aWa life
AJET Musical
25th
Anniversary

Big Hina Matsuri
in Katsuura
Awa Shoku: Daikon Waste Not the Winter
Root

February 2019
# 341

1

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

We are coming to the end of winter! There is only one more month until the cold winter transforms
into a warm and vibrant spring. What about using those days spent indoors to avoid the cold weather
for some self-care? It is easy to get caught up with living the best "Awa Life" possible and forget toreflect and process everything that is happening around us. Self-care can be something as simple as
writing in a journal, making yourself a nutritious meal, or meditating. Soon spring will have you running
outdoors in order to catch up on those sun rays, so give yourself the time to relax and refresh before
you become busy again!
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,
Daralyn and Nico

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:
Daralyn Yee and Nico Bohnsack
Contributors This Month:

Chris Riedl, Kazue Inoue, Lance Kita, and Fusa Tamaki

Contents2

Pg. 2-3: Big Hina Matsuri in Katsuura
Pg. 4-5: AJET Tokushima Musical 25th Anniversary:
AladdinPg. 5:
Letter from SUKETO NAKAYOSHI
Pg. 6:
Awa Shoku: Waste Not the Winter Root
Pg. 7:
Japanese Lesson
Pg. 8-9: Events and Memoranda
Big Hina Matsuri in Katsuura
By: Daralyn Yee
Big Hina Matsuri. This festival displays over
30,000 dolls each year and boasts a hundredlayer display that acts as a centerpiece to thewhole festival.

H

ina Matsuri is celebrated every year on
March 3rd to pray for the happinessand health of girls. The main attraction of thiscelebration is the intricately made dolls that are
put on display. Families set up a doll display withdolls dressed in decorative robes that represent
an ancient imperial court. Larger displays are set
up on a multi-tiered shelf that is covered in a red
carpet. This tradition originated from the Heian
Period tradition of setting straw dolls on paperboats and floating them away in rivers or in theocean to send away any misfortune.
What happens after there is no use for these
intricately made dolls at home? They are sent to
Katsuura Town from all over Japan for the annual

I visited the event last year with my friend visitingfrom Hawaii, and it was easily one of the mostamazing displays of traditional craft that I haveseen in Japan. The 100-layer centerpiece display
was truly a sight to see. Because these items arehighly-valued and well crafted, it was a honor to3

be able to see a hallfilled with Hina Matsuri
dolls. These dolls werestarkly different fromthe American dolls that
I once played with asa child. The perfectly
painted face, flawlesshairstyle, vibrantly
designed and colorful
kimono, and small
gentle hands of the dolls
made them seem soelegant that they were
untouchable.
In addition to the centerpiece, there were dolls ofvarying sizes displayed all over the venue somesmall enough to fit in the palms of your hands,
and some almost as tall as a toddler. This exhibit
gives visitors the rare opportunity to see theseone of a kind dolls right in front of their eyes. One
of my favorite dolls was a realistic looking doll
dressed up in a peach color kimono and holding
a pink kabuto, making her look like a true woman
warrior!
The main emphasis of this event is the dolls, but
the hospitality towards the visitors at this event
is top class and what makes this event truly a“matsuri”. After showing our tickets and engaging
in some small talk, I mentioned that we wereBig Hina Matsuri in Katsuura
from Hawaii, and thes t a ff m e m b e r k i n d l ynotified me of a hulaperformance happening
at the stage. He thenasked “Do you know
how to dance the hula?”in which I half-jokingly
responded “No, but I candance the Awa Odori”.
When we were about toleave, the staff insisted
that I dance a local obon
d a n c e t h a t h a d Aw a
Odori in it with the staff of the exhibit. They invitedme on to the stage despite not knowing thechoreography and we danced in front of a crowdof about 30 people, which included my friend who
was sitting their taking video of this interesting
cultural experience. Though I was embarrassed
at the idea of it, being invited to dance made me
feel welcomed to celebrate the traditions of theircommunity. This experience made my Big Hina
“Matsuri” experience complete.
The 31st Big Hina Matsuri will be held fromFebruary 23 to March 31 from 9:00-16:00 at the
Ningyou Bunka Kouryuukan in Katsuura Town.
TOPIA will also have their own doll display in the
Ohinasama no Okuzashiki Hall. Be sure to see
this unique display set up by our international
community!

