awa life

"TOPPY"A monthly newsletter for international residents of Tokushima, produced
by TOPIA, the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association.

April 2008 No. 214

momotaro wins again!

t

he musical 'Momotaro andthe Revenge of Akaoni'
was the best AJET musicalI've ever seen. I'm glad
to have seen it three times,
because it's gotten better fromperformance to performance.
I saw the first two and thelast one. It was important
for the actors to practise somuch in advance, but how theaudience will react you can'tsee, only imagine. That's why
the performance is gotten
better. The reaction of thekids and their parents and theother guests were seen on
these days. The talk after theshow was also very important.
Many people came and it was
the best musical ever. But let's
hear the voice of the producerof this musical, Mr. Andrew
Dahms:
Awa Life: Many peoplecame to the performances
this year. Do you think themusical was a success?

by mario dammannmiree52@yahoo.co.jp

momotaro faces the fearsome akaoni, the baddest oni in all japan, in oneof the ﬁght scenes in momotaro and the revenge of akaoni

Mr. Dahms: I think on
many counts it has indeed
been a success. We saw avery good turnout at all thevenues this year, which isalways heartening. I think theaudiences had a lot of fun as
well, which is really what the
AJET musical is all about.
Awa Life: What was themost difficult part of the

momotaro wins again ... con't on page 3

inside awa life this month
momotaro wins again - 1, 3 ... farewell, farewell - 4, 5 ... hana and me, hanami - 5
english books in kinokuniya, welcome to tokushima - 6 ... martin's manga corner - 7
becky's awa-ben, letter from suketo hoikuen - 8 ... japanese lesson - 9
memoranda - 10, 11, 12

awa life

Tokushima Prefectural International
Exchange Association (TOPIA)
Clement Plaza 6F
1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi
Tokushima City 770-0831 JAPAN
tel: 088.656.3303
fax: 088.652.0616
topia@fm.nmt.ne.jp
http://www.topia.ne.jp/

is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA)
Editors:
Andrew Dahms & Mario Dammann
Contributors This Month:
Rebecca Closner, Andrew Dahms, Mario
Dammann, Kazue Inoue, Toshiyuki Kawakami,
Hiroko Kimura, Yukie Matsumura, Isao Matsushita,
Martin O'Brien, Noriko Osaka, Wang Xuan and
Takako Yamada.

from the editorssince coming to Tokushima, March has
always been a time for saying goodbye.
It's the last month we have to work withsome of our colleagues before the staff
transfers in April, and I think back over myown time here and what I myself would do if itwere my last month in Tokushima. But at thesame time I can't help but think about who
will be coming in to replace them as well. The
people in a workplace are really the deciding
factor in how the place feels and operates, andespecially in a small ofﬁce like TOPIA. However,I have been very lucky so far to work with avery good bunch of people over the past few
years, as I think all would agree. This year we
say goodbye to four of our members - see theirmessages on page four and ﬁve.
Cheers, Andrew

Download a PDF ﬁle of awa life or view theonline version by going to TOPIA's website!
http://www.topia.ne.jp/e_index.htm

