aWa life
December 2018

# 339

Awa Shoku: A Nabe
Cooking Guide

New Year's
Celebrations around
the World

Tokushima
Illumination Map

1

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

Slowly, Japan starts to prepare for New Year or “O-Shougatsu” ( お 正 月 ), definitely the most quiet
and reflective time in Japan. How was 2018, what are your plans for the next year, and how will you
celebrate New Year? In this edition of Awa Life, six people from six different countries will introduce
their New Year celebrations from around the world. We would like to thank everybody for always
reading Awa Life in the past year and we look forward to writing for you in the new year, too. We would
also like to express special thanks to all the contributors who provide us with interesting articles. Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year, everyone!
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 and Nico

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 and Nico Bohnsack
Contributors This Month:

Nan Zhang, Jimena Castillo Chaves, Chance Daldy, Leizel Buso, Kazue Inoue, Lance Kita, and Fusa Tamaki

2Contents

Pg. 2-5: New Year's Celebrations Around the WorldPg. 5:

Letter from SUKETO NAKAYOSHI

Pg. 6:

Awa Shoku: Everyone Around the Pot! A Nabe Cooking Guide

Pg. 7:

Japanese Lesson

Pg. 8-9: Events and Memoranda
New Year's Celebrations Around the World
There are so many things that we can learn fromthe diverse population of overseas residents
in Tokushima. I've taken the liberty of asking a
few fellow expats about New Year's traditions intheir hometown. In this issue you will hear about
New Year's in Germany, Hawai'i, Costa Rica, thePhilippines, Canada, and China. Do you have any
special New Year's traditions? I hope that you willtake away a few new traditions so that you canstart your year off with a BANG!!!
New Year's in Germany
By: Nico Bohnsack
ew Year's in Germany is certainly not asimportant as Christmas (wherefamilies usually come together)but still has its own interesting
characteristics.

N

After people wish each other a “Guten
Rutsch” (a good slide into the newyear) from the end of December,
New Year celebrations start on New
Year's Eve (December 31st) where
many parties take place. These canbe private home parties as well as public parties
but many people also stay at home and have asilent New Year's Eve. At parties, people often
drink together, reflect about the past year or talkabout plans for the next year. Games such as“Bleigießen”, a custom of telling fortunes by theshapes made by molten lead dropped into cold
water, are popular as well. There are many dishes
which are served during New Year's Eve andwhich also differ by region but two of the most
famous dishes are probably Fondue or Raclette,a freely and individually arrangeable dish using
small pans and a variety of ingredients. At 12
o'clock Germans usually chink glasses withsparkling wine, and say “Frohes Neues!” (Happy
New Year) to everyone and fireworks go off allover the country. Since firecrackers are widely
sold in supermarkets before New Year, its usageis permitted. However, there are also homemade
fireworks so it is best to be careful.
New Year's Eve parties tend to last
until the early morning, so many
Germans enter into the new year
(January 1st) with a hangover and
New Year's Day, which is a public
holiday, is more or less spent resting.
However, many families have a
special New Year's lunch which also
differs a lot by region. There are also
famous events taking place on New
Year, such as New Year's concerts (the Vienna
New Year's concert being the most famous) or the
New Year's jumping as a part of the ski jumping
Four Hills Tournament. New Year's wishes often
continue until the end of January, though fromJanuary 2nd its back to everyday life as usual.

3

Kicking off the New Year from Honolulu
By: Daralyn Yee

The pre-recorded New York Ball Drop is
playing on TV; “5,4,3,2,1” the ball touches
the ground and the clock strikes 12, the crowd on
TV goes wild. My family greets each other withthe typical English greeting “Happy New Year!”
Then, we proceed to go outside. Why would
we go outside? Because everyone is setting off
their fireworks to kick off the New Year! People
are lighting them up one after another and every
corner of the sky is filled with sparks and color(Look up "Hawaii New Year’s Fireworks" onYouTube and you will see what I mean). Thereis no need to go to a firework’s show, because it

New Year in Costa Rica
By: Jimena Castillo Chavez
osta Rica is a very tropical country but on
December it gets a little bit colder, that
doesn’t stop us to celebrate New Year’s Eve inmany different ways.

