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Italy: Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and the EIB team up to support access to credit for Italian businesses
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© CDP
Guarantee agreement signed under the framework of the European Guarantee Fund (EGF)
CDP to grant new loans of up to 800 million euro with EIB guarantee
Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) today signed a guarantee agreement, under the framework of the European Guarantee Fund (EGF), to support access to credit for Italian businesses that, despite having solid long-term prospects, are experiencing difficulty as a result of the current macroeconomic situation.
Specifically, the EIB will provide a guarantee to CDP for the granting of new loans of up to a maximum of 800 million euro to support the development initiatives of mid-caps and large corporates. The guarantee, amounting to 600 million euro, will cover 75% of the nominal value of each individual loan granted by CDP, which can be for up to a maximum of 100 million euro with a duration of up to six years. At the same time, CDP has committed to providing additional loans to SMEs and mid-caps for an amount equivalent to the value of the EIB guarantee, bringing the transaction up to a total of over 1 billion euro of new lending to support the growth plans of enterprises.
The funds are intended to support the working capital and investment needs of Italian businesses to speed up the recovery process.
This transaction is of strategic importance as it forms part of a European programme and broader cooperation with the EIB Group, which specifically relies on National Promotional Institutions, such as Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, to help revive the country's economy and strengthen the leadership and competitiveness of Italian businesses in domestic and international markets.
Dario Scannapieco, Chief Executive Officer of CDP, stated: "With this agreement, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is continuing to provide support to Italian businesses for their growth plans in the current macroeconomic environment and to contribute to revitalising Italy's business sector. Through this transaction, CDP is consolidating its long-standing and fruitful cooperation with the EIB and continuing to promote investment in Italy to contribute to the revival of the economy".
Jean-Christophe Laloux, EIB Director General, stated: "We are happy that we can count on our longstanding collaboration with CDP to help support Italian Companies and promote access to finance. Thanks to the backing of the EGF, the pan-European guarantee fund which is a part of the EU-measures to bring Europe out of the crisis caused by the pandemic, the EIB can once again offer the right guarantees to support Italian businesses. Now that, also thanks to the vaccines, we start to see the end of the pandemic, this financing can bring a bit of optimism to stimulate economic growth".
In 2020, the EIB made available in excess of €10,9 billion for Italian projects. The EIB borrows money on the capital markets and lends it to projects that support EU objectives, with about 90% of all loans being accorded within the EU.
The European Guarantee Fund (EGF) was set up by the EIB Group with contributions from Italy and other EU Member States to shield companies suffering from the COVID-19 crisis. Using nearly €25 billion in guarantees, the EGF enables the EIB and the EIF to quickly make loans, guarantees, asset-backed securities, equity and other financial instruments available to mostly small and medium-sized enterprises. The EGF is part of the European Union's recovery package aiming to provide a total of €540 billion to boost those parts of the EU economy that have been hit the worst.
Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is the National Promotional Institute which has been supporting the Italian economy since 1850. The main goal of CDP is to accelerate the industrial and infrastructural development of Italy to boost its economic and social growth. CDP focuses its activities on sustainable development at local level, supporting the innovation and growth of Italian enterprises, also in the international arena. It partners local authorities, in a financing and advisory capacity, to create infrastructures and improve services of public value. CDP also participates actively in international cooperation initiatives to realize projects in developing countries and emerging markets. Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is entirely financed by private capital, through the issuing of Postal Savings Bonds and Postal Savings Passbooks, and through issues on national and international financial markets.
Tim Smit
t.smit@eib.org
+352 4379 - 89076
press@eib.org
Italy and the EIB
Coronavirus outbreak: EIB Group's response
2021-263-EN
Italy: CDP and EIB provide €630 million to SMEs and mid-caps via Basket Bond and EU guarantee
This new agreement raises over €630 million of funding to help Italian SMEs and mid-caps hit by the pandemic through the alternative Basket Bond instrument.
EGF Covid-19 Management committee Gelsomina VIGLIOTTI Italy Lithuania European Union SMEs
Italy: EIB and CDP strengthen partnership to support italian economy
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) have signed three agreements to consolidate and strengthen existing operational synergies. The goal is to promote public and private investment in Italy, improve the selection and financing of green projects and trigger over €1 billion in new financing for public entities, particularly in the south. The agreements were finalised at a meeting at the CDP headquarters in Rome attended by delegations headed by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and CDP CEO and General Manager Dario Scannapieco.
Management committee Gelsomina VIGLIOTTI Italy European Union Climate action and environment Circular economy SMEs Digital and telecoms
Italy: EIB and CDP provide EUR 500 million for SMEs and enterprise networks
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Cassa depositi e prestiti (CDP) have signed a new EUR 500 million agreement for supporting investment in Italy.
Italy European Union Microfinance Venture capital & equity InvestEU SMEs Diversity and gender
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Latest news on EIB's support for Ukraine


When I was thirteen, I would flip through writing magazines and online articles, the kind that offer numerous tips on how to write. But over the years, I've realized that reading an actual novel and analyzing how it was written beats reading thousands of those hypothetical "How to Build Character" articles, which only build the backbone of your writing skills. Reading novels written by successful authors though—that builds everything else.
Let's take Sarah Dessen's novel, The Truth About Forever, as an example. Everything mentioned below is part of a list of writing concepts I learned from reading this book.
The Main Character: Protagonist Macy Queen is introduced right away, written with a clear voice and a detailed background story. She is not a Mary-Sue; she is very flawed, which gives readers a reason to care about her.
The Other Characters: It's obvious in just a few pages that Macy is struggling with an internal conflict, and thus—boom. Enter the supporting characters. Macy Queen meets a group of young adults that compels her to make crucial decisions, resulting in her character development by the end of the book.
Everything Mattered: None of Macy's actions or the supporting characters' actions are wasted. In other words, they all contribute to the overall plot in some way, emphasizing the theme and individualizing the characters even more.
Fantastic characters? Ah, yes. By reading through this novel the first time, you will have already gotten an idea of where those "How to Build Character" articles came from. But what about the plot of The Truth About Forever? What could writers possibly learn from such a simple thing? Indeed, the plot is very humble: a somewhat introverted girl meets an extroverted group of friends that helps her overcome her problems and become someone "better." A humble plot though requires some good pacing and scene crafting to be successful.
Again…Everything Mattered: All scenes in The Truth About Forever contribute to the plot in some way. They all emphasize the themes and premise, and they all demonstrate key moments where the main character overcomes obstacles and takes another step towards achieving full character development.
Excellent Pacing: The beginning scenes are focused on introducing the characters, interlaced with dialogue that reveals their quirky and likeable characteristics. The reader is thus pushed onwards, wanting to read more so they can meet these characters again. The middle scenes are filled with the usual obstacles for the main character, but the key thing here is that there are always obstacles, followed by recovery periods, giving readers a reason to keep on reading and moments to reflect on what they have just read. Then finally, the last few scenes are short and sweet, not unnecessarily drawn out or melodramatic.
There is always something to learn about writing from reading a novel. So I say this: Embrace your novel-reading hobby. Let yourself become a true bookworm to become a true writer.
Erica Sun is a 17 year old writer from the USA. Erica says, "I've been writing for as long as I can remember, and my written works range from being very terrible to surprisingly decent. I'm always striving to improve my writing, and although I'm not entirely sure of my future, writing is definitely in there somewhere!" Read Erica's blog.
I think Erica brings up a really good point about learning through "osmosis" and enjoyment. Educating yourself in the field of writing can actually be fun if you read books you personally enjoy!


Three of the Bay Area's largest private foundations will commit $8 million over three years for a new project to strengthen grassroots organizations that are led by or serve people and communities of color in California.
Called the Community Leadership Project, it is being underwritten by the David and Lucile Packard, James Irvine, and William and Flora Hewlett foundations and will target small and mid-sized organizations in three geographic areas: the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, Central Coast, and San Joaquin Valley.
The Hewlett Foundation has a long history of serving communities of color and low income communities in California and around the world. The Foundation's commitment to this dates to its earliest years, when it made grants for student scholarships to promote diversity in higher education. Since 2006 alone, the Foundation has made nearly $100 million in grants across its programs to serve these communities throughout the state.
Foundation President Paul Brest said the Community Leadership Project reflected the Foundation's evolving commitment to these goals.
Irvine Foundation president and CEO James E. Canales echoed Brest's sentiments, adding that changing demographics in the state make such grantmaking more crucial than ever.
And Packard Foundation president and CEO Carol S. Larson said that grantmaking to support such grassroots organizations will pay broad dividends over time.
Community Leadership Project funds will be made available to nonprofit organizations with annual budgets of less than $2 million. Reflecting the belief that those closest to communities best know their needs, the Project will work with intermediary organizations (primarily community foundations) to regrant funds to between fifty and sixty nonprofit organizations.
In late spring 2009, the Project will award the first set of grants to the intermediary organizations, which will then begin the selection process for awarding funds to nonprofit groups Each of the intermediaries will form an advisory committee of community leaders to help determine grant recipients.
To qualify, an organization should be small or mid-sized and serve communities of color and low-income communities in one of the targeted geographic areas. There will be an emphasis on organizations led by people of color, but that is not essential to be considered for a grant."Nonprofit groups that receive funding will be offered some combination of leadership development, operating support, technical assistance, and opportunities for networking with peer organizations.
Some of the designated $8 million will be reserved for a second, smaller round of grants to be made through intermediary funders during the Project's three-year course and then distributed to additional organizations that serve low-income and diverse California communities.
Please visit the Community Leadership Project Web site at www.communityleadershipproject.org for more information about the Project and related stories about past grantmaking.


