2011 年 5 月

阿波ライフ
TOPPY

250
May

AWA LIFE

Wanderful Tabi: “Buddhas” with Bibs
Lance Kita

I’m sure many of you knowwhat I’m talking about
already: those little stone
statues on the roadside, often
adorned with colorful knit
caps, red bibs, and cute toys.
Less known may be his name,and even more so his roleon the roadside. So let me
introduce you to Jizo 地蔵 .
F i r s t o f a l l , h e ’s n o tactually a Buddha. Jizo isa bodhisattva (bosatsu 菩
薩 in Japanese), a Buddha
wannabe. As a bodhisattva,
his eyes have been awakened
to the Buddhist concept that
this world is impermanent
and what keeps people fromknowing true happiness is anattachment to worldly desires.
He is working towards freeing
himself of desires, achieving
enlightment (satori 悟 り ),and helping others achieve
the same awareness.
Like most Buddhist figures,
Jizo is known all over Asia.
In Sanskrit, he is Ksitigarbha,
and in China his name is 地
藏 菩 薩 (dizang pusa ). Unlike
other bodhisattva who are

Typical adornments on a Jizo statue (Matsushige Town).

decked out in Indian regalia,
Jizo is often depicted as asimple monk in a plain robe
and a shaved head, holding
a staff with a bell. You would
think he feels left out being onstreet corners, but that’s partof the sacred vow he’s taken.
Jizo has promised to wander
this world until all beings havebeen saved and enlightened.
This image of selflessWanderful Tabi: "Buddhas" with Bibs... continued on page 3

阿波ライフ
TOPPY

250
May

AWA LIFE

This month in Awa Life
1

Wanderful Tabi: "Buddhas"with Bibs
Lance Kita

4

New Year, New
Colleagues!
TOPIA staff introductions

6

Siblings Celebrate:
Tokushima and Saginaw
Matthew Lindsay

7

Cooking For Spring

8

Japanese Lesson

9

Letter from Suketo Hoikuen“Spring never was so fair anddear as Beauty makes her seem thisyear.” I think Countee Cullen was
onto something when he wrote that,
because spring always comes as
welcome relief and is all the more
beautiul after the cold winter. Not tobe hating on cold weather, which has its own shareof beauty and good times, but as the winter of myfirst year on a new job in a strange land, it was
definitely a hard one. Le printemps est arrivé! At
last.
This month we have a fantastic account ofTokushima’s Jizo statues from our faithful Lance,
greetings from new staff and old, a recipe for you
to try, and a ‘tale of two cities’, without the lovetriangle and French Revolution. I hope you enjoy
reading as much as you enjoy the warm weather.
Best,
Sarah

Irene Wachuga

Shima Date

Kazue Inoue

10 News & Events
12 Memoranda

awa life

is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Prefectural
International Exchange Association (TOPIA).
Tokushima Prefectural International
Exchange Association (TOPIA)〒 770-0831
Tokushima City, Terashima Honcho Nishi 1-61
Clement Plaza 6F
Tel
088-656-3303
Fax 088-652-0616
Email topia@topia.ne.jp
HP www.topia.ne.jp
An electronic version of Awa Life is also available fordownload from the TOPIA homepage.

2

TOPIA

Wanderful Tabi: "Buddhas" with Bibs... continued from page 1
compassion has popularized
Jizo among Japanese as asavior for children. Japanesebelieve that young children
and babies that die earlycannot cross the river into theafterlife because they caused
grief for their parents anddon’t have enough goodkarma, dooming them topiling little stones along thebanks for eternity as penance.
Jizo finds the waywardchildren, hides them fromtormenting demons, andhelps them gain good karma.
For that reason, parents will
decorate Jizo statues withbaby’s bibs, knit caps, andtoys as offerings for the safety
and salvation of their children.
Jizo-ji Temple 地 蔵 寺 , in
Itano Town, is #5 on the
Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage.
Its resident deity is Shogun
Jizo 勝軍地蔵 , clad in armor
on horseback, whose original
image was carved by Kobo
Daishi himself and is inside
the statue presently on view.
There are numerous temples
around the country dedicatedto Jizo. In some, hundredsof statues are lined up inrows, all sporting bibs, caps
and cute cell phone straps.
These are often purchased byparents for mizuko kuyo 水子
供養 , a ceremony to pray forthe spirits of stillborn babies.
Jizo’s protectorate duties
take on a unique twist in
To k u s h i m a . R a t h e r t h a nsitting in little huts or temples,
these Jizo sit atop stonebases up to three meters tall.
Dozens of them are scatteredthroughout the flat areas near
the Yoshino River, with high

TOPIA

concentrations in the Kokufu
国 府 district of Tokushima
City, Ishii 石 井 Town, theDonari 土 成 district of Awa
City, and the Kamojima 鴨
島 district of Yoshinogawa
City. Called Taka-jizo 高地蔵 ,these statues are more thanjust your neigborhood safety
saint. The Yoshino River is
one of Japan’s top threeabaregawa 暴 れ 川 , or wild
rivers. In fact, the first writtenreference to the Yoshino River
was about a flood in 886 AD.
Floods have been a constantdanger here, and the Takajizo were supposedly erected
higher than the floodwaterline after each disaster. The
tallest existing one is theHigashi-Kuroda Utsumuki Jizo
東黒田のうつむき地蔵 , whotrue to his namesake “looks
down” over the Higashi Kuroda
neighborhood.
With recent disasters in
the Tohoku area, there isheightened awareness of ourdisaster risk. Jizo statues arerelics of traditional wisdom
left to remind people of past
hazards, provide solace forthe loss of young life, and give
hope for future protection.
With the weather warming up
for outdoor excursions, takea stroll both near and far in
search of these stone saviors.
Want more info on Taka-jizo ?
Check out the following link
for a map and listing of thelarger ones (only in Japanese).
http://www.skr.mlit.go.jp/
tokushima/river/profile/guide/
takajizo/takajizo.htm.

The Higashikuroda no Utsumuki Jizo looks down over a low-lying area near the
Yoshino River. (Photo by Hideji Okuda)

3

T

New Year, New Colleagues!

hough we are well into
the new year here,
many things in Japan do
not really begin until April,when students graduate ormove up a grade in school,and shakaijin , or working
members of society, do theiryearly shuffle at work andtake on new positions.
Here at TOPIA we have ahandfull of new coworkers
who are eager to meet you
and introduce themselves,
along with our regular staff
who are adding another year
to their tenure, so this monthw e h a v e a fe w w o r d s o fgreeting from the whole staff.
Enjoy!

Masao Ōtake

D

ear readers of Awa
L i fe , g re e t i n g s ! I a m
Mr. Otake, the director of
TOPIA. Last year marked
the 20th anniversary of ourorganization, which fulfills an
important role as the engine
that propells Tokushima's
international exchange. This
year will be the beginningof another five, or even ten
years in our tenure. Japanis currently enduring a great
de a l o f s t r i fe d u e t o t h eearthquake in the East, andthe accompanying plant
explosion, but here at TOPIA
we will continue to do ourbest to provide our services toforeign residents and locals as
they coexist as human beings,
and benefit from mutual
exchange.

4

Masao Otake, photo by Andrew Dahms

Keiko KawaharaH

ello! My name is Keiko
Kawahara. I started
working here at TOPIA
this April. Until then I had
worked at a junior highschool as a teacher form o r e t h a n f i f t e e n ye a r s .
Now I'm exci ted to workat TOPIA, which promotes
further internationalizationof Tokushima. I love to meet
new people, to travel, and tolearn about different culturesand customs. I'd like to learn
a lot through exchanges withyou. Also, I hope I'll be able
to support your staying inTokushima. Yoroshiku!

TomokoNakagawaN

ice to meet you! I am
working at TOPIA as a
Coordinator for International
Cooperation for JICA. Do you
know what JICA is? We aremostly known for programs

that send Japanese people
abroad to help with technicalassistance, but we also doa lot of work around Shikoku
and Tokushima. We send
volunteers who have lived
abroad to schools to conduct
workshops and teach about
the customs, language,
and culture of the country
where they lived. We also
have programs mainly
for high school and college
students to study and discussinternational cooperationa n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g . We
also loan out materials oninternational educationand cooperation. If you areinterested, please feel free
to stop by the JICA desk at
TOPIA anytime!

Junko KimuraH

ello! I have previously
worked at TOPIA from2004 to 2006. This time myties to TOPIA have broughtme back to work as a
Coordinator from this spring.
I am glad to be reunited withold friends and meet newones as well. After this mostrecent earthquake, I had thepainful realization that people
cannot survive alone, and it
is important that we support,
help, and understand eachother. I want to do all I
can to support the foreignr e s i d e n t s o f To k u s h i m a ,as well as help strengtheninternational understanding
amongst the Japanesec o m m u n i t y. Y o r o s h i k u

onegaishimasu!
TOPIA

Top row L to R: Akira Harada, Junko Kimura, Masao Otake, Kim Daempﬂing, Shoko Nomizu. Bottom L to R: Sarah Nelson,
Keiko Murakami, Keiko Kawahara, Yui Fujiwara, Tomoko Nakagawa. Photo by Shoko Nomizu.

i everyone! This is my
12th year at TOPIA, andit just keeps getting better!
It might seem like a longtime, but I have enjoyede ve r y m i n u t e o f i t . I a m
TOPIA's go-to computer man,so if you have any niggling
technological problems you
can try inquiring every now
and then with moi . Please
say hi the next time you'rein TOPIA, I look forward toseeing you!

fo r h o m e l e s s c h i l d re n . I
realized anew that Japan andits people are in the hearts
and minds of people all over
the world, and I would liketo thank everyone for theirsupport. At the same time, I
have renewed determination
to think of preparations tooffer support to the foreign
population of Tokushima, sothey will not be victimizedin the event of a disaster.
Let's move forward together
with the hope that Japan will
recover.

about Tokushima, and loveit all the more. At the sametime, I want foreigners to love
Tokushima, too. Since theGreat East Japan Earthquake,
I have been very impressedby the Japanese' organizedand patient response to thisdisaster. I feel moved to do all
I can to help local foreigners
by putting myself in their
shoes, and not forgetting how
I felt when I first came here.
I cherish the opportunity ofmeeting you all, so let's haveanother good year together!

Shoko Nomizu

Yui Fujiwara

Keiko Murakami

Akira Harada

H

S

ince the Great East
Japan Earthquake, I havebeen flooded with emails
asking if I am okay. Also in
Tokushima, there were someforeign residents who took
action immediately to support
suffering people in disasterareas. Some donated blood,and some worked to set up a
project to find foster parents

TOPIA

H

ello! I am from Dalian,
China. At TOPIA I mainly
provide assistance with
Chinese visitors' questions
about tourist spots and livingin Tokushima. Eight months
have passed since I came to
TOPIA, but I've spent every
day meeting many foreigners,
and while doing my job I
have come to know a lot

Hello everyone! My nameis Keiko Murakami. This
year has been unforgettable
for me, because of theearthquake and Fukushimaplant explosion. I feel remorsefor the people who havesuffered from this disaster,but I believe that everyone
will pull through little by little.
Thanks and regards!

5

Siblings Celebrate: Tokushima and Saginaw
Matthew Lindsay

At the summit of Mount
Bizan between theropeway terminal and the
Ka n p o Po s t O f f i c e H o t e lthere is a cherry blossom
viewing area. Within thissmall, parkland area stands
a hexagonal, white, timber
gazebo complete with a
w e a t h e r c o c k o n i t s r o o f.
Although it lends a romantic
air to the surrounding area,
this gazebo seems somewhatof an anomaly. What led tothis quaint structure being
erected here? The answer
lies far away in the city of
Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.A.
The gazebo was a gift fromthe people of Saginaw, one
of Tokushima's sister cities,
to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the municipalityof Tokushima City.
In terms of population
size, Tokushima's 260,000
dwa r fs S a g inaw ' s 5 5 ,0 0 0
inhabitants, though neither
city is what you might call a"thriving metropolis". Both oftheir most prosperous times
date back to the late 19thand early 20th centuries.
Saginaw developed rapidly
in the second half of the
19th century through the
Saginaw Pine timber industry.
In the early 20th century
economic development
shifted to coal mining and theautomobile industry. Timber
wa s a l s o i n s t r u m e n t a l i n
Tokushima’s boom period
during the Meiji Restoration,