AJET Tokushima Musical 25th Anniversary: Aladdin
By: Chris RiedlT

he year was 1994. Nelson Mandela
became president of South Africa. The
Channel Tunnel opened connecting Englandand France. Netscape was released, becoming
the first commercially viable web browser. And
in Tokushima, a few participants on the JET
Program performed Grease, an original musicalthat used easy English taken straight from a JHS
textbook. Within a few years the musical grew andnow, 25 years later, the Tokushima AJET Musicalis still going strong.
If you have ever seen one of the musicals before

AJET Tokushima Musical 25th Anniversary: Aladdin
you knowthere will be
costumes,
music, lights,
excitementa n d t h einevitable
nerves leading
up to the day.
Come to thinkof it, those
are the samethings you
experienceat a weddingc e r e m o n y.
Just like awedding, thepurpose of
the musical is
to bring twosides together
for a specialday. And when
everything
goes well, theconnection
between thetwo sides canbe magical.
So bearing
this similarity
in mind, let’s examine this year’s AJET Musical,“Aladdin – A Whole New World”, from the formatof the old wedding tradition of having “something4

old, something
new, somethingborrowed,something blue”.
Something Old
T h e d i r e c t o r,
Vi e t N g o , t h elead scriptwriter,
Chris Riedland perennial
character actor,
E i j i To w a t o r i ,have contributedon over 25
To k u s h i m a
AJET Musicalperformances
between them.
Plus, if you
add their ages,
they’d be over
100 years old!
Something
New
Most of thecast. While
there are otherveteran voices
involved, thisyear ’s musical will feature a predominantly
rookie class of ALTs. But don’t let their youth
fool you. Whether this is their first year in Japanor their first theatrical experience, this group of
newbies have a variety of talents and are highly
motivated. Look no further than Steven Cristi, a
1st year ALT in Awa-shi who will play Aladdin.
Steven is an accomplished singer-songwriter withmultiple videos on his Youtube channel who also
contributed to the script. And he is just the tip of
the iceberg!
Something Borrowed
The story. For the first time in 25 years, the
AJET Musical will repeat a previously performed

5

AJET Tokushima Musical 25th Anniversary: Aladdin

musical, Aladdin, which was originally done in
2000. While the story line will be familiar, thesetting has been changed to modern day New
York.

information and we look forward to performing foryou in March. See you there!

Something BlueThe Genie! Well, maybe not. Costumes andmakeup are still being finalized, but rest assured,
if you come see a performance you won’t leavefeeling this color.
So there you have it! The perfect recipe for
an afternoon or evening of enjoyment. Checkour blog and visit our Facebook page for more

Letter from SUKETO NAKAYOSHI

By Kazue Inoue (Center for Early Childhood Education and Care SUKETO NAKAYOSHI)I

n Japan, Setsubun is celebrated by throwing
dried soybeans in order to rid of evil spirits,
eating the dried beans in the quantity of yourage plus one, and praying for good health. Oncesetsubun has passed, a period called “Risshun”
follows and marks the beginning of spring. We
will only have to deal with the cold for just a little
more… Keep warm and healthy by having some
hotpot or soup that includes seasonal vegetables
such as napa cabbage and daikon.

6) Stimulating the development of the brain.
Chewing is an eating habit that does not only
pertain to children, but also to adults. It would begood for both parent and child to be conscious
about their chewing.
＊＊＊
Handmade Toy Made from Felt

This month we will focus on the topic of chewing.
Due to the increase in softer foods in recent
years, there has been a rise in children who leave
food in their mouth because they are unable tochew and swallow. There is also a large numberof children who swallow their food withoutchewing. There are many health raising benefits
from chewing your food well while eating.
For example:
1) Progressing the development of taste2) Developing the chin for clear pronunciation
3) Stimulating the secretion of saliva to prevent
dental diseases
4) Developing movement of the gastro intestine
5) Preventing obesity

1) Layer two long pieces of felt over each other,and sow the outer border of the two pieces.
2) Attach a button on one end, and make a holefor the button on the opposite end. When you
complete this step, be sure to sow around thehole to secure it so it does not break.
*This toy makes good practice for inserting andremoving buttons. You can also make morethan one and connect them together to form
something.