d

id you feel it as well? It's getting warm!
I can't believe it, I am so happy. So
worried about the never ending winter,but I saw them, the beautiful cherry
blossoms. Not my first time, anyway it is asignal for me, from now on, everything is going
to be better. Also the new Japanese BusinessYear has started on April 1st and kids andstudents are going to school and university
again. Also we want to thank everyone who
helped out for the musical, the sponsors, thegivers, all players and assistants and of course
the director Chris Pickles, Script Writer Chris
Riedl, and Producer Andrew Dahms. And
remember - we have to save the planet, pleasestart using my-bag and my-hashi!
Danke! Marioa party out under the cherry blossoms - hanami season is here once again (photo by andrew dahms)-2-momotaro wins again ... con't from page 1
preparations?
Mr. Dahms: Where to
begin... Securing venues forrehearsals and shows was along and tiring task (for me),but gathering and making all
the props is a big job as well.
Just as writing the script,
organizing dances and fights,
and everything else. Nothing isparticularly easy!
But overall, I think one of
the biggest challenges wasin remembering the dances.
Everyone was a little worried
about that, but we had as e a s o n e d c h o r e o g r a p h e r,
Robert Mihalko from Hiwasa,
who did a good job in putting
everything together.
Awa Life: And what was
the easiest?
Mr. Dahms: Remembering
our lines, I think. It's really themost basic level in getting thewhole thing done.
Awa Life: Which characters
did the people not like andwhy?
Mr. Dahms: Well, I hope ourband of oni did their job! I
think they made a very goodjob of being bad, which isgood.
Awa Life: Which was themost famous, and why?
Mr. Dahms: It would haveto be Momotaro himself. He
was in every scene in one
way or another, and I thinkit made a good impression. I
think his friends the poodle,
pheasant and monkey werepretty popular as well. Oh, andthere have been a lot of goodreports for Robert Mihalko's
role as the old lady Yobachan it was great.
Awa Life: Are you planningto do a musical also nextyear?
Mr. Dahms: The musical will
be on, but whether or not I
will be a part of it is unsure.
I get the feeling I will dosomething, though, but I am
interested to see what next
year's group comes up with.
Awa Life: What title may it
have?
Mr. Dahms: There have beenrumors of the Little Mermaid,but I'm a bit worried about
how they'd do the tails. I
guess only time will tell.
Awa Life: But you know
in which direction it will
go? Japanese or Westernstory?
Mr. Dahms: I think themusical will return to awestern story. Momotaro has
been good, but it was kind of
a special request. There does
appear to be some interest in
branching out, though.
Awa Life: Was it better to
do a Japanese story for achange?
Mr. Dahms: Very interesting,I think, but a little challenging
as well.
Awa Life: Why is this?
Mr. Dahms: It is a very wellknown story to the audience,
so if you make a mistakeand it doesn't turn out well,everyone will know. There's
a lot on the line, I think. You
need to tread fairly lightly
and make sure that while
you're adapting the story tosomething new, you're nottaking it so far as to remove
it from the original entirely,or take it into dangerous
territory. There can be a very-3-

fine line between satire andridicule, if at least from theview of the audience.
Awa Life: Why don't you
take entrance fees?
Mr. Dahms: That's a hardquestion to answer. However,
the reason I think it is free
is because this is in many
ways a gift to the peopleof Tokushima. We want as
many people to come andenjoy the musical in a relaxedenvironment.
Awa Life: But from where
do you get the money?
Mr. Dahms: The money
comes from the donationsof the people who come towatch, and several sponsorss u c h a s To k u s h i m a C i t y
International Exchange
Association, Awa Bank andTokushima Bank, etc. Other
places contribute by lending
us venues for free or making
props. I am constantly
amazed by this kindness andgenerosity.
Awa Life: Then I hope to
see next year's musical aswell.
M r . D a h m s : Yo u w i l l . I
promise.
Awa Life: Any last words?
Mr. Dahms: If there is one
thing that being the producer
for this year's musical has
shown me, it is just how
important the individual efforts
of all the cast and crew has
been. It may sound like acliche, but everyone has theirplace and their own things to
get done, and I believe thereason it has been as big a
success as it has is because
they did it well.

farewell, farewellO

nce yet again as
April comes aroundthere is the annual
staff changeover, andthis year we bid farewell
to six of our staff at TOPIA
and the passport centre M r. Kawa k a m i , m a n a g i n g
director, Wang Xuan, Chinese
Coordinator for International
Relations, Ms. Hiroko Kimura,friend to many of theinternational residents of ourprefecture, Ms. Noriko Osaka,friend of German bread, Ms.
Yukie Matsumura, Director of
the JICA Association at TOPIAa n d M r. Is a o M a t s u s h i t a ,leading manager of thepassport center.
Noriko Osaka: N
Toshiyuki Kawakami: T
Wang Xuan: W
Hiroko Kimura : H
Yukie Matsumura: Y
Isao Matsushita: I

What is your best memoryof your time in TOPIA?
N: I was dancing with
Arasowaren, where I was able
to dance together with a lotof people for the ﬁrst time ina long time.
T: More than anything, I am
happy that during my timeat TOPIA, I was able to see
so many events taking place
to support and meet with
our international residents,
even despite the tighteconomic si t u a t io n fa c e dby the prefecture. It is all
thanks to the support of somany people, and the staff of
TOPIA.
W: I had a lot of great food
while I was here.
H: I had a lot of experiences