Home › Ian Paul › Did Icahn Sell Out in Yahoo Deal?
Did Icahn Sell Out in Yahoo Deal?
After months of speculation and board room wrangling, the fate of Yahoo! is officially decided. Earlier in the week, Carl Icahn and the Yahoo! board came to an agreement over the future of the beleaguered Internet portal.
In a statement released by Yahoo! Carl Icahn said, "While I continue to believe that the sale of [Yahoo!] or the sale of its search business in the right transaction must be given full consideration, I share the view that Yahoo!'s valuable collection of assets positions it well to continue expanding its online leadership and enhancing returns to stockholders. I believe this is a good outcome and that we will have a strong working relationship going forward."
So, what happened between the 14th and the 22nd? Well, on his blog after the Yahoo! deal was announced, Icahn expressed concerns that a long, drawn out proxy contest was not worth the effort. It seems that in the face of those big odds against him, Icahn jumped on the spin bandwagon to proclaim that Yahoo! is an industry leader despite the fact that his company, by Icahn's own admission, is ill-equipped to compete with Microsoft and Google, Yahoo!'s two largest competitors.


text:
Niigata (city)
Designated city in Chūbu, Japan
Designated city
Niigata City
From top left: NEXT21, Bandai Bridge, Toki Messe, Niigata Stadium, Central Niigata and Shinano River in the night, Rainbow Tower
Location of Niigata in Niigata Prefecture
Coordinates: 37°54′58″N 139°2′11″E / 37.91611°N 139.03639°E / 37.91611; 139.03639Coordinates: 37°54′58″N 139°2′11″E / 37.91611°N 139.03639°E / 37.91611; 139.03639
Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu) (Hokuriku)
• - Mayor
Yaichi Nakahara (from November, 2018)
• Designated city
726.45 km2 (280.48 sq mi)
(October 1, 2018)
[1] (2015)
1,060,013 (17th)
UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
• Tree
• Flower
• Bird
1-602-1 Gakkōchō-dōri, Chūō-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata-ken 951-8550
http://www.city.niigata.lg.jp/
"Niigata" in kanji
Downtown of Niigata City
Niigata (新潟市, Niigata-shi, Japanese: [niːɡata]) is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture located in the Chūbu region of Japan. It faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island.
As of 1 June 2016[update], the city had an estimated population of 807,450, and a population density of 1,110 persons per km2. The total area is 726.45 square kilometres (280.48 sq mi). Greater Niigata, Niigata Metropolitan Employment Area, has a GDP of US$43.3 billion as of 2010.[2][3]
With a long history as a port town, Niigata became a free port following the Meiji Restoration. Niigata's city government was established in 1889. Mergers with nearby municipalities in 2005 allowed the city's population to jump to 810,000; the annexation of the surrounding area has also given the city the greatest rice paddy field acreage in Japan. On April 1, 2007, it became the first government-designated city on the Japan Sea coast of Honshu.
1 Toponymy
2.2 Wards
2.3 Adjoining communities
3.1 Mergers
4 List of mayor of Niigata City (1889 to present)
5 Sister cities
6.1 Airport
6.2 Railway
6.3 Transit bus
6.4 Sea port
8 Sightseeing
8.1 Cultural facilities and points of interest
10 Notable people from Niigata
10.1 Artists and writers
10.2 Actors and voice actors
10.3 Musicians
10.4 Others
Toponymy[edit]
The place name "Niigata" was first recorded in 1520 (Eisho 17),[4] its name in kanji can be translated as 新 "new", 潟 "lagoon", 市 "city".
However, as there is no record about the origin of the name, this had led to several theories. First "Niigata" was a large lagoon at the mouth of the Shinano river. Second it was an inland bay at the river's entrance. Third it was the name of a village that stood on an island within the estuary. Fourth it referred to another island settlement that relocated to the Furumachi district and that in turn gave its name to a nearby lagoon.[5]
A map showing Niigata Metropolitan Employment Area.
Niigata is situated on a fertile coastal plain on the Sea of Japan coast, facing Sado Island; the Shinano River and Agano River flow through the city.
Numerous wetlands, such as the Fukushimagata wetlands, can be found within the city limits; the Sakata lagoon is registered as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Niigata City's low elevation and abundant water have made flood control and land reclamation important issues for the area throughout its history.
The city is sometimes called the "City of Water" (水の都, Mizu-no-miyako) because of the two rivers that flow through it, its position next to the Japan Sea, its many wetlands, and the canals that used to run through the city. It is also sometimes referred to as the "City of Willows" (柳の都, Yanagi-no-miyako) or Ryuto (柳都) because of the willow trees that lined the old canals. In recent years, the city has been promoting itself as a "Designated City of Food and Flowers" (食と花の政令市, Shoku to hana no seireishi), highlighting its agricultural areas outside of the city center.
Niigata City features a humid subtropical climate, despite receiving more yearly snowfall than cities such as Moscow, Montreal or Oslo; the climate in Niigata City is characterized by its high humidity and strong winds from the Sea of Japan. While many other parts of Niigata Prefecture tend to have heavy snow, Niigata City itself usually receives less due to its low-lying elevation and the shielding effect of Sado Island.
However, Niigata City does receive much precipitation, mostly in the form of rainfall. On average, Niigata City has 269 days of precipitation each year, about 170 days of which see rain or snowfall measuring over 1 mm;[6] the rainy season in July brings large amounts of rain, while the winter months, especially November and December, also have much precipitation.[7]
In summer, the south wind makes the weather rather hot. Typhoons usually bring strong foehn winds to this area, generally causing somewhat higher temperatures than in other parts of Japan; the weather on the west coast of Honshu tends to be better during the summer months than on the Pacific coast.
Climate data for Niigata, Niigata (1981-2010)
Record high °C (°F)
Average high °C (°F)
Daily mean °C (°F)
Average low °C (°F)
Record low °C (°F)
−11.7
(9) −6.4
Average precipitation mm (inches)
(8.56) 1,821
Average snowfall cm (inches)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5mm)
Average snowy days
22.9 20.2 11.4 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.1 13.3 70.8
57.1 75.1 128.4 181.8 200.2 173.1 169.4 214.9 150.7 144.0 89.9 60.5 1,642.5
Source: [8][9]
Wards[edit]
A map of Niigata's Wards
Niigata has had system of wards (ku) since April 1, 2007:[10] Each ward has its own "image color".
Akiha Ward
秋葉区 ■Floral green
Chuo Ward (administrative center)
中央区 ■Waterfront blue
Higashi Ward
東区 ■Aqua blue
Kita Ward
北区 ■Nature green
Konan Ward
江南区 ■Spring green
Minami Ward
南区 ■Breeze blue
Nishi Ward
西区 ■Sunset orange
Nishikan Ward
西蒲区 ■Harvest yellow
Adjoining communities[edit]
From the north, following Niigata's border clockwise:
Seirō, Kitakanbara District
Tagami, Minamikanbara District
Sanjō
Yahiko, Nishikanbara District
In addition Sado Island is connected by sea and air routes.
Niigata City History Museum
A view of Niigata City and Shinano River from observation deck of Niigata Prefecture Building
People have inhabited the Niigata area since the Jōmon period, though much of the current land was still beneath the sea at the time. According to the Nihon Shoki, a fortress was built in the area in AD 647.
In the 16th century, a port called Niigata was established at the mouth of the Shinano River, while a port town with the name Nuttari developed at the mouth of the Agano River; the area prospered beneath the rule of Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku Period.
A system of canals was constructed on the main island of Niigata in the 17th century. During this period, the courses of the Shinano and Agano rivers gradually changed until they poured into the Sea of Japan at the same location; as a result, Niigata prospered as a port town, serving as a port of call for Japanese trade ships traversing the Sea of Japan.
The Matsugasaki Canal was constructed in 1730 to drain the Agano River area, but in 1731, flooding destroyed the canal and caused it to become the main current of the Agano River; as a result, the volume of water flowing into the port of Niigata decreased, which in turn allowed land reclamation efforts and the development of new rice fields to proceed.
Old Niigata Customs Government Building
Former Daishi Bank Sumiyoshi-cho Branch
Bandai Bridge
In 1858, Niigata was designated as one of the five ports to be opened for international trade in the Japan–U.S. Treaty of Amity and Commerce. However, the shallow water level in the port delayed the actual opening to foreign ships until 1869; the port also served as a valuable base for fishermen who roamed as far north as the Kamchatka Peninsula to catch salmon and other fish.
In 1886, the first Bandai Bridge was built across the Shinano River to connect the settlements of Niigata on the east and Nuttari on the west. Niigata annexed Nuttari in 1914.
During World War II, Niigata's strategic location between the capital of Tokyo and the Sea of Japan made it a key point for the transfer of settlers and military personnel to the Asian continent, including Manchukuo.
In 1945, near the end of the war, Niigata was one of four cities, together with Hiroshima, Kokura, and Nagasaki, picked as targets for the atomic bomb if Japan did not surrender; the governor of Niigata Prefecture ordered the people to evacuate as rumors of an impending bombing spread, and the city was completely deserted for days. Poor weather conditions and its distance from B-29 bases in the Mariana Islands meant that it was removed from the list of targets during deliberations; Nagasaki was bombed instead.
In 1950, construction of Niigata Station was completed, extending the downtown area from Bandai Bridge. A devastating fire in 1955 destroyed much of the downtown area, but eventually the city recovered. In 1964, the old canals that flowed throughout the city were filled in to make way for more roads.
