News
Inuyama Multilingual

Published by
Inuyama International Association
Date of Publication: October 21, 2022

English Version (No. 5)

Exchange with the local community throughthe cultivation of vegetables using abandoned farmland!
Mr. Tran Van-Ha
Nationality: Vietnam
Status of Residence:
EngineerCame to Japan: 2014
Work: Manufacturing
Deputy section Chief
Why did you start farming?
I thought it was a waste because there were many abandoned fields around my house due toaging. I thought that I would rather grow vegetables by farming it than having it covered withweeds. I was introduced to the owner of the abandoned farmland by an acquaintance of a city
council member of mine who lived in the neighborhood. I also had farming experience in Vietnam,
so I rented the field free of charge and am currently growing vegetables with my wife. I visit theowner with vegetables and report on the cultivation status once a month. I also bought a usedtractor. The field is divided into three places, and the cultivation area is 160 square meters in total.
There is still a lot of abandoned farmland in the surrounding area, so I would like my Vietnamesefriends to do farming, but in order to rent a field, I think that it is first necessary to build a relationshipof trust with the owners of the farmland.
How did you build a trusting relationship?
In my case at first, I borrowed a part of the field that an acquaintance city council member of mine
had cultivating, and we weeded frequently to keep it clean. I think the owners of the abandoned
farmland in the surrounding area have come to trust me by observing the situation.
What vegetables are you growing?
There are more than 15 kinds of vegetables including white corn, montoi (tsurumurasaki),kuusinsai (a kind of spinach Vietnamese are fond of), lemongrass, peanuts, sweet potato, andpumpkin.
The vegetables I harvested are eaten by me, the owner of the farm, and my Vietnamese friends
living in about 20 households in the neighborhood.
What makes me glad I started farming
It's been eight years since I came to Japan, and I want to live in Japan forever. Vietnamese andJapanese have different eating habits, so we wanted to remember the taste of our home country
and grow what we wanted to eat as much as possible. Thanks to renting the abandoned farmland,
I was able to grow various vegetables and I think that I deepened my interaction with the people
around me.
Why I started farming and how it has spread.
The desire to make effective use of abandoned cultivation land and engage in agriculture isspreading around the area. I also interact with Japanese people around me.
A message to foreign residents
No matter where you live, I think that it will be easier to live by following the rules there and notbothering the people around you.
Message to Japanese people
Since I am a foreigner, there are things I do not understand, and if there is any inconvenience due
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to cultural differences, I would be grateful if you could let me know.

<Comments from Mr. Shintaro Suzuki, a resident of Gakuden>
As of 2021, the amount of abandoned farmland in Inuyama was about 6.3 hectares. The
reasons for this are the aging of the population, lack of heirs, and the increasing damage
from wild boars. However, thanks to the arrival of people like Mr. Ha, both he and the people
in the community have benefited from each other's efforts, and we have grown closer
together. In particular, the elderly people in the community have come to talk to me casually,
and I feel that the "barriers" of nationality and culture are disappearing.
Many of the vegetables that Japanese people eat were imported from overseas centuries
ago. Foreign nationals know better how to grow and eat them.

We would like to create a space where everyone can join and talk together
to help create a town where people of all origins and of all types can live
comfortably together.
The Inuyama International Association(IIA) holds a Multicultural Online
Chatting Club once a month for one
hour on Zoom. Everyone is welcome tojoin us:●People who want to exchange opinionswith others●People, even those with limited
Japanese, who would like to talk withothers in Japanese, are welcome*Let's talk together about our community in Japanese.
Next date: December 17th (Sat.), 19:30-20:30*Apply tohttps://forms.gle/cLmM8LAJmsozaQVB8*Japanese residents in Inuyama and nearby are also
welcome to attend.

Past Topics:
Manners in my country,
Tthings my parents, teachers,
and other adults said to me when
I was a child, and more.