Awa Shoku: Daikon - Waste Not the Winter Root
By Lance Kita

A6s white as the snow
for nabe cooking).
that surrounds its fields,
Japanese radish (daikon 大
The root tip is the spiciest,根 ) is a winter root crop in
most pungent part. Some
Tokushima. Most of the fields
varieties of daikon are grown
are located along the Yoshino Japanese radish (daikon) aren’t just long, for this characteristic andbut versatile in its cooking methods.
River, where it is grown intake on an almost wasabisandy soil in rotation with otherlike pungency. Japanesecrops like sweet potatoes, Chinese cabbage, people take advantage of this flavor profile andcarrots, or bell peppers. In many farming grate the daikon (daikon oroshi 大根おろし ) as
communities, it is grown after the rice is harvested a condiment for grilled fish and soba noodles. It
in the same field. This sense of resourcefulness can also be used in tempura dipping sauce.
extends to how Japanese people use the daikonroot and even its leaves in cooking. No part of With so much daikon produced in a single season,
the plant is wasted, with each section of the root it’s impossible to eat it all. To preserve it, daikon
cooked in different ways.
can be lightly pickled in vinegar and sugar (yuzupeel makes it even tastier), or dried outside for a
Wait, not all of the daikon is created equal? Yes, few days before pickling in rice bran where it turns
it turns out that the root flesh is sweeter and juicier yellow or amber. This pickle is called takuan 沢
closer to the leaves, and becomes more fibrous 庵 and has a distinctive crunch.
and spicier at the tip. Therefore, each section isused in different dishes.
Many farmers will slice anddry the daikon for long-term
If you want a crisp, light daikonpreservation. The dried daikonsalad, use the top quarter (closest(hoshi daikon 干 し 大 根 ) isto the leaves, often tinged lightsoaked in water and braised withgreen outside). Just julienne
other vegetables, fried tofu skin,
cut and soak in ice water for a
and a light dashi soy sauce as
minute. I like to mix mine witha side dish. In some mountainsome crisp mizuna 水 菜 , acommunities, slices of daikon are
Kyoto leafy green that is popular
strung onto rice straw or rope
everywhere now. Add a soy- That crunchy yellow takuan pickle in and dried to be used in a variety
vinegar-sugar dressing and your bento is made from daikon, too. of stewed dishes during the long
bonito flakes (katsuo bushi かwinters.
つお節 and you have the standard salad at mostizakaya.
And don’t forget the leaves. They are highly
nutritious, and the simplest way to prepare them
The next quarter of the root is still sweet, but is to chop them up, rub them with a teaspoon of
uniformly thick and meaty. This part makes the salt and let sit for a few hours. Great with hot rice
best oden おでん (see Nov. 2017 article for oden or on tofu.
info) or any simmered dish (nimono 煮物 ) that is
flavored lightly. It’s the perfect vehicle for delicate Lastly, even the skin is not to throw away. Afterdashi.
a daikon root is peeled, clever housewives often
slice up the peelings and make an extra crunchy
The third quarter is closer to the root tip, so a little pickle, or sautéed with soy sauce, sugar, andspicier and pungent. It’s still suited for simmered sesame.
dishes, but with stronger flavors to mask any
funkiness. Slice thinly and add to your miso soup. Winter is traditionally a time of scarcity, when
Cook blocks of it with amberjack (buri 鰤 ) in a people lived off the autumn’s harvest until springdark soy sauce-sake-mirin broth for the classic came. Daikon is a symbol of that creativity under
winter fish dish buri daikon ぶり大根 . I love this duress, and has become an integral part ofpart for my kimchi hotpot (see Dec. 2018 article Japanese food.