C

For New Year’s Eve there is no specific tradition;some families gather at the grandparent’s houseand have a dinner, other people have BBQs,
many people go to the beach, others go to arestaurant and so on. In general, is a special
occasion to spend time with family or friends.
Personally I spend the evening with my family; wegather at my aunt’s house and cook Chicharrones.
A Latin-American dish that consist in slow frying
pork’s belly in a big iron bowl. Besides that wehave snacks like guacamole, tortillas, cookedplantain, smashed beans and different kinds of

New Year's Celebrations Around the World
seems as if the whole neighborhood decided tobring the show to us. It’s really loud and the air isfilled with smoke; yet, it’s a refreshing start to the
new year. After the excitement calms down, we
head to bed―with an occasional boom here andthere from people who continue partying to theearly hours of the morning.
Our eyes open to a new morning and the
Hawaiian sun seems a little brighter than usual.
In my family, celebrating New Year’s means
spending time with my Japanese side of the family
and eating Japanese New Year’s food and otherpotluck dishes. One of the Japanese foods that
we eat on New Year’s Day is Ozoni soup, which isa savory soup that utilizes mochi (rice cakes) andingredients such as shiitake mushroom, daikon
radish, and mizuna. Shortly after Christmas, many
Japanese families in Hawaii gather to pound
their own mochi. Families typically use traditional
steamers, mortar and mallet, and gather family
and friends to make the New Year’s decoration
Kagami Mochi along with bite-sized mochi for theozoni soup. Gathering to make mochi is a fun way
of “sticking together” as a community and “sticking
to our roots”. I always look forward to making andconsuming mochi during New Year’s.

salads to eat with the Chicharrones, traditional
drinks, liquor, rum, beers and play music while we
wait for the end of the year.
Right before midnight, it is believed that if you
want to travel in the coming year you should run
around the place 5 times
carrying a suitcase. If you
desire to find love, you
should eat grapes rightbefore the clock turns
twelve. If it is luck what
you wish for the new year,
you should wear yellow
underwear. My family loves
to do those things during the party. So, everybody
can share their plans and wishes on the coming
year and laugh together and enjoy. At last wealways have a small firework show in the garden.

4

New Year's Celebrations Around the World

6. Family Talent Show. While
waiting for midnight, most families
gather together and create theirown edition of Filipinos Got
Talent, compelling their children
to compete and brag any kind of
talent that they have.

Philippine New Year
Celebration Starter Pack
By: Leizel Buso
1. Clean House. Meticulously
cleaning the house before New
Year’s Eve can chase off badluck and invite good fortune.
2. Lechon. This roasted pig,
garnished with liver-based
gravy is served during special
occasions to symbolize
festivity and celebration.

Most Filipinos go to church toattend the thanksgiving mass,
light candles and offer prayers
before starting their New Yearcelebration.

3. Pancit. This is fried noodles made of rice
noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce, citrus, a variety
of sliced meat and chopped veggies. The long
strands of the noodle symbolize health and longlife.

7. Fireworks and Noises. Asidefrom colorful fireworks lighting up
the sky at midnight, people also
make different kinds of noises todrive away evil spirits and bad luck.

8. Polka Dots. People believe that dressing up inpolka dots attract money and prosperity.
9. Jumping at Midnight. Once the clock strikes
12, people jump as high as they can believing that
this will make them taller.

4. Biko. This sticky, creamy, and chewy ricedessert, made of sticky rice, brown sugar, and 10. Thanksgiving Mass. One of the mostcoconut milk is served to symbolize strong family important Filipino traditions is attending thethanksgiving mass before starting the lavishbond.
midnight feast known as Media Noche.
5. 12 Round Fruits. Completing 12 kinds of round
fruits attracts luck for the coming 12 months.

