Announcemen

a Cross-cultural Center,Palette Kashiwa K: 04-7165-7321 Kashiwa International Exchange Week 2022  7/4 (Mon) - 7/10 (Sun) Venue: Pallete Kashiwa Content: Introducing the activities of international exchange organizations in the city; presentation by students from Reitaku University and Kaichi International University; interaction in easy Japanese with foreigners living in the city ; and seminar on refugees and evacuees of Syria, Ukraine, etc. Yukata fitting and Bon-Odori Dance Experience Date & Time: Tuesday, July 19, 10:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Place: Pallete Kashiwa, Multipurpose Space B (Men's fitting room: Meeting Room G) Content: Let's learn how to put on a yukata from an instructor and get dressed!  Have fun dancing the Kashiwa Odori in yukata! If you have a yukata, please bring it with you. If you use KIRA's yukata, we will provide you with a yukata and the necessary items. Let us know your size (M.L.LL) when you register. Wear a white T-shirt or underwear such as a tank top, as you will change into yukata. Please wear a mask when participating. Participation fee: 300 yen for those who bring their own yukata; 1,400 yen (300 yen + laundry charge) for those who use KIRA's yukata. Number of Participants: 15 Application: Sign up directly at the KCC office or send an email to <boshu-2@kira-kira.jp> by Thursday, July 14. Free Legal Advice and Administrative Procedure Support for Foreign Residents To foreign residents. Are you in need of help? Lawyers and administrative procedure specialists are available 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, July 27, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Place: Palette Kashiwa, Room A Reservation: the KCC office Announcement of Video Posting You can see the video of " The 6th Japanese Speech Contest in Kashiwa " on our website. Please be sure to include the event name, and your name and phone number when applying by email. The events may be cancelled or changed depending on the COVID-19 infection status. Please contact the office for details. Vol. 75
(5/8) Ms. Yuki Tsujii, who was temporarily back in Japan, joined our regular  meeting as a guest. She had participated in the KIRA exchange programs to Kashiwa's friendship city, Camden in Australia, as a junior high school student, and to its sister city, Torrance in the U.S., as a university student. She is now living in Torrance. In the meeting, she talked with the KEYS students in a Q&A format about various topics such as sister city exchanges, studying abroad, working in the U.S., and her life in Torrance. And Ms. Miyazaki, the adult leader of the delegation when Yuki visited Torrance, also joined the meeting online, which became a brief reunion for KEYS meeting the two. KEYS conducts various forms of international exchange through a variety of events and online interactions. (5/22) The event was held at four venues: Kashiwa Station East Exit Deck, Family Kashiwa Front Plaza, Kashiwa Station Shopping Street "Howdy Mall   Holiday Car-free Zone," and Palette Kashiwa (the multipurpose spaces and the meeting rooms). As in the previous year, the KCC displayed the photos of KIRA’s activities at the entrance of Palette Kashiwa to introduce its activities.  Furthermore, we helped with the food drive planned by the Festa organizer, along with volunteer students from Kaichi International University. We received and arranged various kinds of shelf-stable and non-perishable foods brought by citizens. Mayor Ota talking with students Mayor Ota of Kashiwa City came to the venue and asked us about our activities, and talked with the students from Kaichi International University. The members of the KCC had a meaningful time talking and interacting with the students as well.
Interactive Mini Walking Tour (5/29)
The walking tour, which has been held in the fall every year,  was held in the spring It was a sunny day with the temperature over 30 degrees Celsius, this year as well. but a refreshing breeze blew through the trees in Kombukuro Pond Nature and Natural History Park. The walk became a pleasant and enjoyable experience. The park, once in a state of disrepair for a long time, has been restored since around 2007 with the cooperation of citizens . It is now a precious natural forest the size of four Tokyo Domes.  A variety of plants, animals, and insects are thriving around the four ponds in the park. The spring water from Kombukuro Pond flows into Lake Teganuma.  In the park, we saw the ruins of a horse pasture from the Edo Period, as at Kombukuro Pond well as the World War II relics such as a fuel bunker for Shusui—a rocket fighter developed during World War II to intercept B-29s—and a bunker shelter to protect the fighter plane.    We felt the history of the area. From there, we enjoyed a 6-km walk to Kashiwanoha Park through the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo. There were only Japanese participants on the tour, but we felt we would definitely like to introduce the places of interest in the area to foreigners on our next tour.
