KCC NEWS Vol.94 1st, February, 2024

February, 2024

Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center

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.
94

Communication Across Generations~Learn Communication Tips from a Language School Principal~
DThursday, February 15, 2024, 8:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. FFree NFirst 30 people
Instructor: Ms. Lois Mark, Principal, English Language School
ADirectly to the KCC office or by email at < boshu- 1@ kira- kira. jp> . Include your name and phone
number. Applicants will receive a URL to join on the day of the event.
Next session: Thursday, April 18, 8:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. "Casual Fun World Café”
LMs. Yukari Saiki, Professor and Director of Language Education Center, Tokai University

Scented Papers Handmade Experience <Let’s Learn Japanese Incense Culture and Craft-Scented Papers!>
Incense was introduced to Japan via India and China, where it developed a unique incense
culture. Why not learn about its history and typical scents, and try makingincense? (Please take home scented papers you made)DFebruary 25th (Sun) 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. PPalette KashiwaMeeting RoomA&B
F1000 yen Instructor: Ms. Akiko Kawada NFirst 15 people
AFrom 9 a.m. on February 1st, directly at the KCC office or by email to <boshu-1@ kirakira.jp>.Include your name and phone number.

Scented Papers

Multicultural Seminar - May We All Live Happily Together!

What foreigners in Japan are having trouble with. What Japanese people want from foreigners, andwhat foreigners want from Japanese people.
DMarch 2nd (Sat) 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. PPalette Kashiwa, Meeting Room A NFirst 25 people
LMs. Saji Nishijima (Working at the Children's Education Division, Board of Education, Sammu CityHall)
FFree ADirectly at the KCC office or by email to <boshu-1@kira-kira.jp>. Include your name and phone number.

Early Spring Exchange Walking Tour and Hina Doll Exhibition

Participants will walk from Kashiwanoha-campus Station to the Former Yoshida Family
Residence Historical Park and see the Hina Doll Exhibition in the residence designated asa National Important Cultural Property.DMarch 3 (Sunday) N10 people
PMeeting: 12:40 p.m.,TX Kashiwanoha-campus Station, East Exit
Dismissal: 4:00 p.m. TX Kashiwanoha-campus Station, East Exit
Course: Kashiwanoha- campus Station - Yoshida Family Residence - Daitoin
Tiered Hina Dolls
Temple - Kashiwanoha-campus Station (about 5 km)
F100 yen ADirectly at the KCC office or by email at <boshu-1@kira-kira.jp> by February 25th(Sunday)
Please wear comfortable walking clothes and shoes, and bring a drink and towel.
Donations for the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake
We know that the Noto Peninsula earthquake of January 1st saddened everyone deeply. We have placed adonation box for the "2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake" in front of the KCC office. We would appreciate yourgenerous cooperation.
Cross-cultural Teatime "Chile" (4/13)

Upcoming events (from April)<Request> When applying via email, please be sure to include the event name,your name, and phone number.
DDate & Time PPlace FFee NNumber of applicants LLecturer CContents AApplication RReservation.

KCC NEWS Vol.94 1st, February, 2024
The 8th Japanese Speech Contest by Foreigners in Kashiwa

DFebruary 11 (Sun),12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PPalette Kashiwa Open SpaceNFirst 70 people ADirectly to the KCC office or by email to <boshu-2@kira-kira.jp>
Live-streaming applicants: 100 people
For those who cannot enter the venue, we will be offering a live- streaming service. For
information on how to receive the live streaming, please visit KCC's website.

40th Anniversary Fair of Friendship City (Chengde, China) Partnership (12/24, 1/7 and 1/14)
November 1, 2023, marks the 40th anniversary ofthe "Friendship City Agreement Signing Ceremony"held in Kashiwa in 1983. At the fair, the participants
were able to look back fondly on the various
exchanges between the two cities, including youth
exchanges,
through the display of photos,
commemorative magazines, souvenirs, the showingof video clips, and a roundtable discussion
introducing participants’ memories. As Chengde Cityis a World Heritage Site for paper cutting, acollaboration project was held with a paper-cutting
experience class by Mr. Fumio Kawashita. 13
participants had their first experience in the "D・ Kiri- e ( paper cut- out) class" . There are requests tohold the " D・ Ki- ri- e
Experience Class" in2024 as well.
(Note: "D・ Ki- ri-e"
is a coined word of" Digital & Cut aPicture.")Ki-ri-e(paper cutting) Experience