On June 16, 1964, at 13:23 Japan Standard Time an earthquake of 7.5 Richter scale struck the city, killing 29 people and causing large-scale property damage, with 1,960 totally destroyed buildings, 6,640 partially destroyed buildings, and 15,298 severely inundated by liquefaction.
In 1965, the Agano River running through Niigata was polluted with methylmercury from the chemical plant of the Showa Electrical Company. Over 690 people exhibited symptoms of Minamata disease and the outbreak became known as Niigata Minamata disease.
The 1955 fire of Niigata
Some effects of liquefaction during the 1964 Niigata earthquake
In 1982, Shinkansen (bullet train) service on the Jōetsu Shinkansen line began between Niigata and Omiya, with service to Ueno added in 1985; the line was extended all the way to Tokyo in 1991.
Big Swan Stadium in Niigata City hosted three games during the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
The 2004 Chūetsu earthquake did not cause any significant damage in Niigata City itself, allowing the city to work as a relief base.
The size and the population of Niigata city increased over the four-year period between 2001 and 2005, due to a series of municipal mergers. On April 1, 2007, Niigata City became first city on the west coast of Honshu to become a government-designated city.
In July 2007, the Chūetsu offshore earthquake, measuring 6.9 on Richter scale, rocked Niigata Prefecture. Though the earthquake was felt in the city, there was little damage, which allowed Niigata City to provide aid to the devastated areas.
In May 2008, the city hosted the 2008 G8 Labor Ministers Meeting.
On March 12, 2011, several hours after the massive 9.0 Tohoku earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Niigata and Nagano Prefectures experienced an estimated magnitude 6.6 earthquake.
Mergers[edit]
Mergers of Niigata
On April 1, 1889 - the village of Sekiya was amalgamated into the town of Niigata to become the city of Niigata.
On April 1, 1914 - The town of Nuttari (from Nakakanbara District) was amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On June 1, 1943 - The village of Ohgata (from Nakakanbara District) was amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On December 8, 1943 - The villages of Ishiyama and Toyano (both from Nakakanbara District) were amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On April 5, 1954 - The village of Matsugasakihama (from Kitakanbara District) was amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On November 1, 1954 - The villages of Nigorikawa and Minamihama (both from Kitakanbara District) and the village of Sakaiwa (from Nishikanbara District) were amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On May 3, 1957 - The villages of Ryokawa, Sonoki and Oheyama (all from Nakakanbara District) were amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On January 11, 1960 - The town of Uchino (from Nishikanbara District), and the Hamaura hamlet of the town of Toyosaka (from Kitakanbara District) were amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On June 1, 1961 - The villages of Nakanokoya and Akatsuka (both from Nishikanbara District) were amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On January 1, 2001 - The town of Kurosaki (from Nishikanbara District) was amalgamated into the city of Niigata.
On March 21, 2005 - The city of Niitsu, Shirone and Toyosaka, the towns of Kameda, Kosudo and Yokogoshi (all from Nakakanbara District), the town of Nishikawa, and the villages of Ajikata, Iwamuro, Katahigashi, Nakanokuchi and Tsukigata (all from Nishikanbara District) were all merged into the expanded city of Niigata.
On October 10, 2005 - The town of Maki (from Nishikanbara District) was merged into the expanded city of Niigata.
List of mayor of Niigata City (1889 to present)[edit]
27 May 1889 – 3 June 1891 Komitsu Ogura
(小倉幸光)
30 June 1891 – 30 May 1899 Chozo Suzuki
(鈴木長蔵)
24 July 1899 – 25 September 1902 Tomonao Yagi
(八木朋直)
4 November 1902 – 20 February 1904 Samon Hagino
(萩野左門)
27 April 1904 – 9 May 1916 Ryojiro Yoshida
(吉田良治郎)
28 December 1916 – 16 January 1919 Itsusaku Sakurai
(桜井市作)
22 September 1919 – 10 September 1921 Kenji Watanabe
(渡辺兼二)
14 January 1922 – 6 May 1925 Yukijiro Shibasaki
(柴崎雪次郎)
26 August 1925 – 25 August 1929
16 November 1929 – 15 November 1933
Yoshito Nakamura
(中村淑人)
30 January 1934 – 24 July 1937 Masae Koyanagi
(小柳牧衛)
17 December 1937 – 26 August 1938 Takemi Muramatsu
(村松武美)
5 December 1938 – 8 November 1946 Hide Inoue
(井上英)
7 April 1947 – 1 May 1959 Saburo Murata
(村田三郎)
2 May 1959 – 1 May 1975 Kotaro Watanabe
(渡辺浩太郎)
2 May 1975 – 14 December 1982 Kihachiro Kawakami
(川上喜八郎)
30 January 1983 – 9 October 1990 Genki Wakasugi
(若杉元喜)
18 November 1990 – 17 November 2002 Yoshiaki Hasegawa
(長谷川義明)
18 November 2002 – 17 November 2018 Akira Shinoda
(篠田昭)
18 November 2018 – present Yaichi Nakahara
(中原八一)
Sister cities[edit]
Niigata maintains sister city ties with six cities:
Galveston, Texas, United States (1965)
Khabarovsk, Russia (1965)
Harbin, Heilongjiang, China (1979)
Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia (1991)
Birobidzhan, Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Russia (Once a sister city of Toyosaka, Niigata assumed the sister city honors in 2005)
Nantes, France (2009, shifted from friendship city since 1999)
In addition, special exchange agreements have been set up with[citation needed]
Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom
Ulsan, South Korea (2007)
Willow-lined Streets of Niigata
See also: Chūō-ku, Niigata § Transportation
Airport[edit]
Niigata Airport is located about 6 km north of central Niigata, it handles some international destinations as well as many domestic ones. As of October 2016, the domestic destinations available are: Osaka (10 times a day), Sapporo (5 or 6 times a day), Fukuoka (3 times a day), Okinawa (once or twice a day), Nagoya (3 times a day), Narita (once a day) and Sado Island (3 times a day).
Niigata Airport's international destinations are Harbin (twice a week), Seoul (5 times a week), Shanghai (twice a week) and Vladivostok[11]
Railway[edit]
The largest station in Niigata City is Niigata Station, it is centrally located in the Bandai area, one of the two main shopping districts in downtown Niigata. Approximately 37,000 passengers use the station daily; the Jōetsu Shinkansen, which terminates at Niigata Station, provides daily service to Tokyo. The Shin'etsu Main Line, Hakushin Line, Echigo Line, Uetsu Main Line, and Ban'etsu West Line also terminate at Niigata Station; these lines serve Myoko, Itoigawa, Akita, Sakata, and Aizuwakamatsu.
Niigata Kotsu Dentetsu Line and Kambara Dentetsu trains used to run through the city until the late 1990s; however, they no longer exist.
JR East - Jōetsu Shinkansen
JR East - Shin'etsu Main Line
Niigata - Echigo-Ishiyama - Kameda - Ogikawa - Satsukino - Niitsu - Furutsu - Yashiroda
JR East - Hakushin Line
Niigata - Higashi-Niigata - Ōgata - Niizaki - Hayadōri - Toyosaka - Kuroyama
JR East - Echigo Line
Niigata - Hakusan - Sekiya - Aoyama - Kobari - Terao - Niigata Daigaku-mae - Uchino - Uchino-Nishigaoka - Echigo-Akatsuka - Echigo-Sone - Maki - Iwamuro - Yoshida
Transit bus[edit]
BRT "Bandai-bashi Line" runs through business/shopping districts in the central Niigata (Niigata Station—Bandai Bridge—Furumachi—City hall—Hakusan Station—Aoyama).
Sea port[edit]
Niigata used to be the terminus of the Mangyongbong-92 ferry, one of the direct connections between Japan and North Korea.
Niigata Airport
Niigata Station
Bandai-bashi Line(BRT)
Port of Niigata
Colleges and universities[edit]
Niigata University
Graduate Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies
The Nippon Dental University School of Life Dentistry at Niigata
Niigata University of International and Information Studies
Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences
Niigata Seiryo University
Niigata University of Health and Welfare
Sightseeing[edit]
See also: Chūō-ku, Niigata § Sightseeing
Cultural facilities and points of interest[edit]
Niigata Prefectural Botanical Garden
Toki Messe
Big Swan Stadium
Niigata City Performing Arts Center "Ryutopia"
Niigata Prefectural Civic Center
Nature Aquarium Gallery[12]
Furumachi - Downtown shopping district
Culture[edit]
Niigata geishas
Aerial video of Kurosaki Festival Fireworks
Niigata Festival (every August)
Niigata Comic Market
Niigata Manga Competition
Kurosaki Festival
J. League (Association football)
Albirex Niigata play at Big Swan Stadium
bj league (Basketball)
Niigata Albirex BB play at Toki Messe
Notable people from Niigata[edit]
Artists and writers[edit]
One (manga artist), mangaká
Makoto Kobayashi, manga artist
Shinji Mizushima, manga artist
Takeshi Obata, manga artist
Ango Sakaguchi, author
Fujisawa Shu, writer
Rumiko Takahashi, manga artist
Aizu Yaichi, poet, calligrapher, and historian
Actors and voice actors[edit]
Mina Fujii, actress
Toshihito Ito, actor
Masashi Mikami, actor
Bin Shimada, voice actor
Keiko Yokozawa, voice actor
Musicians[edit]
Double, singer
Yoko Ishida, singer
Kazuya Kato, bassist
Katsutaro Kouta, singer
Közi, guitarist
Koharu Kusumi, idol
Akira Yamaoka, composer
NGT48, Idol Unit
Takashi Amano, professional aquarist and track cyclist
Kunio Maekawa, architect
Yutakayama Ryota, sumo wrestler[13]
Tadao Sato, film critic and film theorist
Megumi Sato, high jumper
Meiko Satomura, professional wrestler
Megumi Yokota, abduction victim[14]
Sakie Yokota, abduction victim mother
Shigeru Yokota, abduction victim father
Takuya Yokota, abduction victim first brother
Tetsuya Yokota, abduction victim second brother
^ "UEA Code Tables". Center for Spatial Information Science, University of Tokyo. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
^ Yoshitsugu Kanemoto. "Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data". Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo.
