阿波ライフ

256

AWA LIFE

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

farming old school style

November

Does anyone noticewhen this changes?

In which one ALT practices
traditional rice harvesting

Harry StoneleyThere are few
things moredisorientating thana man clasping a
miniature sickle
and a few hundred
thousand yens'worth of brand new
Canon camera gear.
One of these few things is when
said man is jabbing at you
alternately with both items as you
stand in the middle of the inaka, up
to your nether regions in rice paddy.
And so it was that our farming
experience out in Kamikatsucho began. Part of Katsuura
county, and officially Tokushima's
representative in the 100 Most
Beautiful Villages in Japan, there's a
lot more to Kamikatsu than initiallymeets the eye. A shop for example.
Six-hundred meters above sea leveland surrounded by mountains,
Kamikatsu’s relatively new
farming centre offers anyone theHanging the rice out to dry
Farming Old School Style... continued on page 3

256

Novemberawa life

Or this one?

This month in Awa Life
1

Farming Old School Style

4

The Reason Why I Smile

Harry Stoneley

Misato Tanaka

5

Irene's Recipe Corner

6

Gaming in the Toke

Irene Wachuga

Brandon Barber

7

Topizo at Large

8Japanese Lesson

9

Letter from Suketo Hoikuen

Sarah Nelson

Kyoko Kamura

Kazue Inoue

10 News & Events
12 Memoranda

editor's page
Hello readers,
The days are slow to turn cold thisyear (or is it just me?) but they arecertainly getting darker, which brings
to mind a few lines of Keats’ poeticalwaxings on Autumn: “Where are the songs of Spring?
Ay, where are they? Think not of them, thou hast thy
music too, While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying
day, And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue...”We have another batch of fascinating drivel for you
to feast your eyes on, including an ALT’s adventure
through a rice paddy, an award-winning speech,
and an article on gaming which I wrested from thecapable hands of my pal Brandon. But let’s not forget
the second installment of my oh-so-charming comic,
along with more recipes from Irene and the usual
advice on the Japanese language and child-rearing.
Eat your heart out!
Best,
Sarah

awa life

is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Prefectural
International Exchange Association (TOPIA).
Tokushima Prefectural International
Exchange Association (TOPIA)〒 770-0831
Tokushima City, Terashima Honcho Nishi 1-61
Clement Plaza 6F
Tel
088-656-3303
Fax 088-652-0616
Email topia@topia.ne.jp
HP www.topia.ne.jp
An electronic version of Awa Life is also available fordownload from the TOPIA homepage.

2

TOPIA

Farming Old School Style... continued from page 1

Broc & I got down to the businessof clearing a field, the majority ofthe other farming experience folk
got involved with taking photos of
the gaijin farming. Most bizarre.

Bundles of rice stalks

chance to experience traditional
Japanese farming methods,
based on what's in season at thetime; from the village's very
own tea, to rice, to pretty muchanything else you can grow.
Starting at 10 a.m., we werefirst briefed by some membersof the collective on the methods
that are still employed on
the tanada. Tanada are ricepaddies built into the slopes ofmountains, like steps, in order tomaximize space in mountainous

areas. Whilst effective in thismanner, their narrow naturedoes not lend them easily tomodern farming equipment,
particularly harvesting vehicles.
Enter stage right, the sickle. The
field we were to be butchering wasa short walk down the mountain,
and having been presented withcloth gloves (“Please don’t lose
hands. We have no insurance”) we
were quickly given a demonstrationon the correct methods. It’s allin the wrist, apparently. Whilst

