aWa life
Fate Took us to

Tokushima (Part 2)

January 2024

New Year’s Greetingfrom TOPIA

Tokushima Culture& Reading Corner:
徳島県立図書館
Things to do when in Japanas a Ryuugakusei

# 398

1

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

明けましておめでとうございます！ Happy New Year!
How did everyone spend their holiday break? Hopefully you were able to getsome rest and enjoy yourself before the start of the new year.
In the Chinese zodiac, this is the year of the dragon ( 辰年 in Japanese). If you
went to a temple or shrine for your first visit of the year, you may have noticed
dragon-themed items. Many New Years cards ( 年 賀 状 ) also feature them thisyear!
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:
Seiji Miyoshi, Philippe levy, Claide Kinneth A. Saludar, Mako Kobayashi, and Michi Mori

Contents

Pg. 2-3: New Year’s Greeting from TOPIA2

Pg. 3-5: Fate Took us to Tokushima (Part 2)
Pg. 5-6: Things to do when in Japan as a Ryuugakusei
Pg. 7:

Japanese Lesson

Pg. 8:

Tokushima Culture and Reading Corner: 徳島県立図書館

Pg. 8-9: Events and Memoranda
New Year’s Greeting from TOPIA
By: Seiji Miyoshi, Chief Director

H

appy NewYear.

I hope thateveryone is ingood health as
we welcome in
the New Year.
In April oflast year,
the National
I n s t i t u t eof Population and Social Security Researchannounced their population projection, reporting
that, “foreign residents would make up 10% of the
population by 2070”. In November, a government
panel of experts compiled their final report for their“consideration of changes to the foreign technicalintern trainee system”. Finally, due to the weakyen, inbound tourism saw rapid recovery, making
for a year where foreigners were very much in the
spotlight.
Additionally, as of the end of June of last year, thenumber of foreign residents in Japan reached arecord high at 3.2 million people. Of this number,
7,343 foreigners reside in Tokushima, making up
more than 1% of the population. By nationality,
Vietnam has the highest number, followed by
China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and South
Korea. By residence status, technical interntrainees are the highest number, followed bypermanent residents and then “specified skilledworkers” who have obtained some kind of special
skill.
In order to build an inclusive society where thosefrom different countries can acknowledge theirdifferences and achieve mutual understanding,
TOPIA provides a multilingual consultation service
so that foreign residents can live with peace ofmind. Additionally, we hold Japanese classes
to help support students so they can learn tocommunicate, hold the “Japanese Speech Contest
for Foreign Residents” and the “International
Understanding Forum”, spread disaster
preparation awareness, plan “Arasowaren” whichallows for exchange through the Awa Odori, havea system to introduce volunteer interpreters, andmany other projects.
Additionally, the “Tokushima International
Strategies Center” serves as a base for receiving
and providing information to foreigners, as well as
providing information services to foreign travelers
who visit Tokushima and to those who live in thearea.
As we enter the new year, Tokushima will makestrides to further present itself as a stage forinternational exchange and cooperation, where
people and goods come and go, in preparation
for the Osaka Kansai Expo that will open in
April of 2025. TOPIA plans to take this chance
to make Tokushima a more comfortable place

3

New Year’s Greeting from TOPIA

for foreigners to live, and to share the wonder ofTokushima to many people around the world. We
will work to further increase the significance of ourpresence as a flag bearer for internationalizationin Tokushima, and strive to work hand-in-handwith the prefecture, municipalities, and privateorganizations.

In closing, I would like to wish everyone aprosperous New Year, and I ask for yourcontinued support and understanding for TOPIA
this year as well.
Thank you.