^ Conversion rates - Exchange rates - OECD Data
^ 知っておきたい新潟県の歴史編集委員会 (2010). 知っておきたい新潟県の歴史. 新潟日報事業社. ISBN 978-4861323720.
^ 角川日本地名大辞典 編纂委員会 (1989). 角川日本地名大辞典 15 新潟県. (株)角川書店. ISBN 4-04-001150-3.
^ 平年値(年・月ごとの値)
^ Niigata City 2007 Statistical Data, published 2007
^ 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). Japan Meteorological Agency.
^ 観測史上1~10位の値( 年間を通じての値)). Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
^ Map Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
^ Flight Schedule - NIIGATA AIRPORT
^ Nature Aquarium Gallery official website
^ "Yutakayama Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
^ "North Korea abductee: Japan parents meet grand-daughter - BBC News". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-04-08.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Niigata, Niigata.
"Niigata" . New International Encyclopedia. 1905.
Niigata (city) travel guide from Wikivoyage
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Niigata (capital)
Wards of Niigata
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Santō District
List of mergers in Niigata Prefecture
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Prefectural capitals
Note: ※ also a prefectural capital
Metropolitan areas in Japan with a population of over a million
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1,000,000–1,999,999
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Largest cities or towns in Japan
Yokohama 1 Tokyo Tokyo 13,843,403 11 Hiroshima Hiroshima 1,199,252
2 Yokohama Kanagawa 3,740,172 12 Sendai Miyagi 1,088,669
3 Osaka Osaka 2,725,006 13 Chiba Chiba 977,247
4 Nagoya Aichi 2,320,361 14 Kitakyushu Fukuoka 945,595
5 Sapporo Hokkaido 1,966,416 15 Sakai Osaka 831,017
6 Fukuoka Fukuoka 1,579,450 16 Niigata Niigata 800,582
7 Kobe Hyōgo 1,527,407 17 Hamamatsu Shizuoka 794,025
8 Kawasaki Kanagawa 1,516,483 18 Kumamoto Kumamoto 739,556
9 Kyoto Kyoto 1,468,980 19 Sagamihara Kanagawa 723,012
10 Saitama Saitama 1,295,607 20 Shizuoka Shizuoka 695,416
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Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is applied to living organisms, most of the time to humans, it is a key geographical term. In simple terms population density refers to the number of people living in an area per kilometer square. Population density is population divided by total land water volume, as appropriate. Low densities may lead to further reduced fertility; this is called the Allee effect after the scientist. Examples of the causes in low population densities include: Increased problems with locating sexual mates Increased inbreeding For humans, population density is the number of people per unit of area quoted per square kilometer or square mile; this may be calculated for a county, country, another territory or the entire world. The world's population is around 7,500,000,000 and Earth's total area is 510,000,000 square kilometers. Therefore, the worldwide human population density is around 7,500,000,000 ÷ 510,000,000 = 14.7 per km2. If only the Earth's land area of 150,000,000 km2 is taken into account human population density is 50 per km2.
This includes all continental and island land area, including Antarctica. If Antarctica is excluded population density rises to over 55 people per km2. However, over half of the Earth's land mass consists of areas inhospitable to human habitation, such as deserts and high mountains, population tends to cluster around seaports and fresh-water sources. Thus, this number by itself does not give any helpful measurement of human population density. Several of the most densely populated territories in the world are city-states and dependencies; these territories have a small area and a high urbanization level, with an economically specialized city population drawing on rural resources outside the area, illustrating the difference between high population density and overpopulation The potential to maintain the agricultural aspects of deserts is limited as there is not enough precipitation to support a sustainable land. The population in these areas are low. Therefore, cities in the Middle East, such as Dubai, have been increasing in population and infrastructure growth at a fast pace.
Cities with high population densities are, by some, considered to be overpopulated, though this will depend on factors like quality of housing and infrastructure and access to resources. Most of the most densely populated cities are in Southeast Asia, though Cairo and Lagos in Africa fall into this category. City population and area are, however dependent on the definition of "urban area" used: densities are invariably higher for the central city area than when suburban settlements and the intervening rural areas are included, as in the areas of agglomeration or metropolitan area, the latter sometimes including neighboring cities. For instance, Milwaukee has a greater population density when just the inner city is measured, the surrounding suburbs excluded. In comparison, based on a world population of seven billion, the world's inhabitants, as a loose crowd taking up ten square feet per person, would occupy a space a little larger than Delaware's land area; the Gaza Strip has a population density of 5,046 pop/km.
Although arithmetic density is the most common way of measuring population density, several other methods have been developed to provide a more accurate measure of population density over a specific area. Arithmetic density: The total number of people / area of land Physiological density: The total population / area of arable land Agricultural density: The total rural population / area of arable land Residential density: The number of people living in an urban area / area of residential land Urban density: The number of people inhabiting an urban area / total area of urban land Ecological optimum: The density of population that can be supported by the natural resources Demography Human geography Idealized population Optimum population Population genetics Population health Population momentum Population pyramid Rural transport problem Small population size Distance sampling List of population concern organizations List of countries by population density List of cities by population density List of city districts by population density List of English districts by population density List of European cities proper by population density List of United States cities by population density List of islands by population density List of U.
S. states by population density List of Australian suburbs by population density Selected Current and Historic City, Ward & Neighborhood Density Duncan Smith / UCL Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis. "World Population Density". Exploratory map shows data from the Global Human Settlement Layer produced by the European Commission JRC and the CIESIN Columbia University
East Asian rainy season
The East Asian rainy season called the plum rain, is caused by precipitation along a persistent stationary front known as the Mei-Yu front for nearly two months during the late spring and early summer between eastern Russia, China and Japan. The wet season ends during the summer when the subtropical ridge becomes strong enough to push this front north of the region. An east-west zone of disturbed weather during spring along this front stretches from the east China coast across Taiwan and Okinawa when it has shifted to the north, eastward into the southern peninsula of South Korea and Japan; the rainy season lasts from May to June in Taiwan and Okinawa, from June to July in Russian Primorsky Krai and Korea and from July to August in Eastern China. The weather front forms; the front and the formation of frontal depressions along it brings precipitation to Primorsky Krai, Korea, eastern China, Taiwan. As the front moves back and forth depending on the strength of cool and warm air masses, there is prolonged precipitation and sometimes flooding in eastern China.
However, in the years that it does not rain as much as usual, a drought might result. The rainy season ends when the warm air mass associated with the subtropical ridge is strong enough to push the front north and away; the high humidity in the air during this season encourages the formation of mold and rot not only on food but on fabrics as well. Environmentally, heavy rains encourage mudslides and flooding in all areas affected; the most rain in a one-hour period as recorded in Japan was in Nagasaki in 1982 with 153 mm. The highest overall recorded rainfall during the rainy season in Japan was in 2003, when Miyazaki Prefecture recorded rains of 8670 mm. In Japan, the rainy season lasts from early June to mid-July for most of the country June 7 to July 20 for the main Kansai and Kantō regions, it comes a month earlier to Okinawa in the south, but Hokkaidō in the north is unaffected. The season is called Samidare on account of this timing; the enka artist Eiichi Ōtaki produced a popular song by this name, a WW2 Japanese naval ship was given this name.
The rains in the middle of November - early December are sometimes called the Sazanka Tsuyu "rainy season of the Camellia" on account of the timing with the blossoming of the seasonal flower. This period is avoided for tourism, but some sights are considered atmospheric in the rain and fog mountain forests, notably Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. Vegetation moss, is rather lush at this time, hence sights known for their moss, such as Saihō-ji are popular at this time of year; the rainy season is between mid-July. It is caused by hot and humid high pressure forming in the Sea of Okhotsk due to the North Pacific anticyclone combining with Asiatic continental high pressure; when the two meteorological events meet they form a long jangmajeonseon. Beginning in late-May, the North Pacific high pressure forces the weaker continental anticyclone south of the island of Okinawa; this fall to the south reverses and strengthens as it moves northwards back towards the Korean peninsula.
On landfall, heavy monsoon rains lead to torrential downpours and flooding. By August the system has weakened as the southern systems retreat towards the Filipino archipelago. By early autumn, the North Pacific high pressure system is pushed away as Asiatic continental cold high pressure moves southwards; this produces inclement weather although not on the scale of the summer monsoons. Korea can, however, be struck by typhoons during this period. In some years, the rainy season's actual beginning and end are under debate. For example, in 2005, the subtropical ridge moved northward in late June/early July; the weather front skipped the Chang Jiang region and there was no rainy season there. The ridge retreated southward and there was significant rainfall in the region; this gave rise to the question of whether this was the summer-type rainfall pattern, common after the first rainy season or the second rainy season. Some meteorologists argued that the rainy period in late June was not a true rainy season.
