Original Towada Highball Contest

Towada City "Local Highball Contest" 十和田市「ご当地ハイボールコンテスト」

In honour of the upcoming B-1 Grand Prix in Towada (October), and considering the current "whiskey boom"* in Japan, the Towada Restaurant Industry Association (十和田市飲食業協会 Towada-shi Inshokugyou Kyoukai) is holding a contest to further promote Towada with the creation of an original local highball inspired by Towada's four seasons or local sites.

(*The whiskey boom was likely brought on by NHK's morning drama "Massan,"the fictionalized account of the life of the founder of Nikka Whiskey and his Scottish wife. See the Wikipedia article here. The Whiskey Bible's naming of a Japanese whiskey (Suntory's Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013) as the "World's Best Whiskey" this past November probably also didn't hurt. (See the TIME article here.))

Contest Details:

Entry Requirements/Restrictions: 
- entrants must be over 20 years of age
- entrants must reside in Towada or work in a Towada food/drink establishment
- Kirin Beer's "Four Roses Black Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey"must be used as the base for the highball
- the image for the highball should be the seasons or local sites of Towada (you might also want to keep in mind that they would also like to promote the drink as something to be enjoyed with barayaki)

Entry Submission/Deadline:
- recipes should be mailed or faxed to the following address by May 31st, 2015:
  〒034-8691
    十和田市西二番町４－１１ (4-11 Nishi Ni-Bancho, Towada-shi)
    十和田市飲食業協会 (Towada-shi Inshokugyou Kyoukai)
  Fax: 0176-24-1563
(No submission form or specific details provided, but I would assume that you should include your name (氏名), address (住所), phone number (電話番号), and age/gender (年齢・性別) along with your recipe.)

Prizes:
1st: 30,000 yen
2nd: 20,000 yen
3rd: 10,000 yen
*Additional runner-up prizes provided by Kirin Beer*

Inquiries:
Dining Bar Ihoujin (ダイニングBar異邦人) 0176-66-7781
Bar K's (バーK's) 0176-24-8691

Horse Culture Museum Shotokukan Temporary Closure Notice

The Towada City Horse Culture Museum Shotokukan (十和田市馬事公苑称徳館) will be closed for building maintenance on Tuesday, March 3, 2015.

Shotokukan/Komakko Land website (Japanese): http://komakkoland.jp/

Michi no Eki Towada Takumi Koubou Special Exhibit

Michi no Eki Towada (Towadapia) Special Exhibit: February 19 - 22 (Thu.-Sun.), 2015

"Matsuzaka Tsuya: From Patchwork to Tsurushi Kazari (Hanging Ornaments) Exhibit"
松坂つや パッチワークからつるし飾り道のり作品展

Hours: 10:00-15:00 Daily

Admission: Free

Michi no Eki Towada Takumi Kobou Hall 道の駅とわだ 匠工房ホール
Denpoji, Tairakubo
Towada, Aomori Prefecture 034-0051, Japan



More Information: 
Michi no Eki Towada (Japanese) https://www.facebook.com/towada.michinoeki.3

Hearty Diner Shokujidokoro Miki

Restaurant Spotlight: Shokujidokoro Miki 食事処味喜
(Or simply “Miki”)

A lovely little mom-and-pop Japanese style diner that offers hearty and delicious meals at very reasonable prices.  The portion sizes are quite generous, so it’s best to go on an empty stomach.

Recommended Menu Items:
(Basically everything I've tried or seen ordered there so far...)

Natto in Pork Cutlet Set 900yen

かけ橋定食 (Kakehashi Teishoku)

Wild Boar x Pig Meat Stew Set 1000yen

猪豚鍋定食 (Inobuta Nabe Teishoku)

Mushroom Rice Set 780yen

キノコ丼定食 (Kinoko Don Teishoku)

(Comes with choice of Tonkatsu (pork cutlet), Chicken Katsu (chicken cutlet), Ebi Fry (fried shrimp), or Kaki Fry (fried oyster)-Ebi Fry pictured)

Chicken Tempura Set 680yen

鳥天ぷら定食 (Tori Tempura Teishoku)

Chicken Katsu Set 800yen

チキンカツ定食 (Chicken Katsu Teishoku)

“Healthy Hamburg” Set 800yen

ヘルシーハンバーグ定食 (Healthy Hamburg Teishoku)

(Made with horse meat and flavoured with miso)

Beef Barayaki Set 850yen

牛バラ焼き定食
(Pork and Horse Meat Barayaki also available)

Horse Meat Miso Ramen 750yen

馬肉味噌ラーメン (Baniku Miso Ramen)

Hours: 11:00-20:00 Tuesday-Sunday; 11:00-14:00 Mondays

Price Range: ～1000yen

English/Picture Menu: Miki Special Set (味喜特選セット) picture menu, otherwise Japanese only

Seating: Table (2 tables x 4 seats) and Tatami (3 tables x 4 seats); Non-Smoking Environment

Good For: Solo Dining; Couples; Families; Small Groups

Reservations: Usually not necessary

Phone: 0176-23-1606

Parking: Available (a couple of spots in front, and additional parking in back)

Address/Map:
2 Chome-13-30 Higashino (十和田市ひがしの2-13-30)
Towada, Aomori Prefecture 034-0004

Towada Art Center Special Exhibit Waiting for Spring

Towada Art Center Special Exhibit: February 28, 2015 (Sat.) – April 5, 2015 (Sun.)