The Many New Years of Vancouver, Canada
By: Chance Daldy
anada is a country that people frommany unique cultural backgrounds callhome. Because of this great diversity, we havemultiple New Year celebrations that enrich ourcommunities.

C

In Vancouver, the city that I am from, many
people hold Lunar New Year celebrations atsome point between the end of January and theend of February, such as Chinese New Year,
Korean New Year, and Vietnamese New Year.
Events and parades are put on throughout thecity, and many areas are decorated with red andgold. Restaurants usually have a special menu
showcasing the food enjoyed during the New Yearcelebrations, as well as treats and desserts. The
owners are often happy to explain the significanceof the different dishes and sweets, too! Anotherimportant New Year celebration in Vancouver is
Persian New Year, or ‘Nowruz’. Nowruz has been
officially recognized on the Canadian calendar
since 2009, with the celebration occurring around
March 21st to mark the beginning of Spring.
Before the celebrations begin, many households
do a big spring-cleaning. While the celebrations
last for 13 days, the ‘Chaharshanbe Suri’ fire
festival on the last Wednesday before Nowruz
is the main event in Vancouver. Beginning justbefore sunset, the fire festival includes live music
and dance, lots of food, and small bonfires thatthe people celebrating jump over to symbolicallypurify themselves as the new year begins. The
festival creates a beautiful atmosphere each year,
and participating in it with my Iranian friends wasalways a wonderful experience!

5

New Year's in China
By: Nan Zhang
ifferent from Japan, New Year's in China
begins on the first day of the lunar calendar.
On New Year's Eve, families gather, eat delicious
foods, watch the “Spring Festival Gala Evening”(similar to “Kohaku Uta Gassen” in Japan) on
TV or did other enjoyable things. For us, thehomecooked dishes on New Year's Eve dinner
is a treat we look forward to all year. After themeal, kids had fun outside with firecrackers andfireworks. After 12 midnight, the sound of fireworks
can be heard everywhere in town, and it suddenly
becomes alive. People also pray for things suchas safety inside the house or positive progress
throughout the year. However,c o n t i n u o u sD

New Year's Celebrations Around the Worlddevelopments andchanges in society
make old traditions
and customs
disappear slowly and create new trends suchas electronic New Year's gift money, eating out
at restaurants, and so on. In order to prevent air
pollution, New Year's fireworks and firecrackers
are forbidden now and the villages became silent.
New Year's, which has developed through many
generations, has been accepted by the newgeneration and will probably continue to develop
further in the future. The end of the year is near,so I wish everyone a great Japanese New Yearhere in Tokushima!

Letter from SUKETO NAKAYOSHI

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

his year we had a very hot summer and areexperiencing a warm fall, so the next question is what will winter be like?

catching airborne viruses)
5. Creating a healthy body by doing outside activities.

The air in winter is usually dry, and both cold viruses and bacteria become active during this season. The flu also starts to spread, so let’s be sure
to take care of our health every day.

Please take care of your family’s health and wishing you the best for the New Year!
＊＊＊
Pine Cone Parachute

A. Creating the right environment:
1. Set the room temperature to 18-20 C
2. Set humidity to 50-70% (since colds or 		flus do not survive in a humid environment)
B. Living a balanced lifestyle:
1. Keep a balanced diet (Warm your body withseasonal foods to strengthen your metabolic functions)
2. Adjust clothing according to the weather
3. Wash hands and gargle (children at the age of
one can’t gargle, so you can have them drink tea;children at the age of two are able to gargle with amouth full of water; children from the age of threeand older are able to gargle as usual)
4. Blowing your nose (this functions as a filter toremove dust when breathing through the nose.
This prevents viruses from entering the nose; italso gives a sense of relief when you can prevent

1. Cut some plastic from a plastic bag into asquare. Draw pictures with an oil-based marker
on the plastic, then tape a piece of string on all
four corners.
2. Tie the strings together and attach it to the topof the pine cone.
Just hold the parachute with your hands andthrow it up high. The parachute will open up andfly to the ground slowly.

