RENGANEWSLETTER ofIntroducing Our Model,yuka sonoda
INSIDEKUFSA BADMINTON Tournament

KUFSA Yanagawa
Bus Trip
How to Take a Bus!
AND MORE

VOLUME 3March 2015

Photo: Wasu Mekratanaworakul

KUFSA bus TRIP TO Yanagawa

Elnaz Nakhaei , IranAs the chilly autumn weather crept in, KUFSA organized a one day trip to Yanagawa, asmall yet very beautiful city in Fukuoka prefecture. Excited students from Ito campus
got on the bus as early as 8:30 a.m. and stopped by Hakozaki campus to pick the restof the students; about 90 students in total, in two buses. The students took the chance to introduce themselves during the bus ride. Listening to these introductions was amusing enough not
to realize one and a half hours fly by. At around 11:00 a.m., we arrived. Ohana garden was our
first destination. It was a big, beautiful, Japanese-Western style garden. We took many photos
around the garden, inside the buildings and next to its pond. Soon, it was already lunch time!
Next, we went for boat riding in the maze-like rivers of Yanagawa. Although rain had no intention to stop, we could have a fun and enjoyable experience riding the traditional boats andlistening to singing of the boat rider, while ducks were swimming alongside the boat.
The last activity was maple viewing at Kiyomizudera, an old temple perfectly placed in depthof a dense foggy forest. Viewing of the colorful leaves of Japanese autumn is too precious tobe missed.

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A thing you’d better know to live in Japan!

How to Take a Bus!
YUKI NAGAE, JAPANA

re you having trouble with taking a bus? Bus fare, destination, or how to take a bus? Here aresome answers to ease your ride!

バス

You usually get on a bus from the back door, not the front. Then, you have to take a number ticket,
which tells where you got on. Instead of pulling the ticket, you can also use IC card; Nimoca, Suicaand etc. And then, find your seat quickly (for safety purposes, the driver waits for you to take a seat.)
The fee will depend on your traveled distance. If you look at the board above the windshield, there arenumbers showing with a fee under the number. To find out which one is your fee, just compare it with
the number on the ticket you took when you got on the bus. When you want to get off the next stop,press the red button to let the driver know. You have to prepare an exact amount of coins and put inthe box next to the driver. If you don’t have an exact amount, split it up with the machine, which is also
located next to the driver. While getting off, say “Arigatou gozaimashita” to the driver. That’s it, now
you just mastered riding the bus in Japan.
Tips: Using IC card make everything easier.
FYI: Here is a URL of the biggest bus company, Nishitetsu Bus:
http://jik.nishitetsu.jp/menu?lang=en
Enjoy your bus trip!!

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COVERPAGE MODEL薗田 由華

Yuka sonoda

Nationality: JapaneseYears of Study : Master 1st YearMajor		: Molecular Gene Technology

Japanese Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day in Japan is strange compared with other countries. During
Valentine’s Day in Japan, only girls prepare a chocolate for their loved ones.
Maybe, many Japanese boys are not good at telling their mind well (poorguys!). After giving chocolates, single girls wait for one month to get their “answer”
from guys. Do you know White Day? It is a day that girls get the gift in return andalso guys answer for the confession of love to girls! Japanese culture is so strange! Iwish it would be a society that every couples and people can tell their mind and loveeach other freely in Japan. Recently, it is common that girls buy an expensive chocolate as a reward for themselves, and in this year, my Valentine day was just like it!
Without any special one, I think we can still enjoy this special day. To tell the truth, I
think it’s better to spend the day with your loved ones though.

3HAFUハ‘ーフHa-fu’ or ‘Half’ is a documentary film that represents the life of mixed-race
people in Japan from different times and places. We saw their lives reflectedfrom the point of view of mixed-race children, teenagers, adults, and evencouples. I had never noticed issues mixed-race people in Japan faced until
I saw this film. I think that, not only people they encounter but sometimes
even they themselves are confused on their identity.
However, we learnt from this movie that wherever people come from, whatever race they represent, we all belong to the human race and share thesame world. Japan is moving to a new era, just as it happened years ago when
there were possibly no foreigners in Japan. With the rise of internalizationand the increase of foreigners in Japan, social culture will have to adapt withthe change.

PRUEKSRISAKUL Pattapong, THAILAND
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“Birds of a feather flock together”. A good old saying! International student community of Kyushu University always flocks together under the hood of KUFSA. January
24th of 2015 was not a yet another day at Japan, thousands of miles away from home.
It was the annual badminton event of KUFSA, an international sports event. The whole
event was held under three categories, men’s single, women’s single and mixed doubles.
Each category had its own ways excitement and the competitiveness at the maximum
level. Every player tried hard with the maximum effort. At the end of the day players
from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam became the best players in their categories,
respectively for men’s single, women’s single and mixed doubles. Omedetogosaimasu.
However, winging was not the most important part of the tournament, participationwas. Looking forward for more opportunities to flock together.

KUFSA badminton tournament
Sanjaya Vipula, Sri Lanka
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Information from the International
Student and Researcher Support Center
外国人留学生・研究者サポートセンターからのお知らせ

International Student and Researcher Support Center has been established forinternational students and researchers to start off your studies or research activities
smoothly. Please feel free to contact us when you have any questions or problems.
We extend you our best wishes for your pleasant stay in Fukuoka and fruitful studies
and research at Kyushu University.
WebsiteWe are providing various information regarding campus facilities, immigration
procedures, and events/news for foreign residents in Fukuoka through this website.
We hope that you will check our website regularly and get useful information.
Business hours
9:00 am - 5:00 pm (Hospital campus: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and New Year Holidays
Location
Japanese: http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/supportcenter/contact
English: http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/supportcenter/en/contact

Please check more information at Support Center Website!!

http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/supportcenter/en6

DOWNTOwN WALK

Kato Shuichi, JapanI

have a sweet tooth. No matter how full I am, I can still eat sweet stuff without limits.
Probably most people are like me! I have had sweets from various stores everywhere I go.
Recently, I chanced upon an exciting variety that I would like to introduce to you. It’s called“Dora-king”. It originates from Itoshima in Fukuoka prefecture but you can find it in Hakata
Station.
“Dora-king” is a soft, round, waffle stuffed with “amaoh” (a kind of strawberry popular in Fukuoka), sweet bean jam and strawberry cream. This creates an awesome fusion of Japaneseand foreign taste. It is really yummy!
My favorite is “Dora-king-raw” (left picture), costs 410 yen.
Second one is ”Dora-king Maccha”(center picture), costs 410 yen. The filling in this one ismaccha cream!
Third one is “Dora-king Ace” (right picture), costs 390 yen. It contains Strawberry Jam andcream.
You can buy them at Hakata Station near Hakata exit.
We hope you can be part of a fruitful year for KUFSAWith You Always, KUFSA. Please feel free to contact us at
KUFSAinfo@gmail.com
http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/kufsa/
http://www.facebook.com/KUFSAKUFSA RENGA Editorial Committee

Wasu Mekratanaworakul, Jecinta Kamau, Kato Shuichi,
Bodhinanda Chandra - Design and Illustration

NEXT
7EVENTKUFSA Hanami in Dazaifu
Friday, 27th March 2015,

KUFSA Hanami 2015 will be the last event organized by 2014 - 2015 committee cooperated with Dazaifu Tenmangu. It will also be the time to officially hand over KUFSA toour 2015 - 2016 new team. We are hoping that you can always enjoy and taking part inour future events. Looking forward to seeing you around! KUFSA 2014 - 2015.