aWa life
The Way of Tea

Awa Shoku:
Sweet (Bean) Memories

October 2020

Interview with
Martin Holman

Gairaigo Galore:
バリカン

# 360

1

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

Although the autumn leaves (kouyou/momiji 紅葉 ) are already appearing in Hokkaido, here in Tokushima we will have to wait until November until the beauty of the leaves fully unfolds. If you want to know
where to enjoy this natural phenomenon, please check out our “fall foliage map” in the next issue of
Awa Life. Until then you can brush up on your autumn leaves-related vocabulary with this issue’s reading exercise, drink a cup of tea (maybe you can get some inspiration from Anne-Marie’s article about
the tea ceremony on page 2), and enjoy the relaxing temperatures of October.
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 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:
Sydney Bartig and Nico Bohnsack
Contributors This Month:Anne-Marie Marker, Qing Liu, Akira Harada, Lance Kita, Kayo Miyoshi

2Contents

Pg. 2-3: The Way of Tea
Pg. 4:

Interview with Martin Holman

Pg. 5:

Japanese Culture and Reading Corner: 紅葉狩り

Pg. 5:

Gairaigo Galore: バリカン

Pg. 6:

Awa Shoku: Sweet (Bean) Memories

Pg. 7:

Japanese Lesson

Pg. 8-9: Events and Memoranda
The Way of Tea
By: Anne-Marie Marker

Being a CIR in Tokushima Prefecture comeswith lots of benefits. There are so manyfriendly people around who are always happy toteach you something about their culture. AfterI arrived in early September of last year, later
than most CIRs, there was an article about me
published in the "people"
section of the newspaper.
I was introduced as I am:a person with a strong
interest in traditional
Japanese culture. Having
read this, a very kind
person approached us
CIRs of the Prefectural
Government Office andoffered to teach us about
tea ceremony.
The tea ceremony, or
way of tea, (using theformer in my professor’sclass in Germany
was a no go!) actually
influenced me to makethe decision to start
studying Japanese language, culture and art. My
dad used to collect all these nice books about the
famous tea master Sen no Rikyu and the way oftea. Although it could be pretty annoying having
your dad try to explain something complicatedlike ritualized tea making and drinking to you
as a child/teenager, I suppose it did make mesomewhat more familiar with Japanese culture.
A tea ceremony is basically a ritual of receiving
guests at your home to enjoy some tea andsweets together at seasonaloccasions. Green tea was
first introduced from China in
the 9th century and gained
popularity in Japan overthe centuries. From aroundthe 15th century, rituals of
tea serving and drinking
developed. Today in Japan, thepowdered green tea matcha
is mostly used. There is a set
order the host must follow
when preparing and serving
tea to the guests, of which one
is the main guest who, alongwith the host, helps guide theconversation. Unlike in mostwestern cultures, you don't
enjoy the sweets together withthe tea, but rather you eat
them before to enhance the tea’s flavor.
While I have participated in tea ceremony
experiences in Japan and Germany before, I only
had those one-time experiences and no real step3

The Way of the Tea
I still have a long way to go until I can consider
myself a master of all the steps, but I can alreadygive you some basic tips. Hopefully they will comein handy if you are invited to a tea ceremony inthe future!

by step lessons. So, I was super ready to start
this unique journey!
When it comes to tea ceremony, basicallyeverything is ritualized and has special rules.
These rules even define which hand or fingers
you hold all of your tools with. The actual makingof the tea by using a special whisk made ofbamboo does not really play a leading role, but
is dictated by equally difficult steps. For example,
there are special ways you must fold the cleaning
cloth and the silk cloth which are used for theritual cleaning and purifying. I had no idea that I
would soon start to question my ability to use myown two hands properly, because some of thesesteps don't come naturally. For some movements,
I would instinctively use my right hand instead of
my left hand.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, we had to cancel
some classes, or instead hold short, individualclasses with our dedicated teacher. But eventhose short practices were necessary, because
if you don't practice regularly, you forget some ofthe steps quite easily.
Although I'm still a beginner, I've come to realize
that, due to the special treatment of all the tools,
the daily routine of tea making becomes a unique
ceremony. Isn’t this something nice these days?
Because of the current situation, we don't havethat many special occasions, celebrations or
events. So why not try making something simple
in your everyday life a special ritual?

•

It is always a good idea to wear white socks!
Even if you are not all dressed up in a kimono
with the traditional white socks called tabi, it iscommon to wear white socks. If you are not inpossession of a pair of white ones, make surethat you at least wear proper socks withoutholes.

•For the ladies: If you are wearing a skirt ordress, it should be a longer one so that yourknees stay covered, even if you are sitting on
your knees in the traditional way.

•

In a formal setting, you should be sure to takeoff your watch and any jewelry•

When you get your nice bowl of matcha, it isvery much welcomed to make your last sip
loud. By doing what is considered pretty rudein western countries, you show your hostessor host that you really enjoyed the tea you've
been served.

Interview with Martin Holman: Awa Ningyo Joruri Enthusiast
By: Qing LiuO

n July 25th and 26th, Martin Holman’s
Ningyo Joruri (puppet) group, Tokubeiza,
held a “Meoto Lion Dance” performance at
the Awa Jurobe Yashiki. After viewing Martin’s
performance, I met with him for an interview to
ask him more about Ningyo Joruri and his life.
Martin has loved puppets ever since he was achild. When he was 4 years old, he even wrote
a letter to Santa asking for a Pinocchio puppet.
When he was 6 years old, his father built him apuppet stage. It was built so that you could holdperformances from both the front and back of thestage.
However, a love of puppets alone won’t pay thebills.
Martin began studying Japanese 42 years
ago. He began by deciding to purchase someJapanese books from a bookstore located in
the city. Since he lived in a rather rural part ofAmerica, the bookstore only had about 2 or 3
Japanese textbooks. Even in present day, it’s
relatively rare for someone to study Japanese. If
you say that you are studying Japanese, it’s notuncommon for people to then ask things such as,“So, is someone in your family Japanese?”.
When Martin was in his 3rd year of university, he
was actually dispatched to Japan as a missionary.
When he returned to America, he ended upchanging his major from biology to something hereally loved: Japanese.

4

has even translated some of his works.
W h e nMartinwas born,
J a p a n
was still in
the Showa
Era, andhe quitelikes thisera ofJapan.
However,
NingyoJoruri isfrom amuch older era. The first time Martin saw Ningyo
Joruri in Tokushima Prefecture was about 38
years ago. This was at a performance that took
place in Kamikatsu. Tokushima is home to many
puppets, and many Ningyo Joruri groups remain
even in present day. Eventually, Martin decided tomove here to Tokushima.
Tokushima has the highest number of Ningyo
Joruri groups in all of Japan. Unlike many otherprefectures, performances are held daily inTokushima, rather than only once or twice a year.
Since there are already multiple groups, it also
made it easier to create a new group and settle in
Tokushima.

When learning Japanese, he used a very
interesting method to remember verbs andvocabulary. For example, he associated theJapanese verb aruki (to walk) with the phrase/image of “a rude key”. In this way he was able tomemorize approximately 500 different verbs.

The recent lion dance performance by Martin’sgroup, Tokubeiza, was an original work thathe produced. People from Japan, Mexico,
America, and New Zealand played a role in theperformance. As everyone had jobs to attend to, it
was difficult to find time for practice, but everyone
was able to work together to make the show a
success.

After graduating with his PhD, he taught Japanese
literature at Wakayama University in Japan. He
enjoyed being able to hold discussions with thestudents. In addition, he greatly enjoys the works
of Japanese writer Yasunari Kawabata, and he

Currently, Tokubeiza is working on producing ascript for Kaminari (the god of thunder), whichfeatures the tale of a god who falls to the humanworld. It’s a very interesting story. Make sure tokeep an eye out for it!

5Japanese Culture and Reading Corner: 紅葉狩り
By: Akira Harada

にほん

あき

ところ

は

あか

きいろ

うつく

日本では、 秋になると、 いろいろな所で、 葉が、 赤や黄色くなった
こうよう

が

できます。

と

言います。

やま

紅 葉です。また、山 や

のはら

い

野 原に

行 って、 その景 色を

き

ぎ

み

美しい木々を

けしき

み

見ること
も み じ が見 ることを 「紅 葉狩り」

いかた

どうしょくぶつ

と

い

動 植物を

獲 ってくることを意 味しますが、 少しずつ

「狩 り」というと、 食べるために
かんしょう

い

わって、「鑑賞する」

み

こうよう

とく

日本の

紅葉は、 特に

いろ

使うように

しゅるい

も み じ が

変

うつく

ゆうめい

美しいことで

有名です。

で

うつく

けしき

き

ぎ

ちから

出かけませんか。美しい景色と、 木々の力が、 きっと、 あなたいリフレッシュさせてかわなりました。

おお色の種類が多く、 コントラストがみなさんも、「紅葉狩り」 に
を

すこ

つか

意味でも

にほん

み

まえ

てんきよほうくれますよ。 行く前に、 天気予報

み

じょうほう

などで、 見ごろの

情報を

チェッ

わす

クすることを忘れないで！

Vocabulary List
こうよう/もみじ

紅
は

葉
のはら

野原
けしき

景色

葉

Autumn Leaves
Leaves
Field
View, Scenery

バリカン (hair clippers)
By: Sydney Bartig

かHunt, Pick

狩り
どうしょくぶつ

動植物
と

獲る
かんしょう

鑑賞

Plants and Animals
CatchAppreciate

しゅるい

種類
てんきよほう

天気予報
み

見ごろ
じょうほう

情報

Type
Weather Forecast
Best Time to See
Information

Gairaigo Galore
If you happen to visit a barber shop while in Japan, it may be
helpful to learn some related vocabulary. For example, do you
know what the word for “hair clippers” is in Japanese? In Japanese
it is バリカン , but where do you think this word originates from? If
you guessed France, then you would be correct! However, you may
be surprised to learn that it doesn’t actually come from the French
word for hair clippers which is tondeuse.

The word バリカン actually originates from a French manufacturing
company named Bariquand et Marre ( バ リ カ ン・ エ・ マ ー ル ),who produced things such as hair clippers. The first pair of バ リ
カ ン are said to have been brought to Japan by a Japanese diplomat to France named Keitaro
Nagata. This occurred during the Meiji Period, and eventually バ リ カ ン
gained widespread popularity in Japan, taking on the name of the company
that they were originally produced by.
Hopefully you can keep バ リ カ ン in mind the next time you visit a barbershop!

Awa Shoku: Sweet (Bean) Memories
By: Lance Kitae were handed a paper bag that was very
warm to touch. The smell was amazing…
The outside was perfect, slightly cake-like… as
you bit in, you were introduced to this explosion ofsweetness and warmth… I was instantly hooked.”“W

My friend Craig from Anan described his firstencounter 18 years ago with oban-yaki 大 判 焼 ,a bean paste bun with a strong scent of nostalgia
for many residents of Tokushima. Across Japan,
this goes by several other names, including
Imagawa-yaki 今川焼 , kaiten-yaki 回転焼き andtaiko-yaki 太 鼓 焼 き . The cylindrical cakes areusually filled with smooth (koshi-an こ し 餡 ) or
chunky (tsubu-an 粒餡 ) bean paste, but there arealso versions with white bean paste (shiro-an 白餡 ) or custard cream.

Stuffed with chunky bean paste, obanyaki are satisfying and addictive.
Where did Craig find this? “I was taken to
Sogo for the whole Japanese department store
experience… I noticed a line outside a store
and was interested… I walked over and saw thisamazing, magical machine through the window.
Just watching all these little, brown bundles of joy
being made was an experience in itself.”
I instantly knew which shop he was talking
about… the oban-yaki shop fronting the Sogo
Department Store near JR Tokushima Station.
This is one of the few places I have seen people
line up to buy something, and I wondered how ashop like that could survive with only one menu
item.
The shop’s machine pumps out batter into molds,
sets a generous lump of tsubu-an in the middle,
and flips the other half of the cake on top. The
price has been 70 yen for the longest time (atleast a couple of decades), until the recent tax

6increase resulted in a modest rise to 80 yen. I
bought a freshly-made one and ate it by the river.
The outer cake is slightly crispy on the edges, andtender yet sturdy all around. They don’t skimp on
the bean paste at all, very dense with the perfectbalance of sweet and a pronounced saltiness.

