Up coming event in Calgary

 In this post, I’m excited to share a unique cultural event happening in Calgary: the Mid-Autumn Star singing contest, presented by National Music Centre (NMC) and Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre! Mark your calendars for September 21st (Sat.) and 22nd (Sun.) and head over to NMC for a weekend of incredible vocal talent and cultural celebration.

Last year, I attended a similar event, and it was a truly fantastic experience! The Mid-Autumn Festival is a significant celebration in Chinese and other Asian communities, symbolizing the full moon harvest, unity, and gathering with loved ones. This year’s festival at NMC will embrace that spirit while bridging traditional Chinese culture with mainstream Canadian culture, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for all attendees. 

The highlight of the weekend is the Mid-Autumn Star contest, where singers from across Alberta will compete for the grand prize in the festival's finale. On Sunday, September 22, the top 10 finalists will perform live in the evening, showcasing their talent onstage. You can expect an unforgettable night as the performers receive live feedback from a panel of established musicians, and the top three will be awarded trophies, with the winner earning a full day recording session at NMC’s world-class recording studio.

But the festival isn't just about the contest! The three-day event will also feature various performances and activities that highlight the rich cultural heritage of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It's a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant Chinese and Asian traditions while enjoying Alberta's finest musical talent.

National Music Centre has done an incredible job creating a space for cultural events like this. Not only does NMC provide a venue with top-notch sound systems and a welcoming atmosphere, but they also bridge the gap between different cultures, making events like the Mid-Autumn Festival a truly inclusive celebration.

These Calgary events offer great opportunities to explore new cultures, meet new people, and enjoy a fun day out with family and friends. Be sure to check it out!  

 

Thank you for reading my blog post, and I hope you have a fantastic time at the Mid-Autumn Festival!

https://www.studiobell.ca/whats-on/event/mid-autumn-star-finals

Upcoming Event in Calgary: Monster Jam

 Upcoming event in Calgary 

There is a “Monster Jam” coming to Calgary at GMC stadium on September 14,15, 2024. It is one of the most action-packed and intense motorsports on four wheels. In a simple way, huge buggy trucks with good suspensions flip, jump, wheelie, and spin crazily. Basically all moves you don’t want your car to do, however, it’s exciting to watch. 

This is happening at GMC stadium where we have Calgary Stampede Rodeo shows every year. For this event, they have build dirt lumps and parks ready for the wheels to rage. 

Numbers about Monster Jam Trucks 

・3.10m tall× 3.70m wide× 5.10m long 

・12,000 pounds (5,443kg)

・the engine generates 1,500 horsepower using 11.3 liters of methanol fuel per minute

・the amazing suspension that travels up to 0.76m enables to free the truck from being torn apart 

There are some competitive aspects on this show as well to make it more exciting 

・Racing Competition - yes, it’s just a race, with more 4 dimensional motions

・Skills Challenge- this is where the trucks wheelie and become 2-wheel vehicle

・Donut Competition- the truck spins! Fast!

・Freestyle Competition- the drivers perform tricks and stunts 

If you’re interested, find out more on the link below; 

This is Monster Jam (YouTube Clip)

This is Monster Jam!

Official Website (Tickets)

https://www.monsterjam.com/en-us/events/calgary-ab/sep-14-2024-sep-15-2024/

Official Website (General info)

https://www.monsterjam.com/en-us/monster-jam-101/

Business Idea: Introducing Onsen to Canada

　The business concept I propose is to introduce an Onsen leisure into Canada. Japanese Onsen culture is well known all over the world. It is said that the oldest literature that was written 1300 years ago had a description about Onsen as a medical treatment facility. 

　Canada is known for its long winter season. In Calgary, the official winter lasts 7 months, from October through April. From my Japanese experience and sensation, we must jump into a hot bath after coming back from freezing cold temperatures outside. 

Although there is not much good Onsen resorts around Calgary, moreover Canada, some types of people are familiar with the idea of it due to the growth of “household saunas”. It has been gradually growing since the stay-home promotion during the Covid. Now there are over 30 House Sauna installation companies in Canada, indeed, one of my friends has one at his home. However, installing them is quite pricey. On average it costs from a variety of $4,000 to $34,000 depending on how it’s built. Which shows that owning household saunas in Canada are privilege among families of higher income. 

This gave me the idea of making the Onsen resort luxury and exclusive to the membership.  There will be annual fees to become a membership as well as the entrance fee to be charged every time they enter. Actually, there is a luxury Onsen resort facility in L.A. in the US run with similar system as well. 

(Beverly Hot Springs, LA)

It’s not only the matter of the cost that I make it exclusive but because of the manners while bathing. Manners and etiquettes at Onsen is largely respected in Japan as well. For example, we should at least rinse our body before bathing. We should wipe our body well in the bath space before entering the change room. Therefore, in order to urge customers to respect the rules and behave well, I propose to classify customers to higher standards. 

