awa life
A monthly newsletter for international residents of Tokushima, produced
by TOPIA, the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association.

taking shelter in shikokua"TOPPY"
October 2004 No. 172
by matt lindsay

from Okame-iwa hut, Mt. Tenguzuka beckons

ccommodation in Japan can be pricey
but it need not always be. Escape theurban sprawl and free lodging known as
yama-goya (mountain huts) can befound in Japan’s lofty peaks.
Located at or near the summit of mountains,
many yama-goyas are constructed of woodto blend in with the natural surroundings likethe stereotypical image of a mountain hut, thelog cabin. Others borrow a European flavour
and resemble alpine lodges. While somepurists may argue that such accommodation
contradicts the notion of the great outdoors,
preferring to camp or bivouac and sleep under
the stars. However, should weather conditions
become unfavorable, a yama-goya will seema godsend to even the harshest critic.
For most ordinary mortals though, a yamagoya is a welcome sight, usually signifying
an accomplishment - a peak reached or a
day’s hiking completed. Once you’ve made it

you can relax, unload your pack, soak up theatmosphere and taste the fresh mountain air(once you’ve got your breath back) and enjoy
the kind of unspoiled panoramic views you’dusually have to pay extra for at a hotel.
Tokushima prefecture has a variety of yamagoya summit accommodation available, muchof it in the spectacular and historic Iya Valley
area. Larger huts called hyutte (the German
equivalent of hut) or sansō (mountain retreat)
are open from the end of April to the beginningof November. They’re ideal if you have children
or don’t have camping gear and would liketo spend a night at a summit. There are also
basic huts comprising of little more than a floor,
four walls and a roof known as hinan-goya(emergency shelter) that are free to stay in andare open year round.
Here's a selection of huts you might like tovisit:

mountain huts... con't on page 8

contents
taking shelter in shikoku - 1, 8 ... otsuka fc - 3
locks of love - 4 ... blood types - 5
sumo babies - 6 ... tastes of awa: sushi part 2 - 7
mutsumi matsuri festival - 9 ... japanese in the news - 10
japanese lesson - 11 ... memoranda - 12~15
tv movie guide - 15 ... cinema guide - 16from the editorsw

elcome to another thrill-packed editionof Awa Life! There's lots of information this month about things going onaround the prefecture - now that theweather is cooling down, it seems like everyone
is raring to get out and about. Take a look at
Greg Aurit's romantic piece about a little-known
Awa legend on page 4, or Martin O'Brien's
breakdown of the Kaifu Sumo Baby phenomenon on page 6. Things have been going well at
TOPIA lately - soon we'll have a new digital library system with barcodes and Library of Congress numbers on the spines of books! Soon, it
will be easy to find out if TOPIA has the book
you are looking for, and even easier to find iton the shelf! Look for more information about
the library revamp and the fabulous volunteers
behind the project in next month's Awa Life.
Love, Claire

awa life

is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA)

Editors:
Claire Kinder
Martin O'Brien
Contributors This Month:
Greg Aurit, Hitoshi Chono, Junko Kimura,Matt Lindsey, Claire Kinder,
Martin O'Brien, and Don Weissawa life welcomes announcements, articles,

opinions, letters, art and photographs. Please
send contributions to the editors at TOPIA. You
can also write (or call in!) for a free subscription.

having been out and about somewhat
since coming to Tokushima, I am now
qualified to write the occasional article for this esteemed publication. This
month I took a look at Tokushima`s soccer
team Otsuka F.C. Hopefully this article alongwith the 10 tickets we are giving away willencourage foreign residents to get out andsupport what is the only really professional
sporting organization in the prefecture. It is
likely that they will be promoted so make sure
you get in there and offer your support before
everyone else. On a more cultured note I recently had the opportunity to meet some of the
Kamiyama artists in residence featured in lastmonths Awa Life. Hopefully the new artists willfind Tokushima as welcoming as I have andproduce interesting works of art that we canfeature in Awa Life.
Peace, Martin

Tokushima Prefectural International
Exchange Association (TOPIA)
Clement Plaza 6F.
1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi
Tokushima City 770-0831 JAPAN
T: 088.656.3303
F: 088.652.0616
topia@fm.nmt.ne.jp
www.tk2.nmt.ne.jp/~topia/
Download a PDF file of awa life or view the online version by going to TOPIA's website!
English Information on FM Tokushima:"Talk Up Tokushima" Thursdays @ 9:15am
Tokushima City 80.7 Ikeda 82.3
Anan 78.4
Hiwasa 77.7

otsuka fc shoots for the topsince the formation of
the J-league in 1993
and the subsequent cohosting of the worldcup in 2002, the popularity ofsoccer in Japan has enjoyed ameteoric rise. Tokushima Prefecture has not been immune
to the growing influence thatsoccer is playing in the sporting life of Japan. Tokushima’s team Otsuka F.C. (alsoknown as Vortis Tokushima)
has existed in various forms
since 1955. The team waspromoted to the JSL first division in 1989, and after theformation of the J.League
and JFL in 1993, Otsuka F.C
have remained in the middle
rankings of the JFL. This is
likely to change however due
to the amazing successes
they have achieved this season. Otsuka F.C are currently
at the top of the league after having won 18 games.
They have accumulated 57
points, 14 points ahead ofrivals Thespa Kusatsu from
Gunma prefecture.The team's
amazing drive for promotion to the J-league is dueto the increased funding andpromotional effort by both
corporations and Tokushima
prefectural government. The
island of Shikoku has no
J-league team, subsequently
there are many people within
Tokushima who are determined that Otsuka F.C. willbe the one. Promotion toJ2 is not a simple matterof league victory however.
There are various other criteria that must be fulfilled suchas the guaranteed use of a
stadium, affiliation to a home
town, support infrastructure
for youth teams and soundby martin o'brien

games in the coming months.
The four remaining home
games are:
- Oct. 2 (Sat)18:00 - vs. Sagawa Kyubin Tokyo SC- Oct. 31 (Sun)13:00 - vs.
ALO's Hokuriku- Nov. 28 (Sun) 13:00 - vs.
Ehime FC
- Dec. 5 (Sun) 13:00 - vs.
Yokogawa-Musashino FC

Mid-fielder Ryoji Yukutomo, shown here
scoring his first assist at the July 4 game
opposite Sagawa Insatsu SC

financial status. Whether or
not Otsuka F.C. will be promoted is as of yet undecided,
however their advancement
remains highly likely. Should
Otsuka F.C. advance to theJ2, supporting them will become an even more excitingprospect as they will be up
against professional teams
such as Consadole Sapporo and Yokohama FC. Thisshould make for some decent
soccer. Despite the formidable corporate and government support that Otsuka F.C.
enjoys, getting a large bodyof supporters to come togames has not always beeneasy. Tokushima Prefecture is
not really a soccer heartland
due to the popularity of HighSchool Baseball.
Although the season is coming to a close it is still possible to check out a few home

All of these games are heldin Naruto City at the Naruto
Athletic Field ( 鳴門総合運動公園陸上競技場 ). To get to thestadium from Tokushima Station take the Okazaki Beach( 岡崎海岸 ) bus to the Undo Koen
Guchi ( 運動公園口 ) bus stop.
After getting off it is a ten
minute walk to the stadium. To
get there from Naruto Station
take the Okazaki ( 岡 崎 ) or
Awazu( 粟津 ) Naruto City bus
to the Athletic Park ( 運動公園口 ) bus stop. Alternatively it ispossible to take the Shako ( 車庫 ) bus to the Athletic Field ( 運動公園前 ) bus stop. After getting off it is a one minute walkto the stadium.
Tickets for home games cost
700 yen for adults, and 300
yen for Elementary/JuniorHigh students. Tickets can bepurchased at branches of Alex
Sports, Sasakura Sports, MeikoSport and Aizuma Sports. Tickets can also be purchased at
Lawsons convenience stores.
As a special present to alert Awa Life
readers, we have 5 pairs of Otsuka
FC tickets to give away! Just write in
to TOPIA by e-mail or regular post
and request a pair. Winners will be
informed of their victory on Thursday, October 21, ten days before the
ALO's Hokuriku match. Good Luck!

the legend of lover's ridgejapanese people?
Romantic? I thought
Japanese people
didn’t show theiremotions!
Well, perhaps in public
Japanese people canseem a bit stiff. But anyone who has discussed“The Last Samurai” witha Japanese friend knowsthat Japanese culture ishighly fond of romance- especially if it has anelement of tragedy running
through it. If you still need tobe convinced, however, hop
in your car, take a trip up theAnabuki River, and look fora small shrine approximately
halfway between Anabuki town
and Koyadaira village. This
well-known shrine commemorates “Lover’s Ridge,” and isa famous place for couples togo and discreetly - but publicly- declare their love to eachother.
The legend of Lover’s Ridge
harks back nine centuries to
the Genpei wars between the
Genji and Heike clans. Following the pivotal battle at Yashima in Kagawa Prefecture, thedefeated Heike warriors fled
to the interior of Shikoku. According to the story written atLover’s Ridge a large group of
warriors escaped up the Anabuki River towards Mt. Tsurugi.
Desperately trying to keep up,
the women and children of
the fleeing Heike soldiers followed their men, but eventually
the path became too difficult.
Gradually the women gaveup the chase, until only one
Heike maiden dared to pursue
her men along the dangerous path. Finally, she cameto a treacherous pass that she

Lover's Locks

couldn’t cross, and she wasleft to stare longingly after
her love as he marched into
the mountains. The pass waspresumably too difficult forthe men to cross back overagain. In honor of this heartrending separation, the pass
was named “Tragic Love Pass.”
Thus it was to remain for the
next several hundred years.
For the eventual symbolic
reuniting of the lovers, we canthank the tenacity of the Japanese construction industry.
The road crews bored straight
into the side of the ridge, tunneling and bridging their way
to eventually to Koyadaira.
With one fell swoop not only
was Koyadaira village connected to the rest of the world,
but that day “Tragic Lover’s Pass” thereafter became“Love-come-true Pass.” Inhonor of the legend, the small
shrine was expanded and thearea was renamed “Lovers’
Ridge.” After the building of
the road, the pass became apilgrimage site among romantic young couples in Awa.
At one point it became tradition for the visiting couples
to bring a lock to attach to a
nearby fence. Today hundreds

by greg auritof locks adorn a nearby
fence built specificallyfor the lovers that visit
the shrine. There are
big locks, tiny luggage
locks, Kitty-chan bikelocks, and locks designed and painted specifically for placement
at the shrine.
Most
locks have a short message written on them;the messages - almost
all of which are written
in a thick Awa-ben - range
from the sweet (“I love you
so much, let’s get married after we graduate high school”etc.) to the tired (“It’s been along seven years…”), to thestrange (“I really like you. I
especially like your large, large
breasts”). But all of the messages are united by an understood desire to become partof the romantic story of love
lost and found again. Simple
as it is, to the young couplesof Tokushima fastening a lockthe shrine at Lover’s Pass canbe a touching ritual to sharewith your significant other.
Lover’s Ridge is approximately halfway between the Anabuki town office and Koyadaira village, along the438. Drive up the Anabuki River,past the Blue Villa Onsen complex
until you reach the beautiful open
valley of Miyauchi hamlet. Continue
on the road about five more minutes
until you reach a small tunnel cut
out of the mountain (the side of thetunnel that faces the river below is
only partially enclosed). Just on theother side of the tunnel, you’ll findthe shrine and fence on the side of
the road, against the mountain. If
you reach a red bridge, turn around- you’ve gone too far.

what's your blood type?

