aWa life

May 2015# 298

Rain, Flower
and Music:
Chimanaco
Band Interview

Kamikatsu's

Hidden Surprises

Japanese Lesson& Recipe Corner

1

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

Every article you send us is appreciated so please consider becoming a writer! A few rules will apply
though so please look below to see what content we encourage you to write about and what kind of
stuff we cannot publish.
You can totally submit articles about concerts, lectures, and other event information, cultural,
sporting, and other community group information, etcetera.
BUT, the following will not be posted: Religious, political, or commercial activities, businesses
searching for clients or employees, things the Awa Life editors deem inappropriate.
If you have something you would like to share with the Tokushima community, email the editors at:awalife@gmail.com!
Tokushima Prefectural International
Exchange Association (TOPIA)			http://www.topia.ne.jp/
Clement Plaza 6F					topia@topia.ne.jp
1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi				tel: 088.656.3303
Tokushima City 770-0831 JAPAN			
fax: 088.652.0616
Download a PDF file of awa life or view the online version by going to TOPIA's website!

Editors:
Jenifer Tanikawa & Till Dumke (Creative Supervision)
Contributors This Month:
Lance Kita, Kazue Inoue, Fusa Tamaki, Shinobu Watari
Cover Pictures:
Lance Kita, Till Dumke (Koinobori fish)

2

Contents
Pg. 2-4: Wander-ful Tabi: Kamikatsu’s Hidden Surprises
Pg. 4:
Letter from Suketo Hoikuen
Pg. 5:
Japanese Lesson
Pg. 6:
Resident Card Information for Permanent Residents
Pg. 6:
Recipe CornerPg. 7-8: Rain, Flower, and Music: Interview with Chimanaco
Pg. 9:TOPIA Staff Welcome Messages
Pg. 10-11: Events and Memoranda

Wander-ful Tabi: Kamikatsu’s Hidden Surprises
By Lance Kita

W

hat wonders (and wanders) can a little town of
1,823 villagers hold? Kamikatsu
Town ( 上勝町 ) is tucked in themountains about 45 minutes by
car from Tokushima City, andif you travel up there and doa little digging, you’ll unearth
some great gems. Here are
five facets that make Kamikatsu
shine.
1. Tsukigatani Hot Springs ( 月ヶ谷温泉 )Kobo Daishi actually trained up
here, and it’s said that Yakushi
Nyorai Buddha appeared tohim and said, “the water thatgushes from this rock will cure
all ailments. May this be a
blessing upon the people of thisarea.” You can bathe in thissulfur and salt-rich water thatis heated by a biomass woodchip furnace. The minerals
are said to be especiallyeffective on skin problems,

recovery and rehabilitation, andfatigue. There are public baths,
lodgings, a restaurant and event
room, and a riverside camping
area. In late April to early May,huge carp banners are flown
over the river.

2. Kashihara Terraced Fields ( 柏原棚田 )Kamikatsu’s steep, mountainous
terrain presents a challenge
to daily life. To plant rice andvegetables, the villagers devised
networks of terraced paddies
and fields called tanada ( 棚田 ). The most famous is listed
on Japan’s Top 100 terraced
fields and was designated as
one of several dozen Important
Cultural Landscapes ( 重要文化的景観 ). Come in spring when
the clouds roll through the valley
and reveal the curved contours
in misty layers.

3. Waterfalls
With steep valleys comewaterfalls, and every hillside will
have a small one to cool you
down in summer. My favorite
is Kanjogataki ( 灌頂ヶ滝 ), the“Baptismal Falls,” whose gentle
spray of mist showers down
80 meters and often sways
in the wind like a dragon’s

3

Kamikatsu's Hidden Surprises

tail. Combine that with hugeboulders strewn along the lower
falls and rainbows that formin the morning sunlight…aweinspiring.
4. Log art
Forests rule Kamikatsu, andpeople live in sync with thewoods. Logging is a majorindustry, and even the older
women gather leaves to sell
to high-class restaurants andryokan to garnish kaiseki
dishes. In 2007, the National
Culture Festival was held inTokushima, with Kamikatsu
pairing artists with districts in the
town to create massive wooden
art sculptures. A spiraling log
dragon, a giant wooden boat, alog stage…as you drive around,
keep your eye out for thesesurprises.

5. Transformed Houses
Depopulation and aging of rural
hamlets is a pressing problem

So drive up, smell the fresh
forest air as you gaze uponterraced fields, followed bya soak in the bath and a fine
Italian lunch and an afternoon
hike to a waterfall…and stay
the night to enjoy a drink by thehearth and a sunrise over themountains.

for Japan as less children areborn and many young people
seek urban areas for job
opportunities. Kamikatsu is no
exception, but a revolution may
be underway. Many people aremaking a “U-turn” (returning
to their rural hometowns) oran “I-turn” (seeking the rural
areas, for a simpler life), andare finding new ways to use
old houses. Just above
Tsukigatani Onsen, one houseis an Italian resturant with ayoung chef who trained in
Italy at a shop that serves thePope. Another house creates
chair-shaped toy blocks from
Kamikatsu’s wood. Anotherhosts music events and asecret bar around a traditional
charcoal hearth (with beesin the backyard producing
honey). One man reformed
his family’s store into a coffee
shop thrown back into thepast, where you can sip a cup
while listening to old records.

And I forgot to mention the
moss-covered forest, soonto-open soba shop and beerb r e w e r y, c i t r u s i c e c r e a m ,award-winning recycling
program, holy training temple,
kayaking…oh, you’ll just have tospend the day (or weekend) anddiscover your own Kamikatsu
treasures.
Get more information about
Kamikatsu (in Japanese only,
sorry) at: http://www.kamikatsu.
jp/kankou/

Letter from Suketo Hoikuen
By Kazue InoueW

ith the weather warming
up and the sun coming
out, the fresh verdure is starting
to adorn the city. As Tokushimais blessed with an abundanceof mountains and rivers, it istruly full of beautiful natural
surroundings! Why not takeadvantage of this beautiful
season and go explore the great
outdoors with your child and finda special place just for the twoof you.
This month, I will be introducing
how to make the most of a very
commonly used toy for children,the building block.
★ Timeline and how children
should play with wooden blocks① Infants (when they begin tosit up on their own): At first they
will begin by feeling the textureof the blocks by grabbing themand licking them. They will
eventually begin to even roll theblocks on the ground.
② 1 year and a half: As theygain more control over the
movement of their fingertips,
they will be able to grab theblocks with their thumb, index
finger, and middle finger. They
will be able to pile about 2 to
3 blocks on top of each other.
(Around this age they will also
be able to be more awareof their actions so they don’t
knock over the blocks they
have built.)③ 2 years: They will be able
to involve blocks into theirpretend play or when theyimitate others.
④ 3 years and older: This is theage when they will begin to havemore interactions with otherchildren, and so they will beable to build one single object
with the blocks while working
together with other children.
* Building blocks are great
for fostering imagination andcreativity, along with the ability
to initiative things independently.
As well, as you can play withthe blocks with friends, it will
help with social development
and will help foster cooperation.
Considering all of thesebenefits, I highly encourage allof you to let your children playwith building blocks.
＊＊＊
This Month’s Craft
Hide and Seek with Animals
Materials
Envelope
Scissor
Cardboard or any thick paperPens, pencil, etc.
Duct Tape
Wooden Chopsticks
Glue
Directions
1) Cut an envelope in half and4

cut a hole at the bottom thatis big enough for a wooden
chopstick.
2) Draw two animals on two
sheets of cardboards. Make
sure that the cardboard will fit
inside the envelope.
3) Flip the picture over, and tapeon chopsticks on the backsideof one of the picture. Take theother picture and glue it on the
picture with the chopstick, backto back.
4) Stick the chopstick throughthe hole so that the animal
pictures are hiding in theenvelope.
How to PlayYou can hide the animals then
pop them out or you can turn it
into a quiz.
*With our official recognition asa “Nintei Kodomo-en (officiallyrecognized childcare center),”starting April Suketo Nursery
School has been operating
as both a kindergarten and anursery school under our new
name, “Suketo Nakayoshi
Nintei Kodomo-en.” We will doeverything we can to provide
childcare support so we lookforward to your ongoing support.

5Japanese Lesson

By Fusa Tamaki

In Japanese, there are words that hold a completely different meaning depending on the context it isused in, such as the word, 「いい」 .
い（１） To say something is good or nice

みＡ ： I’m looking for a dress to wear to a friend’s（１） 「よい」 という意味と も だちけっこんしききふくさがＡ ： 友達の結婚式に着る服を探してるんだけど、

wedding.

このワンピースどう？

What do you think of this dress?

おもＢ ： きれいなブルーだね。 とてもいいと思うよ。

Ｂ ： It’s a beautiful hue of blue. I think that’s a good
choice.

