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

getting granny to heavenafter scoring perfect waves
on his last surf trip, Milt
had decided to relocate
to the island. The surf
was not the only attraction. He'dgrown tired of the oppressive
humidity and cramped confinesof his home in the city. The
relatively dry heat and senseof space of the island offered arefreshing contrast.
The friendly, open manner ofthe island folk was a welcomechange from the reserved
demeanor of the city people.
Milt had become good friends
with a local surfer and restaurant
owner, Tetsuya. Through Tetsuya
he'd become acquainted withother local crew who were proudof their home and eager to show
it to him. One of Tetsuya's staff,
Yukio, had generously offered
him accommodation until hefound a place of his own.
Yukio lived in a nondescript,
slightly rundown, compact twostorey home. Upon entering thehouse for the ﬁrst time Milt was
struck by the clutter. It was no
surprise for a bachelor pad to be
messy, but so full of possessions?

a traditionaljapanese butsudan"This was my grandmother'shouse," Yukio told him as hewelcomed him into his newhome.
Job opportunities werelimited, so Milt soon settled
into a pattern of nightly revelry
to alleviate his boredom. He
would drink with Yukio andhis friends into the early hoursof the morning. The next day
he'd usually wake late with a"TOPPY"
July 2009 No. 228
by matthew lindsay

throbbing hangover to find thehouse deserted, Yukio having left
for work already.
One morning Milt was halfdozing after another late night
when he thought he heard theclick of the front door being
opened. Soon after there wasa sound, like a small bell being
rung. Before he had time to ﬁnd
out who was there, he heard thefront door close again.
After dragging himself out ofbed, Milt wandered downstairs to
get some breakfast. The aroma
of incense wafted through the
air from the unused room off
the kitchen. Milt slid the door
open onto an immaculately
kept, small room dominated bya tall, wooden cabinet. Inside
the cabinet was a bowl of fruit,a pack of cigarettes and a black
and white photo of a lady. In
front of it sticks of incenseburned beside a small metallic
bowl with a wooden stick
resting on it. Feeling like he was
intruding, Milt quickly exited theroom, closing the door behindhim.
When Yukio returned fromgetting granny to heaven ... con't on page 4

inside awa life this month

getting granny to heaven - 1, 4 ... wander-ful tabi - 3
joining arasowaren 2009 - 5 ... english as communication, tv schedule for july - 6
martin's manga corner - 7 ... daily disaster preparations, letter from suketo hoikuen - 8
japanese lesson - 9 ... memoranda - 10, 11, 12

awalife

Tokushima Prefectural International
Exchange Association (TOPIA)
Clement Plaza 6F
1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi
Tokushima City 770-0831 JAPAN
Tel: 088-656-3303
Fax: 088-652-0616
topia@topia.ne.jp
www.topia.ne.jp

is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA).
Editors:
Andrew Dahms & Mario Dammann
Contributors This Month:
Andrew Dahms, Mario Dammann, Kazue Inoue,
Lance Kita, Matthew Lindsay, Junko Nagamachi,
Martin O'Brien, Chris Pickles, and the Prefectural
Disaster Center.

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

from the editorjuly is one of the best times in the year. The
weather is nice and warm, the beaches areopen for swimming and the mountains lookabsolutely stunning. What's more, it's also
time for Awa Odori practice, and each night on
my way home I get to hear the sounds of the
taiko and the yoshikono playing as I walkthrough the streets. With all this to enjoy, what
could there possibly be to complain about?
Insects.
That's right - whether making a literal beeline for your face as you ride your bike, taking
the scenic route through your apartment on a
mid summer's day or just sitting there doing
nothing (yet), not many people are thrilled tosee their six and eight legged neighbours when
they pop by for a friendly visit.

So what can you do? It's impossible to keepthem all out, and impossible to get rid of all
those that find their way in. And while mostpeople are hesitant to find insects inside theirhomes, for the most part the ones that do ﬁnd
their way in are harmless.
But for the more dangerous or harmful
kind such as mukade and certain breeds ofcockroaches, here is a simple trick to deal withthem. All you need is a supply of hot water suchas an electric kettle, and a cup at the ready.
When you find one inside your home, give ita quick splash of hot water and you will havealmost instantaneous relief, although you will
have to be careful where the water goes.
Cheers, Andrew

the sea turtle museum caretta in hiwasa (photo by lance kita)-2-

wander-ful tabiwby lance kitael-"kame" to hiwasa!
The buzz in southern
To k u s h i m a i s
NHK’s next morning
serial drama Wel-kame（ ウェルかめ）set around thearea of Hiwasa in Minami
Town. The title is a play onwords with kame, or turtle.
This coastal neighborhoodis at its best in the summer
during turtle nesting season,so here's a quick guide.