submitted
awalife@gmail.com

you can't get at other ofﬁces,
and I've met a lot of great
people.
Y: I encountered TOPIA's
wonderful staff.
I: I had the chance to meetmany people, visitors to all of
the Japanese staff.
If you summed up yourtime at TOPIA in one
sentence, it would be:
N: A present from life itself.
T: Time flies like an arrow; I
really believe that the older
you become, the faster time
seems to pass.
W: Good fun!
H: A big smile.
Y: I can see the world!
I: An event that lasted for only
a moment.
And what impressions
do you have of your timehere?
N: The one year at TOPIA has
become a treasure for me. I
will never forget it!
T: The five years I spent at
TOPIA in which I met so many
wonderful people really were agolden time for me. I am very
grateful to have been able tomeet everyone that I did.
W: I really had a great time,
so my one year in Tokushima
has passed in an instant.
H: I thought I knew a lot
about Japan and Tokushima,
but through the questions
from visitors at TOPIA I foundout how little I really knew. It's
been a good experience forme - thank you all very much.
Y: I could meet nice people
from the staff and had goodwork.
I: Harmony and Peace.

Is there something you
were unable to do, butwanted to?
N: Nothing! I've done
everything I wanted to during
my one year here.
T: I really wanted to holdsome kind of festival in whicha large number of people could
come and participate.
W: I really wanted to takemore time to go and see someplaces within the prefecture...
H+Y: Nothing.
I: I wanted to learn anotherlanguage, but maybe I won't
have the opportunity for the
rest of my life.
So what are your current
plans?
N: During my time here I
went on a short training visit
to Sydney in Australia. I think
I'd like to go back there again- the people and the city were
all really fantastic.
T: I'd like to re-discover
Japanese culture and history,and I'd also like to travel
overseas as well.
W: I'll be returning to China,
where I hope to become aJapanese teacher.
H : I ' l l b e i n To k u s h i m a ,working in overseas shipping.
Y: I participate in building aschool in Africa as a volunteer.
I: I want to use the rest of
my time to enjoy International
Re l a t i o n s f r o m t h e o t h e rside of the line this time, by
travelling abroad.
What do you want to do inyour last month at TOPIA?
N: I'd like to show appreciation
to all the wonderful people I've
met during my time here, andtake a lot of photos of you all

farewell, farewell ... con't on page 5-4-the hana and me - hanamiif you've spent any time
i n J a p a n w h a t s o e v e r,
yo u ' l l b e awa re o f t h eJapanese afﬁnity for cherry
blossoms. And there's a goodreason, too - they're beautiful!
Likewise, the tradition of'hanami' or flower viewing is
also very popular. Sometimes,
when the parties kick off, I'm
not sure how much the actual'viewing' part has to do withthings, but for those looking tosee some nice spots, here area few suggestions:
Tokushima Central Park
It goes without saying that
Tokushima Central Park in
To k u s h i m a C i t y i s a v e r ynice spot to see the cherry
blossoms and have a picnic. It
is literally packed with them,and while it may look deadfor most of the year, this iswhen it really comes alive!
The cherry blossoms here are
set to bloom in early April andfade in mid April.
Kawashima Castle ParkThe area around Kawashima
Castle is a lovely park areawith a line of cherry blossoms
and places to sit down for abite to eat. Not as large as
Tokushima Central Park, but
it does have a real castle,
something that the 'ruins' ofTokushima Castle oddly lacks.
They will be in bloom from theend of March through to early
April.
Hashikura Temple
The trees at this temple arelate bloomers, and only start
to show their colors when therest of the cherry blossoms
start to fade. In fact, theby andrew dahms
until_eternity@hotmail.com

temple here is one of the most
famous spots for the special
breed of cherry blossoms thatcan be found on the temple
grounds there. You can get to
the temple by cable car justnorth of the Tosa - Hashikura
Station on the JR Tosa Line
from Awa Ikeda to theprefecture's west.
Naruto - Myokensan
Anyone near Naruto City isfamiliar with the castle sitting
atop the hillside nearby theocean on the western shore.
In the Spring, this hillside
becomes a lovely spot for ashort walk (and a short climb)
and a good place to see theblossoms. The castle is home
to a small museum as well,and makes for a good lookout
over the surrounding area andcoastline!

farewell, farewell ... con't from page 5
to keep later on.
W: I want to see cherry
blossoms, and I want to wear
a kimono, too. I also want toget some more good food in
before I go.
H: I'll be leaving a little early,
so by the time you read this I
won't be in TOPIA anymore. I
just hope that with what time
I have, I can help as many
more people as I can.
Y: Hand over the work to mysuccessor.
I: The remaining time is too
short (please give me more
time!).
Do you have anything elseto say?
N: Sometimes during your life
you come across something
wonderful without even

expecting it. To me, this wascoming to TOPIA. I hope all
you readers can ﬁnd your own
happiness in life and that we
can meet again in Tokushimasome day. Thank you all somuch!
W: Tokushima is a really goodplace, so make sure you get
the best out of your time here
and enjoy it to the fullest
extent.
T+H: Nothing
Y : W h e t h e r e n j o ya b l e o rdifficult times, my colleagues
always cheered me up with
their smiles. I will never forgetmy three years at TOPIA andlook forward to what lies
ahead.
I: Can I come to visit TOPIA
again some day?

