Hanamaki Office of International Relations

16/01/2023

【Hot Springs Hanamaki Sister City 30th Anniversary ★ Online Exchange】
【ホットスプリングス花巻姉妹都市提携30周年★ オンライン交流】

Today (January 15th over in the US) officially marks the 30th year since Hanamaki began its sister city relationship with the city of Hot Springs in Arkansas. Although we’re hopeful to be able to meet in-person to exchange and carry out official celebrations later in 2023 if the global situation permits, for now, we had a chat with our friends over in Hot Springs this morning. We also had a quick kanpai (and of course since we’re at work over here, we just had juice on our side!)
米国時間で1月15日である本日は、花巻市とアメリカ合衆国アーカンソー州ホットスプリングス市が姉妹都市提携をした日から30年となりました。世界の状況によって今年に直接の交流と公式な記念式典を行うことができるように願っていますけれども、今朝はホットスプリングス市にいる友達たちとオンラインで挨拶をし、「乾杯」もできました。（花巻市側は出勤しているため、ジュースだけをいただきました！）

In attendance on the Hanamaki side were Mayor Toichi Ueda and Hanamaki International Exchange Association President Fumiaki Sasaki, along with long-time exchange participants Mr. Kohei Kashiwaba and Mr. Ryuji Sato, as well us members of the Office of International Relations, and the director of our department. On the Hot Springs side, a large group of over 40 people gathered at the Origami Sake brewery after finishing their tour of the newly opened building, including Mayor Pat McCabe, City Manager Bill Burrough, ASMSA(Arkansas School For Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts) Director Corey Alderdice, Sister City Program Executive Director Mary Zunick, Origami Sake President Matt Bell, Vice President Ben Bell, and Brewing Relations Director Justin Potts, as well as many other familiar (and some new!) friends from throughout the city.
花巻市側の参加者は上田東一市長と花巻国際交流協会の理事長である佐々木史昭氏、交流関係に長年参加している柏葉公平氏と佐藤隆治氏、そして花巻市生涯学習部長と国際交流室の私たちでした。ホットスプリングス市側からは、総勢40人以上の方がホットスプリングス市内新しくできた「オリガミ・サケ」の酒蔵をツアーした後に集合しました。その中にはパット・マケイブ市長、市政代行者ビル・バロー氏、ASMSAのコリー・オルダダイス校長、姉妹都市プログラム事業責任者メアリー・ズーニック氏、「オリガミ・サケ」のマット・ベル社長、ベン・ベル副社長とブルワリー・リレーションズ・ディレクターのジャスティン・ポッツ氏、そして市内各地からの懐かしい（と新しい！）友達であるたくさんの方が参加しました。

Both sides exchanged greetings and spoke about how excited everyone is to hopefully be able to see each other again after being separated for so long over the past three years. The Hanamaki side was also able to get a short online tour of the new brewery as well. With that said, thanks to everyone who joined us this morning! We’re all looking forward to the success of Origami Sake, and are excited to continue our wonderful sister city relationship with Hot Springs for many more years to come—hopefully in-person again soon!
両市の方は挨拶を交わして、この3年で長く離れた後久しぶりにまた交流することをとても楽しみにしていることを含め会話しました。花巻側の参加者は「オリガミ・サケ」の酒蔵をオンラインでプチツアーもできました。それでは、今朝参加してくれた皆さんありがとうございました！「オリガミ・サケ」の成功を期待していますし、ホットスプリングス市との素晴らしい姉妹都市関係をこれからも先も継続することを楽しみにしています（近いうちに直接会えますように）！

03/01/2023

皆さんおはようございます！年末年始はいかがお過ごしでしたでしょうか。花巻市役所は本日から業務を開始いたしますので、ご質問やコメントがあれば、ぜひ連絡してください。今年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

Hey everyone--hope you all had a great holiday season! We're back in the office now as the break comes to an end here in Hanamaki, so as always, feel free to contact us with any questions or comments you may have. We look forward to another great year together!
(photo: Hanamaki Castle Time Bell)

27/12/2022

【New Years Holiday Announcements】
【年末年始の市の業務のお知らせ】

Hey folks! As 2022 comes to a close, we have a few New Years announcements to make for those here in Hanamaki. So if that’s you, feel free to check out the info below!
皆さんこんにちは！花巻市にいる方々のために、年末年始の業務についてお知らせします！

