阿波ライフ

263

AWA LIFE

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

June

Make it rain in da club!

ballin in the toke
Sarah Nelson

A sing-song
voice rings out
behind me, “Shoechaaaaaange!”
and that’s how
I know Jason
might head to thepitcher’s moundsoon to relieve thestarting pitcher.
I also know I might be goingout there with him to interpretthe coach’s instructions.
Sitting behind the dugout at JA
Bank Tokushima Stadium as avolunteer interpreter has becomea regular part of my weekend
since the local baseball team, theTokushima Indigo Socks, signed
two new American players last
March: Jason Norderum andAlex Cowart. Both are extremely
enthusiastic about playing in a
Japanese league, but neither speak
the language, so the Socks asked
around for bilingual volunteers toassist with communication between

The Tokushima Indigo Socks baseball team welcomes two newAmerican players! (photos provided by Tokushima Indigo Socks)

Alex at bat

them and their coaches and fellow
players during games. Baseballbeing the American Pastime, it
never occurred to me to say “no”.
Volunteering gave me an
opportunity to talk with Jason
and Alex, and communication
problems aside, they are loving
every minute. “It was definitely
a great decision,” said Alex,
formerly in the American
Association League and now
an outfielder for IS. “I met andbecame friends with Eugene[a.k.a. Yuji Nerei, IS infielder]and his friend Yoshi, a coach inthe states. They told me aboutan opportunity to play in Japan,
and I trusted their judgment so
decided to go for it. Besides
that, I was definitely excited toplay in a Japanese league.”
It’s not hard to believe that
foreign players would jump at the
chance to play ball here, given the
sport’s long history and level offanfare that these days possibly
rivals that of baseball in the UnitedStates. As anyone who has lived
in this country for over a week canBallin' in the Toke ...continued on page 3

263
June

awa life

Make it rain in da club!

This month in Awa Life
1

Ballin' in the Toke4

On the Road - Kumano
Kodo

Sarah Nelson

Matthew Lindsay

6

Irene's Recipe Corner
Irene Wachuga

Staff Aisatsu
7

Topizo at Large

8Japanese Lesson

9

Letter from Suketo Hoikuen

editor's page
Howdy Tokers,
I hope you are all keeping dry thisrainy season, and enjoying the ﬁreﬂies,
the glowing bosozoku of the bug
kingdom, that are said to be out andabout lighting up the night at this time of year. But
unlike biker gangs, they’re much easier to catch andstick inside a jar for fun... :PThis month we have a fun interview from moi witha couple of very cool professional ball players new to
the Toke, an account of Matt’s journey to the famous
shrines of Kumano, greetings from two new staff
members at TOPIA, and more of our regular featuresthat I’m sure you’ve come to love so well. Dig in,dear reader!
Best,
Sarah

Sarah Nelson

Yoko Aoki

Kazue Inoue

10 News & Events
12 Memoranda

awa life

is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Prefectural
International Exchange Association (TOPIA).
Tokushima Prefectural International
Exchange Association (TOPIA)〒 770-0831
Tokushima City, Terashima Honcho Nishi 1-61
Clement Plaza 6F
Tel
088-656-3303
Fax 088-652-0616
Email topia@topia.ne.jp
HP www.topia.ne.jp
An electronic version of Awa Life is also available fordownload from the TOPIA homepage.

2

TOPIA

Ballin' in the Toke ...continued from page 1

Made ﬁrst base--ﬁst bump!

tell you, baseball could easily beconsidered a Japanese Pastime aswell, since Nippon Professional
Baseball is arguably the highest
quality professional circuit outside
the states. They also tend to treat
their players better: “American
baseball doesn't have as much
integrity between organizations
and the players.” Said Alex. “It’s
more cutthroat, and players get cut
and traded at the drop of a hat. I
got traded before my first game in
the minor leagues in America, but
Japan has more respect for players,
they give you a contract and at least
wait till the end of the season to
trade and cut.” Jason, formerly in
the Atlantic League, now a pitcher
for IS, shared the sentiment: “Ifthey sign a guy here they holdonto him for the whole season, but
in the states they go through 30
or 40 guys in one season. They'll
cut you after two bad games.”
While Japanese teams treat theirplayers with respect, they also

TOPIA

demand the best fromthem. In true Japanesefashion, they’ve taken
the sport and made it
their own by aiming
to master it the way
Japanese school clubs
master martial arts:
endless practice.
“This is by far themost training I've everdone,” said Jason.
“In the states practice
may go for two or
three hours and theygenerally let you doyour own thing. Here,
we have a full day, sixhours. It’s a wonder
they have energy forthe actual games.”
When I asked about thedifferences between how baseballis played in Japan versus thestates, Jason replied: “It’s thesame game, but it’s not. In Japan,
the fight you play with is more
important than the actual play: if
you came, fought, and tried, you
still get respect at the end of it.”

“It's the same
game, but it's
not. In Japan, thefight you playwith is more
important than
the actual play: if
you came, fought,
and tried, you
still get respect
at the end of it.”So their future with Japaneseb-ball looks rosy? It seems thatway. Both players are eager topursue the big leagues here, butwould also love to stay with IS in
the independent Shikoku Island
League, given the opportunity. “Ilike Japan a lot, I plan on staying
most of my career here,” said
Alex, and from Jason: “I'd liketo continue my journey here,
and I’m gonna keep playing
baseball till someone takes
the jersey away from me.”

Jason makes the pitch3

On the road - kumano kodo
Matthew Lindsay

Matt goes on an adventure on the pilgrimage routes that lead to theThree Grand Shrines of Kumano

With its richpilgrimage history
and relatively
unspoilt nature,
the walking trails
and shrines of the
Kumano Kodo area designated World
Heritage Site.
Located on the Kii Peninsulain southwest Honshu, "the oldroad of Kumano" runs primarily
through Wakayama Prefecture,
though some of the trails
extend as far as neighbouring
Nara and Mie prefectures.
In the beginning - Nachi-san
On the recommendation of acolleague I decided to tackle the
Ogumotori-goe and Kogumotorigoe legs of the Nakahechi Trail.
These two trails connect the Nachi
Taisha Shrine with the Hongu
Taisha Shrine, two of the threemajor shrines of Kumano, (theother being Hatayama Taisha
Shrine). Just getting to thetrailhead takes some time andeffort, not to mention money.
Traveling on public transport you'll
need to take a JR express train
from Wakayama to Kii-Katsuura(4940yen, 2hrs 45mins) or you'll
be riding trains all day long.
From Kii-Katsuura take a bus to
Nachi Shrine, otherwise known as'Nachi-san' (600yen, 25mins).

4

Off we go!

See out to sea - Funami Pass
Soon after passing the spectacular
Nachi-no-taki waterfall, the bus
reaches its terminal at the footof Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine
and neighbouring Seiganto-ji
Temple. From here begins a corecomponent of the Kumano Kodo
experience; namely steps. Once
you've climbed to the shrine, makeyour way through to the temple
and you'll find a path leading into
the forest that marks the start (orend) of the Nakahechi Trail. After
briefly ascending through forest
the trail opens onto a highlandpark area. Following the trail
signs uphill through here, you'll
soon enter the forest proper.
Step by step - Dogiri Slope
Many of the landmarks along the
Nakahechi Trail are the remainsof teahouses that once lined theroute. The first of these from Nachi
Shrine is the Funami Teahouseremains at the Funami Pass. From
here there is a spectacular view tobe appreciated, stretching acrossthe mountains of the Kii Peninsula
all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

TOPIA

Shizen-no-ie( 小口自然の家 ), where it
is also possible
to camp.

after the arduous 28km trek, theKawayu Onsen is a kilometre
nearer. You can actually dig yourown hot spring pool by the river
here, or if you're lucky, there may
be one already waiting for you.

'Unkai' seaof clouds Riverside soak - Kawayu Onsen
Hyakken-gura
The trails of the Kumano Kodo
The calves will are immaculately maintained.
burn some more
Along the way I encounteredon the second
virtually next to no trash. Ironicallyleg of the trail,
the only real blight upon the
Kogumitori-goe. landscape I came across was where
From Koguchi
some plastic encasing for saplings
the trail ascends
had been shredded to pieces, most
steeply at times
likely by a typhoon that ravaged
to the panoramic the area last year. With its aged
vantage point of
Buddhist statues and moss-covered
Hyakken-gurarocks interspersed with towering
where the folds
cedars, the old road of the Kumanoof mountains
Kodo has an aura of timelessness
The beautiful view of Hyakken-gurastretch mesmerizingly as far as theabout it. You can almost imagine
Nature abounds - view fromeye can see. After this point thean ascetic sitting here in the forest
Koguchitrail becomes gentler, eventually
meditating in yesteryear; such is
The Ogumotori leg of thethe beauty and energy of these
Nakahechi Trail is clearly marked, ending somewhat disappointingly
by a busy road at the township ofenchanting natural surrounds.
with signposts every 500 metres
Ukegawa. From here it is anotherFor detailed information see
indicating the way and the
3km by road to the Kumano
here: http://www.tb-kumano.
remaining distance to the small
jp/en/kumano-kodo/
mountain village of Koguchi where Hongu Shrine. Alternatively if
you'd rather soak your weary bodyan overnight stop is required.
The sounds of running water, theoccassional frog croaking or bird
singing allow one to feel immersed
in untouched nature, though thisreality is sometimes broken by theappearance of power poles andlines, and a road a short drop below
the trail. At one point, the road
becomes the trail before entering
the forest once more for the final
ascent to the Echizen Pass, from
where there is a long steep descenton the Dogiri Slope to Koguchi.
In Koguchi lodging is available
at a minshuku guesthouse, called
Momofuku ( 百福 ) or the Koguchi
Time for a well-earned soak in the riverside hotspring

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5

irene’s recipe corner

Sweet desserts!

Irene Wachuga

Summer is here, accompaniedby the rainy season. For
those lazy afternoons, why not
get busy and enjoy some treats?
Good for dessert, or anytime
you have a sugar craving.
Drop doughnuts are a very
popular and totally easy to makesnack. Most countries will havea version of this depending on
egg/milk to flour ratio. In mycountry, it’s called a "ngumu"
meaning hard. In Okinawa, thismust eat snack is called "sataandagi" meaning deep fried.
Give it a try! It's great to taketo a barbeque fest or picnic.
Drop Doughnuts / Sata Andagi
Ingredients• All purpose flour 3 cups
• Sugar 1 cup• Baking powder 2 tsp• Salt ¼ tsp

to the dry ones and combine
to a smooth dough.
5. Drop by tablespoonfuls into
the hot oil. Cook for about 3-5
minutes or until golden brown.
Don’t over crowd the pan.
6. Drain on paper towels.

Drop doughnuts• Eggs 2• Milk 1 cup• Vanilla 1 tsp• Cinnamon sugar [to taste]• Oil for frying
Cooking
1. In a deep skillet or fryer, heat
oil to 180 degrees centigrade.
2. In a large bowl, sift the flour,baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat theeggs, add the sugar, milk andvanilla and mix in well.
4. Add the liquid ingredientsstaff aisatsu
Etsuko Nishibayashi

Nice to meet you! I am Etsuko
Nishibayashi. Until this March, I
had worked at a junior high school
as a teacher for a long time. I amvery happy to get a chance to work
here at TOPIA and put myself ina place which is totally different
from school. Working in TOPIA,
I come in contact with many new
people every day. The people are
all friendly and positive. Surely
I am learning a lot from them.
Our society is becoming
more and more globalized. I

6

Note: For drop doughnuts, rollin cinnamon sugar [ ½ cup sugar
and 1 tsp cinnamon]. Usually
I just add a little cinnamon
to the flour before sifting.
• If you don’t fancy cinnamon,
just dust with powderedsugar after draining.
• You can reduce the sugar
amount if it looks like toomuch, I usually do andsubstitute with a little honey.
• For lighter doughnuts, use fineflour (hakurikikou) or cake flour.
• For a denser version, skip thesifting as this aerates the mixture.
• Makes about 2- 3 dozen
depending on size. Enjoy!