Thoughts on “Insuishigen”
By Kenichi Kasai
It's the new year, marking the 40th anniversary of
the friendship agreement between the two cities. It isalso a year of anticipation for new exchanges. My first
visit to China was in October 1995. I was a delegate of
the 36-member Kashiwa City Greening Delegation toChina to commemorate the 15th anniversary of ourexchange. Our visit had two purposes. One was toplant commemorative trees in a tree-planting project
promoted by Kashiwa City to expand the Yugirin( Friendship Forest) . The second was friendly
exchanges with local citizens. We had a friendly talkwith them when we visited an ordinary home for the
first time, and a packed classroom with 70 students at
an experimental elementary school. Although thehotel was not always comfortable due to water outage
problems and poor toilet facilities, we were deeply
moved by a circle of friendship connected by “shoku:食 ”, the luxurious meals and delicious drinks served at
the round table during the welcome banquet each day,and “shoku: 植 ”, afforestation activities.
(Note: “ Insuishigen” :Those who drink water should
think of its source.)

Let's Enjoy Shadow Puppets! “The Three Bears” (12/17)
A group of foreigners from Mexico, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, China,Taiwan, and Brazil entertained children with shadow puppets of the British story "TheThree Bears." The characters and scenes of the shadow puppets were made over many
months in detail. The people in charge of the lines for the girland three bears practiced
many times to say their lines well. There was even a person in charge of snoring! Theperson who moved the pictures to match the story also worked hard, worrying about
whether the shadow pictures wereshown well. On the day of the event, all
the members worked together andThe Three Bears
created a wonderful stage for the show.
Although the shadow play was about 10 minutes long, thechildren seemed to enjoy the British story of “ The ThreeBears” by concentrating on the movement of the shadows inthe small frame. After the shadow puppet show, they played
Mexican games, cracked open piñatas, and received candies.
It was a fun day for both adults and children.
Merry Christmas♪Let's Have Fun Singing Christmas Songs♬ (12/21)
Despite the cold weather, 25 participants sang Christmas songs to their heart' s content ( Joy to theWorld, Angels We Have Heard on High, White Christmas, and Silent Night) in their rooms. After some light
preparatory exercises and abdominal breathing, the participants started with vocal training, then shared
their Christmas memories during a short break. Finally, they enjoyed a solo performance by Ms. Yamazaki.