いみ（２） To give permission or approval（２） 「ＯＫ」 という意味
おはん た

Ａ ： バイトが終わったら、 ご飯食べに行かない？
たＢ ： Sure, I’m craving pizza.

Ｂ ： いいよ。 ピザが食べたいな。

い（３） Declining an offer

みＡ ： I found the book you’re looking for, it’s at the（３） 「いらない」 という意味
さがほん

Ａ ： Do you want to get dinner after work?

えき

ほんや

Ａ ： Ｂさんが探してた本が、 駅の本屋にあったよ。

bookstore in the station.

Ｂ ： ありがとう、 でももういいの。

Ｂ ： Thanks, but I don’t need to buy it anymore.

しゅじん

か

My husband bought it for me yesterday.

きのう、 主人が買ってきてくれたから。
いみ（４） To express envy

（４） 「うらやましい」 という意味
すずき

たから

あ

Ａ ： 鈴木さん、 宝くじが当たったんだって！

Ａ ： Did you hear about Mr. Suzuki? He won theＢ ： ほんと、 いいなあ。

lottery!
Ｂ ： Really? ! He’s so lucky.

Exercise
How is the 「いい」 used in the following sentences? Please pick the correct answer from the following,
and fill in the brackets ( ) with your answer: (1) Good, (2) Approval, (3) Declining an offer, and (4)Expressing envy.
むすこふたり
１． いいですねえ、 やさしい息子さんが二人もいらっしゃって。 （ ）こひとり

２． わざわざ来なくていいよ。 一人でできるから。 （らいげつ

しゅっちょう

たなか

ない

）

いそが

いい

い

３． 来月の出張ですが、 田中さんが忙しいんだったらぼくが行ってもいいですよ。 （せんせい

せうらやましい）わ

４． 先生にはお世話になったから、 なにかいいものをプレゼントしたいな。 （

）

いらない

かのじょ

５． 彼女ができたんだって。 いいなあ。 （
た

）

OK

か

６． なんでもいいから、 食べるものを買ってきてください。 （）

１． You’re so lucky that you have two caring sons.
２． You don’t have to come all the way, I can do it myself.
３． Mr. Tanaka, if you are too busy, I can go to the business trip for you next month.
４． I’m really thankful for everything my teacher did for me, so I want to buy him a nice gift.
５． I heard he has a girlfriend now, lucky guy.
６． Could you go and buy me some food, I don’t mind what you get.
Answers 1- ④ 2- ③ 3- ② 4- ① 5- ④ 6- ②

Reference ： 場面別表現 205 アルク

Resident Card Information For Permanent Residents
By Immigration Bureau, Ministry of JusticeA

new residency management system began in
July 9, 2012, where resident
cards are now required. You
need to exchange your alien
registration certificate for aresident card no later than thefollowing dates, irrespectiveof the period for the exchange
stated in your alien registration
certificate.
Persons aged 16 and over as ofJuly 9, 2012 -> By July 8, 2015
Persons younger than 16 as ofJuly 9, 2012
Persons 16 years of age before
July 8, 2015 -> By the 16thbirthday
Persons 16 years of age on orafter July 9, 2015 -> By July 8,
2015

6

For Permanent Residents(Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice)
You need to exchange your alien registration certificate for aresident card no later than the following dates, irrespective of theperiod for the exchange stated in your alien registration certificate.
○ Persons aged 16 and over as of July 9, 2012

Applications are open soplease try and visit your closest
Immigration bureau as soon as
you can. For more information
please visit the official websiteof the Immigration Burean ofJapan or the following PDF:
h t t p : / / w w w. i m m i - m o j . g o . j p /english/keiziban/pdf/150331-3.
pdf→ By July 8, 2015
○ Persons younger than 16 as of July 9, 2012
・ Persons 16 years of age before July 8, 2015
→ By the 16th birthday・ Persons 16 years of age on or after July 9, 2015
→ By July 8, 2015
Offices are expected to be very crowded immediately before
July 8, 2015.
Exchange applications are already being accepted.
* Persons younger than 16 as of July 9, 2012 whose 16th birthdays fallon the deadline for the exchange must file applications for renewal ofthe validity period during the 6 months preceding their 16th birthdays.

Applications should be filed at the relevant Regional
Immigration Bureaus or their branch district immigration offices(excluding those at airports).
Further information is available on the Immigration Bureau’s website:
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/keiziban/pdf/kirikaenoosirase.pdf

Recipe Corner
By Aparna MataleN

ow spring has started. Let’scook something healthy
and easy. Here’s another way
to use tofu and wheat flour to
add amazing taste and extra
proteins into your diet. It is
delicious and satisfying.

Tofu Paratha or Chapatti
Preparation time: 45 min.

Ingredients:
Silken Tofu – 200 gram
Salt – 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp.
Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp.
Oil – 1 tbsp.
Wheat flour – 1 1/2 cup (250gram)
Curry powder – 1/2 tsp.
ButterMethod:1. Drain the liquid from the tofu
and put it in a bowl.
2. Mash well with hands.
3. Add salt, cumin powder, redchili powder, oil and mix welltogether.
4. Add in wheat flour little
by little and make a nice soft
dough.
5. Smear a couple ofdrops of oil and coat thedough and allow to rest for
30 minutes.
6. Divide the dough into
small balls and roll themby using a rolling pin andmake a small chapatti.
7. Put the chapatti on afrying pan and roast themproperly. Each chapatti willtake 2 minutes to raost.

8. Apply butter on eachchapatti.
Tip:
While rolling the Chapatti use
some dry wheat flour for dustingso the dough will not stick to thepin, which makes it easier to roll
them.

7

Rain, Flower, and Music: Interview with ChimanacoF

ormed in August 2012,
Chimanaco, a three member
all-girls band, has been steadily
gaining momentum. On October
2013, they released their selfproduced CD, “Ame, Satsuki”( 雨、 五 月 ) and last month, on
April 8th, they released theirfirst-ever mini album, “whiteout,”
nationwide under a record labelin Tokyo.
At the end of last year, I met
up with these girls to talk about
their experiences and life as aband.
B a n d o u ( B ) – B a s s g u i t a r,
backing vocals
Setsuco (S) – Lead guitar, lead
vocalsKyamada (K) – Drums, backing
vocalsHow did the 3 of youcome together?
S: Well I was already ina band with Kyamada, I
only provided the vocals
then and Bandou was inher own band. When we
graduated high school,
both bands disbanded. I
went off to university in
Kyoto but dropped out
after 2 months. I cameback to Tokushima but
I literally had nothing to
do. That’s when I was
asked to join a band,
but at that point it was
just Kyamada and I.
We even practiced in a

By Jenifer Tanikawa

studio once, but we didn’t dolive performances or anything.
Actually, now that I think about
it, around that time we used tojust hang out at a friend’s house,playing around with instruments,
and that was about it. The bandwe were in then was called“Shizen ni Kaere” ( 自 然 に か え
れ returning to nature).
K: Brings back memories.
S: And it was that friend whotaught me everything about
guitar (I didn’t know how toplay the guitar before that).
I borrowed their guitar andpracticed, but eventually wereally did return to nature.
After that, Bandou joined theband and the three of us came
together.

Why did you decide to start aband?
S: I’ve always wanted to be ina band for one. But since juniorhigh school I’ve always wanted
to do something different, or
rather, I wanted to become
successful, whether it was aband or not, I just wanted to dosomething big. But, it wasn’t
like I could play an instrument
or anything and I was really inturmoil about what to do, andin the end I realized being in aband is what I really wanted todo. And I’ve felt that way sincehigh school.
K: I’ve always played an
instrument so I’ve always
wanted join a band.
B: Well I was in a band that
did covers and had never done
anything original so that’s
why I wanted to be in aband where we made ourown music and I slowly
began to aspire to reach ahigher level.
Did you meet any
opposition in regards toyour decision?
S: Well for myself, I had
dropped out of university
and had nothing to do so
I told my parents, “I want
to play in a band for the
rest of my life.” My parents
had paid for my university
education and all, and I
was indebted to them, but
it wasn’t like I could doanything, so that’s when

8Interview with Chimanaco
I told my parents that I’ll join aband and succeed. My parents
encouraged me and told me that
if I was gonna pursue this, that
I would have to give it my all. It
was almost like they were tellingme they wouldn’t
accept anything but
success when it
came to the band.
K: I’m actuallycurrently working asa h a i r d r e s s e r. M yparents want me topursue a normal life
but I’ve been reallythinking about things
lately, and I really justwanted to do what I
really wanted to do.
I don’t want to regret
anything. So I’m inthe midst of persuading them.
B: My parents didn’t quite
disapprove but they told me
to do the band as a hobby on
the weekends and otherwise tofind a job where I would have asteady monthly income as a fulltime employee and receive abonuses at the end of the year.
Up until now, I had just followeda safe path my parents had

