aWa life

April 2024

Letter from SUKETO
NAKAYOSHI# 401

Farewell Messages

Nihongo Know-it-All:
明日ありと思う心の仇桜
2024 Tokushima Prefecture
Japanese Speech Contest

1

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

April is of course the time for sakura in Japan! There are a bunch of flower viewing locations inTokushima, many of which are holding sakura festivals during April. There will also be Awa Odori
events where you can enjoy the sakura as well, so make sure to check out the events section! We also
have a new column in place of Gairaigo Galore, featuring an interesting proverb about the beautiful
flowers!
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:Your editors,
Sydney and Rasmus

awalife@gmail.com
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:
Sydney Bartig and Rasmus Burgmer
Contributors This Month:
Luo Xinxin, Mari Kimoto, Kazue Inoue, and Junko Nagamachi

2

Contents

Pg. 2-4: Farewell Messages
Pg. 5:

Letter from SUKETO NAKAYOSHI

Pg. 6:

Tokushima Culture and Reading Corner:
徳島県立神山森林公園イルローザの森

Pg. 6:

Nihongo Know-it-All: 明日ありと思う心の仇桜

Pg. 7:

Japanese Lesson

Pg. 8-9: Events and Memoranda
Farewell Messages
Sydney Bartig
Coordinator for International Relations

After nearly five years I am ending my time as a
CIR at the Prefectural Office and TOPIA at theend of March. When I first got my JET placement
results in 2019, I honestly had no clue where
Tokushima was or what to expect, but my entire
time in Tokushima would be one spent surroundedby warm and amazing people. It’s difficult for me
to put my feelings about these five years into sucha short space, but I will try my best.
As a CIR at the Prefectural Office and TOPIA,
my work included a variety of fields. For TOPIA I
would of course edit Awa Life, but I would also dovarious translations and interpretations for events,
such as TOPIA’s yearly Disaster Prevention
Study Tour. My work at the Prefectural Office
was quite varied, as I would receive translation/interpretation requests from a variety of divisions.
I had a number of opportunities to interpret for
the governor and various ambassadors assigned
to Japan, and it was always interesting to meet
people from so many different countries. I alsointerpreted for things such as a prefecturalproject to support Ukraine by gifting Awa washi
paper for document restoration, tours of Naruto’s
traditional sake breweries, aizome indigo
dyeing explanations, and cruise-related work in
Komatsushima to name a few.
In my free time I tried a variety of activities, suchas koto, tea ceremony, Awa Odori with TOPIA’s

Arasowaren,f l o w e r
arranging,shamisen,and Ningyo
Joruri puppet
theater. I
still continue
koto and tea
ceremonyl e s s o n se v e n n o w,
and I havebeen able toperform koto a
few times over
the years. I also continued my Japanese studies,and thanks to my wonderful teacher I was able topass the JLPT N1.
In my free time and through work I’ve been
blessed with the opportunity to visit the majority
of tourism spots in Tokushima, which has always
been one of my favorite parts of work. As acat lover my favorite spot has to be Omatsu
Daigongen in Anan, but I also love the Iya vine
bridges; the various temples such as Tairyuji,
Hashikura, and Jorokuji; the sakura of Yuka no
Sato, Katsuura, and Central Park; and the wisteria
of Fujidera and Dogakuji.
However, out of everything, what I treasure themost from my time in Tokushima is all of thewonderful people I have been able to meet.

3Starting right from Tokyo Orientation I met fellow
Tokushima CIRs who I still talk to today. Althoughmany have changed through these five years due
to personnel change, all of my coworkers at thePrefectural Office and TOPIA have been suchbrilliant people. They have supported me throughall of my troubles, and I am so grateful that isdifficult to express with words. I truly hope forthe best for every single one of them. I also haveto express my appreciation to all of the people
outside of work that I have met throughout theseyears, including all my teachers (koto, Japanese,

Farewell Messages
tea ceremony, etc.) and friends. All of theseencounters are something I will treasure for the
rest of my life, and to everyone I am truly thankful.
Although my time as a CIR is ending, I am very
excited to report that I have been offered anotherjob within Tokushima City, so I will still be aroundthis area. Although I knew nothing of Tokushima
before coming here, this place has become myhome, and I hope that, even in a small way, I cancontribute to Tokushima and its residents.