------------------------------------------------------------
● Hanamaki City Hall, including the Office of International Relations, will be officially closed starting on Thursday, Dec 29, 2022, and will resume operations on Wednesday, Jan 4th, 2023 after the New Years holiday. For more information on city services during the holiday, check out the city homepage, or the December 15th edition of the Hanamaki Public Relations Magazine (広報はなまき, delivered monthly to all city residents).
今年の市の業務は、2022年12月28日（水）までの業務となります。年末年始の休みは2022年12月29日（木）から2023年1月3日（火）までで、1月4日（水）から通常の業務となります。なお、各種届け出など一部の業務を行っているものもありますので、詳しくは12月15日号の広報はなまきや市のホームページをご覧ください。

● The following city facilities also have modified schedules during the New Years holiday:
・Miyazawa Kenji Museum-----------Closed Dec 28 – Jan 1
・Miyazawa Kenji Dowa Mura--------Closed Dec 28 – Jan 1
・Hanamaki Nitobe Museum---------Closed Dec 28 – Jan 1
・Hanamaki City Museum------------Closed Dec 28 – Jan 1
・Cultural Heritage Center-----------Closed Dec 28 – Jan 3
・Takamura Kotaro Museum---------Closed Dec 28 – Jan 3
・Yorozu Tetsugoro Museum of Art--Closed Dec 29 – Jan 3
市の主な施設の休館日のお知らせ（土・日などの定休日を含む）：
・宮沢賢治記念館　　　—　12月28日〜1月1日
・宮沢賢治童話村　　　—　12月28日〜1月1日
・花巻新渡戸記念館　　—　12月28日〜1月1日
・花巻市博物館　　　　—　12月28日〜1月1日
・総合文化財センター　—　12月28日〜1月3日
・高村光太郎記念館　　—　12月28日〜1月3日
・萬鉄五郎記念美術館　—　12月29日〜1月3日
------------------------------------------------------------

(And if you happen to be a newcomer to Japan this year, please remember to do any necessary shopping before New Years! Many shops close completely, and lots of supermarkets either close or reduce their business hours during this time of year, so check your local shop for more details if you're used to doing frequent grocery trips.)
As always, we hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!
皆さんが健やかな新年を迎えられますように！

20/12/2022

【65th All-Japan Wanko Soba Tournament】
【第65回わんこそば全日本大会】

It’s almost time again to crown a new Yokozuna (Grand Champion) of the All-Japan Wanko Soba Tournament! This competitive noodle eating tournament is held every year here in Hanamaki, so if you’re a soba lover, fan of the tournament, or if you think you’ve got what it takes to become the new champion, you’ll want to head on over to the Hanamaki Cultural Center (花巻市文化会館) this coming February 11th, 2023!

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
● When: Feb 11, 2023 (sat, holiday) / (doors open at 9:30am, tournament starts at 10:00am)
● Where: Hanamaki Cultural Center, 3-16-22 Wakabacho, Hanamaki (花巻市若葉町三丁目16-22 花巻市文化会館)
● Audience Admission: FREE!
● Contestant Application Deadline: Jan 5 (thur), 2023
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

★★★Tournament Types / Recruitment / Entry Fees / Rules★★★
【Elementary Student Tournament】
・10 groups of 3 people each, 1,500円, most bowls consumed in 3 minutes

【Groups Tournament】
・40 groups of 3 people each, 6,000円, most bowls consumed in 5 minutes

【 Individuals Tournament】
・30 people, 2,000円, most bowls consumed in 5 minutes

★★★Awards and Prizes★★★
・ 1st Place (in each event): Certificate, trophy, Hanamaki Onsenkyo accommodation voucher (book voucher for elem. students), local specialty product
・ 2nd / 3rd Place (in each event): Certificate, local specialty product
・ Yokozuna (Grand Champion): Champion certificate, trophy, local specialty product
・ Outstanding Performance Award: Trophy, Hanamaki Onsenkyo accommodation voucher
・ Fighting Spirit Award: Trophy, Hanamaki Onsenkyo accommodation voucher
・ Technical Skill Award: Trophy, Hanamaki Onsenkyo accommodation voucher