paved for me and I had believedthat if I followed this path, things
would go well. My desire to be
in a band was the first time I
really expressed what I reallywanted to do. But my parents
told me, if I really want to be ina band, I had to live alone. So I
moved out and told them I’ll dowhat I can for myself. But it’s
not like they are mad at me oranything, if I go home
to visit they’ll still giveme lots of vegetables
to take home. It wasmore like, if there wassomething I reallywanted to pursue, I
didn’t want to cause
them any trouble
because I would becoming home at 2 or 3
am in the morning andmight wake them up.
K: I guess thereactions from ourparents are quite
different.
The interview will be continued
in next month's Issue.

Great Actors and Actresses
By Shinobu WatariTo our dear native English
teachers,

The musical, “Anna and theSnow Queen,” was performed
exceedingly well and you
brought pleasure to the peopleof Tokushima at six theaters
and towns. Your performanceswere wonderful. All of the young
people and their parents enjoyed
the play and was able to learn
English in a fun way. Tokushima

Shimbun praised, “we cannot
praise AJET’s selflessness
enough. The performance wascommendable.” The musicalincorporated locations andthings unique to Tokushima
into their scenes, including Mt.
Tsurugi and tanuki (raccoondog). People felt a sense of
closeness to the play and thefamiliarity made it easier tounderstand the English. AJET’s
musical has contributed muchto the English education in
Tokushima Prefecture. All ofyou spent much time preparing
the play, creating the different
scenes and the theatricalcostumes. We really felt like wewere watching a professional
production in the theaters.
We a r e l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t owatching the musical next year.
Best wishes,
Shinobu Watari

9

Naomi FukumiHello everyone, my name is
Naomi Fukumi and I am thenew multilingual support staff at
TOPIA. I’ve lived in Shanghai,
Beijing, Nantong, and Qiqihar in
China. While I was living there,
I was faced with various day to

Naoko MiyamotoHello everyone, my nameis Naoko Miyamoto. I'm ajunior high school teacher, but I
had the chance to start working
as a trainee at TOPIA. The main

Liu DianHello everyone, my nameis Liu Dian ( 刘 点 ) andI am the new Coordinator forInternational Relations from
Xiangtan, Hunan Province,
China. I am honored to havethe opportunity to work for
To k u s h i m a P r e f e c t u r e a n d
at the Tokushima Prefectural
International
Exchange Association (TOPIA)
from April
onwards. When I
was in university,
I studied overseas in Shizuoka
Prefecture, Japan for 2 years.
All of the nicepeople I met
and everything that I havelearned in school and from mypart-time job in Japan, are all

TOPIA Staff Welcome Messages

By Liu Dian, Naoko Miyamoto, Naomi Fukumi
day problems, but despite these
problems, I was lucky enoughto be surrounded by really niceand helpful people. And because of them I was able to enjoy my life in China and I gained
many valuable experiences.
Just as I was supported by all

the people around me, I want
to try and provide all the help
I can give to everyone so thatthey can fully enjoy their life in
Tokushima. Whether it be inJapanese, Chinese or English(I’m really sorry but English isn’t
my strong suit), please feel free
to come by and chat with me!

part of my job is to dispatch
lecturers to school to foster
interntaional understanding.
I'd like many students to learn
about other foreign countries,
cultures, and the endemic
folkways. I would be honored

if I could learn many things
while providing support I’mvery excited to work here and
I’m looking forward to learningand meeting many wonderfulpeople. Nice to meet you!

deeply ingrained in my memory
and are all things that I willtreasure forever. I decided toapply for the JET Program as
I wanted to see more of Japanand experience more of its
nature and culture and that iswhat brought me to Tokushima
Prefecture, a prefecture blessedwith the beauty of nature. It’s
my first time visiting Tokushima,

so I am very much looking
forward to my new job and life
here. I hope that I can meetand get to know many local
people through international
exchange events and I would
also like to experience some ofTokushima’s unique traditional
cultural heritage, like the worldfamous and very passionate
Awa Dance. I truly believe thatinteractions
with various
cultures iswhat really enriches cultures.
I will do all that
I can to help
deepen the ties
Japan has with
China throughthe sister city
exchange Tokushima has with Hunan Province.

From left to right: Naoko Miyamoto,
Naomi Fukumi and Liu Dian

Events & Memoranda
TOKUSHIMA PREFECTURE

10Participate in the
Speech2015 JapaneseJAPANESE SPEECHCONTESTContest 2015

1.