Awa Shoku: Everyone Around the Pot! A Nabe Cooking Guide
By Lance KitaToo cold in the kitchen to cook? Grab yourearthenware hotpot (donabe 土 鍋 ) andget ready for the easiest winter cooking option
for your family. Here’s a quick four step guide to
making hotpots (nabe 鍋 ).

One - Ingredients（guzai 具材 )Choose a protein (beef, pork, chicken, fish,
shrimp, shellfish) or combination of. Meat should
be sliced very thin (1-3 mm), and chicken should
be cut into bite-size pieces. Japanese people
also love fishcake in nabe. Then choose a varietyof vegetables. The more
popular ones are Chinese
cabbage (hakusai 白 菜 ),leeks (negi 葱 ), carrots (ninjin
人 参 ), enoki mushrooms(enoki え の き ), shiitake
mushrooms (shiitake 椎 茸 ),and chrysanthemum greens(shungiku 春 菊 ). Vegetables
should be sliced thin as wellfor quick cooking. Tofu (firm,
fried, or aburaage 油 揚 げfried pockets) is also popular,
and a good protein option forvegetarians.

the internet.

6

Three - Dipping sauce (tare タレ）
So you add your vegetables to your soup (theytake longer) and then the meat (though cooksome meat first for shabu shabu or mizutaki toget flavor into the water). After a few minutes ofsimmering, it’s ready to eat! So easy, so simple.
With the flavorful soups, just scoop the meat andveggies into small bowls and eat as is. However,the lighter-flavored nabe ingredients benefit fromdipping sauces. The most popular are citrus
soy sauce (ponzu ぽ ん 酢 ,sudachi and yuzu varieties
are fantastic) and sesamesauce (goma-dare 胡 麻 だれ ). You can also add yuzu
pepper paste (yuzu kosho
柚 子 胡 椒 ), shichimi 七 味
pepper, chili oil, or grated
ginger to your ponzu for akick.

Four - Ending (shime 締め )Many people think the nabe
experience ends there, but
think about all that flavorfulbroth at the end of the mealfrom all the yummy protein
Two - Soup (shiru 汁）
and vegetables you were justThe soups generally fall into
cooking. Can’t let that go to
two categories. The first is…
waste. So Japanese serve awater! No joke, the idea isfinal starch that is cooked inthat the water is a blankthe soup called the shime 締
palette that will gain flavors
from the ingredients you add. From tofu to weiners, you can simmer め . Udon, ramen, and local
Handa somen noodles areanything in a hotpot.
Shabu shabu し ゃ ぶ し ゃ ぶ
great choices, but the pieceand mizutaki 水 炊 き are twokinds of nabe that start with water (and a small de resistance is zosui 雑炊 . To make zosui, drop
square of dried konbu 昆 布 seaweed dropped a bowl or two of cooked white rice into the soup,
in to get the umami going), and get their flavor followed by several beaten eggs. Everything willfrom the beef/pork and chicken, respectively, bubble and thicken in a few minutes into a risottothat you add in the cooking process. Some nabe like meal-ender of beauty.
also use dashi stock with some sake and mirin(sweet cooking sake) in the same way. The other So let your imagination and local market be yourtype is the flavorful soup, like a miso base or guide, and gather your friends or family aroundkimchee base, that conversely add flavor to the the table for a wonderful evening of nabe. Haveingredients. You can buy packs of nabe soup a wonderful zosui-filled winter, and see you inbase at the supermarket or search for recipes on 2019!