i

am sitting in a bar, worrying about my deadline. I
have to write an article before I get on a plane to theStates tomorrow. My friend
sitting next to me, who shallremain nameless, cajoled me
into writing the article now.
He has little faith I can get up
early, and for good reason.
So, blood types. In Japan, itmeans more than you would
think. Forget about picking up
the opposite sex with “what’s your sign?” You would bemuch better off with “what’s
your blood type?” Blood typeis supposed to be a window tosomeone’s personality. I’ve decided to poll the bar. The newest foreigner in Tokushima isa Brit who says he is O. Thatmeans he should be outgoing,energetic and social. Next tohim, the Australian guy justhas to be type AB blood; he’s
loud and agressive and keeps
looking at me in a strange andsuggestive way. Also I have
known him for a while; he istrustworthy and responsible.
Myself, I am a solid B. How do
I know? Maybe it’s because I’
m interested in anything, but
I find it all too easy to get distracted, bored and otherwise
occupied by the next thing. I
hardly complete anything! The
knitting I started 3 years ago,
for example, sits in a drawer
or somewhere in my room…
it’s almost done. In fact, thiswhole article’s getting a little
dull… maybe I’ll just go andsee what’s happening down at
the bar… I’ll finish it later.
Type A: Speaking broadly,
people with Type A Blood arecalm, composed, and serious.
They have a firm character,and are reliable and trustwor-

Monkeys have similar blood types tohumans, while dogs have 11 different
types, and cows have 800! Almost
everyone working at TOPIA is type 'B'

thy. They make plans deliberately, and plug away at thingssteadily. They try to makethemselves more like theirown ideal of what they shouldbe. A Types may look aloof or
distant to others. They try to
suppress their own emotions,and because they have continual practice in doing this, thismakes them appear strong.
But, actually, they have a fragile, nervous side as well.
Type B: People with Type B
blood are curious about everything. That’s may be good,
but they also tend to havetoo many interests and hobbies, and they tend to get all
excited about something suddenly and then later drop it
again just as quickly. But they
do manage to know which of
their many interests or loved
ones are the ones they should
hold on to. B Types tend to
excel in things rather than justbe average. But they tend tobe so involved in their own
world or become so carriedaway with something that theyby junko kimura

neglect other things. They havethe image of being bright andcheerful, full of energy andenthusiasm, but some people
think that they are really quite
different on the inside.
Type O: O people are said
to set the mood for a groupand to take on the role ofcreating harmony among its
members. Their image is oneof being peaceful and carefree. They are also thought
to be big-hearted, and theytend to spend money on others. O Types are generally“loved by all.” But, they also
have a stubborn and strongwilled side. They are easily
influenced by other people orby what they see on TV. They
seem to appear level-headed
and trustworthy, but they often slip and make big blunders
inadvertently. But that is also
the point that makes O Types
lovable.
Type AB: People with TypeAB Blood are said to have adelicate sensitivity. They are
considerate of other people’s feelings and deal with themwith care and caution. On theother hand, they are strict withthemselves and those close tothem. They seem to have two
personalities: one for those“outside”, and another for people on the “inside.” They often
become sentimental, and theytend to think too deeply about
things. AB types have a lot offriends, but they need time tobe alone as well.
Once again, in Japan, we often
judge people's character basedon their blood types. Somepeople say the blood types
don't influence character. At
any rate, please don’t take it
too seriously.

sumo babies in kaifuevery October in Kaifu,
there is a festival held
to honor Hachiman
the patron god of
Ka i fu R i ve r. O j i n wa s t h e
Emperor of Japan from theyear 270 unt i l 3 1 0 . Af t e r
Ojin died, he was deified andbecame known as Hachiman,
the God of War. There arem a ny s h r i n e s t h r o u g h o u tJapan that honor Hachiman.
During the Hachiman Festival
in Kaifu, extravagantly
decorated portable shrines(omikoshi)are paradedthrough the streets. The day
before the parade, a ceremony
called akachan no dohyo
iri is held at a Minato Hashirashrine in the Yamashita districtof Tomoura. The name ofthis ceremony means 'babies
enter the sumo ring.' Thisritual has been taking placein Kaifu for over 300 years
and its purpose is to celebrate
the birth of local boys. It is
hoped that by taking part inthe ceremony the young boys
will grow up to be strong andbrave like sumo wrestlers. The
kids are usually dressed up in
embroidered costumes which
resemble the ceremonial garbof professional sumo rikishi.
The babies who can't walk
yet are accompanied by aparent who assists them inthe procession and in the ring,where they are held up high,and their new sumo name iscalled out.
While you are in Kaifu, you
should also check out Eeland,a small aquarium where it ispossible to see up close thelarge eels that dwell in the
Kaifu River and its tributaries.
In the aquarium it is possible
to see eels that are over two
meters long swimming aroundin the tanks! The aquariumfeatures attractions such as atouching pool, an observation
tank where it is possible view
young eels that have yet tomature into adulthood, and a

by martin o'brientank for freshwater fish. The
eel’s main habitat is at SewariRock, off the coast of Kaifu.
Long ago, the parent eelsthat lived in the main river
gradually grew bigger andbigger as they lived unhinderedin underwater crevices. In
such a protected environment
baby eels also grow up to bemuch larger than normal size.
The two rocky crags know, as
Sewari Rock and Sake rockhave become an unofficial
national monument as the
habitat for giant eels. Entry to
Eeland is 500 yen.
The Babies' Sumo Ring Festival
takes place on Saturday the
1 6 t h o f O c t o b e r, a n d t h e
Hachiman Festival takes placeon Sunday the 17th. To get to
Kaifu by public transit, take theMugi train line to Kaifu station.
It's about one and a half
hours from Tokushima City by
express train. The shrine is 15
minutes walk from the station

