aWa life

Tips for Trekking Around
Shikoku by Train

Awa Shoku: Dressed for(Japanese Salad) Success

Slow Down and Relax:
Reflections on Living Abroad

May 2018# 332

Apply Now for theTokushima Prefecture 2018
Japanese Speech Contest

1

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

With the freezing cold weather of winter and the busyness of a new fiscal year, it was hard to getaround and about. However, it is finally a pleasant temperature to be outside and take advantage of
the warm weather. Whether it be rafting through the Yoshino River, or doing something as simple assitting on a bench while gazing at the trees in a park, we hope that you can enjoy the nice and pleasantweather of May.
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, Franzi, and Tom

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, Franziska Neugebauer, and Tom Wehrmann
Contributors This Month:
Kazue Inoue, Lance Kita, Yukari Nagata, Qing Liu, and Yoko Aoki

2

Contents
Pg. 2:

Slow Down and Relax: Reflections on Living Abroad

Pg. 3:

Welcoming New TOPIA Staff

Pg. 4-5:

Tips for Trekking Around Shikoku by Train

Pg. 5:

Letter from SUKETO NAKAYOSHI

Pg. 6:

Japanese Lesson

Pg. 7:

Awa Shoku: Dressed for (Japanese Salad) SuccessPg. 8-9:

Events and Memoranda

Slow Down and Relax: Reflections on Living Abroad
By Daralyn YeeAs I walked through the streets of Honolulu
after living in Japan for over a year, I realizedthat I was walking way too fast compared toeveryone around me. But when I tried to adjust
my walking speed to that of fellow locals, it felt as
if I was walking so slow that I was walking throughgelatin. This is the lifestyle that I was born in to,yet it seemed that in a short period of time, living
abroad in Japan has got me living at a faster paceof life. Now, I am not saying that Tokushima is
anywhere near the fast pace of large cities suchas Tokyo or Osaka, but it is still faster paced
compared to Hawaii. When I was back home, I
had the time to gaze at the tall lush trees and thecerulean blue skies, but living in Tokushima, I findmyself only looking around for clocks on my fast
paced bike commute to ensure that I will make it
to my destination on time. Because my days living
in Japan are limited, the days go by fast and it
feels like there is never enough time. This lack oftime has caused me to feel mentally exhausted.
As I was sprinting through life here in Japan, Iremembered something that kept me relaxedin Hawaii when I was going through university.
The one thing I looked forward to after arriving at
school early was sitting down and enjoying my

coffee from one of the campus
coffee shops. Admittedly, it wasan expensive habit to keep up with, but it gaveme the time to reflect about life and relax before
a busy day. This helped me to refresh and getmyself mentally ready for the day. I am still able
to get my fill of caffeine in the office, but I realizedthat I needed to purposefully make time for myself
in the same way.
After realizing the importance of taking the time tosit down and take it easy, I now try to make sometime at my favorite coffee shop to enjoy a latteand some reflection time at least once a week. I’ve
been able to reflect on the events of the week,
think about how I can make improvements in
my life, and reevaluate the progress towards mygoals. It has helped me to start off the week freshand allows me to live in a period of time that is not
restricted by appointments or errands. Being able
to have time to myself while enjoying my favorite
caffeinated drink brings a little joy to my life!
It is easy to become carried away with a busy
schedule. If you are like me and feel like life is justgoing by too fast; I encourage you to slow down
and take some time to relax and unwind.

3

By Yukari NagataN

ice to meetyou. Fromthe middle ofMarch, I have been
passed on thebaton and am now
the Coordinatorfor International
Cooperation. I wasborn and raised in
To k u s h i m a , a n d
for 11 years, I stayed in developing countries.
After that I engaged with international cooperation
businesses back in Japan. Then, finally, I havecome back to my hometown Tokushima thisspring.
The type of work that I have been involved in so
far includes regional revitalization and educational
development initiated by means of community
involvement. The key to successful development
by community involvement is enhancing personal
relationships with the local residents, building
communication links, and cooperating together to

Welcoming New TOPIA Staff
make a better community. Actually, I was raised ina rural area rich in green and nature surroundedby the mountains and rice paddies, and waswatched over by the warm people of the local
community. I believe that this was the beginningof the work that I have been involved in so far.
Did you know that many groups of people fromdeveloping countries in Africa or in Asia supported
by JICA have been visiting Tokushima recently?
They visit on a study tour to become inspired fortheir community planning. They admire that even
Tokushima, such a small rural region in Japan, isgiving their best efforts in businesses or volunteer
activities.
Our Tokushima has rich nature, and uniquecultures and people. I hope to share the great
charms of our home to the world, in order
to expand connections between the world
and Tokushima with the global challenge ofsustainable development. I will continue to upkeep
the duties of the Coordinator for International
Cooperation position. I am looking forward toworking with everyone.

By Qing Liu

I

returned to Japan after a trip to Shanghai inthe beginning of April. The bus passed throughKobe and as the light faded while crossing thebridge, a lot of memories passed through mymind. 20 years ago on January 14th, I went
to Tokyo for the first time. The people in theirbeautiful Japanese clothing stole my heart, andI felt that they took great pride in their traditional
clothing. The next day, I found out that thosepeople were dressed up for their Coming of Age
Day ceremony. I studied abroad for three months
and life was quite tough. I missed my hometown,
so I decided to visit Ueno Park. In April, the park’s
cherry blossoms fell from the tree and the petals
danced with the wind. The people taking part incherry blossom viewing were drinking away andspeaking a language that I did not understand;this made me feel out of place.
So far I’ve had many rich experiences in Tokushimasuch as praying at the temple, hearing the massof a church, and being gifted vegetables by myneighbors. Now, I started working here at TOPIA
since April as a multilingual support staff.
I will be sure to learn a lot through this job andcooperate in order for all of you to have an easytime living here. I will put in my best effort so that
Tokushima becomes well known around the world
and people will visit and come to love it.

Tips for Trekking Around Shikoku by Train
By Daralyn Yee

4

be sure to have some information on possible
accommodations you could reserve or at least
know where the nearest tourist information centeris so they can give you a few accommodation
recommendations.
Download your favorite map/public
transportation application
This is a necessity when travelling in an unknown
area. It can tell you when the train will come andhow to get from the station to the destinations you
would like to visit.
Shimonada Station in Ehime Prefecture is famed
for its beautiful seaside view.

T

he island of Shikoku has an area of 18,292
km 2 , and Tokushima encompases about
4,147 km2 of it. That means that if you have nevercrossed the borders of Tokushima and haven't
seen the other three prefectures of Shikoku,
you are missing out on about 14,145 km 2 ofawesome adventure! If you are looking for a way
to fully enjoy Shikoku, you can purchase the JR
Shikoku Free Ticket ( 四国フリーきっぷ ), whichis available for purchase by long term overseas
residents and Japanese nationals alike. A 3-day
pass costs 16,140 yen and gives access to alllines of JR trains. This past November, I wasable to utilize this pass to visit Matsuyama City
(Ehime), Shimonada Station (Ehime), Takamatsu(Kagawa), and the Iya Vine Bridge (Tokushima).I
was able to take in the beautiful natural sights andunique culture of each area. Here are some tips
that I would like to share from my experience.

Find out what is famous in each respective
prefecture
Shikoku is a lesser-known gem compared tomajor regions such as Kanto and Kansai. Use
online resources to find beautiful scenic sights,
exciting experiences, and one-of-a-kind local
specialties. In my travel experience, Shikoku has
something to offer for everyone, from the artist
to the adventure seeker. Each area has its own
individual flair despite being on the same large
island.

Before Departure
Decide on a route and make reservations if
necessary
Decide on a route and book accommodations
along the route that you are interested in taking. It
is possible to return home by train every night, but
going back and forth can be time consuming andtiring. There are many affordable options such as
hostels and pensions available to stay overnight.
For those who are on the spontaneous side andare looking to secure a room while on the road,

Pack light
My mantra when it comes to travelling is “Packonly what is minimally necessary”. I want to be
as flexible as possible when I travel so I don't
waste time trying to grab or organize extra
luggage. When travelling on a train, it is difficult tomaneuver and store large luggage. Try to travelwith a backpack or a duffle bag.