East Asian monsoon Meiyu front
Foehn wind
A föhn or foehn is a type of dry, down-slope wind that occurs in the lee of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of its moisture on windward slopes; as a consequence of the different adiabatic lapse rates of moist and dry air, the air on the leeward slopes becomes warmer than equivalent elevations on the windward slopes. Föhn winds can raise temperatures by as much as 14 °C in just a matter of minutes. Central Europe enjoys a warmer climate due to the Föhn, as moist winds off the Mediterranean Sea blow over the Alps. In some regions, föhn winds are associated with causing "circulatory problems", headaches, or similar ailments. Researchers have found, the foehn wind's warm temperature to be beneficial to humans in most situations, have theorised that the reported negative effects may be a result of secondary factors, such as changes in the electrical field or in the ion state of the atmosphere, the wind's low humidity, or the unpleasant sensation of being in an environment with strong and gusty winds.
Explanations of the foehn warming and drying effect in popular literature or on the web single out just one causal mechanism, but there are in fact four known causes. These mechanisms act together, with their contributions varying depending on the size and shape of the mountain barrier and on the meteorological conditions, for example the upstream wind speed and humidity. 1) Condensation and precipitation: When air is forced upwards over elevated terrain, it expands and cools due to the decrease in pressure with height. Since colder air can hold less water vapour, moisture condenses to form clouds and precipitates as rain or snow above the mountain's upwind slopes; the change of state from vapour to liquid water is accompanied by heating, the subsequent removal of moisture as precipitation renders this heat gain irreversible, leading to the warm, dry foehn conditions in the mountain's lee. This mechanism has become a popular textbook example of atmospheric thermodynamics and it lends itself to attractive diagrams.
However the common occurrence of'dry' foehn events, where there is no precipitation, implies there must be other mechanisms. 2) Isentropic draw-down: When the approaching winds are insufficiently strong to propel the low-level air up and over the mountain barrier, the airflow is said to be'blocked' by the mountain and only air higher up near mountain-top level is able to pass over and down the lee slopes as foehn winds. These higher source regions provide foehn air that becomes warmer and drier on the leeside after it is compressed with descent due to the increase in pressure towards the surface. 3) Mechanical mixing: When river water passes over rocks, turbulence is generated in the form of rapids, white water reveals the turbulent mixing of the water with the air above. As air passes over mountains, turbulence occurs and the atmosphere is mixed in the vertical; this mixing leads to a downward warming and upward moistening of the cross-mountain airflow, to warmer, drier foehn winds in the valleys downwind.
4) Radiative warming: Dry foehn conditions are responsible for the occurrence of rain shadows in the lee of mountains, where clear, sunny conditions prevail. This leads to greater daytime radiative warming under foehn conditions; this type of warming is important in cold regions where snow or ice melt is a concern and/or avalanches are a risk. Winds of this type are called "snow-eaters" for their ability to make snow and ice melt or sublimate rapidly; this is a result not only of the warmth of foehn air, but its low relative humidity. Accordingly, foehn winds are known to contribute to the disintegration of ice shelves in the polar regions. Foehn winds are notorious among mountaineers in the Alps those climbing the Eiger, for whom the winds add further difficulty in ascending an difficult peak, they are associated with the rapid spread of wildfires, making some regions which experience these winds fire-prone. Anecdotally, residents in areas of frequent foehn winds report a variety of illnesses ranging from migraines to psychosis.
The first clinical review of these effects was published by the Austrian physician Anton Czermak in the 19th century. A study by the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München found that suicide and accidents increased by 10 percent during foehn winds in Central Europe; the causation of Föhnkrankheit is yet unproven. Labeling for preparations of aspirin combined with caffeine and the like will sometimes include Föhnkrankheit amongst the indications. Evidence for effects from Chinook winds remain anecdotal; the name Foehn arose in the Alpine region. Originating from Latin favonius, a mild west wind of which Favonius was the Roman personification and transmitted by Romansh: favuogn or just fuogn, the term was adopted as Old High German: phōnno. In the Southern Alps, the phenomenon is known as föhn but Italian: favonio and fen in Croatian and Slovene; the German word "Fön", a genericized trademark means "hairdryer," and the form "phon" is used in French-speaking parts of Switzerland as well as in Italy.
The form "fen" is used in Slovenia. Regionally, these winds are known by many different names; these include: in AfricaBergwind in South Africain the AmericasThe Brookings Effect on the southwestern coast of Oregon know
Sunshine duration
Sunshine duration or sunshine hours is a climatological indicator, measuring duration of sunshine in given period for a given location on Earth expressed as an averaged value over several years. It is a general indicator of cloudiness of a location, thus differs from insolation, which measures the total energy delivered by sunlight over a given period. Sunshine duration is expressed in hours per year, or in hours per day; the first measure indicates the general sunniness of a location compared with other places, while the latter allows for comparison of sunshine in various seasons in the same location. Another often-used measure is percentage ratio of recorded bright sunshine duration and daylight duration in the observed period. An important use of sunshine duration data is to characterize the climate of sites of health resorts; this takes into account the psychological effect of strong solar light on human well-being. It is used to promote tourist destinations. If the Sun were to be above the horizon 50% of the time for a standard year consisting of 8,760 hours, apparent maximal daytime duration would be 4,380 hours for any point on Earth.
However, there are physical and astronomical effects. Namely, atmospheric refraction allows the Sun to be still visible when it physically sets below the horizon. For that reason, average daytime is longest in polar areas, where the apparent Sun spends the most time around the horizon. Places on the Arctic Circle have the longest total annual daytime, 4,647 hours, while the North Pole receives 4,575; because of elliptic nature of the Earth's orbit, the Southern Hemisphere is not symmetrical: the Antarctic Circle, with 4,530 hours of daylight, receives five days less of sunshine than its antipodes. The Equator has a total daytime of 4,422 hours per year. Given the theoretical maximum of daytime duration for a given location, there is a practical consideration at which point the amount of daylight is sufficient to be treated as a "sunshine hour". "Bright" sunshine hours represent the total hours when the sunlight is stronger than a specified threshold, as opposed to just "visible" hours. "Visible" sunshine, for example, occurs around sunrise and sunset, but is not strong enough to excite the sensor.
Measurement is performed by instruments called sunshine recorders. For the specific purpose of sunshine duration recording, Campbell–Stokes recorders are used, which use a spherical glass lens to focus the sun rays on a specially designed tape; when the intensity exceeds a pre-determined threshold, the tape burns. The total length of the burn trace is proportional to the number of bright hours. Another type of recorder is the Jordan sunshine recorder. Newer, electronic recorders have more stable sensitivity than that of the paper tape. In order to harmonize the data measured worldwide, in 1962 the World Meteorological Organization defined a standardized design of the Campbell–Stokes recorder, called an Interim Reference Sunshine Recorder. In 2003, the sunshine duration was defined as the period during which direct solar irradiance exceeds a threshold value of 120 W/m². Sunshine duration follows a general geographic pattern: subtropical latitudes have the highest sunshine values, because these are the locations of the eastern sides of the subtropical high pressure systems, associated with the large-scale descent of air from the upper-level tropopause.
Many of the world's driest climates are found adjacent to the eastern sides of the subtropical highs, which create stable atmospheric conditions, little convective overturning, little moisture and cloud cover. Desert regions, with nearly constant high pressure aloft and rare condensation—like North Africa, the Southwestern United States, Western Australia, the Middle East—are examples of hot, dry climates where sunshine duration values are high; the two major areas with the highest sunshine duration, measured as annual average, are the central and the eastern Sahara Desert—covering vast desert countries such as Egypt, Libya and Niger—and the Southwestern United States. The city claiming the official title of the sunniest in the world is Yuma, with over 4,000 hours of bright sunshine annually, but many climatological books suggest there may be sunnier areas in North Africa. In the belt encompassing northern Chad and the Tibesti Mountains, northern Sudan, southern Libya, Upper Egypt, annual sunshine duration is estimated at over 4,000 hours.
There is a smaller, isolated area of sunshine maximum in the heart of the western section of the Sahara Desert around the Eglab Massif and the Erg Chech, along the borders of Algeria and Mali where the 4,000-hour mark is exceeded, too. Some places in the interior of the Arabian Peninsula receive 3,600–3,800 hours of bright sunshine annually; the largest sun-baked region in the world is North Africa. The sunniest month in the world is December in Eastern Antarctica, with 23 hours of bright sun daily. Conversely, higher latitudes lying in stormy westerlies have much cloudier and more unstable and rainy weather, have the lowest values of sunshine duration annually. Temperate oceanic climates like those in northwestern Europe, the western coast of Canada, areas of New Zealand's South Island are examples of cool, wet, humid climates where cloudless sunshine duration values are low; the areas with the lowest sunshine duration annually lie over the polar oceans, as well as parts of northern Europe, southern Alaska, northern Russia, areas near the Sea of
The Meiji Restoration known as the Meiji Renovation, Reform, or Renewal, was an event that restored practical imperial rule to the Empire of Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ruling emperors before the Meiji Restoration, the events restored practical abilities and consolidated the political system under the emperor of Japan; the goals of the restored government were expressed by the new emperor in the Charter Oath. The Restoration led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure and spanned both the late Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji period; the Japanese knew that they were behind the Western world when American Commodore Matthew C. Perry came to Japan in 1853 in large warships with armament and technology that far outclassed those of Japan with the intent to conclude a treaty that would open up Japanese ports to trade. Figures like Shimazu Nariakira concluded. Observing Japan's response to the Western powers, Chinese general Li Hongzhang considered Japan to be China's "principal security threat" as early as 1863, five years before the Meiji Restoration.