Road Station
Upon disembarking from
Hiwasa Station, you’ll spot
the michi no eki ( 道 の 駅 ),your one-stop shop for getting
acquainted with the area.
Rental cycles and maps areavailable in the local products
hall, showcasing locallymade sweets and goods. The
farmers' market is stockedwith local vegetables, sushi,
a wide variety of seaweeds,
and himono 干 物 , seafood
that’s air-dried for a day toconcentrate the ﬂavor and ﬁrm
up the meat. Grilled lightly
and served with cold beer,himono is the quintessential
after-work vice.
Turtle Beach
Ohama Beach is one of afew si t es i n J a p a n w h e reloggerhead turtles comeashore to lay eggs. From
May to August, the beach is
closed in the evening, but you
can park near the shrine andcheck in with observers at theseawall and find out what's
happening. In the daytime,
have a picnic or soak up somerays.
Just across from thebeach is the Caretta Turtle
Museum う み が め 博 物 館 カ

resident green sea turtle swimming happily at
sea turtle museum caretta

レ ッ タ , an expertly succinct
yet comprehensive exhibit
about the world's sea turtles.
Juvenile turtles can be seen
up close in tanks, and large
veterans loll around in outdoor
pools. An English pamphlet
w i l l g i ve yo u t h e g e n e ra l
overview (exhibits are nottranslated, but are visually
understandable). Admission
is 600 yen for adults, 500 yen
for Jr./Sr. High school students
and 300 yen for children.
Last Chance for Luck
T h e l a s t o f To k u s h i m a ' spilgrimage temples, Yakuo-ji
薬 王 寺 (#23), was built in
726 A.D., but it wasn't until
Yakushi Nyorai Buddha wasenshrined there, when Kukai
was forty-two (815 A.D.), thatthe temple became associatedwith Kobo Daishi. In Japan,
key years (33 for women, 42
for men, and 61 for both)a r e c o n s i d e r e d u n l u c k y.
Thousands of people fromaround the country visit thistemple annually for yakuyoke
厄 除 , the dispelling of bad
luck. Choose the staircase withsteps corresponding to your-3-

unlucky year, and place a coinon each step as you ascend.
Yakuo-ji's trademark pagoda
offers a vista of the Michi no
Eki where you can relax in thefoot bath after this outing,Ohama Beach, and the rest of
this quaint ﬁshing village.
Upcoming Hiwasa Events
July 18 - Umigame (Sea
Turtle) Festival
15:00 – 21:00. Turtle release,mochi pounding, fireworks,
and more.
July 19 - Hiwasa Umigame
Triathlon
9:00 am start. Cheer on the
top athletes!
September 28 – March 27
NHK morning serial drama"Wel-kame"
Mon. – Sat., 8:15 am (repeat@ 12:45 pm). The story of ayoung girl, Nami, who comesb a c k f r o m To k y o t o h e r
hometown of Hiwasa to work
as a magazine editor, andrediscovers the place where
she grew up.