Fate Took us to Tokushima (Part 2)
By: Philippe levyWe enjoyed Matsuyama a lot, visited thecastle and the town, bought a few things,
but deep down we wanted to get back to thatdream of following Kukai’s footsteps. So, taking abus from Matsuyama to Tokushima, the prefecture
home to the first pilgrimage temples, made total
sense to us.
The next morning, Max first wanted to makeanother dream come true, that is to buy a
traditional Japanese costume. We googled it andwere pleasantly surprised to find that the Kinuya
store next door was selling the traditional piecesof clothing he was desperately looking for.
“Kinu” is the nickname given
to me by my relatives. It wascertainly another sign! Andwe were so right to follow this
divine message, because
Max found the kimono of
his dreams, and all the staff
were at our beck and call tomake us happy. That day, we
lived Tokushima’s version of
excellent service for the firsttime. That was outstanding!
Then we decided to start the pilgrimage. Our
timing was tight, and of course it was impossible
to do the whole thing. But in a Shikoku guidebook,
we read that doing the first 10 temples wasa pilgrimage in itself already. That is what we
decided to do: walking from the first to the tenthtemple.
So, we booked a hotel at Tokushima’s station,and from there it was easy to take the train or bus

to the first temple,
then walk fromthere. In Bandôwe entered a
new world. Timeseemed to havestopped. Max
bought his pilgrim outfit as a first step forward.
Then we set off on our walk through thesewonderful landscapes, with the mountains in the
background, under rain and sun.
With a few unexpected surprises though! At first,
I must admit we were very scared of the spiders,which seemed gigantic to us, as compared tothose we have here! What’s more, they were justeverywhere, and you could not walk 10 meters
without seeing tens of them. But by the secondday, we had forgotten all about them. They had
become part of our journey. After all, if local
people left them all around, what harm would they
do to us?
The second surprise was to come across thesearmies of monkeys. I was terrified! Max wasnot. I knew that monkeys could be potentially
dangerous. What is more, I had read a sign the
day before, advising people not to look themin the eye, not to feed them, etc… So, I nearly
fainted when I saw an enormous one just to myleft in a sudachi tree. I screamed, “Don’t look left
max, don’t look!”. So, we changed our way oftravelling a bit and walked along the road insteadof taking shortcuts through woods and fields.
As for the temples, I knew a little about the rituals,
but not being Buddhists, we made ritual mistakes.
Very kindly, the staff at the 4th temple explainedFate Took us to Tokushima (Part 2)
what we had todo, and we did not
make any more
mistakes after
that, apart frommispronouncing
the Heart Sutra’s
words, trying to decode furigana. But trust me, we
tried our best and will do better next time.
Every day brought its share of adventuresand encounters. Often, we were offered fresh
drinks, which was a blessing under this burning
September sun! Japan being Japan, fresh drinks
machines were just everywhere, even in the
middle of nowhere. What an amazing place totravel!
When the adventure started, basically we had no
idea we would be going on this pilgrimage, andwe certainly did not have the proper shoes. After
20 kilometers, our feet were bleeding, covered
with blisters, but we had our hearts set on visiting
and honoring the first 10 temples, and despite
the pain, we persevered, buoyed by the beautyof nature and that strange feeling of freedom andpeace you get in Tokushima, more than anywhere
else in Japan.
Every evening, we
would return to thestation. We had
our habits there:
devouring machatea churros,
enjoying delicious
sushi, discovering restaurants under the station,
where dishes flavored with sudachi fruits awaitedus, as well as ramen soups, etc. And why not
konbini food after all? (Dare I say it, we evenenjoyed our dinners at Mc Donalds.)
There was a Tokushima soccer team T-shirt
displayed at the station, and Max wanted it. Not
knowing where to buy it, we entered the building
and by chance - or destiny - pushed open the
doors of TOPIA. We shamefully asked the people
there to help us find the T-shirt, as well as a

