aWa life

October 2023

Welcome Messages!

Cruise Ship from China to
Tokushima

Gairaigo Galore:
メルヘン
Introducing Mt. Suzugamine

# 395

1

Awa Life is a Monthly Publication of the Tokushima
Prefectural International Exchange Association

The season of autumn leaves has arrived and it's finally time to say goodbye to those sweaty nights ofsummer in Tokushima. The time has come to finally do those outdoor activities you have been putting
off because of the heat. No more excuses: go and enjoy the many beautiful views that Tokushima has
to offer! If you need some inspiration, make sure to check out the article about Mt. Suzugamine fromour friends in Kaiyo.
Even if you’re not the outdoors type, you can still look forward to Halloween. Enjoy some candy or findthe perfect costume!
For all of those who like writing, please feel free to submit an article to us at any point in time aboutbasically anything. There are a few limitations though, such as you can’t write about religion, politics,
commercial activities or businesses or anything that we deem inappropriate. But, other than that, we
would be more than happy to receive articles about anything and everything including but not limited
to concerts, lectures, other events, culture, sports, community group information or anything cool that’s
happening in your local community.
We highly appreciate all of your articles and we love reading them. So if that writing bug of yours isbuzzing about, grab a pen or a computer and write and send away! Please send all submissions to ouremail:

awalife@gmail.com

Your editors,
Sydney and Rasmus

Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA)
1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi, Tokushima City 770-0831 JAPAN, Clement Plaza 6F
Tel: 088-656-3303 Fax: 088-652-0616
http://www.topia.ne.jp/
Download a PDF file of awa life or view the online version by going to TOPIA's website!

Editors:
Sydney Bartig and Rasmus Burgmer
Contributors This Month:
Luo Xinxin, Tony Lu, Yukari Nagata and Fusa Tamaki

Contents

Pg. 2-4: Cruise Ship from China to Tokushima2

Pg. 4:

Welcome Messages!

Pg. 5:

Introducing Mt. SuzugaminePg. 6:

Tokushima Culture and Reading Corner: かかしの里

Pg. 6:

Gairaigo Galore: メルヘン

Pg. 7:

Japanese Lesson

Pg. 8-9: Events and Memoranda
Cruise Ship from China to Tokushima
By: Luo XinxinOn July 18th, China’s luxury cruise ship the“China Merchants Eden” departed from
Shanghai and then stopped at Nagasaki, Hakata,
Hiroshima, Osaka, Shimizu, Nagoya, etc. before
arriving at the Tokushima Komatsushima Port on
the morning of July 28th. The China Merchants
Eden was the first cruise ship from China that
Tokushima has accepted in more than 3 years,
and Tokushima’s mascot character “Sudachi-kun”
along with Komatsushima’s mascot character“Komapon” came to welcome the ship.

Cruise Ship: China Merchants Eden
This cruise ship is China’s first Chinese-registeredsmall-sized luxury cruise ship. The itinerary
included not only popular, large cities such as
Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya, etc., but also lesserknown locations such as Tokushima and Kochi.
Passengers were able to get a taste of not only
the flourishing large cities, but also the laid-backlife of smaller
locations,making for a tripthat was both
fulfilling andrelaxing.
The cruise ship
is approximately
230 meters inlength, 28.8
meters in width,
48,000 tons, andcan hold up to
930 passengers.
There werea p p r o x i m a te l y
650 passengers
riding this time.
The cruise shipfeatures 465
cabins completewith balconies,
and every cornerof the ship’s
interior featuresa m o d e r n
Scandinavian
style.
On board are 7

A restaurant inside the ship.

Swimming pool inside the ship.

3

Cruise Ship from China to Tokushimarestaurants with cuisines from around the world,such as China, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, andNorthern Europe. There is also a gym, sauna,outdoor/indoor swimming pools, a theater, movie
theater, and more. More than 400 pieces of art arealso display. In the cruise industry, this represents
the idea of “small yet beautiful”.

Odori Kaikan, the Naruto Whirlpools, and Oboke/
Koboke Gorge. There were also passengers who
were interested in trying Tokushima’s famous
foods, such as Awa Beef, Awa Odori Chicken, andlocal Awa fish dishes. They visited the tourism
booth that was set up at the Komatsushima Port
to ask their questions.

Munch artwork inside the ship.