getting granny to heaven ... con't from page 1
work, Milt asked him about
the mysterious visitor. "Thatwas probably my aunt. She
comes to pray at the butsudan,"
Yukio replied. He ushered Milt
into the unused room. "Thisis the butsudan," Yukio said,
pointing to the cabinet Milt
had seen earlier. "This is my
grandmother," he said pointing
to the photo inside.
Yukio knelt in front of the
butsudan and struck the metallic
bowl. As the ring vibrated hemotioned for Milt to bow hishead and pray with him for his
departed grandmother. After abrief silence, Yukio struck thebowl again and raised his head.
"Grandmother's happy now," heremarked as they left the room.
The next day Milt was
reading in the living room when
he heard the front door open.
Expecting the aunt to appear
he was surprised when insteada tall, thin man came into view.
With narrow, piercing eyes anda beak-like nose he had thecountenance of a hawk as helooked into the room. "Who areyou? What are you doing here?"
he asked accusingly.
The sudden interrogationby the stranger was unsettling.
Who was he and why was hebeing so intimidating? Yukio
had said that he had 'rights'
to the house. Was money the
problem? "I'm Yukio's friend,"
Milt answered. "I can pay rent if
you want," he offered.
"I don’t need rent," the surly
visitor replied. "You can't live
here. You have one month to
get out of here," he demanded
then abruptly left.
That evening when Yukio
returned home, Milt asked him
about the visitor and his eviction
threat. "That was my aunt's
husband. Don't worry abouthim. He can't do anything," heassured Milt. "My aunt's a bit
neurotic," Yukio sighed.
The partying continued anda month passed in no time. Milt
was reading in the living room
when he heard the ominous
click of the front door opening.
Despite Yukio's reassurances
he sensed all was not well andinstinctively hid behind thecurtains.
The sound of footsteps
stopped suddenly. Milt felt
certain the hawk-like eyes of
Yukio's uncle were penetrating
the curtains. He stepped out
to face his adversary who wasstanding in the doorway. "You're
still here," the uncle growled
menacingly. "A month is up. You
should have left by now.""Why are you doing this tome?" Milt questioned pleadingly.
"Is it money? I can pay you rent
if you want.""I told you it's not money,"
the uncle replied. "This is my
wife's mother's house," hebegan to explain. Milt nodded.
"She can’t go to heaven as longas you are living here."
Milt was too astonished to
reply. He reached for his phone.
"Yukio, your uncle is here. He
wants to kick me out. Can you
come and talk to him please?"
Yukio appeared soon after
looking irritated. "What are
you doing?" he asked his uncle
aggressively.
"Your friend can't stay here,"
the uncle responded bluntly.
A heated argument ensued.
The uncle maintained his
stance. Exasperated by his
uncle's stubbornness, Yukio
called his father for further
support. An uneasy silenceensued as they waited for him
to arrive.
Upon entering the house
Yukio's father immediately
introduced himself to Milt. "Hi,I'm Kazuhide, nice to meet you."
He shook Milt's hand warmly.
Kazuhide's tone changed
abruptly as he turned and spoke
brusquely to his brother-in-law.
The uncle continued to insist-4-Milt had to go. Kazuhide realized
it was futile to argue. "You cancome and live with me, Milt," hekindly suggested.
"Thank you," Milt responded,slightly ﬂushed. He was relieved
but a little embarrassed by
the offer. He'd never even met
Yukio's father before today.
"I'll move back too," Yukio
said, sensing Milt's unease.
The uncle's features seemed
to relax a little. His wife would
be pleased. Now she would
be able to pray for her motherwithout worrying about being
interrupted.
"The butsudan comes to myhouse too," Kazuhide statedcurtly.
"Eh?" the hawk exclaimed in
total disbelief.
"As the oldest son in thefamily, I have rights to thebutsudan," Kazuhide declared.
"Your wife will have to cometo my place. Tell her to callbefore she comes," he addedwith a hint of smugness in his
expression. Without any further
words the uncle turned and left,
his head hung in defeat.
Within a week Naga-chan
and Milt had moved into
Kazuhide's house. The butsudan
accompanied them, prominently
placed in the living room. The
ring of the bowl being struck
could be heard occasionally fromthe living room as Kazuhide
prayed for his mother's passage
into the next life.
Milt wondered about Yukio's
aunt. After learning from Yukio
that she was the one who hadtaken care of his grandmotherin her last months, he could
sympathise with her andunderstand her disappointment
at the loss of the butsudan toher brother. It became apparent
though that this sibling conflict
had a long history. The aunt
would not visit Kazuhide's houseand in fact refused to speak tohim ever again.

joining arasowaren 2009

submitted
awalife@gmail.comt

he chance to join the international dancing group Arasowaren and secure your place in Awa
Odori 2009 is here! Make sure you sign up soon, however, as places go quickly! You can also
sign up to play an instrument! No experience is necessary, and there will be practice sessions
before the event.

