Japanese competitive eater and singer Moeno Azuki has been invited to be the Tourism Bureau’s food ambassador for the Summer Solstice 235.
The bureau launched the tourism campaign four years ago as a way to promote Taiwanese food that can be found along the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N), such as aiyu jelly (愛玉) and cactus ice cream.
Azuki, the latest champion of a popular Japanese competitive eating TV show — which also featured renowned hot dog eater Takeru Kobayashi — is to be introduced to Taiwanese summer specialties in the “Taiwan Fun on the Tropic of Cancer” campaign.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The bureau, which is hoping to turn Taiwan’s location on the Tropic of Cancer into a magnet that draws tourists, said that Azuki would join local gourmets in sampling summer cuisine and have her experiences filmed for a TV program.
Tourism Bureau Deputy Director-General Wayne Liu (劉喜臨) said that the campaign would not only let Taiwan be seen around the world, but it would also create a characteristic that represents the nation.
Asked why Azuki was invited to be the food ambassador, Liu said that Japanese tourists are the most impressed by the food they eat in Taiwan, particularly food consumed by ordinary people.
“After careful consideration, we decided to work with the Japanese television program and invited Azuki to taste the food in Taiwan. We hope that what she sees and hears about Taiwanese food can be seen in Japan and other Asian nations,” Liu said.
The campaign highlighting food available along the Tropic of Cancer created tourism revenue that topped NT$2 billion (US$62.5 million) last year, Liu said.
The bureau also plans to hold a picnic day in September in a campaign to promote the concept of energy conservation.
Azuki said that she has visited Taiwan four times, adding that her favorite Taiwanese dish is rice with braised pork (滷肉飯).
The dish is so tasty she can eat 100 bowls of it, she said.
Commenting on her latest visit, Azuki said that she would take on the challenge of eating as many bawan (肉圓) — a popular Taiwanese street food featuring disk-shaped dough filled with pork and bamboo shoots — as she can. Bawan is generally served with a sweet and sour sauce.
Despite her reputation as a big eater, Azuki is petite. She said that singing and dancing helps her burn a lot of calories.
For the campaign, the Tourism Bureau is also working with Taiwanese girl band MerMer, who have written a theme song that has attracted more than 300,000 views online.
Other events in the energy conservation campaign include a music festival in Alishan and a baseball carnival in Chiayi County.
Additional reporting by CNA
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS