KCC NEWS Vol.85 1st, May, 2023

Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center

May, 2023

Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center,Palette Kashiwa
1-7-1-301 Kashiwa,
Kashiwa,Chiba,Japan 277-0005■TEL: 04-7157-0281 ■FAX: 04-7165-7321■E-MAIL: kcc@kira-kira.jp■URL: https: //www.kcc.kira-kira.jp

Vol.
85

Host Families Wanted for Torrance YouthW e are looking for host families for a leader of a delegation (a female in her 40s) and eight youths (highschool students) from our sister city, Torrance, USA, w ho will visit Kashiw a this summer. This is a great
opportunity for families to experience international exchange. W e are looking forw ard to receiving many
applications.
・Period: July 12 (W ed) - August 1 (Tue), Host families w ill change on July 23 (Sun).
First half: July 12 (W ed) - 23 (Sun), Second half: July 23 (Sun) - August 1 (Tue)・ Application conditions: Be able to pick up and drop off students at designated locations in the city
(mainly Kashiw a City Hall). Be able to bear the costs associated w ith hosting.
・N umber of applicants: 18 families (9 families for the first half and 9 families for the second half)
・ How to apply: By May 23 ( Tue. ) , send a postcard w ith " Host Family Application" and youraddress, name ( including furigana) , phone number, and preference of " first half, second half,either, first half + second half acceptable," and "leader/student (male, female, or either)" to the
Kashiw a Cross-cultural Center by mail or by e-mail to boshu-2@kira-kira.jp.
Later, w e w ill mail a survey form to collect information such as family structure and itinerary. Participants
will be notified of selection results in early June.
Inquiries: Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center (KCC)

Spring Exchange Walking Tour
Visit Kashiwanoha Park, where roses are in full bloom, and Kombukuro Pond Nature Museum Park,
the first park in Chiba Prefecture selected as a Project Future Heritage site by the UNESCO
Association of Japan. Let’s enjoy walking in the refreshing season while interacting with foreigners.
・ Date & Time: Sunday, May 14, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., to be canceled in case of rain
・ Meeting and breaking up location: TX Kashiwanoha Campus Station
・ Number of applicants: 15
・ Fee: 400 yen (including 2 rice balls)
・ Application: By Wednesday, May 10. Sign up directly at the KCC office or by e-mail at boshu-1@kira-kira.jp.
＊ Please wear comfortable walking clothes and shoes, and bring drinks, towels, etc.

“My country, Sweden, spoken by a fourth-generation Swedish resident in Japan.”・ Date & Time: Saturday, June 3, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
・ Place: Palette Kashiwa Meeting Room A, B, C・ Lecturer: Ms. Marianne Wilson Kuroda (Katsushika Ward Foreigner’s Life Counselor)・ Contents: A woman born and raised in Japan with Swedish, American, and Japanese roots willtalk about Sweden and her journey.
・ Number of participants: 50
・ Fee: 400 yen
・ Application: From Tuesday, May 2, sign up directly at the KCC office or by email
at boshu-1@kira-kira.jp.

Ms. Kuroda

Turkey/Syria Earthquake FundraisingThanks to your warm support, we were able to donate 70,150 yen from the KCC office and 15,125 yen from
Kashiwanoha to the Japanese Red Cross Society at the end of March. Thank you for your help.
<NO TE>Please include the event nam e, your nam e and phone num ber when apply ing by em ail. T he events m ay be cancelled depending on the Covid-19 situation. Contact the office for m ore inform ation. Please wear a m ask when participating.