Broc threshing rice stalks

TOPIA

The actual action of cropping therice takes a surprisingly shorttime. Within half an hour, the twoof us had cut a swathe from one
end of the field to the other, andwhilst a sweat was broken, it wasby no means arduous. Granted,
doing this all day every day inorder to eat may become mildly
tedious, but as an experience, it's
not something that fitness levels
should hinder. Just make sure you
bring an extra pair of knees.
Keen not to waste anything,excess stalks are collected to be
used to bundle the long grains
into groups, ready for hanging on
the bamboo poles. Hung up andmildly sweaty, it was time to eat.
Drying rice out takes around amonth, so unfortunately the meal
we ate afterwards was not the fruitof the gaijin’s well documented
labours. On the short walk back,we were shown a variety of othertraditional Japanese farming
methods, including the rice press
which runs directly from thesource of the Katsuura river.
Kamikatsu’s farming experiences
are run by a collective of fulland part-time farmers, on thelast Sunday of every month.
It costs ¥1500 to participate,
which includes lunch grown andprepared on the farm, and a talkabout traditional farming methods.
Contact me for more details:
harrystoneley@googlemail.com

3the reason why I smile

The winning speech from the HighSchool English Speech Contest

Misato TanakaPeople around
me often say,“You are always
smiling.” I think smilinga lot is one of my good points.
However, there used to be a time
when I hardly ever smiled.
I joined a junior high schooloutside my hometown for somereasons. But actually, I had wanted
to go to the local school with myold friends, so I just couldn’t adapt
to the school. Although I wasn't
absent from school for many
consecutive days, school was
nothing but pain for me. I mean I
had school-phobia. I couldn’t sleep
well at night, I sometimes felt sickin the morning, and during breaks
at school, the cheerful voices of
my classmates jangled in my head,
and I often felt like running awayfrom the classroom. Such drearydays lasted more than half a year
and I even thought of changing
schools. I don’t know how I wasable to endure those hard days,
but it was definitely because
one of my friends supported me.
She had also had school-phobia
before, so she understood myconditions and shared my feelings.
Thanks to her, I was not alone
and I could smile once again.
Some of you may say, “Hey,that’s it? It happens quite often
to everybody,” but, in those days,
it was a grave problem with nosolution and it always stuck in myhead. According to one newspaper,of all junior high school students in

4

Tokushima Prefecture last year, thenumber of students who were absent
from school 30 days or more was664. In terms of ratio, we can saythat each class in each school has
one long absentee. That's a lot, isn't
it? The article also said that manyof the reasons for their absences
had a lot to do with their school life.
Taking into account the number ofabsentees whose absences might
not exceed 30 days, or students who
keep going to school in great pain,
the situation must be more serious.
The article didn’t report on high“I like the proverb,'There is no nightthat doesn't finda day.' After thelong night wasover, I realizedthat I had changed.
I had acquired
perseverance,
confidence, trustin others, and an
appreciation for myeveryday life.”
schools, but things could be similar.
School phobia is not just an issue
for certain people. As I experienced,
it can happen to anybody, to yourclose friend, or to you yourself. I’m
not naïve, so I won’t say that there
is a quick solution to the problem.
However, I can suggest a few thingsfrom my experience. Firstly, let's
try to create an oasis for schoolphobics. For such students, theirschools feel like a desert, and theirhomes are often restless places
because their parents worry about
them. If there was an opportunity
for them to truly relax, maybe
they could calmly reflect on thesituation. Secondly, let’s smile atthem, and talk to them. They might
reject you at first. But please don't
go away, stand by them until they
open their minds. Lastly, let’s notforce them to change. You may
want to say, “You have to go toschool,” “Pull yourself together,”or “Tell me why you don’t want
to go to school.” You may betrying to cheer them up, but you
might just end up making themfeel cornered. In my situation, I
couldn’t express my feelings andreasons clearly, which added to theworry and grief my parents alreadyfelt. I will never forget my father'ssighs and my mother’s tears.
I like the proverb, “There is nonight that doesn't find a day.” Afterthe long night was over, I realizedthat I had changed. I had acquired
perseverance, confidence, trust inothers, and an appreciation for myeveryday life. Now, I live a fulllife at my high school and at home.
Every minute, no, every second of
my life is full of joy. This is mymessage to everyone who is having
hardship, be it school phobia orsomething else. You are not alone.
Someone will support you throughthe hardship, and when you
overcome it, you will have a bright
future, and the day you can smileand laugh from the bottom of yourheart will certainly come.