when the shipbuilding andfurniture industries serviced
the Kansai region.
Although Tokushima and
Saginaw may not have thecosmopolitan appeal oflarger cities, their natural
surroundings compensate forthis. Tokushima offers theunique Naruto whirlpools,
scenic Pacific Ocean coastline
and mountainous landscapeswith crystal clear river waters.
Saginaw also has a great
deal of natural appeal. The
S a g i n aw R i ve r h a s g re a t
fishing and is an ideal place
for recreation or exercise,

while Ojibway Island is aninvitingly close getaway. Thereis also the nearby Shiawassee
National Wildlife Refuge thatis a very important, protectedmigratory stopover area forbirds.
These days Tokushima and
Saginaw are both sufferingfrom declining population
trends. To counter this, thecities are pursuing projects
to foster community spirit
and revitalize their downtown
areas. In downtown Tokushima
the area is brightened at nightby LED lights from Nichia, one
of Tokushima prefecture’s mostGazebo6

TOPIAprominent corporate entities.
The prefectural government
also provides valuable support
for cultural events such as
art exhibitions and musicalperformances at Bunkano Mori . In Saginaw, theCelebration Square area is thefocus of cultural activities andevents. This area includes the
Saginaw Children's Zoo, Hoyt
Park, Andersen Enrichment
Center and the Japanese
Cultural Center and Tea Houseand Garden.
The Japanese Cultural
Center and Tea House andGarden is “a visible symbol of
the Tokushima-Saginaw sistercity relationship” accordingt o Y o k o M o s s n e r, t h ecenter’s executive director.
Half of the center actually
stands on land that wasdeeded to the city of

To k u s h i m a . T h e f u n draising and labor for theconstruction of the tea house
was shared by both cities.
This year marks the 50th
anniversary of the friendshipb e t w e e n To k u s h i m a a n d
Saginaw as well as the25th anniversary of the tea
house. Between May 10thand 13th representatives
f r o m To k u s h i m a l e d b ymayor Hideki Hara will
join the people of Saginaw
to celebrate this historicoccasion.

Cooking For Spring
Irene WachugaSpring. New beginnings.
New life. A time whenshoots spring to life.
In Japan, takenoko (bamboo
shoots) is a popular vegetablewith many varied dishes. A
kind of takikomi gohan , thisdish is healthy, simple to
make and delicious hot orcold. Happy eating!
Ingredients:*2 cups, Japanese rice.
*2 ¼ cups dashi (stock)*1 tbsp sake (cooking wine)*2 tbsp light soy sauce*¼ tsp salt
*1 tbsp mirin*200g takenoko , diced into

TOPIA

small pieces (usually soldpre-cooked, vacuum packed
or freshly boiled). Either way,
blanch in boiling water toremove scum.
*1 abura age (fried tofu) also
blanched in boiling water fora minute, then drained ofexcess oil. Cut into very thin
strips.
*Spring onions thinly sliced
for garnishing.
Cooking:
1. Wash rice until water runs
clear. Drain in a colander andset aside for 30 minutes.
2. In a bowl mix stock andseasonings together.

3. Put rice in the rice cooker,
p o u r t h e s t o c k ove r t h erice, stir gently and put thetakenoko on top.
4. Switch on start and cook
rice until done. Add theabura age and let steam for
10 minutes.
5. Mix it all together andserve, garnish with the spring
onions.
This dish also goes wellwith chicken, skinned, sliced
finely and added with thetakenoko . It’s a very variabledish. Hope you give it a try
this spring!