★★★Additional Events★★★
・ Soba noodle sales
・ Local performances
・ Onsen-style footbath area
・ Food takeout and product sales
・ Food trucks
・ Onsen accommodation voucher raffle

★★★About Wanko Soba★★★
For those not acquainted with what “wanko soba” actually is—it’s a specific way of eating soba noodles, originally born from a very old local tradition, in which guests are served one mouthful of noodles at a time in a small bowl, and as soon as they eat the mouthful, the wait-staff, who stand behind them with trays filled with individual servings, immediately refill their bowl with another round. This continues on until the person can’t eat another bite.

And if you’re wondering how this all started in the first place… as far as the story goes, it all began when a lord of the Nanbu Clan visited Hanamaki over 400 years ago. In welcoming him, Hanamaki offered up its hospitality in the form of the local specialty at the time—soba noodles—and it’s said that the lord loved the noodles so much that he ended up asking for more… and more… and more… and, you get the picture. Back in those days, soba noodles were placed carefully into small bowls, aka “wanko,” so “wanko soba” just meant “a bowl of soba.”

As time went on, you might be able to see how this eventually morphed into a local tradition and friendly competition. These days, local restaurants offer the chance to hold your own competitions with friends and family, but for the real official competitive experience, you’ll definitely want to come and see the All-Japan Wanko Soba Tournament itself!

★★★About the Tournament★★★
The All-Japan Wanko Soba Tournament gathers contestants from all over Japan, and even from overseas to compete, but that’s not all that’s special about it. Contestants at the Hanamaki tournament have only five minutes to eat the most bowls of soba to be considered the winner. The tournament record is *still* set at an astounding 258 bowls in five minutes. Keep in mind that around 10 bowls of wanko soba is about as much as 1 regular serving of the noodles that you might find at a restaurant, for example, so this means that the record-holder was able to eat over 26 full servings of noodles in under five minutes! This record was set back in 2016, and has been unmatched since, so we’re excited to see if someone will finally be able to beat it this year!

Compete by yourself, or form your own three-person group. Either way, the Wanko Soba Tournament is also a great place to show off your style (or comedic lack thereof) while competing for the most bowls consumed, and some contestants go all out with their own costumes and stage-personas every year. Applications are being accepted right now, and will continue until January 5th, so don’t miss the opportunity to eat the most bowls and look good doing it!

Check out the attached application if you would like to apply as a competitor (or visit https://www.kanko-hanamaki.ne.jp/special/wankosoba/contact/index.php to apply online), and as always, if you have any questions or need help with language, feel free to contact us. And for those of you who just want to come watch and cheer on the contestants, admission is free—so we hope to see you guys there!

★★★Contact★★★
・ Hanamaki Tourism Association: 0198-29-4522
・ Hanamaki JC: 0198-24-2025
・ Hanamaki Chamber of Commerce: 0198-23-3381
・ Tourism Section, Hanamaki City: 0198-41-3541

※Note: Covid-19 prevention measures are being taken, but depending on the current status at the time, the tournament and/or accompanying events may be canceled.

07/12/2022

【Hikaru's World ★ Art Exhibit】
【イラスト展 ★ ひかるの世界】

An art exhibit is currently on display over at the Miyazawa Kenji Ihatov Center, featuring the works of 12 year old Hikaru, a 6th grader who loves nature, flowers, and bugs! Since kindergarten, she has been expressing herself through various illustrations and poetry inspired by the seasons and the beauty of nature. The Ihatov Center is proud to present a series of her works, made between the ages of 5 to 12, so stop by and check out Hikaru's World!