This veteran shop’s machine turns out
some amazing bean paste buns.
This shop is truly a rare gem… it has seen three
generations of department stores come and gofrom the area (Tsubomiya, Marushin, and Sogo)
since opening in 1951, selling their oban-yaki
for just 10 yen. Mr. and Mrs. Sasada are thesecond generation owners, and Mr. Sasada isalso the head of a famous ren 連 (Awa Odori
dance troupe), so the shop's interior is plasteredwith festival posters and photos. Even with themachine, they continued as a family business
until 2000, when relatives retired and they hired
staff for the first time (mostly foreign students).
I asked them how they could keep the pricedown after all these years, and Mrs. Sasada
said it’s because people keep buying boxes of
10 oban-yaki, so as long as they sell a lot, they
can continue to keep it cheap. Simple secret of
success for a humble shop.
Asian tourists have joined residents in the line dueto the shop’s inclusion in guidebooks, but Western
tourists seem wary of bean paste sweets,
although they said that the curious ones give it athumbs up. Craig is definitely a fan of the beanpaste, and even carries bean paste jelly (yokan
羊 羹 ) on his cycling rides for a sugar boost. But
his favorite snack continues to be the warm,
comforting bean paste buns from a tiny cornershop that has outlasted the giant department
store with its shuttered doors behind it. Thank you
to Craig and Mr. and Mrs. Sasada for sharing yourmemories!

7Japanese Lesson

By: Kayo Miyoshi

How to Respond to さようなら

How to Respond to さようなら
1.) When your friend tells you さようなら :「さようなら」「バイバイ、またね。
」
2.) When leaving a friend's house:
じゃ ま「お邪魔しました。さようなら。
」「ありがとう。またね。
」
3.) When leaving Japanese class:
せ わ

しつれい

「お世話になりました。さようなら。
」「ありがとうございました。失礼します。
」
4.) When leaving work:
さき

しつれい

つか

さま

「お先に失礼します。
」「お疲れ様です。
」

How to Respond to「ごめんなさい」&「すみません」
1.) When your friend tells you「ごめんなさい」:
き

だいじょう ぶあやま

あ わ べ ん」「大 丈 夫です。
」「ほんなん、謝らんでいいけん」（阿波弁）「いいよ。気にしないでね。
2.) When an acquaintance tells you「ごめんなさい」or「すみません」:
だいじょう ぶ「いえいえ、大 丈 夫です。
」
「こちらこそ、ごめんなさい。
」「こちらこそ、すみません。
」「とんでもないよぉ～。
」
3.) When your boss apologizes to you:
「とんでもないです。
」「とんでもございません。
」
き「お気になさらないでください。
」「いえいえ、こちらも、うっかりしておりました。
」

Events & Memoranda

8

国際理解支援フォーラム
International Understanding Forum
法務省入国管理局（在留外国人統計）によると、県内の在住外国人は約 80 カ国、6,600 人（令和元年
12 月末）となっており、その中には県内の学校に通う子どもたちもいます。また、令和 3 年 4 月には全国初の夜間中学校、徳島県立しらさぎ中学校が開校され、外国にルーツを持つ人たち（子ども・大人）にも教育の機会がさらに開かれます。そのような中、郷土徳島にとって様々な文化を認め合い、共に生活できる環境『多文化共生社会』づくりが求められています。そこで、今年度は様々な国にルーツを持つ子どもたちの子育てに焦点を当て、経験豊かな講師の体験談から共に考える機会を設けるとともに、意見交換の場とすることをねらいとします。
テーマ：「徳島での子育て ～徳島に住む外国の方と共に考えよう～」
日時：11 月 15 日（日）13:30 ～ 15:30
場所：TOPIA 会議室
参加者：徳島県内在住者 20 名程度（要予約）
詳細は TOPIA のホームページ（https://www.topia.ne.jp/）をご覧ください。

Support for Foreigners Following Large-scale Disasters Drill
In preparation for the occurrence of the Nankai Trough Earthquake, TOPIA will be holding a “Support
for Foreigners Following Large-scale Disasters Drill”. Participants will include organizations that support
foreigners, volunteer interpreters, study abroad students, and other foreign residents.
When: November 11th (Wed.) 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Where: Tokushima International Strategies Center on the 6th floor of Clement Plaza (Tokushima
Station)*Other than the disaster information translation portion and the consultation portion, this event will be
conducted in Japanese. We ask for your understanding.
Participation Method: We ask that you participate via Zoom. However, if you are unable to do so thenyou may attend in person. It is necessary to apply in advance via phone, fax, or email. Please send thefollowing information: name, place of work, nationality, phone number, and email address (necessary
for Zoom).
Application Deadline: October 26th (Mon.)For more information please refer to TOPIA's homepage.