tastes of awa : sushi, part 2there's no doubt thatsushi is the most popularfood in Japan, but what's
the most popular kind ofsushi? When people eat out,or buy sushi to bring home,nigirizushi is no doubt theirfirst choice. When it comesto home-made sushi that you
take out, for lunch, a picnic
or a snack, makizushi is
undoubtedly the favorite,
partly because it's usuallymuch cheaper, partly because
it's easier to make, and partly
because it travels MUCH
better than nigirizushi. We'll
cover nigirizushi this month,and makizushi next month.
Nigirizushi Instructions
When I first came to Japanto teach English, in addition
to my regular teaching job
I had one private student.
H e r n a m e wa s M a i - c h a nand, when we started, she
was just five years old. Herparents ran the best sushi
shop in Ishii (sorry - it's
closed now). I told themthat, by the terms of mycontract, I wasn't supposed
to take any outside jobs, so
we agreed that I would cometo the restaurant once aweek, talk with Mai-chan fora while, and then they would
teach me how to cook. Most
importantly, they would teachme how to make sushi.
I wasn't very good. Usually
the sushi I made simply
became the dinner for me
and my wife (and sometimes
Mai-chan). In fact, the only
time they served any of thesushi I made to a customer, it
was to one regular customer
who (1) was very friendly, (2)knew me, and (3) had a great
sense of humor.
Really, it's not too hard to
make good-tasting nigirizushi.
What's hard is making
nigirizushi that LOOKS good.
Preparation in three steps
1 - Make the sushi rice.
2 - Cut the toppings (called
neta in Japanese)3 - Set out on a table in frontof you: the bowl of sushi rice,covered by a damp towel; asmall dish of wasabi; a platewith the toppings (neta remember?); a serving plate;
and another damp towel. That
last is essential. Just about thehardest thing about making
nigirizushi is having your hands
exactly damp enough and nota fraction of a percentage too
damp. Too dry - the rice sticks
to your fingers. Too wet - therice gets wet, doesn't hold its
shape, and the sushi falls apartwhen you try to pick it up.
Assembly in six steps
1 - With the thumb and first
finger of your left hand (ifyou're right-handed) pick up apiece of fish or other topping.
2 - With your right hand,smear however much wasabi
you want onto the fish.

3 - Pat your right hand on thedamp towel.
4 - Pick up the right amount ofby don weiss

rice in your right hand (theright amount being however
much you want) and squeeze
it very gently several times
until it is roughly the rightsize and shape.

5 - Gently press the rice
onto the wasabi side of thetopping. Usually you use
your thumb and first two
fingers to do this, so you're
sort of making a cylindricalshape with your fingers andthe topping, which is, ofcourse, resting against thestraightened fingers of yourleft hand.
6 - Roll the sushi over into
the palm of your left hand so
the topping is on top.

7 - Shape it by making thatsame cylinder shape andgently pressing the sushi
once or twice, then turn itaround 180 degrees, keeping
the topping on top, andpressing it again.
8 - Put it on the serving plate
and admire your handiwork!

mountain huts... con't from page 1
1a.Tsurugi-san-chō
Hyutte
剣山頂ヒュッテ
088.623.4533

1b. Betsukan
Unkai-sō
別館雲海荘
088.622.0633
A l t h o u g h M t . Ts u r u g i i s
Tokushima’s highest mountain,
it’s not a particularly difficult
hike to the top, especially if
you take the chairlift half theway! On a clear day the view
from the summit stretches all
the way across the Seto Inland
Sea to Mount Daisen in Tottori
prefecture.
As i t ’s inc lude d in t hehyakumeizan, (a list ofJapan’s 100 most famousm o u n t a i n s ) , M t . Ts u r u g i
a t t ra c t s m a n y h i k e r s . To
accommodate them all there
are two large 2-storey huts,
the hyutte and the unkai-sō,
capable of accommodating a
total of 150 people. These arepaid accommodation providing
running water, electricity anddelicious meals. An overnight
stay here including dinner andbreakfast will cost you 7000
yen, or 4000 yen without
meals.

2a. Ichinomori
Hyutte
一の森ヒュッテ

2b. Ichinomori
Hinan-goya
一の森避難小屋The trail to Ichinomori, next-

Yamagoya: reward for the hikedoor-neighbor of Tsurugisan, branches off soonafter you pass the chairlift
terminal. From here you canhave a bit of fun along theway using a chain to climb
up a narrow rock chasm.
At the summit is an alpinestyle hut with a wood interior
capable of accommodating
50 persons. A one-night
stay with 2 healthy meals is
6000 yen, 4000 yen without
meals. Call 0883.53.5911 forreservations. If you’re on atight budget you may preferto stay in the humble yet freeaccommodation of the hinangoya. This small, unmanned
hut has a fireplace inside anda capacity of ten.

3. Maruishi Hinangoya
丸石避難小屋Set on a ridge among trees
and the tall green and yellow
grass distinctive of the area,
this hut is accessible bydescending from Tsurugi-sanor alternatively by ascending
from the Oku-Iya Kazura-bashi(vine bridge). If you choose
the later option you can enjoy
the views (and thrills) as you
cross the river on the swaying
vine bridges or rope pulleycart, before joining the trailthat leads to the hut.

4. Shiraga Hinangoya
白髪非難小屋If you’re after some solitude
you may find it here as this isprobably the least visited of all
the huts. Located between the
2 highest peaks of Tsurugi andMiune (or Kenzan and Sundei
as they’re also known locally)at the summit of Mt Shiraga
there’s a delicious fresh watersupply nearby.

5. Miune Hinangoya (Hyutte)
三嶺非難小屋

mountain huts... con't on page 9

mutsumi matsuri - oct. 31

by hitoshi chonot

he Mutsumi Matsuri will beheld on October 31st at
the Mutsumi Community
C e n t e r. T h i s y e a r, w ewould like to extend a special
invitation to the foreignr e s i d e n t s o f To k u s h i m a .
This is a great chance toexperience Tokushima culture,and make new friends! Local
well-known foreign residents
Katarina Yonezawa, Kan Sun
Nim, Vasanti Nii, and Cho
I will be there cooking andselling food! There is evena n o p p o r t u n i ty t o t r y o n
traditional clothing from avarious countries and haveyour picture taken in costume.
Former Participants in theJapan Overseas Cooperation
Volunteers (JOCV) will be
there presenting traditional
clothing, musical instruments,
and a photo presentation.
Presentations of Tokushima
and Shibahara culture:-Children’s Shinraku Daikohako mawashi puppet show
drum concert-Hako mawashi (A type of
traditional Japanese puppetry,
only to be seen here - don’t
miss this rare chance!)
Fun activities for everyone toenjoy:-Making beaded accessories-Leathercraft - make akeychain!
-Indigo dying-Elementary and Junior HighSchool Students’ Human
Rights Research Reports