Asakusa Tour   (6/2)
Five foreigners (from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Canada) and five Japanese went to Asakusa to experience Japanese culture. An Indonesian woman, a former member of KIRAKIC and a tour guide for foreigners, guided us around Asakusa. At Sensoji Temple, some of the foreigners in the group were interested in goshuin, a scarlet seal of a temple, which one of the Japanese participants was collecting. They also received goshuin, saying they would receive others when visiting temples and shrines in the future. The Nakamise Shopping Street was crowded with students on a school trip. A Canadian man was interested in jinbei, a traditional two-piece summer at Sensoji Temple clothing, at a storefront. He bought one, thinking it would be comfortable in the Japanese summer. The Asakusa Tourism and Culture Center, designed by an architect Kengo Kuma, offered a panoramic view of Sensoji Temple, the Nakamise, the five-story pagoda, and the Sumida River. The photos of local events in Taito Ward were displayed inside. Our guide chose a restaurant for us, suggesting Japanese food would be a good choice for foreigners.  After a delicious and reasonably priced lunch, we took a cruise along the Sumida river. On the cruise, we could see the reflection of the Sky Tree on a glass building on the shore. It was an enjoyable day of interaction in English and Japanese. Interview with Ukrainians Evacuating to Kashiwa We interviewed two women from Ukraine who are having job experience programs and learning Japanese at KCC. Q: When did you come to Kashiwa? A: On March 20, three of us, including our 3-year-old son, came to Kashiwa from Kyiv, Ukraine, because we have relatives living in Kashiwa. Many Ukrainians have evacuated to Europe, but we didn't know anyone in Europe, so we didn't think to evacuate there. Q:ls this your first visit to Japan? What is your impression of Japan and Kashiwa? A: We came to Japan for the first time. I think the people in Kashiwa are kind, and the city is clean. It is a very comfortable place to live. Q: I think there are many differences between the Ukrainian and Japanese lifestyles.  What differences have you noticed? A:Japanese people are more polite than Ukrainians. I think the Japanese are the most polite people in the world. For example, Japanese bow everywhere, but Ukrainians seldom do. I also love courteous customer service at various stores. I think all the clerks treat customers as if they are gods. Ukrainians are also polite, but they do it differently from the Japanese. It is difficult to explain it, Ukrainians clearly tell people if there is something they don't like, but the Japanese don't. In Japan, they neatly separate garbage. In Ukraine, people separate it, but not as well as the Japanese. Q: How do you like Japanese food? A:I like Japanese food. I enjoy all kinds of food. It is very different from Ukrainian food, so I am trying to get used to it. There is a popular Japanese restaurant in Kyiv. I have had sushi, matcha-flavored Daifuku mochi (a rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste), and miso soup at the restaurant. Q:Borscht and pirozhki are well known as "Russian food" in Japan, but I heard they originally came from Ukraine. A: They are Ukrainian dishes. Ukrainians often eat a dish like boiled dumplings called "varenyky." In Russia, it is called "pelmeni." Russian and Ukrainian cuisines are very similar. The cuisines from all Slavic countries are the same. Q:The Kyiv ballet company is famous. What are you proud of in Ukrainian borscht culture? A:There are many talented people in Ukraine. Many famous soccer players, athletes, writers, and artists are from Ukraine. Ekaterina Kukhar, a ballerina from the National Opera; Andriy Shevchenko, a former soccer player called the legend of Ukraine; Tina Karol, a singer, actress, and presenter who performed in Japan; and Vitali Klitschko, the current mayor of Kyiv and a former boxer are famous. Q:I heard that your child attends a nursery school in Kashiwa. How does he varenyky spend his time there? A:Despite our worries, my son, who will be three years old next month, is quickly adapting to nursery school. On returning home, he tells me the Japanese phrases he learned there. He seems to be having a lot of fun, so I feel relieved. Q:Do you have any problems with your life in Japan? A: I have received a lot of support, and I am not having any particular National Opera of Ukraine (Photo courtesy of Reia Tsumori) problems now. I am happy to find a job. My job is to display products, and I am grateful to be able to work. Thank you for allowing me to learn Japanese. Japan is the first country to support Ukraine among the countries in the Far East. Now we are living with peace of mind. We will never forget that you warmly welcomed us. (Interview by Yoko Nakano and Noriko Fujita) We have received 35 applications for volunteers to help evacuees from Ukraine. Volunteers help in various ways, including accompanying them to the vaccination site, helping with shopping, and going to the hospital. As of June 2, we have received donations of about 410,000 yen. Apology and Correction; The caption for the photo of Mr. Karl Takauye on page 3 of the June issue was incorrect. His wife Sharleen is on the left. Japanese Shonan Classes Summer vacation 7/15-8/31
Online study meeting for KIRA members “Easy Japanese (latter part)" Date & Time: Thursday, July 21, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Lecturer: Ms. Tomoe Uchida (Easy Japanese instructor) Participation fee: Free Number of participants: 25 Application: Sign up at the KCC office, or send an email to< boshu-1@kira-kira.jp > with your name and phone number. We will send you the invitation link on the day. Next session: Thursday, August 18, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. " Creating an Organization that Enables the Participation of the Younger Generation" Lecturer: Takahiro Kageyama Information about COVID-19 for Foreign Residents Available in multiple languages Questions? Please contact the office of Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center (KCC)
Consultation for Foreign Residents
Monday: Spanish Tuesday: Korean (only the 2nd and 4th Tuesday) Wednesday: Chinese Thursday: English Friday: Chinese ※  1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. everyday Consultation Counter for Foreign Residents (Main City Hall 3F) TEL: 04 - 7168 - 1033   No reservation required
Kashiwa information Delivery Service
Sign up to receive email announcements from the city, such as information about earthquakes, fires, crime, and infectious disease outbreaks in the language of your choice. Send a blank email to this address to register. please read Kashiwa City Also, Magazine. It contains information about COVID-19 vaccination. 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: Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center designated administrator Specified non-profit organization, Kashiwa International Relations Association General Affairs Committee Public Relations Division