Luo Xinxin
Coordinator for International Relations
As I began work on April 2024’s issue of Awa
Seikatsu, I was filled with the realization that
my work and life in Tokushima would be overin just one month. Although only a short time, I
believe my time in Tokushima as a CIR was themost special. This is because, although I wasscheduled to arrive on April 12, 2020, due to the
COVID pandemic, this date became May 30th,
2023. After waiting 1,168 days, taking a planefrom Changsha to Beijing, Beijing to Tokyo, andthen finally Tokyo to Tokushima, I was so happy
to have finally arrived at the Tokushima Awaodori
Airport. My first impression of Tokushima was that
it is a quiet and small place.
After exiting the plane, my new coworkers were
there to welcome me, and we headed to theDiversity Promotion Division of the Tokushima
Prefectural Office. After receiving my letter of
appointment from our division head, my new job
and life began amidst the warm welcomes frommy coworkers.
I consider my time as a CIR at the Tokushima
Prefectural Office to be one of my life’s treasures.
Thanks to my kind coworkers, I have been able
to enjoy work and spend my time in a meaningful
way during this year. Through a wide array of work
including conference interpretation, documenttranslation, attending to visiting delegations,visiting Silver Daigaku University, introducing
the work of a CIR to Japanese middle-school

students, and editing Awa Seikatsu, my view ofTokushima became more vivid and clear. I also
felt how important a role international exchange
projects play in Japan/China friendship relations.
On my day off I took a solo trip to see theworld’s largest Naruto Whirlpools. Together
with my coworker from the prefectural office, I
climbed the symbol of Tokushima, Mt. Bizan. I
went sightseeing in Tokushima with my family.
I participated in TOPIA’s bus tour and was able
to experience Tokushima’s traditional cultures of
aizome indigo dyeing and ningyo joruri puppet
theater. I fully enjoyed a variety of Tokushima’s
prized fresh and safe foods, such as Tokushimaramen, Naruto kintoki sweet potatoes, and Naruto
tai sea bream. In these following days I will savor
these countless memories of Tokushima.
I believe in the phrase, “A meeting is the beginningof parting, and parting is for a better reunion.”
After I return home, I plan to tell everyone about
my experiences and the wonders of Tokushima.
Then, even just a little bit, I want to do my best
to become a bridge for the continued friendshipFarewell Messages

4

between China and Japan, and help foster the ties will one day visit China and Hunan Province. I’mof friendship with Hunan Province and Tokushima. looking forward to once again meeting everyone
Thank you to everyone for your support during somewhere, someday.
this year. I’m truly grateful. I hope that you all
Mari Kimoto
Long-term Work Experience Trainee
My two years of work at TOPIA have quickly cometo an end. I want thank everyone for their support
during my time as a long-term work experiencestaff. My final year especially has ended in theblink of an eye. I’m truly grateful to all of the staff
that I have worked with. Thank you for always
kindly teaching me, even until the very end.
My work at TOPIA allowed me to learn about
the realization of a multicultural society. My
primary work was coordinating the dispatch ofinternational understanding instructors. Seeing
the development of international understandingclasses by foreign instructors residing inTokushima; experiencing their fun games,
traditional clothing, folk crafts/dances, etc.; andactually being able to see each instructor ’s
ingenuity and learn about their different cultures
was truly an invaluable experience that I will
make the most of in my future educational career.
Many of the registered instructors are from Asian
countries, and although these countries areclose to Japan, they have different cultures andcustoms. I want to help build relationships where
everyone can recognize diversity and understandthat what it is “normal” in Japan can differ
depending on the country. The children always
have a myriad of questions, and their flexible
way of thinking and comments show that they
are very interested in foreign countries. Currently,
the number of foreigners moving to Japan isincreasing. These kinds of classes are a great
way to think about how to interact with children
who have roots in other countries.
I assisted in the Japanese classes held at TOPIA
every week, and I was always conscious to makesure to use simple Japanese that is easy tounderstand. The more classes we had, the more
the feelings of nervousness decreased, and I