(Some of the rules translated into English)

It hurts my feelings, but we exclude children aged under 12, for several reasons. Firstly, for the safety reasons. Kids can drown in Onsen. There are some cases in Japan each year. It is not very known how quietly kids get drowned. 

Secondly for the satisfaction for the other guests, like some restaurants do. Kids tend to run around the pool sidewalks even when they’re prohibited. The same would happen in Onsen as well, which could irritate other customers. Finally, for the company images. I want it to stay exclusive and luxurious. 

However, there will be a smaller but private Onsen in the same area, where all family members in a group can bathe together. This way, parents can keep their eyes on children because it’s smaller, and the children can have a blast since it’s a private room. 

One quality that I can’t compromise is the cleanliness of the hot water. I want it to be closest quality to the Japanese Onsen water, to be rich in minerals, less stimulant, and to be filtered and recurred a lot. This is base on my experience, but many hot springs overseas don’t filter water a lot but instead sanitize it with dissolving chlorine in the water to control the water cleanliness. However, the water stimulates our skins, it smells like pool water, and personally not relaxing. Although it costs more to maintain, the water should be well recurred, low stimulation, and relaxing. 

To make it more realistic, I need to take my plan to some Casino resort. Actually, quite a lot of “Sento” ,public bath facilities , are owned by Pachinko companies in Japan, since they have a good revenue stream which makes it stabilize the management of their Onsen business too. If you’re interested, feel free to bet on my project! 

Thank you for reading. 

Ramen Jiro in Vancouver

Have you heard of Ramen Jiro? If you're Japanese, you probably have. It's a high-calorie noodle dish, but it's highly addictive! When I was in college, I often went to Ramen Jiro in Japan and ended up gaining 5 kg during just one summer vacation. Now that I'm older, I don’t eat it as often since I have to watch my health, but I still love the taste.

When I was living in Vancouver, I was surprised to find a restaurant similar to Ramen Jiro called "RAMEN GOJIRO"(Restaurant Homepage: https://ramengojiro.com), which is located downtown.

The exterior of RAMEN GOJIRO*

It serves not only Jiro-style noodles but also a variety of other ramen, like Yokohama Iekei Ramen, Tsukemen, and even Vegetarian Ramen. 

As you might expect, the prices were higher(15-20CAD) than in Japan, partly because Vancouver is one of the most famous cities in the world, and the Japanese yen has been weaker lately. Still, the taste was excellent, and I really enjoyed my meals there.

Here are some pictures I took during my visit. The one on the top is the “BASIC BAKAMORI RAMEN,” and the other is the “VEGETARIAN RAMEN.”

BASIC BAKAMORI RAMEN

VEGETARIAN RAMEN

The former looks almost the same as Ramen Jiro in Japan, but there’s a difference that you can choose between Chashu (roast pork) or Karaage (fried chicken) as a topping. However, if I remember correctly, you can’t add extra toppings like vegetables, back fat, or garlic, which are commonly available at Japan’s Ramen Jiro.

If you enjoy Jiro-style ramen and have a chance to go to Vancouver, I highly recommend visiting this restaurant!

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*Image source: "38 Seat ‘Ramen Gojiro’ Joint Gets Set To Launch This Week At Dunsmuir & Richards" (https://scoutmagazine.ca/diner-38-seat-ramen-gojiro-joint-gets-set-to-launch-this-week-at-dunsmuir-richards/)

Introducing Myself from Jakarta

Hi everyone! My name is Masato, and I’m from Japan. I’m excited to join Tenatch as an engineering intern! Let me briefly share my background. After completing my master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, I worked at a Japanese financial IT company for about six years. During that time, I primarily managed projects to expand our bank’s market trading system globally. It was an invaluable experience, where I learned a lot deal about team-based project management. However, I had a strong desire to become a developer and improve my English skills, so I made up my mind to leave the company and relocate to Vancouver, Canada. Up until last July, I studied programming and English at a college in Vancouver and connected with many ambitious classmates.

                                                    Landscape of Vancouver


My goal is to become a full-stack developer and work remotely in an international environment. That’s why I chose to pursue this internship to enhance the skills needed for remote work and apply what I’ve learned in Canada to reach my full potential.

In my spare time, I enjoy studying English. As a side activity, I’m part of Toastmasters International, an organization focused on improving public speaking skills and building confidence in front of an audience. I’m not still satisfied with my English and know I have lots of room for improvement, but by participating in weekly online Toastmasters meetings, I’m striving to become a better communicator and contribute effectively to future engineering teams.

                                                   Toastmaster online meeting


I’m currently living in Indonesia because my wife works here. One of the great things about being a developer is the flexibility to adapt my workplace to our situation. However, when I step outside, I often struggle with conversations due to my limited knowledge of the Indonesian language. At the same time, these experiences inspire me to learn more, and I’m eager to build relationships with Indonesians in their language during my stay.

                                                       Nightscape of Jakarta


I look forward to working with you all, and thank you so much for taking the time to get to know me!