7

今月の日本語Japanese Lesson
Shima Date**Due to errors in last month's Japanese lesson, it has been reprinted here.
Are you good at katakana ? Many advanced students of Japanese believe that they are not goodat katakana . In addition, compared to hiragana or kanji, not much attention is given to it. But the
number of foreign loan words in katakana increases everyday!
So this month’s Japanese lesson deals with katakana .
*Is it really important to learn katakana ?
Let’s take a look at the following writing. Please guess what is written here by reading the parts
written in hiragana .
̲̲̲̲̲̲ いたら、まず ̲̲̲̲̲̲ で ̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲ します。̲̲̲̲ の ̲̲̲̲̲ に ̲̲̲、̲̲̲、̲̲̲̲̲̲ を ̲̲ いて、̲̲̲̲̲ は ̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲ を ̲̲ せます。̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲ するときは、̲̲ れ ̲̲ がないか、̲̲̲ の ̲̲ をよく̲̲ ましょう。
Isn't it difficult to understand the content? Next, let's look at only the katakana of this sentence.
ホ テ ル ̲̲̲̲̲̲̲、̲̲̲ フ ロ ン ト ̲̲ チ ェ ッ ク イ ン ̲̲̲̲̲。̲̲̲̲̲ カ ー ド ̲̲̲̲̲̲、̲̲̲̲、̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲、̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲ パ ス ポ ー ト ̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲。 チ ェ ッ ク ア ウ ト ̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲、̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲、̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲̲。
Different from hiragana , katakana helps a lot to understand the sentence. Now let’s read the entire
sentence. This shows that katakata is very important to read!
つ

うけ つけ

な まえ

じゅう しょう

でん わ ばん ごう

ホテルに着いたら、まずフロントでチェックインします。受付のカードに名前、住所、電話番号をかがい こく じん
み
わす
もの
へ や
なか
書いて、外国人はパスポートを見せます。チェックアウトするときは、忘れ物がないか、部屋の中みをよく見ましょう。
Understanding kanji is usually very important to read as everyone knows. But this is the same as
katakana .
"Increasing One's Activity with Katakana "Katakana carries the burden of representing foreign words. In current day society, the use of
katakana abounds in fields such as business, medical care, and information technology. Even in theworld of anime and manga, so representative of Japanese culture, there are many phrases thatuse katakana and fill an important role. Due to katakana 's "new", "modern", and "hip" image, it isincreasingly used in relation to fashion and makeup, and there are new words being created all thetime. Katakana is not just used to write foreign words, but also to express Sino-Japanese words in a
way that is a little more familiar, and to give a lighter feeling to some words and phrases that come
off as serious when written in hiragana or kanji .
These are some katakana exercises!
[Practice] Choose the most appropriate word among a~f to complete the below sentences.
b. マークd. アピールf. ファックス
a. メモ
c. シャンプー
e. パンクじ てんしゃ①自転車のタイヤが (いそ) している。
し りょう

いえ②急いでいますので、すぐにこの資料をわたしの家に (8) してください。

TOPIAらいしゅうよ ていい③来週の予定を言いますので、(び よういんあたま④美容院では、(み) してください。

) するとき、頭のマッサージもしてくれる。

ばんぐみ

あか

⑤見たいテレビ番組があったら、赤ペンで (いちばん) しておいてね。
おおこえ⑥あなたの一番いいところがみんなにわかるように、大きな声で (Reference：カタカナ語スピードマスター J リサーチ出版) してください。

Answers： ① e ② f ③ a ④ c ⑤ b ⑥ d

Letter from Suketo Hoikuen
Kazue InoueFo r c h i l d re n w h o e n t e rkindergarten or nurseryschool in April, this is a time
when they have to adjust to a
new environment. At nursery
they will make new friends
and accumulate many newexperiences, and you can see
them growing up more everyday. One of those experiences
will likely include a ubiquitouspart of Japanese food culture:learning to use chopsticks!
By the time they become
toddlers they usually begin
imitating the nursery staff
and their friends as they

TOPIA

watch them use chopsticks.
At first imitation is about
all they can do, but when
they reach the age of 3 or 4
they develop more dexterityin their fingers, and thisis when we start teachingthem the correct way to holdchopsticks. The way one uses
chopsticks can have a great
impact on the developmentof one’s hands and arms, sohere is a good way to practiceusing them with your child:
1. Hold the top chopsticklightly between your thumb,index and middle fingers. Useyour other hand to suppress
your ring and pinky fingers
while you practice moving
the chopstick up and down.
2. Hold the bottom
chopstick between yourthumb and index finger andrest the tip on the nail ofyour ring finger.
*When practicing initially,
it is good to have them startwith small sponges and otherobjects that are easy to grip,
rather than launching straight
into food.