5

Tips for Trekking Around Shikoku by Train

On the road again!

want to waste your time waiting for the next train.

No english? No problem!
Language can be a large problem when taking
the train, but don’t let that stop you from travellingaround. Open up your favorite transportation
application and plug in the route that you would
like to travel on to find out train times and platform
numbers. When on the train, keep track of thestations that you have travelled through and makesure that you are not passing through a stationthat is not supposed to be on the route. This is thebest way to figure out if you are heading the rightway. If not, do not panic. Either get off and rerouteon the map application or seize the opportunity to
discover a new corner of Shikoku.

Omotenashi: The heart of Shikoku
Omotenashi, or hospitality, is one of the qualities
that Japan which is especially known in the
Shikoku area due to the culture of serving thepilgrims taking part of the Shikoku Pilgrimage.
People are very kind and outgoing here and many
will even start up a friendly conversation with you.
Embrace this unique travel experience and hear
what the locals have to say about the area thatthey live in. What are some of your travel tips?
Feel free to share with us at awalife@gmail.com!

Keep track of time
Most trains do not run as frequently or as lateas they do in larger cities. Be sure to start yourjourney early and keep an eye out for the time.
Also, be on time to your train. Japan is notorious
for running everything on the minute. You wouldn’t

Letter from SUKETO NAKAYOSHI

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

ecently, the decrease of physical ability inelementary school students, and the large
impact of outdoor activities during childhood on
physical ability have been large topics. At theCenter, there are a lot of families who drop off
and pick up their child by car or bicycle, and theopportunities for children to walk are decreasing.
Because there are a lot of working parents, thiscan’t be helped. However, a little walking every
day can add up and help to improve the physicalability of your child. I recommend that you makeopportunities to walk on a daily basis.
Additionally, the benefits of walking are not limited
to building physical strength. It can become achance to interact closely with nature, such as
the beautiful scenery and colorful flowers, andthe small bugs and cute animals. Walking canalso give your child the opportunity to experiencenature such as the rain and wind, rainbows
and clouds, and give real experiences thatphotographs are unable to provide. It is also achance to practice traffic manners, and a way tomeet people of the community.
May is the season when the green leaves are avivid color, and beautiful flowers bloom. It’s theperfect season to go out for a walk. Be sure to
take your child around the neighborhood andembrace nature.
＊＊＊
Watercolor Butterfly1) Draw a picture on a white coffee filter with awater-based felt tip pen.
2) Drop water on top of the picture and use abrush to make the color run on top of the paper.
3) After drying the filter, cut it in the shape ofwings. Cut out a face and body with construction
paper, then open up the coffee filter and pastethem on.

6

Japanese Lesson
By Yoko Aokiください

In this month’s and next month’s Japanese lesson, the theme will be「ください」and「おねがいします」.
This month we will be learning about「ください」.
（１）「Noun（を）ください」① When you want to buy a specific item or when you are ordering food
●これ（を）ください。
みっ●このりんごを ３つ ください。
●カレーライスと オレンジジュースをください。

② When you want to receive something
みず

へ

や

●すみません。
｛ お水／部屋のかぎ ｝を ください。
もう

こ

よう し

ち ず

●この｛ パンフレット／申し込み用紙／地図 を ください。
｝（２）「Verb- てフォーム＋ください」① When offering food and drinks
た

の

め

あ

食べて／飲んで／＊召し上がって

●どうぞ
め

ください。

あ

た

の

＊「召し上がってください」is the honorific version of「食べて／飲んで ください」② When you want someone to do something, make a request, or give directions●すみません、ちょっとてつだってください。
じ

かん じ

か

●｛ ひらがなで ／ ローマ字で ／ 漢字で ｝書いてください。
すこはな●もう少し ゆっくり 話してください。
み●パスポートを 見せてください。

(Practice) Let’s make sentences with「～ください」.
ま１）バスを待ちます→

バスを（）ください。

み２）テレビを見ます→）ください。

本を（

エアコンを（Vocabulary:
オレンジジュース Orange juice
パンフレット Brochure
パスポート Passport
バス Bus テレビ Television
エアコン Air conditioner