remember ourconversationsb e c a m emore fun as
they talked
about daily
life and theirhometowns.
T h r o u g hteaching, I
learned how
to understandand support
children withforeign roots,
to take pride in one’s own culture, how to becompassionate towards those grappling with amyriad of problems, and many other things. I wantto think carefully about the increasing number offoreign school children and how best to provide
guidance to them as they do their best to live inan unfamiliar place.
Arasowaren, Tokushima’s international Awa Odori
team that prays for peace, is a great chance toshare Tokushima’s culture with the world. Even if
we can’t communicate with words, we can enjoy
the Awa Odori together with people from a varietyof countries, and every year when the hot summer
arrives, I am reminded of Arasowaren’s chant “Theworld is one! Arasowaren”. Thank you to everyone
who helped support this project.
Throughout these two years, I was able tolearn about different views and ways of thinking
regarding a multicultural society. I feel happy
that I was able to help foreign residents living inTokushima, even if just a little bit. I realized thatit’s not only us who are teaching foreigners, butthat they teach us as well. Thank you so much.
Moving forward, I’m going to use what I learned at
TOPIA for my work in the education field.

5Letter from SUKETO NAKAYOSHI

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

ecently, my grandchild, who will almost be
two years old, began sucking their thumb.
I think in the case of my grandchild the cause isthat their grandfather, who would often pick themup early from the childcare center and play withthem, hasn’t been able to do so recently. Being
dropped off and picked up by their parents, whosometimes do so early in the morning or late atnight due to work, caused them to feel lonely.
Habits such as thumb sucking or nail biting aresometimes used to express that the child wants
to calm down or wants attention from the adults.
As they can start suddenly due to life changes,
it is especially important to be cautious at thistime of year, when many are dealing with newchanges. If you pay too much attention or try topunish the child, it might have the opposite effectand make the habit worse, or they may begin tohide it. Children’s habits are temporary, so you
shouldn’t pay too much attention to them, instead
just engage with them more and give them more
opportunities for praise. With a little care it will goaway naturally in the majority of cases. However,
if it becomes so bad that it interferes with daily
life or continues for a long period of time, please
consult with a doctor, nurse, or other specialist.

Hand-made Sweets – Kinako Cookies① Knead butter (5 tablespoons) until it is a
cream-like texture and then, in order, mix in sugar(6 tablespoons) --> beaten egg (1) --> kinako
roasted soybean flour 34 g, pastry flour 100 g(sift in advance) --> and white sesame seeds (1tablespoon).
② Roll into approximately 2 cm balls and thenbake in a pre-heated oven at 165 ℃ for 10
minutes.
*The kinako and sesame seeds provide a goodsource of calcium and iron. It can also be fun tomake together with your child.

TOPIA 2024 - Study Japanese Online!
Dates: May 2024 - February 15th, 2025
Time: Once per week for 1 hour
Number of Classes: 20 - 30
Teachers: Volunteer Teachers (Not specialist teachers)
Eligibility: Those living in Tokushima
Those not already studying Japanese at school, their company, a Japanese class, etc.
(First-time participants will be given priority.)
Necessary Items: Please download ZOOM on your computer, tablet, or phone.
It may be necessary to purchase a textbook. (Please consult with your teacher.)
Number of Spots: About 20 People
Cost: Completely Free
Applications: Please see TOPIA’s website: https://www.topia.ne.jp/english/
Inquiries: Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association
Nomizu - coordinator2@topia.ne.jp Kobayashi - tagengo1@topia.ne.jp
TEL: 088-656-3303