The leaders of the Meiji Restoration, as this revolution came to be known, acted in the name of restoring imperial rule to strengthen Japan against the threat represented by the colonial powers of the day, bringing to an end the era known as sakoku. The word "Meiji" means "enlightened rule" and the goal was to combine "modern advances" with traditional "eastern" values; the main leaders of this were Itō Hirobumi, Matsukata Masayoshi, Kido Takayoshi, Itagaki Taisuke, Yamagata Aritomo, Mori Arinori, Ōkubo Toshimichi, Yamaguchi Naoyoshi. The foundation of the Meiji Restoration was the 1866 Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance between Saigō Takamori and Kido Takayoshi, leaders of the reformist elements in the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain; these two leaders supported the Emperor Kōmei and were brought together by Sakamoto Ryōma for the purpose of challenging the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and restoring the Emperor to power. After Kōmei's death on January 30, 1867, Meiji ascended the throne on February 3; this period saw Japan change from being a feudal society to having a market economy and left the Japanese with a lingering influence of Modernity.
The Tokugawa government had been founded in the 17th century and focused on reestablishing order in social and international affairs after a century of warfare. The political structure, established by Ieyasu and solidified under his two immediate successors, his son Hidetada and grandson Iemitsu, bound all daimyōs to the shogunate and limited any individual daimyō from acquiring too much land or power; the Tokugawa shogunate came to its official end on November 9, 1867, when Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the 15th Tokugawa shōgun, "put his prerogatives at the Emperor's disposal" and resigned 10 days later. This was the "restoration" of imperial rule – although Yoshinobu still had significant influence and it was not until January 3, the following year, with the young Emperor's edict, that the restoration occurred. Shortly thereafter in January 1868, the Boshin War started with the Battle of Toba–Fushimi in which Chōshū and Satsuma's forces defeated the ex-shōgun's army; this forced the Emperor to strip Yoshinobu of all power.
On January 3, 1868, the Emperor made a formal declaration of the restoration of his power: The Emperor of Japan announces to the sovereigns of all foreign countries and to their subjects that permission has been granted to the Shōgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu to return the governing power in accordance with his own request. We shall henceforward exercise supreme authority in all the internal and external affairs of the country; the title of Emperor must be substituted for that of Taikun, in which the treaties have been made. Officers are being appointed by us to the conduct of foreign affairs, it is desirable. All Tokugawa lands were seized and placed under "imperial control", thus placing them under the prerogative of the new Meiji government. With Fuhanken sanchisei, the areas were split into three types: urban prefectures, rural prefectures and the existing domains. In 1869, the daimyōs of the Tosa, Satsuma and Chōshū Domains, who were pushing most fiercely against the shogunate, were persuaded to "return their domains to the Emperor".
Other daimyō were subsequently persuaded to do so, thus creating, arguably for the first time, a central government in Japan which exercised direct power through the entire "realm". Some shogunate forces escaped to Hokkaidō, where they attempted to set up a breakaway Republic of Ezo; the defeat of the armies of the former shōgun marked the final end of the Tokugawa shogunate, with the Emperor's power restored. By 1872, the daimyōs, past and present, were summoned before the Emperor, where it was declared that all domains were now to be returned to the Emperor; the 280 domains were turned into 72 prefectures, each under the control of a state-appointed governor. If the daimyōs peacefully complied, they were given a prominent voice in the new Meiji
The Chūbu region, Central region, or Central Japan is a region in the middle of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population of 21,715,822 as of 2010, it encompasses nine prefectures: Aichi, Gifu, Nagano, Shizuoka and Yamanashi. It is located directly between the Kantō region and the Kansai region and includes the major city of Nagoya as well as Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan coastlines, extensive mountain resorts, Mount Fuji; the region is the widest part of Honshū and the central part is characterized by high, rugged mountains. The Japanese Alps divide the country into the Pacific side, sunny in winter, the Sea of Japan side, snowy in winter; the Chūbu region covers a large and geographically diverse area of Honshū which leads to it being divided into three distinct subregions: Tōkai, Kōshin'etsu, Hokuriku. There is another subregion referred to in business circles called Chūkyō; the Tōkai region bordering the Pacific Ocean, is a narrow corridor interrupted in places by mountains that descend into the sea.
Since the Tokugawa period, this corridor has been critical in linking Tokyo and Osaka. One of old Japan's most important ancient roadways, the Tōkaidō, ran through it connecting Tokyo and Kyoto, the old imperial capital. In the twentieth century, it became the route for new super-express highways and high-speed railroad lines; the area consists of Aichi, Shizuoka,and southern Gifu prefectures. A number of small alluvial plains are found in the corridor section. A mild climate, favorable location close to the great metropolitan complexes, availability of fast transportation have made this area a center for truck-gardening and out-of-season vegetables. Upland areas of rolling hills are extensively given over to the growing of mandarin oranges and tea. Nagoya, which faces Ise Bay, is a center for heavy industry, including iron and steel and machinery manufacturing; the corridor has a number of small but important industrial centers. The western part of Tōkai includes the Nōbi Plain, where rice was being grown by the seventh century.
The three Tōkai prefectures centered on Nagoya have strong economic ties, the parts of these prefectures that are closest to the city comprise the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area. This area boasts the third strongest economy in Japan and this influence can sometimes extend into the more remote parts of these prefectures that are farther away from Nagoya. Thus, these three prefectures are sometimes called the "Chūkyō region" in a business sense; this name does not see widespread usage throughout Japan. Kōshin'etsu is an area of complex and high rugged mountains—often called the "roof of Japan"—that include the Japanese Alps; the population is chiefly concentrated in six elevated basins connected by narrow valleys. It was long a main silk-producing area, although output declined after World War II. Much of the labor required in silk production was absorbed by the district's diversified manufacturing industry, which included precision instruments, textiles, food processing, other light manufacturing. Kōshin'etsu means Yamanashi and Niigata prefectures.
Yamanashi and northern Gifu Prefecture are sometimes referred to as Chūō-kōchi or Tōsan region. The Hokuriku region lies on the Sea of Japan coastline, northwest of the massive mountains that comprise Kōshin'etsu. Hokuriku includes the four prefectures of Ishikawa, Fukui and Toyama,The district has heavy snowfall and strong winds in winter, its turbulent rivers are the source of abundant hydroelectric power. Niigata Prefecture is the site of domestic oil production as well. Industrial development is extensive in the cities in Niigata and Toyama. Hokuriku's development is owed to markets in the Kansai region, however the urban areas at the heart of the Kantō region and Tōkai region are having a heavy an influence as well. Hokuriku has port facilities which are to facilitate trade with Russia and China. Transportation between Niigata and Toyama used to be geographically limited and so Niigata has seen strong influence from the Kantō region, because of this Niigata Prefecture is classified as being part of the Kōshin'etsu region with Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures.
Designated cityNagoya City: a designated city, the capital of Aichi Prefecture Niigata City: a designated city, the capital of Niigata Prefecture Hamamatsu City: a designated city Shizuoka City:a designated city, the capital of Shizuoka PrefectureCore cityKanazawa City: a core city, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture Toyama City: a core city, the capital of Toyama Prefecture Gifu City: a core city, the capital of Gifu Prefecture Nagano City: a core city, the capital of Nagano PrefectureSpecial cityFukui City: a special city, the capital of Fukui Prefecture Kofu City: a special city, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture Geography of Japan List of regions of Japan Tōkai–Tōsan dialect and Hokuriku dialect Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. Japan Encyclopedia. Trans. by Käthe Roth. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-01753-6, ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5. OCLC 58053128; this article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress Country Studies document "Japan". Chubu travel guide from Wikivoyage
Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan [videos]
A city designated by government ordinance, also known as a designated city or government ordinance city, is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by order of the Cabinet of …
Image: View from Chiba Port Tower East
Image: Fukuoka City from Fukuoka Tower 2
Shinano River [videos]
The Shinano River, known as the Chikuma River in its upper reaches, is the longest and widest river in Japan and the third largest by basin area. It is located in northeastern Honshu, rising in the Japanese Alps and …
The Shinano River in Niigata just before it flows into the Sea of Japan
Flame-style pottery from the Nagaoka site
Sekiya ocean gate.
Shinano River gate.
Chūbu region [videos]
The Chūbu region, Central region, or Central Japan is a region in the middle of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population of 21,715,822 as of 2010. It encompasses nine prefectures: Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, and …
Mount Fuji is the Chūbu region's most famous landmark.
Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama in Chūbu
Central Nagoya
Image: Meieki from Heiwa Park Aqua Tower
Hokuriku region [videos]
The Hokuriku region was located in the northwestern part of Honshu, the main island of Japan. It lay along the Sea of Japan within the Chūbu region, which it is currently a part of. It is almost equivalent to Koshi Province and Hokurikudō area in …
Naeba Ski Resort, Yuzawa, Niigata
Image: Bandaibashi Bridge 20130929
Image: Kanazawa Katamachi
Image: Fugan unga
Willow [videos]
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are known as willow, but some narrow-leaved shrub species are called osier, and some …
At the base of the petiole a pair of stipules form. These may fall in spring, or last for much of the summer or even for more than one year (marcescence).
Young male catkin
A weeping willow, an example of a hybrid between two types of willow
Knotted willow and woodpile in the Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen, Ghent, Belgium
Tulip [videos]
Tulips form a genus of spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes. The flowers are usually large, showy and brightly coloured, generally red, pink, yellow, or white. They often have a different coloured blotch at …
Tulipa × gesneriana
Bulbs, showing tunic and scales
Cup shaped flower of Tulipa orphanidea
Star shaped flower of Tulipa clusiana with three sepals and three petals, forming six identical tepals
Swan [videos]
Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus Cygnus. The swans' close relatives include the geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae. There …
Mute swans (Cygnus olor)
Mute swan landing on water. Due to the size and weight of most swans, large areas of open land or water are required to successfully take off and land.