-5-

Well, thank you very much
everyone for your time - wehope to see you all again
soon!
And again the year is over
now and we will see how it isgoing to be next year aroundthis time. Many people change
their working place from
April 1. They have to adapt
to a new environment andlearn many things they didn't
before. And some even change
to places with no relation to
the work they did before! The
first months are very hard,
but we can support them withall with the information wehave. Please help them, asmaybe someday you will bein the same situation. HappyN e w N e n - d o ( F i s c a l Ye a r
2008-2009)!

english books in kinokuniyawe regret to inform
Awa Life readers that
the English language
book section of
Kinokuniya in Tokushima City
is no longer in operation.
The section, once home tolanguage learning books,
English novels, text books,
magazines and newspapers
has been discontinued, andEnglish books will no longer

be available on the shelves
there.
However, the store will bemaintaining a collection ofJapanese text books andpreparatory books for theJapanese Language Proﬁciency
Te s t . A l s o, i t w i l l s t i l l b epossible to order books fromoverseas if you have the ISBN
number for the book available
with you.

welcome to tokushima!

t

he bilingual Welcome toTokushima Living Guide
was first created at
Kokusai Koryu Konwakai
HIROBA in 1989 with the aimof providing a handy living
guide for foreign residents ofTokushima. Since then it has
seen over four reincarnations,and has been of great help
to many foreign residents
throughout the prefecture
over the years.
Now, a full seven years
after the 4th edition that was
published in 2001, we areproud to announce the arrivalof the 5th (B5, 121p, 1,000yen). It has been in planningand production for over a
year, and a great deal of work
has gone into ensuring it
becomes a useful publication.
Over the years, theenvironment of Tokushima,from child rearing to the law,health services and manyother ﬁelds, have undergone
vast changes due to thesuccession of town mergers
that have been so common in
the last few years.
This new edition presents
the latest information
in a slim format, withthe cover of the welcome totokushima living guidec o l o r p r i n t i n g a n d m a ny
illustrations to help present
the material in a way that iseasy for readers to follow andunderstand.
It is our sincere hope that
this book might become thesource of helpful information
for many people who come tolive in an environment vastlydifferent to that which they
are used to, from language tocustoms, culture and more.
Furthermore, this guide is not
only for foreign residents, but
can be of use to anyone who-6-submitted
awalife@gmail.com

While it is sad to lose sucha good resource, always
remember that the library at
TOPIA is always open and you
are free to borrow books here
at any time!
For more information or help
on getting books / information
packs for the JLPT, please
don't hesitate to contact
TOPIA.

by takako yamada
welcometotokushima@yahoo.co.jp

wants to introduce Tokushima
overseas while on a trip or
business, and to tourists
passing by. It can also be ofassistance to schools withexchange students, or to hostfamilies.
Ove ral l, We lc o me t o
To k u s h i m a p r o v i d e s t h eperfect way to introduce
Tokushima and makes for agood souvenir to take homewith you as well. In many
ways, it can also act as abridge between countries,
helping to connect peopleof one language and culture
with another.
The contents of the bookincludes a wide variety ofuseful information, such as
an introduction to Tokushima
and Japanese customs,
information for handy
medical institutions, daily
life in Tokushima, guides
to transportation and much
more.
For those wanting to geta copy of the new Welcome
to Tokushima Guide, please
send an e-mail to the above
address, or contact Kokusai
Koryu Konwakai HIROBA at
090-2787-3597.

martin's manga corner
Title:
Manga-ka:
Publisher:First published:
No of volumes:i

