http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/ Toyako Visitor Center, an information hub to introduce the environnment and organism in the area, helps visitors to get acquainted with the nature and wildlife in and around Lake Toya. ja Copyright 2008 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:22:34 +0900 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss July 22, Tuesday 2008 to July 31 Mr. Satoshi Ishizu, nature photographer, took various scenery of Lake Toya. The surface of lake changes scenery around the year, lakeside changes aspects, nature creates beauty, and color of the lake attracts viewers. http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/satoshi_ishizu_fine_print_exhi.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/satoshi_ishizu_fine_print_exhi.html event Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:22:34 +0900 On July 9, the Group of 8 spouses and the thirty-nine Junior 8 delegates from around the world exchanged at Toyako Visitor Center. G8 spouses arrived at Toyako Visitor Center at 11am and started to interchange with J8 delegates. Attended spouses were Mrs. Kiyoko Fukuda, hostess, from Japan, Mrs. Laura Bush from the United States, Mrs. Laureen Harper from Canada, Mrs. Svetlana Medvedev from Russia, and Mrs. Sarah Brown from the United Kingdom. At first, four J8 delegates proposed young people ”Action Plan” what they can do from now, which are, “Climate Change”, “Poverty and Development” and “Global Health.” Mrs. Fukuda commented that Mrs. Maathai, former Assistant Minister for Environment in Kenya, started “Mottainai” movement, and maternity health record book brought health society for children in Japan. She encouraged young people to spread opinions to the world and success for the future. After that, G8 spouses and J8 delegates took photo together and watched the movie of Mount Usu eruption at Volcano Science Museum. At the end, they had chance to talk each other while they were having tea and cookies. The event lasted for an hour. After spouses left, thirty nine delegates seemed to be excited to continue to talk each other. *Reference: Junior 8 Summit The Junior 8 summit is an annual forum where young people from around the world gather to discuss the global issues and broaden their plans and recommendations to the world. ]]> http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/interchanged_between_g8_spouse.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/interchanged_between_g8_spouse.html event Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:36:58 +0900 Hokkaido Regional Environment Office selected "Eight views of Lake Toya" to fully enjoy beautiful prospect around Lake Toya with being held G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. We will organize the event in commemoration of selecting “Eight views of Lake Toya”, which participants can enjoy riding bike around Lake Toya and taking lessons by Mr. Satoshi Ishizu. We hope participants can enjoy the lake view of Toya. Date: Saturday July 12, 2008 9 am to 3 pm Place: Toyako Visitor Center Instructor: Mr. Satoshi Ishizu Fee: \200 for insurance Route: 9:30 am starting at Toyako Visitor Center Stopping 6 stops to take photo lectures by Mr. Ishizu 3:00 pm returning at Toyako Visitor Center 36 km in circumference Others: If it heavy rains, participants will take photo lessons by Mr. Ishizu, learn “Eight views of Lake Toya”, and visit Toyako Visitor Center and Eco Gallery. Bicycles and helmets will be provided, but participants may bring their own bicycles. Free ticket for day trip to spa will be given for Toya Kanko Hotel. Organizer: Hokkaido Regional Environment Office, Ministry of the Environment Cooperation: Toyako Onsen Tourist Association Contact: Toyako Ranger Office for Nature Conservation, Ministry of the Environment Mr. Kato(English speaking) Toyako Visitor Center 2F, 142-5, Toyako Onsen, Toyako Town, Abuta Gun, Hokkaido 049-5721 Tel: 0142-73-2600 Fax:0142-73-2601 http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/eight_views_of_lake_toya_photo.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/eight_views_of_lake_toya_photo.html event Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:18:04 +0900 Toyako Visitor Center and Eco Gallery will be closed on Wednesday July 9, 2008 at 9:00 am until 1:00 pm to be held Hokkaido Toyako Summit. Sorry for your inconvenience. http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/temporary_closure.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/temporary_closure.html event Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:11:25 +0900 Time Period: July 1, Tuesday 2008 - July 13, Sunday Organizer: Hokkaido Railway Company Hokkaido Railway Company is developing new types of vehicle such as Dual Mode Vehicle and Innovative Technology Train to　cope with aging, depopulation, soaring oil prices, and global warming. We would like to introduce two types of vehicles with panels and movies. Dual Mode Vehicle 　Development History 　Specifications 　Mechanism 　Trial Commercial Operation 　Environmentally Friendly DMV Innovative Technology Train 　Environmentally Friendly Diesel Vehicle 　Equipment and Configuration of Motor-Assisted Hybrid Traction System http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/dual_mode_vehicle_and_innovati.