7Japanese Lesson

By: Fusa Tamaki

Expressions to Avoid Using with Your Superiors

When I went to my Japanese class the other day,one of my students was passing out cookies to their
せん せいclassmates. As I was watching, I was asked「先 生 もさしあげましょうか。
」. I responded with “Oh,thank you”, and received one, but used this opportunity to correct my student’s Japanese. Why was
the student corrected to use「あげる」instead of its humble form「さしあげる」? In Japan, one must
be careful when speaking with superiors. Please think about why the sentences below are incorrect.
しゃちょう きょ う

く ろうさま例 1 せん社長、今日はたいへんご苦労様でした。
せい
きょ う
じゅぎょう
例2 先
生、今日の授業はとてもよかったです。
ぶ ちょう
め
あ
、コーヒーを召し上がりたいですか。
例 3 きょう
部長
じゅ
に もつ
も
さ
あ
例 4 教授、その荷物を持って差し上げます。
using words of appreciation for your superiors effort
例 1く Avoid
ろうさまby superiors to thank their subordinates. As a replacement for this phrase, people「ご苦労様」 isつかusedさま
often use「お疲れ様」. However, depending on the situation there are times when it is not appropriate,
so it is important to take caution. You can use the following phrases instead:Parting
ways at the station after going on aしつbusinesstrip with the CEO:
しゃちょう きょ う
れい
「社長、今日はありがとうございました。失礼します。
」
Sayinggoodbye to your teacher after class is finished:
せんせい「先生、ありがとうございました。
」
that rate your superiors performance
例 2 Refrain from using words
じょう ず
Words like 「よかった」and「上 手 」are words of praise, but you shouldn’t use such words towards
yoursuperiors.べんInstead,
express gratitude for the favor that you received:
せんせい
きょう
生
、とても勉
強
になりました。
」「先
せんせい「先生、わからないところがわかるようになって、とてもうれしいです。
」
they want
例 3 Stay away from asking your superior directly about what
た
When asking questionsめ about
what
they
want
to
do
such
as
changing this phrase「食べたいですか」,あto the honorific form「召し上がる」 would be considered as rude. When you would like to know whatsomeone would like, youぶcanuse a suggestive phrase such as 「どうですか」 to know their wishes byちょうsaying something like:「部長、コーヒーはいかがですか。
」
doingthem a favor
例 4 Be sure not to give your superior the impression that you are
さあEven though you change 「～てあげる」to its honorific form「～て差し上げる」, using it directly witha superior is rude. In this case, it is best to offer your assistance by using「～します」or「～しましょうか」.
Practice:
Change the following sentences in to appropriate expressions
ぶ ちょう
① せん
部長
のプレゼン、とてもよかったです。
せい
さ
あ
② せん
先生
、アメリカのおみやげを差し上げます。
せい
いそが
て つだ
③ きょう
先生
、お忙
しそうですね。手伝ってあげましょうか。
じゅ
じ
きゅうけい
④ 教授、3 時です。休憩したいですか。
Answers:1) 部長のプレゼン、勉
強になりました。2)
先生じ、アメリカのおみやげです。3)
先 生、
いそが
て つだ
きょうじゅ
きゅうけい
お忙しそうですね。お手伝いしましょうか。4) 教 授、3 時です。休憩なさいませんか。
ぶ ちょう

べん きょう

せん せい

せん せい

8
Events & Memoranda
Disaster Volunteer Interpreter Training
災害時ボランティア通訳研修

南海トラフ巨大地震は今後３０年以内の発生率が非常に高く、いつ私たちが災害に見舞われてもおかしくない状況です。また、地震以外にも、昨年７月に甚大な被害を残した西日本豪雨などの自然災害が多発しています。今後、ますます増えていくとみられる外国人を災害弱者にしないために、災害時の外国人支援について支援する側の心構えなどを学んでみませんか。
日時：2 月 24 日（日）場所：公益財団法人 徳島県国際交流協会
参加料：無料
対象者：徳島県国際交流協会語学ボランティア及び外国人支援に興味がある方
申込：Email にて 2 月 20 日（水）まで問い合わせ：公益財団法人 徳島県国際交流協会
TEL: 088-656-3303
Email: coordinator1@topia.ne.jp

Puchi Asobi
プチアソビ

The “Puchi Asobi” will be held again this year, and 春・秋に開催されるアニメイベント「マチ★アソビ」
is known as an additional episode of the anime の番外編として「ぷち★アソビ」が開催されます！
event “Machi Asobi” held in spring and autumn.
The “Puchi Asobi” is a very enjoyable event for 「ぷち★アソビ」は、お子様とご家族で楽しめるイベ
kids and families as well. Anime characters and ントです。アニメキャラクターやご当地キャラクター
local characters will gather at this event.
がマチに集合！
When: February 23 (Sat), 24 (Sun)
Where: Tokushima Higashishinbashi shopping
street and others
Info: Committee for the Execution of Anime
Events
TEL: 088-621-2146
URL: http://www.machiasobi.com/

日時：2 月 23 日（土）・24 日（日）場所：徳島市東新町商店街ほか
問い合わせ：アニメまつり実行委員会
TEL: 088-621-2146
URL: http://www.machiasobi.com/

Ohinasama no Okuzashiki & Sakamoto Doll Road
おひな様の奥座敷と坂本おひな街道
Intricately designed Girl's Day decorations willline the elegant Old Sakamoto Road. Take a walk
down the street and be welcomed by the springsunshine and warm smiles of the dolls.