Greetings from TOPIA's two new cohorts!

keenly realize the importance ofinternational understanding. As ateacher I would like to promoteinternational education and raiseyoung people to be more globalminded. Of course I know I firsthave to improve myself, and you
know what? I feel TOPIA is thebest place to achieve my goal!

I don't have much confidence
speaking English, but with thesupport of my coworkers I will
try my best to be of assistance!
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

Karin Shibata

Hello! After graduating fromuniversity I worked in theTokushima prefectural government
office for one year, then came towork here at TOPIA last April.

A big welcome to Nishibayashi-san,right, and Shibata-san, left!

TOPIAtopizo at large

TOPIA

A comic by Sarah Nelson

7Japanese Lesson

今月の日本語

Yoko Aoki

Using “ga”as a conjunction: this month we will look at instances in which the particle ga is used.
(1) When what is expected from the first clause is not realized in the second.
か

ぜ

ひ

くすり

の

風邪を引いたので、薬を飲んだが、あまりよくならない。
“Although I took some medicine for my cold, I’m not feeling much better. ”(2)When the first and second clauses are in contrast with each other. Here, ga helps to show thefactual relationship between the two clauses.
ざっ し

しんぶん

雑誌はありますが、新聞はありません。
“Although there are magazines, there aren’t any newspapers.”(3) When the first clause acts as a light introductory remark for the second.
ゆうびんきょくすみませんが、このへんに郵便局はありますか。
“Excuse me, but is there a post office nearby?”
た なか

なかむら

田中ですが、中村さんは いらっしゃいますか。
“My name is Tanaka, is Mr. Nakamura there?
(4) When the facts of the first clause coexist with the facts of the second.
やま だ

ちゅうごく ごじょう ず

かんこく ごじょう ず

山田さんは中国語が上手ですが、韓国語も上手です。
“Mr. Yamada is good at Chinese, and he is good at Korean as well.”(5) At the ends of sentences to express something contrary to fact.
むす こ

し けん

う

息子が試験に受かるとよかったのだが。
“If only my son had passed the exam…”(6) At the ends of sentences to make it appear as if the matter had come to a close in the first
Clause.The second clause is left in a vague, unexpressed form.
き ぶん

わる

そうたい

気分が悪いので、早退したいんですが ...
“I don’t feel well, so I would like to leave early…”
ga is used at the end of sentences (5) and (6) for a tone-down impression. Note that there are also
a variety of other ways to use ga as a conjunction.
＊ Reference:『日本語ジャーナル』
「

8

[が]

の用法」

TOPIA

letter from Suketo Hoikuen

Child care advice
from our friends at
Suketo Daycare!

Kazue InoueH

ow was everyone's Golden
Week last month? Did
many of you go on trips withyour families? June is theheight of Japan's rainy season,and since there are fewer
opportunities to play outside
it's easy to get a little down.
For those of you with childrenthat get antsy being cooped up
inside all day, try taking them
to a nearby daycare or childcare
center (like Suketo Hoikuen!)
or a similarly wide, public
space for entertaining kiddies(for more locations, try asking
at your local city office).

a magic marker. Put tissues orballed up newspaper inside,and twist tie it or knot it closed
to make the badminton ball.
*Make two paper plate rackets
in step one to hit the ball backand forth with your child!

“Rainy days area great excuse
to spend time
together as parent
and child. One
fun, easy thing
to do is readpicture books toyour children.”Also, rainy days are a great
excuse to spend time together as
parent and child. One fun, easy
thing to do is read picture books
to your children. Not only does
this deepen your relationshipwith your child, but the drawings
will spark their imagination andthe narration will increase their
vocabulary. This is a great activity
for your child's development!
This month's craft:
Paper Plate Badminton
1. On the back of a paper plate,secure a strip of thick paper orplastic with tape to make a handle.
Draw a fun picture on the otherside, and you have a simple racket.
2. Take a small plastic bag andmake fun drawings on it with

TOPIA

9

news & events

June 1 July 1

To post an event of your own, send the details via email to the editors at awalife@gmail.com .