Tetsuko no Tabi ( 鉄子の旅 )Naoe Kikuchi, Hirohiko Yokomi
IKKICOMIX
2007
Five

n a country as densely
populated as Japan,
it's no surprise to see
how important a rolet he t ra in s y s t e m p l ay s i ngetting its citizens from A to
B. In Shikoku, perhaps theimportance of trains can beunderstated to some extent as
the population is a lot smaller
and more widely distributed
than in other areas such as
the Greater Tokyo area or
the Osaka-Kobe urban area
where the train system is truly
the lifeblood of these regions
economies.
Not surprisingly, the journeys
that people take by trains
whether they be a rareoccasion to visit to a popular
tourist area or the mundane
daily commute to school orwork are culturally speakingof some impact. In recent
years the love of all things
train relat e d has invade dmainstream culture in the formof the tetsu otaku or tetsu
taku. A tetsu taku is whatsomeone in the west mightcall a train spotter. However
Japan's trainspotters are a lot
more numerous, organizedand vocal than their westerncounterparts.
Many non tetsu taku also
hold the daily commute backand forth in some affection.
While at face value there
might no seem to be anythinginteresting or fun about gettingfrom A to B, especially when
standing up and crushed up
beside other commuters. But,
the commute does for many

provide some private time, a
break from the pressures ofwork, school, and family. You
can sleep, read a book or playvideo games while JR or oneof the other rail companies
gets you where you are goingwith typical punctuality. How
can you not love the trains?
This month's manga Tetsuko
no Tabi deals about a trioof people who embark on
various trips across the various
regions of Japan and record
their adventures in the formof a manga comic, describing
the areas that they visit andthe cultural minutiae that is
associated with the trains andtrain lines that they travel on.
The manga comes in fiveparts. There is the HigashiNihon edition, the Tokaido
edition, the Hokkaido edition,
the Nishi-Nihon edition andlast but not least the Shikoku& Ky u s h u e d i t i o n . O f t h eedition that I read the one thatwas of most interest to me
was the latter edition.
The trio in question are
Naoe Kikuchi, the mangaka and the two tetsu taku,
being Hirohiko Yokomi andM a s a k i Ka m i m u ra . I n t h e
Shikoku & Kyushu edition,
the trio set off from Tokyo
station to Okayama, eager to
get to Shikoku as quickly as
possible and thus scratch off
the last of the main islands
that they haven't been to. As
always, there is an amusing,omnipresent tension between
the manga-ka Naoe andHirohiko. Naoe not always-7-

martin o'brien
martinobrien2004@gmail.com

appreciating Hirohiko's
fanatical zeal for all thingsa s s o c i a t e d w i t h ra i l wa y s ,something which the slightly
intense Hirohiko somewhat
resents. The tension isregularly defused by the more
moderate and light hearted
Masaki.
After making their way tothe coastal station of Uno,
they then take the ferry to
Takamatsu city. After that theyhead in towards the interioro f S h i ko k u , f i r s t l y t o t h estation of Kotohira in Kagawa,which is according to Naoe
somewhat like a pachinko
parlor in its exterior design.
However Kotohira doesn't holdmuch interest for the tetsu
taku duo and they soon headoff down the line towardst h e l i n e i n t o To k u s h i m awhere they find the piece deresistance of Tokushima tetsu
taku miscellany. The stationof Tsubojiri, you won't find it
in any tourist guides, but for
Hirohiko and Masaki it's a placeof wonder and awe. Tsubojiri
is by their expert reckoning
probably one the most isolated
and rural stations in Japan due
to the fact that it is deep inthe mountains, surrounded by
the beautiful countryside andnot near any access roads.
The rest of the comic is full ofother places like this, such as
the station in Tosa-Kitagawa
which is built over the river. It
might seem strange to fixate
on these innocuous places in a
travelogue, but there is always
a certain wonder in going off
the beaten path. Tetsuko no
Tabi proves that old adage,that its not always about thedestination, but the journeyitself.

Becky's Awa-ben!
This month we'll be talking about some words which are just really fun to say. Here are a couple
really fun Awa-ben words.
ごつい・ごっつい - Gotsui / Gottsui - ExtremelyStandard Japanese: Sugoi - すごい
It is used as an adjective and as an adverb. Similar to the Standard Japanese word Sugoi/
Sugoku すごい・すごく (the same word exists in Kansai-ben):
この坂は急やなぁ、ごっつい疲れるなぁ！ ( この坂はすごいな、とても疲れる！）
This is one really steep climb - I'm ﬂat out!
あばばい - Ababai - BrightStandard Japanese: Mabushii - まぶしいYou may not hear these words in daily conversation, but they are out there!