Everyone, from all cornersof the earth are welcome tocome and enjoy the festival!
Come and experience
To k u s h i m a ’s p e o p l e a n dculture. We’re looking forward
to meeting you!
For more information, contact:
Hitoshi Chono
Mutsumi Community Center
Kagurame, Shibahara, Kokufu-cho,
Tokushima City
088.642.2155

mountain huts... con't from page 8
The hut here is quite new
as the previous one wasseverely damaged by atyphoon. A more challenging
h i k e t h a n Ts u r u g i - s a n ,Miune is often described as
the most beautiful of themountains in the area andits autumn colours are highly
recommended.

6. Okame-Iwa
Hinan-goya
大亀岩非難小屋The largest and mostluxurious of the unmanned
huts, the 2-storied Okame-Iwa
Hinan-goya has a pot-bellied
stove for heating if necessary.
There’s a spring nearby andthe majestic pyramid shaped
Tenguzuka peak is also only ashort hike from here.

Access:By car: access the Iya Valley
area from the east via
Sadamitsu (Rte 438) or fromthe west via Ikeda (Rte 439).
By public transport:
a. JR train to Awa-Ikeda b. Shikoku Kōtsū (Yonkō)

bus from Ikeda (Phone:
0883.72.1231)
1. Tsurugi-san and Ichinomori:
go to Lift-mae at Minokoshi
2. Okame-Iwa: go to Kubo
3. Miune and Shiraga: change
at Kubo to the sonei bus(Phone: 0883-882211) for
Nagoro. (From here cross theriver and take an unsealed
road to the foot of themountains.)
4. Maruishi - start from OkuIya Kazura-bashi (About a
20-minute walk up the roadfrom Nagorojapanese in the newsautumn is just aroundthe corner, so I decided
to spend this month's
column exploring various phrases and sayings that
relate to the season.

Aki
The Japanese word for autumn is aki, which can soundlike a lot of other words, suchas 'open' or 'empty.' This makes
it ripe for lots of double entendres and puns.
あきざいふ
akizaifu
If you buy a new wallet (saifu)
in the autumn, you'll have anakizaifu (empty wallet)! Better to buy one in the spring,so you'll have an haruzaifu haru means 'spring', but it canalso mean 'stick!' Money will
stick to your wallet instead ofit always being empty.
あきないちゅう

商い中
akinaichū
商い中 is a phrase that people
hang on a sign outside their
shops when they are 'currently
open for business.' Since thesounds sound like they could
also mean 'currently without
autumn,' some people like tohang out a sign that says 春夏
冬 (spring - summer - winter)to let everyone know they are'currently without autumn.'
あきっぽいakippoi
Fairly early on in my Japanesestudies, I learned that I could
say something 'seemed likesomething' by adding the
ppoi ending. So, yasuppoi
means 'seems cheap' andsweets for the deceased

kodomoppoi means 'like achild.' Naturally, one would
think akippoi should mean
'autumn-like,' but actually, it'sbased the verb akirameru to give up! So akippoi refers
to someone who 'seems likethey'll give up.'

Seasonal
Traditions
しょくよく

あき

食欲の秋
shokuyoku no aki
autumn is for eating
あき

スポーツの秋
supotsu no aki
autumn is for playing sports
どくしょ

あき

読書の秋
dokusho no aki
autumn is for reading books
When I asked the Japanesepeople I know for ideas about
autumn-related words andp h ra s e s fo r my c o l u m n ,these were the top threemost-mentioned phrases. 食
欲 actually means 'appetite' when the weather cools downin autumn, people tend toregain the appetite they lostby claire kinder

during summer's heat. In thesame vein, everyone becomes
more inclined to participate insport once the weather cools
down, and most schools holda Sports Festival in Octobert o c o i n c i d e w i t h N a t io n a lSports Day, which falls on
October 11th this year. As forreading books, well, I suppose
the same cool weather thatinspires people to return tothe dinner table and the sports
field also brings on a renewed
urge to crack open a fresh
paperback. It's easy to imagine
how these phrases fit smoothly
into autumn marketing
campaigns for sporting goods,
novels, and tasty Autumn
foods like kuri (chestnuts),kaki (persimmons), andmatsutake (inexplicably
expensive mushrooms).

One Last Thing...
おそなえ

御供
osonaean offering
September 23rd is Autumnal
Equinox - a day when many
Japanese people visit thegraves of their ancestors andmake offerings of fruits, flowers, or sweets at gravesites
or buddhist altars. In theolden days, people used to use
homemade sweets as offerings, but these days, special'offering packs' (see photo) areavailable at supermarkets during times of the year such as
this. They are clearly marked
with the kanji, 御供 , meaning
offering. While they are perfectly edible, they might not
be the most appropriate item
to bring to the next staff potluck party!

japanese lessonyby takako yamada

Personal Pronouns and Vocatives II: 'You' is not always あなたou must be very careful when you use あなた .