6

Tokushima Culture and Reading Corner:
徳島県立神山森林公園イルローザの森
By: Mari Kimoto

かみやましんりんこうえん

かみやまちょう

やま

なか

えんない

ひろびろ

みなさんは、神山森林公園を 知っていますか。神山町の 山の中にあり、園内は、広々としているので、
いっしょ

つ

い

ペットも 一緒に 連れて行くことが できます。
さんぽ

また、たくさんの フィールドアスレチックがあり、散 歩や
うんどう

てき

こ

おとな

たの

運動にも、適しています。子どもから、大人まで 楽しめます。
みどり

し ぜ ん ゆた

ばしょ

お

つ

緑が たくさんあって、自然豊かな 場所で 落ち着いた とこ
ろです。
ひる

べんとう

も

お昼は、お弁当を 持って、ピクニックを するのを おすすめ
きたほうめんてんぼうとくしまけんけしきいちぼうします。 北方面の 展望では、徳島県の 景色を 一望できまとくしまけん

さいだいきゅう

さくら

たの

さくら

めいしょ

すよ。また、徳島県で 最大級の 桜を 楽しめる 桜の 名所の
ひと

しら

はな

さ

一つです。インターネットで 調べて まだ 花が 咲いているい

画像引用

ようであれば、ぜひ 行ってみて ください。

徳島県立神山森林公園イルローザの森 HP
Vocabulary List
えんない

Inside the Park

園内
フィールドアスレチック
てき

適している
お

つ

落ち着いた

Obstacle Course
Suited For
Calm

明日ありと思う心の仇桜

べんとう

お弁当

Bento Lunch

ピクニック Picnic
きたほうめんNorthern Area

北方面
てんぼう

展望

いちぼう

一望

Sweeping View

さいだいきゅう

最 大 級 Top Class
めいしょ

名所

Famous Spot

OutlookNihongo Know-it-All

By: Rasmus Burgmer
This new segment will replace Gairaigo Galore (we ran out) and showcase Japanese proverbs,
expressions, and interesting facts about the language that you will not find in any textbook.
As we all know, the blossoming of the sakura trees is a huge event in Japan every spring, withthe tradition of hanami (viewing of flowers) dating back many centuries. It is no wonder then, thatthe colorful flowers have inspired a variety of proverbs and expressions
uniqueto the Japanese
あ す
おも こころ あだざくら
language. This month I would like to teach you my personal favorite: 明日ありと思う心の仇桜
Like all proverbs, it is very difficult to translate literally, with my attempt “The feeling of having atomorrow is like the ephemeral cherry blossom” not really catching the gist of it while also sounding
a little weird. A more sensible translation would be like this:“The beautiful cherry blossoms you expect to still be there tomorrow for you to enjoy might havealready been swept away by the night’s breeze.”
Using the illusive beauty of sakura as a metaphor, this proverb conveys the message
that if you waste today in anticipation of tomorrow, you may miss your chance andtherefore should never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. As this is a thought
applicable to all parts of life, I find myself often thinking of the saying whenever I feellazy or demotivated. And it really does help to get me active, because I would nevermiss out on something like enjoying the sakura trees in full bloom... would you?

7

Japanese Lesson
By: Junko Nagamachi

Counters〈Example〉
わたし

私 は、きのうスーパーで、りんごを３つ（みっつ）とか

ビールを 1 本（いっぽん）買いました。
As you can see in the above example, the way you express the number of something depends on theほんはいobject. Additionally, counters such as「～本」and「～杯」have different readings depending on the number.
(Refer to the chart below.)
本