TOPIAirene’s recipe corner
Irene WachugaWarm and chilly days areinterchanging recently.
This is a perfect opportunity toenjoy the Autumn breeze while
not forgetting to keep our bodies
warm. Miso is an important
Japanese cooking ingredient. It
ranges from whitish to reddish incolor, but the most commonly usedis the brown kind. This proteinrich soy bean paste is delicious not
only in miso soup but in simmeredand nabe ryouri (hot pot dishes).
Try it in a variety of dishes.
Simmered Mackerel in Miso(saba no misoni ) (4 servings)
Ingredients:
4 (100-200g) mackerel fillets
30g julienned ginger
4 scallions (chopped)
Sauce:
140cc water
80g red miso
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp (each) sugar, mirin
3 Tbsp sake
Preparation:
1. Score the fish skin diagonally.
Blanch in hot water toremove the fishy smell.

Mushroom rice

Simmered mackerel

2. Place the fish, ginger, soy sauce,
mirin and sake in a spacious pan or
skillet. Cover with a drop-lid andbring to a boil over high heat. Skim
and lower the heat to medium low.
Simmer gently until the fish is done.
3. Dissolve miso and sugarwith a little sauce from the pan
and pour over the fish. Simmer
for about 5 more minutes.
4. Add the scallions
and cook briefly.
5. Arrange on a serving platterand pour the sauce over.
* Use normal (brown) miso if
you don’t have or like red miso.
* Boil 3-4 cm rounds of daikonradish separately and add to the panright before adding the miso paste.
* This goes well with kinoko gohan.

Mushroom Rice (4 servings)
Ingredients:
A variety of fresh
mushrooms (about 200g)
cut into bite size pieces
360g or 2 cups rice,
washed and drained
600cc water or konbu
dashi (basic stock)
1 Tbsp sake3 Tbsp light soy sauce
Preparation:
1. In a rice cooker add rice.
Mix all liquid ingredients in abowl. Pour over the rice. Add
the mushrooms. Switch on andcook until done. Simmer for
8-10 minutes before mixing.
2. Happy eating.

awaglot and classifiedsT

he literary corner of Awa Life,

There is also a classifieds section

But you can totally submit thisAwaglot, is a combination offor you, our readers, to post

stuff: offers to sell or exchange

the words "awa" and "polyglot",

ads in, but a few rules apply!

personal goods, concerts, lectures,

which means multilingual. Be it

The following will not be

and other event information, cultural,fiction, non-fiction, prose or poetry;posted: Religious, political, orsporting, and other community group

funny, sad, long or short, we wantcommercial activities, businesses

information, etcetera. If you haveyour submissions! If you like tosearching for clients or employees,

something you would like to sharewrite, then express yourself! Send

and things the Awa Life editorswith the Tokushima community, email

submissions to awalife@gmail.com.

deem inappropriate.

the editors at awalife@gmail.com!

TOPIA

5

gaming in the toke
Brandon BarberH

ey Gaming Tokers! Brandon
here and today I am goingto talk a bit about video games.
So, I would say that most of us,
before coming to Japan haveplayed a few video games in ourday. Of course with the manydifferent gaming genres out there
it’s difficult to pin down who’s
playing what, and why what they
are playing is so appealing. Today
I’ll start things off by stating what
I’m playing and why I like it.
Currently (and maybe sadly)
I own all of the major consoles,
both big and small, but right now
most of my time is spent on myPlay Station 3. Why PS3? Well,right now I’m playing a lot of coop games with other people here
in Tokushima who only have theirPS3. The biggest titles right now
that I’m playing are Street Fighter,
Borderlands, and Monster Hunter
Portable 3rd (the Playstation
Portable remake). Street Fighter
has had a long-lasting appeal tome since Street Fighter II. The factthat it's competitive, technical,“Street Fighter has
had a long-lasting
appeal to me since
SFII. The fact thatit's competitive,
technical, and fast
makes it a great
game to pick up andplay with friends.”
6

Video game reviews andrecommendations by Bbarb!