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/dual_mode_vehicle_and_innovati.html event Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:02:25 +0900 Time period: June 19 Thursday, 2008 – June 29, Sunday Organizer: Ministry of Land,Infarstructure and Transport Hokkaido District Transport Bureau Contents: CO2 emissions at the Transportation Sector have decreased from the peak year of 2001, but they still account for 20 percent of emissions in Japan. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism mounts an effort to relieve global warming and expands facilities to materialize low-carbon society. The exhibition introduces our efforts of the following 12 panels The amount of CO2 emissions from the Transportation Sector Model activities to promote CNG vehicles Experimental Operation of energy-efficient buses Environmental education with transit board game Facilitating eco-friendly transportation around Lake Mashu area Transportation ecology study sessions Green partnership activities (2 panels) Organizations associated with the “Safety and environment trendsetter vehicle” project and its promotion Measures to prevent air pollution from internal-combustion engines of ships Measures to prevent marine pollution 10 tips for Eco-friendly driving http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/panel_exhibition_the_challenge.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/panel_exhibition_the_challenge.html event Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:47:39 +0900 Time period: June 19, Thursday – June 29, Sunday 2008 Organizer: Ministry of the Environment Kushiro Nature Conservation Office Contents: Shiretoko has been designated as World Natural Heritage Site on July 2005. The panels show mainly photos of wild animals in Shiretoko, comments of Ecosystem in Shiretoko, reasons for Shiretoko’s designation as World Natural Heritage Site, and management control of Shiretoko for “Collaboration with local communities” and “Proper use scientific knowledge”, which were highly valued by UNESCO and IUCN. http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/to_protect_shiretoko_world_nat.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/to_protect_shiretoko_world_nat.html event Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:46:10 +0900 Eco Gallery has attractive exhibitions in terms of the environment. We are looking forward to seeing you. Place: Temporary Exhibition Hall next to Toyako Visitor Center Date: June 1, Sunday – August 31, Sunday, 2008 Time: 9am – 5 pm Admission: Free Contact: Eco Gallery Staff Room Tel: 0142-73-3636 Organizer: Ministry of the Environment Hokkaido Regional Office http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/eco_gallery_opens.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/eco_gallery_opens.html event Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:43:55 +0900 We will have exhibition in commemoration of Hokkaido Toyako Summit. We look back on 1977 eruption in looking at photos and movies. Date: June 21 to August 31 Time: 9am – 5pm Place: South Observation Place on 2F Date may change without notice. http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/1977_mount_usu_eruption_memoir.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/1977_mount_usu_eruption_memoir.html event Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:41:19 +0900 Time Period: July 1, Tuesday – July 13, Sunday 2008 Contents: “What we can do to the earth” 27 companies join the society in terms of global warming action. We introduce the following 5 efforts. Control of heat island Practical use of home garbage and sewage sludge Practical use of natural energy Use biomass Support eco-life http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/society_of_technical_measures.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/society_of_technical_measures.html event Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:56:26 +0900 March 27, 2008 In addition to the photovoltaic panel of 5 kilowatt capacity initially implemented on the southern wall of the building of Toyako Visitor Center, two additional units of photovoltaic panels with 20 kilowatt were installed in March, 2008, and started generating electricity. Under a good condition, the three photovoltaic solar panels are expected to generate electricity required in the facility up to about 3:00 p.m. In estimates, the two newly installed photovoltaic panels reduces green house gas emission in terms of carbon dioxide is about 26.36 tons per year. By the introduction of enlightening programs using environment-oriented functionalities, and low-carbonization of facility itself, Toyako Visitor Center is further strengthening actions against global warming. ]]> http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/the_installation_of_solar_pane.