceremony of the Oranda Jima House was held with the honor of the presence of Mr Shin-Itsu Sato, the mayor of Yamadamachi and Ms Nienke Trooster, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, the Netherlands Embassy in Japan, as well as the sponsors and neighbours.
Following the Inauguration Ceremony, the presentation of the Oranda Jima House from Orandajima Foundation to Yamada Machi was held – with big Key !
Planting the Elm Tree in the atrium, and cherry blossom in front of the house, and flowers to the garden with children were taken place.
This is the first time for the supporters to see inside the house, and people were very much impressed with the well-thought design of the House.

 

2014- 04-23

 

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