Answers:５）つけてカレーライス Curry and rice
もう
こ
よう し
申し込み用紙 Application）ください。

か→）ください。

４）書いて

５）エアコンをつけます

名前を（

よ

→

３）読んで

４）名前を書きます）ください。

な まえ

み

か

２）見て

３）本を読みます→
な まえ

テレビを（
ほん

ま

よ

１）待って

ほん

7

Awa Shoku: Dressed for (Japanese Salad) SuccessS

pring means a bounty of vegetables for yourtable. Tokushima enjoys an earlier harvest
than you would expect for certain vegetables
thanks to their use of plastic hothouses togrow crops during the winter and early spring.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans that
other countries associate with summer are attheir peak in May here. Broccoli, cauliflower, andbaby bok choy are also being shipped out tosupermarkets in the Kansai area.
The Japanese has a classic cooking techniquethat matches perfectly. Introducing…aemono ( 和え も の ), often translated as “dressed salads.”
Often, the vegetables will be blanched in hot wateror dashi stock and then mixed with a dressing witha thick or chunky consistency, coating them justthe right amount of flavor without the fermentationof pickling or marinating. These aemono aresometimes served at room temperature or slightly
warm, and are good for both bento ( 弁 当 ,box
lunches) and kaiseki ( 懐石 ) meals as an amusebouche or appetizer. This technique is used withseafood as well, but many veggie-based aemono
recipes are vegan by nature.
Two of the most common aemono are so simple(and totally vegan). The first is sumiso ( 酢 味噌 ), or vinegar miso (fermented soybean paste).
Just mix two parts miso and one part vinegar.
That’s all! It’s best to use shiro-miso ( 白 味 噌 ,Asparagus and cucumbers with sumiso.

By Lance Kita

white miso) or Saikyo-miso ( 西京味噌 ) so thatthe dressing maintains a light sweetness. Somepeople will add sugar, and others will add karashi( か ら し ,Japanese mustard) for a pungent kick.
With this aemono, you can mix the dressing andvegetables together or pour the dressing over
the top. This goes well with blanched dark-green
leafy vegetables like spinach, nanohana ( 菜 の花 ), and wakegi ( わ け ぎ , tree onions). It isalso paired with octopus, squid, or shellfish likehokkigai ( ホッキ貝 , surf clams).

Goma-ae of fruit tomatoes and snap peas
The other aemono is called goma-ae ( 胡麻和え ),and starts with 3-4 parts goma ( 胡 麻 , sesame
seeds) in a suribachi ( すり鉢 ), a ceramic bowl
with small notches all over its surface that act asa grinding mortar. Grind the sesame seeds witha wooden pestle until half crushed, then add one
part soy sauce and one part sugar. Add blanched
veggies and toss well (this one should always bemixed). From green beans to broccoli, spinach to
komatsuna ( 小松菜 ), goma-ae is a wonderfully
flavorful side dish to any meal.
So instead of a Western salad, try these simple
aemono recipes to create a side dish dressed to
the nines. Any beginner chef can make them, andthey are incredibly versatile. Happy cooking!

Events & Memoranda

Tokushima Prefecture 2018
Japanese Speech Contest - Apply Now!

8

1. PURPOSE

True internationalization cannot be achieved without first coming in touch with othercultures and ways of life, fostering a sense of international awareness and gaining
mutual understanding with people of the world to create a society in which we canall work and live together in harmony. This speech contest seeks to give a voice tothe international residents of Tokushima Prefecture and engage them in a dialogue
to further discourse on cross-cultural understanding and fostering multiculturalism.

2. DATE & PLACE		

July 22nd, 2018 (Sunday), 13:30 - 16:30
Awagin Hall (Tokushima Prefecture Kyodo Bunka Kaikan), Small Hall (5F)

3. ELIGIBILITY		

Only foreign residents whose native language is not Japanese are eligible to apply.
(However, foreign residents who have had over three years of compulsory
education in Japan and those who have previously won the Grand Prize or theTokushima Prefectural Assembly's Chairman of the Federation of International
Exchange Assembly Members Award are not eligible to apply.)