①あなた is used by a wife when she talks to her husband.
きょうなんじかえ

あなた、今日何時に帰る？
（What time will you come home today, honey?）②あなた is also used in public announcement, advertisement, etc. talking to the general public.
しゅやく

あなたが主役だ。
（You are the hero.）
いっぴょう
にほん
か
あなたの一票が日本を変える。
（Your vote will change Japan.）③ When we talk to someone, we seldom use あなた . Instead, we try to omit the subject, or if it
is difficult, we use his/her name as follows:でスミスさんは、ゆうべ、パーティーに出ましたか。
Did you attend the party last night?
④ When talking to your superior, avoid using あなた . Otherwise, they might feel offended. Inしゃちょう せんせい
先生 ).
stead, skip the subject if it is evident or use his/her position name or social status (e.g. 社長、In this case, we do not use the person’s name as we do in ③ because it is rude to address a superior by name.
An employee talking to the president of his company:
かいしゃ
あした、会社にいらっしゃいますか。
しゃちょう

かいしゃ

社長は、あした、会社にいらっしゃいますか。
(Are you coming to the office tomorrow?)
かいしゃ＊ It is not appropriate to say: あなたは、あした、会社にいらっしゃいますか。
If you want to argue with or criticize him, you may use it.
しゃいん
き もぜんぜん わ
あなたは、社員の気持ちが全然分かっていません。
(You don’t understand your employees’ feeling at all.)Some other words correspondent to ‘you’ are:
きみ：when talking to a subordinate or a friend (both male and female)
おまえ：used between male friends - it is rude to use this when talking to a female
In spite of all these complications, don’t hesitate to talk to others in Japanese.

Japanese Lessons are starting up all over the prefecture this October. See page 13 for details.

memoranda

Join Toastmasters
Toastmasters Club provides a positive learning environ-

The Chiiori Project
Coming Events

ment to help members develop the art of effective public
speaking.

October
1-3

Jazz Concert & Explore Iya Weekend

contact:

8 - 11*

Heike Matsuri & Trail Clearing Weekend

Takashi Suzuki suzuki@mocha.ocn.ne.jp

15 - 17Hiking Mt Tsurugi to Vine Bridges

Nobuko Haneji 088.655.5316

22 - 24

Open House Weekend

http://tokutmc.hp.infoseek.co.jp.

29 - 31

Ghouls Weekend

Tokushima Zoo
Photo Contest
Submit your cute or funny photo taken at Tokushima Zoo
for a chance to win cash prizes! Photos must have beentaken after November 1, 2003 to be eligible. There is aseperate category for students.
size: Regular, ‘service’ size prints
deadline: October 31, 2004
send photos to Tokushima Zoo by mail, or drop them off
at participating camera shops. Winning prints will be displayed at the Tokushima Zoo Centre from November 21,
2004 until January 1, 2005.
Tokushima Zoo
Nyudo 22-1, Shibuya-cho, Tokushima
http://www.city.tokushima.tokushima.jp/zoo/index.html
088.636.3215

Chiiori Volunteers
The Chiiori Project is seeking volunteers from November
10 to December 15 to help cut thatch to replace our roof,
which is in serious need of repair. This is hard physicalwork, and we need committed volunteers to form part ofa working team. If you are not sure about the physicallabour, but still want to help, we also need team members
who can help with cooking and housekeeping. Volunteers
would preferably be available to work for the wholemonth, or a minimum of two weeks, with food and board
provided for free. Volunteers will be staying in a house on
Kyobashira Pass near the thatch fields, and visiting Chiiori
on rainy days.
for more info: www.chiiori.org
contact: reservations@chiiori.org or 0883.88.5290

November
5-7Country Cooking Weekend

November 10 - December 20 Thatch -cutting Season
December 22 - January 3

New Years Open House

for more info: www.chiiori.org
contact: reservations@chiiori.org or 0883.88.5290
All visits to Chiiori are by appointment only.
* three-day holiday weekend

Free Books at
TOPIA
Books culled from the TOPIA library are available forpeople to take home for free. Come to TOPIA anytime andtake a look in the big boxes marked free - bring home as
many books as you like. Conversely, TOPIA is also accepting your book donations year-round!

Bunka no Mori showcases Awa Culture

Folk Festival
A cornucopia of traditional Tokushima performing arts, including Iya's Jidai Odori dance and Hiwasa Daiko drumming.
when: October 23, 3:00pm (doors at 2:30)
where: Bunka no Mori's 21st Century Outdoor Theatre seats 2000!
cost: free
for more info: 088.668.1000 - call on the day to confirm- in case of rain, the show will be moved indoors.

memoranda
27th Annual Autumn Carnivalൌ 38 ‫ݷ‬ѩѿщќҝ̶ҽӂӝ

Awa Tanuki
Matsuri‫ي‬໠рൌѐжќ
6 7
1105

Tokushima's yearly festival celebrating the legendary racoon-dog. Features talent shows and outdoor food stands!
when: November 5, 6, and 7
where: Aibahama Park in Downtown Tokushima

̛̜̈́ࣞͅ

̈́๘̜ͅ

̈́໘ͅ

ႚ໩েᆯ̜ຝ๥ଷѢ࿭࿾િќимѤ̓൮ѲјѾ̤̓ӂӥһҥӥҸҫҺ̓ӃӡӇӝӇҙҫұ̜̓ұӞӥҺҩә̶ўѝ຾ᄴౡѾєущ҇Ѣં໘̛̤̤ࠖᇔืѶѓущ҇୞ืыњиѿѼ̤௘̛୸̡̛ᅣ௘࿃র‫̈́܆‬ຝ๥દ຾̛̛̛̈́ͅ໚௘Ⴥᆍͅ
ჴи৽҃я̡199/1766/8632

cost: free
for more info: 088.655.7521

୷௾଄ഴ௉̛

TTC21 table tennis൯‫ຶڎ‬ၬংઈ๭
ҬҹӃҖѳѲᄨఴ৊ਔ

Come join this casual table tennis club and meet Tokushi-̈́٬໊‫ݵ‬௘̠ಶ࠼ҥ̶ҫͅଥ৬଄ျ୆

ma residents and local University students! Bring indoor
shoes and wear comfortable clothes - if you don't have a‫ޒ‬ਇѢၑѬѢ૲ಯศў໘ႎতѢࢱмၑ҆ိࢫыѲя҇п̝

racket, there are extras available.