Whooper swans migrate from Iceland, Greenland, Scandinavia, and Northern Russia to Europe, Central Asia, China, and Japan
Black-necked swan at WWT London Wetland Centre
Kanji [videos]
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters that are used in the Japanese writing system. They are used alongside the Japanese syllabic scripts hiragana and katakana. The Japanese term kanji for the Chinese characters literally means "Han characters". It is written …
Nihon Shoki (720 AD), considered by historians and archaeologists as the most complete extant historical record of ancient Japan, was written entirely in kanji.
A young woman practicing kanji. Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Yōshū Chikanobu, 1897
Image: Jūbako
Image: Pail,yutou,soba yu,katori city,japan
Sea of Japan [videos]
The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula and Russia. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Japan, Korea and Russia. Like the Mediterranean Sea …
Von Kármán vortices off the coast of Rishiri Island
Heishi rock near Kamome Island, Hokkaido
Zolotoy Rog bay near Vladivostok, Russia
Image: Sea of Japan descr
Sado, Niigata [videos]
Sado is a city located on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Since 2004, the city has comprised the entire island, although not all of its total area is urbanized. Sado is the sixth largest island of Japan in area following the four main …
Sado City Hall
Sado gold mine
Kuninaka Plain near Niibo
Image: Myosenji 5juno Tou 20100710
Paddy field [videos]
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing semiaquatic rice. Paddy cultivation should not be confused with cultivation of deepwater rice, which is grown in flooded conditions with water more than 50 cm deep for at least a month. Genetic evidence shows that all forms …
Paddy terraces in Kampung Naga, West Java, Indonesia
Human hand touching paddy grains
Paddy fields in Laos
A paddy field in Comilla, Bangladesh
Ramsar Convention [videos]
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was …
The Upper Navua Conservation Area Ramsar Site in Fiji
Sustainable fishing in India, an example of wise use.
Archipel Bolama-Bijagos Ramsar Site in Guinea-Bissau
Wadden Sea is a Transboundary Ramsar Site covering 13 Ramsar sites in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands
Tropical cyclone [videos]
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain. Depending on its location and strength, a tropical cyclone is referred to by …
Hurricane Isabel (2003) as seen from orbit during Expedition 7 of the International Space Station. The eye, eyewall, and surrounding rainbands, characteristics of tropical cyclones in the narrow sense, are clearly visible in this view from space.
Thunderstorm activity in the eyewall of Cyclone Bansi as seen from the International Space Station, on January 12, 2015
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Three tropical cyclones of the 2006 Pacific typhoon season at different stages of development. The weakest (left) demonstrates only the most basic circular shape. A stronger storm (top right) demonstrates spiral banding and increased centralization, while the strongest (lower right) has developed an eye.
Precipitation [videos]
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, graupel and hail. Precipitation occurs when a portion of the atmosphere becomes saturated with water vapor, so …
A thunderstorm with heavy precipitation
Late-summer rainstorm in Denmark
Lenticular cloud forming due to mountains over Wyoming
Snowflake viewed in an optical microscope
Niigata Prefecture [videos]
Niigata Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,285,856 and is the fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area at 12,582 km2. Niigata Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture and …
Niigata Prefecture in winter from the sky
Ten-Ken cliff of Oya-Shirazu, Niigata
Reconstruction of a 19th-century peasant farmer's house and rice paddy at the Northern Culture Museum, Niigata
Agano River [videos]
The Agano River is a river in the Hokuriku region of Honshu, Japan. It is also called the Aga River or the Ōkawa River in Fukushima. — The source of the river is Mount Arakai on the border of Fukushima and Tochigi. It flows to the north and meets the Nippashi River from Lake …
Agano River, 5/5/2007
Agano River near Kitakata
Agano River in Aga town
Foehn wind [videos]
A föhn or foehn is a type of dry, warm, down-slope wind that occurs in the lee of a mountain range. — It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of its moisture on windward slopes. As a …
Föhn can be initiated when deep low-pressure systems move into Europe, drawing moist Mediterranean air over the Alps.
Rotor cloud revealing overturning and turbulence above the lee slopes of the Antarctic Peninsula during a westerly foehn event.
The causes of the foehn effect in the lee of mountains. Adapted from .
Population density [videos]
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume; it is a quantity of type number density. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and most of the time to humans. It is a key geographical term. In simple terms …
Monaco in Southern Europe, currently holds the record for being the most densely populated nation in the world.
Mongolia is the least densely populated country in the world.
Toki Messe [videos]
Toki Messe is a multi-purpose international convention center in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The center was opened on May 1, 2003, and contains a hotel, restaurants, an art museum, conference rooms, and the offices of several international organizations. — Since 2004, Toki …
Bandaijima Building of Toki Messe
Denka Big Swan Stadium [videos]
The Denka Big Swan Stadium, also nicknamed the Big Swan, is a multi-purpose stadium in Niigata City, Japan. It is the home ground of J2 League club Albirex Niigata and was one of the 20 stadia used in the 2002 FIFA World Cup …
Image: Bigswan 080628
Metropolitan area [videos]
A metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as a metro area or commuter belt, is a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. — A metro area usually comprises multiple jurisdictions and …
Satellite imagery showing the New York metropolitan area at night. Long Island extends to the east of the central core of Manhattan.
Romanization of Japanese [videos]
The romanization of Japanese is the use of Latin script to write the Japanese language. This method of writing is sometimes referred to in Japanese as rōmaji (. There are several different romanization systems. The three main ones are Hepburn …
Old sign from the JNR era at Toyooka Station shows inconsistent romanization. Although in principle Hepburn is used, Kokuhu is the kunrei-shiki form (which would be Kokufu in Hepburn).
Cities of Japan [videos]
A city is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as towns and villages, with the difference that they are not a component of districts. Like other contemporary administrative units, they are defined by the Local Autonomy Law …
Cities of Japan
Free economic zone [videos]
Free economic zones, free economic territories or free zones are a class of special economic zone designated by the trade and commerce administrations of various countries. The term is used to designate areas in which companies are taxed very lightly or not at all to …
Geographic locations of the Free Economic Zones as of 2012
Meiji Restoration [videos]
The Meiji Restoration, also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Reform, or Renewal, was an event that restored practical imperial rule to the Empire of Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ruling Emperors before the Meiji Restoration, the events restored …
Image: Meiji Joukyou
Eishō (Muromachi period) [videos]
Eishō was a Japanese era name after Bunki and before Daiei. The period spanned the years from February 1504 through August 1521. The reigning emperor was Go-Kashiwabara-tennō. — Change of era — 1504 Eishō gannen: The era name was changed to mark the …
Image: Shoso in
Furumachi (Niigata) [videos]
Furumachi, literally meaning "Old Town", is the name of a central business district in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The district is centered on Furumachi-dori street and extends north to Honcho-dori street and south to Nishibori-dori street. Furumachi is located north of …
Furumachi-dori Shopping Mall, Niigata City
East Asian rainy season [videos]
The East Asian rainy season, commonly called the plum rain, is caused by precipitation along a persistent stationary front known as the Mei-Yu front for nearly two months during …
Plum rain 梅雨 falling on two clear umbrellas, looking up toward the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, in June 2009.
Relative humidity [videos]
Relative humidity is the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor to the equilibrium vapor pressure of water at a given temperature. Relative humidity depends on temperature and the pressure of the system of interest. The same amount of water vapor results in higher relative humidity in …
Image: Cloud forest mount kinabalu
Sunshine duration [videos]
Sunshine duration or sunshine hours is a climatological indicator, measuring duration of sunshine in given period for a given location on Earth, typically expressed as an averaged value over several years. It is a general indicator of cloudiness of a location, and thus …
Campbell–Stokes recorder measures sunshine
Claire Danes [videos]
Claire Catherine Danes is an American actress. She is the recipient of three Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2012, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk …
Danes at the 2015 PaleyFest
Danes in Toronto, for a MuchOnDemand promotion of Stardust, 2007
Danes at the 2012 Time 100
John Slattery [videos]
John M. Slattery Jr. is an American actor and director known for his role as Roger Sterling in the AMC drama series Mad Men. — Slattery's other acting credits include the role of Howard Stark in cameo appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Iron Man 2, Ant-Man, and …
Slattery in 2008
Ferrari 340 [videos]
See also the 340 F1, a Formula One racer, and 340 America, a GT car — The Ferrari 340 Mexico was a Ferrari race car. It used 4.1 L Lampredi V12 engine producing around 280bhp. Just 4 were made in 1952, 3 Vignale Berlinettas and 1 Vignale Spyder; all designed by Giovanni Michelotti.The Ferrari 340 MM …
Ferrari 340 MM

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Audio on Ubuntu Linux Azure VM I have been trying to install alsa (using a simple sudo apt-get install alsa alsa-tools) in a Linux Virtual Machine on Azure (Ubuntu 18 LTS) but I'm having this error:
Loading new oem-audio-hda-daily-0.201808050301~ubuntu18.04.1 DKMS files...
First Installation: checking all kernels...
Building only for 4.15.0-1037-azure
Building for architecture x86_64
Building initial module for 4.15.0-1037-azure
ERROR: Cannot create report: [Errno 17] File exists: '/var/crash/oem-audio-hda-daily-dkms.0.crash'
Error!  Build of snd-hda-codec-idt.ko failed for: 4.15.0-1037-azure (x86_64)

After going around I'm not sure it is definitely a blocker because how the VM on Azure is created (Building initial module for 4.15.0-1037-azure) or  it is because I should use a different source or repo, or even a different approach

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
4BR Hall of Fame
No.19: Rowland Jones
Tim Mutum looks back on the life and career of a musician who made his mark as a world class performer in both the brass band and operatic worlds.