★★★★★★★★★★★★
● When: Oct 15, 2022 (sat) – Jan 20, 2023 (fri)
→ 8:30am – 5:00pm
→ 4:30pm last admission
● Where: Miyazawa Kenji Ihatov Center (宮沢賢治イーハトーブ館)
● Admission: FREE
★★★★★★★★★★★★

------------About the Ihatov Center------------
● Address: 1-1-1 Takamatsu, Hanamaki, Iwate (岩手県花巻市高松第1-1-1)
● Facilities:
→ (1F) Exhibition Hall: Special exhibits on various art and other works
→ (1F) Theater: A 200 seat theater with daily screenings of anime related to the works of Miyazawa Kenji
→ (1F) Shop: Sales of books and materials related to Miyazawa Kenji
→ (1F) Cafe: Sales of coffee, tea, and snacks
→ (2F) Reference Room: A library of Miyazawa Kenji materials
● Open: Daily, 8:30am – 5:00pm (4:30pm last admission)
● Closed: Dec 28 – Jan 1
● Contact: 0198-31-2116
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28/11/2022

【Hanamaki Central Park Lights Display 2022】
【花巻中央広場イルミネーション　ヒカルヒロバ2022】

The Hanamaki Central Park Lights Display will begin this Saturday, Dec 3, and continue on through Tuesday, Feb 14! The park is set to be decorated with fantastic shining golds, whites, and other brilliant colors, all refracting through crystalline objects similar to those found at the Miyazawa Kenji Dowa Mura (Fairytale Village) Lights Display. There will be plenty of time between December and February to check it out, so feel free to stop by and enjoy the beautiful winter scene!

★★★★★★★★★★★★
● When: Dec 3, 2022 (sat) – Feb 14, 2023 (tue), 4:30pm – 12:00am
● Where: Hanamaki Central Park (花巻中央広場)
★★★★★★★★★★★★

A tree decorating experience is also scheduled for the first night of the display (Dec 3)! Aimed at elementary schoolers and younger, the event will be free to attend and limited to the first 30 people. Participants will meet up at the nearby former Visitor's Center area, and begin decorating at 3:00pm. After the decoration, the lighting ceremony (open to all visitors) will take place at 4:30pm to start off the official display.

Contact: Parks and Green Land Section, Hanamaki City (0198-41-3569)

17/11/2022

【Hanamaki Youth Local Performing Arts Festival 2022】
【花巻市青少年郷土芸能フェスティバル2022】

Seven youth performing groups from throughout our local region will be showcasing their skills next Wednesday (Nov 23), with several groups representing us here in Hanamaki, including those from Hanamaki Agricultural High School and Ohasama High School, as well as an Otsugunai Kagura troupe.

Two special guest groups will also be in attendance, including the Futago Oni Kenbai Preservation Society from Kitakami, as well as the Yamada Sakaida Toramai Preservation Society from Yamada.

★★★★★★★★★★★★
● When: Nov 23 (wed)
→ 12:00pm - 3:30pm (venue opens at 11:00am)
● Where: Large Hall, Hanamaki Cultural Center (花巻市文化会館　大ホール)
● Admission: FREE
★★★★★★★★★★★★

★★Performing Groups★★
1. Koshio Kagura (Yasawa)
→ Performing: Torimai
2. Kurazawa Sansa Odori (Towa)
→ Performing: Kurazawa Sansa Odori 1 - 10
3. Ohasama High School Arts Club Kagura Troupe (Ohasama)
→ Performing: Sanbaso
4. Yamada Sakaida Toramai Preservation Society (Yamada, Shimohei)
→ Performing: Yaguruma, Asobitora, Sasagami, Hanetora, Tori
5. Koda Kagura (Yasawa)
→ Performing: Yonin Hachimanmai
6. Futago Oni Kenbai (Kitakami)
7. Kamineko Kagura (Yuguchi)
→ Performing: Sanbaso
8. Hanamaki Agricultural High School (Miyanome)
→ Performing: Kasuga Shishi Odori
9. Otsugunai Kagura (Ohamasa)
→ Performing: Amaterasu Gokoku
★★★★★★★★★★★★

※ Seating is unassigned, no reservation required
※ If Large Hall capacity is reached, further admission may be refused
※ Event may be canceled depending on the covid-19 situation

Contact: Cultural Properties Section, Hanamaki Board of Education (0198-41-3152)

06/09/2022

【Hanamaki Matsuri Festival 2022】
【花巻まつり2022年】

After several years of waiting, the Hanamaki Matsuri Festival is slated to be held again soon! Festivities will start on Saturday, Sept 10th, and continue on through the following day, Sunday, Sept 11th. Covid-19 prevention is also definitely at the forefront in terms of planning, so certain festival events may be limited or changed compared to past years. Even so, it’s still a great chance to get back into the festival spirit we’ve all been missing for so long!