昔ながらの町並みの残る、風情ある旧坂本街道に、趣向を凝らしたたくさんのひな飾り。
春の陽気とほっこり笑顔の人形たちに誘われて、のんびり散歩してみませんか♪

When: February 23 (Sat)-March 17 (Sun)
Where: Fureai no Sato Sakamoto
Info: Fureai no Sato Sakamoto
TEL: 0885-44-2110

日時：2 月 23 日（土）- 3 月 17 日（日）場所：ふれあいの里さかもと問い合わせ：ふれあいの里さかもと
TEL: 0885-44-2110

9

Events & Memoranda
20th Shikoku Sake Festival
第 20 回 四国酒まつり

Check out this regional sake tasting event where
you will be able to drink and compare all the famous brands within the Shikoku region. Have alook at the website below for updated information.

四国各地の銘酒を、一堂に飲み比べできる地酒試飲会！随時ホームページにて情報を更新いたします。

When: February 23rd (Sat)
Where: Around JR Awa Ikeda Station
Info: Awa Ikeda Chamber of Commerce andIndustry
TEL: 0883-72-0143
URL: http://www.shikoku-sakematuri.com/

日時：2 月 23 日（土）場所：JR 阿波池田駅周辺
問い合わせ：阿波池田商工会議所
TEL: 0883-72-0143
URL: http://www.shikoku-sakematuri.com/

27th Anan City Kacchiku Bamboo Festival
第 27 回 阿南市活竹祭
A fun festival is planned, including a regionals p e c i a l t i e s f e s t , h a n d s - o n c o r n e r, a n d
performances. This time the festival will be heldat the new Anan City Hall. For more detailed
information please visit the homepage below as
the event comes closer.
When: February 24 (Sun), 9:00-15:00
Where: Anan City Hall
Info: Anan City Katsutake Festival Committee
TEL: 0884-22-3290
U R L : h t t p : / / w w w. c i t y. a n a n . t o k u s h i m a . j p /docs/2018101200043/

特 産 品 ま つ り、 各 種 体 験 コ ー ナ ー、 ス テ ー ジ
イベントなど楽しい催しが予定されておりま
す ♪ 今 回 は 阿 南 市 の 新 庁 舎 で 開 催 さ れ ま す！
詳細情報につきましては、公式 HP で発表され次第、随時お知らせいたします。
日時：2 月 24 日（日）9：00 ～ 15：00 ( 予定 )場所：阿南市役所
問い合わせ：阿南市活竹祭実行委員会
TEL: 0884-22-3290
U R L : h t t p : / / w w w. c i t y. a n a n . t o k u s h i m a . j p /docs/2018101200043/

Ikawa Ski Resort Kainayama Night Hours
井川スキー場腕山ナイター営業
You will be able to enjoy skiing every Saturday
during February at the ski resort.

2 月の毎週土曜日にナイター営業が行われます♪

When: Every Saturday during February,
17:30-22:00
Where: Ikawa Ski Resort (Miyoshi-shi, Ikawa-cho,
Hirayama)
Info: Ikawa Ski Resort
TEL: 0883-87-7900
URL: http://www.ikawaski.jp/

日時：2 月の土曜日
17：30 ～ 22：00
場所：三好市井川町平山 井川スキー場腕山
問い合わせ：井川スキー場
TEL: 0883-87-7900
URL: http://www.ikawaski.jp/

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 isavailable in English and Japanese. Please note that although every effort will be made, we may not beable to deal with all cases.
Everyday, 10:00 - 18:00 (closed during the New Year's holidays)
Tel: 088-656-3303 or 088-656-3320 (allows three-way conversations with an interpreter)