9

news events&

May 1- July 11

For the most recent news and event information, check Living in Tokushima at our.pref.tokushima.jp/e_living/ . To post an
event of your own, send the details via email to Awa Life at awalife@gmail.com .

German House Railroad Festival
ドイツ館の鉄道会
Everyone from children to adults can enjoy this event

子どもから大人までみんなで「鉄道」を楽しめるイベントです。

about railroads. Four different kinds of fun are waiting

「見る」
「乗る」
「学ぶ」
「運転する」という４つのお楽しみがfor you, from seeing, riding, and learning, to driving. “If

皆さんを待っています。会場には鉄道のことならおまかせ！

it has anything to do with trains and railroads, leave itという「鉄道博士」たちが、鉄道のこと、模型のことを何でto us!” say the Ph.D. professionals who will be teaching

も教えてくれます。さぁ皆で鉄道を楽しもう！

about railroads and models at this event. Come have aball with us at the Railroad Festival!
When: May 22 (Sun), 2011
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Where: Naruto German House, 1st FL Hall
Info:

Naruto German HouseTEL:

088-689-0099

Cost:

free!

日時：

2011 年 5 月 22 日（日 )10:00 ~ 16:00

場所：

鳴門市ドイツ館１階ホール

問合せ： 鳴門市ドイツ館
TEL:

088-689-0099

入場料： 無料！

Spring Rose Festival
春のバラまつりIn this rose garden there are 1000 roses of 270 different

バラ園では、270 種類・1,000 株のバラが植栽され、期間中には、

kinds in bloom, and during the event there will also be

藍住町の特産品等の販売を行います。

stalls selling local specialties of Aizumi.
When: May 3 (Tues) - 15 (Sun), 2011

日時：2011 年 5 月 3 日 ( 火 ) ~ 15 日 ( 日 )場所：

板野郡藍住町矢上字原 263-88

Where: Itano-gun, Aizumi-cho, Yakami Azahara 263-88
Aizumi Rose Garden
Info:

Aizumi Construction and Industry DivisionTEL:088-637-3120

Cost:

free!

藍住町バラ園問合せ： 藍住町建設産業課
TEL :088-637-3120

入場料： 無料！

Japanese Lessons at Suketo Hoikuen (free)
助任保育園の日本語教室 ( 無料 )When: Every Thursday, 11:00 - 12:00

日時：

毎週木曜日、11:00 〜 12:00

Cost:

Free, and child care is also available!

金額：

託児付き（無料）

Info:

Call TOPIA at

問合せ： トピアまで

TEL 088-656-3303

10

TEL 088-656-3303

TOPIA

Kamiyama Hot Spring Festival
神山温泉祭りThe annual Hot Spring Festival held in Kamiyama

毎年恒例の温泉まつりです。人形浄瑠璃・小学生を対象に

includes Awa Ningyo Joruri puppet performances,

した「あめごのつかみどり大会」
・特産品販売など、多種多games for the kids such as a ﬁsh-catching contest, and彩の催しがあります。祭りの後は、神山温泉で一風呂浴びて、

specialty food vendors, among others. After the day’s
festivities you can take a breather in the Kamiyama hot
spring.
When:

May 22 (Sun), 2011
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Where: Myozai-gun, Kamiyama-cho, Jinryohonuetsuno

リラックスできます。
日時：2011 年 5 月 22 日 ( 日 )10:00 ~ 16:00

場所：

名西郡神山町神領本上角
神山温泉一帯Kamiyama hot spring region
Kamiyama Hot Spring Festival Committee

問合せ： 神山温泉まつり実行委員会

TEL:

088-676-1117

TEL :

Cost:

Free!