4

store that could sell us Jizo San statues. Whata surprise to see that all the staff stopped what
they were doing to try and find the answers to ourquestions. I knew from experience that service isalways excellent in Japan, but here we felt thatthese ladies were genuinely happy to help us,
which really moved us.
Kobayashi San and her colleagues found us
the address of a store that could sell the T-shirt,
and offered toget back to us bye-mail about the
Jizo statues. Thevery next day, we
received an e-mailfrom Kobayashi
San informing us that unfortunately they had not
found a store for the Jizo, but she wanted to offer
us three wonderful little statues that we could
pick up the following morning. What exceptional
kindness! We accepted the gift wholeheartedly,
and believe me, we will treasure these three
lovely statuettes forever.
After the 10th temple, it was time to go home.
We had reached our budget limit and time wasrunning out, I had to go back to work. We wereheartbroken. We took a bus to Kobe, then the
Shinkansen to Tokyo, then the subway to Ueno,
and finally a train to Narita. We arrived exhausted
at the airport. Above all, we clearly felt the change
in energy between Tokushima and the rest of thecountry.
Tokushima is unique, and the sense of peace
this prefecture
brings was afirst for both ofus, and a feeling
we shall neverforget. We havebrought someof that peace
home, along with lots of photos to remind us of
the breathtaking sceneries and incredible people
we met. Every weekend, I take a brush to try andwrite the kanjis of the Heart Sutra. This brings me5back to Tokushima, in heart. I hope Max will try as
well.
We have a few regrets, of course. And that is agood thing, because it allows us to set new goals
for the future: we haven’t tasted Shikoku’s mikan
juice yet, and there are still plenty of restaurants
and places yet to discover in Tokushima. It is now
decided that one day we will finish our pilgrimage
and visit the rest of this beautiful island. We will
start again in Tokushima, of course. Back to ourroots.

Fate Took us to Tokushima (Part 2)
Thanks to Topia for its exceptional welcome
and the limitless kindness of its staff, from thebottom of our heart. And thanks a lot to Max,
who sponsored the whole trip and allowed me
to discover a Japan I had never visited! Pleaseforgive any mistake I must have made in English,
as this is not my native language.
羯諦 羯諦 波羅羯諦 波羅僧羯諦 菩提 薩婆訶 般
若 心経
With love,
Max and his uncle Kinu (Philippe).”Things to do when in Japan as a Ryuugakusei (Foreign Student)
By: Claide Kinneth A. Saludar/ Naruto University of EducationAs Japan opens its country to the world as
it embraces internationalization of higher
education where international, intercultural, andglobal dimensions are integrated into the thrustsof a university, a lot of scholarship grants andopportunities for study in Japan are up for grabs.
And if you make it to the cut of this much-covetedchance, there is more to life in Japan than justyour academic pursuits. Here are some things
you can do besides working on your research,
completing the course, and/or earning that
degree.
1. Attend FREE Japanese classes
To live in Japan for more than a year means
having to live like a Japanese. This includes
conversing with the locals in your daily activities
such as grocery shopping, asking for directions,making friends, and filing government paperwork,
among other things. This means that speaking
the Japanese language is inevitable. As such, it
is essential to learn the language and improveits use through time. Your university might beoffering Japanese courses that you can take ororganizations might be arranging free classes
that you can attend. Grab these opportunities.
Who knows, at the end of your studies, you mightalso earn a Japanese-Language Proficiency Test
(JLPT) Certification alongside your diploma.
2. Make friends, and build and expand yournetwork

Since a lot of foreign students now attend
university for post-graduate studies, it is an
opportune time to establish connections aroundthe world. Your classmates might be working for
institutions in their countries that might be alignedwith your interests or professional aspirations. The
networks you can create might come in handy foryour future pursuits.
3. Take part in cultural events
Japan and its people
can be very generous
in providing cultural
immersion to its vast listof cultures and traditions.
While others may offer it
for a fee, the experienceis all worthwhile. These
cultural experiences canhelp you understandbetter how the past can
influence the present and define a nation’s future.
4. Volunteer in English conversation activities
with elementary and high school students
The university where you are in may be attached
to an elementary or a high school in providing
technical assistance. Among these needs are
giving opportunities to Japanese learners toconverse with other people in English. As ascholar who passed the rigorous and tediousscreening process for a scholarship, including