*We are looking for additional discussion topics. Please share with us any troubles, difficulties,
or anything you would like to see changed: https://forms.gle/oDoEK8kyyupxFmbQ9

Shakeout Training (Source: The Great Japan Shake Out）
Japan has earthquakes. You never know when an earthquake will strike. You do notknow where you might be when an earthquake strikes. You might be at home, at school,
at work, or on vacation. In order to react quickly in case of an emergency, it is importantto practice shakeout drills on a regular basis. If you are indoors, protect your head byperforming the Safety Action 1-2-3 "Stay low, protect your head, and don't move" on thespot. Then remain still until the shaking stops. If an earthquake occurs while you areoutside, find a place at first that is away from buildings, trees, utility poles, and powerlines, and then take steps 1-2-3 to secure your safety. Remain there until the shakingstops.
If there is a possibility of a tsunami,
evacuate to the highest possible place
nearby as soon as the shaking stops.

If there is a possibility of a tsunami, evacuate to the highest possible place nearby as soon as theshaking stops.

2Here is a man who is studying hardat the Inuyama Japanese Language Class!
Mr. U Koutei
Nationality: Chinese
Arrived in Japan: December
2020
Work: Painting
Status of residence:
Technical Intern
I came to Japan because Japan is close in distance and its culture is similar to ours. I havebeen watching Japanese anime on TV in China since I was a child. I watched Conan, Naruto,Doraemon, Crayon Shinchan, and many others. When I came to Japan, I visited Gosho
Aoyama's hometown museum in Tottori Prefecture. I also like mystery novels and read Keigo
Higashino's novels in translation in China. There were senior Chinese employees at thecompany who taught me a lot of things, so I had no particular problems.
I would like to study Japanese hard and work in Japan for a long time.
<Comments from Masaru Zemoto, volunteer in charge>
Mr. Koutei always takes a lot of notes and studies hard. Above all, I am impressed by hisreadiness to come earlier than the starting time every day. All these things inspire me too. It
seems that his bosses at his company are very kind to him, and perhaps his hard work
naturally makes those around him want to support him.

Beware of Heat Stroke!

(source: Suntory Beverage Solution Co.)

Summer heat in Japan is also very humid that many foreigners might not
be accustomed toit. Have you ever heard of necchusho, heat stroke? Necchusho,
heatstroke is an illness that causes various symptoms such as elevated
body temperature, dizziness, cramps, and headaches as a result of a risein body temperature, an imbalance of water and salt in the body, and an
inability to regulate body temperature.
To avoid heat stroke:
1. Avoid being in thehot places

2. Hydrate regularly

3. Take a break if you gettired3

Interviewing Our Language Course Teacher
Inuyama International Association offers language courses taught by native speakers. Thecourses are English, Korean, Spanish, German, Chinese, Portuguese, and French.
In this issue, we interviewed Ms. Kawase Debora, a teacher of the Portuguese language
course.
◆Country of Origin: Parana, Brazil◆Arrival in Japan: 19 years ago (in 2003)◆About Portuguese Course: In the course, I do not only teach thePortuguese Language but also introduce the culture and customs of Brazil.
By learning about the culture and customs behind the language, you will
also deepen your understanding of the language. Brazil is not just a
country of samba and carnival, so I want people to know more about
Brazil's charms and I'd love to see you visit Brazil. Won’t you join us for aPortuguese language course?
◆Cultural shock when you first came to Japan: Japanese-style toilet and bathtub. In Brazil,
there are no bathtubs, and showers and western-style toilets are generally located in the sameroom.
◆What you struggled with most when you first came to Japan: I could not use Japanese at all.
◆How did you learn Japanese?: I studied on my own and I have Level N2 now.
◆What language do you speak at home?: We were speaking Portuguese when we arrived inJapan. Currently it’s 80% Japanese. My two younger children were born in Japan, however Itaught them Portuguese at home so that they could speak directly with relatives when they
return to Brazil, so they speak both Japanese and Portuguese.
◆Difficulties in living in Japan: The high cost of living. Because I did not know about theJapanese school system, I faced things that I was not familiar with, such as the entrance feethat is required in addition to the tuition fee when a child goes to college, and so forth.
◆What would you like to do in Japan in the future?: Travel to various places in Japan, especiallyto Hiroshima.