7

Japanese Lesson

By: FusaTamaki「何」の使い方How to use「何」

The Kanji「何」 has two readings,「なに」 (nani) and「なん」 (nan) . It is usually read as「なに」, butwhen is it read as「なん」? Are there any rules? Please read the following sentences and consider if
there are any possible rules.
れい

いま きょうしつ

例1

ひとＡ：「今、教室にいる人は何人ですか。
」
にん

れい

いま きょうしつ

例2

ひと

Ａ：「今、教室にいる人は何人ですか。
」
じん

Ｂ：「アメリカ人です。
」
れい

にじ

例3

なん

なに

Ｂ：「3 人です。
」

いろＡ：「虹の色は何色ですか。
」
しょくＢ：「7 色です。
」
れい

にじ

例４

いろ

Ａ：「虹の色は何色ですか。
」
あか

き いろ

みどり

みずいろ

あお

むらさき

Ｂ：
「赤、オレンジ、黄色、緑、水色、青、紫です」
こた

れい

れい

答えは 例 1（なんにん）→

3人

じん

例 2（なにじん）→れいれい

例 3（なんしょく）→

7色

アメリカ人
あか

き いろ

みどり

みずいろ

あお むらさき例 4（なにいろ）→赤、オレンジ、黄色、緑、水色、青、 紫にんThe questions in examples one and three are asking for quantities and the answers are 3 人 (three
しょくpeople), and 7 色 (seven colors) respectively. In these cases,「何」is read as「なん」. In other words,
when asking for a quantity, use「 な ん 」. For example, the「 な ん 」reading would be used in the
だい

さつ

ぼん

ぎょう

ぎょう

びき

following cases that require counter suffixes that ask for quantities:「何台」
「何冊」
「何本」
「何匹」. In
ぎょう

addition to the examples above, when「何」is followed by anything from the タ行、ダ行、ナ行 (ta, da,na letters), it is often read as「なん」as shown below.
ぎょう

れい

かん じ

なん

よ

タ行の例 ： 「すみません、あの漢字は何と読みますか。
」（なんと）
ぎょう

れい

てんすう

なん

ダ行の例 ： 「このテストの点数は何だ！
ぎょう

れい

なん

ひどいじゃないか」（なんだ）

ほん

ナ行の例 ： 「それ、何の本ですか」（なんの）
もんだい

【問題】
つぎ

ぶんちゅう

よ

かた

次の文中の「何」の読み方は、「なに」と「なん」のどちらがいいでしょうか。
こん ど①

しゅっちょう

ひつよう

今度の出張には何が必要ですか。
こん ど

しゅっちょう

ひつよう②

今度の出張には必要なものは何ですか。

③

何てことだ。次のバスまで 2 時間もある。

④

何が間違っているんですか。

つぎ

じ かん

ま ちが
こうこう

ぶ

はい

たっきゅう ぶ⑤ 「高校では何部に入っていましたか。
」「卓 球 部です。
」
し りょう

ぶ

ぶ

ねが

⑥ 「この資料は、何部コピーしますか。
」「100 部お願いします。
」

答え
こた

①なに

②なん

③なん

④なに

⑤なに

⑥なん

8
Events & Memoranda
国際理解支援フォーラム
International Understanding Forum
内容 ＊ 日本語を身につけた在住外国人の講師の代表（5 ヵ国）が、それぞれ①日頃県内の学校を訪問して行っている多文化理解の授業のハイライト②ご参会の皆さんとふれあい、つながる愉快な参加型の活動③徳島での生活経験から生まれた多文化共生のための気づきや考えなどを発表します。
＊ 続いて交流ティーパーティー（どなたも無料）を開きます。
＊ 発表者出身国（予定） ベトナム ・ 中国 ・ モンゴル ・ ナイジェリア・米国
2019 年 1 月 20 日（日） 13 時 ～ 16 時 30 分
日 時
場 所 （公財）徳島県国際交流協会 TOPIA（とくしま国際戦略センター）
クレメントプラザ（徳島駅ビル）６階 会議室（大・小）★ お誘い合わせの上、ぜひご参加ください！ お待ちしております。
申し込みは次のとおり。
（先着 80 名）
氏名 ( 外国の方はお国での表記）、よみがな、メールアドレス、電話番号 を☆ メール： coordinator3@topia.ne.jp ☆ FAX ： 088-652-0616☆ 電話 ： 088-656-3303
まで。