Things to do when in Japan as a Ryuugakusei (Foreign Student)
proficiency in
the English
Language, you
can be of big
help in improving
J a p a n e s elearners’ ability to
speak the language. Apportion some of your timeto these English conversation activities. You will
surely enjoy the company of these learners whilefeeling the fulfillment the experience can give you.
5. Enjoy local activities/festivities
As vast as Japan’s geography is its vast arrayof local festivities. Each prefecture or city might
have its local activities or festivities at a certainof the year. Take this chance to witness and evenparticipate in these merriments that are surely forthe books.
6. Travel to other cities in JapanAs previously mentioned, Japan is a country withmany prefectures. From the county’s northernhemisphere to its southern hemisphere, different
experiences await you on your visit. But for a start,
a visit to the common and more popular places
can be a priority. Your visit to bustling Tokyo andOsaka might offer a different experience when
visiting the more laid-back area of Tokushima or amore culturally immersive Kyoto or nature-friendly
Nara. But other areas of Japan will absolutely
provide you with unique experiences.
7. Travel to nearby countries and regions
Japan’s proximity to other countries and regions
can also provide you with an opportunity to travel
to South Korea, China, Taiwan, etc. But for morebudget-friendly travel, Japan’s close distance toSoutheast Asia makes it convenient to travel tocountries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand,or Singapore. A trip to these nearby countries
can be a good way to spend your long season
breaks, especially in the summer. Just remember
to ask permission from your supervisor and youruniversity.
8. Do a Part-time Job
When you have a student visa that allows you to

6work part-time jobs, grab this chance to engage inwork not just to earn extra money but also to enjoy
connecting with others in the workplace. This canalso be an avenue for you to hone your Japanese
speaking skills and your interpersonal skills ingeneral. Part-time jobs may also be a great way
to veer away from the stressful academic rigors.
9. Find a community
As a foreigner, being away from your family fromback home can haveits own ramifications.
But finding a second
family away fromhome can be ofgreat help as yougo through life ina foreign country.
Oftentimes, these groups can be found inchurches. People from other nations also tend toseek solace in these places. Find some time tosearch for these communities. It just takes one
simple “hello” for these communities to welcome
you with open arms.
10. Provide emotional support to otherryuugakusei
Like the previous item, other foreign students arealso in need of emotional support. Who is thebest person to understand other ryuugakusei but
a fellow foreign student? As such, your being a
support system will be greatly appreciated. Who
knows, this might just be the start of a deep andprofound friendship that may last even after yourstudies in Japan.
Studying in Japan is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity. As such, it is but essential to makethe most out of your stay in this beautiful country.
Claide Kinneth A. Saludar is a Senior HighSchool teacher from the Philippines who is ateacher training scholar of MEXT Japan and who
is currently completing his training for Global
Education Course (English Education) at Naruto
University of Education under the supervision ofProf. Suzanne Kamata.

7Japanese Lesson

By: Michi Mori「～てしまいます/ました」
There are three ways to use「～てしまいます/ました」. First, is a feeling of relief after）
completing something one had to do. （完 了 /Completion）（完 了 「～てしまいました」
かんりょう

かんりょう

The second is having a strong desire to finish something that is not yet finished. （未来 完 了

み ら い かんりょう/Future Completion）（未来 完 了 「～てしまいます」）
み ら い かんりょう（残念「～てしまいま
The last expresses feelings of failure of difficulty. （残念/Unfortunate）
ざんねん

ざんねん

した」
）. It is formed like so:「動詞のて形＋しまいます/ました」
ど うしLet’s take a look at this conversation.
あ した

か いぎ

つか

しりょう

A：明日の会議で使う資料は、もうできましたか。
B：すみませんまだです。
きょ うじゅうつく

今日中にパソコンで作ってしまいますから、大丈夫です。
つぎ

ひ

次の日
しりょう

A：資料はできましたか。
き の う ぜ ん ぶ つく

B：はい、昨日全部作ってしまいました。
か いぎ

いんさつ

A：そうですか。会議までに印刷しておいて下さい。
いま

いんさつ

B：今、印刷します。
ま ちがけ

あ、すみません！間違って消してしまいました。
It looks like B-san is in trouble. His first 「作ってしまいます」is 未来 完 了 /Futureつくみ ら い かんりょう

Completion, and the next day’s 「作ってしまいました」is 完 了 /Completion. Finally, his
つく

かんりょう

「消してしまいました」expresses his unfortunate circumstances. Although both unfortunate
けevents and completion use the same「てしまいました」structure, it is important to look at
the context.
Practice Problems
Decide whether the following「～てしまいます/ました」represents 完 了 /Completion, 未来
かんりょう

み らい

完 了 /Future Completion, or 残念/Unfortunate.