̜2305) ๘ *̜2306̈́໘ͅߣ߈ ̛22038) ๘ *̜22039̈́໘ͅ
21 ૐ̻ 28 ૐ̛৽ऱ 35 ૐࠖ

where: Tokushima City Gymnasium (taiikukan)႐ᚲ ̛٬໊દ࿏ܰরჁࠛ̈́ᄫช̛ͅ

when: Monday and Friday, 6-9pm⻠Ꮷ ̛ఊঅЏЍϹϷ޺‫̛ۇ‬৬ધ̛(first timers: come at 7:30 and ask for Mr. Okuyama -ฃ⻠ᢱ ̛Ⴥᆍ̛ቯຬ ̛31 ჎ธ๗̛participation fee is waived until the second visit)
participation fee: ͩ1000 to join, ͩ1500 per month
homepage: http://www.geocities.jp/tokushima_ttc21

࠹ࠠࠬ࠻ ͐ѳ҇ўѢ໘ႎত‫]͑؟‬3611̛ᄅႎўѝਥ௅ ̛ຝ๥ॡ̠٬໊દਇੑপᅺࢤ‫̛̛ݵ‬දജ ̛ຝ๥ॡਇੑপᅺࢤ‫ݵ‬

2004 University of Tokushima

English Presentation
ContestThis year's theme is "How to Improve Our University"
when: November 25, 5:00 - 9:00pm

߅໧วߖ ̛٬໊દਇੑপᅺࢤ‫̛ݵ‬ᆟѲћ̛
UFM!1995/34/66::̈́ჄӍ̶ӝદჁࢤࡢ‫ݵ‬຾ͅฃ⻠ᓟ  ໘ႎতࢱ૬ћоଚ฿иыњේхѿၑ̛ോ߿स̤

Japanese Lessons

where: Conference Room 2F, Engineering Alumni Hall,

Call these numbers to find out about Japanese classes

Tokushima University

held in your town!

cost: free to watch
Aizumi - 088.692.9951

The Tokushima
Modern Art Museum
Showing: September 12 - November 7

Komatsushima - 08853.2.0454
Kamojima - 0883.24.5112
Tokushima City (TIA) - 088.622.6066
Naruto - 088.683.0270
JTM Nihongo Network - 088.625.8387

The works of Pierre Bonnard (1867 - 1947)
Admission: ￥600
Access: Walk 35 min. from Bunka no Mori Stn. or takethe bus from Tokushima Stn. (25 min.)Your Message Here
write to topia@fm.nmt.ne.jp to get your message or
event listing printed in next month's edition of Awa Life!

memoranda

Kamojima
Kiku Ningyo
This year's theme is the NHK period drama, Shinsengumi, with Kikuningyo (dolls made of chrysanthemum
flowers) depicting famous scenes from the series.
when: October 22 until November 23
where: Kamojima Town Hall Event Hall
In front of Kamojima JR Station

鴨島大菊人形
10/22
11/23
（水） ～

（祝）

大正時代から続く歴史あるイベント。今年のテーマは、ＮＨＫ大河ドラマ「新選組」で、菊人形による名場面の演出を観察できる。その他、四国菊花品評会では様々な菊の花に出会える。
場所： 鴨島町役場イベント広場 ＪＲ鴨島駅前（入場無料）
問い合わせ： 0883.24.2274 （鴨島町観光協会）

for more info: 0883.24.2274
cost: free!

Mikan Picking
It's mikan picking season! Bring your friends or family
and pick a bushel of mikan oranges, fresh from the tree!
October 20 until mid-December

味覚狩り
10/20

（水） ～

12月 中頃林農園

A 5000 sq. metre mikan field overlooking the Naruto City

鳴門スカイライン沿いにあるみかん畑は約 5000 m2。
潮風にあたり気持ちよくみかん狩りができる。

skyline; enjoy the salty breeze.

料金：

where: Shinrin Park in Naruto City,
Seto-cho, Nakashimada
cost: Adults - ¥600 Children - ¥400
mikans are ¥200/kg to bring home

大人６００円 小人４００円
持ち帰り／ 1Kg200 円～
住所：
鳴門市瀬戸町中島田
問い合わせ： 088-688-0735

for more info: 088.688.0735

10/10

October 10 until December 12

星谷観光みかん園

This mikan field is close to Tsukigaoka Onsen, so you canhave a nice soak after a hard day in the fields!
where: Hoshitani Kankō Mikan Field
cost: Adults - ¥700 Children - ¥450
mikans are ¥200/kg to bring home
for more info: 08854.2.2445

Tale of Mozart
Presented by the Shikoku Association for the Performing Arts

A fusion of theatre and music, exploring the mystery of

（日） ～

12/12

（日）

月ヶ谷温泉も近いので、みかん狩りの後にゆっくり温泉に入っては！
場所：
星谷観光みかん園
料金：
大人 700 円 小人 450 円
持ち帰り／ 1Kg200 円～
住所：
勝浦郡勝浦町星谷
問い合わせ： 08854.2.2445

モーツアルト物語
四国四県共同舞台芸術公演

10/24（日） 18:30 - 20:30

モーツアルトの謎に迫ったお芝居とコンサートの融合公

Mozart. Splendourous performance by Meiko Nakamura

演。中村メイコ、黒田アーサーなど豪華な出演陣によるand Arthur Kuroda, with music by the Tokyo Symphony

巧みな演技と壮大な東京交響楽団の演奏。

Orchestra.
when: October 24 (Sunday) 6:30 - 8:30pm
where: Kyodo Bunka Kaikan in Tokushima City
cost: \1000
for more info: 088.624.1404