Rules For Riding a Bicycle(source: Aichi Prefectural Police Headquarters)

In Aichi prefecture, in order to reduce the number of traffic accidents involving bicycles,」 rules have been in place since October 2021.
new※Both adults and children should wear helmets when riding bicycles.
Many people lose their lives from head injuries in bicycle accidents.
Wear a helmet and protect your life.

※To ride a bicycle, you must also have bicycle insurance.

Having an accident on a bicycle can cost you a lot of money.
So please get insurance for your bike.

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We offer events where you can experience Japanese culture and meet
new Japanese friends. You do not need to know a lot of Japanese.
Inuyama International Association (IIA) offers multicultural events throughout year for thelocal foreign and Japanese residents throughout the year. Here are some of the events wehave held recently.
Multicultural Exchange Café(Feb., 2022)
After trying Japanese calligraphy,
participants shared the traditional
games and culture of their own
countries.

Hiking in
Inuyama (Oct., 2022)
The participants visited
Inuyama Castle.

○Next Hiking Event:Date: Sunday, November
27th, 2022, 1 p.m.
Meeting Place: Entrance
Hall of Freude※Please see IIA’s
Website for furtherinformation.

<Homepage>

International Cooking Class(July, 2022)
Vietnamese and Japaneseparticipants interacted witheach other as they cooked
Vietnamese and Japanesedishes together.

Multicultural Exchange Cafe
(Aug. 2022)
The participants experienced a
traditional
Japanesetea
ceremony and talked about thetea culture of other countries.

We have a number of events planned for this year. Please check ourhomepage and Facebook page for details. IIA homepage:
http://iiea.info. Please search for the Facebook account using“Inuyama International Association.”

http://iiea.info

Search on Facebook「Inuyama International Association」

Let's watch the news in easy Japanese!
You can watch the news in easy Japanese and listen to audio on the Internet and Facebook.

◆NEWS WEB EASY (NHK): NEWS WEB EASY (nhk.or.jp)◆Yasashii Nihongo News (Easy Japanese News)/With news Asahi Shinbun | Facebook:
やさしい日本語ニュース／withnews・朝日新聞 | Facebook
5Cool Japan

Tea Ceremony

The tea ceremony is a traditional Japanese culture of hospitality, in which a cup of tea isdedicated to a guest.
When we welcome guests, we prepare with all our hearts, and we do our utmost to please
them. The tea ceremony naturally generates a sense of gratitude in those who receive it, andwe are able to communicate with each other.

Japanese Onomatopoeia!
Do you know onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is a word that describes a state, movement, and so forth. in sound.
Learning Japanese onomatopoeia will make your Japanese conversation more enjoyable.
Try using it!

paku-paku

gera-gera

pota-pota

gyu-gyuWhensomeone iseating very
quicklyWhensomeone islaughing
loudlyThe sight andsound of water
drops falling

People forcibly
cramming andpushing

Inuyama Multilingual News in English
Published by Inuyama International Association〒484‐0086 Aichiken Inuyama-shi Matsumoto-cho 4-21 Inuyama Community Center『Freude』
TEL: (0568) 48-1355
FAX：(0568) 48-1356
HP：http://iiea.info
E-mail： iia@grace.ocn.ne.jp

Volunteer Translation Team Members:
English: Kusakabe Kazuro, Shibata Atsuyuki, Yasumura Megumi, Uchimura Hidetomo, Steve McGuire
Spanish: Tawara Carlos, Ruiz Bulnes Ricardo Arturo, Saeki Liliana
Portuguese: Yara Marcos, Akagi Kazunori, Akagui Mitsue, Yoshida Gisele
Chinese: Harita Misako, Ten Ru, Sun Jiao, Yang Liya, Ozawa Tsutomu
Vietnamese: Pham Thi Nhu Hau, Tran Van-Ha
Tagalog: Higuchi Marita, Kawasaki Maria6