and fast makes it a great gameto pick up and play with friends.
Got a few minutes before work,or want to play something quickly
before bedtime? Street Fighter orfighting games in general happen
to fill that void quite nicely. The
average match time (2 to 3 rounds)
is about a minute and a half to two
minutes. This quick match timeallows you to pick it up, play a few
people, and then put it down forwhatever reason. Note however, if
you want to become good enoughyou need to put the time and effort
into learning a lot about the game.
Watching match videos and reading
articles on different characters andsuch are a great way to get thegeneral idea, but in the end it’s theactual practice against opponents
and in the various training modes
that’ll help raise your skill level.
Next, let's talk about
Borderlands. I picked this game up
with the intention of playing witha few friends, but for whateverreason we got delayed…for along while on starting it. But weeventually got around to it andit's a lot of fun. It fulfills a needfor an RPG (role playing game)and an FPS (first person shooter).
To get the most out of this game,finding one to three other people
to play with is key. It changes theitem drops and the difficulty ofthe mobs you fight throughout
the game. Occasionally it can bea lengthy run from place to place,
so I’d recommend playing withpeople you can talk with to pass

“I can't say enoughgood things
about [Monster
Hunter]...As a huge
fan of monsters andbattling them, thiswas an immediatedraw for me.”the time. The setting isn’t super
original, but the story, narration,and various characters (in and outof the Downloadable Content)
make the game fun. I’d recommend
it if you want to shoot a lot of
stuff, or if you want to basicallyplay FPS World of Warcraft
in a science fiction setting.
Lastly I’ll talk about Monster
Hunter. I can’t say enough goodthings about this game, so I guess
I’ll go with the big things. It's
fun, both solo and multiplayer. If
you're new to the Monster Hunter
universe, it's pretty simple. You
are a monster hunter in a village
and you take out hunting/gathering
contracts for the village chief/mayor/whoever is in charge so
the village can be saved from, or
recover from a monster attack.
When starting the game you
choose your gender, and design
the look of your character (but I’m
not sure why, you are completely
covered in armor after a few
quests). After that you run througha few beginner quests to introduce
you to the mechanics and it allows
you to use a variety of weapons.
After you become more acquainted

TOPIA

with the game universe you start tohunt bigger monsters. As a fan ofhuge monsters and battling them,this was an immediate draw forme. Again, all of this is much more
fun in a group, but as you killmonsters you carve out random
body parts from the monsters tomake yourself better weaponsand equipment so you can fightbigger and stronger monsters.
I strongly recommend any
Monster Hunter title for theabove reason of fighting giant
monsters, but some of the games
are released only in Japan, so it
would be a great way to study upsome Japanese as well! I knowthat it’s a fun thing to do to keep
up on my Japanese, and it’ll give

topizo at large

TOPIA

you something to talk about, oreven something for you English
teachers to do with your highschool/junior high school students
after classes! But sssshhhh, otherteachers might not be too keen onthat idea. Anyway, happy gaming
everyone and I hope this hasn't
been too horrible of a read!

A comic by Sarah Nelson7今月の日本語Japanese Lesson
Kyoko Kamura

This month let's practice listing off actions using the「〜たり、〜たり」sentence pattern!
やす

ひ

なに

もの

い

A：休みの日に何をしますか。
か

えい が

み

とも

あ

B：①買い物に行きます。②映画を見ます。③友だちに会います。④テニスをします。
と しょかん⑤図書館へ行きます。
B-san has a lot to do on his day off! But it's a bit of a mouthful to say it all, so let's narrow it down to two
activities.
A：休みの日は何をしますか。
B：友だちと買い物に行ったり、映画を見たりします。
Here's how to make the「〜たり、〜たり」sentence pattern:
Write a few verbs in the past tense た form, then add り at the end of each, concluding the sentence with します .
どう し

けい

動詞・た形＋り、動詞・た形＋りします

Exercise 1: Try making sentences using activities 2 and 5, then 3 and 4 from above. Look at this next
conversation.
A：きのうは何をしましたか。
しょく じ