PURPOSE

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

2.

DATE & PLACE

July 20th, 2015 (Monday/Holiday), 13:30 - 16:30
Awagin Hall (Tokushima Prefecture Kyodo Bunka Kaikan)
Small Hall (5F)

3.

ELIGIBILITY

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

4.

SELECTION

Application will be open to all foreign residents of Tokushima Prefecture that fulfil theeligibility requirements. We will ask all applicants to submit an outline of their speech(between 800 words), and after reviewing all of the applications, roughly 10 or soapplicants will be chosen to proceed to the final contest.

5.

THEME

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

6.

LENGTH

Speeches should be no more than 6 minutes in length.

7.

AWARDS

Grand Prize --- one person (Prize: 50,000 yen gift certificate)
Runner Up Awards --- two people (Prize: 30,000 yen gift certificate)Special Awards --- to be decided (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

Please fill out the application form available at TOPIA and mail it to the above address
or fax it to the above number. Alternatively, you may submit your application in person.

9.

DEADLINE

June 1st, 2015 (Monday)
Applications must be turned in by 17:00.

10. SPONSORED BY

Tokushima Prefecture International Exchange Association (TOPIA)

11. CO-SPONSOR
 (TBA)

Tokushima Regional Conference for Promotion of Student Exchange

12. WITH THE
SUPPORT OF
 
(TBA)

Tokushima International Association (TIA)
Awa Bank
Tokushima Bank

13. ADDITIONALSUPPORT FROM
(TBA)
14. WHERE TO APPLY       
NHK Broadcasting, Tokushima Bureau, JRT Shikoku Broadcasting, FM Bizan,
FM Tokushima, Tokushima Newspaper
Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association. (TOPIA)〒770-0831 Tokushima-shi, Terashima-honcho, Nishi, 1-61,
Tokushima Clement Plaza 6F
TEL: 088-656-3303
FAX: 088-652-0616
Application forms can be found online at:
http://www.topia.ne.jp/english/docs/2015031600035/

11 Events & Memoranda
Workplace Japanese Course
Japanese for Those Seeking Employment
就職のための日本語講座

期間： ５月 18 日（月）～７月 13 日（月）       週５回（月曜日～金曜日）
時間： 9：30 － 12：30
場所： ヒューマンわーくぴあ徳島 ４階（徳島市昭和町 3-35-1）
内容：中級日本語講座、仕事のマナー講座

受講料：無料※但し、テキスト代は別途必要
定員： 12 名（定員になるまで受け付けます）
詳細： URL http://tokushima-rofuku.net/
主催： 公益社団法人徳島県労働者福祉協議会
TEL： 088-625-8387

Kamiyama Onsen Festival
神山温泉まつりThere will be many fun events at the annual
Onsen Festival, including a rice cake making
event, Ningyo Joruri Puppet Theater performance,
Amego fish catching event for children, and muchmore!
When: May 24 (Sun) 10:00-16:00
Where: Kamiyama Onsen Resort Center/Hotel
Shiki no Sato Honuetsuno Jinryo, Kamiyama-cho,Myozai-gun
Fee: Free
In fo: K amiyama Onsen F estival P la n n i n g
Committee
TEL: 088-676-1117

毎年恒例の温泉まつりです。餅つき体験・人形浄瑠璃の上演・あめごつかみ取り（対象：小学生以
下・無料）など、多種多彩の催しがあります。
日時 : 5 月 24 日（日）10:00-16:00
場所： 神山温泉保養センター・ホテル四季の里
名西郡神山町神領本上角
料金： 無料
問合せ：神山温泉まつり実行委員会
TEL: 088-676-1117

Mt. Tsurugi Big Clean-Up Event / 剣山クリーンアップ大作戦
Just as we did last year, we will be cleaning up
Mt. Tsurugi! Last year, Mt. Tsurugi celebrated 50
years since it was designated as a Quasi-National
Park and considered to be one of Japan’s top 100
mountains.
When: May 17 (Sun)Starts at 11:00
Where: Meet at the parking lot near the chairlifts
at Minokoshi

Fee: Free
Info: Mima City Tourism Association
TEL: 0883-53-8599※ On April 29th (Wed), Mt. Tsurugi had theirofficial opening ceremony for the year. Now thatthe hiking trails, chairlift, and businesses areopen, enjoy a fun day of hiking and take in thebeautiful view as you climb to the top.

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)