Booths providing services to passengers at the
Komatsushima Port.

W h e n t h e
cruise arrived at
Komatsushima
Port, a welcome
ceremony washeld inside theship, and thecaptain wasgiven a flower
bouquet andother gifts fromofficials of theprefecture andKomatsushima
Presenting the captain with a C i t y . O n c e
gift.
the welcome
ceremony was over, the passengers disembarked
from the ship and took photogr aphs w i t h
To k u s h i m a ’ s m a s c o t ‘ S u d a c h i - k u n ’ a n d
Komatsushima’s mascot ‘Komapon’.

From 5 PM an Awa Odori performance was held,
and many passengers watched and took picturesand videos. The Awa Odori performers for thatday were some of the cream of the crop. After the
performance, an instructor showed everyone how
to dance the men’s and women’s dance. Finally,
the passengers joined the performers to dance
the Awa Odori, and the port become extremely
lively.

Afterwards, passengers were free to make theirown itineraries or to participate in tours offeredinsde the ship. For most passengers, it was
their first time in Tokushima, so they were very
interested in sightseeing spots such as the Awa

Awa Odori performance at the Komatsushima
Port.
Some of the passengers commented about how
they were able to get a feel for Tokushima’s

4

Cruise Ship from China to Tokushimacustoms thanks to this cruise. Some were thinkingof visiting Tokushima again and participating in
the Awa Odori.
After the Awa Odori dance sendoff, the cruise
departed from Komatsushima Port at 8 PM on
the 28th and made its way towards its next stop –Kochi.

Passengers dancing the Awa Odori.

Welcome Messages!
Rasmus Burgmer,
Coordinator for International Relations
Hello everyone, nice to meet you! My nameis Rasmus, and I am the new coordinator forinternational relations (CIR) for Tokushima
Prefecture. I am from Berlin in Germany, andI am currently 26 years old. Before coming toTokushima, I was studying area studies at the
Humboldt University in Berlin while working parttime as a translator at a ramen restaurant. During
my studies, I was also able to take part in a oneyear student exchange programme which sentme to Tokai University in Kanagawa, where I wasable to study Japanese intensively. It also allowed
me to get first-hand experience in international
relations inspiring me to pursue a career in thatfield.
As the German CIR for the prefecture, myresponsibilities lie mainly in strengthening therelations between Germany and Japan. Therefore,
I was particularly happy about my placement inTokushima as the German state called LowerSaxony has a long-lasting partnership withthe prefecture, resulting in lots of interestingexchange projects taking place each year. These
projects include a variety of fields, such as sports,
education and handcrafts where delegations fromJapan and Germany visit each other to exchange
knowledge and ideas. I am really looking
forward to playing my part in deepening thesepartnerships during my time here.
Furthermore, I am now also one of the prefecturaladvisers and will
be working closelywith other foreigners
living in Tokushima,assisting them with any
difficulties that mightoccur. I am also joining
Sydney as an editor for
Awa Life, so you will
be hearing a lot fromme in the future.
When I'm not at work,
I would very much like to explore all areas of theprefecture, especially the mountainous regions
as I really enjoy hiking. Also, music and all kindsof sports are a big passion of mine, so I am
excited to see what Tokushima has to offer in thatregard. Life in my hometown is very different tolife in Tokushima, and it will take me some timeto getting used to, but since everyone I have methere has been really kind and supportive, I am
confident that it will feel like home very soon.
I hope that through my work here I cancontribute to Tokushima becoming a diverse andwelcoming place for residents and visitors from all
backgrounds while inspiring people to take partin cultural exchange and positively influence theirlocal communities.
Special thanks to all my wonderful colleagues
who have been helping me settle in so effortlessly.
Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!

5I

t’s fall now in Tokushima Prefecture, and withmost of the hot steamy weather out of the way,it’s a great time to go hiking! Down south here in
Kaiyo, we have Mt. Suzugamine in the southerly
Shishikui area. A couple of members of the Global
Kaiyo team, including myself, went there last year,
and had a great time!

Global Kaiyo Team at Mt. Suzugamine
There’s a parking area connected directly to thehiking trail, which is where we parked and started
our hike through the forest and up the mountain.
During our hike, we noticed a lot of bowl and tile
fragments, and hints of civilization scattered along
the trail. That’s because there used to be a temple
on this mountain, called “Entsuuji”, which you can
see the ruins of near the peak.