KCC NEWS Vol.94 1st, February, 2024

Searching for the Roots in the Parents’ Countries:Sweden and the United States
Ms. Marianne Wilson Kuroda
In 1949, a baby girl was born in Yokohama. She later took the name
Marianne. Her father was an American, a military officer under General
MacArthur at GHQ, and her mother was a Swedish national of mixed
Swedish, German, and Japanese ancestry. The U.S. at that time did not
approve of marriages with Japanese. Her father returned to the U.S., andon August 5, 1950, a bill was passed allowing him to apply for approvalof his marriage with the Japanese woman and to acknowledge their child.
However, on that very day, the young mother died of illness, leaving
behind 16-month-old Mary Ann (the baby’s American name).
Mary Ann was raised by a Japanese woman whom her late mother had
chosen as a foster mother. A school called Buso Gakuen accepted thestateless MaryAnn and she attended kindergarten and elementary school
just like Japanese children.Life with the foster parents was not affluent,
Ms. Marianne Wilson Kuroda
but they taught her the good discipline and manners of the Japanese. Herfoster father was a man who had served at the battlefront under the student mobilization order andread “ The Records of Three Kingdoms" to little Mary Ann. Her foster mother had worked at theJapanese embassy in Turkey, so she was a woman with an international awareness for her time.
In 1953, the U.S. and Japanese governments investigated how many mixed-race children were left
behind in Japan, and an organization called International Social Service Japan (The U.S.-Japan Joint
Committee for Orphan Relief at the time of 1952, ) concluded that Mary Ann was born to anunmarried Swedish woman, so they reported it to the Swedish Embassy. The Swedish government
demanded the return of its own citizen and held a trial with the Japanese foster parents. At that time,
it was widely covered by the Japanese media. The case was settled. It was decided that the childwould attend an international school to become a respectable W esterner under the care of acooperating party, which is her Japanese foster parents. The Swedish government provided the foster
parents with educational and living expenses, and Mary Ann attended school as an“ internationalstudent.”
She took her mother' s last name and was given the name Marianne W ilson. Marianne, who had
been raised like a Japanese child until then,suddenly had to study in English. After graduating fromhigh school, she was told that she would become stateless if she did not return to Sweden by the ageof 21. As a result, she went to Sweden alone and desperately looked for a job. She found one with
Scandinavian Airlines ( SAS) . She studied at SAS' s university and worked in ground service for fouryears. After that, she was recruited by a Japanese trading company and worked to sell Swedishsystem kitchens and 2x4 houses.
She found out that her father was likely an American, and she had him investigated through theJapanese Red Cross. Though her father had died in 2003, she learned that her half- brother was adoctor in New Mexico. He did a DNA test of his father’s remains and a sample from Marianne. The
result showed a 99% parent-child relationship.Having proven that her roots are in the United States,
Marianne approached the U. S. government to gain U. S. citizenship, and she finally gained U. S.
citizenship in June 2016. It is said that at that time, the U. S. government hoisted the Stars andStripes at the Capitol in W ashington, D.C., in honor of her mother.
W hen Marianne was 11 years old, there was a court case over who would raise her. She wasworried that her presence would make the people around her unhappy and she even thought aboutkilling herself.Despite this, at the age of 75, she has been able to live her life.She has survived withthe support of many people. She cherishes herself. Hatred begets hatred. Marianne hopes thatknowing her story, you will be empowered to live your own life.
Ms. Marianne Wilson Kuroda is currently involved in a wide variety of activities, including working as aconsultant for foreign residents in Katsushika Ward, a lecturer on women's issues and sex education, andan instructor for cross- cultural exchange courses in English. Always active to make things happen, shecalled on Kashiwa City Office to have her and her husband both become the head of the household.
（Interviewed by Junko Sobajima and Noriko Fujita）

KCC NEWS Vol.94 1st, February, 2024

Japanese Shonan ClassesOnline Classes
Sat7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Sun 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.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.
Sun 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I(2 classes)
Minna no Nihongo , Primary I
Japanese Kashiwa/Kashiwanoha Classes
Online Classes

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

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I (Unit 16 - )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 40 - )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 40 - )Sat

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

Conversation Intermediate
In-person Classes (Palette Kashiwa)

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

Hiragana, Katakana

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

Beginners, Minna no Nihongo, Primary 1 (Unit 8~)

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

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I（Unit 21 - ）Sat

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

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I（Unit 15 - ）Sat

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

Minna no Nihongo , Primary I（Unit 36- ）Sat

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

Hiragana, Katakana, Minna no Nihongo (Unit1~) 1/20～

In-person Classes (Kashiwanoha Service Center)
Thu 10:00 a.m .- 11:30 a.m.

Conversation Introductory1

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

Conversation Elementary 2

SatIntermediate Dekiru Nihongo (Unit 1~)

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

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.
D February 28 (Wed), 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. P Palette Kashiwa Room F R the KCC officeMembers Wanted! Kashiwa International Relations Association (KIRA)

Why don' t you become a member and join us in international exchange activities? Let' s interactwith foreigners by planning and organizing various events. You don't have to speak English. You
can also make friends. For more information, please visit our website. (Inquiries: the KCC office)Information 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(Wed and Fri), Spanish (Mon), and such as information on natural disasters, crimes, and firesof your area in the language of your choice. Scan the QR
Korean (2nd and 4th Tue) from1: 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 under “ Foreign
Tel: 04 - 7168 – 1033
Language” to read the official city bulletin, “Koho Kashiwa,” selected
No reservation required.
and translated for foreign residents.

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