letter from suketo hoikuent

he other day, the head ofthe day care center herecame up to me and said'Hey, I've got this goodbook here...' and lent it to me.
It was called 'how to practiceholding your child' - a book
written by the head of a day
care center in Sapporo, up
north in Hokkaido. The themeof the book was to introduce
ways in which to hold yourchild at various stages of its
development to encourage hisor her growth and make themfeel safe and loved.
Here are some good ways tohold your child when it reaches
four to seven months of age(when your baby can support
the weight of its own head):towards you. If you holdyour child facing yourself,they will have lots of practiceholding on to things andkeeping their balance. It is
important to talk to them face
to face. Also, by holding themwith their legs out and away,
you can help developing themuscles around their waist.
3: Helping develop yourchild's ability to look andturn about. Around six
months after birth, children
become able to recognise
when their name has beencalled and look to the person
calling. Holding your baby on
your lap, call their name whilst

1: Hold them in your lap
and wrap them in yourarms. If you hold them thisway while still giving them
freedom to move in t he ir
upper body, the muscles there
and in their backs will slowly
grow stronger.
2: Hold them facing-8-by kazue inoue
suketo hoikuen staff

alternating from their left andright hand sides.
Using a hugging band:Once your child can support
the weight of its own head,
this is the perfect way fort he m t o pra c t ic e a nd g e tstronger, rather than simply
supporting their head frommoving about.
Yo u n g c h i l d r e n w h o a r efrequently held by theirmothers feel loved and growu p t o b e h e a l t hy i n b o t hmind and body. (Notes takenfrom 'Dakko Renshu Noto' by
Machiko Yokouchi, Hankyu
Communication)japanese lessonGby yoshie motoki
awalife@gmail.com

etting started - when you ﬁrst start living in Japan, what kind of things do you need to doin order to get yourself started? What things are you required to do? Let's take a look atsome useful Japanese phrases for getting started in your new life in Tokushima.
がいこくじんとうろく

Scene
1: 外国人登録をするがいこくじんとうろく
１．外国人登録はどこでできますか。
Where can I undertake alien registration?

★ N はどこでできますか
Where can I do N?

やくば

2．役場はどこにありますか。
Where is my local municipal ofﬁce?
でんわばんごう

とうろく

登
録 こ:
Registration
もう
申
し込
み
:
Applicationに ほん ごべんきょう
日本語の勉強 : Japanese lesson

なんばん

3. 電話番号は何番ですか。
What is its telephone number?
にほんごきょうしつ★ N はどこにありますか
Where is / can I ﬁnd N?

しら

べる
Scene
2: 日本語教室を調にほんごきょうしつ
なんようび
5. 日本語教室は何曜日ですか。
What day are Japanese classes on?
く

ら

す

なんじ

す

て

き

なんじ

す

し

休日を知る
Scene
3: やす
やくば
8. 役場の休みはいつですか。
When is the ofﬁce closed?
がつ

にち

しゅくじつ

がっこう
やくば

やす

10. 土曜日、日曜日、祝日は、役場は休みです。
The ofﬁce is closed on Saturdays, Sundays
and public holidays.
月曜日（げつようび）
火曜日（かようび）
水曜日（すいようび）
木曜日（もくようび）
金曜日（きんようび）
土曜日 ( どようび )日曜日 ( にちようび )今日（きょう）
昨日（きのう）
明日（あした）When
What month
What dayWhat time
What day of the week

なんようび

しゅくじつ

にちようび

あ

★ N は何曜日ですか
Whatなdayis N?な ん じんじ★ N は何時から何時までですか
When does N start and ﬁnish?

9. 4 月 29 日は祝日です。
April 29 is a public holiday.
ど よ う び

ぱ

いつ
:
なんがつ
何
月:
なんにち
何
日:
なんじ
何
時 :
なんようび
何曜日 :

と

7. 参加費／テキストは いくらですか。
How much does it cost to join / buy the
textbook?
きゅうじつ

う

ス
ーパー :
Supermarket
で ぃ す か う ん と し ょ っ ぷ
ディスカウントショップ: Discount shop
ゆうにゅうしょくひん みせ
輸 入 食 品の店 : Imported food shop

6. クラスは何時から何時までですか。
At what time do the classes start?
さ ん か ひN = Noun

Where

どこ :

学
校:
ぎんこう
銀
行:
びょういん
病
院:
しごと
仕事 :

SchoolBank
Hospital
Job

Correction
A mistake was made in the printing of theanswers for the Japanese Lesson in the
March edition of Awa Life. The correct
answers are printed below.

