エコツアーの講座の知らせ Announcement about an Eco-Tour Lecture

2009.06.16: 温泉タウン戸倉上山田 Onsen Town Togura-Kamiyamada

戸倉上山田温泉のカラコロにぎわい協議会「エコ&健康委員会」(会長=私)は来年秋のJRグループのデスティネーション・キャンペーン:信州(テーマ=ウォーキング)を向かって、今の内にエコツアー関係の商品を造成しょうとしています。取り敢えず、既に実施しているのノーディック・ウォーキングの商品のついでに、千曲市の3つの団体と商品造成の打ち合わせをしています:
*楽知会 ボランティアガイド
*千曲サイクリングクラブ
*千曲市川西地区振興連絡協議会 (善光寺カイドのウォーキングマップを作成した)

そして、商品造成に当たって、色んな壁があります。壁を越えるヒントを頂くように、「観光カリスマ」の山田桂一郎さんを呼びました。6月25日午後1時~5時で上山田文化会館で「今、なぜエコツアーが大切なのか!」と言う講座が開催される予定です。エコツアーの企画、商品造成、運営などを実例から教えて頂く予定です。

問い合わせは千曲市観光課の高島さんまで Tel(026)275-1753

Togura Kamiyamada Onsen's "Kara-Koro" Civic Improvement Organization's Eco and Health Committee (Chairperson: Yours Truly) is working on developing marketable travel options in conjunction with JR Group's special Destination Campaign highlighting Nagano Prefecture for Fall of 2010. The DC's theme is "walking", so we are working on athletic tourism options for Chikuma City.

So far there is already a Nordic Walking tour that has already been established, and we are working with 3 more local groups to develop additional "products":
* Rakuchi-kai volunteer guides,
* Chikuma Cycling Club
* Chikuma City West Bank, who put together a walking map for the city's west side.

In developing new products, there are numerous obstacles. In order to get some hints for overcoming those obstacles, we have requested Mr. "Charisma Tourism", Yamada Keiichiro-san from Zermatt to come. He will give a lecture entitled, "Why is Eco-Tourism Important Today?" He will give real-life examples of planning, developing and running eco-related tours.

The lecture is scheduled for 25-June (Thurs) from 1pm to 5pm at the Kamiyamada Bunkakaikan. For more info, pls contact the city's Tourism Department, Takashima-san, Tel(026)275-1753.




雷と雹 Lightning and Hail

2009.06.16: 季節 Seasons

小学生の帰りのころに怪しいくもが来て、いきなり雷、そして雹が降りました。30分ぐらいに続きました。地元のおじさんやおばさんが「こんなに長く降るのは珍しい」と。
杏狩りがもうそろそろ始まる予定だが、この表で見は大丈夫かな?上山田の周辺のりんご農園も心配やな。

Just as the grade school kids were walking home from school today, the sky grew dark with some ominous clouds, and lightning hit followed by a hail storm. The hail and heavy rain continued for about a half an hour. Even the local old-timers were saying how unusually long the storm lasted.
The area's apricots are almost ready for picking -- I hope they weren't hurt by the hail. Even more so, I hope Kamiyamada's many apple orchards were okay.



Hail holes in our baby sunflower plant's leaves