Yakkoso plant growing on tree roots
We also managed to spot Yakkoso, a rare
parasitic plant that grows from the roots of trees.

Introducing Mt. Suzugamine
By: Tony Lu

We went during mid-November, which is when
they usually grow. Mt. Suzugamine is actually oneof the northernmost places that you can find them,and some people come here just to find them!
After about 2 hours of hiking up the steady trail,
we made it to the top and were treated to thisamazing view! Great, right?

View from Mt. Suzugamine peak
Although I’m not an avid hiker myself, I quite
enjoyed seeing the remnants of the temple
scattered along the trail. Whether you’re
into the historical aspect or quirky stuff like
Yakkoso, there’s something for everyone at Mt.
Suzugamine!

Remember to check out Global Kaiyo's page formore great information about Kaiyo!

Tokushima Culture & Reading Corner:
By: Yukari Nagata 					のう さ ぎょう せい

だ

あつ

天空の村
名頃かかしの里

6

い ど ばたかい ぎ

農作業に精を出したり、みんなで集まって井戸端会議をしたり・・・。
おお

ひと

にぎ

み

かれ

ひと

多くの人で賑わっているように見えますが、彼らは「人」ではなく、「かかし」です。
とくしまけんひがし いやな ごろ ちく

たい い じょう徳島県 東 祖谷の名頃地区には、いたるところに 300 体以上のかかし
ちく

じん こう やく

にん

おお

かず

がいます。この地 区 の人 口 約 20 人 より、とても多 い数 です。かか
さと

ひ とり

じょ せい

はたけ

まも

とう

に

しの里は、一人の女性がカラスから畑を守るために、お父さんに似
つく

いま

むら

たかかしを作ったことがはじまりのようです。今では「かかしの村」
ゆうめい

せ かいじゅう

かんこうきゃく おととして有名になり、世界中から観光客が訪ずれるようになりました。
ひと

ま ちが

あい さつ

ひと

おお

みな

人と間違って、かかしに挨拶をする人も多いようです。皆さんがこ
い

とき

ま ちが

あ

こに行く時は間違えないように、たくさんのかかしたちに会うのをたの楽しんでください。
Vocabulary List
てん く うSky

天空
せ かいじゅう

世界中の う さ ぎょう

農作業
せい

だ

Worldwide
Farm Work

精を出す Work Hard

いど ばた かい ぎ

井戸端会議
ま ちが

間違う
さと

里
にぎ

Idle Gossip

いたるところ Everywhere

Make a Mistake

かかし

Scarecrow

カラス

Crow

Village

賑わう

To Be Crowded

メルヘン Märchen (Fairytale)
By: Rasmus Burgmer

Gairaigo Galore

ゆ う めい有名

FamousI'm sure that you are all familiar with famous fairytales like “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Cinderella”,
but did you know that these fairytales originated from Germany? The German “Märchen” were infact stories that have been passed down from generation to generation through oral tradition, until
they were collected and written down by the Grimm-Brothers, allowing them to be translated andspread beyond Germany. That is how they eventually got to Japan, where the stories soon became
immensely popular. The Grimm Brothers method of collecting fairytales has also been adapted by
Japanese folklorists leading to the first collections of Japanese folklore.
Once you know that, it is no surprise that the Japanese word for fairytale " メ ル ヘ ン " has been
adapted from the German language too. Besides メルヘン , there are other Japanese words thattranslate into fairytale and are maybe even more frequently used. The gairaigo does, however,
imply a more fantastical nature, with the expression " メ ル ヘ ン チ ッ ク " being used to describe
things or people that appear to be out of this world.
Japanese adaptations and interpretations of German “Märchen” tend to
get the underlying darkness of the source material much more accurately
than most other countries do, which oftentimes turn them into happy, family
friendly stories when in fact a lot of them are dark and brutal. So if you eversee the word “ メルヘン ” in a book store, take a look! You might just find an
adaptation that is really accurate to the German original.