阿波踊り「あらそわ連」参加者募集
WHEN:
・スケジュール：８月１
Friday, August 14
4 日（金）
午後３時～午後 4 時（受付・着替え）
LOCATION:
午後４時 20 分～（開会式）• Meet at the Awa Kankou Hotel
午後 5 時 40 分～（踊り開始）
TIME:
午後９時 30 分（終了）• Assemble from 3:00pm to 4:00pm• Opening Ceremony and pre-dance party from ・集合場所：阿波観光ホテル
・参加費（中学生以上）：日本人 3,000 円・外国
4:20pm人円• Dancing from approximately 5:40pm -9:30pm
2,000＊雨天（台風など）の場合は、室内での阿波踊
PARTICIPATION FEE:
りと立食パーティーに切り替えます。
• 3000 yen for Japanese,
申込み方法：往復はがきにて、①名前②性別③• 2000 yen for non-Japanese participants
住所④電話番号⑤国籍⑥年齢（20 歳以下の方の
APPLICATIONS:み）を御記入の上 TOPIA までお申し込み下さい。
• Apply in person at TOPIA or
なお、女踊り（先着３０名）ご希望の方はその• Apply with a reply-paid postcard (see below)（それ以外の方は• On receiving your application, TOPIA will 旨をはがきに御記入下さい。
）また、応募者には返信用
mail you a post-office deposit form (furikomi- 男踊りとなります。
youshi - 振込用紙 ) that you can use to pay the はがきにより参加の可否をお知らせ致します。
参加可能な方には郵便局の振込口座番号をお知
participation fee. Or pay at TOPIA.
らせしますので、返信はがき到着後１週間以内
PLEASE NOTE:
We cannot accept applications by fax or に参加費をお支払い下さい。なお、一度払い込
telephone. You cannot apply on the day of まれた参加費は、いかなる場合でも払い戻しで
the event. Sorry, but we cannot refund the きませんのでご注意下さい。
participation fee for any reason. In the event of ★ 電話・FAX での受付はご遠慮ください。 ★
rain, the party and dance will take place inside 当日参加は不可能です。
the Awa Kankou Hotel. Participants will be ★ 募集定員 80 名になり次第締め切ります。★
当日受付は午後４時で終了いたします。
limited to the ﬁrst 80 applicants.
詳しくはトピアまでご連絡ください：
TOPIA:
Tel: 088-656-3303 Fax: 088-652-0616
Tel: 088-656-3303 Fax: 088-652-0616

How to apply via return-paid postcard:
Front
7 7 0

Back
Write the following

0 8 3 1

information here:

往信

1. name返信

2. gender

Tokushima Prefectural
International Exchange
Association (TOPIA)

3. address
leave this space

write your name and4. telephone number

blank

address here

5. nationality
6. age (if under 20)

Clement Plaza 6F

also state if you want a

1-61 Terashima Honcho-

women's style dancing

nishi, Tokushima City

costume (subject toavailability)

Fold the postcard so the address of the intended recipient is facing out and post it like a regular postcard. Return-paid
postcards (ofuku hagaki - 往復ハガキ ) can be purchased at the post ofﬁce and TOPIA for 100 yen.

-5-

english for communicationin an afterlife somewhere
there’s a classroom where
motivated students use
English to complete tasks
through communication. JuniorHigh School students, freshand alert from regular sleep
and a stimulating lifestylecome to class and use usefulnatural English so that theycan engage in interesting,task-based activities. The fact
they are learning English is
almost secondary to the fun
they are having.
In Tokushima we have it alittle different.
Communicative English is
an approach to teaching that
we hear bandied around byteaching experts from up high.
How often do they face aclassroom of 40+ surly teens?
Teens who know they have tolearn at least a smattering ofEnglish if they want any hopeof passing the entrance tests.
How often do they have a classof exhausted, weak, bullied,emotional juku students whoreally don't want to study until
ten every night, because theyknow they have an extra twohours of homework later, andthey have to be at school forseven-thirty?
Students here have it
tough, teachers too, but that's
no reason for English class tobe printout based; English canstill be taught using engaging
task based activities.
The Detective Game
A simple communication
based activity using the past
progressive form, "whatwere you doing at 7 o'clockyesterday". This activity canbe used in a class from 10-40
students and is aimed atsecond grade level.
Explain to the class that
there has been a bank robbery,
and the criminal is now seatedamong them. Explain that
we know the robbers actions
immediately after the crime.

tv schedule for july

by chris pickles

At 7 : 0 0 t h e y w e re i n t h erestaurant enjoying dinner, at
9:00 they were in the movie
theatre watching a movie,
and at 11:00 they were in thebathroom having a shower.
Next, hand out activity cards
to each student - these you
have prepared with an arrayof activities for each timeslot. For example; 7:00 in a
restaurant working part time,
9:00 in my room reading abook. You must make sure thatfor every ten students there
is one which has the robber's
activities, this person is therobber. So a little teachinglater, such as where were youat 7:00 yesterday and what
were you doing? And you'll
have a class of Tokushima's
ﬁnest ready to interrogate andoust their fellow team mates.
This activity goes bymany names and is an ALT's
bread and butter. English
can be fun and educational.
Communication is the key.