●Where: Festival Square, Kamicho (area near Marukan), and throughout the city
(おまつり広場　花巻市上町)
●When: Sept 10 (sat) & 11 (sun), 2022

★★★★★★★★★★★Main Events★★★★★★★★★★★★★
---------(Saturday, Sept 10)-------------------------------------
●Hanamaki Matsuri Executive Committee President’s Address
→ 4:00pm – 4:10pm
●Kagura Gongenmai Parade
→ 4:10pm – 5:30pm
※May be canceled in the event of rain
●Crime Prevention Team Parade
→ 5:30pm – 5:40pm
●Dashi (float) Parade
→ 5:40pm – 6:40pm
●Toyagasaki Shrine Mikoshi (portable shrine) Procession
→ 6:40pm – 7:00pm
---------(Sunday, Sept 11)----------------------------------
●Hanamaki Bayashi Odori (Dance)
→ 4:00pm – 5:00pm
※May be held in light rain, but will be canceled in the event of stormy weather
●Dashi (float) Parade
→ 5:00pm – 6:00pm
●Gunbu Kagaribi Shishi Odori (Deer Dance)
→ 6:00pm – 7:00pm
※May be canceled in the event of rain
●Otejime (Ceremonial Clap)
→ 7:00pm – 7:30pm

★★★★★★★★★★★And More!★★★★★★★★★★★★★
●Hanamaki Matsuri Yatai Mura (Food Vendor Village)
→ 3:30pm – 7:30pm (both days)
→ At Hanamaki Central Park
※There are no designated areas for food stalls outside of this location
●Hanamaki Matsuri Specialty Products Fair
→ 10:00am – 6:00pm (both days, but closes at 5:00pm on 11th)
→ At Hanamaki Citizens Gym
※Mikoshi (portable shrines) are also on display at this venue
●32nd Hanamaki Folk Performing Arts Festival
→ 1:30pm – 3:30pm (both days)
→ At Nahan Plaza Building
※Admission may be limited depending on covid-19 status
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

※Times, content, and number of participating organizations may be subject to change due to covid-19 status and/or weather
※The flying of drones (or any other kind of aerial vehicle, etc.) is prohibited for safety reasons
※Please make use of public restrooms when possible
※Reserving a spot in advance (whether by laying down a sheet/tarp or through other means) is prohibited
※Eating/drinking on venue grounds is prohibited

【Contact】Hanamaki Matsuri Executive Committee Office (Tourism Section, Hanamaki City), TEL: 0198-41-3541 / 0198-41-3542

05/09/2022

【Origami Lights Workshop 2022】
【おりがみワークショップ2022年】

If you've ever been to the Miyazawa Kenji Dowa Mura (Fairytale Village)'s Forest Lights Display, you've seen the beautiful glowing scenery reflecting throughout the facility's nearby woods—which is definitely a spectacular sight, especially in the evening hours. Well now is your chance to make your own little mysterious "star" of light! A workshop is set to be held on September 23 (fri), in collaboration with a group called Mirrorbowler, the ones who made the famed objects found at the Dowa Mura display.

The workshop is open to all ages, and objects created during the event will also be exhibited at this year’s official 2022 Dowa Mura Forest Lights Display! For those who want to keep their creation—no need to worry, objects will be returned to their creators after the exhibition! (Note that since the exhibition is held outdoors, there is of course the possibility of wear and tear. In the event of such damage, please understand that they will not be repaired or replaced)

※Application and workshop are delivered in JP language only.
※For more information, and to apply, head over to the following page on the official city website (link to apply is towards the lower half of the page):
https://www.city.hanamaki.iwate.jp/miyazawakenji/town_kenji/1017115.html

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
●When: Sept 23 (fri) (choose one timeslot to participate):
→ Workshop ①: 1:00pm – 2:30pm
→ Workshop ②: 3:30pm – 5:00pm
●Where: Outdoor Stage, Miyazawa Kenji Dowa Mura (Fairytale Village) (宮沢賢治童話村)