7Japanese Lesson

By: Fusa Tamaki

コロケーション (Collocations)
Everyone, do you know what collocations (コロケーション) are? Collocations describe words thatきtend to go together as a set. For example,「シャツを着る･･･はく/かぶる」, 「ズボンをはく…着る/
ぼう しかぶる」,「帽子をかぶる･･･着る/はく」, and so on. If you only knew the words instead of the set, you
would not be able to properly use them, right? Depending on the word, you either have a lot ofcollocations or just a few. In this month and next month’s issues I will introduce you to some!
し ごと★ Words that come together as a set with「仕事」:
まい にち

ご ぜん

じ

ご

ご

じ

し ごと

１．毎日、午前10時から午後3時まで仕事 をします。Every day I work from 10 AM to 3 PM.
し ごとい

２．あしたは、仕事 があるので行けません。I have work tomorrow, so I cannot go.
しゅうかん

し ごと

やす

３．コロナで、1 週 間、仕事 を休みました。I had to take a week off work because I caught COVID.
ざっ し

し ごと

さが

４．雑誌で、仕事 を探しました。I searched for a job in a magazine.
し ごと

５．インターネットで
めんせつ

う

み

仕事 が見つかりました。I found a job on the internet.

し ごと

き

６．面接を受けて、仕事 が決まりました。I had an interview and got the job.
む すこ

さい

はじ

し ごと

つ

７．息子は、40歳になって初めて仕事 に就きました。My son got his first job when he was 40.
かいしゃ★ Words that come together as a set with「会社」:
がつ

わか

しゃいん

かいしゃ

はい

１．8月に、若い社員が会社 に入りました。In August, a young employee joined the company.
あに

かいしゃ

つと

２．兄はコンピューターの会社 に勤めています。My older brother is working at a computer company.
きょ ねん

とくしま

かいしゃ

はたら

３．去年から、徳島の会社 で 働 いています。
I have been working at a company in Tokushima since last year.
ねんはたら

かい しゃ

４．40年 働 いた会社 をやめました。I quit the company that I had worked for for 40 years.
かいしゃ

５．コロナのせいで、会社 がつぶれました。The company went bankrupt because of COVID.
あたま

いた

かい しゃ

やす

７． 頭 が痛くて、会社 を休みました。I had a headache, so I took a day off from work.
【Test】Choose the correct word.（Or the option that fits best.）
おっと

かい しゃ

こ

う

おとこ

ひと

し ごと

やす

１． 夫 の会社は子どもが産まれたら、 男 の人も仕事を（休めます やめます）
せん げつ

かい しゃ

み

し ごと

２．先月、会社が（つぶれて 見つかって）仕事がなくなりました。
あたら

し ごと

はたら

き

。
３．やっと 新 しい仕事が（ 働 けます 決まりました）
いま

かい しゃ

ねん

はたら

つと

らい げつ

おも

４．今の会社に 10年（ 働 いた 勤めた）が、来月でやめようと思う。
がっ こう

きょう し

し ごと

５．学校で 教 師の仕事を（しています
し ごと

つ

つと

かい しゃ

はい

はたら

働 いています）
。
まい にち

たの

６．この仕事に（就いて 勤めて）から、毎日が楽しいです。
がつ

あたら

つ

。
4月に 新 しい会社に（入った 就いた）

答え：１.休めます
やす

２.つぶれて３.決まりました
き

４.勤めた
つと

５.しています

６.就いて
つ

７.

参考文献：
『日本語コロケーション』くろしお出版

７.入った
はい

Events & Memoranda

8

Ozato Hachiman Shrine Autumn Festival 2023
大里八幡神社秋祭り 2023
In this festival, 2 sekibune which are large
portable boat-shaped shrines, and 5 danjiri(portable wooden shrines) are pulled along theroad by large groups of people, starting fromsurrounding neighborhoods in the Kainan and
Kaifu areas, and at last, finishing at the Ozato
Hachiman Shrine. On the evening before thefestival, a fireworks display is set off near the
Kaifu River.

砂煙あげて駆け抜ける勇壮な７台の関船やダンジ

When:October 14th (Sat): Evening Fireworks show
October 15th (Sun): Festival Ceremony*Event dates and times may change, so pleaserefer to the website for the latest information.