杯

冊

枚

１

いっぽん

いっぱい

いっさつ

いちまい

ひとつ

２

にほん

にはい

にさつ

にまい

ふたつ

３

さんぼん

さんばい

さんさつ

さんまい

みっつ

４

よんほん

よんはい

よんさつ

よんまい

よっつ

５

ごほん

ごはい

ごさつ

ごまい

いつつ

６

ろっぽん

ろっぱい

ろくさつ

ろくまい

むっつ

７

ななほん

ななはい

ななさつ

ななまい

ななつ

８

はちほん

はちはい

はっさつ

はちまい

やっつ

はっぽん

はっぱい

９

きゅうほん

きゅうはい

きゅうさつ

きゅうまい

ここのつ

10

じゅっぽん

じゅっぱい

じゅっさつ

じゅうまい

とお

じっぽん

じっぱい

じっさつ

なんぼん

なんばい

なんさつ

なんまい

いくつ

？

〈Practice Problems 〉
Just like in the example, write the correct kanji in the parenthesis ( ), and the correct hiragana reading in
the brackets [ ].
れい例 ハンカチを（ ５枚 ）【 ごまい 】ください。・・５

）
【

２．

きのう、ノートを（３．

筆箱にえんぴつが（４．

箱にりんごが（１０）【

ふでばこ

）

）
【

か

】買いました。
・・８
はい

）
【

】入っています。・・６
はい】入っています。・・１０

3.) 6 本・ろっぽん

はこ】ください。・・１

2.) 8 冊・はっさつ

水をコップに（Answers: 1.) 1 杯・いっぱい

みず１．

4.) とお8

Events & Memoranda
2024 TOKUSHIMA PREFECTURE JAPANESE SPEECH CONTEST
1.

PURPOSE

True internationalization cannot be achieved without first coming in touch with other cultures
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 can all work and live
together in harmony. This speech contest seeks to give a voice to the international residentsof Tokushima Prefecture and engage them in a dialogue to further discourse on crosscultural understanding and fostering multiculturalism.

2.

DATE & PLACE

July 21st, 2024 (Sunday), 13:00 - 16:30
Awagin Hall (Tokushima Arts Foundation for Culture)3.

ELIGIBILITY

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

4.

SELECTION

We are recruiting a wide-array of foreign residents. We will have all applicants submit a draftof their speech. After a screening of the speech drafts, we will select 10 applicants toparticipate in the actual contest.

5.

THEME

The topic is left to your discretion, but it should relate to the event's purpose of fosteringcross-cultural understanding and multiculturalism.
※Speeches must not include political or religious content, and must not criticize a particularperson or group.
※ Speeches must be original content that you have not presented on before. If it is
discovered that the speech is not original or has already been presented on, awards may
be rescinded.

6.

LENGTH

Speeches should be no more than 6 minutes in length.

7.

AWARDS・Grand Prize, one person (Prize: 50,000 yen gift certificate)・The Tokushima Prefectural Assembly's Federation of International Exchange Assembly
Members Chairman’s Award, one person (Prize: 30,000 yen gift certificate)
・Awa Bank Award, one person (Prize: 30,000 yen gift certificate)・Tokushima Taisho Bank Award, one person (Prize: 30,000 yen gift certificate)・Tokushima Chamber of Commerce and Industry Award, one person (Prize: 30,000 yen gift
certificate)・Tokushima City International Association Special Recognition Award, three people (Prize:
10,000 yen gift certificate)・Special Effort Award, to be decided (Prize: 5,000 yen gift certificate)*All participants will receive a participation award.

8.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your application form and speech draft by email, FAX, or in-person (information
written below). Please type your speech on a computer. You can download the application
form from TOPIA’s website.

9.

DEADLINE

May 24th, 2024 (Friday)

Small Hall (5F)

Applications must be turned in by 5:30 PM.

10. ORGANIZED BY

Tokushima Prefecture &Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA)

11. CO-ORGANIZER(Planned)

Tokushima Regional Conference for Promotion of Student Exchange

12. SPONSORS(Planned)

The Tokushima Prefectural Assembly's Federation of International Exchange
Assembly Members, Awa Bank, Tokushima Taisho Bank, Tokushima Chamber ofCommerce and Industry, Tokushima International Association (TIA),
Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, Nichia Corporation

13.