●Participation Fee: FREE!
●Capacity: 10 people (per timeslot)
●Who Can Apply: Hanamaki residents (must apply in advance)
●Application Period:
→ 8:30am, Sept 5 (mon) – 12:00pm, Sept 12 (mon)
※Application acceptance will be decided by lottery in the event of many entries, as workshop capacity is limited to 10 people per timeslot
※Successful applicants will be notified by mail (scheduled to be sent on Sept 13)
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

02/06/2022

【太田で「エコ市庭」】
【Eco Ichiba in Ota】

花巻市在住ポスター・シャリーアさんが友人の吉田洋子さんと皆川千里さんと一緒に企画した「エコ市庭」というイベントについてお知らせします！

「エコ市庭」では、スコン、パン、はちみつ、粉、地元産のくるみ、味噌、玄米、コーヒー豆、お茶、クッキー、ワッフルなどたくさんの材料、おやつ、必需品や野菜を、環境にやさしい形で販売します。イベントはポスターさんの自宅で行いますが、お家の庭周辺に様々なお店が集まって、美味しいものなどがたくさん販売されます！

プラスチックなどの容器が与える環境への影響をとても気にかけているポスターさんは、そのような不必要なパッケージなどをできるだけ減らそうとしています。そのため、商品を買う際には、使い捨て容器を使わずにそのまま来客が持参する瓶、バスケット、マイバッグなどに入れて持ち帰ってもらう形で販売します。

「エコ市庭」のキャッチコピーは、「必要なものを、必要な分持参した容器に入れてもらう！」ですので、商品は量り売りで販売し、必要な分だけ購入できます。ぜひ買い物を楽しみながら、「エコ市庭」を通じて大事な環境のことを考えてみましょう！

当日の詳しい情報や各店の紹介や写真は、インスタグラムをご覧ください！
〈インスタグラム名〉 eco_ichiba

★★〈エコ市庭概要〉★★
〈日時〉 6月5日（日）午前10時 〜 午後4時
〈場所〉〒025-0037花巻市太田65-37-2（添付したチラシに地図やQRコードもあります）
　　　　（自宅ですが、この日だけは特別開放ですので、ご安心を！）

★★ポスターさんからのお願い★★
＊駐車場は神社周辺の路上駐車になりますので、添付したチラシをご確認ください
＊容器を忘れずに持参してください
　　（マイバッグ、瓶、ワッフルを食べたいならお皿、コーヒーならタンブラー、座るためのシートなど）
＊私が犬好きなので、ぜひ自分のワンコを連れてきていいよ＾＾

★★〈出店一覧〉★★
・スミレノ
・ちいさなたね
・風光舎
・千 Sen
・まめくら
・Tillerman’s Bread
・ヒソプ工房
・Tom Creperie & Deli
・秀明ナチュラルファーム
・Missing Piece
…などたくさん！
★★★★★★★★★

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私が名付けたその太田ハウスは、　南花巻と北上市の境目あたりに位置しています。ある日、美しい夕日を眺めていた時に偶然見つけました。そしてその家はもう何年もずっと空き家だと分かりました。田んぼの真ん中にぽつんとあり、防風林がまるで森の中にいるようで、いっぺんで恋に落ちました。自然に囲まれているその景色がとても平和で、落ち着くような雰囲気でした。
どうなるか分かりませんでしたが、そこに住みたいと強く思ったこともあり、大家さんを探して、その家を借りることにしました。時間がかかっても自分でリフォームしながら住みたいという私の気持ちを受け入れてくれ、いろいろやりとりをしているうちにとても仲良くなりました。毎日家に帰り、家を見るたびにワクワクし嬉しくなります。
まだまだリフォームは途中ですが、とにかく美しい場所なので、ゴミを減らす生活のための、”Low-Waste-Lifestyle”、このイベントに太田ハウスの庭を使って皆さんにもシェアして一緒にエコを楽しんでもらいたいと思っています。
駐車場はありませんが、最近修繕されたばかりの薬師如来神社さん（隣）の道路脇を使用できることになっています。感謝の気持ちを込めて、近々、薬師如来神社さんについて、車の停め方などの詳細を投稿します。
イベント当日ですが、会場が自宅のため、トイレのご利用は遠慮させていただきます。大変恐縮ですが、近隣の「道の駅　はなまき西南」やコンビニなどをご利用くださいますようお願い申し上げます。
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29/04/2022