submitted

DateTime Channel

NationTitle

Fri. 03

01:29 6 - ABC

USA - 1991

Out for JusticeSat. 04

21:00 8 - Kansai

USA - 1994

Speed

Sun. 05

21:00 6 - ABC

USA - France - 2004

Taxi NYFri. 10

19:55 4 - Mainichi

USA - 2001

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's
Stone

Sun. 12

21:00 6 - ABC

USA - 2004

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of
AzkabanFri. 1702:10 4 - Mainichi

USA - 1940

Waterloo Bridge

Fri. 17

21:00 1 - Shikoku

USA - 2007

Harry Potter and the Order of the
Phoenix

Fri. 24

02:25 4 - Mainichi

USA - 2000

Dungeons & Dragons

Fri. 24

21:00 1 - Shikoku

USA - 2000

X-Men

Sun. 26

21:00 6 - ABC

USA - 2006

The Guardian-6-

martin's manga corner
Title:
Manga-ka:
Publisher:First published:
No of volumes:cHistory of Japan ( 日本の歴史 )Various authors
Shueisha
1982
18

omic book culture inWestern countries has
always been conﬁned toa more trivial and lessculturally relevant place thanin Japan. In the west, stories
told through the medium of a
comic strip narrative are often
seen to have no connection
to the world of books andliterature. Publishers regard
them as having no place on
the bookshelf or indeed in thelibrary or classroom.
The predominant belief isthat regardless of content,
comics are trivial andrecreational. Blocks of text
are the rigid cultural norm. As
a result of this, writers andillustrators are often reluctant
to express themselves throughthe medium of a comic strip
narrative.
In Japan, the division
between books and comics is
far less rigid, yet there is oftenmuch debate as to whether
the actual difference should beobserved to a larger degree.
In any event, there is deﬁnitely
a more flexible approach tostory telling in Japan, allowing
educators to deal with nonfiction topics in a mannerthat is more engaging than
traditional non-ﬁction formats.
The various volumes of History
manga comic books are atestament to this. One suchedition that I have enjoyed is
Shueisha's History of Japan(Nihon no Rekishi). There are
18 volumes in the series, from

No. 1: The Dawn of Japan toNo. 18: The Path of a New
Japan. The series covers all
major historical periods fromthe primitive to the modern
era. Factual information isoften given in short bursts
and interspersed with afictional narrative of ordinary
individuals that lived in the
period. At other times there isa documentary type narrative
and we are brought close
to the lives of real historicalfigures. This manga format isundoubtedly very fresh andexciting, a mission miles fromthe stereotypical boring history
book that you would ordinarily
ﬁnd in the classroom.
The manga approach gives
the reader a more detailed
account of what life was likein the various periods. In No.
1 there is a strip detailingthe first hunting trip of ay o u n g b o y, C h i ya g e , w h osets off into the wilderness insearch of a herd of the small
Naumann Elephants thatused to live in Japan. Youngreaders are entertained by theadventures of someone theirown age while simultaneously
learning detailed historicalfacts about for example thea fo re m e n t i o n e d N a u m a n n
Elephant and its distribution
throughout the JapaneseArchipelago in the form offactual snippets that go alongwith the story. After Chiyage's
hunt comes to a successful
climax, we are again relayed-7-

by martin o'brienwith facts concerning how
the tools and weapons of thisstone age were used. In thenext section another fictional
narrative of the daily lives ofwarring tribes in the Jomon
period can be observed, andyou can learn in detail about
their style of housing andpottery making techniques aswell as their burial customs.
After this there is a similar
section on the first farmers inJapan who began the processof rice cultivation. After thatthe most interesting section
begins - that of the mythicalfigures of early Japan, where
we are introduced to thecreation myths of Japaneseculture and society. At the end
there are two short sections
that appear like a normal nonfiction book in the sense thatthey are mostly text. The ﬁrst
gives supplementary factual
information concerning theperiod, and the other is a Q
and A section.
The other books all follow asimilar format, and some otherhighlights of the series would
be battle scenes of the battleof Sekigahara, portrayed in
No. 10: Edo Bakufu no Seiritsu(The Formation of the Edo
Shogunate) and in No. 18: The
Path of a New Japan (Atarashi
N i h o n n o Ay u m i ) w i t h i t s
excellent depiction of the huge
strides that Japan achieved interms of economic and social
development in the latter
half of the 20th century. The
series is excellent for students
of Japanese as it allows one
to read elementary school
Japanese while learning about
the history of Japan at thesame time.