Awa Ningyo Joruri Houichi Nouson Butai
阿波人形浄瑠璃 法市農村舞台
This fall, almost every Awa Ningyo Joruri Nouson Butai performance has been cancelled due to thecoronavirus. However, the Houichi Nouson Butai performance will be held without an audience and will
be available online:
日時：10 月 4 日（日）13:00 〜 16:00
When: October 4th (Sun.) 13:00 - 16:00
場所：三好郡東みよし町東山字法市
Where: Funato Shrine Grounds Higashiyama,
船渡神社境内Higashimiyoshi, Miyoshi District
Make sure to check https://www.nousonbutai.com/ for the latest news, such as the video link.

9

Events & Memoranda

Motorcycle Illustration Exhibition by Yasumasa Sue
須恵泰正オートバイイラスト展

An illustration exhibition by Yasumasa Sue, who
was born and lives in Tokushima Prefecture, will
be held for the 4th time this year at the Naruto
German House. These delicately and precisely
drawn illustrations are all done in pencil, and they
are just as beautiful as a real-life picture. The
exhibition will feature approximately 60 pieces ofmotorcycle themed works ranging from detailed,full-color illustrations to monochrome sketches.
When: October 3rd (Sat.) – 31st (Sun.)
9:30 – 17:00 (Last Entrance is at 16:30)
Where: Naruto German House
2nd Floor Exhibition Room
Fee: Adults: 400 Yen / Children 100 Yen
Info: Naruto German House
TEL: 088-689-0099
URL: http://doitsukan.com/info/

徳島県出身・在住の画家 須恵泰正氏によるイラスト展。ドイツ館では今年で 4 回目となる。繊細かつ精密なタッチで描かれたイラストは、すべてが鉛筆で描かれており、まるで写真のように美しい。今回は、精密カラーイラストからモノクロのスケッチまで、オートバイにまつわるイラストを
約 60 点展示予定。
日時：10 月 3 日（土）～ 10 月 31 日（日）9:30 ～ 17:00（入館は 16:30 まで）
場所：鳴門市ドイツ館 2 階企画展示室
料金：大人 400 円 小人 100 円
問い合わせ：鳴門市ドイツ館
TEL：088-689-0099
URL: http://doitsukan.com/info/

Fall Foliage on Mount Tsurugi
剣山の紅葉

The fall foliage in Tokushima will be mostenjoyable in November. However, the season
actually already starts in October. It begins on
the 1,955 meters high Mount Tsurugi, the second
highest mountain in western Japan. You can makeuse of both a seasonal bus and a lift. On the top of
the mountain, you can find a hut with lodging andfood options. Ready yourself for a splendor of red
and yellow Erman’s birches, Japanese rowans,and other trees.
When: Beginning of October – Middle of October
Where: Mount Tsurugi
Info: Mount Tsurugi Tourism Promotion Council
TEL: 0883-67-5277
URL: http://www.turugisan.com/

徳島県の紅葉は、標高 1,955m を誇る西日本第二の高峰・剣山（つるぎさん）から始まります。登
山リフトや登山バス（季節運行）が整備されており、頂上ヒュッテでお食事や宿泊も可。ダケカン
バやナナカマドなど、赤や黄色の錦模様が楽しめます。

日時：10 月上旬～中旬
場所：剣山
問い合わせ：剣山観光推進協議会
TEL: 0883-67-5277
URL: http://www.turugisan.com/

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.
Everyday, 10:00 - 18:00 (closed during the New Year's holidays)
Tel: 088-656-3312 or 088-656-3313 (allows for three-way conversations with an interpreter)