NHK Tokushima, Shikoku Broadcasting, Tokushima Shimbun,
Cable TV Tokushima, FM Tokushima, FM Bizan

WITH THESUPPORT OF(Planned)

14. WHERE TO APPLYTokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA)
Address :〒770-0831
Tokushima City, Terashima Honcho Nishi, 1-61, Clement Plaza 6F
Website: https://www.topia.ne.jp/
Tel: 088-656-3303
Fax: 088-652-0616
Speech Contest in 2023
Email: coordinator1@topia.ne.jp
Person in Charge: Kimura

9

Events & Memoranda

2024 Spring Festival (Tokushima Castle Awa Odori)2024 春の祭典「徳島城 阿波おどり」

Get your fill of the Tokushima Castle Awa Odori at
3 different locations. ♪
Washi no Mon Plaza (Circle Dance)
The Awa Odori’s zomeki rhythm will be played byinstruments with dancers dancing on top of theyagura. You can watch from anywhere around thearea. Before you know it, your heart will start todance, and then it’s time to raise your arms, moveyour legs, and dance Awa Odori!
Flower Viewing Plaza (Nagashi Dance)
The invigorating nagashi dance will be performed
at 3 paths spreading from east, west, and thecentral area. The plaza surrounded by the park
paths serves as the viewing space, and it ispossible to bring simple, outdoor chairs to sit in.
Enjoy the view of the flowers, and at the finale
join the dancers on stage.
Hachisuka Iemasa Statue Plaza (Stage Odori)
Dancers will give an exciting performanceon a specially-constructed stage. Enjoy thecoordinated dances by Awa Odori ren groups on
the stage constructed in front of the Hachisuka
Iemasa statue.
When: April 28th (Sun.) 11:00 – 16:00
Where: Across the Tokushima Central Park,
Tokushima City
Fee: Free
Inquiries: Operations Department,
Tokushima Shimbun
TEL: 088-655-7331
URL: https://www.topics.or.jp/

3 つの会場で「徳島城 阿波おどり」を満喫しま
せんか ♪
鷲の門広場【輪踊り】～櫓（やぐら）の上で鳴り物がぞめきを奏で、その周りを踊り子が踊る～
櫓の周りのどこからでもご覧いただけます。見ているうちに心が浮いてくるはず。
さあ、手を上げて足を運べば阿波踊り！
お花見広場【流し踊り】～東・中央・西の 3 つの通りで広がる、爽やかな流し踊り～
園 路 に 囲 ま れ た 広 場 は 観 覧 ス ペ ー ス で す。 レ
ジャーシートや簡易なイスは持込可能。お花見気分でご覧ください。フィナーレでは、踊り子と観客が一緒に踊ります。ぜひご参加ください。

蜂須賀家政像前広場【舞台踊り】～特設ステージ
で、踊り子たちが白熱のパフォーマンスを披露～
蜂須賀家政像の前に特設舞台を設置。ステージで阿波踊り連が息の合った舞台踊りを披露します。
日時：4 月 28 日（日）11:00 ～ 16:00
場所：徳島市

徳島中央公園一帯

料金：無料
お問い合わせ：徳島新聞社 事業部
TEL: 088-655-7331
URL: https://www.topics.or.jp/

Counselling Service at TOPIA・トピアの相談窓口
TOPIA provides consultation on everyday life, education, labor, medical institutions, and disasterprevention; and information on sightseeing spots to overseas residents and visitors. When necessary,
we will refer you to the appropriate organization that can assist with your needs.Counselling is available
in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese. Please note that although every effort will be made,we may not be able to deal with all cases.
Japanese, English, Chinese: Everyday, 10:00 - 18:00 (closed during the New Year's holidays)
Vietnamese: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, 10:00 - 14:00
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, 10:00 - 18:00 (closed during the New Year's holidays)