MondayTuesday
WednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
SundayToday
Yesterday
Tomorrow

1: Incorrect

2: Correct

We offer our sincere apologies for the
mistake.
-9-

memoranda
Aizumi-cho
Japanese Classes

I's（ 藍 住 町 国 際 交 流協会）日本語教室

When: Every Thursday from April 10, 19:00 - 20:30

時間：４月 10 日から

Where: Aizumi Welfare Center 2F

場所：藍住町福祉センター２F

Lecturer: Akiko Tsuji and Kaori Tamada
Cost:

毎週木曜日 19：00 ～ 20：30

講師：I’s（藍住町国際交流協会） 辻暁子／玉田香織

1,000 yen

参加費：1,000 円

Textbook: ”Minna no Nihongo 2” from Chapter 26

テキスト：「みんなの日本語初級Ⅱ」（2,500 円） 26 課～

Contact: Call Aizumi International Exchange Association

問合せ：藍住町国際交流協会まで電話 088-692-9951

at 088-692-9951
E-Mail: aizumi_kokusai@garnet.nmt.ne.jp

メール : aizumi_kokusai@garnet.nmt.ne.jp

Mt. Benten Display

弁天山桜まつりDuring the event the area around Mt. Benten will be lit

弁天山周辺及び山頂がライトアップされ、地元農産物の

up with large spot lights, and there will displays of awa

販売や人形浄瑠璃上演、おてい茶などいろいろな催しがpuppet theatre (4/9 - 10:00-15:00), tea and local stalls on
offer, and much more!

予定されています。

Tuesday, April 1 to Thursday, April 10

日時：

4 月 1 日（火）～ 4 月 10 日（木）まで

Where: The area around Mt. Benten, south of the city

場所：

弁天山周辺

Cost:

料金：

無料

When:

Free!

Contact: Call the Mt. Benzen Preservation committee at

問合せ： 弁天山保存会まで電話 088-699-1163

088-699-1163

Wanted: Haiku!

俳句・川柳の募集

The Aizumi International Exchange Association is holding

藍住町国際交流協会 (I’s) では、今年、協会設立 5 周年

a competition for haiku on the theme of internationalを迎えるにあたり、国際交流や国際理解に関する俳句・

relations & understanding in honour of its 5th anniversary.

川柳を募集いたします。海外での体験や外国の方々とのSubmissions about experiences overseas or interaction
with foreign residents, as well as thoughts about

触れ合い、普段の生活の中で考える国際理解など、俳句・international understanding in your daily life are welcome!

川柳にしてご応募ください。

Period: Friday, February 15th to Thursday, May 15.

募集期間

Submissions: Postcards, fax, email (multiple submissions

応募方法 ：はがき、Fax、E-mail （一人複数句可能です）

are also accepted).

表彰

Prizes: Awards will be announced at the association.

：平成 2 月 15 日～ 5 月 15 日
：平成 20 年度、藍住町国際交流協会総会にて表彰します。最優秀賞 1 点（1 万円、若しくFirst prize is 10,000 yen or an equivalent bookは 1 万円相当の図書カード）優秀賞 3 点（5token, and three follow up prizes will also be

千円、若しくは 5 千円相当の図書カード）

chosen for 5,000 yen or an equivalent book

応募先

token.

：藍住町国際交流協会事務局（社会福祉協議

Sumbissions to: Aizumi International Exchange

会内、担当；松田）〒 771-1203 藍住町奥野

Association. 771-1203 Aizumi-cho, Okuno Aza Yakami-mae

字矢上前 32-1

32-1.

Tel: 088-692-9951

Fax: 088-692-1626

電話：088-692-9951

E-mail: aizumi_kokusai@garnet.nmt.ne.jp

ファックス：088-692-1626

メール : aizumi_kokusai@garnet.nmt.ne.jp-10-memoranda
The Akui River
Amego Festival

鮎喰川
あめごまつりThere will be a ﬁshing competition on the Akui River in the

神山町にある上分公民館の上下流 2km の鮎喰川では、アarea around 2km up and downstream from the Kamibun

メゴ 5000 匹を放流して、29 日夜明けから同日午後 2 時まKominkan in Kamiyama. Over 5000 amego fish will beで釣り大会を行い、13:00 時からは小学生以下を対象にしreleased into the river the night before in preparation
for the festival. There will also be a free amego catching

た 1000 匹のつかみ捕り大会が開催されます。

tournament for children in primary school and below, withover 1000 amego to be caught by hand!

日時：4 月 29 日（火）4:00-14:00

When: Tuesday, April 29 from 4:00 to 14:00

場所：

名西郡神山町上分字川又

Where: Kamibun Kominkan, Kamiyama-cho

料金：

前売り 3000 円、当日 3500 円

Cost:

問合せ： 神山町産業建設課まで電話

3,000 yen - 3,500 yen if bought on the day.