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/the_installation_of_solar_pane.html event Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:52:00 +0900 March 18, 2008 In "Theater Mt. Usu" in Volcano Science Museum, housing in the building of Toyako Visitor Center, a 13-minute documentary film of the eruption in 2000 is projected on the three multi-angled screens, showing the impact of the eruption vividly. In order to strengthen language assistance to non-Japanese visitors, the museum translated the narration of the film. The voice-over is now offered in English, Korean, simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese, which can be heard using a small FM radio receiver and headphone supplied by the museum. 50 sets of the device is available for group visitors. ]]> http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/volcano_science_museum_inside.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/volcano_science_museum_inside.html event Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:25:16 +0900 February 26, 2008 Toyako Visitor Center's leaflet has been produced in eight foreign languages to introduce the facility to visitors from the overseas. Toyako Visitor Center, established in May, 2007 by the Ministry of the Environment, is an information facility that introduces the nature and environment of Lake Toya in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Through exhibitions and displays of the organism of Toyako and its surrounding area, Toyako Visitor Center helps visitors to get in touch with the nature of the area. The newly produced leaflets introduce the facility in English, German, French, Italian, Russian, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, and Korean, in addition to Japanese. The newly produced leaflets are available at Toyako Visitor Center, the information desk of New Chitose Airport, and major tourist information centers in Sapporo and Chitose. In addition to our own leaflet, the brochure of Toya Takarada Nature Experience House, another facility of the Ministry of the Environment in Lake Toya area, has been also translated into the eight foreign languages to welcome non-Japanese tourists. Besides the production of these leaflets in foreign languages, Toyako Visitor Center and Hokkaido Regional Environment Office have further plans to reinforce linguistic assistance to visitors from overseas by providing national park guidebooks and exhibitions in the facilities in foreign languages. ]]> http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/we_put_together_8_foreign_lang.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/we_put_together_8_foreign_lang.html event Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:08:51 +0900 February 25, 2008 In order to reduce the facility's carbon dioxide emission as well as to introduce a carbon neutral heating alternative to wider citizens, three wood pellet stoves were installed in Toyako Visitor Center in December, 2007 and January, 2008. One unit of the stove has a capacity of 7,300 kcal/h, which is equivalent to 15% of the capacity of the boiler using fossil fuel. 2,200 liter of fossil fuel can be saved in winter with the full utilization of the three stoves. In terms of carbon dioxide, 5.5 tons of emission can be reduced in estimation.]]> http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/pellett_stoves_have_been_place.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/pellett_stoves_have_been_place.html event Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:27:00 +0900 February 8, 2008 Toyako Visitor Center is currently hosting a exhibition of beautiful underwater photos of Lake Toya and Soubetsu River by Mr. Masafumi Tanaka (http://www.sammy-7seas.com). In addition to this exibition, we are also holding a special exhibition of Signal Crayfish, which is a designated invasive alien species in Japan. Signal Crayfish is considered to have been brought to Hokkaido for food in 1930's, and its inhabitation was recently confirmed in Lake Toya. It poses many serious threats to the ecosystem in Japan, and various extermination activities have been underway to protect the nature of Lake Toya. These two special exhibitions are held from January 13, 2008 to February 11, 2008, in the second floor of Toyako Visitor Center. We look forward to seeing you at the exibition!]]> http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/photo_exhibition.html http://www.toyako-vc.jp/en/event/photo_exhibition.html event Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:21:53 +0900