かんりょう

ざんねん

あたら

ふく

でんしゃ

い ねむ

あ した

だ

ざんねん

（例） 新 しい服にコーヒーをこぼしてしまいました。
かばん

（残念）

わす

① 電車で居眠りをしていて、 鞄 を忘れてしまいました。
しゅくだい

ぜ んぶ

② 明日、出さなければいけない宿 題 は全部やってしまいました。

）

（

）

かえ

A さん：もう遅いですから帰りませんか。
か いぎ

しりょう

つく

さき

かえ

B さん：会議の資料を作ってしまいますから先に帰ってください。

（）

Answers: ①（残念）②（完了）③（未来完了）

③

おそ

（

Tokushima Culture and Reading Corner: 徳島県立図書館
By: Mako Kobayashi
ほんみなさんは、本を

よ

す

読むことが

好きですか。本がほんとくしまけんりつ と しょかんとくしまけんぶん かすい

そうごうこうえん

なか

に

かこ

ひとびと

いこ

囲まれた

人々の

憩いの場所

もり

そうごうこうえんなか

知っている場所か

とくしまえき総合公園」の中にあり、徳島駅からバスなどでとしょかん

びじゅつかん

はくぶつかん中には、図書館だけではなく、美術館やばしょ

か よ う びば しょ

好きな人は、もしかしたらもしれません。徳島県立図書館は、「徳島県文化の森
行くことができます。総合公園の

ひと

8

博物館も

しぜん

あり、 自然したとして親しまれています。

げつようび

きゅうかん

月曜日は

休館で、火曜日～金曜日は 9:30 ～ 19:00、土曜日・日曜日・祝日は、9:30 ～ 17:00 は
としょかん

きんようび

なか

ど よ う びほんいています。図書館の中には、本

いがいとくしまけん

にちようび

しゅくじつ

かん

以外にも、徳島県に

ひら

しりょう

関する

開

とくしまけん

あらゆる資料、徳島県にゆかり

ちょさくぶつのある人たちの
もちろん

著作物が

たくさん

そろっています。

とくしまけんないす

徳 島県内に住 んでいたら、 誰 でも

だれ

ひとり

りることが

できます。 1 人につき
ほん

が

できます。

かえ

本 を返 すとくしまけんりつとしょかん

ぜひ 徳島県立図書館に
Vocabulary Listとしょかんびじゅつかん

はくぶつかん

ごうけい

じゅっさつ

か

10 冊まで

借りること

きかん

まも

期 間を

守 って、 たくさんの本 をしぜんNature

自然
かこ

囲まれる
いこ

い

Museum

博物館

借

ほん

よ

読

しら

くだ

行ってみて下さいね。

Art Museum

美術館

か

無 料で

徳 島県について、調 べたいことがあれば、

Library

図書館

むりょう

本は

合計

とくしまけん

んでみましょう。そして

ほん

Surrounded By

した

親しまれる
きゅうかん

休館
いがい

以外
ゆかりのある
かん

関する

ばしょ

憩いの場所 Relaxing Place

そろっている

Known/Enjoyed As

ちょさくぶつ

著作物
むりょう

Closed

無料
かOther Than

借りる

Connection To

ごうけい

合計
きかん

Related To

期間
まもGathered

守る

Works
Free
Borrow
Total
Due-Date
Abide By/Follow

Events & Memoranda
Performing Arts Festival
芸能祭

Member groups of the Tokushima City Cultural
Association will perform ningyo joruri puppet
theater, nagauta, ballet, folk dances, and more.