Contact: Call the Industry and Construction Division of

088-676-1118

Kamiyama at 088-677-1118

Hana Haru Festa

はな・はる・フェスタ

Come for a variety of events, including local markets,

はな・はる・フェスタの三日間に渡って様々なイベント

dance and music displays, and the rare chance to see

が徳島市藍場浜公園で行われます。ダンスや音楽だけでprofessional Awa Odori dancing groups perform during theなく、年にたった一回だけの、昼間に有名連によるディ

day time.

スプレイが見られる機会があります。ぜひご覧ください！

When: Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27
10:00 - 17:00

日時：

4 月 25 日（金）～ 4 月 27 日（日）10：00 ～ 17：00

Where: The Aibahama Park in Tokushima City, next to
the Shinmachi Bridge

場所：

徳島市藍場浜公園

Cost:

Free

金額：

無料

Info:

Call the Hana Haru Festa Executive Committe

問合わせ：はな・はる・フェスタの実行委員会まで

at 088-655-7331

電話 088-6755-7331

Announcements

お祝いメッセージ

A new birth in the family? Have you recently gotten

最近、結婚・出産などのおめでたいニュースがあった方、

married? Then good news! Awa Life is looking for阿波ライフではあなたの家族のお祝い事を読者の皆さん

submissions from readers to help you get the word out!

に発表したいと思います！ 100 文字程度の文章と（もしSend us the details and a short blurb, accompanied by apicture if you have any on hand, and we will post it forあったら）写真を阿波ライフまで送っていただけたら次

you in the next issue of Awa Life!

号の阿波ライフに掲載いたします。

Send any submissions to the awalife email address at:

阿 波 ラ イ フ の メ ー ル ア ド レ ス ま で お 送 り く だ さ い：

awalife@gmail.com.

awalife@gmail.com-11-

memoranda
Kitajima Tulip Fair

北島チューリップフェア

The town of Kitajima, one of the largest tulip producing

チューリップ大生産地である北島町では、大規模チュー

regions in Japan, is holding a fair in the Kitajima Tulip

リップフェアが開催される予定です。北島町チューリッ

Park. In this park area, over 40,000 flowers from overプ公園にて、約 50 種類のチューリップが 4 万 3 千本以上

50 different varities will be in bloom, covering 2,000m

も咲き誇ります。また、期間中の毎日曜日にミニイベン

squared! There will also be mini-events held each Sunday
for the duration.

トが行われます。ぜひこの機会にご覧ください！
日時 :When: Sunday, April 1 to Friday, April 27 (however,

4 月 1 日（火）～ 4 月 27 日（日）。
ただし花が終わり次第に終了とさせていただき

end date depends on length of ﬂowers' bloom)
9:00 - 17:00

ます。毎日 9：00 ～ 17：00

Where: The Kitajima Tulip Park, on the south side of the

場所 :Kitajima Central Park, Kitajima-cho, Itano-gun
Cost:

Free

Info:

Call the Kitajima Lifestyle and Industry Division

板野郡北島町、北島チューリップ公園（北島中
央公園の南方面にある）

金額：

無料

問合せ : 北島町生活産業課まで電話 088-698-9806

at 088-698-9806

Living inTokushima

徳島県生活情報
ウェブサイトIn need of information for daily activities? Come and日常生活において情報をお探しですか。ぜひ、徳島県のtake a look at the Living in Tokushima website hosted

生活情報ウェブサイトをご覧ください！このウェブサイ

by Tokushima Prefecture, home to information such as

トから地震・台風についての情報、テレビや映画のガイド、

earthquake and typhoon-related messages, tv and movie
guides, events, contact numbers and more.

イベント情報などにアクセスできます。パソコン・携帯版両方提供しています！

Living in Tokushima Computer Website
パソコンサイトhttp://our.pref.tokushima.jp/e_living/index.php

http://our.pref.tokushima.jp/e_living/index.php
Living in Tokushima Mobile Website

携帯サイト

http://our.pref.tokushima.jp/e_living/m

http://our.pref.tokushima.jp/e_living/m

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 is available in English and Japanese. Please notethat although every effort will be made, we may not be able to deal with all cases.
Monday to Friday, 10:00 - 16:30
Tel. 088-656-3303 or 088-656-3320 (allows three-way conversations with an interpreter)

人権守って輝く明日-12-