KCC NEWS Vol.85 1st, May, 2023
Online Study Session "Effective Vocalization Method #2" ~ Breathing and Facial Muscle Training for Wonderful Voice ~ (3/16)
It's been two years since the online study session started in April 2021 during the coronavirus pandem ic. This
was the second study session on "Effective Vocalization Method" to learn how to have sm ooth conversation while
wearing a m ask and to be able to com m unicate effectively online. Naom i Yam azaki, a vocalist and voice trainer,
was invited as a lecturer, and 25 people participated in the study session. They did exercises to relax their bodies
and facial m uscles, and practiced sp eaking out w ith the u se of abdom inal breathing. Under the gu idance of thein str u c to r so th at th eir vo ic es w o u ld c om e ou t c lear ly if th ey br eath ed p r o p er ly , th ey w er e able to sin g"Soshunfu" and “Yum ejiyori” to the best of their ability at their hom es. Am ong the participants were people fromThailand, Hyogo, and Mie prefecture, which m ade us realize how convenient online com m unication is.

“Our Journey to Japan from Brazil, a Country on the Other Side of the World " (4/1)

Ms. Elisa Ferreira and Mr. W ilson Facanha, both from Brazil and currently conducting research at an
astrophysics-related research institute at the University of Tokyo's Kashiwa Cam pus, gave lectures in English.
W ith various exam ples, the lecturers introduced that Brazil was not a
uniform country but had a wide variety of people, cultures, food, and clim ate.
They also said that the diversity of people, culture, and food was greatly
influenced by the fact that Brazil had been shaped by im m igrants fromvarious countries, including Japan. After talking about their experiences in
Canada and Germ any, where they had stayed before com ing to Japan, thesession ended with a quiz and Q& A tim e about Brazil. The talk was full of
surprises and discoveries, such as the fact that they went from Brazil, where Lecturers Elisa (right) and Wilson (left)
the tem perature was 35° C in the m iddle of sum m er, to Canada, where the tem perature was - 30° C in them iddle of winter, and that the photo the audience thought was a Germ an house was a town of Germ an
im m igrants in Brazil. It was a fun tim e with Brazilian sweets m ade by the lecturer and a lively conversation.

Kashiwa City Agricultural Attraction Discovery Tour (3/29)
Eighteen people participated in the tour, including people from Indonesia, th e
Ph ilip p in es, Ch in a, Taiw an , an d Sou th K orea. A green on ion farm er said th at
Kash iw a City 's p rodu ction of green on ion s, tu rn ip s, an d sp in ac h in 2008 w as
am on g th e top in Jap an . Particip an ts en joy ed eatin g fresh ly h arvested green
on ion s. Th e farm er talked p assion ately abou t th e aging of farm ers, th e lack ofsu cc essors, an d th e in c reasin g nu m ber of farm ers leavin g th e in du stry , all ofwhich threaten food security. He said he w anted consum ers to bu y and sup port
loc al vegetables an d grow ers. A t th e Ric e Cen ter, th e p artic ip an ts tou red th e
fac ilities fo r dr y in g an d sto rin g th e h ar vested r ic e, an d w ere br iefed on th e
At “Michinoeki Shonan”
m ech anized rice cu ltivation p rocess from sh oveling, p lan tin g, an d h arvesting,and received rice as a souvenir. The staff also talked abou t the decline in rice consu m p tion and their concerns
abou t th e fu tu re of agric u ltu re. Partic ip an ts h ad a salad bow l of vegetables from K ash iw a for lu n c h , an d at
" Michinoeki Shonan" they experienced m aking hand cream with sunflower oil. W hen shopping, we tend to go
for cheap vegetables, but we should try "local production for local consum ption" to protect Japan's agriculture.

Rakugo Experience Event in English - Enjoy the Traditional Japanese Storytelling Art "Rakugo" in English!
Rakugo has been loved since the Edo period ( 1603-1868) , and these days, it is also spoken in English
and enjoyed in other countries. On the day of the event, rakugo storytellers from the English Rakugo
Association of Japan will perform familiar pieces such as "Jugemu" and "Tenshiki". How will these rakugo
performances be expressed in English? Anyone can enjoy them, so please look forward to them. We hope
many people will participate in the event.
・Date & Time: Saturday, May 20, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
・Place: Palette Kashiwa Open Space・Fee: 500 yen
・Number of applicants: 40
・Application: By Thursday, May 18, Sign up directly at the KCC office or by e-mail at boshu-1@kira-kira.jp

