Visitors to Kagawa can fill up on 'udon' noodles: Every tourist who visits sightseeing spots in Kagawa Prefecture after crossing the Seto Ohashi Bridge until Aug. 31 will receive a package of "udon" noodles.
Udon is a thick, white noodle made of flour and is one of the major products of the prefecture. Tourists who use the bridge to cross from Okayama Prefecture to Kagawa will get three servings of udon at six tourist spots in the prefecture, including Ritsurin Park in Takamatsu and Nijushi no Hitomi Movie Village in Uchinomi, Shodo Island. The receipt from the bridge toll will be required to claim the noodles.
The campaign also includes a 10 percent reduction in the bridge toll, which began on July 1 and will continue for a year.
For more information, call the executive committee of the Kagawa Prefectural Government's transport policy department at (087) 832-3134.
Belgian cartoonist's art on display in Osaka: An exhibition of single-frame cartoons by Belgian cartoonist Ludo Goderis is being held until Sept. 5 at the Flanders Center in Tennoji Ward, Osaka.
A total of 40 works are on display. Goderis is a prize-winning artist known for his satirical and humorous cartoons for Belgian newspapers and magazines.
Admission is free. The venue will be open between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. every day except Saturdays, Sundays, July 21 and from Aug. 11 to 15.
The venue is on the third floor of International House, Osaka, a six-minute walk from Uehonmachi Station on the Kintetsu Line or a 10-minute walk from the subway Tanimachi 9-chome Station.
For more information, call the organizer at (06) 6773-8850.
Kobe's herb park to hold summer festival: Nunobiki Herb Park in Kobe's Chuo Ward is holding a summer festival featuring spices and herbs between July 19 and Sept. 7.
The municipal park grows 200 kinds of herbs on a hillside overlooking Kobe.
The festival includes a variety of events, including curry cooking classes from Aug. 13 to 17, classes and a display of crafts using spices, an aromatherapy class and Hawaiian music concerts. There will also be events featuring Okinawan herbs and other plants.
The park will be open between 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. every day during the festival, except from Sept. 1 to 5, when it will close at 5 p.m. Admission is 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students. The ropeway to the park will also be operating at reduced prices from 5 p.m.
To get to the park, take the Kobe Yume Fusen ropeway to Nunobiki Herb-en Station from Kitano 1-chome Station, which is a five-minute walk from subway Shin-Kobe Station.
For more information, call the park at (078) 271-1131 or visit its Web site: www.kobe-park.or.jp/herb/
Competitors sought for bilingual speech contest: Kobe Cross Cultural Center is seeking competitors for its annual speech contest in English and Japanese, to be held between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Nov. 23 at the Nishiyama Kinen Kaikan hall in Chuo Ward, Kobe.
This year's theme is "Creating a Dynamic 21st Century -- A Tomorrow for Children in Turmoil."
Applicants can be of any nationality, but must be over 16. They will be expected to discuss the topic in both English and Japanese. Speeches can last up to five minutes in each language.
About 10 finalists will be selected to give oral presentations on Nov. 23. The first-prize winner will receive a trophy from the mayor of Kobe, a round trip ticket to Sydney and a digital camera.
Those wishing to take part should request an application form from the center. The application deadline is Oct. 27.
For applications and more information, call the organizer at (078) 646-7100.