B：食事をしたり、おふろに入ったりしました。
There's something not right about it. Why is that? Eating a meal and taking a bath on their own are ordinary
activities and are not usually used with「〜たり、〜たり」because it is used to list actions that are special orout of the ordinary. This part is important. So how about we rephrase it like this?
A：きのうは何をしましたか。

おんせん

はい

B：友だちと食事をしたり、温泉に行っておふろに入ったりしました。
Eating with a friend and going to an onsen are rather special activities, so the above sentence sounds morenatural. Let's practice!
Exercise 2

か ぞく

こ

あそ

Example：休みの日は何をしますか。
（家族と買い物をします・子どもと遊びます）→ 家族と買い物したり、子どもと遊んだりします。

1.
2.
3.

とうきょう

か

ぶ

き

び じゅつかん東京で何をしますか。
（歌舞伎を見ます・美 術 館へ行きます）
ふゆ

冬休みは何をしたいですか。
（スキーへ行きます・アルバイトをします）
せんしゅう

にちよう

おんがく

き

ほん

よ

先週の日曜、何をしましたか。
（音楽を聴きました・本を読みました）

Answers:
Exercise 1:② and ⑤ 映画を見たり、図書館へ行ったりします。③ and ④ 友だちに会ったり、テニスをしたりします。
Exercise 2:
1. 歌舞伎を見たり、美術館へ行ったりします。2. スキーへ行ったり、アルバイトをしたりしたいです。
3. 音楽を聴いたり、本を読んだりしました。
References: こんにちはとくしま（JTM とくしま日本語ネットワーク）
外国人が日本語教師によくする１００の質問（バベルプレス）

8

TOPIA

letter from Suketo Hoikuen

Child care advice
from our friends at
Suketo Daycare!

Kazue InoueF

all is a greattime foreating in Japan,

with seasonal foods in abundance,
and this is when Japanese rice
is at its best! After half a yearof steady growth it is at lastripe for the harvest, and it isessential that one take time tosavor these seasonal delights.
Children can be extremely picky
about their food, voicing theirdispleasure over the smell, thetaste, the appearance, or the textureof it, but you can deal with theseeccentriticities by knowing what
they dislike. For example, if they
dislike green vegetables, try adding
a flavor to it that they like such as
salad dressing, or cut it into small
pieces and mix it into other dishes
that they will eat. Also, exposing
your children to the cultivationof food in addition to buying andcooking it might make them moreenthusiastic about eating the foods
they don't favor. It may even be thebeginning of a beautiful friendship!

2. Tape the four halves
together to form a kind ofslide as shown below.
3. Stack some cardboard boxes
on a table or desk to create anedge for the slide to lean on.
Secure the slide with tape on theunderside, or something heavy.
To play: Find an acorn fromoutside and roll it down the slide!
For even more fun, try taping
some disposable chopsticks to theinside and make it a zigzag slide!

“...exposing yourchildren to thecultivation offood in addition tobuying and cooking
it might make themmore enthusiastic
about eating thefoods they don't
favor. It may evenbe the beginningof a beautiful
friendship!”But perhaps most important of
all is eating as a family. You andyour children may find that dinnerjust tastes better when everyone in
the family sits down to commune
with good food and a positive
atmosphere. So reap the rewardsof fall, and enjoy it to the fullest!
This month's craft: Acorn Slide
1. Cut the tops and bottoms off of
two milk cartons, then cut theminto halves as shown below.

TOPIA

9

news & events

November 1 December 1

To post an event of your own, send the details via email to the editors at awalife@gmail.com .

Children’s Music Hour
子どもの音楽館
This program is a classical music concert that children

0 歳から楽しめるクラシックコンサートとして、親子で楽しof all ages can enjoy with their parents, including

めるプログラムをご用意します。愛され続ける童謡、手遊び

performances of beloved nursery rhymes, hand-clapping

歌や世界の子守唄、オペラアリアなど。音楽だけでなく、おgames, lullabies, and opera arias. There will also be
a few talks on the subject of children’s music, making
this event a perfect outing for moms and their children.
Don’t hesitate to bring your infants, and dads are

はなしも入れ、楽しく充実した内容となっています。ママが子どもと一緒に、気兼ねなく楽しめるイベントですので、赤ちゃんも大歓迎です！もちろんパパも大歓迎！みんなで音楽

welcome too! Let’s have a musical afternoon together!