Tokushima Illumination Map
徳島県イルミネーションマップKamiyama
Orono Light Art
Where: Fields around Orono Community
CenterWhen: December 24th/25th, January 2nd

Tokushima City
Kencho Pier Light Up

NarutoGerman House Light Up Illumination

Where: Boat harbor in frontof the Prefectural Office

Where: Naruto German House
When: December 1st – January 8th

When: December 2nd or 9th– 25thTokushima City
Bizan Ropeway Evening Ride
Where: Mount Bizan
When: December 1st, 8th, 15th,
22nd – 24th
Itano
Happy X`mas
Where: Asutamu Land
Tokushima

Miyoshi
Oasis Illumination 2018
Where: Yoshinogawa Oasis
When: November 30th – January
31st

Ishii
Ishii Winter Illumination

Anan
ANAN Luminous Town Project
2018

Where: OK Ishii Park

Where: Ushiki Castle Park
When: December 10th – January 3rd
When: December 23rd – 25th

When: December 6th 27th

9

Events & Memoranda

Santa Clause is coming to...Shinmachi River
川からサンタがやってくる

Ten Santa Clauses are coming to Tokushima byboat and will distribute a total of 3000 presents tochildren.

遊覧船に乗って 10 人ほどのサンタクロースが現れ、子ども達に約 3000 袋のプレゼントを配っていくイベント。

When: December 23 (Sun) – 25th (Tue)6pm – 9pm
Where: Shinmachi River/Tamiya River/Suketo
River areas
Info: Society for the Protection of Shinmachi River
Tel: 090-3783-2084
URL: http://www2.tcn.ne.jp/~nposhinmachigawa/

日時：12 月 23 日（日）〜 12 月 25 日（火）		
18:00 〜 21:00
場 所： 新 町 川 、 田 宮 川 、 助 任 川 流 域
両国橋北詰をスタート後、ひょうたん島を一周
お問合せ：新町川を守る会
TEL：090-3783-2084
URL: http://www2.tcn.ne.jp/~nposhinmachigawa/

Tokushima Food Fair 2018 is a fair which promotes the high quality of foods from Tokushima.
There will be a corner where people can taste
local products from Tokushima, stage shows andother events.

徳島の食材の良さを幅広く発信するフェアです♪
徳島産の食材を味わえるコーナーから、楽しいス
テージイベントまで、様々な催しが予定されています。

When: December 30th (Sun) from 9am till 3pm
Where: Tokushima City, Aibahama Park
Info: Tokushima City Department for Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries
Tel: 088-621-5246

日 時：12 月 30 日 ( 日 )9:00 ～ 15:00
場所：徳島市 藍場浜公園
お問合せ：徳島市農林水産課
TEL：088-621-5246

Tokushima Food Fair 2018
とくしま食材フェア 2018

Shinmachi Countdown
新町カウントダウン

Let’s celebrate the New Year’s countdown again 「 今 年 も や り ま す！ 新 町 カ ウ ン ト ダ ウ ン
in Shinmachi! There will be many live perfor- 2019 ！！」徳島で活躍しているアーティス
mances, a ramen eating contest and many other トのライブやラーメン早食い大会など、盛り上がるコンテンツが盛りだくさんです！家族やカップ
events. Please join us with your family or friends.
ル、友人と一緒に 2019 年のカウントダウンを楽しみましょう。
When: December 31st (Sun)
日時：12 月 31 日（日）Where: Tokushima City, 				場所：徳島市新町橋東公園
Shinmachibashi East Park
Fee: Free
料金：無料
URL: https://www.facebook.com/CountdownInTokushima/

URL: https://www.facebook.com/CountdownInTokushima

TOPIA will be closed from December 29, 2018 (Sat) - January 3, 2019 (Thu)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)