19: Rowland Jones (1912 – 1978)
To gain fame in one field of musical endeavour is an achievement in itself – but to secure acclaim in two is the reserve of performers borne of a rare and very special talent.
One such was Rowland Jones – a Welshman whose innate musicianship blessed both the brass band and operatic worlds.
Born in 1912, Enoch Rowland Jones hailed from the small south-west Wales village of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen.
Coal was its economic driving force; the village perched between seven or so anthracite pits in the district - a strong, Welsh speaking community from which emerged a remarkable brass band that still competes today.
In the 1920's they were the pre-eminent band in Wales; first appearing at the National Finals at Crystal Palace in 1911 and claiming top-six finishes at the September British Open from 1921 to 1924.
Musical family
The Jones family was a musical one; strongly committed to the local chapel and eisteddfod, with Rowland (who had two sisters) encouraged to join the Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen Silver Band by his uncle, Dan Lloyd, the conductor.
Learning through imitation rather than tuition highlighted his natural affinity with pitch and phrasing (something that marked his operatic performances in later years), his timbre on euphonium strong, lyrical and confident.
His father was also aware that a working life underground cursed by the damaging inhalation of coal dust would be detrimental to his further development and managed to secure him employment as a colliery engine driver.
Soon his reputation grew and was noted in banding fields far from the south Wales valleys – especially at Crystal Palace, where he made his debut with Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen in 1925. Although they did not feature in the prizes, the 'northern' scouts were well-aware of his individual excellence.
Prised away
One of them was the legendary Arthur O. Pearce of Black Dyke. In March 1934, with the mining industry suffering in the teeth of recession, Pearce trekked deep into Wales to prise the rising euphonium star away to Queensbury.
Not a man easily impressed, Pearce found Rowland to be a remarkable 'natural' musician of confident poise and engaging humility.
The audition was a formality and he became the Black Dyke Mill 'gasman' – a job that entailed visiting all the mill houses owned by the John Foster company.
Rowland Jones was part of the Black Dyke Band that won the 1935 British Open
With his welcoming demeanour, ready smile and strong sense of community, he became an immensely popular figure in the local Queensbury area, taking his time on his rounds by reciprocating kind gestures of cups of tea by singing popular songs to elderly tenants.
So too with the band.
Following his customary solo spot in a concert Pearce allowed him to sing his encore – well known ballads such as 'The English Rose' by German and Gheel's, 'For You Alone'.
Suited to perfection
When Black Dyke played at Reading in July 1937, the correspondent of 'The Reading Standard' noted his 'pleasant tenor voice', which 'was suited to perfection by the songs 'Smilin' Through' and 'Brown Bird'.
A year later A.B. Austin, of the national 'Daily Herald' heard Black Dyke in Hyde Park in London, where he noted that a member of the audience called, "Old Mr Halliwell" had risen to his feet, "pressed his bowler hat firmly on his head and clapped loudly, roused by the performance by a gas inspector singing 'Macushla'."
Interestingly, just a week earlier Black Dyke had appeared in Derby conducted by a certain William Halliwell, due to illness to A.O. Pearce. Was the bowler hatted 'fan' the same person you wonder?
If he was, then he wasn't alone – for the Welshman was heard almost on a weekly basis on radio broadcasts (and especially later during the War years with Bickershaw Colliery).
However, if concert performances of note were commonplace, major contest success was rather more elusive for Black Dyke during Rowland's tenure as solo euphonium. Up against the formidable Foden's at Crystal Palace the solitary triumph came at Belle Vue in 1935 on 'Northern Rhapsody'.
In the same year Rowland also took to the contest stage at the Bingley Music Festival where he was placed second in the 'Operatic Solo Class'.
Bickershaw Colliery
He stayed with Black Dyke until March 1939 – prised back to the mining industry by the offer from the ambitious Bickershaw Colliery Band in Wigan, and in part by the protected war footing status of the employment and the additional money for playing in the band.
Under the twin forces of Managing Director Lt Col Ernest Hart and conductor William Haydock Bickershaw enjoyed a short, intensive period of success.
Rowland was given work in the pay office, staying eight years during which time he combined banding with Home Guard duties, entertaining troops in concerts and taking singing lessons with the operatic tenor Thomas Burke, who was himself a former cornet player.
Rowland Jones was a member of three British Open winning performances with Bickershaw Colliery
In a neat twist of coincidence, Rowland Jones went on to make his name in the role of Rodolfo in 'La Boheme' – one that Burke had made his name with just after the First World War.
The Bickershaw years gave not only security but success – the band winning the British Open in 1940, 1943 and 1946 – the latter on 'Salute to Freedom' by Eric Ball, which was to be the crowning glory of his euphonium career.
With the composer's foreword to the score stating: "Quietly, wistfully, even with misgiving Man steps upward to claim his hard won freedom", Rowland opened with such lyrical beauty that the title was won almost on his shoulders.
It was a wonderful swan-song (although there was an encore to come). Perhaps he knew as much too.
Professional debut
In July 1946 he had auditioned for a position at Sadler's Wells Opera Company and made his professional debut later the same year as 'Turrido' in Mascagni's 'Cavalleria Rusticana'.
In 1947 he made his last competitive appearance at the Open (Bickershaw came fifth) as something as personal thank-you to Ernest Hart.
Nationalisation soon brought the reality of 'colliery banding' into a new light. Retainers ended and so did the band. Hart committed suicide in 1950.
By then his operatic career was established (although he ensured he supplemented his income by owning a sweet shop); his rich, tender voice, impeccable phrasing and clear enunciation ideal for roles such as Jenik in Smetana's 'Bartered Bride' and Lensky in 'Yevgeny Onegin', whilst his sleekly brylcreamed hair and dark eyes gave an intensity of character that he played to the full - from Lt Pinkerton in 'Madam Butterfly' to John Styx in 'Opheus in the Underworld'.
The autograph of the Welsh star is still sought after today by opera fans
In 1951 his reputation was enhanced playing Boris in the UK premiere of Janacek's 'Kat'a Kabanova' and he soon became a popular household name on radio and television in programmes such as 'Come to the Opera' alongside Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, 'Those Wonderful Shows' with Dora Bryan and Peter Graves and in solo recital performances with pianist Ernest Lush.
He also appeared in that year's Promenade Concert series from the Royal Albert Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Banding link
And whilst as a principal artist at Sadler's Wells he sang with many of the greatest names in the operatic world such as Joan Sutherland, Janet Baker, Geraint Evans and Owen Brannigan (the latter in a 1958 programme produced for the BBC by Geoffrey Brand), he did not completely lose his connection to the banding world.
In 1948 he performed with Munn & Felton's on a radio broadcast, as well as the National Brass Band of Wales at the 1957 National Eisteddfod and CWS (Manchester) in 1958.
It perhaps says something of the regard he was held that he also appeared in a special broadcast in November 1948 marking the 200th radio broadcast of Black Dyke Mills Band – conducted by the man who brought him to Queensbury, A.O. Pearce.
Rowland Jones continued to perform with brass bands - including Black Dyke on their 200th radio broadcast
Even years later he was drawn back: His friend Geoffrey Whitham once persuading him to sing in a concert with Hammonds Sauce Band – the friendly agreement also seeing the two great players (long since retired) pick up borrowed euphoniums for a performance of Drigo's 'Serenade'.
Rowland Jones left Sadler's Wells after 12 years and went on to perform at Covent Garden – his role as Alfred in 'Die Fledermaus' gaining widespread critical as well as popular acclaim – subtly refined and characterised even in comic effect.
In 1969 he sang at the Investiture Ceremony of The Prince of Wales at Caernarvon Castle – an event broadcast across the globe and he returned to his homeland on numerous occasions to perform.
All the while it was said that he kept his old mouthpiece in his pocket just in case he fancied a return to his banding roots if the chance arose.
He is fondly remembered as part of the comedy show 'Welsh Rarebit' and as part of St David Day celebration events alongside The Goons of Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan to broadcasts with Male Voice and Children's Choirs.
Debt of gratitude
Rowland Jones wore his musical celebrity with ease and never forgot the debt of gratitude he owed to others – notably his parents and those who encouraged his talent. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Roseann who he met in a pub in 1941 and married the same year. They had two children.
In later years he worked on a freelance basis – choosing roles carefully, yet still enabling him to maintain a high profile with the public. He also taught and mentored at the Guildhall School of Music.
Rowland Jones performed at the 1969 Investiture at Caernavon Castle
One of his last performances in was in 1976 in the oratorio 'Elijah' performed close to his boyhood home for the Brynaman Old Age Pensioners - just two years before his death from cancer.
Warm tributes
Rowland Jones, a wonderful musician who graced both the brass band and operatic worlds with his talent, died aged 66 on 28th August 1978. He was buried in Old Carmel Cemetery in his home village of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen.
An LP recording made in the early 1970s
And whilst his passing elicited warm tributes in the operatic and choral worlds (there is a prize awarded in his name at the National Eisteddfod), it was not particularly noted in the banding press.
A week later came one small entry in British Bandsman followed by a single letter from the euphonium player Barrie Perrins who said: "His beautiful tone, lyrical style and overall artistry were qualities I will remember – they exemplified brass playing at its very best."
Those who heard him would not have disagreed.
Tim Mutum
With thanks to noted references to research and articles by Chris Helme and Trevor Herbert
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https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2019/1832.asp
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