を楽しみましょう。

When: November 27 (Sun), 14:00

日時：

11 月 27 日 ( 日 )14:00

Where: Naruto German House 1st FL, Oasacho

場所：

鳴門市大麻町桧字東山田 55-2

Hinoki, Aza Higashi Yamada 55-2
Info:

German HouseTEL:

088-689-0099

Cost:

500 yen (free for chilren under 3)

鳴門ドイツ館１階
問合せ：ドイツ館
TEL：

088-689-0099

入場料： 500 円 (3 歳未満無料 )Hometown Carnival and Awa Racoon Festival
ふるさとカーニバル阿波の狸まつり
This is a festival for locals to show off their talents!

会場内に設けられた 2 つのステージでは、タレントショーやThere will be two stages set up in Aibahama Park forコンサート、郷土芸能の発表などが繰り広げられます。他には、

a talent show, concerts, and other folk performances.

各市町村が自慢の特産品を販売するなどふるさと徳島の自然

There will also be vendors where locals will be sellingがいっぱい、人情ほのぼのをテーマに繰り広げるカーニバル

their hometown specialities, making this a wonderfullyです。

quaint carnival you won’t want to miss!

日時：

11 月 4 日 ( 金 ) 〜 6 日 ( 日 )When: November 4 (Fri) - 6 (Sun)

場所：

徳島市

Where: Tokushima city, Aibahama Park
Info:

Shikoku Broadcasting and Business Development

TEL:088-655-7667

Cost:

Free!

藍場浜公園

問合せ： 四国放送営業開発部
TEL：

088-655-7667

入場料： 無料！

Japanese Lessons at Suketo Hoikuen (free)
助任保育園の日本語教室（無料）
When: Every Thursday, 11:00 - 12:00

日時：

毎週木曜日、11:00 〜 12:00

Cost:

Free, and child care is also available!

金額：

託児付き（無料）

Call TOPIA at

問合せ： トピアまで

Info:

TEL 088-656-3303

10

TEL 088-656-3303

TOPIA

Tokushima Festival 2011
とくしま祭り 2011
The Tokushima Festival is a prefecture-wide event

徳島県全域を舞台に、「グルメ」や「温泉」など、いろんなfeaturing 10 festivals of different themes, such

テーマでつくる 10 の “まつり” をスタンプラリーで巡る「とas gourmet food or hot springs, and they are allparticipating in a mass stamp rally. At each festival there
will be various attractions and events for you to enjoy,
and you will receive a stamp for each one you attend.
Collect three or more stamps and you can enter a lottery
to win some pretty awesome prizes. In addition, there

くしま祭り」です。各まつりには、観光施設やイベントなどが登録されていて、その中から好きな一つを選んで参加すれば、スタンプが１個もらえます。スタンプを３つ以上集めると、集めたスタンプ数に応じて豪華賞品が当たる抽選に応募することができます。また、各まつり毎にも、
スタンプラリーやキャ

will be smaller stamp rallies and campaigns going on at

ンペーンなどを実施していますので、こちらもぜひお楽しみ

each festival, so don’t miss out!

下さい。

When: October 1 (Sun) - January 9, 2012 (Mon)日時：

10 月 1 日 ( 日 ) ~ 2012 年 1 月 9 日 ( 月 )Where: All over Tokushima prefecture!