daily disaster preparationsi

t is an unfortunate fact thatsome people believe theirhomes don't need to bechecked to see how they
can withstand an earthquakes.
B u t i n j u s t t h e s a m e waythat a regular health check isimportant for your body, so too
is a check for your home.
In an earthquake readiness
test, the position of furniture,
supports on the building and its
foundations are all checked tosee how well it can withstanda large-scale earthquake. In
particular, buildings constructed
before 1981 are said to havea low level of resistance toearthquakes.
In a test that was held by
the prefectural government, it
was predicted that as many as
2,500 people could be killed

due to collapsing buildings if
the Nankai Earthquake wereto occur right now. These are
lives that could be saved if theproper precautions are taken to
ensure buildings can withstanda large-scale quake. This is
why you should undertake

letter from suketo hoikuenrecently, the summers inJapan frequently reachtemperatures close to 40
degrees, meaning that
there is an increased dangerof being affected by a heatstroke.
Heat stroke can occur
when the level of fluids andsalt in the body become very
low, meaning that if you areactive in an area with hightemperature and humidity anddon't get enough fluids, you
may be more easily affected.
In light cases you can recoverby staying in the shade andincreasing fluid intake, butvery severe cases may evenresult in death if you areunable to increase your intake
of fluids/call for help or havea fever that won't relent. In
this case you should call for

an ambulance at 119 and seek
help. While waiting for theambulance, keep your bodycool with a wet towel and drink
water mixed with a little salt.
To prevent heat stroke,
make sure you wear a hat
when going outside, avoid theoutdoors during the hottest
times in the day, and makesure you get plenty of rest andfluids, especially those with ahigh ion content. In particular,
extra care should be taken to-8-

tokushima prefectural
disaster centera check. You can apply for atest at your nearby municipal
ofﬁce. Those buildings deemedunsafe need to be worked on
until they are clear.
The first step is having yourhouse checked out:
1: Apply for a check at yourlocal town or city ofﬁce.
2: A specialist will come andinspect your home. The costfor is 3,000 yen, and thehouses targeted by thesechecks are those that are
made before May 31, 1981.
Translated with permission
from the Tokushima Prefectural
Disaster Center Homepage:a n s h i n . p re f. t o k u s h i m a . j p /disasterCenter/index.html

by kazue inoue
suketo hoikuen staff

prevent heat stroke in children,as they are more susceptible
than adults.
This Month's Toy
1: Get two empty milk cartons,
cutting one into the shape
shown in the diagram.
2: Fold the white side in halfon the front and cut theedges so it looks like a panda's face.
3: Use the other carton to cut
out ears and an area tofold around into a squareshaped tube to use as ahandle.
4 : U n fo l d t h e h e a d m a d e
in step two and use it tocover the ears and handle,
sticking them together as
you go.
5: Draw on eyes and a noseand you're done!

japanese lessonhby junko nagamachi

ave you ever gotten lost and had to ask a Japanese person for directions? If so, did you
have any difﬁculty in understanding what they said? Or perhaps someone has asked you for
directions. Were you able to convey what you wanted to say? In this month's lesson we'regoing to take a look at the expressions「ところで」「ところに」and「と」all of which canbe used in situations like this.
もんだい

問題
ゆうびんきょくいみち
おし①「すみません、郵便局へ行く道を教えていただけませんか。」
Which of the following is
the correct answer
toま the above question?
いみぎ１） １００メートルぐらい行ったところで、右へ曲がってください。
いみぎま２） １００メートルぐらい行くと、右へ曲がってください。
②
１）
２）

Which かどof thefollowingis correct?
ひだり
ま
すこ
い
こう さ てん
そこの角
を左
へ曲
がって、少
し行
くと、交差点があります。
かど
ひだり
ま
すこ
い
こう さ てん
そこの角を左へ曲がって、少し行ったところで、交差点があります。

The phrase「ところで」is used to show the next action or change that occurs where (or when) a
prior action or change has been completed, while「と」can be used to show the next change or
event (not the action) that occurs where (or when) a prior action or change has been completed.
While you can use an expression for a particular action or change after「ところで」this is not thecase with「と」and the expression following this should not be an action.
③ Use either
the particle「に」or「で」to ﬁll in the gap in the brackets below.
おま１） バスを降りたところ（）待っています。
しんごう
わた
ぎんこう
２） はなし信号を渡ったところ（）銀行があります。
く ぎ
お
３） 話
の区
切
りがついたところ
終
わりにしましょう。
(
)
こま
まわ
き
４） 困っていたところ（）お巡りさんが来てくれた。
④ Now, try to think of at least two different verbs that can be used to ﬁll in the brackets below
andcompletethe sentences.
こう さ てん
わた
１） 交
差
点
を渡
ったところで（）
こう さ てんわた２） 交差点を渡ったところに（）
The verbs used after the expression「ところで」and「ところに」are different. The verbs used
after the particles「ところで」and「で」（「ところに」and 「に」）are the same.
How did you go? Asking for directions is difficult, but asking for directions and being asked for
directions is one way to bring yourself in touch with your local community. Next time you lose yourway, why not try ask?