Masukawa Fireﬂy Festival
増川ホタルまつり
It’s the time of the season when ﬁreﬂies come out

６月中はホタルがよく出てくる季節で、輝く夜空を楽し

in droves to illuminate the nighttime sky. Don’t miss

むことができます。このまつりであめごつかみどり大会

out on the opportunity to see this magical sightや農産物等、地元の特産品バザーなど、盛りだくさんのat this event featuring games for your kids and a

イベントがあります。是非起こしください！

bazaar with local foods and specialties!
日時： 6 月 16 日 ( 土 ) 15:00
When: June 16 (Sat), 15:00

場所： 東みよし町 増川笑楽耕及び増川谷周辺

Where: Higashi Miyoshi-cho, Masukawa Shogakkou,

問合せ：東みよし町産業課
0883-79-5345

near Masukawa river valley

TEL :

Info:

Higashi Miyoshi-cho Industry Division

入場料：無料！

TEL:

0883-79-5345

Cost:

Free!

June Tokushima Vortis Home Game Schedule
Date

Time

Teams

Venue

June 1 (Fri)

19:00

Vortis vs. FC Machida Zelvia

Naruto Pocari Sweat Stadium

June 9 (Sat)

16:00

Vortis vs. Yokohama FC

Naruto Pocari Sweat Stadium

June 17 (Sun)18:30

Vortis vs. Ehime FC

Naruto Pocari Sweat Stadium*Tickets range from 1500 - 3000 yen (2000 - 3500 yen at the door)

Tokushima Japanese Speech Contest
The applications are in, and now it’s time for speech contestants to gear up. Don’t miss the contest on Monday,
July 16 (holiday), from 13:30 to 16:30 at Awagin Hall, in the Main Conference Room on the 4FL.

Japanese Lessons at Suketo Hoikuen (free)
助任保育園の日本語教室（無料）
When: Every Thursday, 11:00 - 12:00

日時： 毎週木曜日、11:00 〜 12:00

Cost:

Free, and child care is also available!

金額： 託児付き（無料）

Info:Call TOPIA at

問合せ：トピアまで

TEL 088-656-3303

10

TEL 088-656-3303

TOPIA

31st Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 Performance
第３１回ベートーヴェン「第九」交響曲演奏会
It is well known, that when talking about the Naruto

鳴門の「第九」といえば周知のとおり、鳴門市の板東“Symphony No. 9”, it is an established theory that

俘虜収容所での演奏会がアジア初演の第九というのが定the Symphony No. 9 was ﬁrst performed in Asia at説となっています。そこで鳴門市では演奏された 6 月 1

Naruto’s Bando Prisoner of War Camp. Therefore the

日を第九の日と定め、6 月の第 1 日曜日に、県内外から

city of Naruto decided to make June 1, the day of

500 余名の合唱団員が合流して国際色豊かに第九のふる

the ﬁrst performance, the day of the Symphony No.

さと鳴門ならではの演奏会を開催しています。

9 and every ﬁrst Sunday in June around 500 choirmembers from inside and outside the prefecture

日時： 6 月 3 日 ( 日 ) 13:30

gather to perform an internationally-flavored

場所： 鳴門市文化会館

Symphony No. 9 that can only be seen in Naruto.

問合せ：NPO 法人鳴門「第九」を歌う会事務局
TEL :088-686-9999

When: June 3 (Sun) 13:30

入場料：一般 2,000 円※、高校生以下 500 円

Where: Naruto Culture Center（当日券は一般 2,500 円）

Info:NPO “Sing the 9th Symphony” Ofﬁce

TEL:

088-686-9999

Cost:

Adults 2000 yen, students 500 yen(2500 at the door)

June Indigo Socks Home Game Schedule
Date

Time

Teams

Venue

June 6 (Wed)

17:00

IS vs. Ehime Mandarin Pirates

JA Bank Tokushima stadium

June 15 (Fri)