場所：

徳島県全域

Info:

Tokushima Tourism Association

TEL:

088-624-5140

問合せ： 徳島県観光協会
TEL：

088-624-5140

Misato Plum Wine Festival
美郷梅酒まつりThe plum wine brewers of Misato, Yoshinogawa were

吉野川市美郷地区は平成 20 年 7 月に全国初の「梅酒特区」に

officially recognized as Japan’s first special district for認定され、生産者の顔が見える「安心・安全」な美郷産の梅

plum wine in July of 2008, and they grow their plumsを使用した梅酒づくりに取り組んでいます。美郷梅酒まつり

organically right in Misato. At this festival you can taste
and compare all kinds of fresh plum wines at the on-siteliquer factory and restaurant.
When: November 26 (Sat) - 27 (Sun) 10:00 - 15:00
Where: Yoshinogawa city, Misato Hotaru Kan

では、リキュール製造場や農家レストランで梅酒の新酒を飲
み比べることができます。
日時：

11 月 26 日（土）~ 27 日 ( 日 ) 10:00 〜 15:00

場所：

吉野川市

美郷ほたる館

問合せ： 美郷梅酒まつり実行委員会

Info:

Misato Plum Wine Festival CommitteeTEL:

088-343-2216

TEL :1000 yen in advance, 1200 yen at the door

入場料： 前売り券 1000 円、当日券 1200 円

Cost:

088-343-2216

Fall Rose Festival
秋のバラまつりIn the Aizumi rose garden there are over 1000 roses of

バラ園では、270 種類・1000 株のバラが咲き誇っております。

270 different kinds in bloom just waiting for you to enjoy

色とりどりの大輪・中輪のバラをこの機会にぜひご鑑賞くだ

them. Don’t miss this opportunity to see these beauties

さい。期間中は、バラの苗木や藍住町特産品の販売を行ってin all their multi-colored and multi-sized glory! There
will also be rose saplings and Aizumi specialties on sale.
Come on out before the season ends!
When: October - November
Where: Aizumi Rose Garden
Itano-gun, Aizumi-cho, Yakami Azahara 263-88
Info:

Aizumi Construction and Industry DivisionTEL:088-637-3120

Cost:

Free!

TOPIA

います。
日時：

10 月 ~ 11 月

場所：

板野郡藍住町矢上字原 263-88

藍住町バラ園問合せ： 藍住町建設産業課
TEL :088-637-3120

入場料： 無料！

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“Awa Odori for All People” Musical and Festival
萬の民の阿波おどりフェスティバル
This festival features an original musical, Yorozu no Tami no Awa Odori (Awa Odori for All People), where Awa dance from thepast, present, and future collides. There will also be a food festival with vendors from the monthly Marche event, stalls selling
products you can ﬁnd only in Tokushima, and dancing and folk entertainment, so don’t miss out!
MusicalWhen:

November 23 (Wed/national holiday) 14:00 - 16:00 (doors open at 13:00)

Cost:

1000 yen (1500 yen at the door)

Food Festival
When:

November 23 (Wed/national holiday) 11:00 - 17:00

Cost:

Free!

Where: ASTY Tokushima
Tokushima city, Yamashiro-cho, Higashihama Houji 1
Info:

27th National Cultural Festival, Tokushima Branch Executive CommitteeTEL:

088-621-2256

URL:

http://yorozu-awaodori.com/

One Day Bus Tour of Western Tokushima!
This one day bus tour is the perfect opportunity to explore the west of Tokushima! Take a one-hour boat tour on the
Yoshino river through the Oboke gorge to see the changing color of autumn leaves, followed by a chance to drop by
the Yokai (ghost) Museum. Visit the Iya Vine Bridge and the Heike Folklore Museum, take a tour of a sake brewerywith free sake tastings, and for non-drinkers there will be green tea and Japanese sweets served in a 200-year-old
traditional Japanese house!
The bus leaves at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 23rd (Wed/national holiday) from Tokushima station. Please bringyour own lunch, or you may eat at a restaurant in Oboke. Free soft drinks and snacks will be provided on the bus!
Participation fee (cost of transportation and museum entrance): Adults 2000 yen, children 6-12 1500 yen, children under 6 are free!
To participate: send an email to Ms. Yamada at Hiroba International, at welcometotokushima@yahoo.co.jp, or call090-2787-3597 or send a fax to 088-652-4846. Please include your name, nationality and contact information (e-mailor telephone)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 andJapanese. 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: 088-656-3320 (allows three-way conversations with an interpreter) or 088-656-3303

人権守って輝く明日
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TOPIA