Answers:①④

１） ②
１） ③ １）で２）に あ３）で ４）にまはな
１） 待っています
話しています会いましたなら etc.
きよ２） あります 来ています 呼んであります 並んでいます
-9-

etc.

memoranda
The 2009 Yoshino
River Festival

2009 年吉野川
フェスティバルThis event has lots to offer, from dance and music displays

スポーツイベントやコンサート、ダンス・花火・吉野川

to sports events, ﬁreworks and more!

の川めぐりなどが行われます！

When: Friday, July 31 to Sunday, August 2

日時：10:00-22:00

7 月 31 日（金）～ 8 月 2 日（日）10:00 ～ 22:00

Where: The grounds on the south side of the Yoshino
場所：

River by the Yoshino River Bridge.

徳島市

吉野川グラウンド

Cost:

Free!

Info:

Call the Yoshino River Festival Executive

入場料： 無料！

Committee at 090-3783-2084

問合せ： 吉野川フェスティバル実行委員会まで（吉野川橋南岸河川敷広場）

電話 090-3783-2084

Shishikui Gion
Matsuri

宍喰祇園まつり

At this festival visitors can enjoy a procession, ﬁreworks

四台のダンジリと美しく飾られた関船が、町内の祇園通

and a bazaar.

りを練り歩く他、前日の宵宮では花火大会や夜店もあります。

When: Friday, July 17
Fireworks/bazaar Thursday, July 16

日時：

Where: The Yasaka shrine just north of the JR Shishikui

7 月 17 日（金）花火大会・夜店 7 月 16 日（木）Station.

八坂神社（ＪＲ宍喰駅から徒歩 2 分）

Cost:

Free!

場所：

Info:

Call the Kaiyo-cho Tourism Association at

入場料： 無料！

0884-76-3050

問合せ： 海陽町観光協会まで電話 0884-76-3050

The 64th Summer
Puppet Theatre
Display

第 64 回夏期
阿波人形浄瑠璃大会
是非この機会に徳島県の郷土芸能である阿波人形浄瑠璃の公演をご覧ください。

Come and enjoy a display of the Awa Puppet Theatre, one
of Tokushima's traditional performing arts.

日時：
When: July 11 - July 12,

開演 10:00

From 10:00

場所：

Where: The Kyodo Bunka Kaikan Awagin Hall, just 10
Free!

Info:

Call the Awa Puppet Theatre Promotions

あわぎんホール（徳島県郷土文化会館）（ＪＲ徳島駅から 10 分）

minutes walk fom JR Tokushima Station.
Cost:

7 月 11 日～ 12 日、入場料： 無料！
問合せ： 阿波人形浄瑠璃振興会まで
電話 088-669-1752

Association at 088-669-1752-10-

memoranda
Hiwasa Umigame
Matsuri

日和佐うみがめ
まつり

Come along for mochinage, ﬁreworks and a range of other

祝い餅投げや花火大会など楽しいイベント盛りだくさん

activities at this fun event focusing on the sea turtles of

で皆様のお越しをお待ちしています。

Hiwasa.

日時：

When: Saturday, July 18

7 月 18 日（土）15:00 ～ 21:00

15:00-21:00
場所：

Where: The Hachiman Shrine near Ohama Beach in

美波町日和佐八幡神社

Hiwasa, Minami-cho.

入場料： 無料！

Cost:

Free!

問合せ： 美波町産業振興課まで

Info:

Call the Minami-cho Industrial Promotions

電話 0884-77-3617

Division at 0884-77-3617

Komatsushima
Harbour Festa '09

平成 21 年度
小松島港まつりThe Komatsushima Harbour Festa is one of the biggest

小松島港まつりは小松島市の一大イベントとして親しまevents in the city. On Sunday, July 20, the JSDF starts the

れています。7 月 19 日には、自衛隊の祝賀飛行に始まり、

celebration with an aviation show, and after this a famous

市内有名連による阿波踊りや民踊が行われます。翌日にdance group will perform Awa Odori and folk dance.