場所：

郷土文化会館１階ホール

料金：1000 円問い合わせ：

088.624.1404

memoranda
ＪＴＭとくしま２００４年度第２回定例会～日本語教師のためのﾜｰｸｼｮｯﾌﾟ～【テーマ】初級から中級へ 豊かなｺﾐｭﾆｹｰｼｮﾝ能力を目指して―『新日本語の中級』を例としてー
日時 : 11 月 6 日 ( 土 )13：30 ～ 16：30（１時より受付）場所：徳島県国際交流協会 大会議室（ｸﾚﾒﾝﾄﾌﾟﾗｻﾞ６階）
講師： 石沢弘子氏㈶海外技術者研修協会 AOTS 日本語教育ｾﾝﾀｰ日本語課長
今回は「新日本語の基礎」「新日本語の中級」の制作を手がけられ、研修生の日本語教育に携わってこられた石沢弘子氏をお招きし、中級の学習指導について講演をして頂きます。DVD を使った実際の教室活動の紹介や、また、会場内では（株）
ｽﾘｰｴｰﾈｯﾄﾜｰｸの教材展示もあります。
―お申込み・お問合せはー
JTM とくしま日本語ﾈｯﾄﾜｰｸ 事務局 兼松 TEL(088)625-8387 FAX(088)625-5113
E-Mail:jtmtoku@nifty.com
参加費：1000 円 ( 資料代他）申込締切日：10 月 29 日 ( 金 )Counselling Service at TOPIA
TOPIA offers a counselling and advisory service to all foreign residents to help with issues involving accidents, working
conditions, housing, visas, international marriage, and more. Don’t keep your problems to yourself - talk to somebody who
can help! Counselling is available in English and Japanese.
Monday to Thursday
10:00 - 17:00
088.656.3303
or088.656.3320 (allows three way conversations with an interpreter)
Please note that although every effort will be made, we may not be able to deal with all cases.

tv movie schedule・october
Date

Time Place

Nat.

タイトル

Title

Sat. 99:00⑧関西

USA ’95

ダイ・ハード３

Die Hard with a VengeanceM

Sun. 10

9:00

⑥ ABC

CHN ‘02

HERO < 英雄 >

Hero

M

Fri. 15

9:03⑩読売

USA '01

電撃

Exit Wounds

M

Tue. 19late night⑩読売

USA ‘96

アラスカ

AlaskaL

Thu. 21

1:30am⑧関西

USA ‘99

Lost & Found

L

Fri. 22

9:03⑩読売

JPN ’78Fri. 22late night④毎日

Fri. 29

9:03

Sat. 30

Nhorror ? mystery

ﾗｲﾗ ﾌﾚﾝﾁ KISS
をあなたとﾙﾊﾟﾝ三世Lupin the 3rd

ﾙﾊﾟﾝ VS 複製人間

The Secret of Mamo

USA ’88

危険な関係

Dangerous Liasons

L⑩読売

USA '53

ローマの休日Roman Holiday

L

9:00

⑧関西

USA ‘97

Star Wars - Digital RemasterM

Nsuspense

J comedy

This schedule is subject to change.

Ldramaｽﾀｰｳｫｰｽﾞ
ﾃﾞｨｼﾞﾀﾙﾘﾏｽﾀｰ版

Maction ♥love & romance SF science fictionJcinema guide
TOKUSHIMA HALL 徳島ホール(Saiwai-cho - near the Central
Post Office)088.653.1802
TOKUSHIMA TOHO 徳島東宝
(Kagoya-machi - in Higashi
Shinmachi Arcade)088.625.5311
TOHO CINEMA 東宝シネマ(Kagoya-machi - in Higashi
Shinmachi Arcade)088.625.5311
ATTACK HEIWA アタック平和(Kuramoto 2 cho-me - near
Kuramoto Station)
088.631.6490
HEIWA DOLBY 平和ドルビー(Kuramoto 2 cho-me )088.631.6490
KITAJIMA CINEMA SUNSHINE*FUJI GRAND*
北島シネマサンシャイン（Kitajima-cho Tainohama）
088.697.3113
088.697.3111（24 時間テープ案内）

Road 88【JPN】ロード８８ (in Japanese)

until mid-Oct.

Kikansha Sensei【JPN】機関車先生 (in Japanese)from mid-Oct.

i, Robot【USA】アイ、ロボット
1st of each month → \1000 Ladies’ day Tuesday → \1000
Men’s day / Friday → \1000
Kansen/Yogen【JPN】感染／予言 (in Japanese)
1st of each month → \1000 Ladies’ Day / Wednesday → \1000
Men’s Day / Thursday → \1000
Van Helsing【USA】ヴァン・ヘルシング

until 10/22

2046【HK】2046 (in Chinese)
1st of each month → \1000 Ladies’ Day / Wednesday → \1000
Men’s Day / Thursday → \1000

from 10/23

Two Brothers【USA】トゥー・ブラザーズ

until 10/15
Lovers (USA) Lovers (in Chinese)
Les Invasions barbares【CND & FRN】みなさん、さようなら
from 10/16(in French)
1st of each month → \1000 Customer Appreciation Day/ Wednesday → \1000
Van Helsing【USA】ヴァン・ヘルシング
1st of each month → \1000 Customer Appreciation Day/ Wednesday → \1000
Infernal Affairs【HK】ｲﾝﾌｧﾅﾙ・ｱﾌｪｱ / 無問序曲 (in Chinese)
until 10/15

The Alamo【USA】アラモ
Two Brothers【USA】トゥー・ブラザーズ
The Village【USA】ヴィレッジ
Lovers【USA】Lovers (in Chinese)

until 10/22

Swing Girls【JPN】スイングガールズ (in Japanese)
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleased【USA】スクービー・ドゥー２
Secret Window【USA】シークレット・ウインドウ

from 10/16

Nobody Knows【JPN】誰も知らない (in Japanese)
Catwoman【USA】キャット・ウーマン

from 10/23

Old Boy【KRN】オールド・ボーイ (in Korean)
The 1st of each month → \1000
Ladies’ Day / Wednesday → \1000 2046【HK】2046 (in Chinese)
Road 88【JPN】ロード８８ (in Japanese)i, Robot【USA】アイ、ロボット
Resident Evil. Apocalypse【USA】バイオハザードⅡ

アポカリプス

Kansen/Yogen【JPN】感染／予言 (in Japanese)
Twisted【USA】ツイステッド
Garfield【USA】ガーフィールド
Devil Man【JPN】デビルマン (in Japanese)coming soon:
At Kitajima Sunshine Cinema in Fuji Grand this November:
Around the World in 80 Days - starring Jackie Chan
Collateral - starring Tom Cruise
血と骨 - starring Takeshi Kitano

人権守って、
輝く明日