In August 2023, a ceremony was held in Hikawa Town, Yatsushiro County, one of Kumamoto Prefecture's leading pear-producing areas, to mark the departure of pears to be exported to Taiwan. Every year since 2004, JA Yatsushiro has shipped Yoshino pears from Hikawa Town to Taiwan. The pears to be exported weigh nearly 1 kg each and are of the "Nitaka'' variety known as jumbo pears, which are popular in Taiwan as gifts for the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on August 15th of the lunar calendar. I hear that Yoshino pears, which are now in their 20th year of export, are very popular in Taiwan, especially among wealthy people, and have established themselves as a branded pear. Approximately 1,300 cases of pears left for Hakata Port. It is scheduled to go on sale at department stores in Taiwan in early September. For about 50 years from 1895 to 1945, China lost Taiwan and handed over Taiwan to Japan. Although the last 50 years have been the era of Japanese rule, in Taiwan we have not heard many complaints or negative opinions about Japan during this period. I have heard that our ancestors and seniors have made various contributions to Taiwan over the past 50 years. Build railways, roads, and ports to improve Taiwan's means of transportation. Because distribution became smoother, it had a major impact on the development of Taiwan's economy. And the construction of dams is a big deal. I have also heard that the lack of agricultural water has been alleviated by constructing water facilities. In addition, we have focused on improving agricultural products, making Taiwanese rice more delicious and contributing greatly to the development of Taiwan's agriculture.
Ononoiwaya Kofun Tumulus (Hikawa Town, Yatsushiro District, Kumamoto Prefecture): Designation date: 20131017, Management organization name: Historic Site, Place of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monument. A 123 meter long tumulus located on a plateau at an altitude of 50 to 60 meters in central Kumamoto Prefecture. It is a keyhole-shaped tumulus. The existence of tumuli has been known since the Muromachi period, and the oldest written documentation indicating the existence of tumuli dates back to 1497, and rough and actual measurements of stone chambers have been carried out since the Meiji period. Subsequently, actual measurements and excavations were conducted by Hikawa Town (formerly Ryuhoku Town) from 2003 to 2020. The results revealed that the burial mound was built in two stages and had a shape similar to a sword rhombus with the front part protruding slightly. Additionally, it is estimated that there is a shield-shaped moat surrounding the mound, with a width of about 12 meters on t...