は花火大会があり約 2000 発の花火が夜空に音と光のシン

On the next day a fireworks display with about 2,000
shots will color the night with lights and sounds like a

フォニーとして彩りを添えます。また、まつり期間中には、

symphony. Furthermore, the JSDF escort vessel, the patrol

自衛隊護衛艦や海上保安部巡視船・国土交通省測量船のvessel of the Maritime Safety Agency and the survey ship

一般航海など港にまつわる協賛行事も目白押しです。

of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will
held events related to the harbour of Komatsushima.
When: Sunday, July 19 (4:00pm - ) and Monday, July 20

日時：

7 月 19 日（日）＆ 7 月 20 日（月・祝）場所：

小松島市小松島町 19 日：小松島ステーション
パーク、20 日：小松島港（新港地区）(8:00pm - ) (National Holiday)

JR 牟岐線「南小松島駅」下車→徒歩 10 分

Where: July 19: Komatsushima Station Park
Cost:
Info:

July 20: Komatsushima Harbour

入場料： 無料

Free!

問合せ：小松島市産業振興課まで
電話 0885-32-3809

Call the ofﬁce for industry and promotion at
0885-32-3809

Japanese Lessons
at Suketo Hoikuen

助任保育園の日本語教室

When: Every Thursday

日時：11:00 - 12:00
Cost:

毎週木曜日
11:00 ～ 12:00

Free for nursery students.

金額：

Contact: Call TOPIA at 088-656-3303

託児付き（無料）

問合せ： トピアまで電話 088-656-3303-11-

memoranda
Summer School
Japanese Lessons

サマースクール夏休み
子ども日本語教室"I want to learn kanji and Japanese words."

漢字や言葉の勉強がしたい。

"I want to do summer homework."

夏休みの宿題がしたい。

"I want to make some friends."

友達を作りたい。

If this sounds like your child, why not enroll them in
Summer Japanese Lessons for Children? Japanese teachers

そう思ったら日本語教室に来てみませんか。日本語の先生

are here to help you out. Your child can do his/her summer

たちがやさしく助けてくれます。夏休みの宿題をしたり、

homework in class, and there will be fun activities as well,

ゲームやクイズをしたりしながら楽しく勉強しましょう。

like games and quizzes.
持ってくる物： 筆記用具、夏休みの宿題や教科書、ワーク
Things to bring: writing tools, summer homework, school
texts, and things your child wants to study.

（勉強したい物）
対象： 日本語を母語としない

Participation is free !

小学生、中学生、高校生

場所： 徳島県国際交流プラザ会議室 ( ｸﾚﾒﾝﾄﾌﾟﾗｻﾞ 6F）

Eligible participants: Children (Elementary, Junior High

日時： 2009 年７月 23 日、24 日、27 日、28 日、30 日、31

and High School Students), whose first language is not
Japanese.

日

Where: Tokushima Prefecture International Exchange

午前 10:30 ～ 12:00

Association (TOPIA)

講師：ＪＴＭとくしま日本語ネットワーク

Tokushima Station Clement Building 6F

参加費：無料

When: July 23, 24, 27, 28, 30, 31. From 10:30 to Noon

申込み締切：7 月 17 日（金曜日）

Instruction: JTM Tokushima Nihongo Network
Application: Fill out the application form and submit it.

申込み方法： 下の申込書を、申込み先に送ってください。

Submit the form by fax, mail, e-mail, or in person by Friday,（郵送、ﾌｧｸｼﾐﾘ、持参、申込書と同じ内容を書いて e-mailJuly 17th.

送付も可。）* This Summer School is sponsored by Tokushima※申込みがなくても参加できる場合があるので、申込み締Prefectural Government in conjunction with TOPIA.

切日以降でもお問い合わせください。

* It may be possible to participate even if you miss the※このサマースクールは、徳島県の事業としてトピアの協

deadline, so please contact us if you want to join.

力のもと実施されます。
申込み・問合せ先： 財団法人徳島県国際流協会

Contact: TOPIA, Attn: Ms. Murasawa

村澤Counselling Service at TOPIA
トピアの相談窓口

TOPIA offers a counselling and advisory service to all foreign residents to help with issues involving accidents, working conditions, housing, visas, international marriage, and more. Counselling is available in English and Japanese.
Please note that although every effort will be made, we may not be able to deal with all cases.
Monday to Friday, 10:00 - 16:30
Tel. 088-656-3303 or 088-656-3320 (allows three-way conversations with an interpreter)

受け止めていますか人権の重み-12-