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Those who were wondering where the winter snow had gone had their fears answered in full measure at the beginning of the month, when a heavy blanket of snow was deposited over the prefecture. Hiroshima City received seven centimetres of snow and temperatures dropped to minus 3.8。C. The northern parts of the prefecture received much more snow and much lower temperatures.
The heavy snow reduced traffic to a crawl and wrought havoc with public transportation networks. Trains at JR Furuichi-bashi Station on the Kabe Line were stuck at the station for an hour during the morning rush hour because of frozen points and this led to delays and cancellations. In contrast with cancelled trains, the expressways remained open to drivers with snow tyres and chains. However, traffic on the Sanyo Expressway came to a halt around 1. 30 pm on February 3, when a limousine bus bound for Hiroshima Bus Centre was hit by two heavy trucks. The bus had stopped at the end of a line of congested traffic and one truck ran into the back. Another truck, about to overtake this truck, also managed to collide with the bus, which as a result was pushed into the vehicles in front. Since nothing could move, the passengers remained on board for six more hours, with the engine not running and the heating turned off, until they were transferred to other vehicles. This accident was one of 39 occurring between February 2nd and 3rd due to the heavy snow.
The current economic problems do not seem to affecting the convenience stores in the Chugoku region. In the past year the eight major companies operating in the region have opened a total of 81 new stores. Setting the pace is Seven-Eleven Japan, which since March 1998 has added 23 new stores and now runs a total of 407. Coming close behind are Lawson and Poplar, with 369 and 368 stores, respectively. Lawson has opened 20 new stores and Poplar 21. The latter company is based in Hiroshima and is making strenuous efforts to meet the competitive threat posed by the other two Tokyo-based companies.
Some local junior high schools are giving their pupils a novel experience. Rather than sitting at their desks, the pupils are learning about the world of commerce from behind the counter.
On January 26, Joyama Junior High School sent 140 of its second-year pupils to 34 local enterprises, including supermarkets, cleaning shops and kindergartens, for several hours of hands-on experience.
Chinese Hidden Treasures What: A major exhibition of rediscovered Chinese art treasures, seen for the first time outside China. The treasures form part of the Emperors' Treasure, which were moved to the south of the country from around 1934 onwards to escape advancing armies and which subsequently disappeared. When: February 24 - March 21. Where: Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum (adjacent to the Shukkeien) Admission: Adults: \1,200; Students: \1,000; Elem. & Jnr. High Sch. Pupils: \500. (Reductions for parties & advance booking.) Opening Hours: 10 am - 6 pm. Information: Tel. (082) 222-1133.
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「アイスマンがやって来た」
今月の初めに県下一面が厚い雪で覆われ、冬の雪はどこへ行ってしまったのだろうと不思議に思っていた人たちには、ずいぶん恐ろしい「お答え」が返ってきた。広島市は７センチの積雪で、気温はマイナス３・８度まで下がった。県北部はさらに多くの積雪を記録し、厳しく冷え込んだ。
この大雪で道路はノロノロ運転に見舞われ、公共交通機関も大混乱した。ＪＲ可部線の古市橋駅では、線路上のポイントが凍結したため、朝のラッシュアワーで１時間も列車が立ち往生。遅れや運休が続出した。列車が運休したのとは対照的に、高速道路ではスノータイヤやチェーンを装着した車が走行していた。ところが、２月３日の午後１時３０分ごろ、山陽自動車道で広島バスセンター行きのリムジンバスに２台の大型トラックが衝突し、通行止めになってしまった。渋滞の最後尾にいたバスに、１台のトラックが後ろから追突。そのトラックを避けようとした別のトラックもバスにぶつかり、さらにバスは前の乗用車などにぶつかった。バスは身動きがとれなくなり、乗客は別の乗り物に乗り換えるまで、エンジンが故障して暖房が入らないままの車中に６時間も取り残されることとなった。この事故は、大雪の降った２月２日から３日までの間に中国地方の高速道で起きた、３９件の交通事故のうちのひとつである。
「もっともっとコンビニ？」
このごろの不況も、中国地方のコンビニエンスストアには影響を与えていないようだ。大手８社は、過去１年で新たに８１店のコンビニエンスストアを中国地方に出店した。もっとも早いペースで開店しているのはセブンイレブンで、１９９８年３月以降、２３店を新規出店し、計４０７店を経営している。次に続くのはローソンとポプラで、それぞれ３６９店と３６８店を経営している。ローソンは新たに２０店、ポプラは２１店を新規出店した。ポプラは広島を拠点とする会社で、東京に本社がある他の２社に負けないよう、精力的な取り組みを見せている。
「お仕事の世界」
ある地元の中学校では、生徒に新しい経験をさせている。ただ机に座っているのではなく、生徒が売り場に出て、直接商売の世界を学ぶというものだ。
城山中学校は１月２６日に中２の生徒１４０人を、スーパーマーケット、クリーニング店や幼稚園といった３４の地元事業所へ送り出し、数時間の体験学習を実施した。