徳島市文化協会加盟団体による人形浄瑠璃・長唄・

When: February 4th (Sun.)
Doors Open: 11:00 Starts: 11:30
First Part: Chorus, Ballet, Folk Dance,
Ningyo Joruri, Awa Hula
Second Part: Nagauta, Ginei, Biwa, Yokyoku,
Minyo Folk Songs, Joruri,
Folk Songs, Hauta, Japanese Dance
Where: Awagin Hall (Aibahama-cho 2 Chome 14,
Tokushima City)
Fee: 800 Yen
Inquiries: Tokushima City Cultural Association
Secretariat
TEL: 088-626-0408
URL: https://www.civic-center.jp/bunka_kyokai/

日時： 2 月 4 日（日）バレエ・民踊などの発表を行います。

開場：11:00[1 部 ]

開演：11:30

合唱、バレエ、民踊、人形浄瑠璃、阿波フラ[2 部 ]

長唄、吟詠、琵琶、謡曲、民謡、浄瑠璃、
俗曲・端唄、日本舞踊

場所：

あわぎんホール（徳島市藍場町 2 丁目 14）

料金：800 円
お問い合わせ：徳島市文化協会事務局
TEL: 088-626-0408
URL: https://www.civic-center.jp/bunka_kyokai/

9Events & Memoranda

16th Shogo Kariyazaki Flower Arrangement Exhibition in Udatsu~Towards the Future Together with Tradtion~
第 16 回 華道家 假屋崎省吾 うだつをいける ～伝統と共に未来へ～

The “Flower Arrangement Exhibition in Udatsu” 「うだつをいける」は、今回で 16 回目の開催。歴will be held for the 16th time. This beautiful 史ある景観が残るうだつの町並みを舞台に、華道
and colorful exhibit spun by Shogo Kariyazaki 家・假屋崎省吾が美を紡ぐ美しく華やかな華道展
will feature the historical scenery of the Udatsu「うだつをいける」。シンビジウムや大谷焼など、
Townscape as its backdrop. Enjoy a battle of徳島が誇る美の競演をご堪能ください。
beauty between cymbidiums, otaniyaki pottery,and other prized Tokushima elements.
日時：1 月 21 日（日）～ 3 月 3 日（日）9：00 ～ 17：00（最終入館 16：30）
When: January 21st (Sun.) – March 3rd (Sun.)
9:00 - 17:00 (Last Entrance: 16:30)
場所：美馬市 脇町うだつの町並み
Where: Udatsu Townscape, Mima City 吉田家住宅・あんみつ館・オデオン座
Yoshida House, Anmitsukan, Odeonza
お問い合わせ：美馬観光ビューロー
Inquiries: Mima Tourism Bureau
TEL：0883-53-8599
TEL: 0883-53-8599
美馬市観光交流課
Mima City Tourism & Exchange Division
TEL: 0883-52-5610
TEL: 0883-52-5610
URL: https://www.awanavi.jp/archives/event/1550 URL: https://www.awanavi.jp/archives/event/1550

Nishi Awa Experience Program Event: Awa Koiにし阿波体験プログラムイベント あわこい

“Awa Koi” is an event designed to allow visitors 「あわこい」とは、にし阿波が持つ自然、
歴史、文化、
to experience the local wonders of Nishi Awa’s 伝統芸能や食といった地域の魅力に触れる体験イ
nature, history, culture, traditional arts, and food.
ベントです。旬のにし阿波を体感する多彩なプロ
Experience the season of Nishi Awa through avariety of programs, and enjoy a fruitful time in グラムを体験し、にし阿波での濃い時間をご堪能
Nishi Awa. Please refer to the official website for ください。公式ホームページをチェックしてプロ
more information about specific programs. ♪
グラムの詳細をご確認ください♪
When: January 20th (Sat.) – March 17th (Sun.)
Where: Mima City, Miyoshi City, Tsurugi Town,
Higashi Miyoshi Town
Inquiries: Awa Koi Secretariat(Within Sora no Sato)
TEL: 0883-87-8988
URL: https://nishi-awa.jp/awakoi/

日時：1 月 20 日（土）～ 3 月 17 日（日）場所： 美馬市

三好市

つるぎ町

東みよし町

お問い合わせ：あわこい事務局（そらの郷内）
TEL: 0883-87-8988
URL: https://nishi-awa.jp/awakoi/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)