10 月 15 日 ( 日 ) 大里八幡神社秋祭り

Where: Ozato Matsubara,
Ozato Hachiman Shrine area
Inquiries: Kaiyo Town Tourism Association
TEL: 0884-76-3050
URL: https://www.kaiyo-kankou.jp/en/event/ozato-hachiman-shrine-autumn-festival-recruitingwoman-danjiri/

リ。鉦や太鼓の音に心浮き立つ伝統の秋祭り。前夜には、海部川河川敷で花火大会も行われます。

日時：
10 月 14 日 ( 土 ) 奉納花火

※開催日時は変更になる場合がございますので、最新情報はホームページでご確認ください。
場所：海陽町大里松原大里八幡神社周辺
問い合わせ：海陽町観光協会
TEL: 0884-76-3050
URL: https://www.kaiyo-kankou.jp/event/
event-1039/

What even is Halloween?
ハロウィーンって何？
How much do you really know about Halloween?
Come learn about the different ways Halloween
is celebrated in America! Practice simple English
with locals while enjoying a fun trivia game,
pumpkin painting and Halloween crafts.
When: October 27th
Where: TIA: 88 Shukuracho,
1-Chome 770-0855
Fee: 300 Yen
Reservations: By October 20th
(Capacity 20 people)
TEL: 088-622-6066
Email: info@tia81.com
URL: http://www.tia81.com/index_eng.html

みなさん、HALLOWEEN( ハロウィーン ) って本当はどんなものか知っていますか？私の母国、アメリカでどのようにハロィンをお祝いしているかな
ど、簡単な英語を交えて学びながら、一緒にハロウィーンを楽しみませんか。
日時 :10 月 27 日（金）
午後７時～午後 8 時 30 分
場所：徳島市国際交流協会
徳島市新蔵町 1 丁目 88 番地
参加費：300 円
申し込み：10 月 20 日（金）まで （先着 20 名）
TEL：088-622-6066
E-mail：info@tia81.com
URL: http://www.tia81.com/index_eng.html

9

Events & Memoranda
Bus Tour: Enjoy the Culture of Tokushima
徳島の文化にふれるバスの旅

Let’s try out aizome indigo dying and watch
traditional puppet theater!
Dye your own aizome indigo handkerchief that isyours to take home.
Afterwards, enjoy a 2-hour long ningyo joruri
puppet performance commemorating the 10th
anniversary of Heiseiza's registration as a
UNESCO Future Heritage group. Enjoy the highly
technical and unique facial expressions andmovements of the puppets. Do your best andpractice your Japanese skills as well!
When: November 26th
8:50 AM - 4 PM
Number of Spots: Approximately 30
Food: Please bring your own lunch and drinks.
There are no stores nearby.
Fee: 500 Yen (Paid on day of event)◆ Applications:- Apply via email, phone, or Google Forms.
- First-come-first-served basis- Please include your name, nationality, age as ofNovember 26th, and contact information (phoneor email).
TOPIA
Email: coordinator2@topia.ne.jp
Phone: 088-656-3303

藍染め体験と人形浄瑠璃の観賞をしましょう
藍染めで持って帰れるハンカチを染めます。
その後、平成座ユネスコ未来遺産登録 10 周年記
念公を観賞します。
人形浄瑠璃の観賞は、約２時間です。人形の顔の変化や人形の動きを楽しんでください。 また、がんばって日本語も聞いてみましょう！
＊日時：11 月 26 日
8:50 ～ 16:00＊定員：約 30 人
＊昼ごはん : 飲み物・弁当を自分で持ってきてください。
近くに店はありません。
＊参加費： 500 円 ( 当日集めます )◆申し込み＊電話かメ－ル、GoogleForms でしてください。
＊先着順です。
＊参加する人の名前・国・11 月 26 日の年齢・連絡先（電話かメ－ルアドレス）が必要です
徳島県国際交流協会
TOPIA
メール：coordinator2@topia.ne.jp
電話：088-656-3303

Google Forms
Application<------

Counselling Service at TOPIA・トピアの相談窓口
TOPIA provides consultation on everyday life, education, labor, medical institutions, and disasterprevention; and information on sightseeing spots to overseas residents and visitors. When necessary,
we will refer you to the appropriate organization that can assist with your needs.Counselling is available
in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese. Please note that although every effort will be made,we may not be able to deal with all cases.
Japanese, English, Chinese: Everyday, 10:00 - 18:00 (closed during the New Year's holidays)
Vietnamese: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, 10:00 - 14:00
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, 10:00 - 18:00 (closed during the New Year's holidays)