“Waiting for Spring – Towards a landscape changing color”

(春を待ちながら－やがて色づく風景をもとめて－

Haru wo Machinagara －yagate iro zuku fuukei wo motomete)

Hours:

9:00-17:00 Tuesday-Sunday (last admission 16:30; closed Mondays, or the following day if Monday is a National Holiday)

Towada Art Center 十和田市現代美術館
10−9 Nishinibancho

Towada, Aomori Prefecture 034-0082, Japan

+81 176-20-1127

More Information:
Towada Art Center (Japanese/English): http://towadaartcenter.com
PDF Exhibit Flyer (Japanese/English): http://towadaartcenter.com/web/exhibition_spring_files/2015_wfs.pdf

Towada Bonus Days & Towada Street Festa

Towada Bonus Days
第38回とわだ・まける日 (Towada Makeru-Hi)
PDF Flyer (Japanese)
Date: Friday, February 6 - Sunday, February 8, 2015
Location: Various stores, restaurants, etc. around central Towada; look for red とわだ・まける日 banners outside of participating establishments.
Description: Special promotions and sales at participating establishments during the event. Purchase receipts and/or drawing tickets from some stores may be used to receive free gifts or to enter prize draws during the Towada Street Festa on February 8th (Sunday). 

Out and About the Town! Towada Street Festa
第16回飛び出せ　街へ！！とわだストリートフェスタ
(Tobidase Machi He!! Towada Street Festa)
PDF Flyer (Japanese) 
Date: Sunday, February 8, 2015
Time: 11:00～
Location: 7・8-Chome Shoutengai Shopping Street to Minami Shoutengai Shopping Street (a.k.a. "Awning Street": Former National Rte. 45 where it becomes Rte. 102 (north) down to where it turns into Rte. 145 (south))
Description: Performances, giveaways and prize drawings at various locations along "Awning Street."

7・8-Chome Shoutengai Shopping Street, Machi no Engawa 
(七・八丁目商店街　会場：街の縁側)
11:00～ Free Potted Flowers & Prize Drawing (first 100 people); Free Grilled Scallops (first 100 people)
 Eligibility: Must have 1000yen worth of receipts for purchases made during "Towada Bonus Days" (February 6-8) at participating  7・8-Chome Shoutengai Shopping Street shops  

6-Chome Shoutengai Shopping Street, Art Station Towada (A・S・T)
(六商店街　会場：アートステーショントワダ（Ａ・Ｓ・Ｔ）)
11:00～ Free Potted Flowers (first 100 people)
Eligibility: Receipt for purchase made during "Towada Bonus Days" (February 6-8) at participating  6-Chome Shoutengai Shopping Street shops
11:30～ Mochi Making: Free oshiruko (sweet red bean paste with mochi (Japanese rice cakes))
Eligibility: First come, first served

Chuo Shoutengai, Civic Center Plaza (Shimin Kouryuu Plaza)
(中央商店街　会場：市民交流プラザ)
11:00～ Prize Drawing (gift certificates, prizes, etc.)
12:00～ Free Coupons for Hapita Cafe's "Original Menu" (first 100 people)
Eligibility: Prize Drawing Tickets from Chuo Shoutengai Shopping Street "Towada Bonus Days" participant shops

Minami Shoutengai, Rest Area (Chokotto Kyuukeijo)
(南商店街　会場：ちょこっと休憩所)
11:00～ Free Potted Flowers (first 100 people); Free hittsumi nabe (hand-pulled noodle hot pot) (200 servings only); Kerosene Prize Draw (20 winners)
Eligibility: Receipt for 500yen or more in purchases made during "Towada Bonus Days" (February 6-8) at participating  Minami Shoutengai Shopping Street shops

Special Events at Art Station Towada (A・S・T)
(十和田市商店街連合会イベント　会場：アートステーショントワダ（Ａ・Ｓ・Ｔ）) 
11:00～ Yosakoi Live (Kitasato Sangenshoku group, Towada)
12:30～ Shijimi Tsumamidori  (picking corbicula clams: within 1min., grab as many clams as you can with chopsticks, event will finish once the clams are all gone)
13:30～ Yosakoi Live (Kitasato Sangenshoku group, Towada)