Lecture at Tohoku Conference 2016

I went to Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture on the weekend for a lecture. That Iwaki with “Spa Resort Hawaiians”, is famous from the movie “Hula Girl”. However, I did not go just to enjoy Spa Resort Hawaiians.

Visited Iwaki for the first time because I was invited as a lecturer to the Tohoku Conference of the Chemical Society of Japan (2016). (Details of program). Apparently, this society seems to be the largest chemical society in the Tohoku region operated by multiple Tohoku academic societies (500-600 people participate). This time, I was not talking about research, but as a representative of the chemical portal site “Chem-Station” that I manage and operate. It’s so big that it is considered as a special lecture. Actually, I have been invited for 2-3 times as Chem-station representative.

There are no Shinkansen trains to Iwaki City so I use the limited express from Ueno for 2 hours. The limited express felt very comfortable, but only one hour was not punctual.

特急「ひたち」の車両内。新幹線よりきれい。

I arrived at Iwaki City, Iwata Station which is unexpectedly big. In fact, this city has a large area with the largest population in Fukushima Prefecture. Recently, it seems that it has become the first place for people involved in earthquake treatment and nuclear power plants and it seems very busy at night. Certainly there were quite a lot of bars. There is a social gathering the day before and I participated at night only. At this point, the slide has not been completed yet (bitter smile)

: 海が見えてきた。ちょっとした旅行気分

: いわき駅到着

: 立派ないわき駅

It was nice to talk to teachers and students who had never been there at a social gathering. “Hula Girl” from Spa Resort Hawaiians was held as a side show I even went to a second gathering party together with the executive committee members and the chairman, Professor Nao Yamamoto. I drank a lot of sake from Fukushima and went to bed and then get up at 3 o’clock to make my presentation. Finally, around 10 o’clock, I went to the venue, Iwaki Meisei University. Iwaki Meisei University is quite far and took 20-minute taxi ride from the station. It is such a beautiful university. Before entering, I had lunch and attend the lecture. Usually, very few people will attend the last special lecture but it seems that there are quite a lot of people. I am not sure if it is a Chem-station effect but I talk as much as I want.

: 綺麗な大学

: 開始前。会場は結構広い

: 開始

I felt the trip home was a little longer because I went home at night. I’m glad I was able to go there. Thank you very much to the executive committee chairman, Aoyagi (Fukushima National College of Technology), the Tohoku branch of the Chemical Society of Japan (Tohoku University), the members of the executive committee and branch, and the teachers of Iwaki Meisei University. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you. The next conference might be held at Iwata University.