17:00

IS vs. Kagawa Olive Guyners

JA Bank Tokushima stadium

June 22 (Fri)

17:00

IS vs. Kagawa Olive Guyners

JA Bank Tokushima stadium

June 23 (Sat)

18:00

IS vs. Kochi Fighting Dogs

Aguri Anan Stadium*Tickets are 1000 yen at the venue, seating is unassigned

International Awa Odori Competition
Any international resident or visitor to Tokushima who likes dancing can participate in this contest! The music
must be Awa Odori music, but the dance can be virtually anything you want! You may do the traditional dance,or your own creative rendition, because it’s all about having fun. Costumes are encouraged, and happi coats areavailable to borrow. Drinks, uchiwa fans, and head bands will also be provided. There will be a party at Jizouji
temple after the contest, and entry is free! If you join the contest you will also have the opportunity to participate
in the mandarin orange picking contest this November.
Date and Time: Sunday July 15, 2012, 18:15 - 19:00
Location:
Komatsushima Station Park, Tanuki Hiroba
Limit:
30 participants, 10 from each respective country
Awards:
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be chosen, and all participants get a special prize
Application:
Please call or email Ms. Murakami by July 10th at: 080-6399-7593 /komatsushimaitnl@yahoo.co.jp
Please include your name, telephone number, nationality, email address, and whether you willattend the party. Your personal data will only be used for this event.

TOPIA

11

Provisional Certiﬁcate of Residence sent to foreign residents
In July, the foreign resident registration system will be eliminated and a certiﬁcate of residence will be created forforeign residents in the same way as for Japanese. Foreign residents who are eligible for the certiﬁcate of residence
have been sent a ‘provisional certiﬁcate of residence’. Please check that your address and all of your family members’ names have been entered correctly and that your status of residence and period of stay are up to date.
If you have not yet received your provisional certiﬁcate of residence, or if there are any mistakes in the content
that was mailed to you, please take your foreign resident registration card, your passport, and the provisional certiﬁcate of residence that was sent to you to the Residents Division ( 住 民 課 ) of your local city ofﬁce, or contact
088-622-9065.

Recruiting for Ashita-ren Awa Odori Troupe
The Awa Odori troupe Ashita-ren is looking for ﬂute players and dancers to perform the male style of Awa Odori
dance! They will perform on August 12 (Sun), and will accept up to 70 applicants, from June 28 to August 5. You
can apply at Tokugin Tomoni Plaza, 1FL, from 9:00 to 18:00, every day except the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of themonth. Participation fee is 2500 yen. You may also attend a practice session before deciding if you want to participate! Contact the Ashita-ren Committee at 088-625-6166, or visit the staff at the Tokushima Prefectural Citizens andEnvironmental Policy Division ofﬁce in Tokugin Tomoni Plaza, 1FL.

Learn Japanese Online for Free!
“Erin’s Challenge! I Can Speak Japanese” is a free Japanese learning site on which you can have fun learning about
Japanese language and culture. It has video, audio, and tons of other fun content, so join Erin and give it a try!
This program is operated by the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute in Urawa: http://erin.ne.jp/.

Purple Hotline - Women’s Shelter Network
The Purple Hotline is a free telephone counseling and consulatation service provided by the All Japan Women’s
Shelter Network for women and children faced with problems due to the Tohoku disaster, or domestic violence andother types of abuse. These counselors can provide support and necessary information, so don’t hesitate to call.
English-speaking counselors are available Mondays through Thursdays from 13:00 to 19:00.
Dial 0120-941-826, and non-Japanese callers may press 1 for other language options including Chinese, Thai,
English, Tagalog, Spanish, and Korean.

Counselling Service at TOPIA
トピアの相談窓口
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. Counselling is available in English andJapanese. Please note that although every effort will be made, we may not be able to deal with all cases.
Every day, 10:00 - 18:00
Tel: 088-656-3320 (allows three-way conversations with an interpreter) or 088-656-3303

正しい知識で差別解消
12

TOPIA