Online International Exchange Salon "Living Together #1: What Foreigners Around You Are Having Trouble With“・ Date & Time: Thursday, May 25, 20:00 - 21:00
・ Fee: Free・ Number of applicants: 30
・ Lecturer: Mr. Hatsuo Sugishita (Specified Administrative Scrivener)・ Participation method: Zoom
・ Application: Sign up at the KCC office or by e-mail at boshu-1@ kira-kira.jp. Please include yourname and phone number. We will send you a URL to join on the day.
Next time: Thursday, June 15, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
"Living Together #2: Human Rights of Foreign Residents".Lecturer: Mr. Shinya Tsuji (Lawyer)

KCC NEWS Vol.85 1st, May, 2023

Visiting Torrance After 40 Years’Absence

Misako Kikuchi and Yumiko Ueno
1982 Kashiwa Student Delegates

About Misako Kikuchi： An outside director of two private companies as well as anauditor of a university and a hospital, she retired last year from a general trading
company after serving for 38 years. She was the first female to become its subsidiarycompany president.
About Yumiko Ueno: Principal of Kashiwa Municipal Otsugaoka Daiichi Elementary
School ( as of the interview date) . She had worked as a classroom teacher and a musicteacher at elementary schools in Chiba Prefecture.
Please tell us why you applied for the Sister City Exchange program and what was thesituation like at that time.
― Kikuchi： I had always liked English since junior high school and was majoring in
English literature at university, so I wanted to go abroad.
― Ueno： One of my high school classmates went to Torrance a year earlier, and the trip
looked interesting, so I applied for it, too.
― Kikuchi： Since our year fell on the 10th anniversary of the sister city affiliation, we
Ms.Ueno（left）
were the group of 14 student delegates, it’s usually 8, with an adult leader. For all of us, that
Ms.Kikuchi（Right）
was the first time to go abroad. Right after we got on a foreign airline aircraft, we felt as if
we were in “a foreign country." Feeling insecure, we helped each other to get by. I was the eldest student, so everyonein the group called me “mother.”
What was your impression of the homestay?
― Kikuchi and Ueno： As we did not see tall buildings in Torrance, we felt the sky was very big. The large-scale
houses, streets, and all overwhelmed us. On top of that, the portion size of food was surprising. Ice cream was served
on a platter, like a surprisingly large cutting board at a restaurant! (laughs) Also, we enjoyed very much the way thehost mothers welcomed us with homemade food. We still think they are our second mothers.
You two went to Torrance in the same year. Have you been spending time together since you came back?
― Kikuchi and Ueno： In those days, KIRA had not yet been established. The Kashiwa City Secretarial Division staff
was in charge of hosting the Torrance delegations with the assistance of the past Kashiwa exchange students. Having
spent three weeks apart from the parents at an extremely sensitive age, we had the courage to open up our own
future. In addition, we were inspired by the past students helping the program. We saw the young people, close to ourage, working hard to promote grassroots international exchange. They had their own opinions and were able toexplain them in their own words. They seemed so mature to us.
From time to time, we have a reunion of “Manyo no Kai,” a group of the very early past exchange students, and a get-together of the 1982 students even after our student days were over.
How has your experience with the Sister City Exchange affected your life? You are both women in management
positions in your organizations. Has your experience with the exchange helped you?
― Ueno: Leaning about views that are different from those in Japan broadened my horizons. I became more active
and wanted to challenge many things. I wanted to become a teacher
to share my experience with children and other teachers. Actually,
when Torrance students visited Daiichi Elementary School, where I
was working, some children were very shy because they could not
speak English. I taught them the joy of interaction by giving them alittle push. As for a managerial position, as long as people around me
think it is my role, I’ll do my best. I feel fulfilled now.
― Kikuchi: I first wanted to become an English teacher, but after I
went to Torrance, I wanted to work internationally and changed mycareer direction to the work in a general trading company. That was atime when there were few opportunities to go or study abroad, so I
took advantage of my student exchange experience when I applied
Our 1982 memory
for the job. Honestly speaking, there were times when I was worried
about unprecedented challenges, such as balancing childcare and work, and being the first female line manager.
However, I think I was able to work with a positive attitude of “ I’ll go as far as I can,” because of my experience inTorrance.
What do you expect of the younger delegates and prospective student delegates?
―Kikuchi and Ueno: For both of us, this is the visit to Torrance for the first time in 40 years. We have renewed ourold friendship with a 1982 Torrance student, and we also have made new friends in this occasion. These are very
precious experiences. The Sister City Exchange is a great opportunity to foster the young students’self-initiative as wellas to learn the importance of international exchange. We hope for many young people to join the program andchallenge themselves.
(Interviewed by Noriko Fujita at a hotel in Torrance)