4.

SELECTION

Application will be open to all foreign residents of Tokushima Prefecture that fulfil
the eligibility requirements. We will ask all applicants to submit an outline of theirspeech (about 800 characters), and after reviewing all of the applications, roughly
10 or so applicants will be chosen to proceed to the final contest.

5.

THEME

The topic is left to your discretion, but it should relate to the event's purpose of
fostering cross-cultural understanding and multiculturalism.

6.

LENGTH

Speeches should be no more than 6 minutes in length.

7.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your application form by mail or fax. Alternatively, you may submit yourapplication in person.

8. DEADLINE		May 29th, 2018 (Tuesday)
Applications must be turned in by 17:00.

9.

Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA)〒 770-0831 1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi, Tokushima City, Clement Plaza 6F
TEL: 088-656-3303 FAX: 088-652-0616

WHERE TO APPLY＊ For more information please check TOPIA's website: http://www.topia.ne.jp/english/

Awa Open Garden
阿波オープンガーデン
Locals who enjoy gardening are opening theirwonderful gardens to the public for a limited time.
A shuttle bus running in a circular route between
the gardens is scheduled to run.

ガーデニングが大好きな市民たちがつくりあげ た 素 敵 な お 庭 が 期 間 限 定 で 公 開 さ れ ま す。
今年はガーデン間を走る循環バスが運行される予定です。

When: May 19th (Sat) & 20th (Sun)9:00-15:30
Where: Various gardens in Awa town
Fee: Free
Info: Awa City Tourism Association
Tel:
0883-35-4211

日時： 5 月 19 日（土）・20 日（日）9 時～ 15 時 30 分
場所：阿波市阿波町各ガーデン
料金：無料
問い合わせ：阿波市観光協会
TEL：0883-35-4211

9

Events & Memoranda
Misato Firefly Festival
美郷ほたるまつり

In 1970, Misato area, Yoshinogawa city was
registered as “Misato Fireflies and Their
Birthplace” and designated as a naturalmonument. It is considered to be a distinguishedarea nationwide for the size of the river basin areathat the fireflies fly around, amount of fireflies, andperiod that you can see them.
When: May 26th (Sat) – June 10th (Sun)
Period to see the fireflies: End of MayMiddle of June
Where: Misato, Yoshinogawa city
Kawata River Area
Fee: Free
Info: Misato Hotaru-kan
Tel:0883-43-2888

吉野川市美郷地区は 1970 年に地区全域が「美郷のホタル及びその発生地」として国の天然記念物に指定されており、ホタルが飛ぶ流域面積、数、期間とも全国でも有数の地域です。

日時： 5 月 26 日（土）～ 6 月 10 日（日）予定
ホタル観賞期間
場所： 吉野川市美郷

5 月下旬～ 6 月中旬
川田川周辺

料金： 無料
問い合わせ：美郷ほたる館
TEL： 0883-43-2888

Local Japanese Volunteer Teaching Course in Aizumi
地域日本語指導ボランティア養成講座 in 藍住～外国人の方への日本語の教え方を一緒に勉強しませんか？～
藍住町国際交流協会では、「日本語指導ボランティ
ア養成講座」を開催します。
「みんなの日本語Ⅰ・Ⅱ」のテキストにそって 48 時間で日本語の教え

会場：藍住町福祉センター 2F（088-692-9951）ほか
参加費：無料（テキスト要購入）＊詳細は TOPIA ホームページをご覧ください（この事業は文化庁事業です）

方を勉強します。ボランティアとして日本語支援

お問い合わせ・申込先：の活動をしてみませんか？

藍住町国際交流協会
日程：土曜日10:00 ～ 12:00

13:00 ～ 16:00（1 日原則５時間）
前期：青木
6/2
後期：山田
7/7

6/16

6/23

6/30

7/21

藍住町奥野字矢上前 32 － 1

藍住町社会福祉協議会内
TEL 088-692-9951

多佳子先生
7/14

担当：松田

〒 771-1203

洋子先生
6/9

●事務局

7/28

8/4

E-Mail

FAX

088-692-1626

aizumi_kokusai@yahoo.co.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)