入場料： 無料！

Info:

088-676-1117

32nd Annual Charity Festival
第 32 回博愛祭り
The motto of this event is all about letting participants

集う人が楽しみながら福祉を体感できる祭りをモットーに

have fun while learning about social services with the

博愛の里にある福祉施設利用者とともに、各催しを楽しみ

members of the social welfare institution at Hakuai
no Sato. There will be goods for sale made by themembers, as well as a bazaar for various organizations,and food stalls with yakitori, udon, and more!
When: May 22 (Sun), 2011
9:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

ます。また、施設利用者が作った作品展や各種団体のバザー、
焼鳥やうどんの屋台村など催しがいっぱいです。
日時：2011 年 5 月 22 日（日）9:45 ~ 14:00

Where: Miyoshi-shi, Ikeda-cho, Hashikura Kinrin Park

場所：

Info:

Ikeda Hakuai Association

問合せ： 池田博愛会

TEL:

088-372-3150

TEL :

Cost:

Free!

入場料： 無料！

三好市池田町

箸蔵近隣公園一帯

088-372-3150

Japanese Course for Finding Employment
就職のための日本語講座
Aim for employment that is suited to you by learning

自分らしい就職を目指して仕事に行かせる日本語やマナー

manners and language skills that will help you atを身につけましょう！初級の学習を終了した人 (「みんなのwork! This course is for people who have attainedintermediate level Japanese, have ﬁnished the textbook“Minna no Nihongo II” or have passed JLPT 3. Up to 15
participants are allowed. Please submit applications by
May 12th, Thursday.
When: May 17 (Tues) - July 11 (Mon), 2011
5 times a week, Mon - Fri, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Where: Tokushima-shi, Showacho 3 chome 35-2

日本語」II を終了したレベルの人 )、または日本語能力試験
3 級に合格した人は 15 名まで参加できます。5 月 12 日 ( 木 )までにお申し込みください。
日時：2011 年 5 月 17 日（火）~ 7 月 11 日 ( 月 )週 5 回 ( 月曜日〜金曜日 ) 9:30~12:30

場所：

徳島市昭和町 3 丁目 35-2
ヒューマンわーくぴあ徳島 4 階

Human Workpia Tokushima, 4F
Info:

Tokushima Labor and Social Welfare Inc.

問合せ： 社団法人徳島県労働者福祉協議会

TEL:

088-625-8387

TEL :

Web:

http://tokushima.rofuku.net/

サイト： http://tokushima.rofuku.net/

Cost:

20,000 yen

受講料： 20,000 円

TOPIA

088-625-8387

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Tokushima Prefecture 2011Japanese Speech Contest!
Purpose:True internationalisation cannot be achieved without first getting in touch with other cultures andways of life, fostering a sense of international awareness and gaining mutual understanding with peopleof the world to create a society in which we can all work and live together in harmony. This speech
contest seeks to give a voice to the international residents of Tokushima Prefecture and engage them ina dialogue to further discourse on international understanding and cooperation.

Date and Place: July 18th, 2011 (Monday, a public holiday), 13:30 - 16:30
Awagin Hall (Tokushima Prefecture Kyodo Bunka Kaikan)
Main Conference Room (4F)Contestants:

A total of 10-12 contestants will be chosen from the applications. Only foreign residents of Tokushima
Prefecture whose native language is not Japanese and who have not previously participated in thisspeech contest are eligible to apply. Also, to provide the event with as much international character as
possible, only one person from any one country is permitted to take part (a maximum of two people are
permitted to take part if there are many applicants from one country).

Theme:The topic is left to your discretion, but it should relate to the event's purpose of international
understanding and international cooperation.

Length:Speeches should be no more than 7 minutes in length.

Where to Apply: Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association. (TOPIA)
770-0831 Tokushima-shi, Terashima-honcho, Nishi, 1-61,
Tokushima Clement Plaza 6F
How to Apply:

TEL: 088-656-3303

FAX: 088-652-0616

Please fill out the application form available for download online at the TOPIA website:
http://www.topia.ne.jp/e_index.htm
Alternativey, please visit TOPIA for an application, then submit it in person, or mail it to the above
address, or fax it to the above number.

Deadline:

May 27, 2011 (Friday) (Applications must be turned in by 5:00 p.m.)Awards:Grand Prize --- one person
The Tokushima Prefectural Assembly's Chairman of the Federation of International Exchange Assembly
Members Award --- one person
Runner Up Awards --- to be decided
Special Awards --- to be decided

Sponsor:Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA)

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 andJapanese. Please note that although every effort will be made, we may not be able to deal with all cases.
Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 16:30 p.m.
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

TOPIA