KCC NEWS Vol.85 1st, May, 2023

Japanese Shonan Classes
Online Classes
Sat

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Sun 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary II
Minna no Nihongo , Primary I and Intermediate II

In-person Classes (Shonan Community Center)
Thu 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I(2 classes)

Sun 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I

Japanese Kashiwa Classes (no classes during the Golden Week, 4/29-5/8)
Online Classes
Tue

7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I (Unit 20 - )Wed 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Conversation Elementary 2B（Level 2）

Wed 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary II (Unit 3 4 - )Thu 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Conversation Elementary 2A (Level 2)

Fri

7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Minna no Nihongo ,Primary Ⅱ (Unit 31 - )Sat

9:30 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.

Conversation Intermediate
In-person Classes （Palette Kashiwa ）Thu 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

hiragana/katakana

Thu 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Beginners

Thu 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I（Unit 8 - ）Sat

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I（Unit 7 - ）Sat

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I（Unit 22- ）In-person Classes （Kashiwanoha Service Corner）
Thu 10:00 a.m .- 11:30 a.m.

Conversation Elementary, Introductory and 1

Thu 10:00 a.m .- 11:30 a.m.

Conversation Elementary 2

Free Legal Advice and Administrative Procedure Support for Foreign Residents
To foreign residents. Are you in need of help? Lawyers and administrative procedure specialists areavailable for consultation. You can ask for specialists’ advice on issues such as family or partner
violence, divorce, visa procedures, and problems at work. Reservation necessary.
Date & Time: Wednesday, May 24, 1:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Place: Palette Kashiwa Room A,
Reservation: the KCC officeInformation for Foreign Residents from Kashiwa City
Consultation for Foreign Residents

Email distribution service from Kashiwa City

Sign up to receive email announcement from the city,
Available in English (Thu), Chinese
such
as information on natural disasters, crimes, and fires(Wed and Fri), Spanish (Mon), andof
yourarea in the language of your choice. Scan the QR
Korean (2nd and 4th Tue) from 1:00 p. m. to 5: 00 p. m. at the code and register!
Consultation Counter for ForeignMultilingual “Koho Kashiwa,” monthly official city bulletin
Residents ( City Hall Main Office
Building, 3rd floor).
Scan the QR code and select your language underTel: 04 - 7168 – 1033
“Foreign Language” to read the official city bulletin, “KohoNo reservation required.
Kashiwa,” selected and translated for foreign residents.

Links for Multilingual News & BOSAI INFO (Disaster prevention and Coronavirus)
NHK WORLD-JAPAN

Questions?
Please contact the office ofKashiwa Cross-cultural Center (KCC)

Tel: 04-7157-0281
Fax: 04-7165-7321
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Closed on Sundays and national holidays

KCC Newsletter Edited and Published by: Public Relations Division of General Affairs Committee in Kashiwa International Relations
Association (KIRA), the specified non-profit organization and the designated administrator of Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center (KCC)